Brian and Amanda Sherrington have realised their lifelong dream and built a German-inspired timber-framed home close to the Lake District. The double-fronted rendered house has a slate roof and striking glazed gable, while its interior boasts a double-height hallway and L-shaped open-plan living area. “It was a great experience - even with the sleepless nights,” says Brian.

A once ugly home in Cheshire has been revemped and extended by David and Jo Glenton, replacing poor quality single glazing and boxy dormers, extending outwards and installing fibre cement weatcherboard cladding to give the house a New England vibe. “Finding a talented designer and meticulous builder made all the difference, so it really pays to spend time to find the right team at the start,” advise the couple.

Built in the orchard garden of his childhood home in Cornwall, Callum Wason’s timber-framed new build was designed around a central atrium and backs onto Bolitho Estate's protected woodland. The interior boasts a sound-proofed cinema space, a contemporary feature fire and floor-to-ceiling windows.

Will and Adrienne Tyler have doubled the size of their 1930s home in Twickenham with a bold, contemporary design. Illuminated water features have been built beside the terrace and two ponds mask the noise from passing planes on the flightpath above. “I believe strongly in sustainability, and wanted our house to be as environmentally sound as possible,” explains Will, whose graphics and signage company has featured several times on the Sunday Times Best Green Companies list.

We celebrate all things timber, and give advice on using this versatile and renewable material in your build. From budgeting and planning to construction, we look at conventional timber frame, oak framing, cross-lamintated timber, SIPs and Glulam and at wood as a finishing material in cladding and shingle. 

Our Beginner’s Guide to creating your build, including research, cost, location and employing a designer. 

This Guide is one of our series of Beginners Guides: Next Steps - available online to SelfBuild & Design subscribers

See all Beginners Guides: Next Steps »

A Georgian former vicarage has been lovingly restored to include a sumptuous hand-painted kitchen with abundant storage.

Founders Mark Camillin and Liam Denny, chat to us about their business, childhood homes and inspirations.

We look at some of the best ways to light up your bathroom.

Legal advice: property law specialist Guy Elyahou advises on nuisance and a neighbour’s right to light.

PlotDoctor Roy Speer looks at the development potential of an outbuilding in a Cheshire garden.