When Black Sheep House featured on the popular architectural programme it was a case of triumph over adversity. Now it is on the market for a fraction of the rebuilding price
In pictures: Black Sheep House
Black Sheep House on the Island of Harris won the Grand Designs home of the year in 2008. Kevin McCloud said what he loved about it was that it was almost as if the owners had gone up the mountain, collected bits of it and brought them back down and built their house out of them.
Irregular shaped stone walls are topped with a flower strewn turf roof; inside, the one-and-a-half-storey kitchen and living space have a venerable feel, the bay windows offering heavenly views over the Hebridean mountains and shoreline.
Winning the popular television competition was a high point for self-builders Christine and Pete Hope – but it hasn’t been a passport to capital gain. The unique two-bed house is on the market for offers in excess of £225,000 – about half the current rebuilding cost of £440,000.
From the outset Black Sheep House has been a financial rollercoaster. The Hopes left Yorkshire for the island in 2003, armed with a budget of £50,000 and spade loads of determination.
They set their sights on a ruined traditional black house which, latterly, had served as a sheep shed. As an experienced dry stone waller, Pete was able to carry out the bulk of the work himself, while former social worker Christine trawled the internet to source building supplies at bargain prices.
Despite a considerable degree of cooperation and goodwill from local tradesmen and architect Stuart Bagshaw, the project required Herculean effort. Pete says: “If I had assessed that I’d have even half the amount of hard physical labour ahead of me that this project demanded, I would have refused to begin. But having started we were determined to see it through.”
Building costs escalated to £130,000, which necessitated the property being let out to holidaymakers in a bid to recoup costs. During peak season visitors pay £1,280 a week.
So why is it on the market at such a modest price? A desultory housing market and the property’s far flung location are two obvious factors. However, a rather unimaginative home evaluation report (required in Scotland) fails to acknowledge the mezzanine sleeping space and describes the house as a one-bed bungalow worth £180,000.
Builder Alan Rowing on White Van Man
Tuesday, April 12th, 2011The banter in this sitcom about a painter and decorator and his assistant is quite true to life, finds builder Alan Rowing
I did laugh a few times while watching this sitcom, about a guy called Ollie (played by Will Mellor) who takes over his father’s painting and decorating business. Like me, Ollie drives a white van, though I’ve had lots of different coloured vans over the 40 years I’ve been a builder. The dashboard of his van is covered with litter – food cartons, bits of paper. Mine’s not quite as messy as that, but it’s getting there.
The banter between Ollie and his assistant, Darren, is quite true to life: we do like to have a laugh, and we’ve all got nicknames, though I couldn’t possibly divulge what mine is. But I’m not sure I’d take that level of lip off anyone I work with. The fact that Ollie’s living in his father’s shadow feels quite real, though. I work with my son, and I do always check up on what he’s doing.
In the second episode, a turf war develops between Ollie and some other builders. I have seen that sort of thing happen. I once worked in the north of England, doing shop-fitting, and it was pretty clear that they weren’t that keen on us southerners. There’s also quite a clash in London between British builders and those coming over from eastern Europe.
In one of the houses Ollie’s working in, a couple starts having sex while he’s there. I’ve had that happen a few times – you just have to pretend you can’t hear them. And I’ve also met quite a few old ladies just as eccentric as Irene, the woman Darren takes out from the old people’s home for a ride in the van. One 80-year-old woman I worked for was a complete alcoholic, and another had Alzheimer’s and would sometimes walk into the room stark naked. That wasn’t at all funny, though – just sad.
It is good to see a programme that shows a white van man as more than just someone who cuts you up on the road. I don’t think of myself, or other builders, as white van men, though – I tend to use that term for courier drivers, or people in hire cars. They’re the ones you want to watch out for.
White Van Man is on BBC3 on Tuesdays at 10pm.
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