Seasoned self-builders Frank and Kerry’s stunning cantilevered house in a picture-postcard location overlooking a gently curved stretch of the Avon is just how the experienced self-builders envisaged it, but a series of
unexpected problems tested them to the limit.

TEXT JESS UNWIN IMAGES HABITAT+ ARCHITECTS

Viewed from the main road passing through the Worcestershire village of Wyre Piddle, Anchorage seems a modest new home, but this unassuming appearance hides a wonderful secret.

For it’s at the ‘rear’ of this self-build that you see the real face, and soul, of the property: a striking two-storey and cantilevered structure built into the bank on a gentle curve of the River Avon.

This Passivhaus-certified home, in an idyllic location complete with jetty and designed to make the most of solar gain and the riverside views, would be the envy of many, yet there’s a second secret here.

That’s because getting to this point is a story that includes some of the obstacles that all self-builders can face and, happily, how they can be overcome. And don’t assume it’s mostly the uninitiated – the first timers – that come up against challenges – Anchorage is Frank Ainscow’s fifth self-build project and wife Kerry Mashford’s fourth.

The plot on a sloping bank and within a conservation area that the couple bought for £180,000 without planning permission in 2020 was always likely to present tests, but the eventual list of ‘glitches’ included opposition from neighbours, planning permission wrangles, financing headaches and three companies significant to the self-build going out of business mid-project.

Tim Carter and Tom Locke of Habitat+ Architects have played an invaluable role in helping to navigate a way through all that. Kerry says: “We knew from experience how important it is to get someone with local knowledge involved, particularly the planning side of things and local builders.”

Tim and Tom’s remit included not only coming up with a design for the couple’s new home that would get planning approval but also project management. “There was a cost involved in asking the architects to do that,” adds Kerry, “but they were well worth the money.” 

Initial drawings for the house were constrained to some extent by Passivhaus-standard insulation requirements, but Frank reveals: “We thought that could still be achieved with something more architecturally interesting.”

He adds: “I mentioned I was a fan of American architect Frank Lloyd Wright whose most famous work, called Fallingwater, is built partly over a waterfall. Next thing I knew there was a plan on the table with an overhang.”

The first application for planning permission was submitted in June 2021, but a year later there was still no approval. After Frank wrote a “pleading” letter to the head of planning, the couple discovered the stumbling block was not the south-facing riverside design but the roadside front of the house, which was not deemed to fit in with the look of the village.

A revised design was eventually given the go-ahead by the local authority’s planning committee with Tim making a presentation for his clients. Kerry admits: “It’s virtually impossible to represent yourself when you personally have so much at stake. Tim was excellent.”

However, opponents of the couple’s self-build scheme claimed an error in the plans over the proximity of the new house to an existing building invalidated that planning consent. As a result, Frank and Kerry had to go through the whole planning process a second time. To make matters worse, it transpired that the error was not theirs but was down to dimensional tolerance in the Ordnance Survey map. 

Final planning approval eventually came through in April 2023. Looking back, Kerry says: “The delays meant we were renting for more than three years when we expected it to be just a year.

“It’s painful to talk about. There were lots of people in the village who were happy with our plans and wished us well, but there were others who raised a number of objections.”

Frank chips in: “The planning authority was really put on the back foot by the nature of the objections, which included two Freedom of Information requests to release all the communications related to the application.”

Architect Tim suspects there might have been less resistance if the self-build’s plans had been “more traditional” but adds: “We tried to do everything right in this project. Frank and Kerry met with the local residents before submitting their planning application and we established a strong dialogue with the local authority, including the conservation officer, working with them to give them what they required.”

Construction, which got underway in December 2023, was never going to be straightforward with a four-metre-deep excavation necessary at the back of the bank nearest the road – especially on a site with very little room for storing materials and equipment.

Kerry says: “You never really know what you’re going to find when you start digging but the builders were marvellous and it was like precision surgery. On the downside, the lack of space meant the digger was left on the
riverbank and had to be lifted out by crane!”

Working with their structural engineer, their architect and their builder, Frank and Kerry settled on a construction method that comprises a retaining wall of insulated concrete formwork (ICF) that is blended with the
timber-framed superstructure.

The concrete base for the whole structure sits on an Isoquick foundation system – made from prefabricated polystyrene that locks together like a jigsaw. A concrete shear key, which Frank describes as being “like a dagger board on a boat”, was also included as an alternative to piling to stop the building sliding down the bank.

A riverside location like this,10m from the water and 3m above it, obviously comes with a flood risk, but as Frank explains: “We did extensive analysis and, in the end, we set the lower floor level of the house at 600mm above the 100-year maximum predicted flood level.”

Frank and Kerry eventually moved into their new home in 2025, but only after the added complication of three companies involved in construction closing down during the process. 

Tim says: “To be honest, you couldn’t pick a worse three, but we made sure that the project could carry on and they became just more hurdles to overcome, rather than showstoppers. In each case, we advised Frank and Kerry of the risks and they elected to continue.” 

The collapse of the ground waterproofing company the day before they were to begin work created a “critical situation”, he recalls. “The entire programme depended on this installation.” 

He adds: “The main contractor managed to source the correct materials from stock that suppliers had left over and the installation went ahead as planned.

“When something has been carefully planned over several months to protect the client’s risk profile and at the last minute it goes wrong and creates havoc, it can derail everything very quickly. We ended up losing two weeks due to this, but it hasn’t been a problem.”

At the time the company providing the timber superstructure closed down they had fortunately already completed their design work, and the main contractor was cutting and making the frame. Tim says: “We as architects stepped up to ensure the quality control of the timber frame and that nothing was compromised.” 

The third bombshell was the main contractor going into voluntary liquidation about three months before the end of construction. “We again supported Frank and Kerry to ensure that they weren’t compromised,” says Tim, “but it was another blow and hit the timeline.” Although the company folded, several former employees were able to help finish the project as individuals.

As if these issues weren’t enough to deal with, there was also an unexpected problem around financing – something Kerry is keen to highlight as a warning to other would-be self-builders.

“On top of paying for 35% of the project from savings, we also had a 65% self-build mortgage, which allowed us to periodically draw down against the value of the property as it was developed.

“You’d think as you’re putting money into the project the value of the project would increase by the amount of money being spent on it, but every time the lender assessed the property, the valuation came in considerably less than the money spent on it.

“It’s only because we were able to draw on our pensions that we were able to fill the gap. Had we relied just on the mortgage and the original 35% we’d have been stuck.”

The couple say they haven’t had their new home professionally valued and have no intention of ever selling it, but they expect it to be worth about £1m now. The total sum for the self-build project, including the land purchase, legal and consultants’ fees, rented accommodation and finance costs, has been £1.1m.

Thankfully, with all the challenges behind them, Frank and Kerry are now able to enjoy what they have created. “We love it,” says Kerry. “We definitely feel at home here and we’re so pleased that it’s all come together as we envisaged it. Every space is lovely and of course looking out onto the river is a joy.” 

Anchorage’s lower floor is host to an ensuite main bedroom, a second bedroom and a studio – all of which have access to a landscaped garden and have views of the Avon – plus a bathroom, a utility room and plant room.

On the overhanging upper floor, facing the river, there is a living room, terrace and kitchen/dining space, while an office, stairs, lobby and toilet occupy the area facing the road.

Kerry says: “We wanted something that would largely look after itself with minimum maintenance and running costs, which is why we chose a Passivhaus home. We also wanted interesting architecture with our personal style. People who know us and our previous projects know immediately that this home is ours. It may be our first Passivhaus, but we’ve always been pushing the envelope using advanced and sustainable construction.

“It was always our plan to have the living space upstairs, and we have the kitchen/dining area that opens up onto a terrace so we can entertain/eat out there.

“And of course we have river views framed by large windows across almost the whole south-facing aspect of the house. The solar gain is great, but when that is too much, there are external blinds and an awning for shading, while the overhang protects the lower floor.”

The couple are also particularly proud of their bespoke timber staircase. Comprising two half flights with a half landing in between, the upper half is open with two glulam beams and timber treads fixed to that. A single pane
of glass between two stainless steel posts forms the balustrade. Alternate steps of the lower half go under the upper half to create a display space.

Anchorage also boasts an eye catching floor-to-ceiling pivot door, with 3D wooden panels, which forms a stylish gateway between the living room and the rest of the open-space areas on the upper floor.

Another unique touch is the steel balustrade on the upper floor terrace outside the dining area. Fashioned by a local blacksmith, it is shaped to look like bulrushes to echo the river you see below it.

Kerry reveals: “These features and just about everything else in the house have at least some design input from us, reflecting our experience from previous projects.”

Architect Tim, who did so much to ensure this self-build crossed the finish line despite the unwanted problems, is delighted his clients are happy. He says: “Anchorage celebrates the river position, making the most of the site. But it is also a Passivhaus that’s architecturally dynamic and proves that low-energy design doesn’t have to be boxy or boring.”

Anchorage certainly continues to win praise and admiration. Tim adds: “The project’s Larson truss system was a finalist in two categories at the Structural Timber Awards, and I recently took a small party of local planning authority staff and committee members to Anchorage to show them what’s possible with the Passivhaus approach in new homes. They were impressed.”