BUILD IT

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BEST LAID PLANS: Steve and Janine Carney set out to build an oak frame home for themselves, but an objection from the planners - and a change of heart - turned the project into a sizeable annexe for Janine's parents instead

PERFECT FIT: Downsizing to a new oak frame cottage gave Bille-Jean and Mark Holden all the space they needed - and now they're mortgage-free

CONSIDERED APPROACH: Small steps and a measured design process helped first time self-builders, Ian and Sue Richardson, create their striking oak frame home

NEW AND IMPROVED: Two sizeable extensions and a reworked floorplan have transformed the Gardners' dated 1970s house into a light-filled family home

TROPICAL HOUSE: Sandra and Trevor Collin's design and renovation skills have transformed their 1980s home into  a modern light-filled oasis   

LUCKY MOVE; A fortuitous conversation with a sustainability expert encouraged Susannah Geoghegan to go back to the drawing board on her build. The result is a Passivhaus with a pleasing traditional look.