Once the super-structure was erected, we could then focus on getting the building wind and water tight which is a key stage in any building project. It allows you to commence internal work in tandem with external finishes.

The main thing is to get the windows installed and all roof / wall sheeting and membranes fitted to keep the building dry. These membranes keep the weather out until you can get the final skin on the building, so you can crack on internally. We chose natural slate and corrugated metal profile sheeting for the roof finishes to complement the local rural vernacular architecture.

Mixing the types of roofing can be a good way of adding depth to your elevations along with potential cost savings. Since we could fit the currugated roof sheeting ourselves, this was a saving as natural slate is more expensive and required a skilled slater to install.

Windows are another key element when building your own house and should be chosen carefully from a reputable company. We chose NorDan double glazed alu-clad windows due to the low maintenance externally and still allows for a timber window internally.

There is often confusion when considering between double glazed and triple glazed windows. The thermal performance of a double glazed window can be very good these days and beat the standards set in the Building Regulations. There is quite a cost increase per window to upgrade to triple glazing, along with weight and ironmongery, and this cost may not be saved back over the life of the building in running costs. It is mainly for acoustics that triple glazing is perfect for, so I would always consider double glazing first.