A Home of Their Own

Elaine and Kevin’s home in Omagh is a striking example of what can be achieved from a self-build.

Elaine and Kevin had a clear idea of the house they both wanted and with a one-acre site on family land, they eagerly embarked on their self-build project. ‘I am a home bird’, admits Elaine. ‘I travel globally with work, but I always look forward to coming home. I’m fortunate that my parents and extended family all live nearby, and I know there is nowhere else I would ever want to live.’

Knowing this would be their forever home, the couple deliberately took their time and spent about five years building and decorating it before moving in four years ago. Both Kevin and Elaine lived at home throughout the build, so they had no major outgoings and could continue to save and invest in their build. They took on the role of project manager and with Kevin working in the industry coupled with using the skills of Elaine’s father, who used to be a contractor, all helped them to take on the project and cut down on the overall costs involved.

Enlisting the help of a local architect, the couple began the process of designing their home with all of the features they wanted. ‘I knew I wanted a tower and the house finished in stone,’ explains Elaine. ‘However, planning didn’t allow for the tower where I originally wanted it at the front of the house, so we moved it to the back, which actually has worked out better for us. This is now part of the large open plan kitchen/living/dining area and affectionately known as ‘the snug’. I love the shape and if the tower had been at the front as planned it would have simply been an area we walked through into the house, whereas now we get to really appreciate the curved lines as we spend a lot of time in here.