The standard of this year’s entries to The Daily Telegraph Homebuilding & Renovating Awards has been incredible and the judges were amazed by the ingenuity and spirit shown in 2020. After a long discussion and many debates, they have selected a shortlist of 19 projects of all shapes and sizes.
Take a look below at the amazing projects and scroll to the bottom to have your say in the Home of the Year 2020. Simply choose your favourite from the shortlist and vote today in the Readers’ Choice award.
Our awards scheme has been celebrating Britain’s most inspiring home projects for well over two decades, and continues to encourage others on their own build journeys.
The Awards not only highlight the best home designs, but also the spirit and ambition of the self-builders and renovators behind them.
In 10 categories, the Awards scheme celebrates projects projects of all shapes, sizes and budgets — from self builds that evoke the best of vernacular architecture and modest, well-designed extensions, to the latest remodels and radical conversions. Plus, one of the shortlisted projects will be crowned by the judging panel as ‘Home of the Year’, with the homeowner receiving £1,000 of John Lewis vouchers.
Voting closes 22 December and winners will be announced on 22 February.
The Shortlist
Overdale
Homeowner: Alan Williams | Project: Traditional-style self-build | Location: Hampshire | Build Cost: £150,000 | Architect: Self designed
Alan designed and built this stunning traditional-looking barn on a DIY basis, achieving an incredible build budget of just £604/m2. The four-bed home was constructed in the majority using locally sourced materials.
The Old Byres
Homeowners: Richard and Lucy Clayson| Project: Eco conversion of barn and cow byres | Location: East Sussex | Build Cost: £300,000 | Architect: Self designed
Designed by Richard with the help of a Passivhaus specialist, The Old Byres is an EnerPHit-registered home with sustainability at the forefront of its creation. Highly insulated throughout, the couple even utilised the 2-acre field the plot came with to plant 1000 trees that they can utilise in future as biomass fuel.
The Forge
Homeowners: Philip and Elly Handley | Project: Conversion and extension of Grade II-listed blacksmith’s forge | Location: Shropshire | Build Cost: £85,000 | Architect: Studio Bloc (designed by Philip)
First-time buyers Philip and Elly took a leap of faith when they returned to their home of Shropshire after years living in Singapore and bought a dilapidated brick barn with their limited budget. The result is a charming and contemporary home for their young family.
Monument’s Cottage
Homeowners: Joanna and David Rakowski | Project: Contemporary-style self-build | Location: Cambridge | Build Cost: £450,000 | Architect: Clad Studio (designed by Joanna)
Joanna and David have reinstated the facade of the original property which once stood on this tiny brownfield site. Behind it however, lies a creative family home featuring a contemporary internal courtyard and plentiful home automation technology.
Everdene
Homeowners: Tony and Emma Cooke | Project: Traditional-style self-build | Location: Dorset | Build Cost: £1.1million | Architect: Roderick James Architects
Built based on Passivhaus principles, this idyllic house (constructed using oak frame and SIPs) features generous amounts of glazing and seamlessly blends old traditions with a design for modern lifestyles.
Boscombe House
Project: Contemporary extension| Location: London | Build Cost: £500,000 | Architect: Paul Archer Design
A dramatic angular extension has transformed this previously awkward end-of-terrace house layout, adding a social kitchen and dining space, as well as a new office-cum-guestroom.
Greenacre
Homeowners: Ellie and Alan Inskip | Project: Traditional-style self-build | Location: Fleet | Build Cost: £1million | Architect: PMG Architecture
Taking inspiration from New England styles, this family home features a show-stopping orangery which supports a balcony overlooking the gardens and takes a fresh look at traditional interiors throughout.
Peggie's
Homeowners: Ash and Jess Alken-Theasby | Project: Traditional-style self-build| Location: Cornwall | Build Cost: £650,000 | Architect: Harrison Sutton Partnership
After knocking down Jess’s grandmother’s dated property, Ash and Jess rebuilt a timeless beach house in its place — reusing the bricks and other reclaimed materials to create a sense of history in the design.
Magpie’s Barn
Homeowner: Clare Barr | Project: Barn conversion | Location: Somerset| Build Cost: £96,000 | Architect: Self designed
After working on the project herself for three years (and living on site in a static caravan for the previous four), Clare was able to transform a hay barn with an attached single-storey tin cow shed into a quirky and unique home.
Woolborough Hatch
Homeowners: Ramy and Michaela Zaben | Project: Renovation of detached house | Location: Surrey | Build Cost: £250,000| Architect: Self designed with detailed plans by Sarah Pinn
The success of the radical interior and exterior remodel of Ramy and Michaela's two-bed post-war property is thanks to the couple's keen eye for design and readiness to get stuck in, creating an individual and contemporary home.
2 Ivy Cottages
Homeowners: Oliver Wilding | Project: Renovation of cottage | Location: Bath | Build Cost: £80,000 | Architect: Marptree Design & Build
Once a dilapidated 18th-century cottage, this property has been sensitively restored and renovated for modern living, including improving the thermal performance and installing underfloor heating and bifolding doors while retaining the original features.
Eels Nest
Homeowners: Mark Wheeler | Project: Contemporary-style self-build | Location: London | Build Cost: £400,000 | Architect: Iketecture
After a rocky start, Mark embraced his role as project manager on site and delivered a striking zinc-clad self-build, replacing a garage on a tight plot (the total width just 4.2m).
Harriets Lodge
Homeowners: Leigh and Karen Dunkason | Project: Contemporary-style self-build | Location: Southampton | Build Cost: £1million | Architect: James Freeman Architect
A highly sustainable build (including a water source heat pump, triple glazing and a SIPs structure) was paired with an innovative Paragraph 79 design which buries the house into the hillside, creating unique home fit for the idyllic countryside plot.
29 Crestway
Homeowners: Ed and Nat Addington | Project: Extension to 1930s house | Location: London | Build Cost: £380,000 | Architect: Stylus Architects
Wanting to renovate their dark and dated '30s house, Ed and Nat enlisted Stylus Architect to design an extension which was modern and suitable. The result features a 'floating' Cor-ten structure which infiltrates the existing spaces with plenty of natural light.
Split House
Homeowners: Katherine and Jake Edgley | Project: Contemporary-style self-build | Location: Maidenhead | Build Cost: £900,000 | Architect: Edgley Design
Built on the Berkshire green belt, this modern family home was designed to the original layout of Jake's grandmother's house which once stood there. Featuring two MVHR systems, an air source heat pump and rainwater harvesting, the house also delivers on sustainability principals.
Mount Pleasant
Homeowners: Camilla Monk | Project: Renovation and extension of 18th-century cottage | Location: Shropshire | Build Cost: £120,000 | Architect: Architecture Ventures (designed by Camilla)
Once damp, unloved and suffering from subsidence, this modern home has been extended and renovated to become home for a young family. The extension was kept in line with the existing cottage while a double-height atrium in the middle was added for some extra wow-factor.
Little Lutterburn
Homeowners: Chris and Sarah Dale | Project: Renovation and extension of previously converted barn | Location: Devon | Build Cost: £200,000 | Architect: Tim Offer Architects
After being converted in the 2000s, the layout of this barn was dark and disconnected, but Chris and Sarah have extended and renovated to create a modern space, bursting with natural light.
Otterhead House
Homeowner: George Bannister | Project: Renovation of cottage and conversion of chicken house | Location: Somerset | Build Cost: £318,000 | Architect: Self designed
While working on renovating and extending the main five-bed house on a majority DIY basis, George first lived on-site in a caravan then in the converted chicken shed to pay for the build. The previously derelict cottage is now a warm and welcoming home.
West View Barn
Homeowners: Richard and Sharon Stott | Project: Barn conversion and extension | Location: Yorkshire | Build Cost: £225,000 | Architect: Self designed
With the aim of restoring the traditional brick barn while adding a new timber-clad addition, Richard and Sharon have created an energy-efficient and characterful home.
Vote for your favourite
If you have a favourite project, vote in our Readers' Choice Category.
Voting closes 22 December and winners will be announced on 22 February.
Categories and Sponsors
Best Contemporary-Style Self Build — sponsored by Potton
Best Traditional-Style Self Build
Best Extension — sponsored by IDSystems
Best Renovation
Best Conversion
Best Sustainable Home — sponsored by Icynene
Best Interior
Best Value Home
Home of the Future — sponsored by ecoHaus
Spirit of Self Build — sponsored by Sips Eco
Home of the Year — Chosen from one of the shortlisted houses, the UK’s Home of the Year celebrates the most outstanding project entered into the The Daily Telegraph Homebuilding & Renovating Awards 2020. The winner will also receive £1,000 of John Lewis vouchers.
