Priced out of your local area? Then renovate...
28/10/2004
Nic and Ursula Underhill from Cambridgeshire turned to Norwich & Peterbrough Building Society for a mortgage when deciding to buy and convert a derelict 150-year-old barn in Kent.
"We bought the barn and land at auction because we wanted to move to Kent but we couldn't afford this kind of home any other way," says Ursula.
It was during a meeting with their Branch Manager that the couple were alerted to another way in which N&P could help. "He told us about a competition that N&P runs for people who are converting a building. The prize was £10,000 and he suggested that we enter," she explains. "We had to give details about the project.
They were especially interested in why we were taking on the task - we were able to say that we love the barn and were happy to rise to the challenge of turning it into our dream home."
The conversion is certainly testament to that love. Nic and Ursula have done much of the labouring themselves, during holidays and weekends, in order to keep costs down.
The hard work proved worthwhile when the couple heard in July that they had won the prize from N&P: "We were delighted," Ursula comments, "We hope to move into the barn this autumn, when the first stage of renovation is complete, and the prize money will enable us to buy the bathroom of our dreams."
For further information about Norwich & Peterbrough Building Society self build mortgages call 0845 300 2522 or visit www.npbs.co.uk
