Couple save £100,000 by building a home made of polystyrene instead of bricks

Hannah and Charlie have saved around £100,000 by handling most of the building work (Picture: Hannah Bird / SWNS) A couple have saved around £100,000 by building their own house, but they’re using an unconventional material to do it. Hannah Bird and her husband Charlie, both 26, purchased a quarter-acre plot of land in Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset, for £70,000 in June 2022. Rather than opting for a prebuilt home, they decided to design and construct their own property, aiming to sidestep the hefty price tag of local new build estates, where comparable two-bedroom houses can start at £375,000. They’ve completed the majority of the work themselves, avoiding around £30,000 in labour costs, and have utilised polystyrene blocks, known as Insulated Concrete Framework (ICF). These blocks, which interlock like giant Lego bricks, are filled with concrete to create robust, well-insulated walls. Now, two years of construction later, the couple are putting finishing touches to their property and preparing to move in. It’s been a labour of love The 140-square-metre home has taken two years to complete, with tunnelling for electricity and water taking months before building could even begin. Before construction, the couple cleared the plot, put up fencing and improved access by replacing a narrow, unsuitable driveway with a recycled tarmac surface. The couple are currently around halfway through construction (Picture: Hannah Bird / SWNS) They also planted trees, bushes, and flowers. Ask Metro Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications. Hannah estimates they’ve saved approximately £100,000 by handling about 80% of the building work. The finished property features two bedrooms, a dedicated office space, a garage, and parking for eight vehicles. The finished property will feature two bedrooms, a dedicated office space and a garage (Picture: Hannah Bird / SWNS) Discovering the polystyrene blocks Hannah, a travel blogger, explained: ‘We originally always wanted to renovate, but the renos in our area were £200k and had no roof.’ She added: ‘We did look at new builds, but they’re not for us. ‘We knew so many people with new builds whose stairs broke or pipes broke two weeks in.’ The couple discovered the polystyrene blocks at a building show (Picture: Hannah Bird / SWNS) Visiting a building show in December 2023 proved pivotal, introducing them to suppliers specialising in ICF blocks. The simplicity of the system impressed them: ‘It’s like Lego,’ Hannah said, adding, ‘It’s idiot proof.’ She explained that, ‘For what a bricklayer took a week to do, together we could do in an hour.’ In just a few days, they reached the damp-proof course (DPC) level. Hannah says they sent their house plans off to the company that supplied the blocks to assess how many they would need, and a representative visited them on-site to run them through the process of fitting them. The total cost of building the home is estimated to be £190,000 (Picture: Hannah Bird / SWNS) She added: ‘We did scroll a lot on Instagram and TikTok because we were like, ‘are we doing this right?’ ‘It seemed too easy to start with’. Cost breakdown Hannah estimates that the overall cost of building the home will be £190,000, broken down as follows: Land purchase: £70,000 Plot preparation and groundwork: Around £18,000 ICF structure, concrete, and steel: Around £40,000 Roofing and windows: Around £22,000 Plumbing, electrics, and heating: Around £18,000 Internal finishes and fixtures: Around £22,000 The couple, who work as travel bloggers, have been living with Hannah’s parents in Burnham-on-Sea when they’re not sailing around the world. Alongside the renovation, they’ve also been sharing their IVF journey with their 187,000 followers. Last month they announced their pregnancy, so they’d better finish off that flooring ASAP! Deals of the Day Families can save up to 20% on summer 2027 holidays in Club Med's four-day sale Cold mornings are coming and this is the dressing gown I want to live in Most of us aren't getting enough fibre – this easy supplement could change that My honest review of the new UKLash Lash Lift Gel Kurt Geiger's new Notting Hill collection is a love letter to London's chaotic weather This article was originally published in November 2025 and has since been updated. Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@metro.co.uk Arrow MORE: I found a secret door in my £105,000 flat — what was inside left me speechless Arrow MORE: The best cocktail glasses and bar accessories to elevate your home entertaining Arrow MORE: Home for sale hides underground network of rooms the owners dug by hand The Key Sign up for must-read property stories, DIY hacks and tips for buying a home.