Home of the brave: See this courageous RIAI Award short-listed Kerry home

It takes courage to build a house to your own spec. But this family found the process went like a dream, and ended up with a stunningly beautiful home, writes Rose Martin

There are two basic approaches when you’re looking for a family home — the first is easy, the second, less so. The most common approach (especially in urban areas), is to purchase new, or secondhand, according to your requirements.

The second, common in rural areas, is to build yourself. On paper, this may seem the cheaper, most cost-effective option — but it’s most certainly not. You need vision determination and nerves of steel to get a build project over the line.