East London

Design engineer Joe and service designer Lina are taking on the London property market. Both in their twenties, they are fed up with renting but can't afford to buy. So now they're going to build their own house, for just £160k.

 

Having already spent £73k on a miniscule 38 square metre plot in a run down part of East London, Joe has designed a split level, six half floor house that will cleverly maximise space. At 83 square meters it may be the smallest two double bedroom house that you’re allowed to build in the capital, but it’ll be theirs not a landlords.

 

Despite their energy and enthusiasm Joe and Lina have never done anything like this before. Excavating their entire plot for a basement proves incredibly testing, running months behind and thousands over budget. But Joe, who’s project managing and building most of the house, galvanises himself. Adding more and more design flourishes as he goes along, his ambition for this tiny gem of a building becomes an obsession…