When 33-year-old Giuliano Rapoz and 36-year-old Zara Findlay started dreaming up their forever home, they realised it didn’t exist. So, they decided to build their own. After they found a plot of land in Lincolnshire, they managed to secure a self-build mortgage amounting to £660,000. Following a 16-month building process, they finished up and moved in during the summer of 2024. Two years on, they’re still recovering.
Tell us about yourself!
Zara: I’m originally from Singapore, and I work as a professional make-up artist and social media content creator. I travel a lot for work, which makes this home that we’ve built feel even more special – it’s my sanctuary.
Giuliano: I work in tech. Before all of this, I was very much a desk person. I had zero building experience coming into this project, but I threw myself into it. I now coach others on how to successfully build their own homes.
Whereabouts is your home? What do you think of the area?
Zara: We set our hearts on moving to the countryside of the Lincolnshire Wolds to build an architectural family home. It’s a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and really is a stunning part of the world – rolling hills, big open skies, and total peace.
When did you move in?
Zara: We finished the project in 16 months. Construction began in March 2023, and we moved in during the summer of 2024.
How much did your house cost to build?
Giuliano: The build cost us £623,000, with me project managing and coordinating all of the individual trades. We secured a self-build mortgage of £660,000, so we actually came in under budget, which we’re incredibly proud of.
How much did the land cost?
Zara: We purchased an acre of land for £135,000. For what we got, that felt like good value, but it also stretched us to the limit financially.
How did you save up for the build? And how long did it take?
Giuliano: We spent two years meticulously planning and booking out all the trades before a spade went into the ground. That planning phase was also where we were saving hard and negotiating fixed-price contracts.
What was the process of getting a self-build mortgage like for you?
Giuliano: The process is very different to a standard residential mortgage. Money is released in stages, directly to you, as the build progresses. If a stage sign-off is delayed, or you are over budget, that can have a knock-on effect across every trade and the schedule of the build.
Where did you live before this?
Giuliano: I was renting a nearby studio flat. Zara was initially living with my parents in Northampton, but eventually joined me.
What made you want to build rather than rent or buy?
Zara: Giuliano and I didn’t want to live in someone else’s creation. When you walk into a house someone else has built, you’re inheriting all their compromises – their layout choices, their ceiling heights, their finishes.
Giuliano: Building gives you such an intimate knowledge of your home. Our DNA is right through the house.
How did you find the land?
Giuliano: Finding land for a self-build project is incredibly competitive. I knew I had to do something different. Instead of trawling through property websites, Zara and I began contacting landowners directly.
Zara: When we found this particular plot, it just felt right. It had history, as there had been a 19th-century malthouse on the site.
How have you made the property feel like home?
Giuliano: Trying to fuse both modern and heritage styles was one of the biggest design challenges of the project. We decided to use high-quality materials, fixtures and fittings to create a timeless aesthetic. We didn’t focus on trends or pleasing others. If we like it, it’s never going to go out of style.
How many properties have you owned before this?
Giuliano: This is our second home. Our first was a three-bed terraced house in Reading, and then we jumped straight from that into this.
What’s your favourite piece of furniture in the house?
Zara: It has to be the round dining table in the kitchen. My mum, who sadly is no longer with us, always had a round table when I was growing up. She used to say that a round table means no one is left out, no one is at the head, everyone belongs equally in the conversation. She was very big on family time. Now we eat at that table every night, and I always think of her. It sounds simple, but it means everything.
Do you feel like you have enough space?
Giuliano: Four hundred square metres – yes, I think it’s fair to say we have enough space! But every room earns its place. We didn’t want any dead space.
Do you have plans to change the house you’ve built?
Giuliano: Absolutely not. For now, we’re enjoying some much-needed rest.
Are there any problems with the build that you have to deal with?
Giuliano: We were incredibly diligent about quality control throughout, spending two full years in the planning phase precisely to avoid nasty surprises. Touch wood, there’s nothing significant outstanding.
Shall we take a look around?
