Creating order from chaos

Working from home with a young family, the Ingrams dreamed of a house with scope to build a garden office. ‘We eventually found a three bed ex-council house with a wide, south-facing garden,’ says Thea. ‘A mother and son had bought it through the right-to-buy scheme but were in a legal dispute over ownership. A court order meant they couldn’t accept less than 10 percent under asking price. It put off developers, so we were the only serious buyers,’ says Thea. ‘Every room and numerous garden sheds were piled high with rubbish – 14 tonnes were removed before completion –