Its 4 years since I embarked on the biggest threat of my life to my financial security and mental health. The scars are only just healing and my penfriend at the bank has only just stopped writing letters.  This is the true tale of the house built by Dave - that's me. And how building my own home bulldozed my finances and played Twister with my sanity. The story will follow the project from planning permission to first occupation of my home and how the project to build my home fell regularly, and with a certain inevitability, into every pitfall available. From regular police visits, council investigations, panic at the bank, meddling neighbours, suppliers who think a deadline is a start line, burning furniture and to the accidental ability to create significant gas explosions, the self-build new experiences were eye opening.