LOVE'S LABOUR
New mum breaks down in tears during £500k Grand Designs renovation – after fearing her cancer-stricken husband wouldn’t live to see it finished
A NEW mum broke down in tears as she watched her £500,000 dream home become a reality - after fearing her husband's cancer diagnosis would prevent him from ever seeing it finished.
Appearing on the most recent episode of Grand Designs, Toby and Libby Leaming revealed they'd been wanting to build their own house for years.
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However, the couple were forced to delay their home renovation project after Toby was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia.
After undergoing a stem cell transplant and receiving years of treatment, Toby - who works as a musician - thankfully went into remission.
Shortly after the life-changing experience, Toby and Libby married and now have a daughter Margot - who was conceived via VIF.
As their dream six-bedroom home took shape, an emotional Libby admitted: "I can't believe we've got here."
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Joking about her husband's excitement over the project, she added: "He can't believe it either.
"He comes back at night and he's so excited. It's so amazing to see."
Inspired by a barn, the couple's horseshoe-shaped home is only one story and surrounds an old oak tree.
Toby and Libby initially gave themselves an eight month deadline to complete the project and set out with a budget of £530,000.
While he was still receiving his treatment, Toby said he was overwhelmed with ideas for the couple's dream home.
He says he wanted to build somewhere he could start over which is where the idea of a horseshoe arrangement came from.
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Rather than being separated over different stories, the rooms in Toby and Libby's home are linked by one long walkway.
The stunning family home featured steel panelling on the outside and was lined with a wooden patio.
The impressive open-plan build also boasts some floor-to-ceiling windows and Scandinavian wooden floorboards.
Blown away by the couple's creation, host Kevin McCloud praised both the "architectural details" and "connectedness" of their "elegant" family home.
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