Thrilled new home owners have been given a £10,000 discount on the price of their properties in return for helping building them.
To save the cash they took part in tasks such as painting and decorating, landscaping, labour, administration, marketing, and IT support.
The development saw 14 new three-bedroom homes costing between £190,000 and £197,500 built as well as 13 apartments priced at £125,000 to £200,000 depending on the number of bedrooms and size.
People who bought one of the 27 properties at the housing association Prima Group development in Ince, in Wigan, Greater Manchester, had to commit 500 hours of ‘sweat equity’ to be eligible.
Now delighted residents are finally able to move in following their hard work.
Chloe Radcliffe, 28, recently moved in having worked on her three-bedroom home with several family members.
She spent 14 months helping with ground works, landscaping, general labouring and painting to earn her discount.
The beauty salon owner said: ‘My family and myself were brought up here and my two children attend St William’s Catholic Primary School.
‘I have a small business across the road from the development and I’ve been desperate to get onto the property ladder to provide security for my children.
‘It’s just not been possible to save for a deposit but the sweat equity model has given me the chance as a single parent to realise my dream.
‘Me, my mum, dad and sister loved working on my home and building a great little community with other people who did the same who are now my neighbours.
‘It was bizarre to see each other in working boots and high-vis vests, all with spades digging but it was enjoyable and fun.
‘Looking back at the pictures now, I think ‘did we actually do that’.
‘But being able to do this scheme and getting £10,000 off my mortgage by doing 500 hours has helped me out massively to own my house, I’m proud of where it has got me.
‘Knowing that you have actually worked on your house and then looking and thinking ‘it’s mine’ – I can’t explain how good it feels.’
Another resident, Racheal McCoy, 35, is a nurse who also works in Chloe’s salon and has also benefited from the scheme.
Racheal said: ‘I’ve lived in Ince all my life and my family are all local.
‘We wanted to stay in the area because my daughter goes to school here but we needed a three-bedroom home.
‘Getting on the property ladder right now is really difficult and the mortgage payments would have crippled us.
‘This scheme came along at the perfect time. The sweat equity model meant we could secure a safe home by working for it rather than needing to save for a deposit.
‘Being involved in building my own home was amazing.
‘It felt like we were building a community before we even got the keys.’
The scheme was delivered by housing association Prima Group in partnership with charity Housing People Building Communities (HPBC).
It used HPBC’s ‘sweat-equity’ model which they say ‘enables people to get on the property ladder’.
They have revealed 13 families took part in the scheme.
The development saw 14 new homes built on land gifted to HPBC by Liverpool Roman Catholic Archdiocese.
Also 13 apartments were built by converting the disused St William’s Church and Presbytery.
All houses have three-bedrooms and ranged between £190,000 for 90m2 unit and £197,500 for 95m2 units.
Apartments range between £125,000 and £200,000 depending on the number of bedrooms and size – though all flats are bigger than national space standard requirements.
Prima spent the last two years on the project being granted planning permission in early 2023 with construction to build the houses taking 20 months, finishing in February 2025.
To make the project financially viable, Prima Group made a £4million capital investment.
The initial investment was also supported by the housing association securing a £1.6million grant from Homes England’s Affordable Homes Programme and Brownfield Land funding through Greater Manchester Combined Authority.
Home-partners bought between 10 per cent and 75 per cent stakes in new properties with the option to acquire more while paying rent on the remainder.
Chief Executive of Prima Group, John Ghader, said: ‘The sweat equity model is a great example of innovative thinking having a direct positive impact on local people who would otherwise have struggled to afford a deposit to get on the property ladder.
‘It is also an alternative to the Bank of Mum and Dad. Instead of putting their hands in their pocket to help with a deposit – something not every parent can afford – some have got their hands on a shovel and contributed to their offspring’s on-site sweat equity hours.
‘By working side-by-side with their future neighbours, home-partners have built strong relationships with each other to create a sense of belonging which fosters a community spirit from the start.
‘What we need now is greater understanding and flexibility from lenders about mortgage products like sweat equity so they can help more people.
‘They need to review their stress testing criteria and treat shared ownership as a core housing product that taps into a significant segment of the market – a halfway house for those who can’t access social housing nor afford outright homeownership with a full mortgage.’
All home-partners previously lived within four miles of the site and 70 per cent within one mile and 90 per cent were employed in Ince.
Trades students from Wigan and Leigh College were also involved, giving them valuable on-site work experience.
An outdoor seating area for St William’s Catholic Primary School which sits behind the complex was also created.
Chair of HPBC, Reverend Dr Shannon Ledbetter said: ‘The sweat equity model embodies hope and integrity, offering those in need a hand-up, not a handout.
‘Inspired by the values of unity, support and helping others, we’ve provided affordable, accessible homes for those who might otherwise never have dreamt of it.’