The Objective
Jay (James) House started work on a project in 2022 to extend his family home in Ipswich to create more space for his wife and four children. Working by himself during evenings and weekends, the general builder managed to build the exterior shell of the two-storey extension. He had broken through on the first floor to create a bathroom and an en-suite for the main bedroom.
In August 2024, work came to a halt after Jay was diagnosed with cancer of the spine. The house has been left a building site, and the ground-floor work has meant the family have been left without a functioning kitchen. For the last 18 months, they have managed with a makeshift kitchen unit on wheels with an air fryer, portable hob, washing machine and dishwasher – but no sink.
After seeing the project that Band of Builders completed for Toby, Jay reached out for help to complete the work that he is unable to do himself.
MEET JAY
The Background
Jay has always been very active and a keen sportsman – including an eight-year stint as a scuba diving instructor before returning to the UK and resuming his career in the construction industry.
The 49-year-old damaged his ankle during a cross-country race in the 1990s, and after years of worsening issues, his right leg was finally amputated below the knee ten years ago. But that didn’t stop Jay working as a sole trader builder. A couple of years before the amputation (and in great discomfort) he completed a 2,000-mile charity bike ride for Cornish Air Ambulance by cycling from Land’s End to John o’ Groats and back again – as the service saved his life following a bike crash in 1991.
After being in pain with his back for a considerable amount of time, Jay was finally diagnosed with multiple myeloma (MM) – a cancer of the plasma cells in the bone marrow. In Jay’s case, it caused ten vertebrae to fracture and fuse because they had calcified, meaning that his spine collapsed, leaving him five inches shorter. During this period, he also lost a third of his body weight – which saw him drop to 60 kg.
Jay underwent a combination of chemotherapy and stem cell treatment – which involved extracting 3.5 million stem cells from his body. After he underwent chemotherapy, the cells were reinserted into his body. Jay refers to this as a “factory reset” for his body and has subsequently had to have all his childhood inoculations all over again.
Although his cancer is under control and he has to have a blood test each month, Jay now walks with a stick (he says that the cancer destroyed his spine and now the leg is making movement an issue) and his doctors have stressed that he should never lift anything weighing more than 10 kg – which is maddening for Jay after leading such an active lifestyle.
The Project
This project will focus on completing the work that Jay is now unable to complete himself. There are several areas externally that need finishing off with HardieBacker and a render – and the porch roof needs finishing with ridge tiles. Internally, the remains of the old kitchen need to be ripped out and the space turned into a dining area.
The proposed new kitchen will be 3.6 m wide x 3.9 m long and will feature an island. It will require wall units, all double-pane doors, two single ovens and a 900-watt electric hob. It will also include the creation of a pantry.
Other work required includes installing radiators, relocating light switches and sockets, levelling the floor heights, plastering and boarding, and installing carpets and flooring.
Could you help us by volunteering on this project? Register your interest for Jay’s Project
When: Work to start in April
Duration: 14 days
Where: Ipswich
Trades Required: roofer, plumbers, electricians, dryliners, plasterers, renderers, kitchen fitters, chippies, decorators and carpet fitters. We are also looking for a volunteer to lead this project.
