Take a quick tour...

Richard Ball spotted this workshop online; dating from the 1890s, it still had tools inside. With a single skin of red brick for its walls and no heating or insulation, not to mention its size, it was uninhabitable. ‘It had a roof, water and electricity, but that was it,’ says Richard. It did, however, come with planning permission for conversion and an extension. ‘I’d always wanted a building project,’ he says.

CHANGING PLANS Richard wanted to make changes to the plans and brought Martin Smart of Hayward Smart Architects on board. Martin designed a contemporary, single-storey extension linked to the workshop by a frameless-look glass lobby, which underlines the difference between the two buildings. ‘The planners were keen to ensure that the extension wouldn't dominate the old building,’ says Martin.

THE TO-DO LIST Work began in January 2015. The workshop was gutted and the roof removed to install insulation along with two skylights, then replaced with a mix of original and reclaimed tiles. The concrete floor was excavated and a mezzanine removed to give more headroom upstairs. The extension was built with breeze blocks and clad in reclaimed brick. Double glazing was fitted and the house was wired, plumbed and plastered. On the ground floor, underfloor heating was installed.

ECO CHOICES ‘As the building was being gutted,

I took the opportunity to include eco elements in the design,’ says Martin. ‘There’s a ground-source heat pump, solar panels and a rainwater tank that supplies the loos and washing machine, as well as a heat recovery system to bring fresh air in without any loss of heat,’ says Martin. The project was finished by Easter 2017 and Richard was able to move in. ‘For the interior, I wanted it to be comfortable, luxurious and totally uncluttered. I travel to the US a great deal where

I stay in boutique hotels, which inspired me.’

WHAT I’VE LEARNED

“You want every detail to be perfect, but it’s important to be prepared to not achieve exactly what you expected. Also, whatever plans you’ve made and budgeted for, it will never be enough so a contingency fund is vital”

RICHARD CHOSE TO CUT INTO THE SLOPING SITE BEHIND THE WORKSHOP TO REDUCE THE BUILD’S IMPACT ON THE SETTING

THE EXTENSION HOUSES THE OPEN-PLAN KITCHENDINER/LIVING AREA WITH SLIDING DOORS THAT OPEN OUT TO THE GARDEN

A TRIO OF SOFAS ALL FACING EACH OTHER MAKE THE OPEN-PLAN SPACE PERFECT FOR SOCIALISING

IN THE ORIGINAL BUILDING, THE BEDROOM AND EN SUITE ARE DIVIDED BY A PARTITION WALL WITH A GAP AT THE TOP TO ALLOW MORE LIGHT INTO BOTH ROOMS