A TECHNICALLY CHALLENGING BUILD

Chartered architectural technologist Tony Holt (tonyholt-design.co.uk) designed this scheme for a difficult site and explains what needed to be considered.

This site was in a sought-after location on a relatively small and challenging site. Recent nearby development meant the existing 90m², 1950s two bedroom bungalow presented a good opportunity to extend and remodel to create an individually designed, cost-effective family home. The client’s budget was £280,000, excluding landscaping.

Pre-design

Prior to commencing, we inspected the property, which included an assessment of the significant planning restrictions.

It was clear that to meet the brief an additional storey would be required. We advised that a further inspection should be carried out by a structural engineer, who we accompanied, and included confirmation of the existing foundations. The inspection also looked at the main structural elements. These were found to be sound.

The site is also in a conservation area and subject to a blanket Tree Preservation Order (TPO). We assisted the client in arranging for a local arboricultural consultant to establish constraints on the development. This identified two trees which required a root protection area that would impact and restrict where we could extend.

Conceptual Approach

To remove the need for extensive groundworks and to avoid tree protection issues, the new accommodation has been provided with a new first floor storey. The existing ground floor footprint was irregular in form and so we chose to create a simple rectangular form over the existing masonry. This created cost efficiency and added some interesting overhangs to the perimeter, including a simple duo-pitched roof which also helped to create a clean, modern style. This design really lent itself to a lightweight timber frame structure which gave freedom to the form of the first floor.

On the ground floor we focused the structural work on prime living spaces, including a large open plan kitchen, family and dining space with large areas of full-height glass and glazed doors opening onto the private rear garden. Most of the rooms to the first floor feature vaulted ceilings creating some dramatic internal spaces. Relocation of the bedrooms reduced the need for significant extensions to the ground floor plan.

On-site Timber Frame Construction

The client chose to have the frame constructed on site and a structural engineer was appointed to provide the structural design for the ground floor masonry alterations and the first floor timber structure. We led and coordinated this process and provided detailed assembly drawings for on-site trades.

Finished Design

The result is a space-efficient property with a footprint of approximately 250m². Internally, a large open plan kitchen, living and dining area with a large glazed façade enjoys views onto the south-facing garden. Garage and utility areas have been located to the northern end of the building. The existing bedroom is now a separate living room. Upstairs are four bedrooms, two en suites and a family bathroom.