“WE BUILT A SUSTAINABLE HOME FULL OF CHARM”

A couple take on an oak-framed self-build, blending old traditions with modern technology to amazing effect

OAK FRAME SELF-BUILD

HOMEOWNERS Tony and Emma Cooke

BUILD TIME 2016-2019

CONSTRUCTION METHOD Oak frame with structural insulated panels

SIZE 303m2 (main house) and 134m2 (annexe and office outbuilding)

LOCATION Dorset

PLOT COST £373,000

BUILD COST £2,500/m2 VALUE £1.75million

On a mission to build using oak frame, Tony and Emma Cooke have created a timeless and warm home for life, as well as a cleverly conceived annexe that provides them with extra income.

Your home is idyllic, how did you find the right plot to build on?

We’d been struggling to find somewhere to live in the Sherborne area, and when this plot was advertised in the local classifieds, we could see straight away that we’d be able to put a replacement dwelling there. There was an old wooden bungalow already on the site that was only really intended as a temporary home.we lived in it for three years as we went through planning and for most of the build, too.

What was on your wish list?

We wanted our house to be sustainable to build, and then to live in afterwards — it was really important to us. We chose Roderick James Architects as they’re renowned for doing oak frames, which we wanted, and they really

understand sustainability.we went for new, thicker high spec SIPS [structural insulated panels], which meant we didn’t need to install a heat pump; instead, we have two woodburners that heat the whole house and an MVHR [mechanical ventilation with heat recovery] system that means we get fresh air every three hours.

We did look at getting Passivhaus certification, but that was too expensive so we decided to follow the principles instead. All our money went into the fabric of the building, the insulation and the natural materials. Also, rather than having five bedrooms in the main house, we wanted four bedrooms with a one-bedroom annexe that we can use for our parents to stay, and possibly use as a granny annexe eventually.

Your house fits in so well with the local area. How did you achieve that?

We were really keen, as were the planners and

architects, to use the local vernacular, which around here is stone. Roderick James had used a drystone wall effect on previous projects, and I’d seen drystone walling used at the Gloucester Service station [as facing stone to the building] and really liked the look of it.

We approached a few stonemasons, but they said they couldn’t get that finish. In the end we used the stonemason who’d done the drystone walling in the garden. He bedded the stones into the structure with what’s called a ‘three-quarters mortar backed’, so it looks like drystone but isn’t really.

You built the annexe first. How did this help with the build?

We wanted to test the builder, so we hired him to do the annexe part of the build first.the construction method was exactly the same as for the main house but in miniature so we could see how the different junctions and detailing worked.

What inspired the interiors?

We were looking for an honesty to the interiors, with nothing pretentious or showy, using high quality materials that are well executed and we went for a relaxed modern feel with a touch of Scandi design. There are lovely touches, like a truss in the oak frame that follows a serpentine shape rather than a classic arch — one of the framers noticed the timber when it came into the yard and cut and split it into two mirror pieces that follow the elongated curved grain of the timber.we also wanted to be able to enjoy views even on a wet day but we resisted bifolds to go for French doors on the garden side of the house.

Did you find it tricky to stay within your original budget?

We did go over budget, for a whole load of reasons. Even though the main house had a simple design, there were so many material transitions, and that slows everything down. A lot of elements were oneoff or bespoke, so the build process was two to three times longer than a standard build.we didn’t want to rush things — we had a core team of three, plus the teams for the different packages such as the SIPS.

Over the three years of the build, some of the material costs went up, although we had fixed prices for the oak frame and SIPS because we’d gone out to tender on those elements.that was part of the pressure in the last six months — every week that we had people on site we were spending money, but we’d got so far in the only way out was to finish it. So, we dug deep and soldiered on. It was emotionally, financially and physically draining but we were determined to try and enjoy the process.

How do you feel living in the house?

Now it’s finished we’ve had it valued and it is worth more than we thought, and we’re renting out the annexe so the house can earn its keep. It’s a wonderful house — warm, welcoming and relaxed, bathed in natural light and with a great flow of space for modern family life.

JUDGE JACOB BARLOW SAYS

This is the type of build I love. It’s oak frame, which I never get tired of, and it’s built with environmental concerns in mind, something I don’t think you can place enough importance on. The mortar-backed stone elevations are lovely, and this new house feels instantly establisheed thanks to both the use of natural materials and the carefully curated landscaping scheme. But it’s the interiors that steal the show here, conjuring that elusive combination of warmth and light that really says ‘home’.

THE FLOORPLAN

The ground floor centres around the broken-plan kitchen, snug and dining area with the pantry, utility and boot room sitting alongside the kitchen. A further living area, study and WC are accessed off the hall. On the first floor there are four bedrooms and two family bathrooms. The master bedroom (pictured on the previous page) features a generous vaulted ceiling and its own staircase which leads to a dressing area and en suite bathroom above.

THE EXTERIOR The house is clad with a Surecav rainscreen, local stone and oak weatherboarding while a natural slate roof gently contrasts with the zinc-clad curved porch which adds a contemporary touch.

SEPARATE SPACES By adding an annexe, Tony and Emma have create a spot to rent out, or in the future, for their parents to reside in while another outbuilding (left) acts as a workshop, garage and office.

BRIGHT IDEAS A glazed gable, fixed windows and conservation rooflights serve to bring masses of natural light deep into the home. The woodburning stove is from Charnwood.

ELEGANT INTERIORS The oak posts and beams, using locally sourced timber, provide natural zoning areas in the open-plan snug, kitchen and dining space. The exposed oak trusses inject extra character and pendant lights from Pooky Lighting keep the space feeling fresh and modern. The kitchen is from Neptune.

WARM AND RELAXED LIVING Engineered oak flooring has been laid throughout the ground floor while two well-placed log burners in the living rooms work to heat the house. The pared-back interior theme continues upstairs, letting the oak provide character and decoration, and splashes of contemporary colour have been introduced using the fixtures and finishes. The vanity, above, is upcycled from an antique side table and the tiles are from Mandarin Stone.

BEST OF BOTH The traditional oak frame sits elegantly alongside Rationel timber windows painted in a modern blue-grey to capture the views of the woodland plot.

BEFORE: A ‘BOUGHT AS SEEN’ HOME FROM A 1927 IDEAL HOMES SHOW ON THE PERFECT PLOTI