Dream home built in just a month and a half.
Fast-trackers toast their dream lochside property
ITtook William and Jess Ogg two years to find a suitable site for their dream home and livery yard business and then three years to secure planning permission.
But the construction of their fabulous three-bedroom detached home overlooking lovely Loch Fitty in Fife amazingly took only six weeks to complete.
The couple had dreamed of creating a farmhouse-style home with a modern twist. And they wanted it built quickly. So they turned to Galashiels-based Dan-wood plc.
The firm – whose homes come with a 20-year construction warranty – specialises in the design, factory prefabrication and on-site construction of high-quality, energy-efficient timber-frame turnkey houses.
William says: “They offer several interesting house styles and fast build times. We contacted their agent and he took us through the process, design options and pricing.
“We were also shown a completed house and spoke to the owners about Dan-wood. Later, we saw a house just three days into its construction and yet it was already wind and watertight – that impressed us.”
The couple worked closely with the company on Lochview House, which was fabricated in Poland and then constructed on the site in 2014 alongside Lochview Stables. After selecting their favourite house style, the internal layout was altered to meet their own specific requirements.
The main construction was a closed panel system with thick external polystyrene
insulation and two-millimetre
render-finished factory-made panels – made to withstand temperatures of minus 30 degrees.
The home is served by a Thermia Diplomat ground source heat pump with electrical back-up. It supplies hot water for underfloor heating and provides all hot water in the house too. “The heating is extremely efficient and attracts government payments for using renewable energy technology,” says William. Jess adds: “The house build itself was first class and we feel the look of the house sits well in the country setting.” She explains that internal alterations to the original plan for its layout helped them achieve their goal of owning a good-sized country house with an open, airy feel. The ground level includes a lounge-cum-dining room, kitchen/breakfast bar with sitting area, reception room, utility and toilet/shower room.
A further lounge with a balcony offering uninterrupted views over the loch is located upstairs alongside a bathroom, office area and three double bedrooms.
And both the second and master bedrooms boast Juliet balconies with loch views,
while the master has a large en suite.
The couple love the spacious family rooms, ideal for regular get-togethers with their children and grandchildren. “The space is wonderful for those occasions when we dine and relax together,” says Jess. And they credit the large amount of glass in the house as an important feature.
Jess says: “Not only can we look out and enjoy the incredible views, it makes the house feel light and airy.” William says: “What most people react to on entering our house is the staircase, which turns through 180 degrees to the first floor, creating a void feature the full height of the house.
“It’s an open-tread design which further enhances the feeling of space. Built in ash, the curved handrail replicates the curve settings of the individual stairs rising up the support to the full-height upper level windows. The cigar-shaped spindles, also in ash with chrome top and bottom, complement the overall style.” The couple are also thrilled with the overall efficiency of the property which cost £348,000 to build (excluding VAT).
“Our energy bills are very low, thanks to the high insulation levels, air tightness and ground source heat pump,” explains William. “I’d suggest a saving of 50-60% compared to our previous home.”
He adds: “Seeing your dream materialise in front of your eyes is wonderful. If we were younger we would do it again, but we’re probably in our forever home now – and we’re happy with that.”