island life Homes After finding their dream plot, Mike and Ros Sayers built a beautiful, energyefficient, home on the Isle of Wight

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Jerome Benson
5 years ago
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island life After finding their dream plot, Mike and Ros

the Isle of Wight WORDS: DEBBIE JEFFERY PHOTOGRAPHY: C/O

325M 2 PLOT COST: 500,000 BUILD COST: 800,000 ( 2,462/M 2 )

1 island life After finding their dream plot, Mike and Ros Sayers built a beautiful, energyefficient, oak frame home on the Isle of Wight WORDS: DEBBIE JEFFERY PHOTOGRAPHY: C/O OAKWRIGHTS SELF-BUILD ISLE OF WIGHT APR 11 - MAR 12 SIZE: 325M 2 PLOT COST: 500,000 BUILD COST: 800,000 ( 2,462/M 2 ) VALUE: 1.3MILLION+ 34 HOMEBUILDING & RENOVATING HOMEBUILDING & RENOVATING 35

Homes We fell in love with the ﬁrst place we saw on the

it Exterior Three different companies were responsible for

windows; the latter are ﬁnished in a seaside blue.

2 Homes We fell in love with the ﬁrst place we saw on the island, and there was never any doubt we were going to buy it Exterior Three different companies were responsible for the patio doors, face-glazing and powder-coated aluminium windows; the latter are ﬁnished in a seaside blue. Solar thermal panels have been mounted on the garage roof, with a 1.5kW array of solar photovoltaic panels on the main house L 36 HOMEBUILDING & RENOVATING HOMEBUILDING & RENOVATING 37

3 Sitting Room A woodburning stove from Clearview Stoves was installed in the brick sitting room fireplace, and limestone tiles have been laid over underfloor heating on the ground floor HOMEBUILDING & RENOVATING 39

4 Kitchen Supplied by local company The Kitchen Workshop, the kitchen combines a mixture of painted and oak cabinets with leather-finish granite worktops. Light-coloured, unfussy materials make the interiors feel light and encourage a sense of space HOMEBUILDING & RENOVATING 41

5 Living Space Cantilevered oak treads and glass balustrades make for a simple yet striking staircase. The first floor sitting room is used as a TV lounge and opens on to a balcony through glass doors 42 HOMEBUILDING & RENOVATING HOMEBUILDING & RENOVATING 43

6 After 16 years living in the wing of a converted Victorian convent in Surrey, Ros and Mike Sayers were ready for a change of scene. The mock gothic property was full of character, with high ceilings and even a tower, but the Sayers realised that trudging up and down the four storey building would be far from ideal in their retirement. The couple also hoped to live on the coast, and once Mike retired from his IT job in London they viewed numerous potential properties, including several on the Isle of Wight. To be honest we fell in love with the first place we saw on the island, and there was never any doubt we were going to buy it, Ros recalls. The run-down 1960s bungalow had few redeeming features, but it was all about the 1.5 acre plot, which has woodland on two sides and enjoys far-reaching country views and glimpses of the sea. The Sayers offer was accepted and they used the dated property as a holiday home for three years while planning their next step. We considered renovating the bungalow, but after visiting the Homebuilding & Renovating Show in Birmingham we decided to build a new oak frame house on the plot instead, Mike explains. We d come from a very unusual house and wanted our next home to have real impact. When we saw Oakwrights exhibiting at the Show we were extremely impressed by their designs. Mike and Ros then stayed the night at the oak framing company s Herefordshire post and beam show house, Size and Volume Local planning restrictions allowed for only a 35 per cent increase in the volume of the new property, compared to the original bungalow. Luckily the original building had a large, unused roof void which made a new first floor a possibility which not only gave them ideas for their own oak frame but also offered the chance to try out technologies such as the heat recovery system and underfloor heating. High ceilings were important to the couple and so Oakwrights have incorporated a number of vaulted areas into the design of their new home. The galleried landing enjoys direct and uninterrupted views up to the vaulted roofline, with full-height glazed sections in the gable end. We didn t know if we would get planning permission for what we wanted, because the new house is slightly higher than the bungalow, says Ros. The Lowdown ROS AND MIKE S SUPPLIERS Green oak frame, insulated walls, roof and weatherboarding Oakwrights...oakwrights.co.uk Architect Oakland Vale... oaklandvale.co.uk Building contractor MCM Construction......mcmconstruction.co.uk Windows Franklin Windows Face-glazed feature windows Black Pig Sliding patio doors Sun Paradise Cantilevered staircase Westcliffe Joiners Kitchen The Kitchen Workshop Old Farmhouse bricks Hoskins Brick Roof slates Welsh Slate Bathroom tiles Porcelanosa...porcelanosa.com Woodburning stove Clearview Stoves...clearviewstoves.com HOMEBUILDING & RENOVATING 44

DESIGN PROCESS Darren Blackwell, one of Oakwrights design partners, caught a ferry across to the Isle of Wight to visit Mike and Ros at the start of their project to discuss their requirements.

7 DESIGN PROCESS Darren Blackwell, one of Oakwrights design partners, caught a ferry across to the Isle of Wight to visit Mike and Ros at the start of their project to discuss their requirements. The existing dwelling on the site was a modest single storey bungalow, and local planning policy allowed only a 35 per cent increase in volume. The bungalow s generous roof space was previously used only for storage, whereas the new house incorporates rooms in the roof, so Darren was confident that he could accommodate the Sayers needs. The conceptual stage of the project began in early 2009, and emphasis was given to maximising views from the elevated site over the surrounding open countryside and distant coastline. A section of the first floor layout was allocated as a lounge area, with full-height glazed doors leading on to a covered balcony. Externally the house is clad in a combination of stock-faced brickwork, horizontal oak boarding and exposed oak frame elements with full-height glazed sections all under a Welsh slate roof. We didn t want to overdo the oak on the outside because our post and beam frame is exposed internally, says Mike. Once the conceptual drawings had been prepared in sufficient detail, a further meeting was arranged with Mike and Ros who were both extremely excited about the proposed design. A few minor tweaks later and a pre-application meeting was arranged with the planning officer at the Isle of Wight council offices, who was very enthusiastic towards the scheme. A detailed planning application was then prepared, and in May 2010 planning permission was granted for the replacement dwelling and a detached oak frame outbuilding incorporating a two-bay cart lodge and workshop/store. Following another site meeting, the Building Regulations drawings were undertaken in tandem with the oak frame design, with the structural oak elements displayed inside the house. This complex project involved many hours of discussions between the Sayers, Oakwrights, the contractors and the local authority Building Control team over its design, the combination of traditional and modern materials, and energy-saving technology. The house was later awarded an LABC regional award and was highly commended in the 2013 national awards. Outdoor Living The first floor master bedroom opens through French doors on to a sheltered oak veranda With planning permission in place for the couple s new home, a project consultant was appointed and following preparation of a schedule of works, a building company on the island was selected as the main contractor. This is partly because they had previously undertaken a successful project with Oakwrights. A number of plants and shrubs growing on the plot were removed and preserved before the existing bungalow could be demolished, and piling then started on the site. We re on clay and the new piles went down as far as seven metres, Mike explains. The summer of 2011 was fine, and the oak frame was delivered and erected in three weeks. To help shorten the build timescale, Mike and Ros chose to enclose their oak frame with Oakwrights own WrightWall Light system of large-format panels. These are manufactured off-site and fit together to create a shell ready to be made airtight. Underfloor heating and hot water are provided by a combination of an air-source heat pump and solar thermal panels. The house also includes solar photovoltaic panels, heat recovery, rainwater harvesting, extremely efficient insulation and LED lighting throughout, with Ros putting many hours of research into the lighting design and building 3D models using Google SketchUp. The house was actually completed a couple of months ahead of the original schedule, Ros remarks. The open plan design works well for us, and we love the feeling of space and light. Overall the whole project has been a really fantastic experience, and has given us a home which will suit us perfectly for our retirement. HOMEBUILDING & RENOVATING 47

The End Result Thanks to a detailed schedule of works, a good choice of builder and a solid design team, the Sayers have been able to create their ideal retirement home with little of the stress

necessary. Their new home has been designed with the majority of accommodation on one level and just one bedroom, a bathroom and a second sitting room upstairs.

Just how smoothly the build ran. Everyone involved seemed to take a real pride in what they were doing.

8 The End Result Thanks to a detailed schedule of works, a good choice of builder and a solid design team, the Sayers have been able to create their ideal retirement home with little of the stress usually associated with such a big project Floorplans One of the key requirements on Ros and Mike s wishlist was a home flexible enough to allow the couple to live entirely on the ground floor if necessary. Their new home has been designed with the majority of accommodation on one level and just one bedroom, a bathroom and a second sitting room upstairs. Downstairs, the home office and boot room have been stepped down from the kitchen to accommodate the sloping nature of the site. What We ve Learned What surprised you most about this project? Just how smoothly the build ran. Everyone involved seemed to take a real pride in what they were doing. BED ROOM GALLERIED LANDING DRESS ING SNUG/LIBRARY LIVING FIRST FLOOR DINING KITCHEN OFFICE What was your best buy? We have fallen in love with the woodburning stove, which we use every day in the winter. What products would you recommend? Every room has a Cat6 connection, which is just as well because the insulation in modern houses can block wireless signals. We re also very pleased with our heat recovery system, which means the air is always fresh and you don t need trickle vents in windows. GROUND FLOOR BED ROOM HALL BED ROOM BED ROOM BREAK FAST BOOT What are your favourite features of the house? Outside it has to be the beautiful Welsh slate. The cost made us think hard at the time, but it was worth every penny. The interiors are much roomier than we expected, and we ve gained some amazing views, with sea glimpses too. 48 HOMEBUILDING & RENOVATING

Maureen and Clive Keevil have lived

Maureen and Clive Keevil have lived Pastures new Maureen and Clive Keevil left their converted barn to build a new smaller timber-frame home on their farm in Somerset. STORY: LOUISE PARKIN PHOTOGRAPHY: JOHN BAILEY In brief Project: Barn-style