Structural – decayed section demolished to first floor joist height and rebuilt in high performance timber frame
External – cement render removed and replaced with breathable lime render throughout
Conversion – former garage and cart shed to kitchen and store room, old kitchen to utility and shower room
Working with – Studio Tor Architecture, with structural engineer input

This project came to us via a tender package from local architectural practice Studio Tor Architecture. The property had been in the client’s family for many years and they wanted to give it the facelift it deserved before making it a permanent home for their retirement.

The brief covered a single storey extension to the rear, conversion of a former garage and cart shed into a kitchen and store room, and conversion of the old kitchen into a utility and shower room. The bedroom and bathroom above were to be completely redesigned to give a more balanced division of the space.

As demolitions began it became apparent that the existing cement render had been covering, and most likely creating, serious decay in the structure above the garage. An emergency site meeting was called with the architect and structural engineer, and the safest route was to demolish down to first floor joist height and rebuild in a high performance timber frame. Planning permission was sought as quickly as possible and, after a short break, construction continued.

The existing kitchen sat within a flying freehold below the neighbouring property, so we added sound and fire proofing at that stage before creating a ground floor shower room and utility. The rebuilt first floor received a large family bathroom with roll top bath, and a double bedroom with vaulted ceiling. New and existing openings were treated with granite, lime plaster and reclaimed timber to soften the transition between old and new.