i-build April 2015

April Issue 9

i-build www.i-buildmagazine.com

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IMPRESSIVE SELF-BUILD

Young family use industry insight to build dream home

GARDEN DESIGN GUIDANCE Reasons to create your own horticultural haven

INSPIRATIONAL TECHNOLOGY

Radical self-build utilises intelligent electrical system

EXPERT INSIGHTS:

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Cover story: A Victorian terrace benefits from a new, fully glazed top floor bedroom that provides outstanding views across London. See page 28.

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i-build i-nterior i-scape Editor:

Emily Smith

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Welcome to the April issue of i-build

S

elf-building presents the perfect opportunity to experiment with the very latest in home technology. This issue demonstrates that innovative electrical application is a key focus for many contemporary projects, where everything from lighting control to home security systems has been heavily influenced by communication technology evolution. Everything can now be controlled via smartphone or tablet app.

Rob Sutherland, Managing Director of electrical specialist Inspired Dwellings, explains: “The ground rules for technology in homes have most definitely changed.

Communication habits are shaped by a generation of smartphone and tablet device users who just expect the simplicity of these devices to allow them to cram more convenience and comfort into their daily lives. But it’s all about making all that is available work within the space; it is important to ensure that homeowners have the right levels of information and guidance for each project.” Read more guidance from Rob in this month’s Impressive Innovation on page 28.

Another self-build project that presented a number of electrical challenges was Patrick Bradley’s radical new home, which is formed from four 45ft steel shipping containers.

The experienced architect had ambitious aims for his new home’s intelligent electrical control system. Read about how he achieved this on page 36.

For guidance on the latest in home security technology, make sure to read page 10 where you will find a hand-picked selection of innovative products designed to protect your home. Elsewhere this issue provides expert insight into specifying flooring and bricks for your project, as well as the regular interior and landscaping focuses.

If you are coming to the end of your self-build journey and would like to offer your home as an inspiration for other budding home-builders, please contact me on the usual address with a brief overview of your project. Don’t forget to download the i-build app to access this resource, as well as past issues, on the move. Simply search ‘i-build’ in App Store or Google Play.

Emily Smith Editor emily@mixedmediainfo.com @ibuildmagazine

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Editor’s picks Pear Platt, Woodfalls Farm, Gravelly Way Laddingford, Kent, ME18 6DA T: 01622 873229 F: 01622 320020

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Flooring by Karndean: See page 58

Doors by JB Kind: See page 61

Flooring by Mrs Stone Store: See page 58

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The latest innovative on-trend designs to complement any interior.

Will Tell 12 Time Each issue i-build follows Will Anderson on

i-build

his self-build journey as it unfolds.

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Desired Designs

Contents

7

36

14

Green Living

16

Viewpoint

18

Contracts & Legalities

20

Urban Sanctuary

28

Impressive Innovation

36

Electrical

Ground source heating is another renewable source that allows you to make a return on your investment.

Self-build finance expert, Rachel Pyne explains why insurance and warranties are essential.

Insulation expert, CCF presents the problems surrounding acoustic guidelines.

Jonathan and Chloe Ellis’ initial plans to renovate swiftly turned into a full scale self-build.

A Victorian terrace transformation makes the most of space limitations and modern technology.

This radical home design presented a number of electrical challenges.

40 Bricks Traditional brick making is a skill that dates back to the fourteenth century.

42 i-build Mandy Clark has published a book about her self-build adventure – here she explains why.

46 Flooring Flooring expert, Jeremy Garrish shares his top tips

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for choosing the right flooring for your home.

50 i-nterior A garage has been transformed into an innovative three storey home.

50 54

54 i-scape The British garden is under threat from the temptation to replace greenery with concrete.

rets: c e S Trade t for our

ed ou Look crets’ dott e. e s S is u ‘Trade hout this sider g n throu are the i n be These s which ca ding t d insigh able to bu ! u l inva lf-builders se

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Desired Designs

Reborn retro

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Add a splash of warmth to your home with a vibrant orange focal piece.

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4 5

6

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R

ecent interior trends have experienced a rise in nostalgic, retro designs – and what could scream retro louder than the vivid hues of the 1960s. Labeled “the swinging sixties”, this decade signified a shift away from tradition, both in cultural expectations and interior decor. With a new generation of peace fighters came vibrant, pumped up colour schemes that created maximum impact for a striking, provocative look. Bold and bright orange was a popular hue that worked well for every interior element, from wallpapers and carpets to sofas and cushions.

For an interior that isn’t too evocative, use orange alongside a neutral scheme to add a splash of vivacious warmth that works well in any space. In the above image, a vibrant hand knotted rug has been used to bring colour to this modern interior.

1. Gubi Semi Pendant Light in Orange, £199, Rume

2. Lulu Scoop Chair, £379, Made.com

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3. Vivid Orange & White Gloss

Tiles, £23.16 per tile, Tile Moutain

4. Vision Compact Standalone Kitchen high gloss orange, £3000, Rational

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5. Vp3 Brushed Orange

Flowerpot Table Lamp, £249, Rume

6. Double Cross Extending

Dining Table, £399, Made.com

7. Orbit Side Table in orange, £123, Red Candy

8. Nuthurst Stool, £661, Fabrics And Papers

9. Alexa Sola, £549, Living It Up

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Desired Designs

Sweet dreams are made of these Incorporate an impressive bed design to bring drama and elegance to your bedroom decor.

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Vibrant versatility

Make a colourful statement with a dramatic headboard. Maura Lipparani’s striking cocoon-like Alfie Basket bed has an extra-high, gently rounded headboard that easily steals the show. Available from Go Modern Furniture for £2940, shown here is the bed in indigo blue velvet. (www.gomodern.co.uk)

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Natural beauty

This organically shaped bed available from Anthropologie is handcrafted from sustainable woods grown in Costa Rica, and finished with boiled linseed oil for a rich patina. Because the product is handmade, each design varies slightly. (www.anthropologie.eu)

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Flamboyant floral Make a statement this spring with the on trend and totally luxurious Floral Churchill Bed by And So To Bed. A traditional curved head and footboard are complemented by the intricate botanical print. Prices start at £9000. (www.andsotobed.com)

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Modern comfort Launched at this year’s prestigious Milan furniture fair, the Bonaldo Amos bed is softly rounded and upholstered with accents of designer piping. Available in different colours, the bed comes in four sizes and the fabric covers are fully removable for cleaning. (www.gomodern.co.uk)

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Twist on tradition East meets West in this four poster design by John Lewis.

The simple and solid structure is contrasted with carved geometric detailing at the headboard, whilst the natural wood finish brings warmth and tactility to its form. This design is available in three colours, starting at £1350. (www.johnlewis.com)

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Playful and practical Perfect for kids, this fun Tent Bed provides the perfect adventure. The cloth wall opens up as a canopy which is held up by two poles. The single bed doubles up with a sliding second bed underneath. (www.idyllhome.co.uk)

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Desired Designs

Safety first

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Visual control All-in-one security systems absorb and analyse all the important things at home to keep you safer and more connected. Canary learns the normal rhythms of a home – for instance your daily routine of leaving and returning home – and then notifies you if it senses anything out of the ordinary. You can then watch the event or live camera to either raise the alarm or ignore the notification. (www.canary.is)

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Having invested vast amounts of time, money and energy into your new home, you'll want to make sure that all your hard work remains protected.

Here, i-build presents the latest technology in home security.

Air quality control Recent research has proven that the indoor environment is five times more toxic than outside. Equiped with a sophisticated sensor, Withings’ Home is able to measure the level of Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) inside your home and alert users to unhealthy changes. It’s also a smart HD camera that provides visual access to your home from anywhere. (www.withings.com)

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Burglar deterrent For a cheap thief deterrent try leaving radios on during the day and a timer light on during the evening. The Light Switch Timer by Switched On Products is a battery operated unit that simply fits over a light switch. It can be programmed to control single, double or triple switches to turn on and off up to nine times a day. (www.lightswitchtimer.co.uk)

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Smoke signals Nest Protect has been designed not only to tell you if there’s smoke or carbon monoxide present in your home, but it goes as far as signaling which room it’s in and if you’re in immediate danger. It even sounds the alarm by speaking to you with a human voice and gives a heads-up about the slightest of changes – especially useful if you have an over-enthusiastic toaster. (www.nest.com)

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Safety lockdown The digital key system Goji Smart Lock activates the deadbolt lock when a homeowner approaches their front door and welcomes them home by name. Users can grant day and time specific access priviledges to people and a built-in camera sends picture alerts via text and email to the owner, giving visual confirmation of who is activating the lock. (www.gojiaccess.com)

DESIGNED FOR BUSINESS

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Trade only. No children

The May Design Series is the UK’s definitive interiors event. Meet British and international suppliers across five show sectors: Furniture | KBB | Lighting | Decor | DX Discover previously unseen international products that will fly off your shelves, alongside the best of new British design. No other UK event provides such a diverse and evenly split floorplan, representing over 26 countries worldwide.

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Sub-brow TimeEyebrow Will Tell

Halfway there Each issue we follow Will Anderson as his self-build journey unfolds. This month we look at how far he has come a year into building his eco-efficient home.

W

e first met Will back in February 2014, when after years of dreaming, planning and researching, his Arts and Crafts inspired self-build was finally about to become a reality. The plot that was to home his vision was a six metre wide slice of South London, neatly positioned between two existing self-builds – one a genuinely ‘zero-carbon’ structure and the other an uber-minimalist design.

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Both striking and architecturally distinctive, Will’s challenge was to create a building that emerges as a masterpiece within its own right.

Not only will Will’s finished home pay homage to the English Arts and Crafts movement, it will also boast exceptional eco-credentials, paying close attention to the key concerns of ecological design. The house will be called The Orchard as it will also provide a horticultural ecosystem to feed its inhabitants all year round.

By April the project start date had been knocked back due to Community Infrastructure Levy ammendments. Before the changes Will would have paid £3300 as soon as work started, so it was worth waiting for the exemption for self-builders to be approved. Having trained in furniture craft, Will used this time to employ his new skills in creating his own kitchen cabinets, doors and drawers.

Work finally started in May. Reinforced piling was drilled into the site and a 1500 litre rainwater tank was lowered into the ground. Another deep, broad hole was dug for the slab and subfloor of the house. Rain filled the hole with water, the digger’s bucket got clogged and the dumper started to sink into the mud. But peace was restored when they got a bigger digger in.

Will opted for a timber frame because of its environmental credentials. In July the structure arrived on the back of a big green lorry, each piece marked up, labelled and cut to size. The hot summer weather allowed the walls to go up with ease, meaning that Will could finally see his project move from two to three dimensions.

Will Anderson is a self-builder, designer, writer and trainee furniture maker currently building his own home in South London. His self-build, called The Orchard, brings together a number of his interests including architecture, ecological design, craft and gardening.

The frame was complete by the end of August, which was perfectly timed as he had booked the windows and doors to be installed in September.

The doors and windows fitted into the frame with no complications, so the next task was to form the roof. The basic design of the roof is a ‘warm deck’ – a thick layer of insulation laid on top of rafters that is finished off with a continuous weather-proof membrane. Solar panels were then installed and heat-recovery ventilation cowls were added to the roof to breathe fresh air into the new structure – further renewable advantages.

The next job was to line the frame with highperformance insulation to aid The Orchard in becoming an exceptional low energy house.

A key concern for a low energy build is to ensure

Will's self-build so far February 2014: Will's plot is right next door to a selfbuild property that he built a decade ago.

The home, called Tree House, is one of the few genuinely 'zero-carbon' houses in Britain.

Time will Tell

the final structure is airtight. Will specified this timber frame because they have a track record of achieving very high levels of airtightness. High quality windows and doors were also essential, so triple glazing was specified. Wrapping and joining the damp-proof membrane and adding a layer of thick insulation completed a fully sealed property.

By the end of September the structure was airtight, however it was more akin to a gigantic cardboard box than a home. Because the Arts and Crafts movement was the core inspiration for The Orchard, the obvious choice for the exterior finish was brick. Will chose Silver Grey bricks – a red-orange brick dusted with a fine grey sand – because he knew the delicate colour combination would look fabulous when applied at scale. When the bricks turned up, the small site was completely overwhelmed as the thousands of bricks were piled high through the house into the back garden. Lime mortar was used to glue the bricks together – a material far less likely to crack than cement.

Now that The Orchard finally resembled a home, it was time to approach solving the cabling and piping puzzle – a hurdle that every self-builder comes up against. Will thread all the ducts, wires and pipes through the timber frame’s I-beam studs, having to navigate which routes to take through the building without one thing getting in the way of another. Having come up against rogue plumbers in the past, he also took the time to install the toilets, pipes and soil stack himself. Will likened piecing all these small parts together to a game of Mousetrap – a slow and laborious task. One positive in this process was that, because the building will be so energy efficient, minimal heating is needed – so much so that no central heating will be installed as the home will run perfectly with the help of only a few small electric radiators, eliminating the need for a boiler or heating pipes.

In February this year a pressure test was conducted.

The test highlighted one major cold spot in the structure through which air was gushing into the building.

Thankfully, this was easy to fix and the final test produced a great result – ten times better than Building Regulations – but not quite at the Passivhaus standard that Will was aiming for. However, the airtightness of the building will improve once the walls are boarded up and plastered.

April 2014: To be directly involved in the creation of all the details of the building, Will trained as a furniture maker at the Furniture Craft School in Kent.

June 2014: The team from Premiew Piling & Foundations drilled and filled the reinforced piles that hold up the selfbuild home and keep it from falling into the London clay.

August 2014: The timber frame walls are constructed from 300mm engineered I-beams, which are very thin and so cause minimal heat loss themselves, and create deep cavities that were later filled with Warmcell insulation.

October 2014: Will used an Alwitra membrane supplied by ICB, who also supplied the exceptionally efficient Sunpower solar panels. The roof is also home to heat recovery cowls.

December 2014:

www.buildingtheorchard.com

Will hired a team from J&R Contractors who had to work carefully with the slightly irregular, handmade bricks from Northcot Brickworks in Gloucestershire.

February 2015: Will weaved all the cables, pipes and ventilation ducts by hand through the timber structure's I-beams before the walls were boarded up and filled with insulation.

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Green Living

Ground source heating is a renewable heating solution

Kensa Heat Pumps’ top three self-build tips:

Eco-conscious advantages Ground source heating is a great way to lower energy bills and make money thanks to the RHI scheme.

A

ground source heat pump takes the heat stored in the ground around a property and upgrades it to a higher temperature. At a depth of just a metre, ground temperatures stay constant at 10-12°C throughout the year.

Ground source heat pumps are powered electrically, but because they are able to capture such a high amount of ‘free’ energy from the ground, they produce up to three or four times more energy than they consume.

Due to their high efficiencies, the CO2 emissions of ground source heat pumps are significantly lower than traditional fossil fuelled systems – up to 43% lower than gas.

The RHI has been introduced by the Government to encourage self-builders to install renewable heating systems like ground source heat pumps, helping to reduce the UK’s carbon emissions. This scheme makes quarterly

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payments to homeowners every year for seven years, helping to offset the cost of installing a renewable heating system.

Chris Davis, heat pump expert Kensa’s Commercial Director, comments: “Falling oil prices are currently delivering respite for many customers in off gas areas, however the long term cost of oil is really a guessing game given its historical peaks and troughs. For people currently seeking a heating system for a building project, the impact of this selection on their bills could be of great consequence for many years to come.

“By following our top tips, keen developers can quickly establish whether they could expect more than just heat from their new heating system, and benefit from a guaranteed seven year income from the Government, as well as reduced energy bills.”

www.kensaheatpumps.com

1. Check your property’s insulation levels For renovation projects in particular, the better insulated your home the more efficient it is to heat, which means smaller energy bills. Your home’s efficiency will also impact the size of the heating system you require – the lower your heat demand, the smaller and cheaper the heating system, and the less work it needs to do. All together, this equals fewer costs to running your home.

2. Reach for the stars Whether you have underfloor heating or radiators and what type of floor covering you use can all effect what the industry call your ‘system star rating’. The more efficient your selections, the higher your star rating, which ultimately means lower fuel bills.

Typically well insulated homes with underfloor heating downstairs and radiators upstairs return the best results.

3. Your land is worth more than you think Whether you have a modest lawn or acres, you’d be surprised how much your land could earn for you. There are many different ways to extract the heat from the ground, from space-saving boreholes to costeffective trenches, to water sources which provide the most efficient heat extraction for the heat pump.

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Viewpoint

Protecting your investment As a self-builder you will be investing significant time and money into building your dream home, and no matter how well you plan, things can and do go wrong. Here, Rachel Pyne, Group Sales Director of BuildStore Ltd explains why insurance and warranties are a necessity, not a luxury.

W

ithout doubt, the allure of undertaking a self-build project can be extremely exciting – from identifying and securing that perfect plot to bringing architect drawings to life.

Preparation for any project of this nature is very important and before you even step foot onsite, you need to take the time to select your site insurance and warranty. Not only will this ensure that if problems do occur during your project – such as flooding, fire or theft – you have the means to overcome them, but it also allows for your build to get back on track as quickly as possible without incurring additional costs.

If you are taking out a self-build mortgage, your lender will require proof of site insurance before any funds are released. Furthermore, your site can be a dangerous place to work with a host of different contractors, so public liability cover in-place before works commence is paramount. And unless you are living on-site and/or have introduced advanced security and storage measures, site insurance will give you that additional reassurance that materials and equipment stored on-site are protected.

The cover should last for the period of your project and it is usually set up for an 18-month or two-year period, with the option to extend it if you have not finished the project by the end of the cover period. A single payment is usually made to cover the term of the policy and to give you value for money, some policies such as BuildStore’s BuildCare will convert the site insurance policy to buildings and contents cover for the remainder of the term period if you finish the build before the end of the policy.

I have a main contractor do I still need site insurance?

Above: Make sure your protection covers any accidents that occur on site Right: Fire damage is a costly mishap to overcome Top right: Site insurance will protect the materials and equipment stored on your build site

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If your contractor has adequate cover and you will not be employing any subcontractors or, if you have any of your own plant and materials on site you may not require site insurance. However, public liability is still your responsibility and you need to ensure that your builder maintains adequate cover at all times and that it covers the project, even when there are no workmen on site. After all, you have no control over whether a contractor has a current valid policy or has taken steps to renew.

In addition, the builder’s insurance is not likely to commence until they start work on the site so you would need public liability cover and cover for any existing structures, until this time. It is therefore often best to take out your own cover

As a rule, you should ensure your site insurance policy has comprehensive cover and protection, which includes: • Public liability to provide protection against claims in respect of damage or injury to members of the public – for example, injury to trespassers or site visitors or damage to neighbouring underground services.

• Employer’s liability to provide protection against injury claims from sub-contractors. The self-builder often assumes the position of being an employer, even if the labour being used is self employed. It is therefore a legal requirement that you have this cover if you are employing anyone on site.

• Contract works to protect the building materials on site and the building in the course of construction. For example, if your building were to burn down before it is completed, site insurance would provide the money to get it rebuilt.

In addition to these, the following cover is usually included: • Plant, machinery and tools both owned and hired in.

• Site huts, stores and caravan if you are living on-site during construction.

• Legal expenses where things go wrong, such as if you have problems with a professional working on the project or with the supplier of materials. to ensure continuity of cover, should anything go wrong with the main contractor or their insurance.

Structural Warranties While few people would buy a new house without a 10-year structural warranty, many self-builders ignore a warranty for their project and opt instead for Architect Certification of their property.

While this may save some money during the project, it could be a false economy as an Architect’s Certificate states only that the building has been built to the required minimum standard and is not an insurance policy. If there is a structural fault once your home is complete, it would be down to you, the home owner, to take legal action to prove

Viewpoint that the structural fault was as a result of the Architect’s negligence. This is much less attractive than having an insurance policy which covers specific occurrences regardless of the problem or who is responsible.

In addition to this cover, the warranty normally includes a Site Technical Audit and “key stage” technical inspections. This not only gives you the comfort of knowing that your build is progressing properly, but if you are using an Advance Stage Payment mortgage

it can also be used as the trigger for the next stage funds being released.

Should you decide to sell your property in the future, a policy such as the BuildCare 10 Year Structural Warranty will give potential purchasers the peace of mind that the building was completed professionally and is covered for 10 years from completion. Many banks and building societies are unwilling to provide funds on new, or newly converted properties less than 10 years old, unless covered by a

structural warranty, so this is an extremely valuable sales tool.

All self-builders strive to have a smooth and problem-free build; however as Murphy’s Law states “if anything can go wrong, it will”, so with so much financial, time and personal commitment at stake, it naturally makes sense to protect your build and your future home from the outset.

www.buildstore.co.uk

A Structural Warranty will usually last for 10 years and will provide the following cover: • Cover for the cost of complete or partial rebuilding or rectifying work to the new development which has been affected by major damage.

• Cover for the cost of making good any defect in design, workmanship, materials or components in the drainage system.

• Cover for repairing, replacing or rectifying any part of the waterproof envelope as a result of the ingress of water caused by a defect in the design, workmanship, materials or components.

• Cover for the cost of making good any defects in the chimneys and flues which was newly constructed causing imminent danger to the health and safety of occupants.

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Contracts & Legalities

A sound solution Growing demand for domestic properties is creating tightly packed neighbourhoods that edge closer to busy roads and public areas, making noise pollution an increasingly dominant part of everyday life. Here, Annemarie Shotton, Category Manager for Insulation at CCF, discusses the problems surrounding noise level and acoustics.

P

art E of Building Regulations proves just how important good acoustics are. The legislation applies to any building used as a dwelling. It is also applicable for converted buildings. The regulation outlines the minimum value of airborne sound insulation and impact sound insulation which needs to be achieved by each building type.

Sources of noise, whether airborne from traffic or voices or from impact such as people walking around upstairs, can be problematic.

Most people would probably blame it on ‘paperthin walls’, but the reality is that modern building methods are creating environments which retain and reflect noise. Better soundproofing of the outer-building shell, lightweight construction inside and a requirement for airtightness, all combine to exclude external noise and contain internal noise. This is where an intelligent insulation choice can make a real difference.

The accurate specification and installation of insulation can greatly minimise noise disturbance.

Acoustic solutions vary from specialist ceiling tiles, insulation within walls / partitions, or floors.

Insulation requirements will vary depending on application and construction type.

The Robust Details scheme was launched in 2003 and has been successful at providing an alternative to pre-completion sound testing.

A number of random checks are completed on registered newly adjoined building sites.

To meet the requirements, the property must

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Accurate insulation specification and installation can greatly minimise noise disturbance

be capable of consistently exceeding the performance standards, be practical to build, and be reasonably tolerant to workmanship.

However, the prevalence of residences constructed before the introduction of Part E has meant acoustic issues remain a common challenge. The first step for a retrofit solution, before any products are even purchased, is to ascertain the source of the sound and ultimately where the insulation needs to be installed.

The best way to make an assessment is to turn everything off in the building and listen for external sounds at different times of the day.

It is worth taking note of comparative noise levels to not only give a considered outcome, but to provide supporting data for the Sound Transmission Class (STC) ratings that are used during product specification. All noises above a 25 decibel level (dB) will generally be noticed by an individual with normal hearing and in general people require a sound level below this to sleep.

The range 35-85 dB is regarded as intrusive and restrictive for intellectual work.

Once the source of the noise has been identified, the most suitable product for achieving a sound solution must be determined.

Standard drywall can be quite thin so walls themselves will often let in the majority of neighbouring noise. A cost effective way to achieve acoustic performance is to use acoustic stud with built-in discontinuity which results in improved sound insulation.

Acoustic stud is designed to offer better

sound insulation in the key speech frequency bands, whilst maintaining structural strength and integrity. This enables slimmer partitions to be constructed which maximise floor space whilst still satisfying high acoustic requirements.

Navigating the hundreds of different insulation products and applications can be difficult, so it is always worth getting advice from experts.

This approach will make it much easier to ensure you consider all sources of external and internal noise, whilst following Part E regulations should ensure that the right insulation provides a sound solution to any disruption.

www.ccfltd.co.uk Look up the Robust Details scheme – an alternative precompletion sound testing to satisfy Part E of the Building Regulations

19

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Urban Sanctuary

Urban Sanctuary

Personal approach Jonathan Ellis and his wife Chloe bought a 1960s brick house with the view to renovate, but when the extent of the work needed became apparent, they decided to knock it down and self-build in its place.

W

hen property developer Jonathan Ellis bought a 1960s yellow brick house in Totteridge, London, the plan was to renovate and extend it into a large family home for his young, growing family. However, the 2300ft2 property was cold, dated and verged on unsafe.

Jonathan explains: “Living in that property for five months was horrendous. We experienced numerous problems, including a serious subsidence issue. If we had renovated we would have created a white rendered box, which really isn’t to my taste. The answer was to knock the whole property down and build something new in its place.”

Jonathan and Chloe's main motivation to self-build was the opportunity to upsize and build a house which would reflect their personal taste and needs. Jonathan worked closely with his internal architect (Sophie Smith) and contractor (Construct I.D.) to finalise the plans for the new family home and was able to utilise expertise within his company, Hamilton Court Developments. Although initially having to compromise on size to obtain planning approval, consent was granted fairly quickly which meant that the ‘fun part’ could commence.

Work started on 1st February 2014, with Jonathan onsite as much as his full time job allowed. He explains: “Chloe was so understanding considering that I was here late after work and every Saturday, getting stuck in with all the different elements. The thing is, if you want

Left: On the far right, what looks like another kitchen cupboard is actually a hidden door that leads through to the garage, large utility room and playroom

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Urban Sanctuary the result, you really have to go that extra mile. Any self-builder will appreciate that this isn’t a job for the faint hearted; if you want to do it properly it has to be a full-time commitment. At first Chloe and I were excited to get the house finished as quickly as possible so that we could enjoy the space we had created for our family, our motivation was exceeded by sheer determination after the first month on site when we found out that Chloe was pregnant with our second child.”

Industry insight Having worked in the building and development industry since leaving school, Jonathan not only had experience to fall back on, but also had a 'black book' full of useful contacts he was able to call upon without needing to spend precious time carrying out research: “If I knew nothing about building and had zero contacts then this would have been a very daunting task. The fact that I could use my skills from working in the industry was a huge benefit and being surrounded by industry professionals in my everyday work certainly helped.

“Anyone in this industry knows that you face both good and bad days when building a house. Having this knowledge and experience definitely helped me as I knew what I was up against – you have to accept that you will encounter problems, but also know that you will figure out how to work through them. There were so many decisions to make when self-building.

I’m fortunate in that I’m a very decisive person so I know what I want, but coordinating my own build was far more challenging than professional projects I have worked on due to the emotional investment.”

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Above: The kitchen is integrated within an open plan living space Left: A glass floor looks down into the basement

Urban Sanctuary Jonathan had a clear and decisive vision of what he wanted his home to look like. It was important to him that when he opened his front door he would feel an instant sense of satisfaction. A key design catalyst was the vision of looking through the front door, past a big table with decorative lighting and on through vast glazing into the back garden. Symmetry, aesthetics and attention to detail were essential ingredients for the new home, however, Jonathan had to come to terms with the fact that sometimes the ideal vision is not alway attainable in reality.

Above: The basement is home to a games room and gym Below: There is also a cinema room in this underground storey Below right: Careful attention to both design and specification are apparent throughout the new home

He explains: “I’m a perfectionist, which can be tricky when building your own home. Self-building enables you to strive for perfection – more so than buying a house which is already built to someone else's specification. However, you would never move in if you waited for eveything to be completely perfect. I learnt that there has to be a point at which you accept the work as it has been done, otherwise you will end up driving both yourself and your builders mad! My standards are exceptionally high, but I have accepted that this is a house

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Urban Sanctuary

Left: The entrance hall benefits from a view straight through past the dining space and into the garden Below: Glass balustrades add to the modern look Right: The young couple were in a hurry to complete their new home before the birth of their second son Far right: Harry's room looks striaght though the bathroom into his brother's room Far right below: Two rooms are linked via a shared bathroom

built by human hands. When self-building there are times when you just have to accept there is never going to be a house where every minute detail is perfect – it isn't realistic.”

Detail and remodeling tradition The finished home embodies the stunning, initial impact that Jonathan dreamt of and worked hard to achieve. The oversized 1.2m wide front door opens into the impressive triple height entrance hall. From here you have a clear view through the spacious, open-plan kitchen/dining/ living space to a large picture window standing 2.4m wide by 2.7m high which looks out to the back garden. To the right is a formal living room and to the left a large study.

The modern kitchen is home to a secret door – disguising itself as a kitchen cupboard – that leads through to the garage, utility and children’s playroom.

The airtight structure benefits from triple vented windows and underfloor heating – warmth is enhanced by a wood-burning stove in the office. Modern accents, such as chandeliers and artwork, create interest within the large rooms. Considered details highlight Jonathan’s meticulous approach to specification, such as the bespoke staircase carpeting which is a contemporary twist on the traditional painted staircase with carpet runner. Meanwhile, the channelled blind recesses in the open plan kitchen/living space and shallow alcoves throughout the property are a clever and neat way to provide space for television screens.

Downstairs, the basement is home to a high-tech cinema room, as well as fully equipped gym and games room which is divided by a stylish full height glass wall.

Jonathan’s penchant for creative and innovative design is clearly evident in the Cinema Room where he has incorporated a raised floor and staggered wall with LED strip lights which creates the look and feel of a real cinema.

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Left: The renovation has retained traditional features Below: Skylights spread sunlight throughout the home

Urban Sanctuary The first floor has four bedrooms and three bathrooms. Unlike a lot of the house, the two children rooms are not Dulux 'Polished Pebble' grey, but instead a warm almond hue. The original floor plan incorporated separate en suites for these rooms, but during the build it was decided that they would be linked with a connecting bathroom to both suit the lifestyle of the young family and to allow space for a large utility room on the landing.

Glass balustrades, supplied by Glass and Stainless Ltd, wind up from the basement to the second floor, which has another bedroom and open space that would work perfectly as another living area.

The master bedroom on the first floor leads onto a large balcony and benefits from a hidden walk-in wardrobe. Jonathan explains: “I’m happy with how it’s turned out and I can’t wait to open the doors onto the balcony in the summer! I’m really pleased with the bepoke bedhead because I was able to have it made, it was less than £300 and is the room’s focal feature.

“I’ve been careful to keep the design commercially viable. There aren’t too many details that are purely for us, so it’s a very sellable house. I would 100% self-build again.

It’s hard work, but ultimately great fun. Even if we didn’t self-build, we would want to completely gut a property – I think I’d struggle to live in a house that someone else has lived in. I think the brand new feeling is addictive – the first night in this home was amazing!”

In December 2014 the family moved in – an impressive 10 months after work had started. Jonathan concludes: “My advice to other self-builders is to not get too carried

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Urban Sanctuary away. I stuck to my plan because I had the experience to be able to understand what I was doing from the outset, but it’s still hard to quantify how much you actually end up spending on top of the actual building cost. In a project like this £5000 can disappear in the blink of an eye and there will constantly be opportunities to up-spec. There is always the temptation when building your own home to over spend in the hopes of making it better, my advice would be to think carefully before you decide to spend more money. In my experience often it

is better to spend time on your attention to details than it is to spend money on something that you don’t really need. Overall the experience has been educational.

Building a house of this size in 10 months without compromising on the design and aesthetics has been a testament to those involved in the project.”

Above: The neutral colour scheme is consistent throughout the home Below: Totteridge Village is in North London

www.hcdevelopments.com

27

Impressive Innovation

A glass act A Victorian terrace has undergone a challenging transformation thanks to a collaboration between architecture studio UV Architects and technology expert Inspired Dwellings.

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Impressive Innovation

T

he owners of a family home between the commons in Wandsworth, London, were looking to completely renovate and create a fully connected home. They wanted more entertainment space and better provision of children’s areas within a contemporary scheme that didn’t lose the traditional Victorian features prominent in the period property. The family approached UV Architects with this ambitious brief that included creating an additional bedroom, larger kitchen, cinema room and large utility room.

The 1870 built house had stood unchanged for over 40 years. Achieving planning permission on a prominent corner site within a conservation area was a challenge that took considerable time. Another difficulty was that the top floor needed significant rebuilding and the small garden did not leave much space for the construction.

Will McGuinness, Director at UV Architects, comments: “We worked as both the architects and project managers. The family approached us because we have worked on similar projects in the past and have worked within this particular local authority, so had a good understanding of the project’s inner-city restrictions.

Above: Extending into the roof has made the most of space Right: Vast glazing offers incredible views

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Impressive Innovation

“We worked closely with the family during the product specification process and remained pretty much to budget. We had advised the family to keep a contingency for the basement dig, but this was not needed so the extra money was spent on high-spec fixtures and fittings.�

Pioneering technologies Below: A sleek design and modern materials form the contemporary interior

The family also had a technology wish list and allocated a realistic budget to achieve an intuitive and integrated home. Electrical expert Inspired Dwellings planned technology by adapting and

working with the owner’s wish list. Its approach was to suggest alternative suppliers and technologies, as well as ensure good practice throughout the home by providing each room with integrated data points.

This meant money was saved by not extending to the spare rooms, but a canvas was created for the future.

A RAKO custom lighting control system was specified and installed to deliver the architectural vision of

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Impressive Innovation different levels of light across walls and ceilings.

Rob Sutherland, Managing Director of Inspired Dwellings explains: “The ground rules for technology in homes have most definitely changed. Communication habits are shaped by a generation of smartphone and tablet device users who just expect the simplicity of these devices to allow them to cram more convenience and comfort into their daily lives. When

it comes to installing, the plug and play options may seem appealing, but realistically there are many trickier elements to consider, such as getting the sound right in media rooms and making sure the internet connection is exceptional. All these must be considered first as the basis for any investment. “Smart home technology is all about making all that is available work for the space; it is important to ensure

Above: Sliding doors open the kitchen/dining room onto the garden

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Impressive Innovation that home-owners have the right levels of information and guidance for the right approach for each home.”

This property has since won a Control 4 award for best whole home integration over £60,000.

Will adds: “There can be a perception amongst architects that home technology will blow the budget, but I think we’ve proved it is possible to work realistically and deliver a strong result. In the past we used to suggest home technologies as an extra and not worry too much if someone didn’t go for it, largely because it wouldn’t have made that much difference to the design.

Now people rely on technology so rightly they demand and expect smart home technology. It is important to be able to offer the right advice. This project shows how well planned and designed technology is an integral part of the comfort, design, lighting, heating we work hard to create – and it needs to be there from the beginning.”

Ground-breaking restructure It can be tricky to include renewable technologies within inner-city projects such as this. A Victorian

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Impressive Innovation Above: Traditional details link the renovated property to its Victorian heritage Right: The new home has been designed to suit the young family's needs Left: Lighting has been a key focus for the restructure

terrace is virtually impossible to control passively.

However, the new areas of the build are constructed with a high degree of insulation. The building management control also runs the heating very efficiently and new high efficiency boilers and water heaters have been incorporated.

The team at UV Architects ended up extending the house by almost 100m2 through excavating a basement and also converting the loft. The big design idea revolved

around a previously hidden view from a tiny original skylight in the loft. Planning was secured for a bold and modern roof extension; a fully glazed top floor bedroom suite offering views of the full London skyline.

Downstairs minimally framed full height sliding doors create a fluid link through to the garden. A planned basement level was designed to house a cinema room, a wine store and utility room to hide away all the wiring and kit.

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Impressive Innovation

Striking results Will continues: “The project took six months to design and a year on site, which was what we had anticipated at the beginning of the project. We stripped the property during the design phase which saved a lot of time and allowed us to thoroughly understand and incorporate the required renovation work into the main contract.

"Standing in the new fully glazed top floor bedroom suite you witness the full stunning Central London skyline rolling away into the horizon. We opened up the whole ground floor and extended to the rear and side.

Excavating to form a basement level afforded space for a cinema room, wine store and utility room.

“Looking back, there’s not a thing I think we should have done differently. My favourite aspect is definitely the loft conversion, which gives outstanding views over London. My advice to anyone looking to renovate a terraced property is to spend the time planning the project properly before you begin construction – this is vital for any project.”

www.inspireddwellings.com www.uvarchitects.co.uk

Right: Before the renovation the property had remained the same for over 40 years Below: A cinema room is in the basement

Smart specification Stable internet through a Draytek Vigor and Cisco booster boxes

RAKO custom controlled lighting system 7.2 Bowers and Wilkins surround home cinema with a JVC projector mounted in motorise lift with automated drop down screen. 3D and HD ready, with wall mounted flat screen TV for viewing with Apple TV to stream music, photos, film in full high definition; linked to SKY box. Data and television points throughout the home

Control 4 touchscreen home control system to control music, television, lighting, blinds, heating and door entry

Discretely assembled Mid Atlantic rack, lighting and panel sits in the utility area

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Sub-brow Electrical Eyebrow

Automated ambitions Patrick Bradley’s radical home design presented a number of electrical challenges for contractor AK Electrical, who installed a system based on controls from electrical solutions and services provider Hager.

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Electrical

Left: Patrick Bradley applied his expertise as an architect to his own home-building project Below: A key aspect of the design is the lighting and electrical system

W

hen Irish architect and farmer, Patrick Bradley, came up with a design for his own home that would be like nothing seen before, he was determined to include as many state-of-the-art features as he could. Of the lighting and heating systems, his key requirement was the intelligent control of all of the functions via his iPad or mobile phone.

Patrick runs his architectural practice on the family farm at Maghera in County Londonderry. He had come up with a design that Grand Designs series presenter Kevin McCloud described as "radical".

Choosing a stunningly beautiful location on the family farm, Patrick built his home using four 45ft steel shipping containers, stacked two-high in the form of a cantilevered cross. Kevin McCloud described the design as a powerful personal statement about Patrick as an architect.

Not only was the architectural approach to the design radical, the build programme for the house was nothing less than ambitious. The time allowed for converting the huge metal shells from sea-going container to avant-garde luxury home was just 10 months. The project was well underway when Patrick Bradley approached AK Electrical with his plans for the electrical control systems in July 2014. As an architect, he knew of AK Electrical’s reputation and so commissioned the company to design his intelligent electrical control system.

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Electrical

Aaron Kearney, proprietor at AK Electrical, supplied the project through its sub-company, iControl Homes.

He explains: “Patrick had a vision for his home and he was very specific about what he wanted, right down to the smallest detail. Initially, he intended to have only automated control over the lighting system but while this was possible we felt that in practical terms, it would be better to have the option of switches.

“The other factor was the timescale. We first looked at the project at the point when the house was ready for the first fix of electrics in July. With the build schedule, we had until the end of August to complete the installation, so speed was a key factor. We also needed to be sure that the system we specified would be simple to install as by the time we were on site, activity was fairly hectic, with up to 35 tradesmen of various disciplines working at any one time.”

The Hager system recommended by AK Electrical was the domovea building automation package.

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Electrical Above: Patrick's self-build is made from four 45ft steel shipping containers Left: The project benefits from an automation system Right: The system was supplied

by Hager Top right: Vast amounts of glazing make the most of rural surroundings

Divided into two key elements, domovea consists of a server which connects the KNX bus system onto an IP network, which is then supported by domovea visualisation software which is available across multiple operating systems, including iOS, Android and PC. It is designed to enable building owners to monitor and control their KNX building automation simply through the intuitive control of different devices from PC, laptop, smartphone or tablet. This ticked all the right boxes as far as Patrick’s desire for automated control was concerned, but it was the additional benefit of speed of installation which secured the deal for AK Electrical. The design of the domovea package enabled AK Electrical to build and pre-programme the central control unit in their own workshop so that all that was needed on site was to fit the cabinet to the wall and connect the appropriate cables.

Sophisticated technology As well as employing sophisticated technology, Patrick was determined to carry his vision through to the aesthetics of design when it came to interiors.

Having initially decided against using any form of switches, he found that he was able to incorporate switches from the premium German-designed Berker range from Hager without compromising the standards he had set. The switch he chose was the B.IQ which offers up to four functional elements – temperature controller, information display, tactile sensor and timer – in a single control unit. B.IQ switches incorporating thermostats were fitted in each room, delivering an additional benefit of

providing control over five zones of heating.

Homeowner Patrick comments: “When I first approached Aaron I had very little time as it was at a later stage in the project than first planned. There were also constraints on the budget for the electrical installation. When I met with him to discuss my requirements he completely put my mind at rest. In relation to the specification and quality of the systems he was able to provide, he really impressed me. I can honestly say I wasn’t completely aware of the level of technology available. The Berker product range is absolutely first class. It is simple and so easy to use and really didn’t take me long to get to grips with. For example, when I am away from home and my family visit the house, they have no trouble operating the system. I will definitely be recommending this kind of system for future projects."

www.hager.co.uk

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Bricks

Maintaining tradition In recent years many historic crafts and trades have gradually declined or been separated from mainstream building in the face of the demand for mass production and more cost effective processes. Here, Graham Irving, Managing Director of Bovingdon Bricks, presents the value of old fashioned brick making.

M

odern brick making has developed far beyond its small-scale regional origins.

Today’s enormous high-tech factories have the capability to produce immense quantities of perfectly uniform and colour-controlled bricks through fast, efficient, fully automated processes.

However, as technology continues to advance, traditional craftsmanship is in danger of becoming lost in time.

The heritage of brickmaking as we know it goes back to the fourteenth century, when most English towns had their own brickworks and, due to the bulky nature of the clay, the bricks were often made by hand on site. In those days, it was

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very much a seasonal business. The clay would be dug locally in the late autumn and then left out in the fields during the winter to sour – a process by which the weather would break down soluble materials – then in spring through to autumn the bricks were made.

Originally, the clay was mixed by hand and then later, during the ‘age of mechanisation’ ‘pugged’ in pug mills or wet pans – depending on whether the clay was dense or soft – which would have been horse powered and eventually steam-driven in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The pugs of clay were then moulded and dried naturally on ‘hacks’ in the open air until they were ready to be fired. The whole process could potentially take up to nine months.

Above: Bricks as we know them have been produced in this country since the fourteenth century

Bricks from one part of the country would have a completely different colour and texture from those made in another area, because of the chemical differences in the local clay, the type of sand used in the mould and the colour of that sand. The appearance of the bricks would also be influenced by differences in hand moulding, the fuel used for the firing and the temperature and position of the bricks in the kiln. All these variable factors would have contributed to the rather quirky and irregular character of much of the historic brickwork across the British Isles.

The decline in regional brickworks Unfortunately, with the exhaustion of some of the local clay reserves and the need for fully automated volume production, not to mention the severity of this recent recession, many small-scale regional brickworks have had to close down. This has left the industry with fewer craftsmen capable of making bricks of real historic character.

Eyebrow Bricks Sub-brow

Hertfordshire, for instance, was once a thriving brickmaking region. However, where there used to be over 15 brickworks, only Bovingdon Bricks now remains.

The company continues to use traditional methods of brickmaking in order produce unique and unpredictable characteristics.

Preservation of age-old processes The company’s traditional wet mud processes have not changed substantially since the brickworks was founded in the 1920s. The clay is still dug locally – although no longer by hand – and the soft pugs of clay are mixed in a Victorian styled wet pan dating from 1935, before passing through rollers to crush any flint or debris. The pugs are then thrown into wooden moulds and dried for three to six days in gas-fired drying sheds before being stacked, again by hand, in the kilns.

Unlike modern production methods, there is very little artificial or mechanical intervention. Even the old berry machine, which delivers the pugs of clay onto the bench for the hand-throwers, dates back 80-90 years.

Importantly, the natural irregularity and colour of the bricks is not determined by the use of stains, pigments and sophisticated weathering techniques used by modern manufacturers nor are the bricks tumbled to achieve a reclaimed appearance. The character is created by the technique of each individual brickmaker and the intensity of the heat and fluctuations in air-flow in the kiln. This is even influenced to some degree by day-today changes in the weather conditions.

Bovingdon is one of the few brickworks to still use an open top ‘updraught’ Scotch kiln of the sort that was popular in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Not dissimilar to

Above: There are worries surrounding the loss of traditional skills such as brickmaking

the old ‘clamp’ styled kilns, it is rectangular in structure, with fire holes at the side. When the kiln fires at temperatures of 950 - 1400°C, the bricks at the centre where it is hottest develop a dark hue and those on the edges come out in lighter shades. Random ‘kiss marks’ are also created naturally, where the bricks touch each other, depending on how they have been stacked. These historic methods produce Berry Multis of great character with cracks, creases, folds and a richness of colour that can range from flaming orange through red and purple to a subtle grey brown.

Adding value in a modern age The continued use of these traditional building materials and techniques is not just important for the preservation of our heritage and the conservation of our listed historic buildings. Like many age-old skills such as thatching, wrought ironwork and the making of peg tiles, traditional brickmaking is still appreciated by discerning self-builders and renovators looking to add value and individuality to their homes.

www.bovingdonbricks.co.uk

Left: Bovingdon Bricks is one of only a few remaining traditional brickworks

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Eyebrow i-build Sub-brow

Mud and marriage After building her own home Mandy Clark felt that the process deserved to be retold, so put her self-build experience into a book. Here, Mandy discusses the ups and downs of her homebuilding adventure.

M

y book Mud and Marriage: A housebuilding Adventure tells the story of the journey my husband and I took into the choppy waters of a self-build located in a small village near the Ridgeway in West Berkshire.

Our housebuilding adventure began in the unlikely setting of the village Flower Festival marquee where we got into conversation with a local lady, Margaret, over a nice cup of tea and a slice of fruit cake. She knew that our landlord was selling our rented house and that we were

42

going to have to move and offered to sell us some of her land, which comprised of an outbuilding and a vegetable garden. She also wanted to raise some capital to enable her and her husband Brian, who had Alzheimer’s disease, to stay in the village.

We had already been living in the village for two years and had become accustomed to its way of life and it had got used to us. We were lucky that the residents were 100% behind our build but we still had a long way to go before getting planning permission.

Main: Mandy Clark kept a diary of her self-build adventure, which she later turned into a book Above: Mud & Marriage: A Housebuilding Adventure is available to buy from Amazon

i-build Left: The plot was originally home to an outbuilding and a vegetable garden Below: Mandy's selfbuild sits neatly within the outbuilding's foundations

Opposition in the form of rules and regulations stood in our way as we planned to build in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and there would be many unforeseen – sometimes fiery – hoops to jump through, laid down by the planning police and local landowner.

My husband, Mr Clark, and Margaret made a great team when preparing our plea for planning permission – a process involving several frustrating trips to the council offices planning department in order to get to grips with planning regulations.

We lobbied the West Berkshire councillors and asked our local councillor for his help. He made a breathtakingly splendid case for us at the planning meeting. His words really hit the mark and against the odds we were granted planning permission.

The following quote from my book explains more: “In filed the councillors and the planning police. We sat through two unsuccessful planning applications, the last of which involved a loud bunch of protestors jumping up and down in the seats behind us. It was all very exciting. My hands were sweating. I wanted to leap up and dance around the room hooting. As there was no hooting allowed I sat on my hands and bit my tongue.”

Armed with our house plans Mr Clark and I went to several homebuilding shows to gather as much information as we could. We attended a particularly useful seminar at a Homebuilding and Renovating Show which weighed up the pros and cons of employing a builder to do the whole thing or project-managing the build ourselves. Pros and cons weighed up and our limited budget considered we decided to go for the latter and and therefore I became site manager.

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i-build

Left: Mandy project managed their self-build Below left: The couple attended self-build shows and seminars to get to grips with the process Right: The finished home benefits from full height glazing Below: A pitched roof creates an interesting architectural feature

We started the build on our second wedding anniversary. In true Grand Designs style I took on the role only to then discover that I was pregnant – and I hadn’t even met Kevin McCloud!

The site office was Margaret’s old shed. Margaret let me use her toilet and her phone as I a) didn’t fancy using the Portaloo and b) had no mobile signal. As avid watchers of Grand Designs, Mr Clark and I often wondered what Kevin McCloud would say if he had been there with us on our bumpy ride through the highs and lows of our build. Kevin would probably have asked us how the ‘journey’ was going. We would have put on a brave smile for the cameras to tell him that it is ‘awesome’, which, despite everything, it was.

We held on to our hard hats through the wind and rain and braved our sometimes hair-raising encounters with subcontractors. We sluiced out the house every rainy day until it was eventually watertight. Painting fascia boards in freezing cold weather and doing our best to make the house ready for the swap over of trades. With a tight budget and the loud ticking of my body clock, the journey into stepmotherhood, my husband already being a father and our neighbour’s Alzheimer’s disease to take into account, I kept a diary of the ups and downs of events throughout the build and of our lives at the time.

The seasons came and went and we got slightly weathered along the way both physically and mentally.

Our design wasn’t so grand but still needed our full and undivided attention, but we got there in the end with perseverance and a lot of lip salve. It took three years from applying for planning permission to finally move into our new house.

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i-build Mandy’s five top tips for fellow self-builders 1. Where possible, get like-for-like quotes 2. If you are a site manager, invest in some skiing salopettes from a charity shop for the winter, they keep out draughts and prevent builders’ bum 3. Always check the work somebody has done before they go and get them to explain what they have done 4. Mark everything out exactly where you want it in case you aren’t on-site when the work is done 5. Think everything through thoroughly and don’t put a roll of lead behind your car seat before putting the brakes on hard

I wrote up the diary really just to document the build, but found myself writing a book instead. I chose to include the details of our everyday existence to illustrate that you can’t just build a house as life has to carry on.

You have to wash the dirty laundry, do the shopping and deal with whatever fate chooses to throw at you. I had my mother’s diary to refer to for the weather reports, as she keeps a daily diary as well and I was very lucky indeed to have a wealth of talented family and friends to help me on my way to self-publishing.

Mr Clark and I feel blessed to have been able to build our house in such a beautiful location and are very thankful to Margaret and Brian Davey for giving us the opportunity.

I'll leave you with a final quote: “The house has hold of my soul. Mr Clark and I feel the same way. We find it difficult to leave when we go away and a great sense of relief to come home again. When we return, I rush in and shout, ‘It’s ok everybody, we’re home!’ like the house might have missed us and is breathing a sigh of relief. A fanciful thought I know but our collective thoughts and decisions have made our home what it is and we belong in every fibre.”

www.mudandmarriage.co.uk

45

Flooring Eyebrow Sub-brow

How to choose the right flooring Flooring has the power to transform a room, whether it is the soft sensation of carpet between your toes or the springy firmness of vinyl underfoot. Jeremy Garrish, Head buyer at Carpetright, shares his top tips on how to choose the right flooring for your home, providing a wealth of options that not only look good but feel good too.

A

good carpet turns your house into a home, it provides warmth, texture and personality, but is also tough enough to handle everyday wear and tear. Some carpets suit the requirements of particular rooms better than others, so when choosing a carpet think about which fibre, texture and style is best for you.

There are three types of fibres to choose from – natural, synthetic and blended. For a luxurious look and feel, choose wool, a natural fibre which is soft and comfortable as well as durable. For a practical solution, synthetic fibres can be stain

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resistant, robust and also great value for money.

These are an ideal choice for high traffic areas, for example, hallways or playrooms. Blended offers the best of both, such as a mixture of Wool and Nylon, hardwearing and beautifully soft, a great choice for living rooms.

There are different types of pile available too and it is worth considering all the options. Loop and Twist piles are a practical choice for a busy room. Loop pile carpets are classic and durable and normally made of synthetic fibres and wool.

The loops can be made of different lengths to create a textured, rustic effect. Twist pile carpets

Top: Laminate flooring tiles imitate wood and stone effects Below: Vinyl is well suited to areas with a high footfall

FLOORING FOR YOUR OPEN PLAN SPACE

Karndean Designflooring answer your questions‌

Q.

We are close to completing our self build project and need a floor that will work with underfloor heating in our kitchen diner. What would you recommend?

Karndean LooseLay

With an innovative friction grip backing, Karndean LooseLay is quick and easy to install. Perfect for fitting over most existing hard floors.

A.

For a floor that can be laid quickly and is compatible with underfloor heating, we'd recommend Karndean LooseLay. Designed to work with underfloor heating systems, Karndean LooseLay can withstand temperatures up to 27°C.

Stamford LLP109

As an added bonus, it's also quick and easy to install. So if you're running out of time on your project, this could really help buy you some time back. All you need is a dry, smooth, sound and dust-free subfloor and you're ready to go.

As with any flooring, we recommend checking with your retailer and/or heating system's manufacturer to ensure your chosen system is compatible with Karndean.

Colorado LLT201

Q.

We've just invested in a flat which we intend to rent out.

I'm cautious about laying a carpet, but we need something that can be laid quickly as the tenants are moving in at the end of the month. What would you suggest?

Do you have a question for Karndean?

Email us at questions@karndean.co.uk

A.

The rental market is a great place to be investing at the minute. Installing a floor which is both hardwearing and easy to repair makes complete sense. We would recommend looking at Karndean LooseLay. With wood planks and stone and textile tiles to choose from this latest range from Karndean offers a 15 year residential guarantee. What's even better is that if a tenant does damage a section of floor, that area can easily be lifted out and replacement pieces dropped in. No mess, no fuss. Good luck in your new venture!

Like us on Facebook /karndeandesignflooring See Karndean LooseLay for yourself at

www.karndean.com/looselay

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Flooring

are ideal for busy families, created by twisting yarn tightly together, making them hardwearing and easy to maintain. You can choose between two types of twist, plain and heather. Both have a lovely even surface that springs underfoot and come in a variety of colours. The heather shades are less likely to show marks, so they’re perfect for your hall or living room. For a more indulgent option, go for a Saxony, this has a longer pile so creates a much more sumptuous look and feel for a room, working very well for bedrooms.

Versatile vinyl Vinyl is now one of the most versatile types of flooring you can find and is ideal for a busy household with high footfall and pets, due to its hardwearing nature. Best suited to kitchens and bathrooms, vinyl is long lasting and water resistant. There are so many designs on offer, from faux finishes that emulate wood and marble to patterns and bright colours. Whether it is natural wood that looks like the real deal, to dramatic monochrome or shimmering metallics, you are sure to find a style that will suit your interior space. All vinyl comes with a wear layer, which makes your floor extra durable and slip resistant and they also come with a minimum of a five year wear guarantee for added reassurance.

Vinyl is also now available as a Luxury Vinyl Tile, which offers fantastic durability in a great choice of super-realistic wood or stone effects.

The tile or plank format is easy to install and allows you to create a unique finish on your floor by mixing and matching different designs.

Natural look laminate With a huge range of laminate to choose from, you can bring the outdoors in by adding the natural beauty of wood or stone designs. From rich oak to smooth slate, choose a design that will make your room look fabulous and feel realistic underfoot. Laminate tiles come in three finishes. Wood grain appears with small grooves in the top layer to give a textured feel to the laminate. Embossed reproduces stone and wood effects more realistic and finally, registered embossed exactly matches the print of the design and texture together, providing the closest match, down to the detail of knots in the wood designs or contours in stone effects

Never underestimate the underlay Underlay is the most understated part of your flooring but just because it can’t be seen doesn’t mean you shouldn’t invest in it. In fact, underlay increases the life span of a carpet by up to 40%.

Top: A neutral carpet will work well within any interior decor Below: Don't be afraid to incorporate bold flooring

It also cushions your feet for extra comfort, acts like a shock absorber, is a sound protector and insulates your home, helping to reduce energy bills. It comes in lots of different thicknesses, weights and densities, so when choosing your underlay, make sure you compare like for like.

There are three options – foam, sponge rubber or crumb rubber. Foam is a relatively new type of underlay, it is comfortable, lightweight and easy to handle. Sponge rubber is a popular choice due to its durability, thickness and cushioning. Many crumb rubber options are made from over 80% recycled rubber, meaning that one used car tyre goes into every square metre. It is one of the hardest wearing types of underlay, making it ideal for high traffic areas like hallways and stairs.

www.carpetright.co.uk

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i-nterior

Vehicle for change A garage squashed between two houses has been transformed into a unique three storey house.

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W

hen Paul Crowther renovated and sold on an East Putney terrace in 1992, he decided not to sell the adjacent garage. Paul explains: “I decided to keep the lock up garage for my own rather than selling it with the property as it was worth very little and was a useful place for storage – especially as I worked as a property developer.�

Having used the garage as storage without much thought for nearly 25 years, it was when Paul reworked his will that he carefully considered all his financial

i-nterior assets. He worked out that if he gained planning permission for the small space it would increase the property’s value. Although Paul looked into the process with no initial intention to actually convert the space, once planning permission was granted the temptation to build something unique was too appealing for the ex-property developer.

Left: A single storey garage has undergone a complete conversion Above: The narrow property benefits from a galley kitchen Below: The main living space is on the first floor

Paul explains: “The idea was that a property would be more valuable once converted – so the initial plan was to see where value could be added. I wanted to experiment with the space limitations – it was always going to be a compact area and therefore complicated to work with.

“The design concept originated from my desire to try and create something a little different. I realised that it wouldn’t have much going for it in terms of space or features because there was no escaping the fact that it is a very small unit. The plan, therefore, was to try and make it both 'sexy' and cutting edge.”

Overcoming limitations The “sexy” approach was inspired by the way that the hospitality sector creates high-end and modern designs within compact spaces – such as in boutique luxury hotels. Here, modern materials such as zinc cladding and black glass achieve the desired look.

Paul continues: “The main challenge was the small space. Large properties allow for versatility, so designing within an area like this is very limiting. I suppose it’s a bit like designing a boat where you need to think carefully about how so much can be crammed into such a tiny space.

“I explained to the architect what I was hoping to achieve and basically told him to tear up the rule book, not to conform and to let his imagination flow. The

51

i-nterior

first design he came up with was rather conventional and, in all honesty, too boring for what I felt the space could achieve. I told him to ditch conventionality and to not be scared of putting something forward that was out of the ordinary. The whole design process was very much a collaboration between me and the architect.�

Another challenge that the small space presented was that, during development, it didn't allow for more than one trade to be on site at any given time. This led to costs beyond what Paul originally anticipated as well as complications within the development process. Despite this, the project took just nine months from start of building work to completion.

Utilising space The finished property utilises every last inch of space and has high quality fixtures and fittings throughout including solid oak floors, German kitchen units and appliances, under floor heating and stylish sanitary ware.

Right: At the top of the building is a small study

Right: The property benefits from a balcony and green roof Below: The floor plan displays the space limitations

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i-nterior Right and above right: The bedroom and bathroom is situated on the ground floor

The garage has become the ground floor, with two storeys added, each one stepped back. With a total width of 2.6m, the space required an open-minded alternative to the traditional house layout. A roof light has been added to the ground floor, where there are no windows and consequently no views. Thinking about which rooms can function without a view, the bedroom and bathroom presented the best option for this space.

This space now comprises a “sexy” bedroom suite with extensive built in wardrobes, open plan shower room and separate toilet.

Paul explains: “The ground floor gets daylight but has no outlook whatsoever and so, to me, that was a space far more suited to the room for sleeping. The living room upstairs benefits from large double aspect windows with views - far better for a living space than a bedroom.”

The first floor has a slim galley kitchen that fits neatly within the long space, with a surprisingly spacious

reception room behind. A second floor offers a small, light mezzanine work station, with doors that open onto a balcony – along with seeded flat roof.

Paul is now looking to rent the property so that it continues to be an increasing asset, saying: “The finished space is everything I hoped it would be and I’m delighted with the end result. I think it’s really sharp and well designed, with each room offering something special. The local community says it has a very “Notting Hill” feel about it – which I take as a complement!

I envision it to be a great space for a young professional to live.

“My advice to anyone looking to convert a property is to do all your research and thinking before the work starts. Try to get the concept stage right so that you face less challenges and unknowns later on.”

www.seymour-green.co.uk

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i-scape

T

he front garden helps to protect homeowners from a range of environmental problems.

However, the most accurate studies show that 64% of the total area of front gardens in the UK have now been paved over. This amounts to 3.5 million front gardens being lost in the last 15 years.

Front gardens provide a number of benefits. Firstly, they work as a flood defence. Vegetation, whether trees, lawns or borders, soak up rainwater and so help to prevent localised ‘flash’ flooding. About 25% of all the land in our towns and cities is gardens, which significantly reduces the pressure on drainage during periods of heavy rain. Lower density housing with gardens has three-fold less storm water run-off than higher density stock.

Secondly, plants cool the air by releasing moisture and providing shade, combating dangerous heat waves. The effects are localised so homeowners get the benefits in summer. It has been estimated that vegetation used in conjunction with building design provides a 30% energy saving on air conditioning. What’s more, trees, hedges or shrubs insulate our houses, acting as ‘wind breaks’ by slowing buffeting winds and so save on heating costs.

Front gardens also clean the air we breathe. Plants can improve air quality. Particle pollution – e.g. dust from wear on pavements and vehicles, metals from vehicle exhaust fumes from burning fuel – are trapped by rough leaves and stems and absorbed by plants. Hedges of Thuja and beech are good choices.

Paving over one garden is not really a problem, but collectively the paving over of gardens is having a real impact. For example in Leeds, over a 33-year period

Concrete jungle It’s easy to think that environmental change and destruction is something that only happens in pristine green environments such as rainforests. But while it is hard for UK homeowners to directly help protect these very valuable places, there is an environment under threat that is literally on many people’s doorsteps: the garden.

54

i-scape

there was a 13% increase in paved surfaces – 75% of which was due to paving of residential front gardens; this was linked to more flooding in the area. Meanwhile, in London, 47% of garden hard surfacing is found in front gardens, yet they only form 25% of total garden space.

Making the most of space Paving wall to wall is not obligatory, despite a recent survey showing that a quarter of homeowners believe they can’t park and have plants in their front garden.

Even where parking is tight, there is usually room for wall climbers in corners that can’t be parked in but can be planted, and room for boundary hedges and even wellplaced trees.

In England, homeowners can’t just pave over their gardens with non-permeable materials such as block paving and tarmac. Since 2008 any new or replacement drive larger than five square metres must be constructed of permeable materials such as permeable block paving or gravel, otherwise planning permission is required. This is largely to prevent localised flooding.

Similar measures apply in Scotland. These, however, apply to paving of any size between the house and any street, not just front gardens. Less strict rules apply in Wales where either permeable paving must be used or non-permeable laid so it drains onto permeable surfaces within the garden.

Concrete epidemic Studies have proven that the front garden isn’t the only private greenery under threat, a problem especially

Right: Wall climbers are a great way to incorporate greenery into the front garden Below: Many people pave over their front garden to increase parking space

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i-scape apparent within urban areas.

Gardens make up much of London’s green space; in fact nearly a quarter of Greater London is comprised of private, domestic garden land. They are valuable for both people and wildlife because they provide a significant amount of London’s open space and habitat. Climate

56

Above: The act of gardening is known to help a number of health conditions Below: The amount of vegetated land in Greater London dropped by 12% between 1998 and 2008

change means that the extent and quality of gardens may become increasingly important as they also have a role to play in keeping the city cool and in preventing surface-water flooding.

A partnership project between Greenspace Information for Greater London (GiGL), London Wildlife

i-scape

Trust and the Greater London Authority revealed that vegetated land in the captial’s gardens has been lost at a rate of two and a half Hyde Parks per year, driven by garden design and maintenance choices.

The study revealed that the area of vegetated land present in 1998 had dropped 12% by 2008. The amount of hard surfacing in London’s gardens increased by 26% and the amount of lawn decreased by 16%. The research recommends that it’s never been more important for Londoners to understand the value of their garden. A wellmanaged network of gardens stretching across the capital would provide essential wildlife habitat and offer important environmental benefits in response to climate change.

Health benefits Whist reducing green space in our gardens has a negative impact on both wildlife and climate change, a loss of garden space might also detriment our own health.

A UK doctor and a leading Swedish scientist have made the case for gardening and horticulture to be of such importance for our health that it should be available on the NHS. Speakers Dr William Bird and Dr Matilda van den Bosch spoke to an audience during the fourth annual Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) John MacLeod Lecture about the interactions between nature and human health and how gardening may contribute to increased wellbeing and quality of life.

Speaking about the impact horticulture and gardening can have on health, Dr Van Den Bosch says: “Apart from preventing diseases, horticulture and horticulture therapy are used to treat many conditions of ill-health, including cancer rehabilitation, depression, post-traumatic stress disorders and various behavioural disturbances.

“There is now enough evidence to include gardening and nature in the health care agenda. The key point is that gardening, plants and horticultural activities are excellent tools for creating a healthier society where the costs of health care and human suffering can be substantially reduced.”

Time for change Whether you lead a green-fingered lifestyle or not, the individual elements discussed within this article add up to a persuasive argument to incorporate as much green space in your home-building project as possible. It has never been so important to preserve British wildlife, prevent climate change and protect our planet, but also to use our surroundings to protect our own health and that of generations to come.

www.rhs.org.uk www.gigl.org.uk www.wildlifetrusts.org

Right: Plants cool the air by releasing moisture and providing shade

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Product Guide

Get stylish with LooseLay Easy-Fit Flooring LooseLay Series Three showcases sophisticated hues inspired by nature and includes popular pale oak tones, fashionable rustics, striking warm gingers and deep greys.

Popular for its quick, easy-fit approach, Karndean LooseLay is an innovative format of luxury vinyl flooring designed for homeowners looking for a convenient and stylish flooring solution. The floor can be laid in a loose lay with the planks fitted tightly against each other and a solid wall, the thresholds edged with a tackifier. The unique friction grip backing and increased dimensional stability secures the floor firmly in place and can be laid over most existing hard surfaces so long as they are dry, smooth, level and dust-free.

www.karndean.com 01386 820100 info@karndean.co.uk

Traditional appeal

Versatile tiling options Moleanos Fine Beige is a hugely versatile stone, which adds a timeless elegance to living spaces and brings a crisp clean finish to any design project.

This honed limestone by Mrs Stone Store is a warm, neutral tile that is suitable for use on both walls and floors. Shown in the honed option, which offers a completely flat matt finish, making it a practical and attractive solution for use in bathrooms and wet rooms as well as kitchens and living spaces. The final stage of the traditional polishing process is removed, creating an interesting finish. The end result is a tile surface halfway between a natural and polished product.

The subtle grey/brown fossilisation within the tile gives the stone an interesting character that is favoured by interior designers and architects.

If you are looking to modernise a room and are after a minimalist look, then using a lighter natural stone is an ideal choice for your wall or floor tiles.

This honed finish is often chosen because it can be used in high traffic areas, and is therefore more accommodating to today’s busy lifestyle. It is also an increasingly popular choice for use in minimalist design schemes that are seeking a consistent yet contemporary feel.

www.mrs-stone-store.com 01283 730388 sales@mrs-stone-store.com

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Yeoman Rainguard’s XL Aluminium rainwater systems were chosen for Bridge House – a stunning new build property in Norfolk. XL Aluminium 75mm diameter downpipes along with 125 x 100mm MOG gutters, finished in a Black textured polyester powder coating, were installed on the property. The powder coating finish ensures that the pipes and guttering will offer years of maintenance free service and will not be susceptible to colour bleaching. Choosing the XL Aluminium range will also get the thumbs up when considering the environment. 95% of the materials used to manufacture the gutters and downpipes are recyclable making it an ecologically sound choice for any building scheme.

www.rainguard.co.uk 0113 279 5854 info@rainguard.co.uk

Take full control Windhager’s myComfort allows homeowners to quickly and simply control their individual heating systems every day from any recognised smartphone or tablet. The app can be retro-fitted to all Windhager boilers with MES plus controls and requires a fixed LAN cable to the householder’s router. Whether at home or abroad, the heating system is always under control and can be regulated from any location via any recognised smartphone. myComfort provides an intelligent way to have two-way communication with the Windhager boiler. Push messages can be received from the boiler to a smartphone about its status, such as fuel levels, emptying the ash pan and service reminders.

www.windhager.co.uk 01225 892211 info@windhager.co.uk

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James Latham unveils new flooring range James Latham has further enhanced its portfolio of premium quality, Bausen flooring with the first of three new ranges of engineered boards which combine exceptional aesthetics, durability and structural integrity.

Embracing on-trend, contemporary designs, as well as a selection of colours, textures and finishes, the Henshaw series is available in 10 different boards, directly from stock and nationwide through James Latham’s network of 10 distribution sites, including Scotland.

A durable, timeless option that works well with all architectural trends, the Henshaw collection offers architects and interior designers working in either the commercial or residential sectors, the perfect basis for every style and every interior.

Supplied in board sizes of 15 x 190 x 1900mm, the range includes a brushed and smooth finish as well as UV Oiled, Lacquered and Hardwax coating options.

In addition, the new collection is supported with a full range of merchandise including a bespoke, eye-catching display stand as well as complementary swatches, literature and a full range of carefully selected, top-brand accessories to ensure that the flooring performs to its optimum level.

Andy Duffin, James Latham Director, comments: “We’ve been really pleased with the reaction from the market to this new range of flooring and have already seen a lot of interest from both the commercial and residential sectors. The quality and finish of this premier grade flooring is exceptional and I’m confident that it will be a big success.

“It’s a really exciting time for Bausen, in addition to this, we have two additional ranges being launched later this year so our collection will be significantly bolstered.”

www.bausen.co.uk 01708 681700 flooring@lathams.co.uk

British Spirals & Castings has helped create a stunning feature piece staircase during the refurbishment of a Victorian period home in the picturesque town of Market Harborough.

Bryan Drew, the homeowner decided to include a three storey spiral staircase as part of the extensive refurbishment of his property, which also included creating an open plan kitchen, dining and living area with an Orangery added to the rear. The house was completely redecorated and many other improvements were also made, including the replacement of the fireplace in the formal dining room with an 1880s marble surround and basket which could have been installed when the property was originally built.

Product Guide

More than just a staircase

www.britishsc.co.uk 01663 750716 sales@britishsc.co.uk

Stylish symmetry JB Kind Doors’ successful ‘Symmetry’ wide shaker panel range sees the addition of six new exclusive door designs to its clean and uncomplicated style. Adding three new finishes to the white Axis designs, specifiers can now choose from Axis Oak, Axis Walnut and Axis Monochrome, as well as their glazed partners.

All pre-finished and solid core doors – as well as the glazed Oak and Walnut designs – offer clear safety glass, whilst the glazed Monochrome has striking chequered opaque glass with its solid version sporting an all black central panel.

www.jbkind.com 01283 554197 info@jbkind.com

Expanding garden product range IronmongeryDirect, one of the UK’s largest online and mail order suppliers of ironmongery products, has introduced fence hardware to its range for the first time in preparation for the summer months. 35 new fence hardware products have been added to IronmongeryDirect’s existing range of over 14,000 products to cater for people who are looking to prepare their gardens for the warmer months ahead. The new products include clips such as the Fence Panel Clip, brackets such as the Arris Rail Fence Bracket and accessories for fence posts such as post spikes, extenders and post tops.

www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk 0808 168 2828 sales@ironmongerydirect.co.uk

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Product Guide

home, reduce the need for kerbside collections, reduce cross contamination of food streams, cut waste to landfill and provide a rich source of fertiliser and renewable energy.

The InSinkErator Evolution 200 gives you a more space efficient and odour-free kitchen whilst effectively disposing of your food waste with the very best technology available. There are no blades, as the model uses a stainless steel grinding ring to deal with all food waste, including meat bones, with maximum effect and safety. And, InSinkErator has gained the coveted Quiet Mark for being operationally quiet.

Linda Phoutthasak, Marketing Manager, Europe, for InSinkErator, says: “An InSinkErator food waste disposer is an all-round winner for every home, offering a convenient alternative to food waste bins that saves time and space for those unable to compost. It is an invaluable asset for disposing of necessary food waste in a hygienic and environmentally responsible way with ease, and is simple to install – all that’s needed is standard plumbing and a power source.”

An InSinkErator food waste disposer grinds food scraps into tiny particles and flushes them into the local waste treatment system

www.insinkerator.co.uk 0800 389 3715 pr@jmmarketingservices.co.uk

Beat ‘green fatigue’ We are all familiar with the green revolution and the great drive to reduce waste and make the maximum use of our resources.

But it seems that ‘green fatigue’ is already setting in where one of our worst national problems is concerned: the ever spiralling mountain of food waste.

C

urrent local authority recycling initiatives rely on residents sorting their waste into multiple bins in an attempt to relieve some of the huge strain placed on landfill sites.

However, SITA UK, which collects waste from 12 million homes nationwide, has reported a stalling in the recycling rate as people lose patience with the practice.

According to WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme), food waste alone accounts for approximately 20% of all household waste.

While there is no panacea for such a diverse and complex problem, there is certainly a very effective alternative to an additional recycling bin.

Composting our food is not only a highly effective method of protecting the environment but also helps to replenish it. Nor does the

62

process require the clutter and unpleasantness of a smelly bin in the kitchen or outside.

However for those unable to compost there is a simple and alternative solution. An InSinkErator food waste disposer grinds food scraps into tiny particles and flushes them into the local waste treatment system or a septic tank via the plug-hole. Food waste that has been through a disposer can be used to create biosolids or biogas as part of a holistic waste management approach. When recycled the material can be used as a power source, soil conditioner or fertiliser.

Food waste disposers are now playing an increasingly critical environmental role in managing food waste and are gaining popularity on a global scale. Food waste disposers separate food waste effortlessly in-

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