A Converted Mill - continued

Click here to return to A Converted Mill - part one

The site

Originally a fruit grower from Kent, Geoff Jacobs (of Jacobs Hazel Street Ltd) moved down to Devon 20 years ago and decided to renovate houses instead. He actually bought the whole of the Ashbury estate, which included a number of derelict buildings with planning permission, but he chose the sawmill to be his own home.

"Luckily it wasn't listed," he says. "It cost around £200,000 to buy despite its condition because of its unique position, secluded in an acre of walled garden with absolutely stunning panoramic views of Exmoor. It took nine months for my building team of six, led by James Uren of Uren Builders of Crediton, to resurrect it at a cost of £350,000; this includes the costs of completely refitting the kitchen (including appliances) and the cinema room, which has a built-in 42-inch widescreen plasma TV and descending speakers."

Layout

Upstairs, the sawmill now has five bedrooms, one main bathroom and two en suites, a laundry room and a WC, while downstairs there is a spacious hallway, a large open plan sitting room which includes a raised dining area, a passageway to a Poggenpohl kitchen, a utility and cinema room. The cinema room is the only part of the house that is single storey, to keep the sound from travelling.

Construction

The team began by pulling off the corrugated iron roof and constructing a concrete ringbeam to stabilise the existing walls. However, when the roof came off part of one wall collapsed so the rest of it had to be pulled down and rebuilt; this meant they had to change the layout of the house and get the planners to agree to the changes once again. For the walls they used reclaimed brick and stone taken from various redundant barns that had fallen into disrepair on the farm, and on the roof they installed Spanish slates.

"We raised the elevation by four feet, not only to accommodate the bedrooms but also to house the oilfired central heating system and the boiler. Although we have underfloor heating throughout downstairs (except for the utility room), upstairs we have concealed radiators." Because of the "vast amounts" of Cavitybatt insulation in the walls and ceilings, Geoff says the house is eco-friendly in that it doesn't use much fuel.

Features

Historical features that were found on the site were incorporated in the build including an 18th century wheelwright's stone, which has now been integrated in the patio. Other more contemporary touches include a sealed system which pumps hot water all round the house to supply instant hot water, and a smart heating system that automatically controls the underfloor heating depending on temperature outside. "Heating controls never need to be touched. The temperature inside the house is always just right," says Geoff.

Problems

"What problems did we have? We had to get planning permission to move a public right of way which went right past the sitting room window - that was granted. The planners also insisted that we put in aluminium window frames as it is rather exposed up here and aluminium is more hard-wearing. They're painted brown on the outside and white on the inside."

Interiors

There are various striking features in the house, all designed by Geoff, including the raised dining area surrounded by a stainless steel balustrade, the end wall of the sitting room which is entirely of floor-to-ceiling glass to make the most of the views, and the staircase of stainless steel and oak with glass balustrading.

The hallway flooring is of reconstituted limestone tiles, while the kitchen and passageway floors are in laminated oak and the utility room tiled in slate. The dining room and sitting room floors are of concrete screed. All the doors and door frames are ash and oak. "The kitchen alone cost £60,000 including an underfloor extraction system," says Geoff. "Cooking smells are draw through the work surfaces, which are a man-made material of quartz and resin called Arena stone." The Poggenpohl units are complemented by Miele integral appliances, which include a built-in coffee maker and a Gaggenau ceramic hob with four burners as well as a separate two-burner gas hob.

A dream home

Geoff is absolutely delighted with the finished mill: "Not only am I lucky to have the perfect site, secluded yet surrounded by stunning views, I am also lucky enough to be living in my dream home, created entirely to my own specifications. I have so many other available renovation opportunities, but I think I'm home now."

Moving a Public Footpath

In England and Wales, a public footpath is defined as a path on which the public have a legally protected right to travel on foot. Many footpaths in the countryside are hundreds of years old or more, and it is estimated that over 10% of these paths are not yet listed on local councils' definitive maps or rights of way - so you may need to carry out your own searches on any paths that you think could be included. If you feel that a public footpath infringes on your privacy, it can be diverted or even extinguished if it is no longer needed for public use. When moving a path, the applicant must be able to show that the new route will not be substantially less convenient for the public. It is done by applying to the relevant district council for a Public Path Diversion Order. The order has to be advertised in the local press and a map showing the new route posted on site; if there is major opposition it is unlikely the council will agree to make an order. The cost of each order can differ but expect to pay at least £700.

Click here to return to A Converted Mill - part one

Further reading

• Converting Four Period Cottages into One Home
• A Guide to Converting Barns
• How to Spot the Best Conversion Opportunities