When her mother became ill, Sandie Tozer left her new life in Australia and returned to West Sussex. "I set aside 18 months to be on this side of the globe," says Sandie. "So, I decided to tackle a project while I was here."
Priced out of bustling Brighton, Sandie expanded her search to Shoreham-by-Sea, a quiet coastal town a short distance along the coast.
There, she found a quirky and historic shipbuilder’s cottage in a probate sale. Dating back to the 1800s, the ultra-narrow home measured about 2.7m at the widest point and was arranged over three disjointed floors.
In need of significant modernisation, it featured an overly complex series of small, dark spaces, which lacked a feeling of connection between each other and the rear garden.
An enclosed patio to the rear, akin to a conservatory, further separated the house from the garden, while a former hairdressing salon occupied the basement. "It was stuck in a time warp, but I had a vision, and I had to have it," says Sandie.
Project details
- Location Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex
- Project Rear extension and full renovation of an historic cottage
- House size 90sq m
- Property cost £275,000
- Built cost £128,025
Choosing an architect
Having completed numerous projects over the years, Sandie knew exactly who she wanted to work with on the redesign – William Tozer Associates.
"I think I’d spoken to William years ago to find out if we’re related," she says. "We’re not, but they had completed lots of nice historic renovations in London and I liked their work."
The firm’s senior associate, Tom Shelswell, worked with Sandie and proposed reconfiguring the interior floorplan, to make a feature of its length, and connect the house to the garden with a new glazed extension, designed to the same proportions as the existing conservatory.
Frameless floor-to-ceiling doors and new skylights would provide unobstructed external views, while inviting natural light to penetrate deep inside the house.
The basement salon would be turned into a private bedroom retreat, while the top floor would be reserved for Sandie – as a tranquil master suite with a bathroom.
Groundwork findings
The planning process proved simple and permission was achieved in the eight-week statutory timeframe.
The plans went out to tender and, with a tight budget, Sandie selected the contractor with the most reasonable quote.
She took on project management duties and rented a property for the duration of the build, hoping the builder’s four-month timeline was realistic. Work began in November 2021, with the removal of the old conservatory.
"The demolition uncovered existing footings that, while substantial, required reinforcement," says architect Tom Shelswell. "We reviewed the footings with the structural engineer and building control inspector and arranged a plan of remedial works to accommodate the new extension."
This resulted in a simplification of the groundworks, minimising costs and the impact on the neighbouring homes.
New mass concrete trench-fill foundations were added to the existing mass concrete foundations. Next, the extension was constructed from 21 steel columns, which were craned into place.
"Luckily, we had a back gate that led onto a private road," says Sandie. "Our wonderful neighbours allowed us to bring a crane down it."
With a 30m rear garden and an old two-metre flint wall to contend with, the builders had to carefully manoeuvre the steels into very small slots. The steel frame was infilled with blockwork cavity walls and a timber-frame and glazed flat roof. The exterior was then wrapped with timber and composite cladding.
Construction at the rear boundary was challenging, due to extensions on neighbouring properties.
"The new external walls had to be completed from above, working over the roof of the new extension," says Tom.
Internal challenges
The internal work proved just as challenging, with numerous level changes from the front door, down to the garden at the rear.
"The original house was constructed from Bungaroosh, which is used a lot in this part of England," says Sandie. "It’s a mixture of beach pebbles, flint gravel and cement. It’s like a cake mixture and is a nightmare to work with."
However, the home’s unusual walls proved beneficial in the basement. "We found layers and layers of plaster on the walls," says Sandie. "We chiselled it all back and gained probably 5cm of space each side. That meant a lot with the room being just 2.4m wide!"
The Bungaroosh was in poor condition throughout and sections required careful consideration by the structural engineer, to allow for the necessary new openings to connect the ground floor to the extension.
"Half-brick party walls in the roof required strengthening and fire-rating, to ensure adequate separation between the terraced houses," says Tom. Adding to the difficulties, the project was stalled by Covid and Sandie faced numerous unexpected costs.
"Everything shot up by 25%," says Sandie. To keep costs down as much as possible, Sandie was forced to finish certain jobs herself, including installing the kitchen.
"It was a really difficult time to do a project," says Sandie. "It involved a lot of blood, sweat and tears – and a lot of money. My main takeaway is, don’t do a project during a pandemic!"
Small but mighty
Due mainly to supply delays, the project ran over by about four months, but the wait was well worth it for Sandie.
The once awkward, dark and old-fashioned terrace has been transformed into a light, bright and free-flowing home, where every inch of space has been given a purpose.
Crisp white walls, clean lines and warm wood tones make for cosy, clutter-free rooms that feel streamlined and functional.
Sandie’s favourite part of the house is the kitchen. "The living room is small and cosy, but then the kitchen is this big, bright space. What it lacks in width, it makes up for in height," says Sandie.
"It’s a lovely place to commune with family. Being able to sit here, in the middle of a town, with long views and a quiet garden with wildlife running around is amazing."
Sandie is back and forth from Australia and loves returning to her private little oasis in the heart of Shoreham. "It’s so liveable," she says. "Everything has its place and function."
If you enjoyed touring this home, you might also like this charming barn conversion in the Cotswolds or this zero-carbon home built on a Devon eco-farm.
