The idea of downsizing in retirement appeals to many people, yet all too often the lack of suitable properties proves to be a stumbling block. David and Catherine McIntosh felt their four-storey Victorian semi no longer met their needs, but they wanted to remain central in their Hertfordshire town, close to all the amenities. "Then we saw this two-up, two-down period house on a wet day during Covid," says Catherine. "It just felt right."
While it’s not a listed building, this attractive detached house is in a conservation area and was once owned by James Hack Tuke, a prominent 19th-century Quaker and humanitarian, known for his work to relieve the Irish famine.
"The house was very pretty – it had kerb appeal," says Catherine, who was won over by the steep gables, leaded windows and 19th-century craftsmanship, which includes pargeting and decorative brickwork.
Project details
- Location Hertfordshire
- House type Victorian lodge
- Project Renovation and extension
- Build method Timber frame with timber, copper and brick cladding
- Cost £3,000sq m
- Architect MCA
Work to do
Perhaps inevitably, the state of the house was poor – it was previously tenanted, then had lain empty for a year, and ivy was encroaching. A lean-to housed a tiny galley kitchen, and the stairs ran straight up from the front door.
Worse still, there was no connection to the gardens. Despite the condition, David and Catherine moved in and began planning a major house renovation and extension. Their daughter, a recently qualified architect, helped the couple find Michael Collins of MCA, a local architecture practice that focuses on low-energy, modern projects.
"We knew we didn’t want a pastiche," says David. "But we are in a conservation area, so we wanted to appreciate the old, while creating something new, and Michael realised that vision."
The design, which gained permission on the couple’s second planning application, includes a sympathetic, low-energy restoration of the original building and an extension that integrates old and new through the contemporary use of traditional materials, such as brick and copper. "My biggest design challenge was to not overwhelm the original building," explains Michael. "It’s a small lodge, designed to be seen from all angles."
Creating balance
To one side, a new green-roofed single-storey extension houses the kitchen and dining room, which opens onto the garden. On the other side, the stairs have been relocated away from the front entrance to a double-height, copper-clad lantern, which opens up the interior and provides brilliant views.
"The original position of the staircase was very restrictive," says Michael. "So, we took it out of the floorplan and created a new stair tower, which gave the ground floor a better flow."
Inside and out, the design carefully balances the old with the new. Copper roofing and oak-framed windows help tie the contemporary elements to the original structure. New brick details, a copper-clad stair lantern and carefully placed glazing reveal and celebrate historic features, creating a home that tells its story through layers of history and craftsmanship.
The house exceeds modern insulation standards and uses a specially approved double-glazed leaded window system. Most of the older floors were replaced with new concrete floors and 200mm EPS insulation, which surpasses current new-build insulation standards. The new extension meets passive energy targets and includes a wildflower roof for biodiversity.
Adding eco tech
David and Catherine were determined to have a sustainable renovation, incorporating eco-technology.
"It’s the right thing to do," says David. "We were trying to be sympathetic while bringing it into the 21st century. It was a cold building."
In addition to the green roof, the couple also installed three heat pumps: one for the house and one for the new swimming pool. The third is in the new detached garage, which has a bedroom/office and a wet room for visiting family. The garage also doubles as an energy hub, with solar panels in addition to that third heat pump.
The rooms above the garage could also accommodate a home help, if one were ever needed, and this future-proofing continues in the main house, where a large bank of cupboards in the hallway has wiring for a lift, should David and Catherine need one in years to come.
"We decided to put three-phase electricity into the house," says David. "But that was a difficult process, as we had to get permission from neighbours."
Taking shape
The couple’s main challenge was living on site during the building works, particularly as Catherine was undergoing lengthy cancer treatment. "We had no kitchen for a year, and we got very good with using an air fryer," says Catherine. "We had no stairs for four months and no heating in the winter."
While their living conditions were not ideal, the couple felt they made the right choices in running the build, hiring a main contractor, with Michael as the QA (quality assurance) manager. "Michael was in town and we all met on site on Fridays. We never had any difficult conversations with our builder – that was the real plus of having Michael in charge of QA on the project."
However, for the couple, the highlight of the build was seeing it take shape. "When the copper roof was finished and the pocket doors that slot into the brickwork were fitted, I thought, “We’re getting exactly what we want”, says David.
Catherine agrees, saying, "Michael’s idea to move the stairs to the north-east corner has created a beautiful double-height space that is one of my favourite parts of the house. It’s light and airy with enough room to circulate, and I love the juxtaposition of the steel and oak of the stairs against the old brick."
It’s this original vision of new and old that the couple feel has been most successful in the house, and which gives them the greatest pleasure. The doors from the new extension now connect the kitchen and dining room directly to the garden. David particularly loves the new-found sense of space.
"You can walk from the new and spacious kitchen and dining room straight into the sitting room," he says. "Our home has become a retreat – old and comfortable, with lots of character."
Catherine agrees, saying, "You get the best of both worlds here. It’s a real home, yet it feels like you’re on holiday."
Enjoyed this? You may also want to explore this extended coastal bungalow in Suffolk or this future-proofed oak frame self-build in Leicestershire.
