After spotting an estate agent's advert for a three-bedroom 1930s Arts and Crafts-style detached dormer bungalow, requiring some general updating, Dave Rawlinson and Lucy Wesson went to view it and felt confident it could be a ‘doer upper’.
The couple were particularly drawn to the size and private aspect of the plot in the leafy suburb of Ranmoor in Sheffield, but there were practical problems to solve.
"The home was typically laid out but had odd-shaped rooms," says Dave. "Upstairs was disjointed and unusable due to the layout, with sloping roofs and features like chimneys and built-in wardrobes. The downstairs, although a good size, had a small kitchen that felt dark and cut off from the rest of the rooms."
Article continues belowProject details
- Location Ranmoor, South Yorkshire
- Property cost £724,000
- Build cost £1,900 sq m
- Extension size 60sq m
- Project Extending a 1930s detached house
- Architect HEM Architects
Help at hand
After buying the property, the couple enlisted the help of Alan MacDonald at HEM Architects with a view to extending it.
"The house was in an excellent neighbourhood on a lovely plot but it was certainly the 'ugly duckling' on the street," says Dave. "There wasn’t much of a rear garden so you couldn’t extend at the back, while extending at the front would definitely not be in keeping with the house’s character."
An important part of HEM Architects’ design strategy was to highlight the house’s original details, including the front door surround, decorative roof verges and original Rosemary tiles.
Plans were drawn up to enhance the cottage’s charm while contrasting it with two contemporary timber-clad extensions either side, taking cues from the Arts and Crafts style. The design utilised the two existing footprints.
The main bedroom would be built over the existing garage structure, with a sizeable floor-to-ceiling window to break down the appearance of the large elevation and make it look less ‘boxy’.
A new light and airy open-plan kitchen diner would be built where the old conservatory stood, with large sliding doors connecting the indoor space to the substantial garden. Above it, there would be a generous bedroom, en suite and balcony on the first floor.
Planning challenges
Hampered by a national lockdown, meetings with council planners were consigned to Zoom calls and the designs received some resistance. The planners’ opinion was that the developed house – with its Siberian larch timber cladding, steel structures and glazed ‘link’ – would have a negative impact on the conservation area.
They also argued that most of the neighbourhood’s homes were mainly made of stone and slate, and the proposed house would not be in keeping with the area. Heritage Consultant Andrew Whitham put forward the case that the house was set back on the plot and was not particularly visible from the road.
Following tense three-way discussions HEM Architects won planning approval on the first attempt with very few compromises.
Moving 'upstairs and downstairs'
The couple lived in the house throughout the renovation and both extensions were built concurrently.
"Everything was done in phases to suit the timeline," says Dave, who project managed the build. "It was essential for major processes, like installing the windows, to be done in one hit, so there was a lot of preparation and planning to get everything fitted at the same time."
Following the completion of the upper floor during winter 2021, the couple moved upstairs as downstairs was stripped down to its brickwork. That winter was a particularly testing time for them as Dave recalls.
"The old boiler had to be taken out and we didn’t have any heating at all. It was so frustrating that all our cast-iron radiators were all plumbed upstairs but the heating was not connected so we couldn’t use them!"
An upside of living in the house throughout their renovation was that there was a good communication of ideas with the different craftsmen. "Quite often we’d draw designs on the back of an envelope with the joiner, and it was a case of trial and error as we aimed to get things done," says Dave.
Although Dave and Lucy are very keen to state they "are in no way students of the Arts and Crafts movement", the architects encouraged them to utilise some of its details, including the need for individual craftsmanship throughout the build, inside and out.
The result was a house with improved usable space and a perfect balance of old and new. "HEM Architects’ well considered plans have given the house a new lease of life, plus the extra space we needed for ourselves and our children, Poppy and Oliver," says Lucy.
Thoughtful exterior
When approaching the home you can appreciate the ‘considered’ homage to the property’s exterior features, which have been carefully restored in keeping with its previous character.
For example, when the pebble-dashing was replaced with render, Dave’s instructions were for as much texture as possible to avoid a smooth, modern look. The reed green painted roof verges and the red Rosemary clay roof tiles, are examples of getting the external aesthetics right.
Dave drove past nearby homes with the joiner for inspiration on decorative timber details for the verges. Although replacing the original Rosemary tiles with a modern alternative would have been cheaper, it was important to keep them because it was felt that they were an important part of the home’s character.
As Dave explains: "Cleaning each of the existing Rosemary tiles by hand was labour intensive, but an important part of preserving our home’s cottage charm."
Eco achievements
The home now boasts solar PV with battery storage, while an air source heat pump provides the heating. Triple-glazed windows, external wall insulation and airtightness over and above the Building Regs ensures the house is always easy to heat.
The use of smart apps/tariffs ensures that energy will be used when the grid is greenest. The house holds the heat really well and the couple’s heating bills average out at £150 a month, which includes charging two electric cars .
One of the biggest factors in keeping the house warm is the triple-glazed windows fitted by 21Degrees. While the couple consider their eco-choices to be their best build decision, landscaping the garden was next best.
"Unfortunately, we neglected the original mature garden, with excavations and demolitions taking place around the site," says Lucy. "Employing a landscape gardener has ensured that we now enjoy a fabulous cottage garden with colour and interest throughout the season and lovely views from the house. It really makes our home complete, plus we have somewhere to install Dave’s self-made steel pergola!"
If you enjoyed this tour and want even more inspiration, explore this modern self-build in Berkshire that generates more electricity than it uses. Or, step inside this family home that was reimagined with a smart, low-waste extension.
