Re-imagining the Focal Point

We were approached by Akeley District Church Council to provide sketch design ideas for an unheated open ‘pavilion’.  Akeley Church was demolished in the 1970s after a disputed structural survey deemed it unsafe. Ever since then church services have taken place in…

Air Tightness

We endeavour to design and detail buildings with a high level of airtightness. Having an airtight house means that its thermal performance is much more efficient with the warm air being unable to escape through the building fabric. It’s still very…

Decisions Decisions

Amongst other things, a building project presents a constant stream of decisions. Paint colours are one of the more pleasant but nonetheless important ones. At Ambury Barn the builders have been working carefully to convert the open expanse of the…

Graven Hill

This coming Saturday 4th November, the Graven Hill Village development are unveiling their next phase of plots. Charlie will be there amongst other industry experts and the Graven Hill team for the big reveal of Phase 1B. Graven Hill is…

Taking shape

The old bungalow walls of this extensive renovation have been waterproofed and a new external skin of Cotswold dry stone walling is going up. Not forgetting the insulation, airtightness membrane and taping of course!  

Walking through the floorplan

Beanacre is now out of the ground. The floor slab is down, the structural walls are going up and this means it’s possible to get an idea of how the spaces will ultimately work together. Check the Homebuilding & Renovating website blog where Charlie meets with…

Getting started

It’s always exciting when a project starts on site. Here the intention is to retain the existing 1960s form and extensively remodel the interior. Load bearing walls have been removed to open up the interior and make once unusable spaces usable…

You & Yours

Catch Charlie on BBC Radio 4’s consumer affairs programme You & Yours today at 12.15pm, where he’ll talk about the trend for improving your home rather than moving home.

Best laid plans

Charlie’s new show, Best Laid Plans starts on Channel4 this coming Saturday afternoon, 4.30pm. Charlie and property developer Sophie Morgan help couples undertaking large scale renovations solve their design dilemmas. Get the kettle on!

Stripping back

Work has started on transforming the skeleton of an old bungalow which will provide the shell for a new two-storey family home. Window openings frame the views across the countryside beyond as the new polished concrete flooring goes down.

Re-store

This cottage near Burford has been re-roofed, re-pointed and under-pinned. Short of being totally re-built, the corner of the building has been removed to make way for a large window opening for what will become the snug. The concrete slab for the extension…

Planning permission

Planning permission has been granted for us to convert two tired bungalows in to a future-proofed family home. We will now start detailing the building to fit it in/on the site’s challenging topography.

Homebuilding & Renovating Show

The Homebuilding & Renovating Show  is back in London at the Excel Centre between 22nd and 24th September. Charlie will be in the Self Build Theatre at 12.30 giving a Beginners Guide to Building a Low-Energy Home, then again at 2pm, with A Step-by-Step Guide…

Conservation Praise

We’ve just submitted a planning application for this family home in the woods on the outskirts of Ledbury. The principle building conservation officer was so impressed he stated that they would, ‘Recommend Approval with conditions: The proposals are for a…

Permission received at Graven Hill

Our first project at the exciting self-build development Graven Hill near Bicester has received it’s plot passport compliance – basically the same as planning permission. Good news!

Finishing the foundations at Beanacre

We’re out of the ground and the foundations have been finished at Beanacre. For a more in depth account of how it happened, click on this link to Charlie’s blog at the Homebuilding & Renovating website.

House in the woods

We have just been asked to produce a concept design to transform a dated 60’s detached house into a contemporary family home. Sitting on the edge of a wood provides a great opportunity for new living spaces that really engage with the…

Preparing the Site at Beanacre

First, dig a big hole! Follow this link to a timelapse film showing the preparation of the site along with other interviews and snippets from the build.  

New show in production

Charlie is working on a new show to be screened later this year. Best Laid Plans will see him helping contributor’s navigate their way through their renovation and restoration projects and offering his advice as they move through the process.