Challenge

This private one-off custom-build residential home was built for a family of four who had lived in Bourne End since 1985. They wanted to buy a new house in the area, having extended their existing bungalow three times but could find nowhere suitable.

This led them to look at custom-building a new home on the existing bungalow’s plot. As part of the decision making process the family had the previous house valued. At £350k it was lower than they had thought and confirmed the viability of a custom build. The family had clear ideas regarding what they wanted for their new house.

It had to be ‘green’ with low energy consumption, have high levels of environmental comfort and be built with solid concrete floors and masonry internal and external walls. Professional design advice was also sought and this suggested beam and block for the ground floor and concrete planks for the first floor.

Solution

The build method was solid wall aircrete block construction with external wall insulation (EWIS). H+H Celcon Blocks Standard Grade were used throughout with traditional mortar.

External walls: Celcon Blocks 215mm thick (7n/mm2) joined with traditional mortar - mixed in accordance with BS 5628, pt3, 1985 – and a 2-coat gypsum plaster finish. The walls were finished externally with 100mm external wall insulation above DPC and 80mm below, from manufacturer Sto.

Internal walls: Ground floor non load bearing walls constructed with Celcon Blocks Standard Grade 440 x 215 x100mm with a 12.5mm plaster finish. First floor non load-bearing walls constructed with Celcon Blocks Standard Grade 440 x 215 x 100mm with a 12.7mm plaster finish.

Outcome

Client Lynn Thomas said, “The speed of build was very good and we love living in the house. Despite being bigger than our old bungalow it uses less energy – it achieved a B Energy Performance Certificate - and is more comfortable to be in. The wow factor is the brightness of the house as it’s now clearly visible from the road. We have had road works along the road recently and most drivers pulled up in the queue opposite the house and spent a long time looking at it. My son also loves the front door that shuts like an airlock!”