SBH08_38-48 11/9/09 15:38 Page 47
off the shelf designs and styles. In the end, himself and an architect was also involved,
however, they decided to ask the timber frame Rebecca said that their main source of advice
company to create a unique, bespoke home for and guidance turned out to be from the timber
them which would overcome the difficulties of frame company.
the sloping plot and also meet their
particular requirements.
“A challenging site within
Rebecca said: “We originally obtained
planning permission for a straight forward
a dip on the hillside”
bungalow but since we were laying the
foundations anyway, we decided to convert the The planning process ran relatively smoothly
huge attic space as well. So now, though it for the Andersons, the cumulative minutiae of
officially is a three-bedroom bungalow with an building control regulations proved to be
attic conversion, it is actually a five-bedroom complex and time consuming to deal with.
family house. The house had to be fully compliant with
“The timber frame company also helped us disability regulations although there were no
to change the balance of the house, creating disabled people living there; light switches had
smaller bedrooms all on one level downstairs to be at a low level and electrical sockets at a
and much bigger open living and kitchen areas high level; foundations and drains had to
with a change in level between them. The light comply with strict guidelines; and even low level
floods into the living area through the patio windows had to have safety catches and safety
doors and lets us take full advantage of the glass if they were more than one metre above
lovely views.” the ground.
Although Ian project managed the build With the timber frame company’s technical
and regulatory assistance, any outstanding
issues with the building control department were
finally resolved and Ian was able to get on with
fitting the kitchen, laying the oak floors, painting
and fixing the wooden cladding on the outside
walls. He even sourced a water supply on a
nearby hill and laid a pipe down towards the
house, and the couple are now working on a two
kilowatt micro-hydro turbine which will run off the
Burn and supply the house with electricity.
The family moved in at the beginning of
autumn last year and Ian is now concentrating
on his garage door fitting and forestry services
businesses, while Rebecca looks after her four-
year-old at home and her five-year-old who has
just started school.
251
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