MANUEL HAUGH
she discovered many things about herself, including a love of bargaining and an appreciation of those special companies which go the extra mile. “If I hadn’t had my iPhone, I couldn’t have done this project,” she admits. “Although we do have good suppliers in Scotland, the choice can be limited so I did loads of research online.” Her bath came from Soakology, which is based, ironically enough, in Bath. “The guy there was so helpful on the phone. The kind of bath I wanted now sells for about £7,000, but I got it for £1,300.” Through her architect, she also found a cabinet-maker in nearby Falkirk to build the oak staircase for less than £3,000; Gill says that she had seen similar models from specialist makers for between £15,000 and £20,000. Although Gill had rewired, replumbed and
plastered her first flat in the West End of Glasgow some years ago, and is adept at tiling and painting, the major renovation and rebuild of Manuel Haugh required professional intervention in the shape of architect Adam Toleman, founder of Falkirk architectural practice Arka Architects.
This was Gill and David’s first self-build
project. “It was something I had considered but didn’t think the opportunity would arise. We weren’t actively looking. I saw the site when it was for sale on the way to visit a friend, who just lives up the road.” Then David spotted it too, and together they agree to take the plunge. She chose Adam on the recommendation of a friend who had already used his services: “I had
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had a very negative previous meeting with another architect who said he “wouldn’t touch it with a barge pole” but I was determined it was happening. I loved Adam’s positivity and vision.” As this was such a long and detailed project, it was imperative that there was a strong relationship between architect and clients. Gill and David acquired the site in January 2014, agreeing to purchase it without planning permission. “Yes, I’m the risk taker,” Gill admits. “But somehow the house just spoke to us both.” Demolition and clearing of the site began just under a year later, after bat and bird surveys and mining reports had been carried out. Gill and David stayed in their previous house, a modern new-build on an estate, during the work. This was then sold to help fund the project, which had a build cost of £500,000: “We had no time pressure as we were able to stay in our existing home, so took time to plan and think with Adam. He encouraged a collaborative approach from the start and we had a number of planning meetings to discuss our priorities and Adam’s idea for the build.” Planning permission was granted, with enthusiastic local support for rescuing the neglected farmstead, under the provision that the new Manuel Haugh had to retain the original footprint of the buildings. Then the build took place between January and October 2016 under a team of local contractors. Perhaps that hapless original architect’s
reluctance was understandable; the house, which takes its name from the ruined medieval Emmanuel Monastery nearby and ‘haugh’, a
january 2020
The house takes its unusual name from a ruined monastery plus the Scottish word for a meadow beside a river
HIGH POINT
“Finding out we had been successful in the purchase and the day demolition started. Also once the sizes of the rooms became apparent, it was great to find out that they were much bigger than we had anticipated.” – Gill MacLeod
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