ith the search to fi nd that perfect empty plot often turning into a long and frustrating challenge, there are plenty of self-builders who eventually decide that reconfi guring an existing property is the way forward.


W sabel and enry Badger have done ust that


with great success, completing the retrofi t and remodelling of a s chalet bungalow to conure up in its stead a remarable Passivhaus- standard Georgian-style family home. he reborn property now has double its


predecessors available fl oorspace  up from m2


to m2  but without drastically


increasing the footprint. ow ell, while there is a small side extension, the maority of the proect involved incorporating the existing structure and building upwards. hereas the bungalow once had four


bedrooms, the new home now boasts six on the fi rst fl oor, including an ensuite master bedroom with a wal-in wardrobe, three childrens bedrooms two of which are also ensuite and two guest bedrooms one ensuite.  family bathroom is the fi nal room leading off the generous landing.


ownstairs, on the left-hand side of the house as you loo at it from the south east-facing front elevation, theres itchendining and living space that stretches right through to the doors that open onto a large patio at the bac. he front door leads to an impressive hallway and lobby, where the standout feature is without doubt the stunning two-storey lightwell thats capped by a glass sylight. owever, this central section of the retrofi t also accommodates a boot


52


room, larder, plant room, storeroom, a toilet and a utility room.


n the right-hand side of the house, which upstairs hosts the aforementioned childrens bedrooms, the space downstairs has been laid out to provide a study, playroom and drawing room.


ecent valuations of he illows, which is located ust a -minute drive from the centre of orwich and yet is also close to the orfol Broads, have come in at prices between about .m and .m. But more importantly, how do the couple who


created it feel ere delighted that weve got what we set out to achieve, says sabel. ere in a beautiful location and we have a home that combines low-energy Passivhaus credentials with a Georgian-style loo. he couples ourney to this point began bac


in arch  when sabel and enry decided they wanted to leave London for more space in a countryside setting.  spell renting a cold and drafty ictorian house and experiences of being outbid in a fi ercely competitive property maret prompted a rethin and the couple started looing for houses they could retrofi t to combine modern comforts with a traditional exterior design.


By eptember  theyd found the bungalow through an estate agent and purchased it and surrounding land for ,. he couples plans were submitted almost immediately, and permission was granted in ecember.


sabel believes planning permission was uic for a number of reasons he green credentials


LOW POINT


o save on rental costs, we lived onsite at the beginning and end of construction, which meant trying to complete parts of the house with a crawling baby and a lot of dusty chipboard fl ooring


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