Contemporary Renovation & Extension of ’60s Bungalow

During this time, some local residents put in objections to the very contemporary look of the design. “Thankfully, the planners were really positive about the modern appearance, and rejected the protests because they want people to build homes that represent current times rather than the traditional styling that’s already here,” she says.

In the event, the local authority only asked the couple to change one aspect of their scheme, which was to remove a window that overlooked a neighbouring property.

An interesting discovery

As part of the revised plans, the Ivils decided to add another storey to the structure. The building included three disjointed extensions that had been added at different points in the bungalow’s history, so the couple wanted to combine these areas to establish a seamless flow. The house had solid foundations that the pair were able to work with and all but one of the original dwelling’s walls was demolished.

One challenging finding that influenced the design and budget was the group of bats that had set up home on the south elevation of the property. “I imagine the previous owners knew about the creatures, because there was a well-established roost,” says Amanda.

The couple spoke to Natural England and were advised to develop a mitigation plan. It delayed the start of work on that particular wall, but luckily it was the only one that wasn’t due to be taken down. As the elevation was extended up, they included bat boxes in the design.

The build team had to install untreated Douglas fir panelling with 30mm gaps in between so that the creatures can fly under the boards and live there. The extra works, plus surveys, came in at £10,000 – something they hadn’t budgeted for. “I had no objection to doing it because the bats had been there for years and I agree that species like this should be protected,” says Amanda.

High quality finish

Despite the various hurdles Amanda and Steven had to overcome with the site’s challenges and the planning process, the couple fortunately didn’t face any problems when it came to hiring trades.

“We’d worked with our builder, Ryan Caws of Case Building and Carpentry, on past projects,” says Amanda. “I actually went to school with one of his bricklayers, Henry.” Ryan took on the role of main contractor and project manager, working to the modest budget set by the Ivils.

“I told him exactly what I wanted and worked with him to choose the internal fittings,” says Amanda. “Ryan would offer me two or three options and I would pick from his shortlist.”

As time went on and costs escalated, the couple began to realise they may have underestimated their budget. “We weren’t realistic with how much we would have to pay for such a good quality finish,” says Amanda. “We ended up allocating more money for higher end fittings, such as wall-hung WCs in the bathrooms, than we had initially intended.”

Another expense was the decision to install engineered timber floorboards with a smoked finish – they decided against solid wood because they worried the cats and dogs would scratch the surface. “I don’t want to have to varnish the floor, so I selected this finish as it will disguise any marks – plus the product comes with a 35-year warranty,” she says.

Design features

Amanda credits the exceptionally well-crafted appearance outside and the many attractive internal features to their architect, Ryan Bond. “He did a brilliant job and made great suggestions for the scheme, such as the slate feature wall in the hallway, which really emphasises the double height space,” says Amanda.

“Our front door is massive and it really looks great, while the wide format window is something we would never have thought of.” Ryan also suggested a floating staircase, but had to integrate a platform and glazing so that the couple’s pets could navigate the space more easily.

Now that the project is finished, Amanda enjoys the revamped house so much that she finds it difficult to choose her favourite space in the dwelling. “I used to think my most-liked area was the living room, with its corner windows, but to be honest, my choice changes depending on the season; in the winter I love the lounge because we can have the log burner going,” says Amanda.

In the summer, however, she is very taken with the view out of her bedroom window. “We’re in quite an elevated position and the view from our master suite goes beyond the bottom of our garden and into a valley, so we’re almost as high as the canopy; it feels like you’re in a treehouse,” she says.