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Tom Evans & Louise Howson #2

Tags: Renovation Energy Efficient

Tom and Louise successfully transformed a damp, mouldy, and chilly 1960s bungalow through an EnerPHit renovation. They applied insights gained from NSBRC events, and a prior project, to create a property achieving an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of A.

Could you tell us any interesting facts or remarkable features about your project?

It is a completely integrated system all powered from a solar array on the flat roof of the new extension which heats in winter and cools in summer.

Tom & Louise's Experience at the National Self Build & Renovation Centre

How many times have you visited The National Self Build and Renovation Centre before?

Around ten times.

What would you say is the most helpful feature or resource at the NSBRC?

The depth and breath of experience and knowledge.

Did you use any exhibitors at the NSBRC? If so, who?

Velfac (triple glazing) and Total Home Environment (MVHR system)

What did you enjoy most about your visit to the NSBRC?

The openness in the way everyone shares and how companies simply inform and are not over-salesy.

Would you recommend the NSBRC to a friend, and if so, what aspects of the Centre would you recommend and why?

Yes - The National Self Build and Renovation Show, NSBRC Training Courses and the Workshops - even if you are just thinking of a small extension.

Old 'Tatton' Layout

Tatton - 'Before' Photos:

New 'Tatton' Layout

To view Tom & Louise's first Case Study with the NSBRC, please click here.

Information compiled in October 2024.

Fact file

Names:
Tom Evans and Louise Howson
Occupation:
Meditation Teacher & Author (Tom)
Project Location:
South Wiltshire
What type of project did you undertake?
Renovation, aiming for EnerPhit standards
What construction method did you use?
For the new extension, timber frame
How would you describe the style of your project?
Very much a modernisation of a tired 1960s chalet bungalow
When did you begin work?
March 2023
When did you complete the project?
Moved back in Dec 2023, building control signed off July 2024
What is the floor area of your project in sq m?
The new extension is 10m x 6m so an additional 60 sq metres on a 120 sq metre property, so 50% additional

Tom & Louise's Renovation Journey

What first inspired you to undertake you project – what did you hope to achieve?

We bought a tired, damp, mouldy, leaky 1960s property in desperate need of renovation. The architect gave us a plan whereby we could take the house into the garden and bring the garden into the house. We wanted to create an innovative and contemporary space for modern living.

1

What was the cost & size of your building plot or conversion project?

Purchase price of property £520k.

2

How did you find your land or conversion project? Do you have any tips for others currently searching for something similar?

We found the location from dog walking trips allowed in lockdown. Get a dog, they make sure you go wandering.

3

Did you have any issues getting your planning permission granted or with building control?

We had to educate the local parish council on how and why we were bringing eco-credentials and sustainability to the area. Planning was relatively smooth and building control were brilliant and really appreciated our approach.

4

What factors influenced the selection of your method of construction?

Overhead wires meant we couldn’t crane a prefabricated extension in. The three one tonne steels had to be man-handled in. A severely sloping site made movement of heavy materials difficult. Our 1st task was to create a large parking area at the front for contractors, material and skips.

5

Did you use a project manager, or did you choose to self project manage?

We self-managed as we’d completed a new build eco-house before and had more idea about the sequence of events than our contractor.

6

What was your budget and were you able to stick to it?

We originally estimated £450k but optionally chose to overspend by £100k.

7

If you didn’t stick to your budget, what was the main reason for the overspend?

We found asbestos which cost £25k to remove and delayed the project by a month. We also sold the eco-house, from our earlier NSBRC case study, in the middle of the build so decided not to hold back on finishing touches.

8

What is the value of the finished project?

Our estate agent thinks around £1.1m so all in all, cost neutral.

9

Did you reclaim the VAT, and if so, how much were you able to reclaim?

As it was a refurb, we had to pay 20% on everything apart from insulation and solar, which we feel is disappointing lack of vision from the government.

10

What aspects of the process did you find stressful – and do you have any tips on how to avoid the pitfalls you encountered?

Finding asbestos in the middle of the build threw us back considerably. Also SSE were appalling in getting our electricity disconnected and reconnected, from an admin perspective, even though we engaged with them 18 months ahead of the time we needed the work done. We did move out for the main refurbishment but stayed locally in a motorhome so were close to site for the whole build.

11