Desirable downsize
Homebuilding & Renovating|August 2023
To create a home that was tailor-made for their needs and lifestyle, Steve and Susanne Clarke built a stunning oak frame home in their very own garden
Desirable downsize

The idea of building their own house was the last thing on Steve and Susanne Clarke’s mind when they began searching around for a potential new home. “We’d never had the desire to build our own home and we loved the idea of moving into a barn conversion,” says Steve. But unimpressed with any of the barns they had viewed, the couple began to formulate the idea of building a new house in the garden of their existing home in Essex where they had lived for 20 years, before concluding that planning permission for a new build in and around the village would almost certainly be declined. “We then found a plot a couple of miles away but soon realised it wouldn’t give us the must-haves we needed from our new home, one of which was the ability to enjoy distant views over green fields,” says Steve.

At that point, the couple’s lives took a turn when a new business opportunity saw them move to California for two years. When they returned and restarted plans for a new build, they thought of the house in which they’d lived in the US. “It was situated on top of a hill with panoramic views,” says Steve. “We knew this was the kind of setting we should be aiming for.”

HOMEOWNERS Steve and Susanne Clarke
LOCATION Little Easton, Essex
SIZE 260m²
CONSTRUCTION Green oak frame
BUILD TIME 13 months
BUILD COST Circa £750,000
VALUE £1.6m
WORDS Seán O’Connell
PHOTOGRAPHY Mark Watts

A PROMISING DEVELOPMENT

この記事は Homebuilding & Renovating の August 2023 版に掲載されています。

7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。

この記事は Homebuilding & Renovating の August 2023 版に掲載されています。

7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。

HOMEBUILDING & RENOVATINGのその他の記事すべて表示
SOLAR MYTHS DEBUNKED
Homebuilding & Renovating

SOLAR MYTHS DEBUNKED

We ask the experts about the truth behind 12 common myths around solar panels...

time-read
6 分  |
November 2024
Experience pays
Homebuilding & Renovating

Experience pays

Seasoned renovators Sue and Jim Savege put their knowledge and skills to the test when renovating and extending their 19th-century Scottish cottage

time-read
3 分  |
November 2024
10 THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN EXTENDING YOUR HOME
Homebuilding & Renovating

10 THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN EXTENDING YOUR HOME

You've got your plans in place and are close to getting started on site, but what other key tasks need completing to keep everything on track? Here's what you need to consider...

time-read
7 分  |
November 2024
Lofts Conversion glazing
Homebuilding & Renovating

Lofts Conversion glazing

Extending upwards is a great way to gain extra space but it is crucial to get the glazing right to capture views, control the light and prevent overheating

time-read
4 分  |
November 2024
A modern slant
Homebuilding & Renovating

A modern slant

After buying an east London Victorian terrace, one couple decided to extend it outwards and upwards to make it fit for 21st-century living

time-read
5 分  |
November 2024
A BUILDER'S VIEW
Homebuilding & Renovating

A BUILDER'S VIEW

Make sure you get accurate quotes for your project by following this key advice

time-read
4 分  |
November 2024
12 tips for tackling a slow renovation
Homebuilding & Renovating

12 tips for tackling a slow renovation

Taking on a renovation project? Consider our tips on doing it in your own time and undertaking the work in stages to avoid the pressures of a strict deadline

time-read
6 分  |
November 2024
PLANNING LOOPHOLES
Homebuilding & Renovating

PLANNING LOOPHOLES

If you get familiar with some of the lesser-known rules, they may just help you get approval for your project

time-read
7 分  |
November 2024
Pastures greener
Homebuilding & Renovating

Pastures greener

Having built their previous home themselves Paul and Johanna Suter decided a custom oak frame self-build in a verdant setting was the perfect choice for creating their family home

time-read
4 分  |
November 2024
In perfect harmony
Homebuilding & Renovating

In perfect harmony

Susi Clark's long-held wish for creating a combined home and workspace came to fruition on a tricky sloping site

time-read
4 分  |
November 2024