When Peter and Lindy Estlin contacted Oakwright's they had already decided exactly what their new house was going to look like.
Having been through the planning process for a two storey extension to their 1950's cottage , they finally decided that the cost of the extension would be prohibitive and less compromising compared to the more inviting option of building a new 'VAT-free' house of their dreams.
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Peter and Lindy gathered inspiration for their design from time spent in Hong Kong and the United States where houses with basements and lofts are commonplace, with this in mind they sketched out some ideas that would also take advantage of the sloping nature of the site. They also spent time trawling the local area looking at various house styles to help them formulate their ideas. Externally, they had their hearts set on a Tudor style manor house, but inside they envisaged light, airy space and modern gadgetry more suited to living in the 21st century. Most important of all, the house needed to capitalise on the stunning panoramic views across the Sussex Weald, which after all, had been the family’s main reasons for buying the beautiful five-acre site. |
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In a recent interview with Self-build & Design magazine Peter and Lindy said "We contacted several oak framing companies, and chose TJ Crump Oakwrights of Hereford, after we visited several of the company's previous properties and were impressed by their friendly, flexible approach and attention to detail. Not only was Oakwrights' quote slightly lower than the competition but their walk-through DVD really helped us to visualise the finished house. They worked with our original layout and designed the framing around the rooms, exposing the oak timbers both inside and out" |
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The planners approved their near 1000m2 plans (despite the significant increase over the original size of their cottage) with the only restriction being to the original ridge height.
A local builder demolished the existing house and prepared the ground works. A good deal of excavation was required in order to accommodate the two basement areas and to keep within the original ridge height; they next laid the brickwork to the ground floor, ready for the oak frame to be erected. |
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| This was the exciting part of the build as within a matter of days, the skeletal house frame took shape and the couple could see first-hand the realisation of their dream house. |
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The authentic materials selected, such as 2 1/2 inch clay roof tiles and 10 inch facing bricks, were hand- made to finish the house to the highest standard. Even the Elizabethan style leaded windows are bang up to date, triple glazed and extremely energy efficient as well as being easy to clean.
The house also boasts under-floor heating via a ground source heat pump, centralised lighting and music and security systems all controlled from a touch panel. |
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To help with the interior design, a file stuffed with cuttings and samples in different colours was compiled for each room. The enormity of the project became overwhelming and so an interior designer was engaged to help out with the seven bedroom house scheme. |
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