When Geoff and Michelle Scott came across a plot of land in the area they wanted to call home, they knew they’d stumbled upon the opportunity of a lifetime. Overlooking the steep vista of Crantock Beach in Newquay, there was so much untapped potential where the current property; an old 1960s bungalow, stood.
The Scotts worked with an architect to design a home for the family which would take full advantage of the spectacular rural scenery whilst still giving them the community feel that comes with town living. With the plot of land right next to protected headland, they worked very closely with the local planning authorities as well as the National Trust; who were all supportive of the sensitive design they had come up with.
“We tried to blend the exterior with the natural surroundings so when viewing from the beach it blends in to the surrounding hillside. On the lower ground floor, we’ve used grey/orange local stone and then up to first floor we’ve clad in Canadian cedar. The roof is a 45 degree pitched roof using braised zinc so looking at it from below, it naturally blends in with the landscape.”
With structural and asbestos issues on the existing bungalow, the decision was made to completely level it and build a new structure with work beginning in October 2020 using SpecBuild Ltd as their building contractor.
The plot of land is set on a steep hilltop, so a lot of the initial work involved excavating deep into the rock.
“The rock was a lot harder than anticipated but we got there in the end!”
Fast forward to April 2021 and the build finally began. Having parted ways with their original architect, Geoff instructed MPA Associates to fine tune their design. “Everyone we worked with was very knowledgeable and came up with a better interior scheme that suited our style more.”
When it came to the all important windows and doors, Geoff knew they’d need a high performance product to withstand the coastal weather. After briefly looking at other suppliers, Geoff chose ecoHaus to supply and install Internorm windows and doors for the entire property, owing to the outstanding level of customer service. “I was very impressed with Russ and the whole team. And of course, being able to touch and see the product up close in the showroom was an invaluable stage of the buying process for us.” They also wanted to ensure the window design matched their casual beach house theme, complete with stunning interior oak beams.
Work finished in September 2023. “The views are absolutely incredible. I love storm watching and we get some spectacular shows here. But we don’t hear the wind and I can already tell how solid and robust the windows are. Just being here feels very therapeutic.”
Of course, at the end of the project comes the opportunity for hindsight but the Scott’s wouldn’t change much about their build project. “The only thing I’d do differently is undertake more due diligence on the electrical installation which was quite complex and try to be on site more often to keep track of progress and decision making.”
The couple are enjoying finalizing everything to finally move in properly within the next 9 to 12 months. “We can’t thank ecoHaus enough. It’s been a fantastic experience.”
We’re looking forward to visiting Geoff and Michelle in the summer sunshine and to get some lovely finished photos of their stunning home.