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In the past, Darren Young had renovated numerous homes to rent out, but by mid-2016, he was craving a project of his own. He began looking for properties in the Beckenham area of South London and soon found a post-war bungalow from the 1960s. Located on a quiet street away from a main road – something that was a priority for the security specialist – it had real promise. “There are three other bungalows on the street, all of the same style,” says Darren. “It was dated and had a small, dormer loft conversion, but I could see its potential to be turned into a modern home.”
After having his offer accepted, Darren enlisted the help of his brother Craig, a structural engineer, and together they began building a workforce. “Craig recommended Chris Axon of Craft Architects to me,” he says. “We met and got on really well, so I was keen to work with him on the project.”
Darren gave Chris a simple brief; he wanted to add a second storey and create a spacious and open internal layout, with ample natural light and sliding doors that would bring the outside in. “My primary aim was to make better use of the space I already had,” he says.
The existing property featured a poor quality, PVCu-clad dormer that was enclosed within a concrete pantile roof. Architect Chris knew this meant the council wouldn’t oppose a redesign, as long as it was sympathetic to the neighbouring buildings.
Upon approaching the London Borough of Bromley’s planning team, Chris was told the existing ridge height and pitch must be retained, so he proposed increasing the scale of the dormer lengthways and wrapping it in modern zinc cladding. The ground floor would also be opened up, to create generous, free-flowing living areas.
From the side, the house appears to be a grand, two-storey home. The newly extended dormer loft is finished with tilt-and-turn windows that open inwards, specified with Juliet balconies for safety purposes
Working with the original footprint of the bungalow meant Chris had to find creative solutions to make the internal spaces look and feel spacious and inviting. “We did this by introducing a central, double-height atrium space into the ground floor plan, creating long visual vistas into the garden. We also formed a sunken living room within the open-plan layout,” he explains. “Despite the fact that the redesign created some fairly dramatic changes, the planning process was pretty smooth and we achieved consent within the standard eight-week time period.”
As they had worked on projects previously, Darren and Craig knew plenty of trades to help bring the plans to life. Darren appointed Southwest Builders London as his main contractor and hired other experts, including a carpenter, plumber and electrician, individually. During the scheme, Darren lived in one of his other properties, before moving to a nearby rental for the final few months of first fix.
The work began with the demolition of the original dormer loft and roof. The existing external solid brick walls were retained and insulated internally, to bring them up to current building standards.
Overhead glazing in the living areas ensures a light-filled space throughout the whole day
For the job, Kingspan PIR insulation boards were built out to around 100mm. Darren’s new dormer loft was then constructed from timber frame, with a steel support system, and the new flat roof was finished with a single GRP ply membrane. The sloping roof was crafted from the same zinc that wraps the facade. “We utilised zinc as it hides the existing brickwork and provides an extra layer of weatherproofing,” explains Chris.
Internally, all of the existing walls were removed, allowing for a new, open-plan layout. Since the interior features no skirting boards or architraves to conceal gaps or snags, everything had to be finished to an extreme degree of precision. “This is where some of the trades struggled a bit, in order to achieve the modern look I was aiming for,” says Darren. “The details that Chris drew were quite complex, so getting the builders to complete things like the plastering and flooring to the standard we wanted was a real challenge.”
The zinc cladding makes a contemporary statement
The zinc roof and external cladding also proved tricky. “Each manufacturer has their own slightly different way of doing things, so the task became quite complex,” says Darren. “The detailing had to be discussed and agreed on site.” Instead of forming the concealed gutter in zinc, Chris instead suggested using a GRP-lined box solution, which eliminated the need for complex detailing and kept costs down.
After several hiccups with the chief contractor managing the project ineffectively, which caused multiple delays, Darren and Craig took on the task, with Chris acting as contract administrator. “Unfortunately, it seemed like a lot of the logistics were being handled in a haphazard manner, so we felt we had to step in,” says Darren. Due to a personal setback, however, Darren had to pause the project after first fix for a significant period of time. When he was ready to resume, the internal fit out and fixtures were completed in around 14 months.
CLOSER LOOK Sunken loungeThis feature is undoubtedly one of the most striking elements within Darren’s home. Architect Chris Axon admits that the design was inspired by watching old movies. “I’d wanted to introduce a distinctive feature like this into the right project,” he says. Since creating long sightlines to the garden was an important part of Darren’s brief – helping to make the interior feel more spacious and inviting – the sunken space was ideal for this home.
However, the unique element ended up being one of the biggest challenges of the project. “The ground in this part of London is clay-heavy, so water doesn’t drain away quickly,” says Darren. “If it rained excessively, the garden would become waterlogged, so the sunken lounge had to be protected from water ingress.” The floor in this area of the living space was lowered by 0.5m, before waterproof concrete and a protective membrane were installed. French drains were also added around the perimeter, to redirect subsoil and surface water away from the house, with the help of gravity. |
Nestled among very traditional bungalows, Darren’s new home is a contemporary beacon, with just a few walls of the original brickwork left exposed – a subtle nod to the dwelling’s origins. A striking zinc and Siberian larch envelope bring the property bang up to date, while new entrance doors from Urban Front and matching larch garage add to the home’s striking finish.
Inspired by homes in classic films, the sunken lounge is one of the most striking spaces in Darren’s home. Stepped down by just half a metre, the space is finished with huge picture windows, which provide unobstructed views of the garden
The entryway opens into a bright, double-height atrium that flows through to the open-plan living area. A 9m² skylight at the top of the stairs draws natural light down into the heart of the house, while sliding glass doors connect the living space to the garden. The ground floor also offers a utility room and two guest bedrooms, as well as a WC.
The staircase leads up to a spacious dormer loft, where two ensuite bedrooms and a dressing room can be found. As for interior design, a simple palette of white paintwork, light oak timber floors and grey toned furnishings tie all the spaces together beautifully.
the living areas connect to the garden space through a set of large glazed sliding doors
An excellent example of a sustainable approach to a redevelopment project, this bungalow renovation incorporates a significant amount of the original building, with high-quality glazing and insulation bringing up its thermal performance beyond Building Regulation requirements. Plus, each of the materials were chosen purposefully. “The home is clad in very durable and highly recyclable zinc,” says Chris. “The timber cladding locks away CO2 and is a renewable material, and the larch should last in excess of 50 years.”
The unsightly PVCu-clad dormer has been replaced by a sleek first floor extension, wrapped in eye-catching zinc and Siberian larch
The house features a gas boiler and underfloor heating (UFH) throughout, maintaining a comfortable temperature all year round. “Sometimes it’s almost too warm,” says Darren. “I have solar shading on the patio canopy to help with overheating.”
For Darren, the hardest part was managing the budget. “I didn’t understand the full impact of the work being done until structures were going up,” he says. “I hadn’t anticipated how big the project was, and I kept running out of money.” The scheme went slightly over budget, but Darren admits that was because he was fastidious about the quality of the materials and finish. Darren says that the best part was when the work was finally complete.
Being years in the making, the renovation was certainly a labour of love. “When the rooflight above the staircase went in, that felt like a very significant moment. It is a rewarding memory,” he says. As for his favourite part of the house, Darren loves the sunken lounge. “It’s so open and has lots of light.” A keen renovator, there’s no doubt that Darren will tackle another project in the future, but for now he’s enjoying the fruits of his labour.
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