Spectacular, Low-Energy Replacement Home Built on a Sloping Plot in Devon

Finding the perfect self build opportunity

The journey to finding their dream home began with a daily hunt trawling the internet. One morning, an interesting project popped up: a parcel of land set against the stunning backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean. On it stood an ailing bungalow once tied to the farm next-door, which the architect engaged a solicitor to address as part of the planning process.

Plans had already been submitted by the previous owner and approved for the construction of the contemporary three-bedroom property John and Helen call home – that, together with the location, are what piqued the Atkinsons’ interest.

The house features a modern exterior palette, with crisp white render alongside grey roof and glazing frames

“John called ABL3 and spoke to Rob, the architect, who was very helpful,” says Helen. “The previous owners had got the design and planning to the point where a builder had tendered for the work, so Rob shared the price and introduced us to the owners.” The next day, a deal was agreed on a handshake and the build process began soon after the sale was completed. The only alteration to the original plans was to include a beamed ceiling in the living space.

A dream was being realised, as John explains: “In one of our five-year plans we considered what type of house we wanted when we retired. In answer to that, we’d written ‘Plan A: find a plot of land with planning permission already granted’ but beside this goal we’d noted: ‘Unlikely’. Plan B involved renovating a smaller house.” Fortunately, the Atkinsons’ Plan A wasn’t so unlikely after all.

Dealing with Covid-related delays

John and Helen hired the builder who’d originally tendered on the project and couldn’t have been happier with the decision. “Jeremy and his team were incredible, as were ABL3,” says John. “We used Rob as our project manager. He was a great sounding board and really into the details of the project. Visiting every month, he suggested so many tiny touches which made elements better as the build progressed.”

The two-storey house is built into the sloped plot thanks to a semi-basement construction on the lower floor

For six months, the Atkinsons lived in the old bungalow while the new property was constructed. That period, as Helen points out, was a challenge. “To say it was a little tired is an understatement – the plumbing, heating and kitchen were awful! However, we had a grandstand view of the site just below us and were able to watch it develop. We loved poking around after the builders had left for the day, imagining how things were going to look and feel.”

A large sheltered veranda wraps the ground floor, offering a shaded space to be outside and ensuring the rooms beyond do not get too hot

Initially, a healthy budget of £600,000 – thanks to the sale of the barn conversion – was set, but that went off schedule due to several factors, including the Covid effect and subsequent price hikes through the supply chain. “We did also make some design decisions that added to the budget, such as a wooden ceiling, high-end bathrooms and so on,” says John, who has always adored this corner of Devon. “We and all our friends have always loved walking around the Start Point area and have been driving out of Dartmouth for years to enjoy it. Now, with a house boasting a sea view and dozens of coastal and inland walks available straight from the house – what’s not to like?”

Overcoming building challenges & obstacles

Overall, the project ran smoothly, thanks to an efficient workforce. “Everyone was excellent,” says Helen. “Yes, there were a few minor friction points – perhaps the most worrying was that somehow half the total quantity of the flooring we selected for the ground floor (which is a form of porcelain sintered stoneware from Italy) had been mislabelled at the Italian despatch site. The difference was a subtle change in pattern.

The living areas are flooded with light thanks to wide spans of glazing

“Quite understandably it wasn’t picked up until it started to be laid and at the end of the first day of tiling, we spotted it. We had a heck of a job to fix the timeline, and things were a little tense until the new stock arrived. But any issues were resolved quickly and amicably. The key to everything coming together was regular discussions, they were so important. ABL3 are very experienced in building houses that are good to live in, while Jeremy Gibson is an excellent local builder with an outstanding team. The project was delivered on time with a very small amount of snagging.”

Both the living room and kitchen-diner feature glazed doors that blur the boundaries between inside and out

Getting the utilities connected, however, didn’t run quite as smoothly as the rest of the project, as John admits: “The local power grid is a bit challenged here.” The pair considered three phase power, which is more efficient than single phase, to run additional solar panels but pricing was prohibitive. “We spent a lot of time in discussion with Western Power over the solar and battery approvals but, thankfully, they came through in the end.”

Creating a sustainable, eco-friendly home

Internally, the plan form unfolds with a fluid layout, maximising sea and landscape views through the property’s large windows. Exposed timber creates an inviting atmosphere while also building on the sense of connection with the idyllic natural landscape surrounding the house. A large verandah looking out and over the valley is a key part of the design, with living space flowing from inside to out. Enormous sliding doors in this part of the house result in light flooding the area.

The beautiful wooden details in the ceiling downstairs create an attractive focal feature

The home boasts excellent sustainability credentials, with an air source heat pump, high-quality insulation, solar PV panels and a Tesla battery helping achieve an EPC rating of A95. The solar power charges the battery, with John and Helen trying to use everything they create.

Underfloor heating has been laid throughout the property. The house also benefits from solar gain via the large windows and enjoys a steady temperature of around 20ºC due to its inbuilt efficiency – meaning the heat pump rarely kicks in. “The design is incredibly clever,” explains Helen. “We benefit from solar gain in the winter thanks to sunlight coming in through the windows under the south-facing verandah. But if you want to cool the place fast in summer, you can just open the north-facing door or the windows.”

The house benefits from spectacular views of the surrounding countryside

“The architect very cleverly set the height of the verandah roof so that it limits solar gain in the summer, keeping everywhere cool, yet allows the winter sun tracking lower in the sky,” says John, who is enamoured of the house’s green features. “There’s just 6kW of solar panels with a Solar Edge inverter and Tesla Powerwall battery and gateway unit, which enables time-shifting for use of stored energy as well as providing resilience against power outages on the grid. In addition, we have a Zehnder whole-house MVHR system keeping things aired and helping control heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer. Solar and battery provide just over half of our entire energy consumption over the calendar year.”

Maximising the beautiful surroundings

When deciding what to do with the three acres of land surrounding the house, John and Helen hired a local meadow expert at an early stage to help with hedge laying, seeding and tree planting. With the house being dug into a hill, sufficient earth was provided to create a large, flat infinity lawn running from the verandah. Beyond it, the recently sown wildflower meadow provides a burst of colour during spring and summer while up to 800 hedgerow trees have been planted, after Dutch elm disease devastated the previous hedges.

But the landscaping didn’t stop there. Around 400 native trees have been planted to form a woodland copse, an orchard of apple, plum and pear trees is thriving and a large vegetable plot has been added.

The sloping plot means the front door opens onto the upper level, which hosts three bedrooms. The stairs in the entrance hall lead down to the living spaces

Reflecting on the decision to sell their well-loved barn conversion to self build their dream forever home, Helen says: “We’re absolutely delighted to be in a totally modern house. We didn’t bring anything from our previous home, opting instead for totally modern furnishings. The house feels so warm, calm and comfortable – it’s the most serene home we’ve ever had.” Johns adds: “Our children were pretty appalled to hear we were selling our barn conversion, as it was like a country B&B where they could come and stay! But all of them absolutely love it here. It’s a fabulous property in an incredible location.”

The couple aren’t planning another project. “We’d like to stay here forever,” says Helen. “It’s been a real achievement for everyone and we feel that the success is down to spending more time thinking and planning rather than just doing. It’s been a two-year labour of love.”