It’s nearing the end of 2022

It’s nearing the end of 2022. I ended last years blog wishing for a less challenging year to come. However this year has not been an easy one for many people. For us it has been a juggle to manage both companies. It has been the reason why there has not been any blogs recently. I couldn’t believe the last one was in July. Martin and I have been so focused on two busy companies, it seems almost impossible to be nearing the end of another year. 


Chiselwood has had an incredible year

Chiselwood has had an incredible year and the team have worked hard not only to complete the clients projects, they have been a big part of continuing to get more houses to completion. 

It’s been great to be able to get some of the projects photographed which many of you will have seen on social media and our updated website. We have finished kitchens, utilities, cinema rooms,bedrooms, bars all very different and we have loved to see them being enjoyed. We have secured some fantastic projects which we are looking forward to working on throughout 2023. https://chiselwood.co.uk/ They are all incredible homes and we are proud to be a part of the process. 


The challenges are still with us

We are very appreciative of our outcome this year, it has also been one of our most challenging. 

The legacy of covid is still having an impact on supplies, appliances and materials, both due to short supply, and constant increasing cost. Alongside this, the devastating war in Ukraine has impacted on supplies of fuel, timber and sheet materials it once sold around the world. We have tried to be innovative and keep our cost down as best we can.

Whilst we have managed to keep things flowing with Chiselwood, it has had a bigger impact on the houses. The air source heating systems, ventilation systems and appliances have been difficult to get. Our trades have been incredibly busy on many projects, so keeping the momentum on the building has been challenging. We are getting there.

Timelines have been stretched

Our schedules are behind, however we are more fortunate than a lot of building sites. We have sold 3 homes with the fourth getting great interest. This is our showhouse at the moment. The last two are at the plastering stage. Phase 2 will now be launched in the New Year.https://www.fineandcountry.co.uk/property-sale/4-bedroom-detached-house-for-sale-in-ln1-lincolnshire-lincoln-saxilby-fossdyke-paddock/2490047


Looking forward 

Looking forward as we put the  Xmas tree up in reception, we are excited to have great projects and clients we will be working with in the New Year. Concentrating on the last two homes on Fossdyke Paddock, we know they will be complete by early spring. Our new owners are lovely neighbors and we look forward to having a festive drink with them. Whilst another interesting year it has been good.

Thank you

Martin and I want to thank a lot of people who have been very supportive. Our family and friends have been great sounding boards, helping us keep our patience throughout the year. Our team again this year have also been supportive and worked incredibly hard to keep projects going. We also want to thank our clients who have enabled us to continue to create the furniture we love, making Chiselwood what it is!

On behalf of Chiselwood, we hope you are all able to have a restful Christmas and New Year  wherever you are.thank you for all your support and we look forward to the opportunities 2023 will bring.

We couldn’t be prouder of where we are now. 

We couldn’t be prouder of where we are now. 


This is a significant point in our build. The road is down, the exteriors are finished bar a few tweaks and we have now sold two houses, with another under offer. 

The viewings and interest is high and we feel confident the last three will go soon. By the end of the year the houses will be finished and become a little community. 

Finishing the exterior and landscaping has immediately ramped up curiosity. 

The principal contractor has finished.


For us, whilst we will miss the Daniel Charles team on site, it’s a pleasure to see the site offices and welfare blocks go and our garden return. https://www.daniel-charles.co.uk/It will look very different from before. Originally a rambling pathway cut in the long grass to walk the dog, has been home to double stacked offices, welfare units and storage containers for over two years. Now gone, they will be replaced with fruit trees and meadow. Hopefully, we will get our head around the right seeds to scatter, enabling flowers and wildlife to return again. 

Day to day roles

Managing the day has differed over the years in our roles. Martin pivoting between Chiselwood and the teams on Fossdyke Paddock designing and project managing the technical sides. Mel ensures the paperwork, bills and teams are sorted for both companies.

It has been a juggle and finances at times have been stretched, however things are easing as each house moves nearer to completion. 

At present we are trying to get number 5 complete, as our showhouse will soon be a home and therefore will need to be relocated. Hopefully we will only have to do this one more time once plot 4 and 5 move in. 

There is always a task to complete, ensuring the site is always tidy, even watering the site each day takes hours. The results are worth it. 

How have we managed the journey 

We look back at our journey and wonder many times how we have achieved building six houses. I am not sure we have a clear answer to this. 

What we do know is:

Design :

We always knew when we started this journey, we wanted to build something that reflected us as a couple and our company philosophy. Design led, however not compromised in practical daily usage. Bespoke quality that we at team Chiselwood pride ourselves with. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. We knew this would not be to everyone’s taste, however we think our new homes are beautiful inside and out. We are thankful that even people who did not like the concept have come to view and appreciate what we have created. 

Vision:

Having a vision and intent on how to achieve this has always been our focus. We knew the outcome, we just had to figure out how to get there and which great people could help us achieve it! Fortunately we had a few of these great people who had our vision too and supported us throughout.

Martin built a model over two years ago and to try and help people see what we were trying to achieve. It helped a bit, unfortunately people still needed to see the real thing. The real ones would take a little longer to build!

It is so lovely to have viewings and see peoples reaction as they walk around the site, wandering through the rooms. Then getting to the top of the stairs to the large open plan living space up in the tree line and hearing the positive reactions. Now people see our vision! 

Patience:

Fortunately we are generally both patient people. What should have been an eighteen month build with a contractor and us overseeing. It has become a three year build that we have heavily been involved in day to day. In reality if we had done it the original way, with rising cost of labour and supplies, we would have been selling at a loss, so all things happen for good reason. 

Passion:

We believe anything to do with design or creativity involves passion. You have to get up every morning, no matter how hard the going gets, and believe you can make things happen. Believe you can make a difference. We both passionately wanted to create a set of homes that people would come back to after a busy day, look at the trees and immediately relax. A home that was easy to manage,  economical to run and feel unique both inside and out. We believe we have achieved that.

Teamwork:

Whilst we still have a little way to go, we will always be so thankful to the teams of people who have helped us on the journey. 

Team Chiselwood have always supported us. Either keeping the company running whilst we juggle the site, physically working on the site or just the support when we were struggling mentally and physically.https://chiselwood.co.uk/

Daniel Charles team, Cliff, Phil, Luke Jim and many more who have no doubt despaired of us at times. However, I hope to have enjoyed our sense of humour even when things didn’t go quite to plan! 

I will call the next group Team Fossdyke. Many who will still be working with us for a few more months. There are far too many to name and embarrass, you all know who you are! We thank you for the high standards we have asked of you to create the beautiful home.

Thank you all, without you we would not have achieved this site. We couldn’t be prouder of where we are now.

We still have a few left to buy. Anyone interested can book a viewing through Fine and Country. luke.hammond@fineandcountry.com tel07376047940 

https://www.fineandcountry.com/uk/property-for-sale/lincoln/ln1-4au/2490047

The ups and downs of running two businesses.

The ups and downs of running two businesses.

They say hindsight is a wonderful thing. In many ways had we realised how many hurdles we would be jumping to run Chiselwood and build six houses, we may have reconsidered it. Let’s face, it when we were all trying to get our heads around what Brexit would look like, who would have thought over the next few years, we would be grappling with a pandemic and then witnessing a horrific war and the consequences of all three situations.


Plans change hourly 

Knowing which hat to wear at any one time and not look as though you are juggling a few more balls in the air than usual is something we have become used to. We start our week with an agenda which has often deviated at full speed in another direction by Monday dinner! 

Each time we get to Friday, we take time to decamp, reflect and recheck the schedules to ensure both Chiselwood and Fossdyke are on track. Like any business at the moment our teams are suffering from covid or the various bugs that make the rounds. This alongside Easter, bank holidays and the teams needing welcome breaks we are juggling a bit. However the projects are continuing to be installed and it’s lovely to see the end results with happy clients. 

Chiselwood is really busy 

We continue to have lots of lovely clients and projects from design stage through to completion. A lot of clients are returning for further rooms in their homes which is always a lovely accolade. Others are starting on new builds and extensions that will see us through to next year. We are looking forward to getting the completed projects photographed so we can share them. https://chiselwood.co.uk/projects/


We are nearly landscaped 

On our building site the ground works and exteriors of the houses are nearly complete. It is great to see planting and turf going down. In the next couple of months the last drive will be complete, the road paved and the principal contractor will be off site. It will be strange and lovely to have the contractors cabins and containers removed and the area landscaped. 

We have focused on the exteriors

We made the conscious decision in the New Year to focus on getting the exterior of the site finished as soon as we could. Whilst we were still aiming to get a couple of houses ready for sale by Easter, we felt that sales would be slow that time of year and the exterior being complete would be more appealing to new buyers. Seeing the landscaping and site near to completion, we know we made the right decision. Not actively marketing the houses, means we have had no viewings for a while, however we now have a new agent and great strategies to capture the Spring, Summer interest we often see in Chiselwood. We are looking forward to working with Luke Hammond at Fine and Country. Aerial views are ready, brochures in the making and we have just launched. 

More homes ready to buy

We have another home completed which we will use as the new show house (we sold the last one), a third nearing completion and the others should be ready in succession through to late summer. We are fortunate, unlike many builders, to be able to continue moving forward. 

Martin’s trip to America

Martin had a successful trip to America. The journey had similarities to planes, trains and automobiles as many are experiencing trying to travel anywhere at the moment. The judges managed to work through and find the finalists for the worldwide KDC Awards (Sub-Zero refrigeration and Wolf awards)  for the award ceremony in October. He enjoyed the process and meeting new people with similar interests. We look forward to meeting them in the Autumn. 


Interested in viewing

If anyone is interested in viewing our new eco homes please contact luke.hammond@fineandcountry.com or check out:https://www.fineandcountry.com/uk/property-for-sale/lincoln/ln1-4au/2490047

We are proud to announce we are award winners!

We are proud to announce we are award winners!

What a start to the year.

The beginning of a new year can often be sluggish and quiet. However, for us we were looking forward to the Greater Lincolnshire Construction and Property Awards. 

We were finalists for two categories, amongst some great companies and projects, so were proud to be part of the event. 

We had a table of people who represented each part of the process to join us. Imagine our shock when they announced we had won the Residential Properties of the Year and a Highly Commended for Sustainable Property. 

We were alongside amazing projects.

I think for Martin and myself the biggest surprise is that we are not builders, so to be in the finals, was a huge pat on the back, never mind win one. 

As many of you know it has been a long journey and sticking to our vision has often been challenging. Watching the houses develop and having an owner now enjoying the first one is so rewarding. To have the winning acknowledgment from the Lincolnshire Chamber judging panel really means a lot to us.

It’s a team effort 

It is also a great pat on the back for all involved, as it really has been a team effort from a lot of people. 

We now have another house nearly complete, with two others well on the way for spring. The site itself looks great now, less like a building site, which I am sure will make a difference for viewings and potential buyers. 

It was interesting to hear on the night of the awards, how challenging the last few years have been to anyone involved in the construction industry. If you have been following the blogs, you will be aware of the struggles we have had, both for supplies and trades. This still continues to be the case and we constantly have meetings on how to overcome this. There does not seem to be any let up  with areas of products. Being held up coming into our ports with the boat being stuck in the Suez Canal and Brexit, or purely the knock on effects of COVID. Either way I hope that things will ease as we move forward into 2022.

Chiselwood remains busy.

Chiselwood remains busy with new projects coming on board weekly which is great. Fortunately we are managing to keep things flowing, even if we have to juggle fitting dates due to building projects struggling to meet dates. We are lining up dates for photography over the next few months. https://chiselwood.co.uk/project/period-home-remodelled-for-modern-living/


Martin prepares for Judging in USA

Martin is preparing to fly out to Sub-Zero Wolf headquarters in a few weeks. The closing date for the awards has passed and there are many entries to mark. However he is ploughing through them alongside the other judges in readiness for their meet up. He is impressed with the entries and I am sure it will be a difficult few days choosing the winners. https://www.subzero-wolf.com/trade-resources/kitchen-design-contest


Spring and positive thinking.

As I look outside the window at the abundance of snowdrops it reminds me that spring is not far away. We know that this will bring people to our showrooms wanting inspiration for projects in their homes. We look forward to meeting them with less restrictions and an optimistic year ahead. 

Interested in eco energy efficient homes?

With ever increasing energy bills many of you will be looking for alternative homes. Our houses are almost passive rating. Using green energy, will be efficient to run, design led in the beautiful county of Lincolnshire. Located in a village with great amenities. Main train line to London, Sheffield and Leeds, close to the A1.

Check our website: https://chiselwood.co.uk/project/fossdyke-paddock-six-new-eco-homes/

or contact: https://www.pygott-crone.com/new-developments/lin/fossdyke-paddock/

Our first buyer has moved in.

Our first buyer has moved in! 

It’s been a rollercoaster both for our new neighbour and ourselves working through the legal pathways to sell and buy. 

The conveyance process is tough

The lending process seems to be the biggest hurdle for anyone buying a home at the moment. In years gone by, you provided evidence of your earnings and any debts you had and once those boxes were ticked you were told how much you can borrow. Now lenders are so cautious, they check every detail on incoming and outgoing, doing secondary checks last minute before releasing the funds. Whilst it is understandable to ensure the buyers can afford the mortgage, it adds a huge amount of anxiety on an already stressful process. They say moving house is one of the most stressful things you can do in life. For our buyer and ourselves, the last few months have tested patience and nerves!

We have had disappointments 


Unfortunately we have had several offers on other houses that have not gone through and I am sure the taxing process could be a reason people back out.

Focusing on plot 3

We are focusing on plot 3 now, as that was under offer until recently. Internally it is first fixed, plastered upstairs and downstairs is nearly plastered too. We can now start adding the second fixtures and fittings. The landscaping on the first 4 are nearly complete with lighting and driveways on that side being finished by mid December. 


Moving forward 

Plots 1 and 2 on the roadside have roofs, windows are starting to go in and cladding is starting to be applied. It will be great to have them watertight as the weather gets bad. 

If we are able to stay on track, we are looking to have the whole site finished externally by Easter. Focussing on each house internally alongside. Hopefully after Christmas we will have more viewings especially now the entrance is open. We expect as is usual for Chiselwood enquiries will lessen until New Year.

Chiselwood is really busy

I say “as usual”, we are not quieter with enquiries for Chiselwood. We are still having plenty of interest booking well into the year now. There are many new houses or long term projects for late 2022 which is fantastic. 

Sneak peek at a beautiful home


Recently we were able to shoot a beautiful house which we have been working on for over eighteen months. It is lovely to return and see our clients enjoy their newly furnished homes. I have included a few sneak peeks here. https://chiselwood.co.uk/projects/

It’s been an interesting year 


It is fair to say this year has been an interesting journey for us. COVID and Brexit brought additional strains to an already testing time. The challenges of keeping both Chiselwood projects and building the homes on track have not been helped with shortages of materials and manpower. However, we will get to the end of the year knowing that all the projects we have been able to manufacture will be fitted, one house is occupied and the road nearly completed. Also plenty of projects in the New Year. Although COVID is still bringing uncertainty into our lives, we are aware how fortunate we are to be so busy.

Award winning

We are excited to hear as I am writing this that we are finalists in the Lincolnshire Construction and Property Awards. Not just for one, but two! The Residential Award and the Sustainable Award. What a great reward to end the year.

A big thank you

We would like to thank our team who have been patient, tolerant and supportive of ourselves and each other. Our clients have been understanding when at times we have not been able to fully finish projects and accepted solutions to keep things on track. Our suppliers who have tried to accommodate us in difficult markets.

We hope this Christmas will be safe enough for us all to celebrate with family and friends. We wish you all well and look forward to a New Year that hopefully will be less challenging and more enjoyable.

Anyone wanting to view our houses check out: https://www.pygott-crone.com/properties/sales/rps_pyg-SLE210007/

The learning curve has been huge, and it’s not over yet!!

The learning curve has been huge, and it’s not over yet!!

The conveyance is requiring a lot of patience.

A couple of blogs back, I mentioned that we had sold a couple of houses, subject to contract. It has been interesting experiencing the conveyance part, both for ourselves and our buyers. Not only the details that need to be documented and surveys to be carried out, but the curious results they reveal.

A number bare no resemblance to the truth ie we don’t live near a giant wind farm, just a couple of turbines on farms several miles away. And the local landfill next door?  I can only assume they are talking about a piece of land the other side of the Chiselwood entrance. It was once owned by local highways 30 plus years ago and has been privately owned for over ten years!! Whilst we appreciate that solicitors have an important role in checking to protect their clients, the process takes months and a lot of patience. 

We are slowly getting there. Although still a few weeks off we are hoping to greet our first new neighbour soon.

The progress is noticeable each week.

The site itself is progressing well. Firstly plot 6 is clean and waiting for its new owner to enjoy. Secondly Plot 3 is being plastered internally with the exterior nearly ready for the scaffolding to reveal it’s beautiful cladding. Plots 4 and 5 are clad and landscaping well on its way. Plots 1 and 2 are erect and the roof is lined, windows will be fitted in time to make it watertight for winter. Now, as the darker nights approach it will be more of a challenge to keep momentum, however the teams have worked together to reach our deadline.


We now have a street.

It is fantastic to stand at the entrance. With the driveways on 5 and 6 complete and kerbs laid in the entrance we can begin to see the roadway outline. It will be lovely to see the low set lighting curving alongside the road giving a soft glow to the road. 

Beginning to plant up.

The first of many trees being delivered for a few plots and entrance to give them a chance to establish before the colder weather. Each plot has a dedicated specimen which will bring its own colour and dimension to the whole site. Silver birches, cherry, walnut and rowan to name a few. 

Chiselwood update.

Writing these blogs and focussing mainly on the builds, I realise Chiselwood takes a bit of a back seat at the moment. Being extremely busy with full order books now through to April. Alongside Chiselwood clients, the team have been involved in the furniture and joinery on the houses. It has been very hectic. However we are so grateful to be so busy as it has really helped us achieve the goal of completing the houses.https://chiselwood.co.uk/projects/

Completed projects.

We have some beautiful projects coming to completion and are booking in photography as they are ready. Many of the projects at the end of last year and early this year have either been featured in magazines. Alongside these there are two more due to be featured through to spring. It is always good to see them in print. 

Sub-Zero Wolf awards.

Martin is still checking out the entries for the Sub Zero Wolf Design Awards. The closing date is the end of January. He will then be travelling to America in February for final judging. He has commented that there are some lovely entries and is looking forward to meeting fellow judges to pick the finalists. https://www.subzero-wolf.com/trade-resources/kitchen-design-contest

Wanting to view our eco homes check out: https://www.pygott-crone.com/properties/sales/rps_pyg-SLE210008/

Introducing No 6 Fossdyke Paddock

Introducing No 6 Fossdyke Paddock.

We are proud to show off the first completed house on Fossdyke Paddock. There have been a few raised eyebrows throughout this process. Don’t get me wrong, we knew this was going to be a huge journey, diverting well away from our comfort zone running Chiselwood. However, we knew it was possible. We have constantly had to stay focussed as best we could, when presented with the challenges of building not one, but six houses. We also knew the first one would be the hardest. The test piece for the rest that followed. 


It’s all been in our head!

Our vision in our heads, well mainly Martin, him presenting his thoughts to me and the architect, then us working things through to design concepts to fruition has been difficult to convey. Sometimes, even to those who are in the design field. Seeing a model, drawings, photographs have helped, however many still struggled. Now the house is complete, we are blown away by the reactions of those coming to view and visit. Especially when they come to the top of the stairs and see the cathedral-like space in the living area.


The environment was key.

We wanted homes to blend into the environment. Living spaces to be upstairs looking into the tree canopies. To be warm, easy to maintain, practical, versatile and kind to the environment. And we believe we have achieved that. 


Chiselwood throughout 

Chiselwood’s team have been involved in all the joinery and furnishings inside. Some of the team have also been involved in the exterior joinery, ensuring the attention to detail flows through. Every little bit of space has cleverly been utilised, ensuring there is a storage area for everything, often missed in new builds. The furniture is soft in its colours and has a continuous theme of oak throughout. https://chiselwood.co.uk/


We love a bit of colour

There are areas in this property that are bolder in colours. The bathrooms have stunning tiles in a large format, giving a luxury spa feel to the rooms. The utility pops in colour and gives an interesting feel to a practical space. Of course moving forward if reserved early these things can be personalised ensuring the colours are to the new owners taste.


Eco standard

Wanting the properties to be environmentally friendly was a conversation in the early days of designing. Having a timber framed structure, with a lot of insulation, air source heat pumps and ventilation to circulate either cool air in the summer and warm air in the winter. Our aim was eco ratings for air tightness of 3. We achieved 1.84 which is almost passive and will ensure the homes will be economical to run. 

There is landscaping beginning to happen in the entrance of the site and No. 6, we are planning to plant the first set of trees to winter over. Hopefully  that there will be another set of planting in early spring weather and site permitting. Our leafy roadsides will be softly lit at night with low bollards, giving the feel of a holiday park that was one of our inspirations. 

At each stage, for those of you who have been following the blogs, we have had challenges and solutions helped by great minded people we are working alongside. It has been a team effort and we are grateful to have had the support and patience from those around us.

We have sold a couple already

Getting No 6 Fossdyke Paddock finished and excitedly sold straight away has helped us feel we are moving at a pace. We have accepted an offer on No. 3 and interest on others and are waiting on the process of conveyance. 

Meeting our new neighbours 

Our first new neighbours should be moving in by November and the next maybe end of the year. The rest follow on through spring. It is lovely to start meeting people who we hope will enjoy our vision for many years to come.

Introducing No 6 Fossdyke Paddock

For viewings contact: https://www.pygott-crone.com/properties/sales/rps_pyg-SLE210008/

The first house is complete. Well nearly!!

The first house is complete. Well nearly!! We are working on landscaping plot 6 now, which has been delayed due to materials and shortage of labour. 

Holiday and labour shortages 

This last month has been a real challenge. August is notoriously known for being quiet at Chiselwood headquarters as the holiday season takes hold. Our team have had well deserved breaks, and so too have the team on the building site. 

It has been noticeable that the progress has significantly slowed down. 

Of course we know it is important for everyone to recharge batteries and want everyone to come back refreshed and ready to progress again.

Materials are hard to come by

Not only has labour slowed, the supplies of materials for both site and Chiselwood remains an added challenge. Some items are months away from being delivered and juggling around waiting for them to arrive, has been frustrating for everyone working on projects. Managing to source things, even those on longer lead times has allowed us to complete each stage. 

Fortunately with working on several of the properties at a time we are still progressing well.

We met the first deadline 

 Aiming  to complete plot 6 by the end of August and we are excited have achieved that. We are so proud of how lovely it looks, and all the details Martin has designed, really do make it special.


Although the majority of the rooms have been kept neutral, we couldn’t resist a bit of colour here and there, and of course our signature curves are everywhere. 

Now we are able to fully market it and look forward to showing potential clients around.

We are taking professional stylized images in the next few weeks and will be sharing these on our social media, to truly show off how lovely these homes are going to be. 

The team from Pygott and Chrone have had a sneak peek, in order to fully understand the house and all its details. They are ready and waiting to book viewings and we have some booked in the coming week. With one reserved, it would be great to have a few more showing interest. 

Houses on the canal side are moving on well, mainly inside as rain has often stopped play alongside holidays. 

Plots 1 and 2 get their second floors

Plots 1 and 2 on the roadside are being erected as I write and will really make a difference to the whole site. A huge crane can be seen from Chiselwood workshops lifting all the panels in place. 

Alongside the build, getting all the paperwork for conveyances has taken a while to sort. Wanting to ensure that everything is in place to hopefully keep the selling process as smooth as possible. With plot 6 now being available, and one reserved the next should flow through over the coming months meaning if sold we could have the first occupancy’s in by Christmas. 

Chiselwood booked until spring

Chiselwood is now fully booked up through to February. This is great in one way, however, new clients will have to wait a bit longer than normal. August being quieter has been a bit of a blessing that way. It has given Martin time to catch up a bit, helpful when juggling both companies. https://chiselwood.co.uk/projects/

Projects are being manufactured and fitted fairly well, low supplies being considered, there have been several delays when clients have had building work, mainly again through lack of materials. However we have managed to swap things around to accommodate everyone. Our teams have become very flexible working often between Chiselwood and the houses when not fitting furniture. Helping other teams on site to keep things flowing. It is fantastic how adaptable they are. 

Martin and I are proud and grateful for all the support we are getting. It was always going to be the case that this year would be a challenge, however now we have completed the first house, the template for the others should help us move forward. 

If you are interested in purchasing one of the houses please contact:https://www.pygott-crone.com/properties/sales/rps_pyg-SLE210006/

It’s been a long time coming! 


It’s been a long time coming! 


It’s been a long time coming! We started the journey of building houses at the bottom of our garden fifteen plus years ago. Our ideas we evolved over the years. A farmhouse type building with a few barn style homes around. Or timber style barns to compliment the buildings at Chiselwood.

Each stage has been a challenge.


Each time we thought we had the plan in our head, we would start to approach planning and there would be a reason why this could not happen. 

“The speed of the road could not allow access”. This was 60 miles per hour fifteen years ago. It dropped to 50, then 40, so we talked to consultants who helped us prove that the access had plenty of distance to pull out safely.

“We live outside the village curtilage, so the local council would not allow any building on the boundaries”. The village has almost become a town with a huge amount of estates being built in the last ten years, so that helped us move forward a bit.

“The land is next to a canal so sequential testing does not allow building”. We approached a consultant to help support the fact that it is a managed waterway with little risk. 


We fine tuned the designs.

At each stage of the process we fine tuned the designs and concepts we wanted. We incorporated designs we have created for our clients in their homes over the years. Also adding designs and buildings we were inspired by, until finally we had the concept we wanted to go with. It’s been a long time coming!

Every stage has been a huge learning curve. We are not house builders, however we have had many years experience helping others build theirs. Martin and our team at Chiselwood are great problem solvers. We trust people we have employed throughout the house build to help us achieve this goal. Sometimes our expectations and trust have not produced the outcome we wanted. However the core of our team is helping us to achieve great things. 

It feels like climbing a mountain!

Our journey is like being at base camp at Everest. We can see the peak. The snow and weather can hinder us sometimes in that journey, we are ascending the hurdle to get to the top, and the first house is nearly complete. Of course we still have to get safely back to base camp, then back to the bottom and our guides will help us achieve that, we just need that courage and stamina to keep going!

Recording the progress.

Recording the journey in the blog has been helpful. Each month it feels like we have not moved forward,  however when we photograph the site and include it in the update, it is often a surprise when we see the progress!


Plot six is a few weeks off.

This month has seen a great move forward, although the changeable weather is still challenging. We have nearly completed the exterior on plot six, with just the rendering at the front to complete. Exterior door has been fitted and garage door is ready to fit. We also have the groundwork to the front to complete. 


The interior is moving at a pace

The interior has had the biggest advance this month. The upstairs is plastered and base coat painted and downstairs well on its way. In hindsight we would have been better to work downstairs first,  as we could have been fitting out all the bathrooms etc. We will do that moving forward. We can begin to do the joinery upstairs and fit the kitchen. The decking on the balcony is nearly fitted and looks amazing. 


Open day planning.

The aim is to have an opening towards the end of August to fully start marketing the site. It really will be a landmark moment. 

The other plots are also following on well. Exterior is the priority on the other three fully constructed. The final two will have their second floors erected next week and we will really excited to see how the site will look. 


Chiselwood update.

We are incredibly busy at Chiselwood. The fitting team are split working on the joinery on the houses and fitting furniture in beautiful homes. The workshop team is preparing the final pieces to fit into the houses and working on projects to be fitted late summer. The designers are working on projects to feed into the workshops for autumn and new projects for the end of the year. https://chiselwood.co.uk/projects/

We would love to show you a lot of the projects, however a few are placed in magazines so will only show sneak peeks for now!

Our poor willow.

For many of you that visit our site, you will be familiar with the beautiful willow on the driveway. We had a rude awakening after the recent storms when it fell down across the drive and onto the house. Thankfully the drive took the initial force preventing it doing too much damage to the house. Our team came to the rescue and alongside a tree surgeon, the drive was cleared and the damage sorted. We were very fortunate. We will miss the beautiful tree, hopefully it will sprout shoots to become a small bush, however we will not miss the weekly clearing of the leaves it sheds! Things never stand still at Chiselwood Headquarters!

Interested in the houses?

If you are interested in purchasing one of the houses and want to book a visit contact the team. https://www.pygott-crone.com/properties/sales/rps_pyg-SLE210006/

What a whirlwind of a month! 

What a whirlwind of a month! 

Chiselwood has had a bumper month.

So much has happened in a month it’s hard to know where to start. Last month, I mentioned how busy Chiselwood was. We have enough work to see us through this year, which is fantastic. From past history we know that the jobs will jiggle around, especially as building work may not be completed on time, with supply restrictions and projects slipping for various reasons. This will allow time for fitting out the new houses and also allow other projects coming through the summer which will slot into those gaps. It may be we will  have to consider a waiting list for a while, to ensure we do not overstretch ourselves and the team. Again it is something we have had to do in the past and it works well. https://chiselwood.co.uk/


The houses grow.

The houses continue to grow and change.

Due to the wet weather we had throughout May, the roofing slowed considerably. As they are membrane based, the boarding below had to be completely dry. That meant, in turn other trades could not follow on, as scaffolding needed to stay in place. They weather is behaving itself now and the roof lines are being completed.

Plot 6 is our priority, the scaffolding being fully removed to unveil the lovely wooden exterior. Plastering is commencing and soon we can begin to second fix, fit out joinery and furniture and then decorate. Now we are looking forward to sharing the internals with you over the next few months on social media. 

We have one reserved and a lot of interest

We have a reservation on one of the plots and have got a few bookings for viewings, now it is safe to enter into the house. https://www.pygott-crone.com/properties/sales/rps_pyg-SLE210006/

Anyone wanting a plot will be prioritised and potentially could be moved in at the end of the summer. The conveyance team is ready and waiting for new potential buyers. 


We have some projects photographed

In the last blog I mentioned photoshoots. There are a few in the bag now, waiting to see what editors think. In the last blog we shared a few images  and there a a couple more here from another project. We love sharing and enjoy the feedback we get from both our clients and followers. https://www.twobearsstudio.co.uk/


For anyone wanting to view the new houses we are able to show around safely on plot 6. Please scan the QR code for details. 

Our structures are now looking like houses. 

Our structures are now looking like houses. 

Well some of them anyway!! We were under no illusions when we started the house building, that it was going to be straightforward and easy. Especially when dealing with the exterior structures and boy is it working the brain cells. As it is a unique build, each team is having to be guided through, to ensure we are getting the results we want. 

Problem solving along the way.

Each trade is great in their individual expertise, however co ordination to get their part done, not be in the way or close proximity and be safe, is like choreographing a dance routine. Daily problem solving was expected for the first house. Martin, the project manager and site manager are fortunately great at finding solutions. Hopefully, once we complete the first, the rest will smoothly follow through. It’s safe to say, we are having snagging problems and delays, often through no fault of the company installing, however they are all adapting, to try not to be too far behind schedule. 


It is fantastic to see the details now. 

They are starting to look great. The first house is now insulated, has a finished roof, some windows, the brickwork at the base. The scaffolding has been dropped a bit and can start to have its wooden cladding. The interior has been screed on the ground floor, the electrics and plumbing has started and hopefully the temporary staircase will be installed, allowing easier access to the first floor living space. The other houses are following on well. It’s great that our structures are now looking like houses. 


Chiselwood team are all busy. 

Meanwhile, Martin and the team are juggling with the incredibly busy Chiselwood! We are thankful the showrooms are open again. We are staying with the appointment only system, to keep everyone distanced. If clients are visiting for the first time and want the full tour, they are invited to come out of hours, so our teams are safe in the workshops.


It is great we are so busy. It seems many people have moved, created new spaces or applied for planning during the last year. They are now ready for furniture and thankfully are willing to wait. We have projects booked right through to the end of the year. Experience has shown us, especially at the moment with stock delays etc, that there will be some projects that won’t meet fitting dates. We therefore will continue to have spaces for those wanting projects fitting throughout the year. Our fitting teams are also working on the houses, so it will be a busy time for everyone at team Chiselwood!

Photoshoots coming.

We cannot wait to show you the amazing projects we have been working on. We have completed a photo shoot for the first one this month and many lined up after. Hopefully during the summer, we will be able to get into houses when our clients feel safe. 

Returning clients. 

We love returning to clients homes with new projects and over the next twelve months will be working in some very special spaces. Knowing that we have returning clients means we have achieved what Chiselwood’s team strives for. To look after the client, create their dream and create unique bespoke solutions. https://chiselwood.co.uk/

We are now booking in visits to view the new homes. Some are receiving positive interest. If you are considering buying one of the plots, the first will be available in the summer. Please contact Pygott and Chrone. 
https://www.pygott-crone.com/

https://www.richmondroofingsingleply.co.uk/

https://www.vincowindows.co.uk/

https://www.daniel-charles.co.uk/

https://www.inspiretimbersystems.co.uk/

We are so thankful we have good news to start the year.

We are so thankful we have good news to start the year. 

Like many businesses, we did not know whether we would be able to open after the Christmas break. We are so thankful we have good news to start the year. 

As we are in the construction sector, we were able to continue manufacturing. Our showrooms remain closed and are only visiting clients that have essential work. This means we can have the team back in the workshop with a carefully arranged format. Often projects are not fitted early in the year, and although we had some that could have gone to site, our clients are happy to postpone. We are just so grateful we can work. 

We have had to keep the news a secret for a year!

Last January we heard the news that Martin had been asked to judge the Sub-Zero Wolf kitchen design awards KDC. We were preparing to announce when COVID was starting to be reported. At the time we thought it would be short lived and at no point did we think we would still be battling with this terrible virus. By summer Sub-zero had postponed the competition a year. It has been so hard to keep it a secret and have nearly slipped on many occasions! Now we can tell people, it is exciting and we are so proud of Martin. 

Martin is one of seven judges around the world. The designs are starting to come in for the first phase. He will then visit Madison USA in February 2022 for final judging and the award ceremony will be Autumn 2022. https://www.subzero-wolf.com/trade-resources/kitchen-design-contest



Another award!

We have also found out, we have won the Architectural award from Build magazine for best Kitchen and Bathroom Designer Award for Yorkshire. It’s been a good start!

We are still getting commissions which is great.

It’s great to have many returning clients and also new ones commissioning projects this year. We know that things will take longer to manufacture and fit, with both restrictions and lengthening dates for materials. However it is becoming the new norm. Our systems are coping and our clients are very patient. 

The houses move upward.

There is good news on the houses too. To date we have 6 up to ground level. The first arrived on the 18th January as promised and it is great to see them going upwards. We can now really visualise how lovely the structures are. The curves really do add to the houses. 

We can now visualise the internals

Walking around the ground floor, we can now begin to concentrate on the furniture. The design team is busy working on finalising the details and getting orders in, to ensure we have everything in place for the next stages. It is so noticeable how many people are walking along the new pathway alongside the canal and we are assuming they are watching the progress. It is lovely so many people are interested in the buildings. https://chiselwood.co.uk/


Hopefully, the second level will begin on the show house this week and we will really start to see the scale of the house. 

We are able to market the houses now that the schedules are in place for each phase. We look forward to being able to show the first interested parties around. https://www.pygott-crone.com/

I am hoping when I write the next blog that we will have some idea when restrictions are being lifted. At least we will be heading into spring and the dark nights that are making this lockdown seem harder than the last. We hope you all keep safe in the meantime. 

So that was the year that was!! 

So that was the year that was!! 

 

I know we are by no means out of the woods yet, however writing the year end blog, it is more hopeful now the vaccine program begins to roll out today. 

Reflecting back to December 2019, the blog expressed excitement, we had a start date for the houses in January 2020 and all the intrepid that brought. Little did we know we would stop again 6 weeks in. 

It’s been a crazy year.

This year, I am recounting all the emotions. Lockdown, starting back in June, tier restrictions, and also the terrific support and patience from our team, clients and suppliers. They have been amazing.


Ready to get the structures up.

We know and hope we will get the structures up in the new year and start marketing property as the first one goes up.https://www.inspiretimbersystems.co.uk/ Our battles getting supplies and contractors in time to follow on, are proving a challenge. We need to get the roofing, cladding and windows fitted quickly and efficiently to get them watertight. Last year we were expecting this to all happen in the summer months, so water issues would not have had so much impact. Now it will be all systems go, as the first house is erected and we battle with British weather. Fingers crossed we will have a mild winter.https://www.daniel-charles.co.uk/

 


Materials in short supply

Back orders on supplies are heavily impacting both Chiselwood, and the new builds. The long weeks of non-production in factories around the world, has led to reduced stock in appliances, timber and components. We are forward planning and buying as best we can to minimise delays for our clients. Early into the NewYear, I suspect we may be struggling to find storage for things, however we are having conversations with various people to help us move forward. We have purchased so much so early and each stage the message is the same “ that product is in short supply, better get it booked in!” 

 

It feels a bit ironic that we had all these plans in place for Brexit a few years ago, assuming that customs and trade deals would impact on the UK getting supplies into the country, when in fact the virus has pre-empeted  that. What will happen in the next six months with the addition of Brexit impact as well…. who knows. 


Thankfully we are keeping busy

What we do know is that we have managed to get to the end of the year continuing to be busy. We have retained our staff and although delays and lack of supplies have been challenging, we are truly thankful that clients old and new continue to commission us. Our team has worked so hard to ensure the projects have met fitting dates and to the excellent standards we are proud of. We have managed to work together, supporting each other when we are not feeling great, and that especially for Martin and I has given us strength when we were struggling. We have lost some very dear people this year and in those dark days, the care and love extended out to us will be remembered for a long time. 


End of year

Our team may not be able to party or go out for drinks on the last day, as is tradition, however being in a bubble means it’s not all dull. We are able to do Secret Santa organised as carefully as we can socially, no doubt the Christmas hats and jumpers will appear whilst cleaning down, and we will all welcome the break to rest and look forward to a busy start of the year. 

Thank you 

Thank you everyone who has supported us this year. Myself and the team want to wish you all a peaceful Christmas and look forward to 2021 and all it has to bring. 

Interested in the new houses contact Craig Stones https://www.pygott-crone.com

How can it be Halloween already, I heard someone say

How can it be Halloween already, I heard someone say. I had to agree with her. I feel each day, week and month is starting to blur at the moment. The new restrictions mean little going out or spontaneity. Living and working from our site here at Chiselwood, it has got a little feeling of groundhog day! 

Projects are taking far longer

We are still working on some projects that had started just before lockdown. They are beginning to look beautiful. They were big refurbishments and therefore time consuming, each element of the works have had delays. We will be excited to hand them over for the clients to unpack and enjoy for Christmas. For them, as patient as they have all been, it has been frustrating and a hard slog. I am sure they will look forward to having the houses to themselves. We cannot wait to show you Chiselwood’s team handiwork in the New Year. https://chiselwood.co.uk/projects/

 

New projects are taking shape 

Projects that we have had commissioned since coming back from lockdown, are in manufacture and the clients are starting to look forward to us fitting their rooms. And the design team is busy preparing projects for the New Year. We are so thankful we have kept busy and able to keep all of our team occupied! We are very aware, how difficult the climate work wise is at the moment for many people. Especially now we are in a second lockdown.

The groundwork’s are nearly complete

The houses are getting to the end of the first phase. In a few weeks the ground contractors will be leaving us for a while. They will be back to finish roads  and landscape once the houses are near completion. The brickwork and concrete beams are being laid in readiness for the timber structures, it is lovely to see where some of the money is going above ground. Up to now we have invested a large sum of money, never to be seen again as it is all underneath soil and gravel! https://www.daniel-charles.co.uk/


Delays to the next phase

COVID has not only delayed the build, it has created a shortage of both supplies and manpower. It is getting harder to get contractors committed as they are all so busy, especially if they have a good reputation. We had to make a decision to delay the first structure going up in November. It didn’t make sense to start to erect the first house, then leave it to the elements over the Christmas period. Most of the building trade generally closes for two weeks. It is hugely disappointing, however trusting the contractors advise and having a small delay will be better than the damage that may be incurred. I am sure once New Year is on us, the trades will all follow through and it gives us additional time to ensure the supplies will be on site in time. We will hopefully catch up those few week with careful project management. 

We really want to get them on the market now and get the first house up and ready to view. It is hard to think, we are looking for the first structure going up in the new year. This time last year we were impatient to get the ground contractors in in January 2020 with the structures going up early summer. Little did we know they would only be on site a few months!!   https://www.pygott-crone.com


Reflection

I think many of us will be wondering where we will be in a month’s time. Certainly we will be thinking about Christmas. Maybe just not the way we are used to celebrating. The uncertainty of whether we will continue lockdown through December is not something any one would have wanted. Many of us will be putting up our decorations, thankful for what we have and reflecting on the hard and uncertain environment we are living at the moment.
Not to assume what anyone is feeling and being as kind and supportive as is possible of those around us, may help during the next few months. Thank you all who have supported us. 

 

Teamwork, support and patience are key to success!

Teamwork, support and patience are key to success! It is so true both for Chiselwood and our new builds. Without good people around us, we may survive, however it would be such a struggle. Each month, I sit to write the blog thinking back on what has happened in a month. Initially I feel there is little to write about, then, I list new things that have happened and realise how quickly things have moved forward.

The site continues to progress

The site has developed further. And the team and project manager are amazing. They work together to ensure things run smoothly. The pathways along the canal are complete. It looks great and we are so happy to see the locals are using it, as an alternative to walking along the busy A57. The pathway weaves amongst the trees and looks quite pretty already. The boundary along the canal will soon have fencing for security and will match the front of the site https://www.daniel-charles.co.uk/

 


The underground drainage begins

Giant tanks, metres of pipework in all sorts of shapes and sizes appear. This will become the drainage on site. We have no mains drainage, so the bio tanks will ecologically manage the waste. Deep holes appear as each system is installed all to be connected together at a later date. They then disappear with only manhole covers left as evidence there is anything below. 

Who will build the substructure 

You may remember from the last blog that we had to re tender companies making wooden structures as the original company was no longer trading. We are so thankful for the help and support of SG Architects. https://www.sga-llp.co.uk/At each stage they are helpful and ready to find solutions to things that need attention. Whilst we can plan for most things, we are constantly reviewing to ensure the project is correct and on time. We have had some great companies wanting to be involved with the sub structures. It has been difficult to choose, as each company had great things to offer. After a few meetings, we decided to choose Inspire Timber Systems. They are local and have been involved with great projects. They have also worked on round timber structures, important for our houses. We aim to have the first structure going up In November. https://www.inspiretimbersystems.co.uk/


The 3D model

Martin has been playing!! He decided it would be good to have a replica 3D model of the house. So over the last few weeks, he has been putting together a model which splits, to show the interior specifications as well. It is a work in progress in the first stages below. Is there no end to this man’s talents! 
                              

 

 

Chiselwood update

Chiselwood continues to be busy with some fantastic projects nearing completion. We are thankful for our clients patience, as many should have been completed earlier in the year. We have also been fortunate to date to continue to get supplies and appliances. Trying to order stock early is a strategy we implemented as soon as we came back. Although we are mindful of cash flow being tied up and having to find space to store, has been helpful to keep things on time. We have lots of new clients we are working with and look forward to beginning those projects. It’s going to be a busy Autumn, especially as Chiselwood will be working on the houses too, as they start to be fitted out internally. 

https://chiselwood.co.uk/projects/

 

For sales enquires contact Craig Bridges at Pygott and Chrone

https://www.pygott-crone.com/

Construction and manufacture during COVID

Construction and manufacture during COVID-19 is interesting.

Construction and manufacture during COVID-19 is interesting. Its only four weeks since the construction team came back and eight since Chiselwood started back. The way we reflected time pre Covid felt tangible and measured. We could look back over a month, quarter or whole year and use the results to plan moving forward. These were familiar patterns we have established in business allowing us to cash forecast and project manage.

Did time stand still?

COVID-19 has rapidly changed this pattern. It is curious, that for many, even those who continued working throughout, time felt as though it stood still. Over the last couple of months as the country tries to start up again, it is interesting, how we are quickly adapting. Each week, advice changes and implementing those into everyday life is the new norm. More recently we are only getting 24 hours notice to lockdown localised areas. Fortunately at the moment Lincolnshire is fairing well. We hope it continues.

Putting strategies in place

For Chiselwood during full lockdown meant having the basic office running, no calls, team working or projects to complete. It was ten weeks of silence and time did feel as though it stood still. In fact looking back now, it is almost a dream. Coming back, we are now playing catch up. Ensuring the projects are as smooth as they can be.

Planning further ahead for stock has been essential. Many companies are still at low capacity, many of their teams still on furlough, meaning communication is slower and deliveries longer. With that in mind, we are constantly changing our strategies to ensure we are ahead of the game. The team is supporting and helpful, which means a lot as we are all wanting to keep the momentum going. We are all trying to adapt within the workplace to ensure we are safe and efficient, even with the restrictions in place. 

Foundations

The ground team on the site are moving at a pace and in four weeks, the landscape has changed significantly. https://www.daniel-charles.co.uk/The piling had just been completed before lockdown and the posts stood proud from the ground for three months. On the teams return the footprint of the foundations were dug out. Fine and intricate metal rods are woven into snake-like chains ready to be encased in concrete. 

 

The day for pouring comes and a large framed pipe arrives to deliver 36 trucks of concrete.https://www.libraconcretepumping.com/  It’s a long day, however ten hours later, it is all poured.https://www.breedongroup.com/ Walking around the site that evening, we can see each plot.  Their location between each other and relationship to their garden space. We stand in what will be the bedrooms and imagine what it will feel to be like living in the houses. 

Boundaries and fencing

We have now secured the front with a temporary gate and sound reducing fencing. We will let it settle, then they will be painted black. It will be perfect to support the signage for marketing in the not too distant future. 

One of the  things we wanted to do when we started with the planning, was to re-establish the old towpath that runs alongside the back of the plot. The aim is to provide those who live this side of the village, an alternative to walking along the busy A57. In years gone by when there was a busy pub open next door, people frequently walked down the towpath keeping it clear, however with the pub long closed, it has become overgrown. The ground team are putting the pathway in place which we hope will be a welcome addition to the village.

 

Not all is plain sailing

A little hiccup in the progress of the build is the company building the super structures have gone into administration during lockdown. This has been a sad casualty as they had been on board with the project since day one. We are in final conversations with other contractors and are hoping to be moving forward quickly with this next phase. Fortunately the ground team still have plenty to do at this stages. Having the site to themselves means they are not manoeuvring amongst other trades, as often happens on building sites. Hopefully as they complete their part on site in Autumn, the contractors building the structures will be starting. Being patient has always been very much part of this project and the outcome always works out. Look out for the next update next month! https://chiselwood.co.uk/services/

Photo credit http://www.photography19.co.uk/

And the construction team is back.

And the construction team is back. It seems impossible to think, we are three months on from saying goodbye to the team building the houses. If you look back to the previous blog in March, it was not safe for the groundwork team to continue working on site due to COVID-19. Fortunately we had completed the piling, so there was nothing to deteriorate during that time. Today the equipment has been delivered. We  can continue the process of completing the bases that will support the wooden structures.

When will the houses be completed.


We will not see the houses being completed at the end of summer as we had predicted in January. Once the team is fully operational and schedules rejigged, we are hoping to have a show house ready during late Autumn. We are accepting that things will take a while to get up to speed. Some suppliers are suggesting stock may be delayed. Now we are hoping once lockdown starts to lift further, that all the contractors are keen to move forward. Like all sectors, things are still very much up in the air. We are excited to see movement on the site again. The estate agents report that the housing market is busy, we are thankful for this, long may it continue. Marketing will start once the contractors are able to confirm their deadline dates. We do not want to promise finish dates, then see things slip back. We are confident to schedule meetings, to plan new dates, as they say patience is a virtue…… something with this project we have learned in abundance!


Fossdyke nursery!

A great plus during lockdown is our new little nursery. We designed the landscaping and planting schemes to reflect the surroundings. We have lovingly collected seedlings and plants in the garden and potted them up. There seems to have been a glut. Plants such as Hawthorne seemed to sprout up everywhere and will be a good size by the late summer. We had planned this for hedging and will, alongside hollies, beech and other native species be able to recreate the woodland theme we were wanting. 


How is Chiselwood doing

(more…)

Preparing the building site for piling.

Preparing the building site for piling.

As the weeks have moved on so much has happened on the site. We are preparing the building site for piling. Lorries start arriving to deliver tons of stone. The team carefully repositioned the stone to create the roads. They then start working on each plot to prepare for the piling team.

Amendment to a plot

As the plots were marked out, there were concerns that one of the tree root structures may be too close. Whilst we knew the distance had been calculated correctly ie 15 x the circumference of the trunk, it was a large tree and we did not want to damage it. There were discussions on how to protect it with the solution to move the house forward slightly. Due to planning requirements this would mean having to approach the planners for a non material amendment. There were concerns that this would create significant delays to the schedule whilst we waited for the response. There were tight deadlines in preparation for the piling team to arrive. Fortunately the architect liaised swiftly and an agreement came quickly. https://www.sga-llp.co.uk/

Preparing for the piling equipment

The piling equipment is heavy and needed stability, extra stone would be needed temporarily to support the equipment. The land at this stage was very muddy due to the months of rain. The ground team worked tirelessly to get the stone down and bit by bit the dark soil turned to a cream colour. The aim was to prevent mud getting onto the main road and within a couple of  weeks this was achieved. 


So the day arrived when the piling equipment arrived.

As it was put in place, it towered over the site. As it began to beat the piles down into the ground, we were acutely aware this may annoy a lot of people. Sure enough we noticed posts on social media asking what the noise was. Apologies were given, explaining this would be a short phase of the build taking approximately 9 days. How relieved were we (and our fellow neighbours) when we were informed on the Friday morning, 5 days after starting, that they would be complete by dinner. Social media helped us to deliver the news and relative peace was restored on site again! https://aarsleff.co.uk/

The footprint of the houses appear

So now the plots are littered with posts sticking out of the ground. The beams that will connect these together will be positioned in the next few weeks. We are excited that we will be able to see the footprint of each house appears. 

This is all fantastic as the team are well ahead of schedule.

Not everything can be planned for

 A shadow oversees. Coronavirus appears to be taking hold in the UK as it already has in many countries including Europe. Many countries are in lockdown and measures to reduce the spread are now being put in place. We are wondering what the knock on effect will be both on the build and Chiselwood. It is not the first time in our 31 years in business that we have had strategy meetings to reduce negative impacts of 9/11, recession, or Brexit to name a few. This feels very different probably because it is a whole world pandemic. We are always prepared to change and find solutions. We know from past experience, this is a great dynamic to bounce new ideas about as a team. For now we are still business as usual, full order books and the next phase of the build to look forward too.
https://chiselwood.co.uk/services/

For further details contact Craig Bridges at  https://www.pygott-crone.com/

Setting out the site entrance for the new build.

We begin setting out the site entrance for the new build.

Setting out the site entrance for the new build is the first stage to begin. Over the last few weeks, the landscape has rapidly changed on the site.
Since the diggers, dumper trucks and teams of men with hard hats arrived, there has been a hive of activity. https://www.daniel-charles.co.uk/



The first stage is to level off the soil. This could have been hampered by the tree stumps left after the tree surgeon had completed his work. A stump buster came and using an amazing piece of kit cleared them in a matter of days. The large machine lumbered on and off the site by remote control, grinding them away below the soil as though they never existed.

A mass of root that was left underground, were dragged up and now sits in a pile in the cornered the site, the only evidence those trees existed. As for the healthier or specimen trees left, they are now protected with mesh to ensure they are not harmed throughout the build. 

The entrance for the new build is being created

The focus now moves to the entrance of the site. At present any vehicle needed on site, comes through the Chiselwood entrance parking next to the site. Initially this becomes a bit of a jiggle as the well used car park the staff used, is immediately reduced by more than half. Careful manoeuvres, like a dance routine begins the first morning at the main car park.



This car park will now have to accommodate staff cars, clients, visitors etc. We have to be mindful of bigger vehicles that deliver Chiselwood supplies daily. It’s a bit of a squeeze, however we quickly get the hang of things. This will improve once a temporary parking area is constructed on site.

 

Traffic Lights are put in place

First of all the public pathway is closed off and temporary traffic lights cordon off one lane of th A57. This will be in place for several weeks. Feedback from local drivers is that it is not impacting too much on their journey which is a relief!

 

 
The first hole is huge

A huge hole begins to appear in the newly created entrance area which will have to be to highway standards. The depth and new materials appear to replace the soil.

There are also many pipes, cables and amenities that run alongside the road. These need to be protected before the hardcore sub-base can be laid. With care and patience the team manoeuvre large quantities of stone and the entrance begin to take shape.

 

The new pathway is constructed

The pathway is reconstructed with both tarmac and studded slabs. The drivers can now breath a sigh of relief as the traffic lights and barriers are removed. The focus now is getting the internal road substructure on site. This will allow access of all vehicles needed in future on site to create the foundation slabs and the piling needed to support them.



Being able to see the layout of the road gives us the first chance to visualise the plots and where the houses will eventually be located.

We have had some challenging storms over the past week. Fortunately the worst has been over the weekends, so has had little impact on site. Although some areas are a little boggy, the large vehicles appear to be coping well. Hopefully this will continue whilst we build.

Meanwhile the design team continue to create the beautiful interiors for the houses. https://chiselwood.co.uk/services/

Architects  https://www.sga-llp.co.uk/

For sales enquires contact:  Craig Bridges https://www.pygott-crone.com/

Fossdyke paddock the new beginning.

Fossdyke paddock, the new beginning.

Fossdyke Paddocks the new beginning, is a phrase we have started to use. As with all new projects emotion comes both with excitement and apprehension,  this new build is no different. Today is officially start day. Opening the curtains, the garden and site beyond is shrouded with thick fog. Today will be the last chance to fully walk the dog on land which has had many purposes over the years, woodland, paddock for horses, bike tracks for children and in later years the peaceful beginning of the day walk to reflect before work. It feels nostalgic.

Clearing the site slowly gave us time to adapt.

As the land has been stripped and prepared, we have had time to absorb the change gently and somehow this new beginning for the land feels right. New life will begin now and hopefully by the end of 2020, will start to house people that will form their own memories here.


Truck
Patience is a virtue

It has been a long time coming, twelve years planning permission, three years meetings and preparation and now the physical ground and building works. In this first stage, we have a great set of people; architect team, (STG architects) https://www.sga-llp.co.uk/and Daniel Charles https://www.daniel-charles.co.uk/ on board, we are feeling more excited than apprehensive. The vehicles start to arrive to begin preparation of the site. Welfare accommodation is placed carefully via hoist, fencing that will surround the site is being delivered and people in orange coats and hard hats, check each section of land in anticipation of the next move.

As an onlooker for this stage we are thankful for the knowledge and experience these people will bring. 

Each week will bring new changes

The next week will not bring huge change to the look of the land as the focus is on getting the site safe, clearing the ground of tree trunks and debris. After that, the main focus will be getting the entrance put in off the main road and the front road permanent  fencing. We are looking to put the signage up on this fencing. We can the officially start marketing the houses. https://chiselwood.co.uk/services/

Now today we can mark as the beginning of Fossdyke Paddock.http://Www.chiselwood.co.uk

Sales: Craig Stones Pygott and Chrone

Tel:01522568822 Email: lincoln@pygott-crone.com

 

Why getting the right teams to build is so important to us. 

 

Why getting the right teams to build is so important to us.

Why was getting the right teams to build so important to us? It is a few days after a mammoth meeting with architects Gary and Emma. https://www.sga-llp.co.uk/ They have been amazing in both detail and patience, along with their team. They want to get the best for us both on design and budget. Their support has been the thing that has kept us motivated when things did not go quite to plan. We were meeting with our chosen main contractors Daniel Charles, doing groundwork https://www.daniel-charles.co.uk/and Elite manufacturing main structure and roof. http://www.elitetimberhomes.co.uk/

The meeting went well, it gave us confidence meeting the teams that would be on site day to day. I don’t think we had realised quite how unsettled we were feeling, until we realised how fully exhausted we were for a few days after. Chiselwood is extremely busy anyway, with our order book potentially full well into 2020, so feeling we were signing contractors up was a huge step forward. 

We have a start date!

We have a start date of 6 January 2020!!

Our evidence and findings were right

It is interesting that one of the setbacks on getting planning (if you read the first blog) was sequential testing. On the day of these meetings, we had huge flooding around the county and Yorkshire. The canal here was high and parts of the city was also affected, sandbags protecting the Brayford restaurants and cinema. The ground contractors we had chosen, Daniel Charles  wanted to look at the site to establish the water table. The dyke running alongside the land was not even a quarter full, whilst all others around were bursting their banks. Further proof our investigation and evidence put forward to our planners were correct. Of course the houses were designed and built to be higher in case of high water, however this is reassuring to all involved.

Chiselwood would run the Interior Design

Project managing as we do in Chiselwood, means Martin is well practiced in working on properties before they come out of the ground. https://chiselwood.co.uk/services/ Once the properties were watertight, we would be more confident in our skills. Getting the ground prepared and the houses up to a roof level. We were less experienced in this part of the construction. This was the area we were concerned about.  The architects had worked with both the ground and timber frame companies on many projects before this too gave us confidence.

Now a date is in place, we can put motions in place financially, prepare the site for security fencing, signage and welfare. We can also think about increasing the soft marketing still a lot to do before the start date, however now there feels a good purpose to achieve.

 

 

How to budget well when building new houses.

How can you budget well when building new houses?

How can you budget well when building new houses? This is a question we are constantly asking ourselves during this phase of our project. The basis of our designs were drawn up. We now had the task of helping the architect get those details on paper in order to start working the budgets. https://www.sga-llp.co.uk/Unbeknown to us this would take some time. We had been given a ballpark figure whilst getting the planning, building six meant budgeting and timetables would be crucial in order to keep borrowing down as much as possible. 

 

We wanted the houses to have design impact something we were renowned for with our furniture, as well as eco standard. https://chiselwood.co.uk/services/There were many meetings and changing of plans as budget constraints curbed many thoughts. Reality of what we wanted, in comparison to what would be financially sensible,  meant going back to the drawing board. Rethinking our plans ensured we did not become standard streteched creativity.

Blow number one!

Our first blow was finding the soil was very soft and not stable, meaning the floating bases we thought we were have as foundations were unsuitable. We were going to have to pile, a costly addition we did not want. Back to the drawing board to see where savings could be made. After 18 long months, we managed to have a figure from the QS to work with. The budgets were higher than planned, however we had the concept we wanted.

Blow number two!

We approached many contractors, some of which were either too busy or did not want to do the project. We had a few who expressed an interest and were given all the details and we waited for their quotes. Blow number two. The quotes were so high, we would not have made a profit!! 

Taking a while to absorb this information, we took the decision to break components into individual contractors for each area.This allowed us to recost. It would be more work for us to manage whilst building, however we knew once the houses were watertight we would be doing what we had done for many years.  We had teams of contractors, we worked with regularly for the interiors this would give us confidence. Due to the fact the houses were to be timber framed, we could get the houses up and watertight with two main contractors: ground works and structure. The smaller companies would become involved once the structure was erected.

Summer started and everyone seemed to be taking holidays!! Weeks went by and getting quotes back was very difficult. September arrived and we began to move forward with the main contractors. We were making the savings we needed, so although being patient throughout the summer had been frustrating, we knew the outcome was being achieved. 

Solutions starting

Choosing our final contractors would be based both on costing and the people working on the project. This would be our next challenge. Find out in the next blog why we narrowed down our final contractors. 

Tips

-Take time to know your brief well to enable your architect and QS to have clear costings.

– Be prepared to compromise and be creative to achieve your outcome within budget.

– Continue to explore materials whilst budgeting. There are fantastic opportunity’s to reduce cost without compromising the look.

Designing curved wooden clad houses.

How to design curved, wooden clad houses.

So what led us to want to design curved, wooden clad houses? We visited Centre Parcs many times whilst our children were growing up. We loved the feeling of space and calm we immediately felt, once we parked the car and walked through the woods. The clever positioning of the chalets meant they were close together. However the patio and view was not overlooked and was your individual space for a few days. The chalets had wooden cladding and therefore blended amongst the trees. As the years went by, there were new developments of accommodation. Then, there was an addition of tree houses. These had curved walls, wooden clad and on stilts, so the living space were up in the tree canopies. www.centerparcs.co.uk/discover-center-parcs/holiday-locations/sherwood-forest.

We often discussed wouldn’t be amazing, if, when we started to design the houses on our land, we incorporated elements of the Centre Parc accommodation.

It made easy choice therefore, that we would be designing curved, wooden clad houses with dark roof and of course we wanted curved internal walls! 

Listing everything helps planning.

Making a list of what we ideally wanted inside the house would allow us to plan the use and layout.  All six would be identical. There would be four bedrooms, one with an en-suite and a large family bathroom. These alongside the utility room would be on the ground floor. 

The upstairs would be open plan living space including the kitchen. However the stairs would sit between with a shallow wall forming a natural barrier. A smaller room was also created to be shut off, which could be a study or play room. To utilise the area over the garage, large patio doors were incorporated. This allowed a large upstairs garden to be created. 

There would be internal curved walls throughout. (look at pictures below to describe better). We were able to achieve all of these structural elements due to the fact we were using a timber frame construction. 

First floor image

Layout for multiple houses gives choice.

By setting the houses out on the plot on CAD, we knew we could place four alongside the canal and two set back from the road.  The canal side houses would have slightly less land and would be offset from each other. Much like the chalets in Centre Parcs, so they would not overlook each other. The two set back from the roadside would have larger plots. Creating theses two areas would give the buyer a choice depending on how much land they wanted. The outside covering would be wooden clad with large windows. They would blend easily into the wooded space and throw large amounts of light into the living space. 

Ergonomics of interiors is key.

Once the internal specification was considered, the ergonomics could be planned. Of course this is Martin’s strength. Here at Chiselwood, we often have clients coming in with spaces that limit its use. Over years of experience,  Martin can improve and adapt the space, making it practical to work in. It also makes us aware that new builds very often do not consider storage requirements such as the utility space not accommodating ironing boards, vacuum etc. 

The bedrooms, very often do not have wardrobe spaces.  Again clients then struggle, due to badly planned space to get standard furniture in them. Of course, it is easier when you are designing and planning your own new build and furniture from the beginning. if you consider the use of the rooms and your wish list. As Chiselwood would be making the furniture for these houses, Martin would be able to design everything with purpose and incorporate our signature curves in some rooms where appropriate. The kitchen would be one of these rooms.

 

Create a theme for continuity

We wanted to create a theme of colour and an organic feel throughout the house. We also use companies that we encourage our clients to use when designing their furniture. Bora hobs for example would be perfect. They incorporate a downdraft extractor, this could mean the air flow could be extracted and not affect the air flow and energy rate, important for Eco houses. https://www.bora.com/gb/gb/

Bora Pure

 

 

Miele products would also be used as we have supplied these in our kitchens for many years. Our designs were now starting to take a form on the CAD and we could begin to visualise the spaces. 

We will discuss the best ergonomics of the space in the next blog.

https://chiselwood.co.uk/service/bespoke-house-design-listed-building-renovation/

Top tips:

Using

 – For us starting with an aspiration such as Centre Parcs gave us the elements for designing, curved wooden clad houses.

  -Make a wish list to begin with so the external and internal elements are considered whilst designing the space. 

  -Choose how you want to use the space early on, how many rooms, what do you want to do in them.

 – Don’t be afraid to change your mind whilst in early part of the design. Once the design is complete it may be too costly or not possible to change them after this point. 

How to Find the Right Architect that is Right for your Ideas

 

How did we find the right architects?

So a question we hear a lot here at Chiselwood is, ‘how can I find a good architect that is right for me?’ For me, finding and working close with architects that can interpret your ideas to get a perfectly designed house is essential. As design led furniture manufacturers we are constantly firing out ideas, but it is crucial to find somebody that can make those ideas a reality or tell us whether it is even possible.

How We Found Our Architect

Being introduced to Gary and his team from SGA architects was a happy accident, we visited a site where Eco houses were being built locally. We met the builder Steff Wright from Gusto Construction. Whilst the houses were very different to the concepts we had in mind their experience in designing an Eco type House was a perfect start.  https://www.sga-llp.co.uk/

We sat and talked through the elements of the design that we felt important to include. Here at Chiselwood, we are not frightened to incorporate curves and materials to enhance the design; we didn’t want our houses to be any different and needed to reflect the ethos that Chiselwood had. Using curved walls both inside and out would soften the living space and compliment the exterior amongst the trees. Using wooden cladding, large feature windows and grey roofing would support the organic theme. We were also keen to design houses that were as energy efficient as we could, incorporate great storage within the houses and think about the way the owner would utilise the space. These are all things that make it so important to have the right architect that understands all of your goals and why, so you can be ambitious but realistic – https://chiselwood.co.uk/projects/

 

Curved kitchens

Chiselwood Kitchen and furniture at Goring, Oxfordshire

Storage is KEY

Here at Chiselwood clients ask us to solve their storage problems, often in room spaces that could compromise practical daily requirements. We were conscious from the start in designing the houses, that there needed to be plenty of places to store vacuums, ironing boards and bulky kitchen appliances. 

Storage furniture

The brief grew whilst talking things through, and of course we wanted them to look amazing!

Gary went away and returned a month later with the concept drawings. We were both relieved and excited that he had interpreted our ideas perfectly, with additional things we had not thought of. THIS is the key reason for finding the right architect. There were very few things we would want to change and therefore we could now start looking at the finer detailed plans to then allow us to utilise and source the materials we could use both inside and out. 

Be patient and thorough when sourcing materials.

Taking time to research this part and being patient whilst you wait for numerous samples should be factored into the project. We wanted to be environmentally friendly  in everything if at all possible. This restricted a lot of products we could have used on the project, however it is becoming increasingly easier, as there are many innovative companies producing great products. Hours collecting products comparing quality, colours textures became normal, each meeting adding different dimensions to the overall look of the houses. 

I think a great lesson I learned is being careful not to give yourself too much choice, as decisions will not get made. Cost also has to be factored in when making the decisions, as it would be easy to blow the budget. 

With the draft designs in place we ticked another box to add to getting the planning permission. If you remember in the first blog our design was a huge positive for us in getting the planners and council to approve the scheme. The time and energy was worth it!

Remember to ensure you get good consultants to help.

I mentioned in the last blog that finding great consultants, architects and specialist companies on board to get the perfect designed house early on will in the long run save you money. Their experience and advice will allow you to make informed decisions. For us there were elements that we would have struggled in getting right, eg the M&E (mechanical engineering) careful calculations would be essential for energy ratings due to the fact we wanted the Eco type build. The heating system, insulation ventilation etc needed careful consideration to get the best rating we could. If we had natural gas in our end of the village we would have achieved an A rating however we managed to get a high B which would be good. 

Eco houses

 

So overall, with all of this taken into consideration, did we find find a good architect that was right for us? We believe so! I think taking time to look at other developments around that you like an then see which architects were involved. Take the time to meet several times to feel they connect with both you and your ideas. 

You will also read in later blogs, that getting ideas of what we would like to achieve alters many times to make this a reality. 

My top tips are:

– do your research in how to find the right architect for you.

– have a clear brief on what criteria you have for the overall look and design for the architect to have a starting point.

– be patient and take time to research product and price, however be careful not to overwhelm yourself with choice as this will slow decisions down.

– get advice from consultants and specialists for areas you are not experienced in as this will save you money in the long run.

What Reports and Tests do I need for planning permission.

A simple guide to the various reports and tests for planning permission.

 

Apparently there are birds in our woods! It may be a surprising and an obvious statement, especially as we are building on a wooded area, however establishing the reports we needed for planning permission was a long and costly part. The ecological state of the land would be an important requirement of planning permission. This along with soil sampling, soil depths, checking there is no contamination in the area, archaeological checks as we are in a Roman village to name but a few! 

There are many reports and tests needed for planning.

Initially I was surprised to realise how many reports we would need and that each speciality would have separate charges. We would have to prove we had no endangered species of plant or animal on the site. No roman ruins or areas of interest. Suddenly the area was filled with sonic devices for bats, various traps for newt and reptiles and monitors to collect data for species of bird.

There were tree specialist to log the species of trees and their health (fortunately we did not have the added complication of protected trees on site). We also needed a topological study to check the levels of the ground, essential to plan the position of the houses. 

I began to become a bit paranoid each time I walked the dog, Stanley around the plot of land. When I saw a bird I didn’t recognise I nearly had a melt down. Imagine my horror when a member of staff in the workshop presented me with a grass snake!

What are theses planning reports going to cost.

The surveys vary in cost from £400 for a bat test and £2000 for a specialised ecology or Great Crested Newt test, all which have to be proved to be clear for planning. I must admit I was surprised how it began to mount up (although we had been given an overall budget by our consultant). Some of these reports could only be completed during the breeding season in Spring and Summer.

As our land needed access to a busy “A” road, a highways report of safety was needed to get access rights to be approved. Each of these reports took a fair bit of time to get sorted.

Should I get consultant advise for this?

To have a consultant to help get all the reports needed for your planning permission may be considered as an un-necessary expense. However for us, ours were very knowledgeable in areas we were not, this saved us money in the long run. By being clear with which tests we needed at the beginning and the processes that were necessary to get the planning permission, we were able to budget this into our overall expenditure. These are the hidden areas that could mount up. As our consultants were also our architects, they were able to link things that were going to be needed when planning the build. 

An example of this would be the topography. Not only were we able to establish the levels of the site, it gave us opportunities to work on the positions of the houses and the landscaping that would happen around them. For me, although things seemed to take a long time to complete, we were beginning to enjoy planning how site could look like when it was finished, making it feel we had a great end goal. 

Things may not always go to plan.

Our main inspiration was to build amongst the trees with the living space upstairs. We were saddened and shocked when the tree specialist came back reporting that many of the trees, due to their age were weak and end of life. After many conversations we realised that this would give us an opportunity to plant large native specimens which would enhance the site and put variety back into the wood. 

Thankfully the rest of the tests proved there were no endangered species on site and the archaeological results showed a low risk of site of interest. After several months of technology and contraptions on site, we were relieved that nothing would hinder this part of the planning permission. We would now be able to focus on what the houses would look like. https://chiselwood.co.uk/services/

 

In the next blog I will focus on the internal and external features of the houses.

My top four tips in pre-planning reports are:

– Find a good consultant to support you through the test and process the reports needed to get planning permission.

– Get full quotes beforehand on both consultancy and required tests to allow you to budget.

– Be prepared for the “what if” when something doesn’t go to plan.

– Most ecological tests will need to be done during breeding or growing times so spring and summer. Ensure to factor that into your timescales. 

https://www.gov.uk/browse/housing-local-services/planning-permission

 

 

 

 

Is our land suitable to build on?

Advice on how to check how I was able to prove our land was suitable to build on.

In 1993, after a long search, we put an offer in on a deteriorating, repossessed house and were initially refused. However, after renegotiating we finally managed to buy Fossdyke House in the farming area of Lincolnshire. It was only when signing the final paperwork that we realised we had an additional acre at the bottom of the garden; overgrown and seemingly unusable at the time.

Getting the right advice for planning application and flooding

Over the years, this area served many purposes from renting out the land for horses, a great area for our young boys (at the time) to build a bike track, and later dens, tent sleep overs and for me, a haven to walk the dogs, Sam and Stanley. It was during these walks that Martin (my husband) and I would dream of building houses on the land. Our first attempt of planning permission in the late 90s was met by the architect saying it would never happen as we were out of the village curtilage. A few years later this was dismissed when the speed limit dropped, and the curtilage signage moved further out of the village. In 2000 we attempted again only to be advised that West Lindsey was now a floodplain and as the land backed onto the Fossdyke Canal we would not be considered.

It was by chance at a trade show that we met a developer who specialised in building floating houses on the Thames and Netherlands…..a bit of an extreme difference I know, however he agreed to look at the site and through a meeting with the head planner in our area we were able to prove the risk was low (things were looking up!).

Armed with this document we searched for an architect that would have the same mindset. It was when I was supporting our local construction event for young people, that I was taken on a building site for eco houses, and through that link I was introduced to Gary from http://www.sga-llp.co.uk SGA architects; he was keen to work with us.

What was our inspiration-Centre Parcs Sherwood

Our inspirations for the houses came from many visits to Sherwood Centre Parcs with the wooden clad buildings and tree houses set amongst the trees. We loved the idea of the main living spaces being up in the tree canopies, so when plans came into motion, Martin and Gary worked together to make this the main feature in the home designs. However, we were later to discover this was the easy part.

Sequential testing, what does it mean?

Sequential testing is a government/ planner’s tool to help them make a decision on whether a piece of land has little or no risk of flooding in comparison to other areas known to be a high risk. So was our land suitable to build on? We submitted our designs now to find, due to a new clause from government to prevent building on flooded land called sequential testing, we would probably be refused (I am feeling disillusioned and frustrated at this point, as you can imagine!). Why was this so hard??

We were visiting Cornwall and my main wish was to visit the gardens of Heligan. I picked up some books written by Tim Smit (who found the gardens) and also developed the Eden Project. His journey to get planning was long and arduous, however his patience and belief that he could make it work, was infectious and he became my biggest inspiration. I even started quoting his achievements each time we had a meeting about our site! I wanted the planner to feel that creating beautiful spaces and buildings was important to our city; I felt sorry for him by the time he left that meeting!

First attempt nearly failed because of sequential testing

Due to the fact the site was unusual our plans were forwarded to full council and we were scheduled just before Christmas 2017 to put forward our case. Armed with beautiful illustrations of the six Eco houses, along with brief information on why we felt this would be great for the village, I was hopeful that we would get permission although I was extremely nervous about whether I would get my message over in such a short time. The planner’s case for sequential test was strong for West Lindsey District even though I was able to prove our land was very low risk of flooding and that the houses would be built with this in mind. Thankfully our local councillor has lived in the area for over 40 years and agreed with our information about the land and it being low risk. He suggested a site visit and another meeting the following month.

Research is key

A month later and I am standing in the same hall with another five minutes to present our case. This time I had researched all the factors that local government stipulated in their flooding documents to support our land was low risk including details from the survey completed many years earlier based on UK flooding statistics. My heart leapt when we had a unanimous vote in favour, with added comments from many councillors that the project looked beautiful and they were excited to see the project in motion.

After twelve years of dreaming, researching and proving that “yes our land was suitable for building”, we could celebrate what was the first stage in the long journey to build our Eco houses.

Top seven tips I learned whilst applying for planning permission

If you are reading this wondering whether your own land is suitable for building, these are the things I have learnt from my mistakes:

– Check the land is not on green belt areas that restrict any building.

– Ask planners questions especially if they are suggesting planning will not be consented. By having clear answers as to why they may refuse consent, will give you starting points to argue your case.

– Research is key, google and collect evidence to support any areas that planners may question.

– Be passionate about your project and give clear drawings with evidence of what you are proposing to build.

– Get to know your local councillors. Although they must be unbiased, they know your local area and will be supportive.

– If you are to present your plans to council, you will have strict time constraints. Rehearse to get your confidence and know you will be within the allocated time. Try not to rush, however nervous you are.

– Dont  give up!! Sequential testing is a government/ planner’s tool to help them make a decision on whether a piece of land has little or no risk of flooding in comparison to other areas known to be a high risk.