Like so many rural cottages in Scotland this was originally a farm outbuilding – a stable block – converted to a house in the 1990’s including an addition at the back, giving it loads of ‘character’ but an awkward layout, outdated fittings and very poor energy performance. The client wanted to retrofit the house to make it comfortable and energy efficient for their retirement. Insulation was improved for the whole ‘building envelope’ – the walls alone needed eight different treatment types, and part of the floor was replaced in full with a concrete slab and underfloor heating. Existing double-glazed windows from the 90s were refurbished, older windows were replaced to match, and two new large south-facing windows were added to the living room to let in the sunlight and views that had until then been excluded. Kitchen and bathrooms were refurbished. The redundant oil-tank enclosure was repurposed to create a pottery studio and entry porch. Heating is now from a Heap Pump supplemented by a wood stove, with future provision for solar PV panels and an electric car charger.

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