Barry and Jenny Tape have transformed a dilapidated coastal bungalow into a spacious and highly practical family home

WORDS JENNIFER GRIMBLE PHOTOS KIRSTEN PRISK

FACT FILE

NAMES Barry & Jenny Tape

OCCUPATIONS Chartered architectural technologist & doctor

LOCATION St Agnes, Cornwall

TYPE OF BUILD Renovation & extension

STYLE 1980s bungalow with contemporary addition

CONSTRUCTION METHOD Traditional block with cavity

PROJECT ROUTE Self-project managed

PLOT SIZE 0.35 acres

PROPERTY COST £350,000

BOUGHT May 2015

HOUSE SIZE 340m²

PROJECT COST £231,500

PROJECT COST PER M2 £680

TOTAL COST £581,500

BUILDING WORK COMMENCED September 2015

BUILDING WORK TOOK 34 months

CURRENT VALUE £850,000

Barry and Jenny Tape spent the best part of a year hunting for a renovation project that suited the needs of their growing family. As a chartered architectural technologist, Barry had always liked the idea of taking on a scheme o. This own, but living in sought-after St Agnes, Cornwall, meant opportunities like this were scarce on the ground.

The back of the property features plenty of glazing and a crisp white rendered finish

Before the project

The pair had been living in a historic two-bedroom miner’s cottage, but it offered no room for expansion. Since Jenny was pregnant with the couple’s second child, they desperately needed more space. As local plots were rare and property prices were high, the Tapes’ natural choice was to find an old building they could transform into their dream home. “Our only real desire was for a large garden and more bedrooms,” says Jenny.

After a lengthy search, everything ended up falling into place in just two days. By chance, a new client of Barry’s mentioned that she was inheriting a local bungalow, which she intended to sell. It seemed like it could be a potential lead. “On the same day, we received a call from the estate agent who valued our house. The told us tha. The knew a couple who were interested,” says Barry.

In less than 48 hours, Barry and Jenny received an offer on their cottage and, after organising a viewing, placed their own on the bungalow. “We paid the average of the valuations of three estate agents,” says Barry. “We wanted to avoid it going on the market.”