Actis-using builder transforms childhood home in one of the Midlands’ smartest addresses
A 1970s three-bedroom detached chalet style home in one of the grandest areas of Sutton Coldfield is in the process of being transformed into a seven-bedroom, six bathroom, thermally efficient luxury pad – by a man who always wanted to live in the house.
Builder Tim Miles’ parents bought the home in Tudor Hill off plan in 1972 - living happily together there for 45 years until his mother died and he inherited it.
Wearing his professional hat, as director of Homestyle Developments Ltd, Tim could see that the building – created on the site of an original large Victorian house next to the popular Sutton Park – had the potential to be far more than the modest family home it had been.
The house was one of number constructed on what had been the private drive to the grand house, latterly owned by the founder of Midlands engineering group Concentric. Indeed, the gate pillars and gate house are still in situ.
As well as his grand plans to extend, remodel and transform the house aesthetically, Tim wanted to ensure not only that it was thermally efficient – but also that going about creating that thermal shell was as quick, easy, hassle free and cost effective as possible. Which was how he happened upon the delights of the Actis Hybrid range, which consists of insulation, two sorts of insulating breather membranes and an insulating vapour control layer.
“For the roof, I wanted a product that would fit between the new trusses and achieve a U- value of perhaps 0.18,” he explained.
“I had experience of using solid PUR insulation and wanted something that was more effective, quicker to install and cleaner. If it could be done more effectively on cost, then that was a major consideration.
“It is a clean process and avoids the risk of breathing in particles of PUR foam. There is no mess to clean up after work.”
The Actis Hybrid range was recommended by a colleague in local building control – and he ordered the suggested 185mm Hybris via Encon.