George Clarke’s Remarkable Renovations sees Actis Hybrid play its second starring role
Actis Hybrid insulation has made its second appearance on one of George Clarke’s popular Remarkable Renovations TV programmes – helping insulate a Northamptonshire village hall for a couple looking for a rather grand retirement project!
Architectural designer Stuart Ellis and his wife Theresa had been looking to downsize to a bungalow when they changed tack, bought an old Victorian village school and decided to convert it into a dramatic, cosy, yet family friendly space for themselves, their guests and their visiting grandchildren.
Stuart, an architectural designer who runs a building firm, brought in his namesake (but no relation) Actis regional sales director Steve Ellis, to help him specify the insulation for the project.
The scheme saw Stuart and his builder son Jamie transform the double height building into a stunning home in just seven months while he and Theresa lived in a mobile home in the garden. The project had an added frisson – it needed to be completed before Jamie’s wedding – a feat he achieved with just three days to spare!
As well as creating a dramatic double height living area and kitchen, with mezzanine play room for the grandchildren and feature staircase, Stuart and Jamie installed new windows, demolished a 1970s toilet block and created a light filled garden room in its place. The home includes a downstairs bedroom and bathroom for Stuart and Theresa and two bedrooms and a guest bathroom for visitors on the first floor.
Steve specified 367 sq m of 50mm and 33 sq m of 105mm honeycomb style insulation Hybris, 180 sq m of insulating vapour control layer HControl Hybrid and 225 sq m of insulating breather membrane BoostR Hybrid Roof in the roof and walls of the existing property and the roof of the new build element. This achieved a U-value of 0.18 /m2K in both the extension and existing roof and 0.25/ /m2K in the walls of the original part of the property.
The pair purchased the hall and its neighbouring cottage for £485,000, sold the cottage to friends to fund the conversion, and spent around £310,000 on the building work – £20,000 of which was spent on new, bespoke aluminium windows.
Not content to rest on his laurels, the moment the new home was completed Stuart is already launching into another project - again using Actis Hybrid products.
Actis is no stranger to TV stardom. Its products are due to appear in yet another project in a different George Clarke series later in the year and also made an appearance on Nick Knowles’ DIY SOS.
Last summer saw Actis Hybrid’s first foray into George Clarke TV stardom when a couple renovated a former coach house in Staffordshire.
The programme can be watched here and plenty of photos and information about the project are available here.