The Tindsleys five-bedroom house near Banbury will be a happy hive of activity this festive season

This Christmas, Andrew and Chris Tindsley can’t wait to invite their extended family to their new-build home in the countryside.

‘There’s plenty of room here for all,’ says Chris. ‘For the last few years, it’s been just the two of us and our Labrador Ronnie. But now we’re looking forward to early-morning present opening, a dog walk around the fields, then a traditional turkey lunch.’

‘Followed by falling asleep in a quiet corner,’ adds Andrew.

Great British Life: Andrew and Chris Tindsley's five-bedroom house near Banbury, OxfordshireAndrew and Chris Tindsley's five-bedroom house near Banbury, Oxfordshire (Image: Andrew and Chris Tindsley)

The Tindsleys have a large, detached five-bedroom house near Banbury – and it came about because of an earthquake.

For, in 2011, the couple spent 18 months in New Zealand following the disastrous Christchurch earthquake. Andrew is a landscape architect and urban designer, and his skills were much in demand for the rebuilding of the city. The couple were very taken by the local modern architecture with its timber-framed houses and zinc roofs, and the impression lingered long after they returned to the UK.

Great British Life: The five-bedroom house constructed from structural insulated panels with zinc roofThe five-bedroom house constructed from structural insulated panels with zinc roof (Image: Fraser Marr)

Great British Life: The red leather sofa and chair in the snug/library are from Marks and Spencer, and the shelving from IKEA. The fixed window has an iroko-clad ventilation panelThe red leather sofa and chair in the snug/library are from Marks and Spencer, and the shelving from IKEA. The fixed window has an iroko-clad ventilation panel (Image: Fraser Marr)

But when they went to view a 1960s dormer bungalow on a one-acre site in Oxfordshire, their first thought was to buy and renovate it, not to redevelop. That was in March 2016.

‘It was perched on top of a sloping site outside a village and had stunning views over the rolling countryside,’ says Chris. ‘At the time we were living in a cottage nearby, although Andrew was working in London where we also had a flat. We could see the site was fantastic, but at that point we hadn’t planned a new build.’

Great British Life: The dining table is by Mathew Hilton, and the chairs are Vitra. They and the rug are all from Heals. The pendant lamps are by NorthernThe dining table is by Mathew Hilton, and the chairs are Vitra. They and the rug are all from Heals. The pendant lamps are by Northern (Image: Fraser Marr)

Great British Life: The kitchen units were supplied by Unitech with Caesarstone worktops by Mandarin Stone. The flooring is engineered oak found throughout most of the houseThe kitchen units were supplied by Unitech with Caesarstone worktops by Mandarin Stone. The flooring is engineered oak found throughout most of the house (Image: Fraser Marr)

Great British Life: The dining table and console cupboard are by Mathew Hilton, and the chairs are Vitra. They and the rug are all from Heals. The pendant lamps are by NorthernThe dining table and console cupboard are by Mathew Hilton, and the chairs are Vitra. They and the rug are all from Heals. The pendant lamps are by Northern (Image: Fraser Marr)

However, having consulted a local architect – Simon Hayward of Hayward Smart Architects – they decided to demolish the bungalow and start afresh.

‘When we factored in the 20 per cent deduction we would get in VAT, we could see a new build was quite a good idea,’ says Chris. ‘Especially as the bungalow needed a lot of expensive renovation.’

Simon came up with a plan for a five-bedroom house constructed from SIPS (structural insulated panels) and the desired zinc roof, plus a striking zinc-clad box projecting over the glazed hall space.

Great British Life: The Velfac double doors in the oak-framed garden room are in frameless glass in oak poster beams. The lighting was designed by Lightmaster Direct, and the roof lights are from the Rooflight Company. The coffee table is from Made, with sofas from HealsThe Velfac double doors in the oak-framed garden room are in frameless glass in oak poster beams. The lighting was designed by Lightmaster Direct, and the roof lights are from the Rooflight Company. The coffee table is from Made, with sofas from Heals (Image: Fraser Marr)

Great British Life: The sofa and shelving unit in the sitting room are from Heals, and the sheepskin rug from MadeThe sofa and shelving unit in the sitting room are from Heals, and the sheepskin rug from Made (Image: Fraser Marr)

Great British Life: The sofa and shelving unit in the sitting room are from Heals, and the sheepskin rug from MadeThe sofa and shelving unit in the sitting room are from Heals, and the sheepskin rug from Made (Image: Fraser Marr)

‘We ensured the proposed building was the same footprint as the old one, as we thought we could re-use the original foundations,’ says Simon. ‘Unfortunately, in some places they were too thin so we had to widen them. But the actual form we have now is not much changed, except we added a two-storey extension at the front with a mono-pitch gable facing the road. We also increased the ground floor footprint at the rear of the house, with an oak-framed garden room projecting out from the kitchen-dining-sitting room.’

They also had to keep the ridge line as low as possible to match the ridge line of the property next door and also that of the original bungalow. ‘It’s not a full two-storey house by any means, but quite a low building,’ he adds.

It took between 10 and 11 weeks for planning consent and there were only six conditions imposed – ‘all quite minor,’ says Chris.

Great British Life: The flooring in this guest bedroom is engineered oak by JFJ Wood Flooring of Devon, and the window is by Zelfac in powdered aluminium on the exterior, lacquered pine on the interior. The bench and carpet are both from MadeThe flooring in this guest bedroom is engineered oak by JFJ Wood Flooring of Devon, and the window is by Zelfac in powdered aluminium on the exterior, lacquered pine on the interior. The bench and carpet are both from Made (Image: Fraser Marr)

READ MORE: A lovely home on the edge of Tewkesbury Marina

The Tindsleys decided that if Chris became project manager, they could keep costs down further so she began getting costings for everything from the SIPs panels to the mechanical heating ventilation system.

‘We also approached a number of builders, and employed Paul Merrick,’ says Chris.

Fortunately, they were able to remain in the cottage while the work lasted.

‘We actually received planning permission to include a swimming pool, but dropped that idea,’ says Chris. ‘Instead, we have built a gym with shower room, some extra kitchen area, a greenhouse and some storage. So altogether it’s some 430 sq m – including the garage.’

Great British Life: The flooring in the main first-floor bedroom is engineered oak by JFJ Wood Flooring of Devon, and the Juliet balcony can be seen through the Velfac door with frameless glass. The bed and bedside cabinets are both from ErcolThe flooring in the main first-floor bedroom is engineered oak by JFJ Wood Flooring of Devon, and the Juliet balcony can be seen through the Velfac door with frameless glass. The bed and bedside cabinets are both from Ercol (Image: Fraser Marr)

Great British Life: The flooring in the main first-floor bedroom is engineered oak by JFJ Wood Flooring of Devon. The bed and bedside cabinets are both from ErcolThe flooring in the main first-floor bedroom is engineered oak by JFJ Wood Flooring of Devon. The bed and bedside cabinets are both from Ercol (Image: Fraser Marr)

Work began in July 2017 when the old bungalow was demolished then groundworks began in August. Foundations were complete by the end of the month. It then took three weeks to erect the SIPs panels and the watertight shell. Finally, the house was complete by October 2018. ‘We moved in on December 18, 2018, with six tradesmen still frantically working round us,’ says Chris. ‘There were still some things to be ironed out; for instance, the mechanical heating ventilation system kept cutting out, and whenever we switched on the lighting the DAB radio signal went off. It was just a case of changing the lighting drivers.

‘Obviously there was still the landscaping to do – the trees were delivered to our gate, and for one particular huge birch we had to ask a farmer to help us using his forklift tractor.’

Great British Life: The bath in the family bathroom is from Victoria and Albert, and the vanity unit from Roper RhodesThe bath in the family bathroom is from Victoria and Albert, and the vanity unit from Roper Rhodes (Image: Fraser Marr)

Great British Life: The tiles in the en-suite bathroom are from Mandarin Stone, and the bath and vanity unit from Roper Rhodes, all supplied by Shipston BathroomsThe tiles in the en-suite bathroom are from Mandarin Stone, and the bath and vanity unit from Roper Rhodes, all supplied by Shipston Bathrooms (Image: Fraser Marr)

Great British Life: The tiles in the en-suite bathroom are from Mandarin Stone, and vanity unit from Roper Rhodes, all supplied by Shipston BathroomsThe tiles in the en-suite bathroom are from Mandarin Stone, and vanity unit from Roper Rhodes, all supplied by Shipston Bathrooms (Image: Fraser Marr)

The stunning new house could not be more different from the 1960s bungalow. It has been designed to maximise views of the rear garden and landscape beyond, with full-height openings to ground and first floor. As part of the mechanical heating ventilation system, there is an air-source heat pump and underfloor heating on both floors.

She finishes, ‘We are really happy with our house. It’s so comfortable, spacious and light. Every time we return home it raises our spirits and makes us smile.’

Great British Life: Ronnie the Labrador gets in the Christmas spiritRonnie the Labrador gets in the Christmas spirit (Image: Andrew and Chris Tindsley)

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Great British Life: The roof and window surrounds are of zinc with iroko weather boarding, and the stonework is ironstone from a quarry at Great TewThe roof and window surrounds are of zinc with iroko weather boarding, and the stonework is ironstone from a quarry at Great Tew (Image: Fraser Marr)