Projects

Suffolk Village Self Build

"It made complete sense to use Beattie Passive to provide the best living environment available for my family"
Chediston
Made In The UK
Client
Mrs Williamson / Mr Badger
Location
Chediston, Suffolk
Units
1
m2
95
Delivery Method
Structural Thermal Envelope
U Value - Walls and Roof
0.11 W/m²k
U value - Floor
0.09 W/m²k
Airtightness
0.412 hm²@50Pa

A traditional style with modern features, this 4-bedroom home in the small Suffolk Village has been built and certified to the exemplar standards of Passivhaus. The 195m2 house has a spacious open plan kitchen / dining room which opens up onto a secluded courtyard garden.

“Having completed months of research on different construction methods, it was an easy choice to choose Beattie Passive. We wanted to build a home that would be energy efficient and would provide energy security for the future. We thought why would we continue to pay through the roof for heating when we just won’t need to with a Passivhaus? The great comfort and health benefits are also a plus. My wife suffers from hay fever and the benefits from the new ventilation system will ensure she is not suffering from living in such beautiful countryside. Beattie Passive offers so many added benefits – fire, sound and radon protection to name a few that it made complete sense to use this innovative system to provide the best living environment available for my family. The team at Beattie Passive have been great right from the start, helping us through the process and providing advice and reassurance. It was great to see the manufacture of the panels in the factory and we are very much looking forward to finishing our dream home”
Mr Badger
Client

Interview with the client

Why did you choose to build your own home? 

We had been looking to build for some time, so when our family offered us a build plot that already had planning permission, we jumped at the chance to design and build a home that would be unique to us. We wanted to build as energy efficient as possible, so we began our research into Passivhaus. 

What led you to building with Beattie Passive over traditional brick and block? How and why did you approach Beattie Passive?

We wanted our home to be highly energy efficient, so after much research we decided on Beattie Passive. They offer much more than the traditional brick and block builders and, compared to other Passivhaus builders, offered much higher quality on all elements of the build. The higher fire and sound protection that Beattie Passive offer also particularly appealed. 

How did you hear about Beattie Passive? 

We have a family friend who had built their home with Beattie Passive and spoke highly of the company and their service. We met the Beattie Passive team at a trade show, during one of our research trips and were able to ask lots of questions and find out more about their Passivhaus build experience. 

How did you find the build process?

We were surprised at how quickly the house went up! It was erected and watertight in a matter of weeks. The process was so quick and smooth, we were expecting it to take months, especially based on friends experience who have built in the traditional method!

What has been the best part of the build? 

The best part has been watching the house grow and evolve, seeing our dream becoming a reality. We also loved being able to make decisions on each room as it was built as it was much easier to visualise the finished result. 

What’s been the worst part?

The waiting to move in. 

If you had the opportunity, would you build a Passivhaus again? 

Definitely! With energy prices constantly rising, it doesn’t make sense to build any other way. Its not just energy either, the temperature is always comfortable, summer through to winter – perfect. The air also feels fresher, I suffer from hayfever in the summer and I now have a pollen free home, despite the rapeseed growing in the adjacent field.

How were the Beattie Passive team to work with?

The whole team were fantastic from start to finish. I worked collaboratively with our architect, to finish the design in the Beattie Passive System. We visited the factory to see the manufacture of our home and met some of the offsite team who made us feel at ease with the whole process. They were all so professional and always willing to answer our questions and show us what was happening on site. I would highly recommend getting to know the team and understanding all the elements of building your own home. It makes it that little bit more special to see it go from nothing to a home.