It’s been an interesting few weeks as we embark on the renovation of our home near the west coast of the island. The property – an old Guernsey cottage built in the early 1900s – sits amongst a small cluster of traditional buildings within the La Rocher conservation area. When we received the keys in 2022, we took on a well-maintained home. Internally, it was a little dated, but the landscaped gardens were immaculate. From the outset, the house presented compelling potential – and we knew that, when the time felt right, it would become a project worth tackling. Having lived in it for a while now, taking the time to explore the options and find a layout that truly works for us as a family will hopefully prove worthwhile in the long run – far better than rushing headfirst into a renovation.
Embracing change is exciting, particularly after three years of discussing the how. The delay has been partly financial, but also about ensuring that the complexities involved in modernising the property are justified. It’s been fun (and exhausting) arriving at a design that we believe will serve us well into the future. Living in the space has given us the chance to truly understand how each area functions — helping us uncover opportunities to improve the outlook, boost thermal performance, tackle damp issues, enhance the external appearance and ultimately unlock the home’s full potential.
Of course, reality has a habit of cutting through ambition. Returning to the fundamentals – functionality and simplicity – has been a grounding exercise. You can imagine how the multitude of ideas I’ve brought to the table have driven my wife up the wall at times. But working together has always been essential – especially before committing to the planning application stage.
As an architectural technologist, I work on client projects every day. Applying that professional insight to our own home has been important – but so too has stepping back. Being the ‘client’ yourself brings a different set of emotions, and sometimes it’s vital to trust the project team to do what they do best.
Clearing out the house over Easter weekend was surprisingly cathartic. After numerous trips to the charity shop, Longue Hougue and moving into our ‘temporary’ accommodation, much to the delight of my in-laws receiving a family of four – plus Jude, our energetic two-year-old Labrador. I’m sure they’ll love the ‘quality’ time with their grandchildren… though the decibel levels have increased by at least 50 most days. I’m genuinely very fortunate to have such supportive in-laws.
It’s been a frantic adjustment in a short space of time – and a poignant one too. Change is always emotional, especially in a home filled with memories. Not just our own, but those from generations before us, who enjoyed this place that we now have the privilege to call home.
Now, it’s time for transformation – a momentum that’s been steadily building over the past year. Throughout the design phase, the support from Planning and Conservation has been invaluable and earlier this year we were delighted to secure Roger Martel and his experienced team, who have hit the ground running.
As is often the case with older properties, demolition unearthed a few surprises – some delightful, others less so. We discovered an old well, a hidden set of original steps that threatened complications with the new floor structure, a few dead mice in the loft and beneath the plastered bathroom walls, some stunning historic granite.
This is just the beginning of the journey. Let’s see how it unfolds and let’s hope for a dry summer, with no further surprises…