Bespoke Builds and Project Management Services

As a team we are able to push beyond the realms of providing traditional builds and conversions as we also have the collective skill set to produce bespoke and unique builds for our clients. In 2021 we were given the opportunity to be the main contractor for a bespoke build situated in Lee, North Devon. The site was a tricky one as it had to be cut into a virgin bank in the middle of a steep section of woodland. The site in question was 450m away from any road, roughly 150m away from the closest services, had no vehicle access to it and we were provided with the basic architectural drawings and a 6 month deadline. The clients had a vision and a keen eye for quality and detail but this vision was not physically documented which meant the build evolved on a regular basis, the design features were amended as we went along and all of which was completed during the height of a global pandemic. The ability to adapt to difficulties such as this meant that we could provide the best possible outcome for our clients. All-in-all, it was an incredibly tricky build to deal with as we had to work with Building Control, Structural Engineers, Manufacturers and third party trades on a just in time basis.

Just one of the many examples of the difficulties we were faced with this build was in relation to the polished concrete floors. It was impossible to get the ready mixed concrete onto the site, therefore, we had to park the lorry 450m away, we had two dumper trucks relaying back and forth through off-road terrain, tip each load into the large bucket of a manitou telehandler and lift it about 4m into each pod, where it was manhandled by a very talented polished floor tradesmen (Ollie James and his labourer). There were many elements to the build that were just as demanding as this process and they can be pointed out all over the build in the form of the massive dry stone retaining wall, the massive concrete block retaining walls, the large steel frame structures used to create the pods, the posi-joists used for the roof, the sedum-roof coverings, burning the Shou-Sugi-Ban timbers, fitting the large frameless glass and the list goes on.

The difficulties were however worth it as there are architectural triumphs to be seen everywhere on this site. The clients vision was unwavering, there attention to detail was uncompromising and it honestly led to the build being something to admire. The retreat has been fully booked since opening and it has been featured in many prestigious marketing locations. For example, it has been featured in Forbes magazine, Sunday Times, the Guardian and it was even featured on Channel 4’s Extraordinary Escapes (plus many more locations).

The finished product is testament that we can take on complex builds with little information and keep to strict deadlines. It shows that as a team we can provide features outside of your everyday house builds and that we only work with the best third-party tradesmen around.

We are proud of how this build looks and we look forward to taking on others builds like it in the future. Please feel free to check it out at Ravendere.co.uk