Case Study 2 – Crucks Frame Extension, Conservatory & Garage

Mr and Mrs Hewitt approached us with their dream of adding cruck frame extensions to their property. The Crucks frame dates back many years but it proves most popular in the medieval period. It comprises of two ‘A’ shaped structures, these are two naturally curved oak beams (crucks blades) with a top horizontal beam.  The shape is very advantageous as it carries the entire roof load to the ground.

The first extension includes a ground floor and second storey bedroom extension.  The groundfloor extension entailed a contemporary open plan kitchen and dining area, including underfloor heating, cream country farm house cupboard and cabinets and the yearned kitchen island, All of which fashioned to compliment the charming  Welsh dresser. The ceiling is bright white, scattered with natural oak beams and embellished with warm white spot lights.  Traditional farm house dining table poses in the centre of the diner area, offering itself for essential family meal times. The bedroom boasts a similar scattering with structural grade green oak beams fixed by traditional motis and tenon joints with kiln dried pegs.

On the exterior the kitchen has a mono-pitched roof with two Velux windows. Matching oak joinery of the single storey extension and crucks frame joins the two seamlessly. The exterior of the crucks frame presents French solid oak patio doors surrounded by large double glazed glass panes allowing light to engulf the kitchen diner throughout the day. The same French solid oak patio doors are used in the extended bedroom above that open onto a Juliette balcony. A side personnel door at the far left side of the kitchen opens out into the granary grounds. Finally the existing flat roofed dorma windows were remodelled into pitched roof dormas to match the new dormas.

The twinning second extension was completed a few years later, a similar sized project compromising of a south-west facing reading room and additional guest bed room. Again existing dorma windows were remodelled to pitched. Alongside the new extension, a long two-bay garage with mansard roof and personnel door for access to the rear of the property was built. Both of the crucks frame extensions feature detailed canter leaver (overhanging first floor detail).

Our most recent project completed at this property was a oak framed conservatory. Firstly, we removed the existing rotten timber framed conservatory. The new conservatory was built with structural grade green oak frame, double glazed windows, underfloor heating and a fully vaulted ceiling.

We really enjoyed all the controversial projects Mr and Mrs Hewitt proposed to us and their return custom has verified job satisfaction.