Native Architects, York

Retrofitting is the act of fitting new systems designed for high energy efficiency and low energy consumption to buildings previously built without them. Retrofitting a building also improves amenities for the building’s occupants and improves the performance of the building.

Native Architects were commissioned to carry out a full retrofit on a Georgian brick house located in the village of Bishop Wilton, a small village and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, situated approximately 4 miles (6 km) north of Pocklington and 6 miles (10 km) east of Stamford Bridge.

Our client was looking to downsize, and this building presented an opportunity to create an elegant comfortable house with level access and new accessible accommodation.  The work included a full modernisation and refurbishment of the two-storey house and attached outbuilding.

The house layout was replanned to improve flow and circulation to form an open plan kitchen/dining area. A new shallow rise painted timber staircase was installed to access guest bedrooms whist a new bedroom and ensuite was created on the ground floor in the attached outbuilding to suit the client’s mobility.

The energy efficiency of the building was significantly updated with our retrofit approach to the property.  This included removing the oil boiler serving the central heating system and replacing it with an air source heat pump which provides full underfloor heating throughout the ground floor of the house. New double glazed sash windows replaced the existing single glazed sash windows, and all new joinery was fitted throughout.

The house and attached outbuilding were externally insulated with wood fibre insulation with a lime render finish, all the roofs were insulated with wood fibre insulation and the whole of the interior was plastered with lime plaster.  The natural external wall insulation system brought with it the benefits of a breathable construction suitable for this period property with solid brick wall construction.

Our client moved into her new home in Spring 2022 and is delighted with the finished result and commented “how warm and comfortable the house is”.