Seaside Chalet Bungalow — Extension & Retrofit
Reimagining a coastal home for modern family life
A coastal home should make the most of where it is. This 1970s chalet bungalow has a generous garden and a wonderful seaside setting, but its original layout and construction no longer offered the space, comfort or connection to the outdoors that a modern family needs.
Our proposals demonstrate how thoughtful extension and retrofit can transform an existing coastal property without losing the scale and character that make it feel at home in its neighbourhood.
Rather than replacing the bungalow, we have reimagined it. Carefully considered extensions at ground and first-floor level create generous new living spaces and improve the relationship between the rooms, garden and coastal outlook. Larger, better-positioned openings bring in more natural light and create stronger connections to outdoor living, while a simplified contemporary form gives the home a fresh architectural identity.
For coastal properties, extending is about more than simply creating extra floor area. It is an opportunity to fundamentally improve how a home performs and feels. The proposals combine the benefits of a new extension with a comprehensive retrofit of the existing bungalow, creating a home that is warmer in winter, cooler in summer and more comfortable throughout the year.
The design responds to the increasingly demanding coastal climate, with improved insulation, airtightness, high-performance triple glazing and carefully considered solar shading. The new roof is designed to achieve high levels of thermal performance, while the existing structure is upgraded with external wall insulation and airtight detailing.
Low-carbon technology is integrated into the architecture rather than added as an afterthought. An air source heat pump, mechanical ventilation with heat recovery, photovoltaic roofing and battery storage work together to reduce energy demand and improve the home's resilience for the future.
The existing concrete floor and blockwork construction also provide useful thermal mass, helping to moderate internal temperatures as the seasons change. The result is a home designed not only for today's family life, but for the hotter summers and colder, wetter winters that coastal properties increasingly need to withstand.
Good design also considers the neighbours. Despite the property's generous garden, overlooking and overshadowing were carefully assessed from the outset. By addressing these issues during the feasibility stage, we were able to develop a proposal that balances the ambitions of the homeowner with a sensitive response to the surrounding homes and gardens.
We also involved a local building contractor early in the process, providing valuable budget cost advice while the design was still at feasibility stage. This helps ensure that architectural ambition is grounded in a realistic understanding of construction costs from the beginning.
This project illustrates what can be achieved when an existing coastal home is seen not as a limitation, but as an opportunity: more space, better performance, stronger connections to the outdoors and a distinctive contemporary character—all while making the most of the home and location you already have.
