Turning an existing outbuilding or annexe into a self-contained holiday let usually means checking the existing foundations are up to the job, running in a new water and drainage supply, insulating it properly, and fitting it out as a genuine self-catering space rather than a converted shed.
Where the plan is a new build cottage or lodge for letting, we run the whole project ourselves from your architect's drawings, through groundworks and the shell, to first fix, second fix and the final finish.
A holiday let has to cope with guests you have never met, changing over week after week, in a way a family home never has to. That means fire safety and clear escape routes built in properly rather than added later, harder wearing finishes in kitchens and bathrooms, and a layout that makes a quick changeover clean straightforward. We build to that standard from the outset, because retrofitting it once the let is open for bookings is far more disruptive.
If you are running or planning a glamping site, we build the amenity buildings that support it, shower and toilet blocks, utility rooms and similar structures, along with the drainage, power and hot water they need to work properly.
Kitchens and bathrooms in a holiday let earn their keep differently to a family home. We specify finishes that hold up to regular guest use and are easy to clean between stays, without it ending up looking like a hotel room rather than a proper cottage.
We come out and look at the property or the plot, and talk through what you actually want to offer guests rather than a standard product. That covers whether you are converting an existing building or starting from a bare plot, what the ground and any existing drainage are doing, and what your architect's drawings already show, if you have them. If you do not have drawings yet, we will tell you honestly whether you need an architect or a technician can get you through planning for less. From there you get a written quote setting out what is included.
Converting a building for letting or putting up a new structure to let out can trigger a change of use application, on top of the ordinary planning question of whether you are allowed to build at all. Building regulations apply on every job regardless, and a property let to paying guests has extra requirements around fire safety and escape routes that a family home does not. We check the position for your site and tell you plainly what applies before anything is agreed.
Whether we are converting an outbuilding or starting a new cottage from a bare plot, the ground comes first. Foundations, drainage for the kitchen and bathroom, and a proper power supply on its own circuit all have to go in before the building itself takes shape, and getting this stage right is what stops problems showing up once the let is open for guests.
Once the shell is watertight, first fix electrics and plumbing go in, followed by insulation, plasterboard and the kitchen or bathroom fit-out. We finish holiday lets to a standard built for repeated guest use rather than a one-off family finish, and snag it properly before you take your first booking.