The location of this off-the-grid building site is to remain one of Spey Building & Joinery Ltd’s best-kept secrets in accordance with their client’s wishes, and because there are few spots of natural beauty like this left to enjoy.
Naturally then, the new home project delivered by Spey Building & Joinery Ltd had to be equally as beautiful. The principle objective for this new home was to create accommodation and a separate workspace that blended with and complemented the stunning countryside surroundings. By using sustainable and locally sourced materials coupled with low-impact construction techniques, the integrity of the site was protected with minimum disturbance to the nearby peaty landscape.
The workforce lived locally throughout to cut down on transport costs to site and overcame unpredictable weather conditions as well as significant access restrictions along a steep, rough-access track to get the materials to site.
Spey Building & Joinery Ltd implemented several special features to give this home its own distinct identity, including Scottish larch cladding which was charred in order to change the molecular structure of the timber and enhance its weather resistance – a much needed attribute in this remote corner of the world. In addition, the team also installed solar thermal and PV panels as well as inverters, batteries, and wood stoves with thermal stores to ensure the remote property would be self-sufficient.
The sheer volume of cladding produced for the exterior walls and all the various roof angles was a truly impressive feat, amounting to 10 kilometres of 70mm-diameter boarding. This tremendous undertaking led Spey Building & Joinery Ltd to build their own 2.5m kiln on-site - complete with gas torches - to produce the cladding; demonstrating incredible ingenuity and capability on their part.
Spey Building & Joinery Ltd delivered this technically and logistically challenging build in a way few others ever could; demonstrating the concept of building better in majestic fashion.
