With one half of the couple carving out a career as a Project Manager, and having previously built three homes in Cornwall, Octagon’s latest Bespoke customers know a thing or two about the property industry.
Moving into the Esher area a number of years ago, Mr & Mrs Greaves bought a 150 year old, late Georgian/early Victorian relatively run down property on a large plot just off the town’s high street, which came complete with an outdoor pool and a tennis court. When the house and grounds became too much upkeep for the couple, they considered moving. But, realising the potential of their plot, decided to instead look into knocking down and starting again from scratch.
“As we had just over an acre of land, we knew there was plenty of space for two new homes to built in the place of our one,” explains Mrs Greaves.
“We took our time interviewing potential developers, to find out what options were available to us and ended up speaking to six different companies! In the end, Octagon really stood out to us, and we started planning the next steps.”
Drawn to the stability of the luxury housebuilder and the unrivalled quality they offered, Mrs Greaves continues; “Octagon have been going for a long time, and have consistently weathered the multiple changes in the property market, which is no mean feat and something that instilled confidence within us.
“They have been building luxury homes for a long time, and know our area incredibly well – we’ve discovered through our previous self-build homes that local knowledge is a very important thing to have.”
Splitting the larger plot in two, Octagon worked alongside Mr & Mrs Greaves to create their dream home, handling everything from planning permissions and design to demolition and building. Viewing other Octagon homes was something that helped the couple considerably, when deciding the type of build they were seeking.
“We ended up going to see over 10 of Octagon’s properties and taking inspiration and ideas from each – it’s so hard to envisage certain things when you’re only seeing them on paper, so the viewings really helped.”
From the type of brick and flooring used to the classic wooden bannister inspired by their previous home, the couple were keen to express their own ideas, which Octagon took into consideration when creating the final designs.
Mrs Greaves says; “We see this house as somewhere we’re going to grow old and retire in, so we wanted to ensure it was manageable for us both, which even includes the garden. We’re keen gardeners but the whole plot was simply too much maintenance for us, so now we have something we can enjoy without it feeling like a burden.”
Octagon architect Joe Taylor led on the project, ensuring the ground floor was completely wheelchair accessible and there was plenty of space for any adaptations the Greaves may require further down the line.
“Joe was very understanding, and really helped us to think about the different things we may or may not need.”
They retained the original fireplace from the previous house, installing a wood burner within to really give a traditional feel. Of the five bedrooms, which are frequently used by visiting grandchildren, the smallest room has been converted into a sewing room.
With their own home finished and the couple moving in before next door’s new build, Southlands, is complete, Mrs Greaves has struck up something of a friendship with Octagon’s build team.
“I’ve got to know them quite well, and they’re very helpful. We’ve been very happy with the service from start to finish.”
