On the edge

Built on a plot overlooking a steep valley, Jane and Tim Trounce’s cantilevered home was built in defiance of gravity — and a whole load of project setbacks

- Amy Reeves

HOMEOWNERS Jane and Tim Trounce

LOCATION Bath

SIZE 250m2

CONSTRUCTION Floating raft foundations with steel frame and cantilever structure

BUILD TIME 19 months

PLOT COST £600,000 (in 2017)

BUILD COST Undisclosed

VALUE Unknown

First-time self-builders Jane and Tim Trounce battled a sloping site on the outskirts of Bath that drops off a cliff (quite literally), plus cowboy builders as well as suppliers running off with their money. But despite all the odds, the resulting home, filled with modern finishes, breathtaking views and eco credentials, more than makes up for all the strife involved.

How did you find such an idyllic plot?

Tim: We’d been living in Surrey for many years but we met in Bristol and always thought we would come back to the West Country. I persuaded Jane to look around this area but it’s not easy trying to find a plot.

Jane: When we started looking, we found this plot but it was quite expensive. Someone had previously bought the 1960s house that stood on the site, with a view to extending and redeveloping. They eventually obtained planning permission, but a subsequent geological survey revealed that the ground was not sufficiently stable to support the extension nor the original house. They then decided to sell.

A few months later, we came up here for a friend’s birthday and I wanted another look because I loved the location and the village so much. During the intervening time, the price had come down and we ended up making a successful offer.