Greenacre Building | Sustainable Builders + Lime Plasterers | South Devon, Plymouth, South Hams
Sustainable Building and Lime Plastering in South Devon, Plymouth and the South Hams

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— Eco design, thoughtful construction, happy houses

 
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Greenacre Building is a sustainable construction company in South Devon.

 
 
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Happy Houses

 
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About Greenacre Building

south Devon Sustainable Builders + Lime Plasterers

 
 

We believe that eco design, natural materials and thoughtful construction make for happy houses; and happy houses mean happy homeowners. Think warmth, comfort, light, space.

We offer a full design-and-build service including Passive House design. We also specialise in high-performance retrofit and lime plastering for both modern and heritage buildings.

 
 
 
“It was a pleasure to work with Dan and his team. Their commitment to sustainable principles and a thorough knowledge of traditional building techniques was obvious and the end result is of the highest standard. Without doubt the best team we have experience of in over 20 years of working on our listed property.”
— Judi Grant + Roger Busby - Keynsham
 
 
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Eco Design

 
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Our Approach

We believe that doing what’s right for the environment and what’s right for your home (and your wallet) can all be achieved by the same means.

 
 

To achieve this we think really carefully about your project - and build it even more carefully. And because we can manage your project from start to finish, nothing gets missed.

At the centre of our approach is a commitment to creating high-performance, energy-efficient homes using low-carbon natural materials. We care about getting it right.

 
Featured project
Let the house breathe
Let the house breathe

The whole house was stripped right back to brick and the original naturally breathable lime plaster. Over the years layer upon layer of modern synthetic paints, wallpaper and gypsum plaster had left the building completely unable to manage, leading to damp and mould.

As a solid brick building (which is naturally porous) breathability was a key element of our approach, making sure all the materials we used worked with the core structure to minimise damp and maximise thermal efficiency. Lime plaster, natural paint and sheeps wool/wood fibre board insulation was used throughout.

Open plan living
Open plan living

We opened up the whole of the ground floor, letting light spill through all three rooms no matter what the time of day.

This approach also has advantages from a thermal point of view as it allows for a consistent temperature throughout the whole space.

We also installed new FSC certified timber windows and doors throughout, including triple glazed on the colder north wall and aluminium clad (for minimal maintenance) double glazed on the back.

Natural materials combined with modern touches make the most of original Victorian features
Natural materials combined with modern touches make the most of original Victorian features
Solid floors
Solid floors

We removed the old floor joists, setting aside the beautiful wooden floorboards to be sanded and refinished, and filled the naughty void with a semi-permeable membrane and a non-wicking recycled glass aggregate insulation layer.

Underfloor heating
Underfloor heating

We then laid underfloor heating pipes throughout the whole of the ground floor, with a lime crete screed poured on top and the original floorboards battened on top.

Underfloor heating set into a slab of this kind helps the house to retain an incredibly constant temperature, as the slab continues to give off heat even after the heating has switched off.

Bespoke solid wood kitchen
Bespoke solid wood kitchen

We also did all the carpentry in the house, including this bespoke solid-wood kitchen. An exposed brick feature wall provides contrast to the natural wood and naturally painted lime plaster.

Whole house ventilation and water filter
Whole house ventilation and water filter

We installed a whole house OSMIO ceramic water filter and an ARECO ventilation system to maximise air and water quality and ensure adequate moisture management for the whole building.

Shot above shows the double Belfast-style sink with views out to the garden and log store. Window and door opens were maximised to let light floor into the house.

Beautiful garden with reclaimed brick patios
Beautiful garden with reclaimed brick patios

We completely re-landscaped the garden, taking out old concrete pathways and replacing them with reclaimed brick patios and wooden decking.

These bricks actually came out of the main house when we rebuilt the extension with more thermally efficient clay block.

We completely rebuilt the extension, which had significant structural damage, replacing brick with more thermally efficient clay block
We completely rebuilt the extension, which had significant structural damage, replacing brick with more thermally efficient clay block
Work in progress shots of the clay block build up of the rebuilt extension.

Work in progress shots of the clay block build up of the rebuilt extension.

 
 
“Dan and his team are awesome to work with... they really care about doing a good job, with good attention to detail on air tightness, proper insulation, good finishing and snagging. They’ve loaned me tools, taught me how to do jobs myself, and managed other contractors for me. Can’t recommend them highly enough.”
— Scott Davidson
 
 
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Let’s talk

If you like the sound of what we’re about give Dan a call on 0781 202 5977 for a chat about your project. Or drop us a message here: