1 Dewey's Place, Donhead St Mary

Built in 2004, this detached three-bedroom house was heated with an oil fired boiler and had cheap softwood windows, installed by the developer. The front faces North, and the South aspect is shaded by the next door house, meaning that with little or no solar gain, the property was always cold. Over the years we have converted the loft, installing a good quantity of windows to let the light and sun in, added solar PV panels, an air source heat pump and new windows.

We have an electric car and try to cycle as much as possible for local errands. The garden is pretty wild, which the insects seem to like. Being ‘bad birdwatchers’ we try to encourage the birdlife. The swallow box is inhabited by jackdaws and the swifts have scorned our deluxe boxes in favour of alternative accommodation across the street. The house martins have regularly nested under the north facing eaves, but sadly the swallows that used to nest in the car port have been absent for several years now. Despite the small garden, we even had a pair of wood pigeons rear two broods this summer.

We obtain our electricity from a Wiltshire based 100% renewable energy supplier.

Apologies, but there is no wheelchair access to the house itself, but this can be arranged to the garden. Please note that there are steps to enter and exit