Case study: Oak Meadows

In terms of aesthetic design, attention to detail and low energy performance, developer Calmont Homes has raised the quality bar at Oak Meadows, a new development of 61 family homes in the village of Middleton St George. 

‘We wanted to differentiate Oak Meadows from nearby new build developments by creating homes that had a real connection to their woodland location,’ says Ben Hall, Calmont Group Director. ‘We also wanted to build homes which really stood out, both architecturally and in their use of carefully selected high quality building products.’

‘Very impressed with the composite frame’

This commitment to quality led Ben and his team to specify VELFAC composite windows and doors for every home. ‘I’d previously seen the VELFAC system installed in a commercial project and had been very impressed with the composite frame design, especially the natural wood inner window frame,’ says Ben. ‘This was just what we were looking for at Oak Meadows where every property enjoys views through wood-framed windows (finished in a clear lacquer) to the trees beyond, which creates a real bridge between each home and its surroundings. A number of homes also feature a first floor terrace, placed within the tree canopy, with a frameless balustrade to minimise any disruption to the view. Here the light comes through the trees and filters into the room through large VELFAC sliding patio doors, really changing how the space feels over the course of the day and the year.’

Many buyers move to Oak Meadows from Victorian homes and are used to big rooms and high ceilings, Ben says, ‘but we can replicate this by using large slim-framed VELFAC windows to increase levels of natural light, with solar gain not really an issue as most homes are shaded by nearby trees.’ Distinctive loft-level windows are a perfect example of this approach, where VELFAC units combine with roof windows (from sister company VELUX) to create windows which wrap around the eaves bring maximum daylight into the roof space.

Adding differentiation with VELFAC

Externally, Ben has made full use of the distinctive VELFAC frame to add further differentiation to the development: ‘We put a great deal of thought and effort into facade design at Oak Meadows,’ he explains. ‘Our aim was to achieve ‘deliberate randomness’ by combining a variety of brick and cladding designs, with VELFAC windows and doors adding continuity and character. For example, all external VELFAC aluminium frames are finished in Green/Grey, and doors in Reed Green, but we’ve also introduced a ‘pop’ colour - a bright yellow frame - to draw attention to a particular feature within the facade.’

The uniformity of the VELFAC frame adds further coherence to the development, ‘and I also really like the way the windows are fixed using Compriband tape rather than silicon,’ says Ben. ‘This results in a recessed seal and shadow gap which underlines the linearity of the window frame, in turn complementing the rational style of architecture used at Oak Meadows. Buyers may not immediately appreciate this level of detail,’ he adds, ‘but it adds another layer of quality and contributes to the impression that this is a very different type of development. As a result, the windows and doors add value to the individual houses, which translates into greater profitability when the homes are sold.’

Triple glazing for a small price premium

In terms of performance, Ben had little hesitation in choosing triple glazing for Oak Meadows: ‘As the price premium was so small, it simply made sense to opt for triple glazing throughout. Triple glazing supports the energy efficiency of every home and provides additional acoustic insulation from traffic on a nearby road, with acoustic trickle vents also installed. It was a relatively low cost way to give buyers an additional benefit,’ he says.

VELFAC also provided technical help and assistance throughout the build: ‘We liaised closely with Steve, our VELFAC contact, who was brilliant - always there to help answer technical queries, and was especially helpful when managing the sequencing of deliveries during the installation phase,’ says Ben. ‘We decided to handle installation ourselves,’ he adds, ’and to help us VELFAC delivered a series of training courses, both on site and at their training facilities, to ensure our team could fit the windows to the performance standard required, and achieve the aesthetic finish which has been so important to Oak Meadows’ success.’