Builders in the Cotswolds
New homes, barn conversions and renovations in the Cotswolds.
We build and renovate homes across the North Cotswolds, from Bourton-on-the-Water and Stow to Burford, Kingham and Winchcombe, with stonework, joinery and interiors that respect the landscape around them.
Pictured: Fox Hill, Bourton-on-the-Water
790
square miles of the Cotswolds National Landscape
15
council areas it stretches across
144
conservation areas in Cotswold District alone
Building in a protected landscape
In the Cotswolds, the best new work looks as if it has always belonged.
Honey-coloured limestone, stone slate roofs, oak and lime are what give a Cotswold village its character, and the planning rules are written to protect them. We plan materials, proportions and detailing from the first sketch, so an extension, a barn conversion or a new house sits naturally beside its neighbours and has the best chance at planning.
Bourton-on-the-Water
Fox Hill
A whole-house renovation of a Cotswold stone farmhouse. We took up the ground floor finishes and laid limestone throughout, fitted Victorian-style column radiators and added panelling and cabinetry made for each room. The games room has reclaimed panelling on its vaulted ceiling, an internal Juliet balcony and bespoke bookcases.
- Limestone flooring throughout
- Four-column radiators
- Reclaimed panelling
- Internal Juliet balcony
- Bespoke bookcases
- Sliding glazing in the sun room
Burford
Corn Barn, a barn conversion
Every trace of the previous interiors was removed to create a new home inside the original structure. We built a bespoke kitchen, bathrooms and utility room, joinery shaped around the trusses and a mezzanine, and fitted a smart electrical system throughout.
The centrepiece is an underground wine cellar beneath an electrically operated glass floor.
Towns and villages
Where we work in the Cotswolds.
Bourton-on-the-Water
Stone cottages and family houses along the River Windrush. Fox Hill, our whole-house renovation, is here.
Stow-on-the-Wold
At around 800 feet, the highest town in the Cotswolds, with a historic market square of stone townhouses where conservation area rules shape every change.
Moreton-in-Marsh
A market town on the Fosse Way, where Cotswold stone high-street houses sit alongside newer estates suited to kitchen extensions and refurbishments.
Upper and Lower Slaughter
Two small villages on the River Eye, where conservation area rules and listed buildings shape almost every change. Work here is mostly careful renovation of period houses.
Burford
A hillside high street running down to the Windrush, and home to Corn Barn. Burford is in Oxfordshire, so planning goes to West Oxfordshire District Council.
Kingham
A village in West Oxfordshire close to the Gloucestershire border, where we renovate and extend stone houses and cottages.
Winchcombe
A small town below Sudeley Castle with its own conservation area. Planning here goes to Tewkesbury Borough Council rather than Cotswold District.
Further afield
Northleach, Chipping Campden and the villages in between. For Cirencester, Bibury and Fairford, see our Cirencester page.
Planning in the Cotswolds
More rules, and good reasons for them.
Which council decides depends on the village: Cotswold District for most of the area, West Oxfordshire for Burford and Kingham, and Tewkesbury Borough for Winchcombe. We manage the applications as part of our design service.
Our design service →- The National Landscape. Around 80% of Cotswold District sits inside it. Side extensions, cladding and two-storey rear extensions are not permitted development here, so they need planning permission.
- Barn conversions. The permitted development route for turning farm buildings into homes doesn’t apply in a National Landscape, so a barn conversion needs a full planning application.
- The Cotswold Design Code. Cotswold District Council’s design guide covers everything from householder extensions to new homes, including materials, scale and detailing.
- Conservation areas and listed buildings. With 144 conservation areas in Cotswold District, most village homes are in one, and many older houses are listed.
What we build here
Our services in the Cotswolds.
New homes and barn conversions
Bespoke new homes, replacement dwellings and conversions of agricultural buildings, taken from planning through to the final fittings.
- New build homes designed to the Cotswold Design Code
- Barn conversions that keep trusses, stone and openings
- Heating and power from Precision Green Energy
Extensions and renovations
Stone extensions, whole-house renovations and interiors for cottages, farmhouses and village houses.
- Home extensions in matching stone
- Renovations of listed and period homes
- Interiors, kitchens and joinery by Decoris
FAQs
Building in the Cotswolds
Can I convert a barn into a house in the Cotswolds?
Often, yes, but not through permitted development. Inside the National Landscape a barn conversion needs a full planning application, and the council will expect the original character to survive. Corn Barn in Burford shows what’s possible.
Do I need planning permission to extend my house?
It depends on the house. Some single-storey rear extensions are still permitted development, but in the National Landscape side extensions, two-storey rear extensions and cladding need permission, and listed homes need listed building consent. We check your address and handle the application.
Can you source stone and slates to match?
Yes. We match stone colour, size and coursing to the original, and use natural or reclaimed stone slates where the roof calls for them.
Which villages do you cover?
Across the North Cotswolds, including Bourton-on-the-Water, Stow-on-the-Wold, Moreton-in-Marsh, Upper and Lower Slaughter, Burford, Kingham, Winchcombe, Northleach and Chipping Campden.
Can you renovate a listed cottage?
Yes. We survey what’s original first, agree the scope with the conservation officer through listed building consent, and use traditional materials such as lime where the building needs them.
Building in the Cotswolds?
Tell us about your home, barn or plot. We reply to every enquiry within 24 hours.