Fox Hill House, Bourton-on-the-Water
Project Overview
Fox Hill House is a historic five-bedroom detached property close to Bourton-on-the-Water in the heart of the Cotswolds. Originally built in 1925 using traditional Cotswold stone, it boasts original period features, including inglenook fireplaces and mullion windows, alongside additional outbuildings.
Following the purchase of the property in 2022, the client began a renovation project to enhance the existing buildings while preserving their historic character. Plans involved converting an existing storage building into a garage with room for grounds maintenance equipment. Planning permission was granted in 2025, with GWB Roofing Ltd appointed to complete the works.
Challenges
The project presented a number of technical challenges.
Ensuring this 100-year-old wooden and stone structure could bear the weight of a heavier modern roof required detailed weight calculations.
Its timber structure also left the building vulnerable to fire, meaning torch-applied systems would be unsuitable, and even hazardous. Such installation methods would also require open-flame permits and additional insurance cover, which could significantly raise project costs.
The finished roof also had to sit comfortably within its historic surroundings. In order to preserve and complement the building’s character, particular care was required when finishing details such as upstands, drainage outlets and perimeters.
As the project was being delivered for a private residential client, maintaining firm control over costs was a priority. GWB Roofing Ltd was keen to protect the agreed budget from fluctuating material and product costs.
Solution
GWB Roofing Ltd began by reviewing the building’s historic records and examining the timber deck to identify required repairs and hidden structural weaknesses.
These initial surveys enabled the team to specify load limits before selecting a combination of IKO products that would place minimal structural stress on the building while maximising thermal performance. Products included the hot-air welded IKO Armourplan P system, which would provide long-lasting weatherproofing without the use of naked flames during installation.
The installation team employed hot-air welding techniques on all IKO Armourplan P laps, creating sealed watertight joints across the entire 300m² surface. IKO enertherm GOLD PIR boards were tightly butted and correctly staggered, eliminating thermal bridging and ensuring maximum energy efficiency.
IKO Spectravap AVCL was laid smoothly with fully sealed laps, creating an uncompromised, airtight barrier directly over the timber substrate. Special attention was given to complex upstands, drainage outlets and perimeter handovers in order to preserve the historic character of the building line.
GWB Roofing Ltd adhered strictly to the calculated wind uplift pattern, installing mechanical fasteners into the timber deck at a uniform depth and spacing to prevent any membrane stress.
Project name and location:
Fox Hill House, Bourton-on-the-Water
Main IKO system:
IKO Armourplan single ply roofing and waterproofing system
Area:
300m2
Project sector: