An Off Grid Cottage Renovation
A little history:
The original cottage began life entirely built of stone with two ground floor rooms, one with a hearth and
chimney, and two small upstairs rooms with sloping ceilings.
At some point in the mid 19th century possibly in the 1860s the cottage was enlarged in brick with an
extension to the South to give an additional ground floor room and extra bedroom.
In the first half of the 19th century the cottage was thatched, with payments in 1812 and 1815 for “5 1/2
thrave of boltings” , the traditional units of thatching material, being recorded in the estate records.
The off grid cottage today is still remote, lacking any services, and standing within a 350 acre mixed
woodland in Hereford.
The remit from the client was to install a pure off grid electrical system to support lighting, sockets,
white goods and high speed internet, to support a uniquely solar and wood powered eco-friendly holiday
retreat which could offer the client’s a continuous holiday rental income .. with one caviat, it required
virtually invisible solar panels due to strict local planning requirements!
From the initial consultation with Ian from Off Grid Engineering, a suitable off grid electrical system was
designed utilising premium Victron Energy products for power conversion, the latest battery technology
for power storage, with an unique innovative solar slate product to be incorporated seamlessly within the
new traditional slate roof to harness the required power from the sun
Within months of the initial consultation, followed by a site visit from our specialist off grid team, the
system was up and running ..
The completed renovation is now one of the most sort after off grid Eco-retreats in the UK producing a
significant income year after year for the client.