Changing tides

Andy and Laura Lock started from scratch to turn their single-storey home into a three-floor one in order to make the most of the sea views

- JANE CRITTENDEN

HOME TRUTHS

THE PROPERTY New-build house

LOCATION West Sussex

ROOMS Kitchen-dining/ living area, cloakroom, three bedrooms (one en suite), bathroom

BUILT 2020 PREVIOUS PROPERTY 'We were living in a two-bedroom flat in Hove before we moved here,' says Laura.

When builder and property developer Andy Lock laid eyes on a house with sea views his focus was to maximise its potential - and sell on. Then he met Laura and life took an unexpected turn. 'About a year into the project we got married and wanted to start a family,' says Laura. As the house took shape, I realised how emotionally invested we were and we decided to make it a home for ourselves.'

The original-single storey property had been poorly built and made little use of the stepped site. At street level, the ground floor was used for parking and storage with all the accommodation squeezed on to the first floor, level with the back garden.