PLAIN sailing

JO AND CHRIS KEPT THEIR COOL WHILE MAKING A MOVE TO THE COAST, STARTING A FAMILY AND RENOVATING THEIR NEW HOUSE FROM BOTTOM TO TOP

- ALI LOVETT

After years of living in different parts of London, Jo and Chris wanted to move to a place where they could afford a larger property.

Being closer to family in Essex was certainly a benefit, but it was the easy commute to the city, the good local cafes and the nearby beach that were the clinchers. 'We love the area of Leigh-on-Sea. It still has a real London vibe, with nice shops and restaurants,' says Jo.

The couple were keen to take on a project and when they came across this semidetached 1930s property, they knew it was a house they could put their own stamp on. 'The previous owners had been here for over 30 years,' explains Jo, 'so it needed a lot of stripping back and modernisation to be suitable for family life.'

BACK TO BASICS

'The very first thing we did was change all the windows at the front,' says Jo, with work starting just two months after they moved in. 'The first room we tackled was the living room, as it wouldn't be affected by the later extension work. It was important to have a place to retreat to, especially as we had a baby on the way. We completely stripped it, replastered and laid new flooring and added a wood burner.'

PLANNING STAGES