South Cornwall · PL23

Project Management & Full Build in Polruan

Once drawings are approved, the build is the bit that decides whether you get the home you imagined or a frustrating compromise. We deliver projects on a single contract — design, drawings, approvals and construction — so the team that drew it is the team that builds it. In Polruan, that work is shaped by the place itself — Polruan sits opposite Fowey across the river, accessible by passenger ferry, with a tightly packed slate-cottage village clinging to the cliffs above the harbour, with a building stock that leans toward slate-hung cottages and fishermen's terraces.

  • Conservation Area
  • Cornwall AONB
  • Coastal exposure zone
  • Rural / open-countryside policy area

Local context

Why Polruan is its own job.

Conservation Area covers the village core; AONB and Heritage Coast across Lanteglos parish. Cliff-edge sites face strict controls and access for any build is logistically tight. For full build package specifically, parts of Polruan sit within a designated Conservation Area, which means materials, fenestration and roof pitches all need to read sympathetically with the existing streetscape; the surrounding landscape falls inside the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, so massing, height and landscape impact carry extra weight in any planning decision; coastal salt-laden air around Polruan drives detailing choices — fixings, render systems and timber treatments all need to be specified for exposure; Cornwall Council's Local Plan applies tighter tests to isolated rural dwellings here, so design rationale and policy fit need to be set out clearly from the outset. That's why we treat every Polruan project as a PL23-area job first — not a generic Cornwall job with a postcode bolted on.

Planning note

Build delivery doesn't need planning, but planning conditions often dictate site setup, materials and working hours — we read every condition and build the programme around them.

What we focus on

Full Build considerations specific to Polruan.

  • 01

    Weather windows on Cornish coastal sites are short — getting the building watertight before autumn matters more here than in central England.

  • 02

    Off-grid sites need their own water, drainage and power solutions designed and procured rather than assumed.

  • 03

    Single-contract delivery removes the gap between architect's intent and builder's interpretation — fewer change orders, less variation cost.

Our process

How a Polruan full build package project runs.

  1. Step 1

    Pre-construction

    Programme, procurement, contractor briefing and site setup.

  2. Step 2

    Substructure

    Foundations, drainage, ground beams — the unglamorous bit that decides everything later.

  3. Step 3

    Superstructure

    Frame, roof, glazing — getting the building watertight.

  4. Step 4

    First and second fix

    Services, plaster, joinery, kitchens and bathrooms.

  5. Step 5

    Snag and handover

    Final inspection, building control sign-off, handover pack and aftercare.

Full builds run from twelve weeks for small extensions to eighteen months for new build family homes.

FAQs

Polruan Full Build — common questions.

What guarantees and aftercare do you offer?
Standard twelve-month defects period, plus product and workmanship warranties on relevant elements. We're a Cornish business — you'll still find us in the same studio in five years' time. In Polruan specifically, we'd start by checking the Conservation Area boundary before committing to a direction.
Fixed price or open book?
Both. Fixed price suits well-defined projects with clear specs; open book suits renovations and listed work where the unknowns only reveal themselves once you start opening things up. We'll recommend the right route.
Do you handle the whole project from drawing to finish?
Yes — that's the model. One contract from feasibility to handover, with design, regs and build all under our roof. No coordination gap between designer and contractor.
Are you insured?
Public liability, employer's liability and contractor's all-risks cover are in place for every project, with certificates available before contract signing.

Planning a full build package project in Polruan?

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