When Thomas jokingly asked the owner of a local convenience store how much he wanted for the building, he had no intention of buying it. It was his grandson who changed everything.
As they walked back to the car, his grandson looked at the building and said, "Papa, that's a house."
That simple comment sparked an idea that no one else had considered.
An Opportunity Hidden in Plain Sight
Thomas already owned a rental property directly across the road from the shop, so he knew the area well. While other prospective buyers saw the building as little more than commercial premises or storage space, Thomas saw something completely different.
"I thought, yes, that's a bungalow."
It wasn't a planned commercial-to-residential conversion. It happened entirely by chance, but once the idea took hold, Thomas was determined to make it a reality.
Starting with a Blank Canvas
When Thomas purchased the property at auction in November 2017, the building was structurally sound but tired inside. Fortunately, that suited his plans perfectly.
"The whole idea was to take it apart anyway."
Thanks to the building's large roof span, the interior consisted mainly of partition walls. Everything was stripped back to the bare shell, with the wiring, fittings and internal walls removed before construction began. Wherever possible, materials were responsibly recycled.
While waiting for planning approval and a building warrant, demolition work continued. Because no structural alterations were being made initially, valuable time wasn't wasted.
Once permission was granted, the real transformation began.
A Year in the Making
From purchasing the property to moving in, the entire project took almost exactly one year.
After buying the former shop in November 2017, Thomas spent the first few months preparing plans, securing planning permission and obtaining a building warrant. While waiting for approvals, the team got to work stripping the building back to its bare shell, ready for the transformation to begin.
Once the building warrant was granted, construction moved quickly. The main build took just seven months, with Thomas drawing on his professional experience while local tradespeople and family members all played their part. The family moved into their new home on 6th December 2018.
Remarkably, the project finished almost exactly as Thomas had expected.
"It was on time, under budget and done safely, which is the main thing."
Designed for Family Life
Rather than simply converting a shop into somewhere to live, Thomas designed a home that could evolve with his family's future.
The entrance opens into a generous two-metre-wide hallway, intentionally designed so a staircase could one day be added, allowing the attic to be converted if future owners wished to extend.
Many features of the former shop remain hidden in plain sight.
The living room was once the shop counter, while today's kitchen occupies what used to be the stock room, delivery entrance and customer toilet. The old toilet has been cleverly transformed into a utility room.
Although the layout changed dramatically, the structure remained largely untouched. The original window openings were retained, fitted with modern, energy-efficient glazing, while new stud walls created spacious living areas throughout.