The Mount, Guildford

A two-bedroom chalet bungalow at the top of one of Guildford's most prestigious roads, transformed into a four-bedroom smart home — and held in the YayYay portfolio for over a decade.

The Mount sits at the top of one of Guildford's most prestigious residential roads, and the property YayYay acquired was a tired two-bedroom chalet bungalow that significantly under-utilised its position. Multiple successful planning applications enabled a comprehensive transformation: roof removed, roof plate raised, new roof structure built above, and substantial extensions added on multiple elevations to deliver a four-bedroom family home with the proportions and presence the address demanded.

The property was held in the YayYay portfolio for over a decade — let to long-term tenants and operated as a flagship investment asset — before recently being sold.

Excavators Craned Over the Roof

The site presented a logistical challenge that defines the project: there was no vehicular access for the plant required to excavate the new lower-ground levels. The solution involved using a Terranova-class crane to lift excavators over the existing roofline and into the rear of the property — a delicate operation that required careful sequencing and full scaffolded protection of the surrounding structure. Once on site, the excavators removed approximately 200 tonnes of chalk to form the new lower levels, with all spoil craned back out the way it had come.

Substantial retaining walls and a comprehensive sub-surface drainage system were then built to manage the modified ground levels, and the gardens terraced down from the new ground floor in considered horticultural steps.

Smart Home Specification

The completed property was specified to a level more often associated with new-build London developments than Surrey family homes. A full Lutron lighting control system gave scene-based control across every circuit. Sonos ceiling speakers were installed throughout, enabling whole-house audio distribution. Electronic entrance gates with VoIP video intercom allowed remote access management. A comprehensive surveillance and intrusion-detection system was integrated alongside. The result is a property that combines period-appropriate proportions on the outside with thoroughly contemporary technology inside.

Terraced Gardens, Composite Decking & the Lawn Robot

The substantial garden was redesigned around the modified ground levels. Generous Millboard composite decking with full-height glass balustrading creates the principal outdoor entertaining space at the rear of the house, with the gardens terraced down beyond. A Husqvarna robotic lawn-mower handles the maintenance of the substantial lawn areas — a small detail that signals the operational thinking behind a property held in a long-term let portfolio rather than flipped on completion.

Scope of Works

Multiple successful planning applications; complete strip-out and roof removal; roof plate raised, new roof constructed; substantial extensions to multiple elevations; approximately 200 tonnes of chalk excavation with excavators craned in over the existing roofline; substantial retaining walls and sub-surface drainage; full Lutron lighting control system; Sonos whole-house audio; electronic gates with VoIP video intercom; integrated surveillance and alarm; new bathrooms, kitchen and joinery throughout; Millboard composite decking with glass balustrading; terraced gardens and Husqvarna robotic lawn-mower; full-property scaffolded protection throughout works.