RETREAT caused a stir when it first came on the scene a few years ago, offering a striking contrast to traditional lodge and leisure home models. Designed by architects, who approached mobile homes from a new and different perspective, the company had an immediate effect on other manufacturers, and many of the industry’s latest designs show its influence.
Last year, the rights to manufacture Retreat homes were secured by Alan Rooke and Trevor Lawson, who have established a successful business building bespoke lodges under the Lindera name. A new company, Retreat Homes (Manufacturing), was set up and the homes are now built alongside Lindera models at Kirkbride in Cumbria.
Manufacturing has continued to reflect the original Retreat philosophy, with extensive use of timber (from sustainable sources) and the avoidance of man-made materials such as plastic.
The Retreat portfolio now includes the ‘I’ model (one double, one single), the original ‘N’ (one double, one twin), the ‘J2’ (two doubles), the ‘J3’ (two doubles, one single), the Lodge 2 (two doubles), the Lodge 3 (two doubles, one twin) and the ‘Z’ (three doubles).
The ‘I’ is effectively the entry level Retreat, though it’s also aimed at those who simply have restricted plot sizes. It was specifically designed to offer the same benefits of quality and style as the ‘N’ model, but with the accommodation arranged in a more conventional holiday caravan way – with an end lounge, open plan to the dining area and kitchen, and a separate area at the other end of the home for the bathroom and the single and double bedrooms.
Like other Retreat homes, the ‘I’ is built to the BS3632 residential standard – in fact, the insulation U-values exceed both British Standard BS/EN 1647 and BS/EN 3632. It has a steel chassis, the exteriors are clad in solid timber and there are seven double-glazed floor to ceiling windows with hardwood frames, plus two patio doors to the front and end corner.
The standard design has a fully vaulted roof, but a flat roof option is available at an extra cost of £2,995. There are also alternative cladding finishes.
Though it’s the smallest Retreat, there’s no skimping on the fixtures and fittings, either. The interiors feature engineered oak plank flooring, wool carpets, recessed halogen lighting and stainless steel electrical sockets, while the bathroom has stainless steel fittings, deep, square, ceramic sinks and steel baths.
The kitchen, meanwhile, has Iroko hardwood worktops, Bosch kitchen appliances and bespoke kitchen units.
The standard package doesn’t include furniture, as the Retreat philosophy is for customers to furnish the homes according to their own taste. Furniture packages are available, though, at an additional £3,995, and include beds, sofas, dining tables and chairs, etc.
Retreat still offers a host of other options, including oak flooring to the bedrooms, wood burning stove, sedum roof, solar panels, and so on.
Technical details
• Type: Single unit lodge-style leisure home
• Standard: BS3632
• Size: 40ft x 12ft
• Bedrooms: One double, one single
Other versions
• 42ft, 43ft, 45ft, 50ft x 12ft
Main features
• Two patio doors and seven full height windows
• Oak flooring to living area, hall and bathroom
• Wool carpets to bedrooms
• Iroko hardwood kitchen worktops
• Bosch kitchen appliances
• Worcester Bosch condensing LPG boiler
• Thermostatic radiators
Selected options
• Flat roof or sedum roof
• Furniture pack
• Wood burning stove
• Hot tub
• Oak floors to bedrooms
• Solar panels
Price
Standard price £66,995 ex works (ex VAT)
CONTACT
Retreat Homes (Manufacturing) Ltd, Kirkbride Airfield, Kirkbride, Wigton, Cumbria CA7 5LF. Tel: 016973 52033. Email:
[email protected]. Website:
www.retreathomes.co.uk
This review was published in the April 2009 issue of Park & Holiday Homes magazine. To order our latest issue please click here.
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