Rume.

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Rume. Rume Buildworks -
We create great space.

Rume Buildworks is a design-led construction company specialising in contemporary outbuildings and timber-frame structures across Sussex and the South East.

There’s a lot more to restoring an old building than meets the eye.At our Hatch End project, work is progressing on the ...
14/10/2026

There’s a lot more to restoring an old building than meets the eye.

At our Hatch End project, work is progressing on the foundations that will support the reconstruction of the rear wall of this mid-1800s coaching barn.

A reinforced concrete ground beam is being installed, with steel reinforcement providing the strength needed to support the new structure.

We’ve also undertaken underpinning beneath the existing wall return to strengthen and protect the retained building.

It’s the sort of work that will eventually be hidden from view, but getting these details right is essential to creating a building that will stand the test of time.

Designed for Living. Built for Life.

27/09/2026

Opening things up.

The rear wall has now been completely removed, marking a major step forward in the build.

With the structure opened up, we can now move ahead with the next stages of construction as the new space begins to take shape.

Progress on site.Following the removal of the rear wall, concrete is now being poured in preparation for the new steel r...
25/09/2026

Progress on site.

Following the removal of the rear wall, concrete is now being poured in preparation for the new steel ring beam.

The steelwork will be fully encased in concrete, forming a robust new structure and allowing us to move on to the next stage of the build.

Plenty happening behind the scenes as the project continues to take shape.

20/09/2026

As we finish week three on this new rume. excavation began for the new foundation pads along its the removed wall.

These will ultimately support a new concrete-encased steel ring beam, which will form the structural foundation for the reconstructed wall above.

18/09/2026

This week marked the start of the major groundworks phase of the project.

The original brick floor has now been removed throughout the building, creating the additional depth required for the new suspended floor cassette while maintaining ventilation beneath the new floor.

Internally, a temporary scaffold structure has been installed to support the existing roof while the section of external wall due for replacement is carefully taken down.

A significant stage of the build, with the transformation now becoming much more visible.

13/09/2026

Ground screw load testing on site.

Ground screws offer an efficient, lower-impact alternative to traditional concrete foundations, significantly reducing the amount of concrete required.

Before they form part of the structural scheme, we test their capacity against the actual ground conditions on site.

A test screw is installed and subjected to increasing force while movement is measured against the applied load. This gives us real-world data to confirm performance before the main installation begins.

Before we build, we test.

11/09/2026

We don’t meet anything halfway at rume.

Strip-out and demolition are now underway, taking the building back to its original structure and removing previous modernisations that are no longer performing as they should.

This gives us a clean foundation to introduce a new structural floor system with modern damp protection and thermal performance, while carefully retaining the historic fabric of the building.

Built properly. Built to last.

The 1891 Threshold: Thomas BarnesAmong the finds from the first-day strip-out, one stood out: a timber threshold bearing...
06/09/2026

The 1891 Threshold: Thomas Barnes

Among the finds from the first-day strip-out, one stood out: a timber threshold bearing a pencil inscription dated 5 January 1891 and signed by Thomas Barnes.

In his own hand, Thomas recorded that he had personally repaired part of the coach house that day, alongside a biblical quotation that gives us a small insight into the man behind the work.

A little local history research has since helped us piece together more of his story. Thomas Barnes was born in Horley in 1857, the son of George Barnes and Mary Comber. His father was a farmer occupying 97 acres of land. Thomas later married, was widowed by the age of 34, and died in 1939.

The inscription is a rare and direct link to someone who worked on this building well over a century ago. It is his own record, in his own words, of the day he was here.

02/09/2026

There’s something very satisfying about bringing an old building back to life.

Keeping everything that makes it special, while turning it into a space that works for the next chapter.

Follow along as we bring this one back to life.

SussexBuilders BeforeAndAfter

A new rume begins.This mid-1800s coaching barn at Hatch End has seen more than 150 years of change and, until around 30 ...
02/09/2026

A new rume begins.

This mid-1800s coaching barn at Hatch End has seen more than 150 years of change and, until around 30 years ago, was still partly used as living accommodation.

We’re now beginning the next chapter.

The building will be carefully stripped back and renovated to create a self-contained one-bedroom space, complete with storage, a separate utility room and a professionally designed, acoustically treated music studio.

Day one was all about uncovering what we’re working with. The existing interiors are being removed, allowing us to assess the original structure properly before the renovation begins in earnest.

As is often the case with buildings of this age, the strip-out has already started to reveal traces of its past. Among the remnants of more recent decades, we uncovered something considerably older — a handwritten inscription dating back to 1891.

Address

Highgate
Forest Row
RH18

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm
Saturday 8am - 5pm

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