It looks like you're using an old web browser that we no longer support, so some parts of the site may not work as well as they should and you won't be able to make a booking. Please update your browser (view more details) to make sure you get the best experience.

Hero header image

How Brook House Woods went from Two Spaces to Six in Two Years

We are always excited when our owners decide to expand their site and build new spaces. So when Penny and Will, from Brook House Woods, announced that they were going to add three tree cabins and a tree tent to their estate, we couldn’t wait to see the results. It’s not always plain sailing, and expanding your site takes a lot of careful consideration. We interviewed Penny and Will to ask about their challenges, learnings, and tips on scaling up.

What are your tips on gaining planning permission for the new spaces?

When expanding your site, Penny and Will’s advice would be to put a pre-application in to your local council. This costs around £300-£400 but it means that the planning officer comes out to your site and gets a good idea of your vision. Although they designed the tree cabins (Humboldt, Walden and Venn) themselves, Penny and Will worked closely with a local expert to plan efficiently and effectively.

What are your biggest challenges with the rural environment when building a new space?

Mud! On an off-grid site, getting materials has been their biggest challenge. Penny and Will put a stone track in for the treehouses so that they could be used all year round. However, when building Goji and the Hobbit Hut they had to wheelbarrow materials uphill and the wet weather meant the clay became slippy. Not to mention this method was also incredibly time consuming! 

What are your tips for being mindful of existing spaces and guests while working is going on?

Penny and Will’s advice would be to set a Monday/ Wednesday/ Friday changeover early on and to speak to guests about the work and noise times. Only do work in winter and try to keep it to check in and check out days to fit around guests. It has also been really important to them that the cabins can’t see each other, but luckily they have 70 acres to play with.

What are your biggest learnings from the process of expanding?

Taking on staff members has really paid off for Penny and Will, as they’ve always wanted to maintain a high standard for guests. Cleanliness and maintenance are extremely important for their site, and although they did not originally take a cleaner on, they now employ a couple of local ladies who keep it all looking its best. This has also given Penny and Will more time to work on marketing and see how other aspects of the business could be improved.

Finding new ways of being more efficient has been another big learning for them. They now have a changeover van on site, which everything goes into on a Friday for the full week. Invest in a double washing machine and double dryers and this will cut down timings hugely.

Planning time to get away is also really important to Penny and Will. Their biggest advice? Get cover in and go on holiday. While you’re on site, you’re on call all the time and you get tired. Having time off means you won’t burn yourself out and become grumpy, so you’ll always be able to be that happy face that guests see first. It’s all part of offering a nice experience for your guests.