Can we build right on the beach?

Within the setback rules and on a properly designed base, yes. We test the ground first.

Do the trees have to go?

No — and they should not. They are the best shade you can have for a plunge.

Beach House Sauna & Plunge Builders, Anse Takamaka

Building on sand beside granite

The ground here is a mix of soft sand and solid rock, sometimes within a metre of each other. We test before designing: where the granite is close to the surface we pin a plinth into it, and where it is deep sand we use piled or raft footings rather than a slab poured on the beach.

A basin set into soft sand without a proper base will move, and once it moves the waterproofing goes with it.

The takamaka canopy is worth money

The dark glossy canopy that gives this bay its name is the best chiller efficiency you will ever get for free. Siting a plunge under it rather than on an open deck reduces the running cost every month for the life of the installation, and we design around the existing trees rather than clearing them.

Full exposure

This is an open south-facing beach with swell and salt spray. Full marine specification, deep drained cavities, sealed and filtered plant enclosures, and quarterly service with a corrosion inspection. There is no lighter version of this specification that works here.