The name
Why “Kanso”?
Kanso (簡素) is a Japanese word for simplicity: the idea that you get to good design by leaving out what isn’t needed. It sums up how we approach a house.
Instead of adding features that look good in a brochure, we put the money into the things you live with every day: a warm, quiet, well-built structure, good light, and joinery that works. The result is a home that feels calm and costs less to run and maintain.
The same thinking applies to how we work with people. Clear prices, plain answers, and no surprises.
Principles
What we hold ourselves to.
Build quality
Proper setting out, good joinery and finishes that last. We'd rather spend on structure, insulation and windows than on things that date.
Sustainability
Fabric first: airtight, well-insulated envelopes, timber where it makes sense, and low-carbon heating designed in from the start rather than bolted on.
Simplicity
Calm, light rooms with clean lines and storage built in. Fewer, better materials, used carefully, so the house is easy to live in and easy to maintain.
The team
Three directors, one standard.
Kanso Homes is run by its three directors, who between them cover sourcing land, design and planning, and building on site. Whoever you speak to will know your project.
Tom Claridge
Director
Joel Jennings
Director
Sam Brooks
Director
On site
Builders as well as developers.
We still do the work ourselves. Our own carpenters handle structure and joinery, and we work with a small group of trusted trades we know well.
That means the people who price your project are the people who build it.
Sho sugi ban
A Japanese finish we use often.
Sho sugi ban, or yakisugi, is a traditional Japanese way of finishing timber. The surface of each board is charred, leaving a deep black, textured finish. Our boards arrive ready-treated, and we can finish them with oil for a slight sheen if you prefer.
The charred layer helps protect the wood from weather, rot and insects and keeps maintenance low. It suits the Kanso way of building: one honest material, prepared properly, that gets better with age.
We use it often on garden rooms, studios and extensions.
See it on our Tunbridge Wells music studio and Sevenoaks extension.