Dedicated to Building Better Homes

We believe all new homes should guarantee low heating bills, minimal maintenance, reduced carbon emissions and healthy, comfortable living. That’s why we’ve simplified the path to Passivhaus ownership, by taking the complexity out of the design and build process.

Coldwells Build construction team reads drawings on top of breeze blocks in Aberdeenshire rural setting
Coldwells Build workshop in Insch, Aberdeenshire
Coldwells Build construction team installing timber cladding on a custom home.

How We Work

We’re a family-run business with recognised industry credentials and decades of residential-building experience. As one of the only contractors in the UK with a fully trained Passivhaus workforce, we’re committed to making sustainable, design-driven homes as accessible as possible.

What We Stand For

Founders Clare and Ross Booth share how their compact Aberdeenshire team are united in their mission to build outstanding, innovative homes with a positive environmental legacy. 

Coldwells Build founder Ross Booth stands in a new build home with exposed plasterboard.
Unfinished room with white walls, exposed wooden ceiling, and large window.
Construction worker carrying standing seam roof materials outside a custom home.
New home foundations under construction in the Aberdeenshire countryside

Our Values

Quality standards and open communication are both crucial elements of any successful project – these are the values we pride ourselves on. We’re realistic. We’re meticulous. We thrive on doing things differently. We love what we do.

The Founders

Coldwells Build director, Ross Booth.

Ross Booth

Founder & Director

A skilled joiner, Ross began his career as a 16-year-old apprentice building new homes in Aberdeenshire. He broadened his craft on construction sites in Australia, Canada and London, where he managed major residential and commercial projects. Ross is a certified Passivhaus tradesperson and has spent his career determinedly striving to change the UK’s homes for the better. 

Coldwells Build director, Clare Booth.

Clare Booth

Founder & Director

A trained communicator, Clare co-founded Coldwells Build with the aim of improving the consumer experience within the construction process. Working previously as a television director and journalist, she understands more than most, about the power of detail, organisation and timing. She believes in keeping an open dialogue with clients throughout their build, so they feel empowered to make informed decisions and get the home they’ve always wanted.

PARTNER WITH A LEADER IN ENERGY-EFFICIENT HOMES

Construction worker building wall from masonry blocks.
Two construction workers with a laser level on a construction site.
Coldwells Build team draws on plasterboard
Builder fitting a window into a new home under construction

Our Team

We’re fortunate enough to bring together a small team of highly-skilled professionals who are united in their mission to build exceptional homes with lasting, positive environmental impact. Their decades of experience and intellectual curiosity have pushed Coldwells Build to grow, innovate and develop responsibly. 

Featured Press

Exterior of the Coldwells Build Passivhaus, Irving. Oak cladding, large windows with a pitched metal roof with sand dunes and sea landscape.

enki

"The holy grail of sustainable, future-ready homes."

Bedroom of the Coldwells Build Passivhaus, Davidson. Pitched roof with built in wardrobes and oak flooring and sideboard.

RIBA J

"Construction system with 0.5m-thick walls aims to exceed forthcoming Scottish Passivhaus regulations and reduce heating bills by 79%."

Traditional granite cottage and byre connected with modern, blackened timber and glass extension with adult and child walking.

Master Builder Magazine

"A combination of excellent techinical skill and determination to deliver... a commendable commitment"

Front entrance with custom made front door. Timber and black zinc extension entrance canopy with open front door open and lights on.

Federation of Master Builder Awards

"The builders have combined excellent technical skill with a determination to deliver exactly what the client was looking for."

A three car garage made of stone. A granite stone boundary wall at the entrance.

Wallpaper

"The Arbor House brings quiet minimalism to a suburban Aberdeen site."

Large family-style kitchen, hallway and dining area with wooden table and six wishbone chairs. White walls, herringbone flooring and hanging lights. View to garden through Crittal style doors.

The Press and Journal

"The building firm breaking down barriers to create incredible properties in Aberdeen."

A cantilevered, timber clad house. A granite stone boundary wall surrounds the property.

Dezeen

"A marriage of stone salvaged from a dilapidated farmstead with timber and board-marked concrete to create The Arbor House."

A twilight shot of a modern, cantilevered house, looking from the outside in. The lights are on inside the property and floor to ceiling glazing allows you to see right inside the home. A man and a woman can be seen sitting on a couch watching TV. The home’s materials include board marked concrete and timber cladding.

The New York Times

"In Scotland, a Minimalist House That Keeps the World at Bay"

Timber extension clad in thermally modified pine beside the original granite cottage

Homes & Interiors Scotland

"Old stone and new wood combine to great effect in this confident reimagining of an agricultural cottage in Aberdeenshire."

An outside shot looking into a heavily glazed house. Through the glass, a dog can be seen sitting at the bottom of a birch plywood spiral staircase. The home’s exterior materials are made from timber cladding and board marked concrete.

Hypebeast

"Salvaged and recycled materials have been prioritised – resulting in a timeless aesthetic but also a home that feels connected to its landscape."

Looking into the ensuite bathroom of a modern house. A modern black bathtub sits in the centre of the room. Floor to ceiling glazing allows light to flood into the bathroom.

ELLE Decoration

"Hidden discreetly behind a traditional-style stone wall, this Aberdeenshire new-build is a quietly modern marvel."

Logo for Trees for Life

Our Green Commitment

Coldwells Build supports Trees for Life in their mission to rewild the Scottish Highlands. Together we are committed to creating nature-rich landscapes that include and support people as well as wildlife.

Learn More
Coldwells Build always responded to any request, never had to be chased

They always responded to any request, never had to be chased, frequently suggested solutions which were invariably spot on. The reason is that Coldwells Build, like all really good companies, reflects its owners’ values.

Client: Ian Strachan | Rubislaw Den South, Aberdeen

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Cover artwork for the Coldwells Build Manual for Passivhaus: Explained

Passivhaus: Explained

An introduction to the Passivhaus standard — what it is, how it works and the steps you can take to achieve it in your new home.

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