Elivia Homes

The Elivia Homes story isn't one of a startup, but of strategic consolidation. The company was officially formed in 2022 by bringing together two established, award-winning housebuilders: Vanderbilt Homes, founded in 2004, and Crayfern Homes, founded in 1992. This move created a significant new player in the South East of England's property development market. The leadership team, including CEO Chris Chiles and COO Kamal Singh Grewal, brought decades of experience from the property and corporate strategy sectors. The pivotal moment came in May 2022 when funds advised by Octopus Investments acquired a majority stake from Cheyne Capital, which had first invested in the former Vanderbilt Homes back in 2014. This acquisition wasn't just a change of ownership; it was a major injection of growth capital. Octopus's backing immediately put Elivia on an aggressive growth trajectory, with the stated goal of more than doubling its turnover. Putting the new capital to work, Elivia Homes acquired Millwood Designer Homes in January 2023, expanding its reach into Kent and East Sussex. This was followed by a partnership with Seaward Strategic to jointly promote over 1,000 new units. By November 2023, the company had secured a further £100 million credit facility from Octopus Real Estate to help fund its ambition of increasing its build rate from around 300 to over 1,000 homes annually. Elivia's journey demonstrates a clear playbook: unite established regional players, secure significant financial backing, and execute a rapid strategy of acquisition and expansion.