“We’re very fond of the house and its location and we’re spoilt for great pubs and restaurants, so why throw all that away?
Still, although these early Victorian houses are charming, the rooms are tiny, it’s badly insulated and the mere mention bungaroosh – walls stuffed with flint, broken bricks and rubble – will make most builders shudder and run a mile.
We briefed our architect to open up the property and our main concern was to make the house light, airy with a modern feel, but we knew the project wouldn’t exactly be an overnight sensation – we were in for the long haul. Happily, some friends had offered to put us up while the work was in progress, so we held them to that, gritted our teeth and let work commence.
Finding a reliable builder can be daunting. We saw three or four firms and while each came across as competent, AllBuilding stood out as being friendly, approachable and easy to work with. AllBuilding managed and co-ordinated the entire project, including demolition, structural engineering, carpentry and sourcing local trade specialists such as the polished concrete flooring, liaising with the architects and building control.
The discovery of the well was quite an event and we decided to make it a feature, along with the brickwork uncovered tin the first floor. We also had the entire house insulated which has made a huge difference.
A successful building project is as much about its management as it is about the work itself. Keeping us informed, maintaining good relations with our neighbours, running a clean and efficient site are crucial considerations. Happily, AllBuilding are excellent communicators and while it’s never easy to watch your house being demolished, the rebuild was exciting and we are delighted with the result. We would definitely recommend AllBuilding!”
