We were involved in this award-winning project from the outset. The owners had an offer accepted on a small carrstone cottage, and knew they wanted to extend it. But they didn’t know how to begin the extension process or how to get planning permission.

Along with Peter Gidney, we worked with conservation and the local parish, and gained permission to carry out the works.

The house needed to be subservient to the original dwelling, but Peter overcame the small size of the original building, and our tradesmen carried out the project by encompassing many different brick and stone types and bonds, to pull together a beautiful result.

Services:
– Pre-planning advice
– Budget costings
– Design Team Introduced
- All Pre-building packages & consents arranged

Complete building package to handover of clean property ready for occupation as photographed.

This is one of the most important Grade II listed 16th/17th century farmhouses in North Norfolk.

We were selected as contractor through a tender process, winning the project with our proven traditional skills and the high level of craftsmanship required for old Norfolk buildings. After winning the project, we worked closely with the clients to determine the full scope.

The project included the complete refurbishment of the existing house, landscaping, garden walls, drives, retaining walls and three extensions to match the original 17th century building.

We installed a ground source heat pump, which provides all hot water and heating for the property. The electricity is further offset by solar panels, which further reduces the annual running costs of the house.

We finished this job feeling proud and grateful. The project was a brilliant example of teamwork - both creative and practical - between ourselves, our clients and our partners.

Services:
– Tender
– Groundworks
– Installation of services
– All groundworks
– Extensions
– Value engineering post-contract
– Traditional timber repairs on building structure
– Lime putty repairs
– Selecting materials
– Liaising with conservation
– Two-story staircase with continuous handrails
– Making on-site joinery
– Installing technology/electrics

This client had an ambitious vision, and knew exactly what she wanted to achieve on the site of an old lambing shed.

We were brought on board to support her with the planning process, well before any construction work had begun on site. We worked with Andrew Love to deliver the project.

This house has flint chimneys, 3m ceilings throughout, plaster cornices, feature staircases, striped flint outhouses, large enclosed courtyard design - all brought together to create a welcoming and well-finished space.

Services:
– Initial site discussions
– Planning negotiations
– Building Regulations submissions
– Tender documents based on specification agreed with owners
– Service connections - new electric, water borehole, ground source heat pump, solar panels, BT
– All external construction works
– Six fireplaces ( that work and don’t smoke)
– Internal and external finishes from, painting, joinery, staircase, cornices to tarmacking the drive and digging a pond

Raynham Hall has a gatehouse either side of the main gates, we were asked to carry out this sensitive extension that does not change the front elevation enormously as each house must retain its symmetrical appearance but makes this formerly unused property a decent size and efficiently refurbished for modern living.

This project started with us underpinning half the man building and then adding the extension, re roofing with reclaimed slate and lead hips.

The brickwork and flint work has been carefully done to match in as well as we can with material selection and workmanship very precise.

The joinery challenge to re-create the curved pivot windows double glazed and to comply with all aspects of building regulations.

The Raynham Estate, East Raynham have been long term customers and we are fortunate to have been asked to re-model and refurbish quite a few houses for them as well as build new houses on plots that they own.

This 18th Century cottage was lacking any insulation and the amenity space required by the family, coupled with having very low ceilings, Peter Gidney designed this extension and we took on the building of the extensions while the family lived there in Summer 2019.

The owners are very pleased with their revamped home.

This unusual former shooting lodge had been taken back from tenants, and our client - a young family - was in line to take their place.

Our clients asked for our help, having seen some of our other projects that were carried out for friends. We brought together the necessary professionals to gain planning permission and listed building consent - and worked with the client to develop a schedule of works and a detailed costing plan. After that, the project was partially rationalised so the costings could fall within the required parameters.

First, we refurbished the house, carrying out roof and leadwork as well as stone and damp protection works to the turrets, after seeing what state they were in. Prioritising this work enabled the family to safely move in, while we continued building the extension. We created a big vaulted family room and kitchen, with a glass ridged lantern to fill the room with light.

There are various other family rooms throughout, plus an aluminum linked building to ensure a real separation between new and old - as negotiated with the planners.

In terms of materials, we sourced a specific locally knapped black flint, and found a reclaimed red brick that worked perfectly with the existing garden walls.

The whole job was completed in 9 months and the clients were/are delighted with their beautiful family home.

Services:
– Structural Engineer
– Cost Plan
– Liaising with clients on finishes, mouldings, joinery and colours
– Sign off with building control

We were appointed to carry out the entire project as contractor to the developer. We worked with Peter Gidney Designs, negotiated with the council, built up the specification and then once construction was complete, liaised with the client’s designer to ensure that the work met the brief and that the barns were fully prepared for sale when we left site.

We began by clearing the site of the former farm machinery shed and stores, and then negotiated with land owners’ agents about redistributing the electric and water supplies currently feeding the site.

As this is a listed building, conservation were reluctant to allow too many new openings - but we managed to develop plenty of light and ventilation, by working with an aluminium window supplier specialising in big format glass and doors, who designed brilliant opening arrow slit windows.

These barns required substantial structural repairs to both masonry and the roof spaces. Throughout the process, we facilitated detailed, open conversations between engineers, the owners and our tradesmen - and produced a first class job for the owners… And anyone else who lives there for the next 150 years!

Services:
– Design
– Structural engineer consultation
– Tendering schedule of works
– Apply and connect all services - BT, water, LPG, electric, sewage
– Arrange for wildlife surveys and mitigation
– Contamination reports
– Building Regulations visits and sign off
– All pricing, procurement, scheduling, labour and materials for the project
– Overseeing project and delivering a quality finish while being flexible as these old buildings tend to throw things at you that you don’t expect to find, and they are rarely the shape that was surveyed!
– Handover with certificates including ten year warranty, epc’s and damp and timber guarantees

We built 6 new town centre houses on a small site, with a combination of 3 renovated houses and 3 new-build houses.

The key challenge here was to retain the 17th century feel, whilst renewing and repairing around and underneath the site.

We were asked to create a range of houses: 1 x 4 bedroom, 4 x 3 bedroom and 1 x 2 bedroom houses - all sharing a courtyard and access to the rear of the properties, away from the busier main street.

We worked closely with Peter Gidney Designs and Kings Lynn Conservation department throughout the process, to ensure that all materials and finish satisfied their requirements.

Services:
– Design
– Planning
– Building regulations
– Schedule of Works
– Detailed costings based on Schedule of Works
– Full implementation of plans with in house building team
– Sign off and returned to clients completed and clean ready for occupation
– Return after 12 months to deal with any small issues regarding settlement and shrinkage.

This house in South Raynham, near Fakenham, was a speculative build joint venture with Raynham Estate.

We created a brand new 4-bedroom house built with reclaimed flint, bricks and tiles. After demolishing and reclaiming materials from the dilapidated farm worker’s cottage that was previously on the site, we started by building a large retaining wall at the back of the garden to help level the site.

This is now an attractive, well-proportioned family house that is nestled perfectly into its environment, with a great garden, paving and parking areas. It’s well insulated and economic to run, with an Air Source Heat Pump.

All sold with a 10 year warranty supplied through Spice Building.

Services
– Joint venture with land owners
– Material selection
– Schedule of works
– Arranging all services - water, electric, sewage treatment, BT
– Structural engineer
– Kitchen and bathroom design
– Landscaping
– Air source heat pump
– Finishes and completion ready for sale

We were already very familiar with this house when we started the project; the owners have been wonderfully supportive of our business ever since 2008, when we started working together.

They wanted to retain the abundant character of the original property, but create larger living spaces for entertaining and for the family to live in.

We started by converting the attic for children’s bedrooms, a playroom and a bathroom. Then, we altered the former greenhouses into a family kitchen/breakfast room. Following that, we planned and built an annex that also works as a summer pool house. And finally, we rescued a beautiful garage with fish scale tiles and put it back together - saving it before the rot and years of neglect had the chance to get it to it for good.

As well as physically transforming the house, we also supported the owners in getting the appropriate listed building consent, following those through with detailed costings, selecting materials, and sharing our expertise on how to correctly build, preserve and extend a very special home.

Services:
– Work closely with the owners to carry out requested projects
– Try to make building works as hassle free as possible
– Carry out all works so the materials and quality of the tradesmen’s work fit in seamlessly with the original
– Get planning and consents carried through and signed off by building control at completion

Like many similar buildings, this listed farmhouse lacked the right kind of space for families to properly live in and enjoy together.

From our first meeting, our clients had the plans and knew exactly what they wanted, almost down to the paint colours. We helped to develop detailed costings against their plan - and then brought it to life.

We sourced the reclaimed bricks and carried out substantial structural works, as well as refurbishing much of the remainder of the house. The result is a welcoming and versatile space, perfect for a young family for both busy days and relaxing evenings.

The clients were very happy with the output, and we’ve been invited back to complete the next phase of the farmhouse project.

Services:
– Liaise with architects
– Build Schedule of Works
– Bring in engineer
– Complete liaising with owners on all finishes
– Move and upgrade water and electric services
– Ground source heat pump
– Provide all services to complete project from groundworks to decorating and final cleaning
– Sign off by building control at completion - as always

This was already a beautiful property with great proportions, set in the North Norfolk countryside. The owners had lived in it for several years, so knew all the tweaks they wanted to make to accommodate their growing family and homely vision.

They wanted to create some open-plan family living spaces and exploit the great southern aspects of the house onto the garden. We helped them to achieve their vision whilst also enabling a reduction in the day to day running costs.

There were a few obstacles from the wildlife conservation department, but we developed a good relationship with them and earned their trust to carry out the works responsibly. We maintained an open channel of communication throughout the reroofing and demolishing processes - allowing us to remodel the property for modern living whilst not disturbing the local wildlife.

Old buildings often come with planning issues with regards to wildlife, as regulatory bodies can be very restrictive on how and when certain works can be carried out. Our experience with these processes meant that consultation work was carried out efficiently, and the client was fully supported throughout.

We thoroughly enjoyed working with this client to produce a lovely, cosy home - just perfect for bringing up a family.

Services:
– Architect communication
– Instruct engineer
– Talk and deal with wildlife restrictions
– Meetings with conservation officer
– Detailed schedule of works and cost plan
– Select materials for outside
– Work out new layouts with owners in existing property (some changes on ground as we went)
– React to issues that appeared, which could not be foreseen and overcome them through discussion and negotiation
– Take on project in its entirety from demolition, through building to decorating, carpets and leaving spotless for the return of the family!