Testimonials

“About a decade ago my husband and I looked at a 1950 ex-council house on the market as we had three children and no longer fitted in our flat. The house was unmodernised and being used as bedsits - it did not seem an attractive proposition. Simon came and looked at it with us and quickly made us see its potential. We bought it and, on his advice, lived in it for a year to get to know it better. During that time, Simon carefully helped us along a process of refining what we needed the house to be, so that by the time we had found builders we wanted to use, we were completely ready, with detailed drawings, the planning position sorted out, and excited about what our little house would become. We did a loft extension and extended the ground floor into the garden, and over the side access. A modest three-bedroom house with one bathroom became a comfortable four-bed with two good bathrooms and downstairs loo, an area for washing machine, boiler tank etc, big windows on to the garden, the kitchen of our dreams, a space for an office. Simon's designs were not flashy or gimmicky; he was methodical and practical about what we needed for day-to-day living as a family, and he worked conscious of our tight budget. Ten years later, we are pleased with it every day. Everyone who visits loves our house. It has great light, comfortable living spaces, a few quirky details. Simon met the brief exactly - there was no grandstanding for something that would look great in his portfolio but would not suit us. He discouraged us from making our ground floor completely open-plan, which many people suggested early on; he was absolutely right - we have a separate sitting room where we can watch a film or play the piano, or a guest can sleep, while others are in the kitchen/dining area cooking or eating or socialising. He was really good at finding and spec'ing materials and manufacturers, such as windows. He was mindful of our environmental impact, and he worked with an innovative engineer so that instead of steels we used entirely timber for all the structural work. Behind the scenes, the plumbing was well-designed, so we have great water pressure throughout the house (teenagers shower alot), simple pipework, no need for macerators or awkward pipework. The loft is cleverly thought out so there is good head height, a really comfortable staircase, and no space wasted. Doors on the ground floor are extra-height, so more light reaches the middle of the house. The timber work is exposed, giving a Scandi cabin vibe. We have a green roof on the kitchen extension, which in the spring and summer is filled with meadow flowers, lifting our spirits and attracting pollinators. I would highly recommend Simon. I wish we had another house to renovate!”

Pat Rodriguez