In the second of the series from the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), we’re looking at the Highly Commended kitchen renovation projects of the regional 2019 Master Builder Awards.
Derbyshire-based builders D & M Building and Maintenance services was highly commended for its £50,000 extension and renovation of a kitchen in a detached property. Judges recognised the complexity of the project, which involved major structural changes and new electrics, plumbing and plastering. The team completed the work to the highest possible standard and ‘the transformation has been amazing’, according to director Monica Walker. A significant obstacle for the team was working around the family, who continued using the kitchen as they sought to radically alter the space. However, the end-product speaks for itself, a stunning ‘transformation of a very small kitchen into an amazing working space, [it] has been the most rewarding experience’. What’s the team’s secret ingredient? ‘It’s a one-of-a-kind company that values its customer above anything. The team is professional at all times and always polite.’
Judges were wowed by the creativity and style demonstrated in Project One Installations’ £55,000 kitchen renovation. The firm was highly commended at the Welsh Master Builder Awards for its creation of a ‘luxdustrial’ lifestyle space for a family keen on free-cycling their kitchen and bringing it into the modern era. To this end, the team upgraded the existing units to give them fresh appeal by using unusual materials like reclaimed bricks, and sand-blasted radiators recycled from a train station. They also produced a luxurious finish with beautiful bespoke timber including tobacco Halifax Oak and dark brown Cape Elm. The team successfully interpreted the client’s brief to produce not just a kitchen, but a central hub of life for a young and busy family.
Taking on a project after a previous builder has started work will always be a tough nut to crack, but one which Mission Construction did not shy away from. Unsurprisingly, the £160,000 kitchen renovation and new build on a single storey Stockport bungalow was not without its challenges, including inheriting a site in poor condition, and an incorrect design for foundations of loading, which did not take into account unearthed ground conditions, and finally the construction of a traditional roof with several valleys and apexes. In the end, the team found the experience ‘challenging but enjoyable’. Not only did Mission Construction help the client to deliver their dream build, but the team also developed a friendship with their clients, arriving on-site to freshly baked cakes in the morning. What better sign of a successful kitchen renovation than that?
The Master Builder Awards aims to recognise and celebrate the high-quality work and dedication of the SME construction sector throughout the UK.
Have a look at the first article in this series.
