Master
Builder of the Year Awards
Project
A stunning renovation of an old hillside Wesleyan Chapel, using
mainly glass and brushed steel earned Bybridge Construction of
Bucknell the title of Master Builder of the Year 2007.
The Oxford firm beat off the best of Britain’s builders from every
corner of the UK, all of whom had been nominated by their clients
for the first class quality of their craftsmanship and customer
service, in this national competition, organised by the Federation
of Master Builders (FMB) in association with Nissan. The winning
builder receives the Nissan Light Commercial Vehicle of their choice
worth up to £20,000.
An exciting and unusual sustainable Devon home made of sheep’s wool,
straw bales and lime mortar won builder Rob Gulley the energy saving
category and a 20-year old carpentry apprentice from Glasgow took
the title 2007 Apprentice of the Year.
The winners were presented with their Awards by expert property
developer and TV presenter Sarah Beeny, at the Royal Lancaster Hotel
in London on Thursday 8th November in front of over 500 guests.
Details of The Master Builder of the Year, Apprentice of the Year
and the eight national category winners follow.
Master Builder of the Year 2007
The Master Builder of the Year title was awarded to Bybridge
Construction for the complete renovation of an old Wesleyan Chapel,
including the addition of a stunning glass and steel extension.
Medical trainer, Dr Victoria Hunt had a very specific vision when
she employed Bybridge Construction to restore the shell of a 1928
Wesleyan Chapel at the bottom of her garden. Not only did she want
something very contemporary within an old shell without destroying
the character of the place, but she also wanted to use specific
materials – glass and brushed steel – bringing the outside in and
the inside out.
Starting with a rugged shell, a tight budget and some highly
ambitious plans in a strict conservation area, Bybridge Construction
had their work cut out, but the result was a home that more than
matched her vision. “I couldn’t recommend them more highly and have
already booked them for my next project,” Victoria said.
Bybridge Managing Director Mark Gaul said ”The biggest challenge was
the site itself. Set on a hill, next to a stream, it was difficult
getting materials such as huge glass panels for the balustrades, to
the site and then storing them. “It was a tough, but interesting
job. We enjoyed the build and are so chuffed with the end result”.
As Master Builder of the Year 2007, Bybridge Construction not only
takes the coveted title, but also the Nissan Light Commercial
Vehicle of their choice courtesy of the Nissan Motor (GB) Ltd. Their
client Victoria Hunt will jet away on a fabulous £3,000 holiday.
Apprentice of the Year 2007
Supported by ConstructionSkills & Screwfix Direct
Apprentice: Mark Lynch, Glasgow
Employer: City Building (Glasgow) LLP, Glasgow
A worthy winner of the 2007 Apprentice of the Year, Mark Lynch, 20,
has just completed a four year apprenticeship in Carpentry and
Joinery, where he excelled in terms of his commitment, quality of
work, and his dedication to continued learning. Mark is now employed
by City Building (Glasgow) LLP who had no hesitation in taking him
on.
The Master Builder of the Year Awards judges said: “Mark has all the
qualities we want to see in all apprentices, including loyalty to
his trade and employer, along with the willingness and ability to
continue learning. The construction industry’s future will be
assured through the development of young people such as Mark Lynch.”
As Apprentice of the Year, Mark Lynch wins £1,000.
National Category prize winners
Category 1: Best new home (supported by NHBC and Sage)
Builder: Bernard Tompkins, William Ash Builders Ltd, Great Missenden,
Buckinghamshire
Client: Peter Ellis
With a change of owner mid-build due to a divorce, Bernard Tompkins
and his team at William Ash Builders Ltd effectively had two clients
for the price of one. Also, as they started digging foundations,
they unearthed the large basement structure of the original
Victorian vicarage. This unexpected find included water cisterns,
cellars and old steps, and required Bernard and his team to excavate
much deeper foundations to satisfy the building inspectors.
Eighteen months on, Peter Ellis and his family are delighted with
his property and Bernard and his team continue to do additional work
on the property.
Category 2: Best small renovation (supported by Hilti and
Professional Builder magazine)
This category was won by the Master Builder of the Year 2007,
Bybridge Construction, Oxford
Category 3: Best medium renovation (supported by British Gypsum and
Travis Perkins)
Builder: Linley Developments, St Albans, Herts
Client: Carmen and Tony Redondo
The judges were struck by the care and attention to detail lavished
on this truly stunning conversion of a listed derelict Church near
St Albans, which not only won builder Trevor Hyatt the accolade, but
also the heart of the clients’ daughter!
Trevor Hyatt and his team at Linley Developments were given free
rein by clients Carmen and Tony Redondo and worked tirelessly to
create a beautiful space, which works as a warm family home, within
the strict parameters set by the local conservation officer.
Category 4: Best large renovation (supported by American Express and
Buildstore & The National Self Build & Renovation Centre)
Builder: DJ Construction, Rugeley, Staffordshire
Client: Scott Joyce
Staffordshire builder Darren John was asked to restore a ruined mill
house on the outskirts of Lichfield and build a mirror copy on the
other side of the property. He had to sink piles into the boggy
marsh and sand area in front of the house and reclaim land from the
stream outside the house. The owner also wanted to use only
reclaimed stone, oak and render, except for the insulation
materials. The result is a beautiful family home with an indoor
swimming pool, set in stunning grounds and a firm friendship between
builder and client.
Category 5: Best commercial builder (supported by AON and Local
Authority Building Control Services)
Builder: Craig Meadows Building Contractors, Lancashire
Client: John and Sam Turner
Craig Meadows Building Contractors transformed the unpromising site
of a derelict former joinery workshop at the foot of Clitheroe’s
12th century Norman Castle into 10 high quality offices, serviced by
kitchens, a meeting room and a managed reception. Being part of
Clitheroe Castle meant that the walls of the lower ground floor were
made of hard limestone rock. Not only did they require tanking to
prevent damp penetration, but it was also no mean feat to create the
depth of foundations required by the building inspector using the
tiny digger the site could accommodate.
Category 6: Best use of energy efficiency (supported by The Energy
Saving Trust and Homebuilding and Renovating)
Builder: RJ Gulley, Devon
Client: Jim Carfrae, Totnes
Devon builder Robert Gulley caught the judges’ imagination with his
work on a super insulated, sustainable new home in Totnes made from
straw bales, sheep’s wool, lime mortar and a traditional jointed
timber frame of locally sourced Douglas Fir. Builder Rob adapted his
traditional skills to a completely new way of building when client
Jim Carfrae decided he wanted to build as sustainable a house as
possible for the same £250,000 budget as a conventional new home.
Category 7: Best use of waste minimisation practices (supported by
Envirowise)
Builder: Stephen Mulligan, M.B. Contracts (Mulligan Brothers),
Cookstown, Northern Ireland
Client: Derek Harrison, Portadown, Northern Ireland
It would be difficult to imagine that this development of beautiful
traditional Irish cottages set on the banks of the stunning Lough
Erne, is in fact made from recycled materials salvaged from the
cottages that once stood on the site.
Mulligan Brothers were determined to keep waste to a minimum, so
reused the original salvaged steel, old timber and tiles they found
when demolishing the derelict cottages. They even bagged up all the
old insulation material from the original roof and re-used it
between the studwork walls of the new cottages.
Category 8: Heavenly Builder (supported by B&CE Benefit Schemes and
HBXL)
Builder: Dave Stowell, DDS General Builders, Milford Haven
Client: David Edwards, Haverfordwest
Dave Stowell of DDS General Builders was taken on to extend the
Haverfordwest home of David Edwards, who has been disabled for 53
years and needs constant care. Homeowner David was worried about the
disruption and about the amount of dust the project would throw up,
due to his breathing difficulties - but he should not have worried.
Not only did Dave Stowell do a first class building job, but he also
went far beyond the call of duty, making him cups of tea, driving
him to and from friends when the disruption was too great – indeed
nothing was too much trouble for him.
The winners of the National Category Awards and their clients each
won all inclusive luxury UK weekend breaks for two courtesy of the
Paramount Group of Hotels.
Master Builder of the Year 2007 is organised by the Federation of
Master Builders in association with Nissan Motor (GB) Ltd, and
supported by American Express, Aon Ltd, B & CE Benefit Schemes,
British Gypsum Ltd, Buildstore & The National Self Build &
Renovation Centre, ConstructionSkills, Energy Saving Trust,
Envirowise, HBXL, Hilti, Homebuilding and Renovating, LABC, NHBC,
Paramount Group of Hotels, Professional Builder Magazine, Sage (UK)
Ltd, Screwfix Direct, Travis Perkins, and Master Builder magazine.
Email:
jo.reid@ridgemountpr.com
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Editor's Note: Federation of Master Builders
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Federation of Master Builders - Oxford builder best in Britain
Arundel Jones Associates Ltd News Categories : Master Builder of the Year Awards |