About me

I started my professional life thirty-five years ago as a specialist painter and decorator in London, working with some of the UK’s leading builders and interior designers on properties throughout the UK, Europe and the USA. I absorbed a wealth of knowledge of architecture and the aesthetic details that can make something feel ‘right’. Often, I found that many of these beautiful old houses had been renovated without reference to their history and with little care for the building’s intrinsic sense of itself. I have discovered that some of the traditional techniques and materials work better than their modern equivalents. Ten years ago I put down my paint brush and put on my hard hat. I was determined to offer clients of these lovely buildings a fresh approach to renovation and rebuilding.

My role

As project manager, I will liaise between trades, suppliers, architects and the client. I visit each site a minimum of three times a week - ensuring that decisions are made efficiently, deliveries co-ordinated with the all the trades and, critically, the client is kept appraised of the build at all times.

My aims are to restore a building with love and enthusiasm, to produce a cost-effective renovation that reflects my clients’ needs and tastes, and to leave a historic and lovely house ready for the next hundred years.

Joiners Mick and Andy do first and second fix joinery right through to bespoke furniture and hand made kitchens of the highest quality.

Electricians, I have worked with Burncliffe for 15 years and Shaun and Sarah are now expert at managing to get sockets and switches into awkward places without disturbing the existing interiors or damaging historic wallpapers.

Plumber Rob Westall is a third generation plumber and is now used to fitting antique baths, basins and traditional cast iron radiators.  He also designs heating systems and works alongside environmental options such as biomass boilers and heat exchangers.

Painters Gary and Alan can do anything from hang the most challenging of wallpapers to using traditional, environmentally friendly paints and everything in between.

When it comes to plastering, I love the use of rounded corners and dowels. It can make a new opening look as if it has always been there.  The Smiths have got these old techniques off to a fine art.