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News Release from: Federation of Master Builders (FMB)
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 13 November 2006
Builder in South West is hailed as best
in Britain
Masterful restoration of 1930s Devon golf club to create a 21st Century family home has earned Manor Building Company (Torbay) the title of Master Builder of the Year 2006.
The masterful restoration of a 1930s Devon golf club to create a 21st Century family home has earned Manor Building Company (Torbay) the title of Master Builder of the Year 2006 The family firm from Torquay, beat off the challenge of almost 1,500 other building companies, all of which had been nominated by their clients for the first class quality of their craftsmanship and customer service
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 27 Jun 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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The national competition is organised by the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) in association with Nissan, which provides the winner with a Nissan Light Commercial Vehicle of their choice worth up to GBP20,000 The 2006 Apprentice of the Year also hails from the West Country, with the GBP1,000 prize going to nineteen-year-old Sean Facey, an apprentice carpenter from Bridgwater, Somerset.
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 9th 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.
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MASTER BUILDER OF THE YEAR 2006.
The Master Builder of the Year title was awarded to Manor Building Company (Torbay), for the complete refurbishment and extension of a 1930s golf clubhouse in Kingswear to create a contemporary home for their clients Stuart and Pat Smith.
Originally built as a single-storey golf clubhouse in the 1930s, the building was later converted to a dwelling and a second storey added in the 1970s.
There is little about the newly refurbished Golf House, which is not special.
Perched 300 feet above sea level, overlooking Dartmouth and the River Dart, the complex design for the property was intended to maximise the extraordinary views with extensive glazing opening on to terraces and covered balconies.
The builders also had to cope with a severely sloping site, with extremely narrow access.
The complexity of the project required an exceptional builder.
But the technically complex design was just one the challenges, there were also the client's last minute changes to contend with.
The purchase of an outsize sofa meant the builders had to move the doorway to the living room, along with the fire and flue, which had been built up to roof level, as well as the wiring for a plasma screen television.
While a last-minute decision to install a hot tub on the roof terrace required the retro fit and concealment of a supporting steel structure! The Smiths admit that in some respects they must have been demanding clients, but never once did the builders "lose their cool", demonstrating "outstanding customer service" throughout the 13-month project.
APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR 2006.
Sponsored by CITB-ConstructionSkills and Screwfix Direct.
The 2006 Apprentice of the Year, Sean Facey (19), from Bridgwater in Somerset is carving out the career of an "exceptional" apprentice carpenter.
This is the latest in a long line of awards for Sean, who was named Apprentice of the Year by Bridgwater College in 2004, and has won first and second places at the South West Regional SKILLBUILD finals.
Sean, who works for SandM Marsh, has further developed his skills through his hobby, helping with Bridgwater carnival, the largest illuminated carnival in the world.
Nominating Sean, Owen Foord, Modern Apprenticeship Training Officer at CITB-ConstructionSkills, said: "We see many youngsters, but once in a while, one shines through like a leading light".
"Sean has learnt from first class carpenters in a small family firm with a huge variety of work".
"Trained in the old-style, his work, whether on complex angled roofs, beautiful staircases or oak floors is very impressive." NATIONAL CATEGORY PRIZE WINNERS.
Category 1: Best new home (sponsored by Sage and Home Building and Renovating magazine and Shows).
Builder: John McAuley Construction, Limavady, Co Londonderry, N.
Ireland.
Client: Ciaran and Gillian Montague.
John McAuley and his team dealt with the challenge of building over a World War II bunker, to provide the Montague's with a home far exceeding their original expectations.
John's expertise included suggesting that they resubmit their plans to re-site the house further back from the road, allowing for a stunning, sweeping drive.
He even installed a special drainage system in the garage to allow the Montague's, who are both vets, to clean their menagerie of pets.
Category 2: Best small renovation (sponsored by Hilti and Professional Builder magazine).
Builder: W N Powell and Sons , Great Harwood, Blackburn, Lancashire.
Client: Stuart Steele.
Bill Powell and his company W N Powell and Sons had to work closely with English Heritage and Wycoller Country Park administrators, to satisfy their stringent requirements to transform a derelict 17th Century Grade II Listed former weaver's cottage into a comfortable character home for their client.
Bill achieved the delicate balance of retaining the best elements of the cottage's rustic charms, while making it suitable for modern contemporary living.
Category 3: Best medium renovation (sponsored by British Gypsum and Travis Perkins).
Builder: W A Hare and Son , Kelfield, York.
Client: Mr and Mrs DIxon.
The judges were struck by the customer care and craftsmanship that went into the building of a substantial two-storey, energy efficient extension to a historic hall.
W A Hare and Son sourced rare reclaimed clamp bricks and old slate to ensure the extension was in keeping with the historical setting.
They also had to incorporate highly energy efficient technology, including structural insulated panels, a ventilation heat exchange system and underfloor heating with room-by-room controls.
Category 4: Best large renovation (sponsored by American Express and Hewden).
This category was won by the Master Builder of the Year 2006, Manor Building (Torbay).
Category 5: Best conservatory (sponsored by K2 and the Paramount Group of Hotels).
Builder: Cardiff Glass , Cardiff.
Client: Jen and Bob Gay.
Shaun Armstrong and the Cardiff Glass team helped realise their client's request for a large conservatory complementing their farmhouse home, to provide a living space that is seamlessly integrated into their garden and would be usable all year round.
Attention to detail in the material choice resulted in a T-shaped conservatory that blends perfectly with the couple's idyllic rustic home, while high performance glass helps control summer and winter temperatures.
Category 6: Best commercial building (sponsored by Aon and Local Authority Building Control Services).
Builder: Mike Forbes , Aboyne, Scotland.
Client: Lonach Hall Community Association.
When Lonach Hall, close to the Cairngorms National Park, became semi-derelict, the community produced a compelling business plan for a GBP250,000 restoration project.
The villagers raised GBP60,000 through events with the rest of the funding coming from European, UK and regional grants.
Mike Forbes and his team of builders and craftsmen recreated the building from the inside out, restoring the hall's unique barrel vaulted roof, installing new cladding, timbers and windows.
Inside the hall now has full insulation, state-of-the-art under floor heating and a sprung dance floor.
Category 7: Best use of energy efficiency and best waste minimisation practice (sponsored by the Energy Saving Trust and Envirowise).
The judges gave two Awards in this category, the first for energy efficiency, the second for waste minimisation.
Builder: MT Wall Limited, Stourbridge.
Client: Family Housing Association (Birmingham) .
The winning scheme was not conceived as an Eco project, but a change of direction mid-build shows how a good builder can easily turn an older property into an eco-friendly home.
M T Wall Limited had no difficulty in achieving the new specification, which included wind and solar power, an A-rated system boiler, high levels of insulation and low water output taps and showers.
The housing association client is using these same measures to regenerate more properties for low-income families in Birmingham and estimates payback in reduced energy bills in just five to seven years.
Builder: English Construction, Ellesmere, Shropshire.
In an industry notorious for producing large amounts of waste, English Construction has discovered that going green is a sure fire way to grow business.
The six-person company has adopted a long-term approach to help reduce waste and save money, through recycling, training and working with suppliers, appointing its very own waste champion, who is responsible for segregating, re-using and cutting down waste.
The whole team is trained to 'think green' as part of the company's training, and English Construction will only work with companies that will take back surplus supplies.
Category 8: Heavenly Builder (sponsored by BandCE Benefit Schemes and HBXL).
Builder: Richard Vincent Carpentry and Building, Salisbury, Wiltshire.
Client: Alison Cotton.
The nation's most "Heavenly Builder" is Richard Vincent who was nominated by Alison Cotton after building a new extension to her 200-year-old cottage.
Accountant Alison was off work following an operation just as the building work started, but Richard Vincent and his team ensured they caused minimal disruption and made her life as comfortable as possible, including fetching her post, putting her dustbins out and even building special steps for her cat! Alison also praised Richard's understanding and outstanding craftsmanship, saying: "Richard immediately appreciated the quirkiness of the cottage".
"He personally distressed the beams, crafted curved skirting boards and curved walls around the windows." The winners of the National Category Awards and their clients each won an all inclusive luxury UK weekend breaks for two courtesy of the Paramount Group of Hotels.
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