Extension, Renovation

What was involved?
I renovated the whole property and added an extension to it. The house was completely gutted and redone from top to bottom. Everything was insulated, the walls, attic floors and even into the rafters. The attic itself was converted and a new kitchen was built. A new bathroom was added upstairs where there hadn't been one before and an under the stairs bathroom where an old broom closet used to be. The plumbing, electrics and everything else was done up and made new, it was a big job.

How did you choose Clancon Build?
Finding Anthony was a real stroke of luck because I had been in negotiation with another builder and it was going backwards and forwards and we weren't getting anywhere. The money the builder was looking for was way beyond the budget and I was really starting to tear my hair out. I looked in the Goldenpages and pulled three builders who had websites I could look up. I saw Anthony's and on his site there was a job where they had gutted and renovated a small house and I thought that's exactly what I want to do.

I spoke to Anthony about what I wanted and he had a quote for me three days later. I visited several of Anthon'y previous jobs and spoke to a client of his whose job and situation with a limited budget was similar to mine. She couldn't speak highly enough of Anthony and the job he had done for her. Within the week, he had the job and from then on it was a good story.

Had you definite ideas in mind before you talked to Anthony Clancy?
I had a fair idea of what I wanted and I used an architect in the early stages who brought some good ideas to the project and provided me with plans. As soon as Anthony got involved however, the project moved much faster and and was completed in half the time it had taken to get to the plans stage.

Did Anthony introduce new ideas?
He did, yes. Anthony was very good at suggesting and introducing a whole load of money saving suggestions. The architect had wanted all the materials and processes to be top spec but with my budget it wasn’t going to work. I felt that Anthony really listened to my budget concerns and took it on board.

How did the project run?
Anthony was second to none and he's a lovely guy to work with. He's friendly, you can have a discussion with him, put forward your opinion and he'll give you examples of why something may or may not work. Anthony said the job would take nine weeks and no one believed him, including me but he was in and out and finished in nine weeks.

One thing I really liked about working with Anthony was that he didn't have a problem with me sourcing and buying some of my own in house materials. I'm an electrical wholesaler so I know DIY and where I can source things like lighting, bathroom fixtures and other stuff. That was huge for me because I felt like I was in control of what was going into my my house.

What was the biggest benefit to you of using Clancon Build?
The biggest benefit was that I really felt that I could trust Anthony. I was afraid initially to trust a builder. I didn't really know how to deal with them and my previous experience before Anthony wasn't very good. I trusted Anthony as a person because he's lovely but I also trusted the standard of his work because I had seen it first hand. Anthony's design ideas were also in line with mine because we share a similar aesthetic.

What's your favourite part now?
I just love the whole house but the thing I really feel is that it's going to be such a warm, cosy house. You get that feeling just walking into the house that it's cosy. It's November now but I haven't had to use the heat yet. I'm really happy with the work that Anthony did for me.

Would you recommend Clancon Build to others?
Yes, of course. I'm very happy to vouch for Anthony and if anyone wants to see the house, they can.

Any tips for other people?
I was convinced from an early stage that I needed an architect involved for the entire project but looking back on it now, I don’t think I did. If I had found Anthony six months earlier, the timescale of the project would have been halved.