2. Relationships are key
When Nicola and Antony approached
Civic about extending and improving
their impressive Edwardian property
in St Albans, they already had an architect
– with whom Civic had not previously
worked – on board. “Our architect, a
friend of the family, is very exacting and
the quality of his work and the standards
he expects of builders are extremely
high.” Civic had to develop an excellent
working relationship with him to ensure
that the very high quality bespoke work
required was achieved, especially as he
was not based locally. “Civic certainly
managed to achieve this and did not
disappoint.”
High standards, high spec
The home that Nicola and Anthony now
enjoy is testament both to the success
of that relationship, and to Civic’s ability
and commitment to work to the highest
professional standards. With their own
architectural technologist, quantity
surveyor and rigorous site supervision,
Civic as usual ran a safe, well ordered,
tightly controlled project and achieved the
high quality result that everyone expected.
Significant amounts of concealed
structural steelwork, bespoke windows,
automated gates and garage doors,
Kloeber front entrance door, stunning
flooring – both slate and premium oak –
and complete redecoration of the outside
of the property have all been finished to
a very high standard. Civic “created a
home that certainly demonstrates they
were the right choice.”
Children
One aspect that was particularly important
to Nicola and Anthony, was that the site
was child proof as they remained living
at the property whilst the extensive
work took place. “Civic understood the
importance of the site being safe and
child proof and took time and effort to
ensure the site was both at all times.”
Blending old and new
Blending the existing part of a property
with the new can be a challenge. Here,
however, the stunning designer kitchen
and new living room flow perfectly
into the more traditional hallway.
The new bedroom also demonstrates
this successful blend; the vaulted
ceiling, bespoke window, tailor made
joinery and impeccable decoration
have created a room which is modern
yet retains a traditional feel.
Choice of materials is one of the keys
to a successful project. Use the wrong
materials and the integrity of the whole
building is compromised; find the right
ones and the results – as here – are
faultless. “Civic certainly took the time
and trouble to match bricks and roof
tiles, and to find just the right slates
for our kitchen floor – as they did with
all the materials. As a result, the new
work blends really well with the more
traditional.”
External works
Civic took care of all the external works
too – from the cobbled front driveway to
the new timber retaining walls, steps and
paving with integral lighting at the rear.
So – a real quality result, and a home that
will be a joy to live in for years to come.
‘Stunning’ is a word that can be over-used.
Not in this case. Everything about this extended
and improved Edwardian house in St Albans
says ‘quality’.
Project
Lancaster Road
Location
St Albans
Build-time
32 weeks
What we did
– Kitchen extension
– New boot room and
utility room
– New Living room
– First floor bedroom and
bathroom extension
– Premium oak flooring
– External redecoration
– New Timber clad garage
– Automated front gates
– Hard landscaping
www.civicdesignandbuild.com
