Staying On Budget During Your Project

Oftentimes, the biggest stumbling block for clients looking for home renovations is budget. It is difficult for clients without any construction knowledge to gain an accurate idea of the cost of their build; Cowboy builders are sadly all too common and give potential clients either a highly inflated price or a substantially low costing.

Both tactics employed by such builders can have dire effects should a client goes ahead with the quotation. By highly inflating the price, the unknowing client ends up paying for totally unnecessary works. By pricing the job at low cost, the homeowners often endure a never ending spiral of costs which were not anticipated. The end result could mean a shoddy build costing tens of thousands more than if they instructed a reputable builder.

We have taken on clients who have unfortunately found themselves in this situation. From builders deciding the job is too big for them to shoddy workmanship, we take pride in rectifying these kinds of issues and ensuring that the client gets what they original wanted to pay for; a high quality build.

When you first contact us at One Construction, we take pride in the fact that our Director, Neil, deals with your enquiry from the outset. Neil surveys the site and discusses the various options and ideas which you present to him, whilst inputting his own knowledge gained from a great deal of experience in high quality residential builds and renovations.

After discussing your project in detail, we then get to work on pricing the job. We have a unique approach in this respect; Neil himself works tirelessly to provide each client with a bespoke quotation. We recognise that each build is unique, therefore materials and timescales are carefully considered when quoting for each project.

This crucial stage is carefully considered. The quotation is fully itemised allowing all clients to see how their projects cost is determined. Often overlooked elements such as site management and welfare facilities are always included. Our transparency is always appreciated by our clients.

We are proud that each and every project we have completed in has come in on budget. Many hours are spent working through plans and having discussions with all involved parties to ensure that quotation is both affordable and accurate. All our builds and refurbishment projects are never finished until the client is happy and we do everything possible from the outset to ensure our client satisfaction at all stages.

A bespoke, easy to comprehend payment plan is also included so clients can budget and raise funds accordingly.

We would love the opportunity to quote for your project. We are confident that, when you compare the transparency and competitiveness of our quotations with other construction firms or individuals, you will see a drastic difference in the time spend on this crucial aspect to any build. You can be assured that the same level of commitment and consideration is employed during your build, should you choose to instruct One Construction.

Working throughout the Chilterns and the surrounding areas, Neil and the One Construction team would be delighted to undertake any works which you may be considering.

Saving Money & The Environment

Being eco-friendly used to be a buzz word amongst a minority of people who were very much focused on reducing their carbon footprint. Thankfully, we are now at a stage where our environmental habits and discussing how we can improve them has become much more mainstream; and is often a talking point at the first consultation with our clients. The want to lower their emissions, as well as save money on bills in the long term. This is certainly a win win situation. Despite the initial outlay, which has becoming much more affordable over the last 5 years, utilising available resources for your home really does pay off and, when spending significant amounts of either a new build property or large extension, we truly believe that these options should be fully explored when we look to move forward with your projects.

No longer in the territory of eco-warriors or forest dwellers, thankfully you can still maintain all your home comforts whilst lowering your carbon footprint and monthly expenses.

Below, we will talk about some prior projects where eco-factors have been at the forefront of the clients thoughts and how we have implemented them into their projects.

Heat Source Pump - Barn Renovation, Princes Risborough

We were pleased to undertake the complete renovation of a stunning barn conversion whereby the client was very keen to implement various technologies to lower their emissions. Upon consultations, one of the main ways of becoming significantly more energy efficient was the creation of a Heat Source Pump. This remarkable technology has a great array of benefits, and was the perfect solution to our clients requests. Essentially, the Heat Source Pump absorbs the heat from outside your home, and utilises this heat for various aspects of your daily lives, where gas and electric were previous used. Radiators, underfloor heating and hot water can all now be powered from the natural warm air outside of your home. The incredibly low environmental impact comes in the form of the electricity in which they need to run, but this is significantly less impactful then powering via gas. We can install these very easily for you and you will undoubtedly lower your carbon emissions, and save costs on your monthly bills.

Solar Panels - Multiple Projects

Perhaps the more well known form of energy saving products is the Solar Panels. These have developed significantly over the last few years, to the point where many new build homes opt to have the panels applied during the building process. The costs of installing Solar Panels has been helped by government initiatives, and it is certainly becoming more affordable, with the average cost being £5000 - £10,000. This may seem like a large cost, but these sunlight-converting machines not only save you considerable money over time, they can also generate you money. Many people are unaware of the benefits of this form of energy, whereby the Government pay you for generating energy, even if the energy is purely used by your household. Further to this, you can effectively sell energy back to the grid; which will be converted and others in your vicinity can use. This is of course all great, but it is important to remember the large impact on your carbon footprint; solar energy is of course ‘green’ renewable energy, and the solar panels do not release any harmful substances. Amazingly, you can save up to 1.7 tonnes of carbon per year.

Solar Water Heating - Various Projects

Another way of utilising the suns energy is solar water heating. This a fantastic and cost effective way of heating the water you use in your home. People worry about the fact that, here in the UK, unfortunately we aren’t blessed with too much sun. While large amounts of sunlight with of course be beneficial, you do not need drastic amounts for the technology to work. This differs from the Heat Source Pump earlier discussed, as the aim here is to purely heat the water. The water is stored in a cylinder ready for you to use. It works 24/7 so the idea is that you should always have a ready supply of water. For some, whilst the environmental aspect is wonderful, they worry if they haven’t enough water stored. No-body wants a cold shower, thats why many opt to have a boiler or immersion heater, which will sufficiently pump up the temperature.

Interiors - Sandleswood End, Beaconsfield (And many additional projects)

The environmental aspect doesn’t just stop with the obvious; some aspects are less visible but just as important, such as the interior work of the property. It is very important to us at One Construction to recognise our environmental responsibilities, this comes down to somewhat overlooked aspects such as the use of natural materials, such as Lime Mortar. This natural product is ideal for many properties in the area, partially those of character and older buildings. Further to this, we consider the environmental impact of items we use and love everyday. When installing a bespoke kitchen, we ensure the wood used is totally sustainable and recyclable. Further to this, materials will all be locally sourced thus supporting our local independents as well as lowers transportation emissions.

Here at One Construction, we are committed to helping the environment where we can, and work with our clients in a variety of ways in order to make their project as eco-friendly and cost-effective as possible.

Generating Ideas For Your Project

By far the most enjoyable aspect of your construction project is when you have instructed a contractor and now you can begin planning your renovation.

With a plethora of information out there, both online and in the form of print media, you could soon become overwhelmed with catalogues, magazine and business cards from tens of showrooms. From the more obvious kitchens and bathrooms, to the more overlooked features such as tiling and flooring, we explore the best way to get your project in motion without becoming overwhelmed, and actually enjoy the process of planning your project!

Pinterest:
The first and still favoured website focussing on all things interiors. While there are other aspects to the site, it is very much focused on renovation. Full of incredible pictures and detailed designs, the website acts as a mood board for you to explore all your ideas. You can create boards for as many rooms as you like, and this helps keep all your ideas and information together. A much easier and functional way of organisation then catalogues swarming throughout your home. Through images of homeowners and inspiring designers throughout the world, Pinterest is a go-to tool for many. It is enjoyable to browse and we guarantee you’ll change the initial ideas you had in your mind when you see what others have done.

Houzz

A more recent interiors website, Houzz is a great way of connecting ideas, souring products and finding trades to help you in your project. The simple layout of the site means it is easily used by many, and quickly becomes and invaluable too. It is localised, too, so you can focus on projects that have been carried out in your area, and spend less time being led away to Swimming Pool design in the Bahamas which you often find on Pinterest. Houzz is very much our recommendation, due to the ease of use as well as geographic features. It also features a handy e-shop so you can add pieces to your project from sellers all over Europe.

Instagram

The most famous image sharing website by far is Instagram. It is a wonderful tool for sharing your life as well as finding your interests. From top retailers, to bloggers and designers, Instagram is full of inspiration for your projects. Looking for a certain kind of style? You’ll find it on Instagram. With millions of hashtags, you can really narrow down exactly what you want. From bespoke cabinetry to stunning tiles, there are millions of images for you to peruse and find your own individual style.

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Sometimes its nice to have something physical to refer too. We are blessed to be located in an area with a huge array of interior showrooms. From kitchen and bathroom showrooms to multiple flooring and tiling showrooms, these are still the go-to when you need ideas. Its great to see something in the flesh, which absolutely helps you narrow down your choice. Further to the more obvious showrooms, we are lucky to be able to visit Window & Door showrooms in the area, and specialist showrooms such as wood burning stoves. All are catered to in the Chilterns. We work with many trusted, local companies to ensure the perfect finish to your home. Our skilled workmen at One Construction and well versed in fitting bathrooms and kitchens, which we often design and create ourselves, alleviating the risk and need of an outside company and keeping this in-house.

We are active on all these platforms, as well as Facebook. There is, of course, a lot more to what we do then you may see on our social pages. We are very much a hands on organisation, and relish helping you with your choices, no matter how small they may be. We are passionate about design and would love to help transform the ideas you have gained from the above platforms into your very own home.

When you’re ready, why not pop down to our Design Studio and we can help you with these sometimes overwhelming stages. It is your project, let it be enjoyable, not stressful. Neil and the whole One Construction & Interiors team are very much here to help.

Extend Or Move?

In todays uncertain climate, accentuated by Brexit, it is becoming increasingly common to look at ways of how you can improve your home as opposed to moving, with all the associated costs with purchasing a new property. We are blessed to be based and work in The Chilterns, and it is certainly no surprise to us that many of our clients are keen to remain in the area and renovate their home instead of moving further afield. The appeal of The Chilterns is obvious; surrounded by stunning countryside and character homes yet being extremely well connected to London. This makes The Chilterns  possibly the most idyllic commuter belt area. With towns such as Beaconsfield, Amersham and Marlow – many of our clients consult us in regards to how we can work with their existing homes as they are keen to remain in their home and are unwilling to move away from these sought after towns. We relish the opportunity to work with our clients from the very beginning of the project, and give our views on how we can make the most of any possible building works.

Extensions are the obvious way of adding space and value to your home, but there are many aspects which need to be considered in order to fully utilise the space. Open plan living is popular, yet needs to be thought out coherently to maximise the space while maintaining an air of privacy. Currently, we at One Construction & Interiors are working with three projects in the Beaconsfield area, who all shared the same goal – make our home larger whilst being sympathetic to the existing property. This is a key consideration for us, especially given the unique nature of many homes in the area.
Single story extensions tend to be the preferred option, whereby a large amount of additional space can be created to the main living areas of the home. Planning authorities always prefer rear extensions in order to maintain the exterior aesthetics of the property. This is beneficial, as many of our clients look out to wonderful gardens which can be enjoyed in the new living space.

Popular additions to the home overwhelming tend to be the desire to have a larger kitchen and dining area, and we are delighted to be able to offer bespoke kitchens and cabinetry which make the most of your space. The bespoke nature offers you the opportunity to really create a space which works for you; all your needs are listened to and catered for. However cliché it may be, the kitchen truly is the heart of the home so we understand the importance of creating a space for you to enjoy for many years to come.

Financially, building works to your home is costly. We recognise the initial trepidation that clients may have due to the large sum of money involved. Many horror stories are heard of costs spiralling out of control. We take great pride in the fact that every project we complete comes in on budget and the only additional costs would be any additional work you may require. We are of course fully insured, which adds to the security of instructing us. Furthermore, we recognise that, even after the project has finished, there may be a few issues that need resolving after a few months, especially when working with natural materials. This is why we offer a unique after care package, which is totally free of charge, whereby Neil will visit the property and rectify any issues. This further gives a sense of security to you, the client.

We work tirelessly in order to ensure the utmost satisfaction among our clients, and our glowing reviews from previous clients is something we take enormous pride in. All our staff are highly trained with a passion for their craft and an outstanding work ethic. Neil will always be at the forefront of the project, whereby he will be managing and being your point of contact throughout the building works. Based in Great Missenden, we are able to carry out works throughout this wonderful area, and would be delighted to help with any construction projects you are considering.