A & R Design

A&R Design did a fantastic job. Complete replacement roof, fascias, guttering and painting the pebbledash. The work was completed in the time estimated and I was kept informed all the way through. All the guys worked hard and cleaned up after themselves. I can really recommend Todd who completed the painting meticulously. Whenever I had a query Robert would immediately pop by to discuss. So I would definitely recommend for anyone needing building work.

Through the later stages of the pandemic we had extensive work done at a newly occupied bungalow. We worked with an architect from December 2020 and work started in May 2021 We had a new first floor installed consisting of a bathroom, a sitting room with kitchenette and two bedrooms. We lived in the property, downstairs the whole time this was carried out with little inconvenience to us. Stairs were put in in July 2021 ready for us to move upstairs in September2021 for a complete refurbishment of the downstairs of an extension of a new kitchen, replastering of all the walls to the required insulation standards, complete renewal of all electricity, and double glazing and installation of downstairs toilet, utility room and ensuite to main bedroom. The main work was completed by December 2021Only two days were lost when steels were not available. The highlight of the work was the ease with which suggestions and changes to the architects design was made by the builders, the help and suggestions made for all the fittings and finishes which we had. The quality of the work is excellent and the foreman in charge was really helpful to us with his own suggestions and keeping us informed of the next steps being undertaken and anticipating any decisions we needed to make. We were always kept informed and any ideas we had were considered and incorporated as far as possible and little extras were accommodated. Customer care was paramount

We engaged A&R to undertake a project to renovate out home, whilst we remained living there. The scope included removal of a chimney stack, replacing several ceilings and floors, replacement of hot water and heating systems, a rewire, and a bathroom refit, with a project budget in excess of one hundred thousand pounds. Work started well and A&R contractors were polite and professional, with work largely progressing in line with the expected two and a half month duration. However, it was clear that there was a resource shortfall which caused the plumbing to fall steadily behind. In order to help the plumbers catch up, we agreed to have the old boiler removed before the new boiler was installed, on a promise that we would have heat again in a few days. A&R’s plumbers walked away from the job a day later which left us with no heating for two months; just after a large part of the house had been plastered. The cold weather and the humidity from the plaster made life very unpleasant. After this, we received inflated invoices with duplicate and, in some cases, concealed charges. Although the charges were removed when challenged, A&R were remarkably unapologetic about the more than eighteen thousand pounds they tried to add incorrectly. The rewire was only partially completed with dangerous wiring left in-situ. Ultimately, after over six months, A&R abandoned site leaving us with a substantially unusable home which we are having to have remedied by others. We have since discovered other customers with similar experiences.

We had an old conservatory replaced with a rear extension so we could have a completely new kitchen, utility and pantry. Excellent service from start to finish. You get a clear timetable for the work and schedule of payment so you know what to expect when, which takes out so much of the guesswork. Rob was always available and helpful, resolving some hiccups along the way without any drama, and no question was too small or stupid to bother him with. He has a friendly, skilled team all round. Thanks to the guys who did the initial demolition and block work with amazing speed, and then to Mark and Dean who cheerfully kept things moving on site even when material shortages due to Covid slowed things down. They were also all very kind with our elderly neighbours who needed reassurance at times. Special shout out to Allison who was a great help in sorting out our kitchen design and dealing with the suppliers so we didn’t have to! Thanks also to Jo for being so helpful and ultra-efficient with invoicing etc. And obviously thanks to Rob who oversaw the whole build, made everything work smoothly and popped in regularly to check all was well. If you want a company that is approachable, gives you options without the hard sell, and as clear and transparent as possible from quote to final invoice, then I highly recommend A&R Design. You might get cheaper quotes but I genuinely don’t think you’d get the same results or level of service. The space is great! Thanks!

We engaged A&R following a recommendation from a friend. The A&R team, Rob, Allison and Jo are all highly professional and were helpful at all stages of our rear ground floor extension build. All aspects of the project management were taken care of and we were kept informed on a daily basis of what was happening as well as the next stages. All the trades who came onsite were also very skilled, polite and tidy workers. Special mention to Jamie, Glen and Alfie who also gave us some good/helpful ideas that we hadn't considered. We added a couple of jobs to the interior finish as well as the exterior patio, fencing and lawn. It all came in on time and on budget and we are delighted with the finished product, having lived with the new space for nearly 3 months. We are complimented by everyone who has been to the house, and we can wholeheartedly recommend A&R based upon our experience with them.

Rob and the team were excellent throughout the project. Clear guidance on work scheduling and budget right from the start. We were kept up to date throughout on costs, timings for the different stages and Rob and the team were thoughtful and pragmatic about solutions to issues that we encountered on the way, particularly being mindful of our budget. The team were always on time, friendly and clean and did a fantastic job bringing the project in on time and to a very high standard. Final snagging was dealt with quickly and efficiently. I would definitely use A&R again.

A & R Design started our project on 28th October and as promised finished before Christmas. we are delighted with the end result, the kitchen and garden room look fantastic and they were friendly, helpful and professional throughout. I would highly recommend them.

We contacted A&R Design back in May 2020 asking for a quote for an Edwardian building refurbishment (a house that we were about to move into). After agreeing on the scope and cost they provided an exceptional service doing refurbishment works in July/August 2020. Both Robert and Allison were very easy to talk to and Jo was always really friendly and helpful. Robert gave us a lot of useful advice throughout the process. We were also very happy with the team on site, doing a great job and always contacting us if there was any issue or additional cost that we had to discuss. My profession is an architect so I work with various contractors. A&R exceeded my expectations. We are very happy with the results.

We recently appointed A&R Design to build a single storey extension that would encompass the existing kitchen and dining room and create an additional family area. Their experience was invaluable, from the much-needed practical and design ideas at consultation, through to the administration and delivery of the project. The agreed schedule of works and payment schedule allowed us to organise accordingly, choosing materials and finalising decisions so that slippage was kept to a minimum. Rob and Allison were very approachable and were always on hand to check on progress and discuss some of the finer points of the project. Day-to-day, the project was largely split into exteriors and internals teams, managed very efficiently by Glen and Jamie. Everyone was very professional and highly skilled, often going above and beyond to find solutions as things arose. The guys were punctual, polite, and mindful that we were living on site and also of our neighbours. Noise was minimal and the site was always left clean and tidy -- they even cleared from the garden so we could enjoy the bank holiday sunshine! The project was delivered on time and in budget and far exceeds our expectations with everyone's attention to detail and pride in their work evident throughout. All in all, we cannot believe how relatively painless the whole process has been and wouldn't hesitate to recommend A&R Design to anyone considering such a project.

I engaged A&R to design and fit a new kitchen. I was persuaded to go with them because they were local, had good reviews on Which? Trusted Trader and we got a good feeling about them unlike other people we had initially engaged who seemed less professional. Rob suggested getting Howdens to do the actual design and supply the kitchen. We were ok with this since friends who had Howdens kitchens were very happy with them. Both Rob (A&R) and Gary (Howdens) initially said that Howdens would be competitive with one of the lower quotes we’d received but as it turned out the cost was closer to the higher end. Howdens matched appliance prices we had seen elsewhere. A&R's quote for the fitting was reasonable. Rob project managed the various workmen extremely efficiently, each doing their job professionally, going and the next one not long behind. Rob popped in most mornings to see how work was going and was constantly on top of things. The job was complete a little ahead of schedule. The only issue as the work progressed was that we'd wanted the worktop corners rounded. Beforehand, Rob and Gary said that this wouldn't be an issue, when it came to it though, the fitter immediately said doing this wouldn't be easy and "never looked good" which disappointed us. True to his word, it took a few attempts to get right, but the end result was acceptable. Minor tweaks required were dealt with quickly and efficiently. Overall the work was very well done and we'd be happy to recommend A&R.