Sandy Lane, Titchfield

Of all the decisions I had to make when I had the house extended last year, the easiest and best, was appointing Blank Canvas to do the build. When you’ve spent years planning your dream home and are preparing to spend tens of thousands of pounds, not only is it important that you get value for money and a high standard of build, but you also want to work with people who ‘get where you’re coming from’, who you can trust and who genuinely have your best interests at heart and care as much about delivering your vision as you do. Most people are entering into a process they know little or nothing about and are reliant on their builder for advise and guidance to navigate this. It may be ‘just another job’ to many builders but, to you, this is a once in a lifetime investment that you need to get right as you’ll be living with the consequences for years to come.

I invited 7 building firms to tender but, from the first time I met Dan, it was very clear that Blank Canvas is no ordinary building company, as they were clearly operating on a level of professionalism their competitors weren’t. At our initial meeting, he took on board everything that I was asking for and added some brilliant suggestions of his own which we incorporated into the design. He was able to advise me on the choice of an excellent local architect and work with him and myself to produce plans which gained planning approval at the first attempt. Several things that others had added into their quotes were ruled out as unnecessary. From the start he was very clear that everything would be documented in a formal agreement covering the price, the payment schedule, what was included in the quote and what wasn’t, when the work would start, hours on site and a process to handle any potential disagreements. This was for both parties protection and would be signed when I had gone through it with him and was happy. My only concern was the price of this added value but when the quote came in, not only was it the best value for money quote, but it was also competitively priced.

Once everything was signed and in place, work started on schedule. The core team, Jason, the foreman, Paul, Sean, Mike and Ben are all either related or long time friends of Dan and co-owner Ian. As a team they work very well together and it’s obvious they enjoy working together. There was a great atmosphere in the house and they all share Dan and Ian’s desire to deliver a build to the highest standard, not only for the client but for the pride they have in their work. With my permission, a couple of their dogs even came to work from time to time! I never had any concerns about turning my house over to them whilst I was out at work. The build ran like clockwork. Materials turned up on time and and in the right quantity. There were no days when nobody turned up without explanation. Lost days due to weather were minimal and clawed back over the weekend. When the kitchen company pulled forward their installation date by 10 days, the team responded brilliantly, amending their schedule and working into the night to get the kitchen plastered, painted and ready for the installation. Along the way, they also made several suggestions which enhanced the final result.

Throughout the build, I was in regular contact with Dan to review progress and discuss the things I needed to buy and the timings. When it came to second fix, every item of expenditure was documented and reviewed prior to payment. When the inevitable unexpected happened, minor mishaps or things discovered during the integration into the existing building, there was no crisis. I was kept fully informed of the issue, possible solutions and their recommendation. Usually, by the time I got home from work the problem had been resolved. On the odd occasion I turned home to find something I wasn’t quite happy with, Dan or Jason had usually already spotted it and set about fixing it!

At the end of the project, the build had been completed on time and on budget to a superb standard. Not only that, it had been an enjoyable and stress free experience. My extension has been admired by many people and all comment on the high standard of what has been built. You can’t do anything about the dust and disruption but everything else can be controlled, minimised or avoided. If you have Blank Canvas working for you you’ll have made a smart decision and will have a company with as much invested in making your project a success as you do!