Journal
Guild Anderson has worked with many country house builders such as Mouldings builders near Salisbury, Wiltshire. Embarking on a major country house renovation, or a new build project, can feel like stepping in to the abyss. Having the foresight to seek out skilled individuals to assist you on that journey may involve architects, planners, builders, kitchen designers and if you are sensible – building consultants.
For some purchasing their first country home will mean re-decoration and some new fabrics. Others will need to reconfigure, extend or renovate – possibly even rebuild! It may well be the first time that they have dipped their toe into the world of restoration, let alone take on a major building project.
COUNTRY HOUSE BUILDING CONSULTANT
Guild Anderson often encounter projects where a lack of sound planning has resulted in rash decision making. Sometimes mistakes are made that may have been avoided if more consideration was taken before a planning application was submitted.
An initial consultation with an experienced professional before the planning process has begun allows for a more considered approach and often a more cost effective build. Any potential issues can be identified, addressed and ironed out, and any missed opportunities can be reconsidered, ultimately avoiding delays and unnecessary costs further down the line.
Tim Moulding of Mouldings builders offers this invaluable service, as ‘Country House Building Consultants’.
He works in partnership with the property owner, providing expert advice on the entire build or restoration process of your country house. With over 30 years’ experience in the specialist build process, he can help you avoid the pitfalls, delays and costly mistakes. It is a service that provides essential advice to anyone purchasing, or who owns a country home, at the onset of a major building project.
A successful project requires a mix of professional consultants, suppliers, skills, expertise and experience in order to deliver the desired final outcome, on time and within budget
INDEPENDENT AND INVALUABLE ADVICE
Meeting Tim for the first time, he comes across as an extremely passionate and knowledgeable professional. His experience of the building process in general, coupled with his unwavering enthusiasm for restoration and traditional building methods, allows him to offer independent and invaluable advice. He has an unrivalled level of understanding of historic and period properties and what they may or may not need in order to restore them for modern living.
Over the past 30 years at the help of Mouldings builders he has delivered over 100 projects of £1m in value and above. In 2017 he recognised a gap in the market for a service to anyone purchasing or inheriting a period property that requires building work. At the pre-project or pre-purchase stage he can offer a pragmatic view on the building itself, the restoration that may be needed, mechanical services such as re-wiring and plumbing, and give a point of view on the whole build or restoration process including time and costs before anyone embarks on the journey.
A new build project is often more straightforward with the ability to define the scope of work and predict costs. Again, involving a consultant on a new build project has its advantages. To pull a high quality building together requires high quality design and technical detailing. Some designers may recommend modern building techniques, but using a more traditional building method may offer a simpler and more enduring solution.
Moulding's workmen in the late 1930s
A Moulding's company charabanc outing in the early 1920s
Mouldings understand what it takes to achieve total customer satisfaction. To produce a building of quality, longevity and delight, transforming the vision from minds and paper. To bring it to life.
PERSONAL SERVICE, PROFESSIONALISM AND EMPATHY
As well a being a consultant Tim is Managing Director of Mouldings builders. As the eighth generation owner of the South’s leading traditional building company, building and restoration is quite literally part of his DNA. Trained as a quantity surveyor, he was thrown head first in to working for the family firm from and early age; an ingrained understanding of buildings and the building process allows him to offer genuinely sound advice.
R. Moulding & Co are a family owned business. Established in 1798 they specialise in high-end residential building projects. Their work is highly respected, their reputation is unrivalled. Offering all manner of building work; they cover small extensions, decoration and maintenance through to more major renovation, reconstruction and restoration of period properties. With their extensive experience they are responsible for the maintenance and restoration of English Heritage’s properties throughout the South West of England.
Guild Anderson and Tim Moulding have worked together on various projects over the past 20 years, in both new properties as well as restorations. We are proud to align ourselves with Mouldings as we share a very similar set of values. We have based the delivery of our own work around three factors; personal service, professionalism and empathy. We both combine traditional building skills with modern day techniques, and our common goal is to create modern family spaces which respect the architectural heritage of our client’s houses.
Stockton House a Grade I Jacobean Manor House represents just one of the many properties that we have worked on together, along with Manston House, a Grade II Listed Victorian Rectory.
More objective than a standard building survey and based around the suitability of the client’s lifestyle requirements, including strategy of likely repairs, guidelines on budget expenditure, time-scales, geology and other typically unforeseen issues
FLEXIBILITY AND KNOWLEDGE
Despite Tim’s role at Mouldings builders, his consultancy service offers impartial advice. He can offer their expertise as traditional builders, but clients are at liberty to use which ever builder they prefer.
One of the many things that set ‘Mouldings’ apart from their competitors is their own large employee base of traditional tradesmen. During the lifetime of any project they may work alongside other contractors, their own highly skilled team offer a unique level of expertise in their field. Just as each one of their projects is bespoke, so each one of their team is a trained professional, with the ability to adapt.
Elevating ‘Mouldings’ above many building contractors is their flexibility and knowledge. Their own joinery workshop allows them to recreate elements within a project that require bespoke detailing; such as their carpenters making their own scribes to match historic features. Their plasterers can work with more traditional techniques such a lime, while their bricklayers can analyse mortar ensuring any modern replacements match the original historic materials.
R. Moulding & Co's building team
R. Moulding & Co's stone mason
A country house restoration or new build is very different from any other building project. Scale, materials, heritage, subjective expectations and compliance make a country house project totally unique.
No restoration project runs without some difficulties, each build is bespoke. A unique opportunity to peel back layers in a building which can expose all manner of unforeseen problems and possibilities. Everything from plumbing and electrical work, damp and wood worm, bats and beetles all offer a unique challenge, let alone listed building consent and disgruntled neighbours!
However, with experience, foresight and preparation this potentially complex process can be positively influenced, and ultimately an enjoyable experience for all. Tim and his team at Mouldings builders are specialists, helping mitigate risk, saving time & stress and reduce cost. Surely foresight is a wonderful thing.
