The Georgian-era house, grade II listed in 1959, had been used, until the present owners acquired it, as a retreat for the sisters of La Retraite.

Under the watchful eye of the local conservation officer the house was brought back to its former glory. All original features, from fireplaces to intricate cornice work, were painstakingly restored by a client who really cares for the building’s heritage.

A large wrought iron balcony was added, together with the various other works which, whilst they remained sympathetic, have now made the house suitable for modern-day living.

One of Foley Allan’s most challenging projects.

The refurbishment and conversion, from a commercial mish-mash of rooms and corridors to a cherished family home, was a major project that took over 18 months. The property, being Grade II Listed, required a high level of heritage care and, of course, the regulatory compliance added a further layer of red tape. Don and Peter took it all in their stride, were always professional and a pleasure to deal with. Their experience and contact list meant there was never a drama and they were able to cope with everything the building threw at them. The contractors Foley Allan use are a real asset and top of their game, plus they were flexible to our ever evolving plans, suggesting alternatives and improvements along the way as well making the end result a team effort. The guys on site worked hard and were just nice to have around. This project was certainly something we couldn’t have hoped to deal with ourselves despite having handled smaller renovation jobs in the past.

But the main thing that struck us was reliability. They were there, every single working day. No weeks of inactivity or delays due to poor management. Everything just flowed as it should.