Feature: Soundhouse
Andrew Kay takes a look at the work of Soundhouse, a small local building company that prides itself on high standards and excellent customer service
Soundhouse have been featured regularly in the pages of Latest Homes since we
first launched. I can clearly remember going along, not to meet the team, but to visit some of their clients.
It was a clever idea because rather than spending a few hours listening to a builder tell me why he was so good, I spent time with some very happy clients. These were clients who were impressed at every level with the Soundhouse service. Back then, they were impressed by the quality of the work, the attention to detail and finish. They loved the clean working methods employed, the lack of mess and intrusion into the normal workings of their homes. Clients even mentioned the fact that these were not tea-guzzling builders – well not builders’ tea anyway, but more likely a pot of green tea.
Of course, I did meet with Nick from Soundhouse to find out what is new. I had expected that given their great track record and success the company would have expanded. But it has not. Nick is absolutely committed to maintaining the same level of service and does not believe that he and his team could guarantee that with expansion.
It must certainly be down to his company’s commitment to keeping in touch with their customers that they are so full of praise for what the Soundhouse team do and the way that they do it. By focusing the company’s attentions on quite specific kinds of building work they are able to offer excellent advice based on real life experiences. That said, they are always keen to approach a client’s wish list with an open mind, endeavouring to fulfil all those dreams.
I was not in the least surprised when Nick then took me to see two recent projects. It is an option that, whenever possible, he offers to new clients. First on our list was Emma’s house. Emma is a woman with a very clear and very clean-lined vision of how she likes to live. The kitchen they have created is testament to that: a gleaming white minimalist dream – but with touches of pure glamour to soften the edges.
Upstairs, a stunning bathroom and wet room are full of innovative ideas and classic design. But, above all, it is the finish that impresses. There is a definite solidity to the work: lines are true, surface flat and finishes immaculate – exactly what Emma requires. Of course, as the project developed changes to initial plans were made but never at the expense of finish and quality. And by the look on Emma’s face I can see that she is more than happy with the job done and would certainly use Soundhouse again.
“By focusing the company’s attentions on quite specific kinds of building work they are able to offer excellent advice based on real life experiences”
One street away and we are knocking on another door. It looks familiar and when the owner appears I realise why. Penny is an old friend and I have been to her home many times. Having spent the last 20 or so years in design education, I know that Penny is going to have very clear ideas of what she wants and the standards that she will expect.
Nick and the team have created a new artist’s studio for her in the roof of her large terraced Hove villa and she takes me upstairs to see it. On the way she points out where they have repaired the existing banisters and rails and how seamlessly the new flight of stairs matches the old. And it is very impressive. But not as impressive as the massive rooftop studio with north-facing windows that they have created. It is a late winter’s afternoon, but even as the sun is disappearing there is a fantastic amount of light spilling in through the wooden framed floor-to-ceiling windows. It’s an impressive space designed for two people to work in and, despite being brand new, looks as if it has always been there.
A door off leads to an extra bathroom. It’s sleek and modern and features some stunning lime green mosaic tiles. Penny explains that she had these already and that Nick was happy to include them in the scheme, although she did have to go out and find some more. So, two very happy clients within minutes of each other – both with very different projects that Soundhouse have facilitated with ease.
It would be easy to understand why a company like this would seek to expand its business, but they have not and Nick has no intention of doing so. They continue to work with a small and very exclusive list of clients, completing very special work to very exacting standards. NIck understands how to work with people and has surrounded himself with a team of consummate professionals. They operate in a low key manner, avoiding using skips, and recycling as much as is possible on every project. They don’t even have a sign-written fleet – just their trusty matt green VW pickup truck.
Soundhouse, 07771 550194, sound.house@btinternet.com, www.sound-house.co.uk
