Loft conversions with Soundhouse
Sound as houses
Soundhouse proves that when it comes to loft conversions & extensions, they offer great solutions & a superb service. Andrew Kay finds out more
Over the years I have been asked to visit a number of properties in Brighton that have undergone work, improvements and extensions, undertaken by a company called Soundhouse. At the start, the company specialised in loft conversions, but over the years they have spread their wings and now do all manner of building works. I have seen extensions, new rooms in lofts, whole suites of rooms in lofts to be honest, and all of them done to the very highest standards.
When I look at an extension upward Into loft space what impresses me most is a seamless transition from the existing to the new. I want to see skirting boards that match, newel posts, bannisters and rails all in-keeping with those below – and this is one of the things Soundhouse always manages to do.
They are, of course, the tip of the iceberg when it comes to this kind of work and the process starts with Nick and the Soundhouse team inspecting the property and talking extensively with the client. Over 50 per cent of getting a job right is ensuring you have the right brief. Soundhouse does exactly that.
They need to know about their clients’ needs as well as their desires; both are equally important right from the start. Then, and only then, they can start to plan.
With such a wide range of experience and expertise the company is able to analyse those factors and apply them to any project. They can look at a space and really make the very most from it, often suggesting solutions that a client might not have visualised. Equally, they will advise against ideas that will not work or might prove to be excessively expensive.
I have found that the best way to find out about Soundhouse is to go out and meet one of their clients and see a project. This time, I went to meet Alice who lives in a large, late Victorian villa just off Old Shoreham Road. Alice and husband, Ryan, have two young daughters and were considering moving to a larger house with more garden space, but the timing was not right. Instead they called in Soundhouse, having had several positive recommendations. They decided to have Nick and the team build a bespoke kitchen for them, along with two new bathrooms and an extension into the loft. Initially they had considered moving into the new loft space themselves but finally decided that their eldest daughter could have that space – and a very lucky girl she is too. It’s a huge room designed to look like a Wendy house – a witty idea – with a pretty en-suite bathroom. She has been allowed to choose her own décor – and has proved that not all girls of that age want pretty pink, although she is still awaiting the arrival of her mirror ball.
The family is delighted with the result and can’t wait to see the whole project finished. Throughout the work they were impressed by the working methods of Soundhouse. Whilst no build on this scale could not have an impact on family life, much of it was done by accessing the loft space from the exterior of the building keeping disturbance to a minimum. And the team are a friendly, green tea-drinking bunch who simply fit in and get on with the job in hand. As you can see from the photographs, they certainly leave a mark – but in the right way.
Soundhouse, 07771 550 194, sound.house@btinternet.com
www.sound-house.co.uk
