A nameplate on an extended bungalow in Guiseley reads ‘Ashfield’. It’s a little reminder of how much the owners value the work and advice they’ve been given by Ashfield Building Group over more than a decade.
Retired couple Maggie and John Whitaker first called in the company when they were planning a garage extension and rear garden redevelopment including a patio 11 years ago.
Maggie recalls how Ashfield’s CEO, Brendon Quinlan, helped overcome problems with getting planning approval for the roof design.
“I never imagined that would cause difficulties or delays,” she says. “Brendon’s knowledge in dealing with the planning department was really valuable and he managed the whole process for us.”
After storm damage to the extension some years later, Maggie picked up the phone again. “They managed to get a team round the same day; it’s that kind of reassurance you need when you think your house could suffer further problems unless something is done fast,” she says.
So it was no surprise the couple turned to Ashfield recently when they decided to convert the garage to create an independent living area for Maggie’s brother, who suffers with dementia.
The space has been transformed into a living room with hallway to the main house and a bedroom with en-suite shower room. Clever features introduced by Ashfield include a ‘vaulted’ ceiling to create a sense of space to the living room.
“The room looked quite small as the floor had to be raised almost a foot to be level with the house,” explains Maggie. “Brendon came over with ideas and this has worked really well.”
Restyling and extending the hallway access with an extra window also enabled more light into the converted space.
“The team worked so well with each other, having discussions with the architect and helping make the new area come together so beautifully with the house,” says Maggie.