Nestled amid the idyllic Dorset countryside, Cosy Cottage is the antithesis to everything London, according to Judi Maitland. ‘I’ve been going to Dorset since I was a child. The cottage is situated in a high area with views of the countryside, and it isn’t far from the sea. It’s also surrounded by some very interesting towns historically,’ says Judi. ‘It’s basically to escape from London. It is to escape from the pollution, noise, everything that London is about.’ However, since they purchased the property in May 2014, Judi and Kevin have faced a range of challenges in the renovation process, ranging from cowboy builders to nesting bats.
‘When my husband and I purchased the property, the first thing was to find a reputable builder,’ explained Judy.
However, Kevin and Judi experienced a lot of bad luck when they initially selected their builder through the government-backed Trustmark scheme, which recommends ‘quality’ builders. ‘Our first builder, a Trustmark builder based in Bridport, was a big disappointment,’ says Judi. ‘It was unbelievable how simple jobs escalated into practically rebuilding this tiny cottage. He got in this peculiar structural surveyor and basically told us the place was falling down! Luckily Kevin doesn’t take anything lying down, and he looked into it and got second and third opinions, who told us all it was complete hogwash. Basically we could have been charged £30,000 to £40,000 for pretty much rebuilding the building.’ Judi is adamant that after her experience, she would never search for a builder just through Trustmark again.
‘From my research these companies are not individually vetted, they obtain their membership because they are a member of another organisation like the Federation of Master Builders; even any complaints have to go through the third party organisation. In my opinion Trustmark is a good idea, but very badly put together. All I know is that I wouldn’t use somebody just because they were recommended by Trustmark after our horrific experience.’ Dodgy builders weren’t the only problem Kevin and Judi experienced during the renovations. ‘The other challenge was the bats, because they are protected in this country,’ explains Judi. ‘I’m an animal lover, so I got the conservation people in, who said we had to stop all work and not make any noise because we weren’t allowed to disturb the bats. As it happened, we did stop work in certain areas over a certain amount of time anyway, but it was still a huge waste of time and money.’
At this point in our interview, I begin to wonder whether Kevin and Judi’s renovation plan was cursed. However, it seems that once the couple sourced a quality builder, the project turned a corner. ‘Tom Harrington, our builder, has been so good. There has not been one problem. As it turned out, the walls hadn’t fallen down and the roof was still there!’ Rather than going ahead with the original builder’s plans Tom Harrington helped Kevin and Judi avoid astronomical cost by simply inserting a purlin to support the roof exactly as two architects advised, for a few hundred pounds. ‘Nothing was too much trouble for him, not only is he multi-talented, but he seems to know everyone in the local area, so whatever the issue that came up, he had it solved in a day or two. What a find he was!’ gushes Judy.
‘The plumber we employed, and the electrician who was sourced by Tom Harrington were also really good, and we haven’t had any problems at all with them,’ says Judi, looking extremely relieved. ‘I think the key in a small place like Corcombe is to try to source as local as you can, by getting personal recommendations. Not only are you adding something back in to the local economy but you have a far higher chance of getting a quality result,’ she continues.
Even though work at Cosy Cottage is nearly complete, Judi and Kevin are not content to rest on their laurels. ‘We’ve still got work to do. Nothing has been done to the place for about 40 years, so as you can imagine, it needs a lot of work. As I said to my husband, this is work in progress. It’s not done! You’re never finished with houses, they always need attention and if you don’t attend to them, they cry. When spring’s comes, we can start thinking about it.’ When I ask Judi if all the hard work as been worth it, her face lights up. ‘Of course,’ she says, ‘Because we’ve gone from a complete nightmare to what is a dream builder, and that has made all the difference. I can’t wait to get on with the garden in spring!’
Tom Harrington: Thanks to Tom Harrington, the building work on Cosy Cottage was finally completed. Contact him on 07952 295476 if you are considering any of your own home renovation projects in the Dorset area.
Gr8 Fires: Woodburners
Judi says: ‘The property has two chimneys, so it seemed appropriate to have woodburners in a little cottage. They look great, and are really in keeping with the cottage. We went for the Mazona Orlando, and it’s exactly what we wanted.’
(gr8fires.co.uk, Tel: 0121 271 0221)
Italia Tiles: Worktop
Judi says: ‘The porcelain worktop we selected is the next “thing” for surfaces. You can use it as a chopping board, you can spill red wine on it, you can put nail varnish on it—it doesn’t stain, it’s totally non porous and incredibly hard. It looks great, and was very well fitted. No problems at all!’
(Italia Tiles and Bathrooms, Tel: 020 8905 9444)
Brintons Carpets: Carpets
Judi says: ‘The carpets are superb quality and the company has a very good reputation. We had no trouble with the delivery or the supply. They are very traditional, proper wool carpets as opposed to nylon, acrylic or mixed fibres, so they’re in keeping with the cottage feel of the property.’
(Brintons Carpets Ltd., Tel: 0800 505055)
Flooring: Unilin
Judi says: ‘The Unilin flooring in the gym/ garage is very practical—it doesn’t scratch, it’s easy to keep, it’s warm underfoot. You don’t have the noise problem you would have with wood floor either. Not only is it durable, but it’s also very practical and hygienic because you can even bleach it. It would be great if you had young children, and is far safer than putting children on a carpet or a wood floor.’
(UNILIN, Tel: +32 5667 5211)
Flooring: Gerflor
Judi says: ‘‘The Gerflor basically looks like wood, but moves unlike wood. You can bend it, it’s very durable and provides a rustic feel. However at the same time, it’s still really contemporary. It comes in many different colour combinations, so if you want a deep red or a grey or a honey, you can get it. It’s also far easier to keep than a wood floor because it doesn’t need polishing and it doesn’t scratch. You just wipe it and it’s fine. It’s even warm to walk on!
(Gerflor, Tel: 01926 622600)
SEE ALSO:
The Warm Heart of Your Home: Choosing a Wood Burner
