Tom McShane and his team have carried out several projects for my clients over the years, including full re-roofing projects, leadwork and replacing large flat roofs. Their projects have also included the prestigious National Trust-owned Ightham Mote, replacing handmade clay tiles in Hastings Old Town and parapet improvements.

Clarke Roofing are a long-established larger firm in Eastbourne. They regularly undertake larger roofing projects, including specialist roofing with copper and zinc on heritage buildings throughout East Sussex and Kent. Clarke installed a tapered insulated flat roof system to a large block of flats in Eastbourne, following my defect inspection highlighting major concerns.

Bob and his team, which includes his sons, have carried out several projects for my clients over the years, including roofing repairs, chimney rebuilds, repointing and rendering. Bob Parsons Building and Roofing have also installed bi-fold doors and constructed a concrete beam and block patio at my own house.

Vertex Construction have undertaken many extension and renovation projects on large countryside houses. They constructed a large garage and workshop for a mutual client following me obtaining planning and building regulations approvals.

Dan Bourne enjoys working on heritage properties with lime plaster and render. Often called in to correct other companies’ work, his team have undertaken lime plastering and rendering for our mutual clients in Hastings, Rye and Tenterden areas. His recent work has included advising and undertaking building conservation-minded alterations to a church conversion.

Joseph has undertaken work for many of my clients in the past with plastering and smaller building work. This also included skim coating my office garage conversion. Based in St Leonards-on-Sea, he also works in neighbouring towns such as Bexhill and Robertsbridge.

I have worked with Steve Harkness for nearly 20 years, recommending him for further advice, design and structural calculations following my building surveys or for project work. We have worked on projects including strengthening a Grade II Listed Mediaeval Crown Post roof structure, rebuilding the top floor of a block of flats following a fire, and the design and construction of a very tall retaining wall. Based around the Lewes area but also covering East Sussex.

A long-established firm of structural engineers. EAR Sheppard has assisted my clients for many years, including designing beams for extensions and removing partitions in 1930s houses around the Bexhill area. Recently acquired by Woodmans, they now form part of a larger firm offering additional services.

After spending an entire week sanding and finishing the floorboards in a single room in my last house, a three-story Victorian townhouse near Alexandra Park, Hastings, I decided to bring in the experts. Academy’s knowledge and specialist equipment meant they completed all the other rooms in the house in less time than I did a single room. I was delighted with the results.

Kevin Rhodes and his team have provided carpets, vinyl and LVT at my last three houses in Ore, Hastings and St Leonards. They also undertake much larger projects for office blocks, care homes and hospitals throughout East Sussex and Kent. I have always been impressed with the quality of their flooring and workmanship, they have also been willing to return to site to accommodate other trades.

Lizzie transforms overgrown gardens, carrying out the back-breaking work to rejuvenate patios and flower beds. Also carrying out jet washing and basic DIY tasks in the Hastings, St Leonards and Bexhill areas. Lizzie attended a course with Aicha Witcombe on how to reuse pallets for garden projects and has also helped us tackle deep-rooted weeds in our own retaining walls and driveways.

Ben Greenway runs Clearways Environmental Limited undertaking drainage CCTV inspections and clearing blocked drains. Ben recently carried out a CCTV inspection for a mutual client, near Battle, East Sussex, where I had concerns that a leaking drain could have led to movement of a nearby wall. Ben found some areas of minor damage and arranged for the repair to be undertaken to stop water soaking into the subsoil.

Tom Waring runs East Sussex Gas, a team of plumbers and heating engineers based in Brede, East Sussex and covering the neighbouring towns of Rye, Hastings and Battle. East Sussex Gas provides landlords with safety checks, maintenance and servicing for gas boilers. East Sussex Gas carry out my yearly boiler servicing.

Adam Davey runs Knight and Davey, a firm of heating engineers installing heating systems for new housing developments and assisting in installing bathrooms and kitchens. Adam has completed several projects in my house, including removing a basin and installing an instant hot water tap.

Paddy Thompson of 1066 Kitchens designed and managed the installation of my own kitchen several years ago. Since then, he has also helped a number of our mutual clients across Hastings and St Leonards transform standard kitchens into focal points within their homes. 

I’ve worked with Alan for nearly 20 years, working on some interesting projects, including an insurance claim for ground movement on a country house on the Sussex Downs in Alfriston, restraint of a Victorian Terrace suffering from roof thrust, and replacing wall ties and clearing cavities on a three-story listed house near Tunbridge Wells. Poultons also replaced the wall ties in my 1927 house.

I first met Mark Elwell when we were both inspecting a pub planned for re-development. I was carrying out a Level 3 Building Survey whilst he was undertaking an asbestos inspection. I was impressed with his report and have referred clients to Mark ever since. This work has included the removal of damaged asbestos lagging in a Listed house near East Grinstead; arranging the removal of asbestos cement garage roofs, and providing a report on a house in Lewes to warn the contractors of where asbestos could be present. Summit Environmental also provide advice on Legionella and fire safety. 

Roy Smith has helped me provide advice to mutual clients on fire safety on a listed building converted to a maisonette in East Ascent, St. Leonards. I often discuss complicated fire safety situations with him. RJT can provide fire risk assessments via their consultant. They also carry out fire door inspections & maintenance, and install and service fire extinguishers.