Ashford Design and Build Limited

We worked with Ashfords on a major renovation of our Victorian house in Redland between 2023 and 2025, and we couldn't recommend them more highly. Mark and Paul were involved from the very beginning. They viewed the property before we bought it and flagged the key concerns we needed to be aware of, which gave us confidence going into the purchase. Throughout the project, they worked closely with our architect, Sinclair Studios, and their recommended associates. It wasn't a straightforward renovation by any stretch. We uncovered some significant issues along the way, including a lack of foundations at the rear of the house. Mark and Paul were solutions-oriented in their approach. Every time we hit a problem, they came back with practical, sensible options that helped us achieve what we wanted in the most cost-effective way possible. They were also excellent at helping us navigate severe planning permission delays, reorganising the sequence of works to keep momentum going whenever we hit a bottleneck. We did experience three security incidents during the build, two of them within four days of each other. The site was genuinely difficult to secure, we had scaffolding around the whole house and every window needed replacing. Mark and Paul responded by putting additional safety measures in place to prevent further incidents, and handled each situation professionally. What has really set Ashfords apart is that their support hasn't ended with the build. Mark and Paul remain responsive whenever we have questions or need help. Taking on a renovation of this scale with three small children was a huge undertaking, but we've come out the other side with a beautifully restored Victorian home that we're enormously proud of. Thank you to Mark, Paul and the whole Ashfords team.

After living in our 1930’s detached house for a number of years, we had made some improvements but had a growing list of things we wanted to do to make more significant improvements and changes that would future proof and upgrade our home. We engaged Ashford Design & Build to use our wish list as a basis for developing a plan. Ashford’s listened to our requirements and suggested further opportunities for changes (using their experience from previous work), chances to optimise the plan and an approach to phasing the delivery and spend. This allowed us to start building a good relationship with Mark & Paul and their drive to deliver a good quality solution that fitted with the existing house and surroundings was excellent. Ashford’s worked with Federica Vasetti (DHV Architects) to assist in producing the plans and this also offered alternative solutions and designs. We were able to adapt and refine the proposed plans working with Mark & Federica, ultimately agreeing a delivery plan and cost schedule. Ashford’s provided the overall management of the project, managing their own small team and the 3rd parties required. We found all the people involved in the project to be friendly and wanting to do a good job to make us happy. We had regular weekly updates with Mark to discuss progress and issues. Where issues arose, there was a desire to reach a cost effective but quality solution. The project impacted the whole house; new roof & insulation, solar panels, new en-suite & dressing room, new bathroom, new boiler and radiators, new water system, new rear windows & doors, new internal doors, new electric consumer unit, new kitchen with under floor heating, new widened drive, internal & external decoration. For us, the way Mark and Paul managed our project, with so many moving parts was critical to achieving a successful outcome, especially as were living in the house throughout the project. Overall, the project completed slightly later than originally planned but are really pleased with what has been achieved. We feel we definitely made the right decision in using Ashford Design & Build and would not hesitate in recommending them to others.

Ashford Design and Build did an eight month renovation for us. They were excellent. The house is a four bedroom listed period house which needed extensive repair and modernisation while conforming to planning consents. We needed complete replumbing and rewiring, internal reconfiguration of rooms, a 1980s back extension replaced, and a 1950s side extension demolished and replaced and well as complete redecoration - bathrooms, kitchen etc In short, the house was almost entirely gutted and rebuild. They were clear from the start how long the project would take and clear and transparent about the costs and likely areas where costs might increase. They were also flexible about how to best manage the project to save costs - we took responsibility for sourcing some of the sub contractors (sliding doors/flooring specialists/kitchen fitters for example) and some of the material (switches, bathroom furniture etc). They managed others and were transparent about the fee they charged to do that. We always felt in control of the project and properly informed. We had regular budget conversations and clear discussion of the many inevitable challenges as the project developed - for examle discovering rot or inadequate brickwork behind the plaster etc etc . They were very clear what our deadlines were to make decisions and provide materials. The quality of the work is excellent, their team are friendly and helpful and the management excellent. I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending them.

We can not recommend both our builders, Ashford Design and Build highly enough. Mark from Ashfords was involved in the build right from the start of the design process - a really good decision, that helped us achieve a practical and workable design that both saved us money, and works for us beautifully as a family. Ashfords built our extension - a large multi-purpose space incoroporating a kitchen, a dining area a TV area and a social space. They also refurbished our ground floor, built the brick base for our new greenhouse, and dug out the foundations for the new swimpond. The intention was to create a strong connection between house and garden as we were really after that 'inside out' vibe where we as a family can seamlessly move between garden and indoors. This was complicated, for example, needing multiple calculations by Mark to ensure that all the various levels were taken into account, so we can step outside without any steps up/down (so important for our young and elderly family and guests with push chairs/wheel chairs etc!). Mark, Paul and the team were great in terms of communication and managing our expectations. They bent over backwards to help us get what we wanted, but also were firm with us when necessary e.g. around the window/door design, which was a substantial part of our budget. Their experience shone through - no problem was insurmountable, and their cheerful, 'can do' attitude, saw us through all challenges from the start to the end. A year later, we are still loving our space, and couldn't be happier in our home. We've provided references for Mark and Ashfords on a personal basis, and are happy to now go public with our endorsement for Mark and the team.

Having both recently retired we took advantage of new-found energy to plan a major renovation and remodelling of the ground floor of our Edwardian semi-detached home in Westbury Park. We engaged DHV architects who strongly recommended the involvement of Ashford Design & Build (ADB) right from the start of the design process. Mark Ashford was able to provide valuable advice and a constructor’s perspective when formulating and choosing from the various design options. On completion of the design phase of the project we decided to continue with Ashford Design & Build for the construction phase. In this way we were able to progress with the project with minimal delay. We continued to live in the upstairs of the house during construction and were immediately impressed by the sheer professionalism of Ashford Design & Build throughout the whole project. They were outstanding in their consideration for us during this time and made every effort to minimise disruption. This even involved plumbing-in a temporary kitchen in an upstairs bedroom which they faultlessly restored to its previous state on completion. Every single one of the many tradesmen involved in this project were courteous, considerate, professional, hard-working and highly skilled. We were extremely impressed by the technical ability, pragmatism and innovation shown by Ashford Design & Build in dealing so well with the numerous unpredictable challenges thrown up when renovating an aging and “characterful” property. In many cases this involved us asking for unplanned remedial work way beyond the original scope of the project. Mark and Paul’s project management skills were superb in accommodating all these issues, changes and additions which I am sure must have made life extremely difficult for them at this time. Now, at the end of the project we are absolutely delighted with our beautiful new-look home. The renovation has exceeded expectations and was “road-tested” most successfully when hosting our extended family over Christmas! We would recommend Ashford Design & Build without hesitation and would like to thank Mark, Paul and all the guys for all their dedication and hard work on a job superbly done ! Sue & Tony

Ashford Design first visited our property in July 2022. We discussed the possibilities in reconfiguring the rear existing extension of our 1920s family style home, seeking to open the kitchen and living accommodation to give more natural light whilst improve access to the garden itself as well as generally improve the ambience of the living space. It was at this stage we saw Mark’s flair for design and ability to introduce fresh ideas to how your living accommodation could be improved not to mention his all-round knowledge of the building industry and home improvements. On commencement of the project works we were introduced to the wider project team, headed up by Paul, who were extremely friendly, accommodating and most of all professional in their approach from the outset. The team took complete control of the project and whatever challenge arose, they dealt with it and found a solution whilst always seeking to keep unforeseen costs to a minimum. The project took some 9 months and by the end of that time we had become well acquainted with everyone working on the project. Overall the project was well managed and organised. The relationship between us and the team was great and if ever there was a point of concern or issue arising Mark or Paul were responsive and always there to address without delay. We would have no issue in recommending Mark, Paul, and their team. The workmanship and project management was great, whilst they are both lovely individuals. Would gladly have them back to our home. Thank you, Mark, Paul and Team.

ADB review Mark, Paul and their team completed our kitchen extension and whole house refurbishment in Henleaze in 2023-24. They have been amazing team to work with and we are absolutely delighted with our new home. We really appreciated their professionalism and commitment to high quality. The key aspects that stood out for us were Open communication. As we were living in Scotland during the project this was especially important, we were kept updated by regular weekly emails, WhatsApp messages and photos. Where snags and challenges occurred, they were immediately on the phone talking us through realistic options and giving us time to reflect and decide what to do next. Costs were open and transparent from the start, and any changes were clearly flagged in advance. Problem solving. Paul and Mark were fantastic at solving problems, and Paul in particular it exceptional at working out how to fix a challenge. They were calm and provided practical solutions, telling us what the trade offs were and providing sensible options. Attention to detail. They have an real eye for quality, and redid some elements of our build that did not quite meet their standards, including significant things which we did not notice ourselves. Collaboration. ADB collaborated well with our architect, subcontractors, other suppliers and building control. They co-ordinated subcontractors that enabled people to be in the right place at the right time and ensuring that the build kept to our preferred timeline. We are really enjoying living in our new home, and we would not hesitate to recommend Mark, Paul and the team for your project.

We chose Mark Ashford and his team to build a rear extension and create a social kitchen & dining area as well as enlarge the utility room. Mark recommended DHV Architects, who in turn came up with fantastic designs, thank you Elke. The project took around six months, involved fair amount of structural work, general building, plumbing, electrics, plastering and decorating. Before work began, Marks team turned the office into a surprising well functioning temporary kitchen and the construction part was completely sealed off from the rest of the house, minimising dust and disturbance. Mark, Paul and the entire team are an absolute pleasure to work with. Their workmanship and expertise are outstanding, precise and on time. At all times, the communication was professional, friendly with a good laugh in between, which was really appreciated. Paul was always on hand with valuable advice, solving any issues, he sent weekly updates and made sure that everything went smoothly. Nothing was a problem or couldn't be done. From adding another floor to ceiling window, while wall was already built, to a custom roof window. They don't just get the job done, they made it better than we ever imagined. Mark on the other hand has an amazing eye for the finer details and came up with great ideas and suggestions. All in all, these six months were a very pleasant and positive experience and we highly recommend Mark and his team. We are very happy with the light filled and warm space you created for us, thank you.

We engaged Ashford Design & Build to carry out some major structural and reconfiguration work at the rear of our Edwardian end of terrace property in Bristol. The work involved complete removal of a structural wall, new concrete floor, new staircase, reconfiguration of toilets and bathroom and new wooden period style windows and doors to the rear. The service and professionalism from Ashfords was fantastic. All of their team were without exception professional, friendly and hard working. Their ability to source and manage a range of high quality trades including architects, structural engineers, decorative plasterers, tilers, stonemasons, bespoke windows manufacturers, decorators, carpenters and plumbers was superb. The work was kept progressing without long gaps, in a way that would have been impossible without their connections and project management. Paul was always available for advice, guidance and problem solving and was incredibly positive and reassuring and good humoured in dealing with inevitable surprises that come from a major building project. Mark has a really good eye for the the aesthetics and understanding of how to sympathetically work with older buildings and has great attention to detail ensuring a very high quality finish. We were already part-way through some rewiring and they took over co-ordinating the follow on work with our electricians too. They have succeeded in not only bringing to life what we had envisaged, but giving us an end result which is even better than we had imagined. We cannot recommend them highly enough and we absolutely love what they have created for us.

Mark and his team did a full house renovation for us in 2021/22. It’s an Edwardian house and included an extension, remodelling of rooms and hard landscaping the front and back gardens. They also sourced and managed a team of excellent suppliers for new electrics throughout, new sash windows, flooring, tiling, plastering, decorating, carpentry, plumbing, full heating system, bathroom installations and much more. Throughout the process Mark, Paul, Sam and the rest of the team have been a pleasure to work with. As well as being brilliant at getting the building work done to a high standard, Mark also has a great aesthetic eye and was happy to give us recommendations about feature lighting, panelling (we had some installed up our stairs) and other design features. There were many things they suggested that we wouldn’t have thought of that have made our lives much easier and the house more enjoyable to live in. They’re not afraid to constructively challenge you (in a very affable way!) if they feel something could be done better or differently. As we are new to the road, having good relations with our neighbours was very important. All of our neighbours commented numerous times on how respectful and pleasant the team were during the building work. This smooth relationship with the neighbours was very impressive considering how disruptive, noisy and dusty it would have been! Thanks to Mark and the team, the house has been completely transformed and we are delighted with the results. It sounds like a cliché, but they didn’t just deliver what we asked for - they went above and beyond for us many times. We’d recommend them without hesitation.

We are delighted with our build. It was quite a big one as the kitchen had to be completely demolished for a rebuild. We also had a new utility room built and the garage which was falling apart restored with a new roof. Even the patio has been relayed and looks lovely. The architect made great suggestions which have given us more light and space and the new build has remained in keeping with the age of the house. 1928. Everyone involved with the project has been good to work with and the work is all of a high profesional standard. Huge efforts were made to avoid damaging our ponds and wildlife garden with building materials or contaminates for which humans and animals are grateful. The management and builders were hard working, polite and friendly. The job went on for a long time due to covid, supply shortages and delivery issues but we are still sane now that it's over. We wouldn't hesitate to use Ashford's again in the future and reccommend them to others.

We employed Ashford Design & Build to undertake a pretty substantial renovation on our Victorian property in Bristol. Our experience of working with them has been very positive and we are delighted with the outcome. Mark and Paul’s communication has been top notch as they sent us weekly email updates on what has been done & what was planned for the following week. We also had a WhatsApp group which was helpful as they always responded very quickly. All of their employees & contractors were super friendly and did great quality work. Considering this project commenced during Covid, when staff & materials were in short supply, they managed to stay on top of everything and keep the job on track. Mark and Paul are great guys to work with and have been a joy to deal with. We are incredibly happy with the quality of the work, would definitely use them again, and we highly recommend them.