Custom Build Home Professionals in Cardiff

“We recently worked with Sunder Architects and Smart House Extensions on regenerating our outbuilding , a small seperate unfinished barn close to the main Wagon House. Because our site sits in a highly sensitive context—right on the boundary of the North Cadbury Conservation Area and close to Grade II listed properties like The Grange—we knew we needed a design team that truly understood how to balance innovation with preservation. The original outbuilding on our property, built around 2002, was a bit of a mock-traditional "pastiche". Our goal was to transform it into a stunning, independent residential dwelling. Sunder Architects completely exceeded our expectations by delivering a high-quality, contemporary intervention rather than just another traditional copy. Their design is beautiful and deeply rooted in the local Somerset vernacular. They utilized a natural local stone plinth for the ground floor to anchor the building into the landscape, and surmounted it with a striking dark standing-seam zinc cladding. By replacing the old, squat hipped roof with a sharp, steep gable, they brilliantly referenced the local agricultural architecture while ensuring the building didn't feel overly bulky against the tree line. One of my favorite details is how they preserved the "visual memory" of the original structure; the glazing on the front elevation is proportioned to perfectly match the footprint of the old timber garage doors. Whilst the back has spectacular glazing to make the most of the views. Navigating planning in a heritage context is never easy, but their honest, modern design created a distinct, respectful separation from the nearby historic assets, resulting in a smooth planning process. I couldn't be happier and highly recommend Sunder Architects and Smart House Extensions to anyone looking to build something truly special. Their service, attention to detail and focus meeting a client’s vision is amazing . Thank you!”

“I've used John and the team at Rise over the years for big and small projects at home and my business, and they are an absolute pleasure to deal with. I've found them honest, transparent (John will always try and save you money!) and they will talk you through the process with invaluable input, help you navigate the inevitable hiccups ups, but there are no short cuts. The end result has always been quality workmanship. Wholeheartedly recommend.”

“Fran worked with us during lockdown to design our extension and then led on the approvals process with Cardiff Council as this is a grade II listed property. This was a complex process but Fran navigated us through it with expertise. Fran was endlessly patient with us as we explored different options, producing numerous designs and drawings. Once we started the work, Fran acted as project manager, liaising with the builders, and led on the many interactions with utilities companies as we had to redirect gas and electricity and have a new stop tap installed by Welsh Water. Fran was a steady, calm presence across all the dramas of construction and ensured that we stayed on track, to time and, more importantly, to budget. I'd definitely work with Fran again - she's creative, pragmatic, experienced and a great communicator. She's also a lovely person who deeply cares about the quality of her work. We are really delighted with the work.”