Renovating sounds fun in theory — but the reality is you’re likely to feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of decisions to make.
Choosing from 40,000 registered architects can be daunting. And securing a reliable builder? You’ve got a better chance of sailing around the South Circular on a Saturday afternoon. Surely there must be a better way?
If your pockets are deep then you could call in a “matchmaking” service. Carter Wells does for homeowners what recruiters do for HR departments — headhunting prospective interior designers, architects, landscapers, builders and project managers, then matching them with private clients.
“People are often relieved to be able to hand over such an involved process as it not only saves them time, but can save them from making a lot of costly mistakes,” explains Alice Barrington-Wells, who founded the company in 2012.
Redbook is another company offering a similar level of service (with starting budgets from £1.5 million).
“It’s matchmaking design alignment with vetted professionals who aren’t going to go bust on you or who aren’t going to rip you off,” says company owner Thomas Adams. “There are so many cowboys out there.”
Requests can be incredibly specific: Adams tells of a twenty-something Middle Eastern client who, with the keys to his £30 million home off Regent’s Park, was seeking an interior designer who could do his 5,000-strong sneaker collection justice in terms of storage and display.
“That was fun as we had a competition between several designers,” says Adams. He chose the one he loved the most and went on to create an incredible house.”
Those seeking the support of Carter Wells are an equally monied bunch with an international profile; they are often moving here from abroad. The UK isn’t lacking in design talent, but with more than 6,000 interior studios to choose from, a rookie scrolling in Dubai for “English country house look” will happily pay for fast-tracked introductions.
Barrington-Wells discerns the style her clients are seeking via a detailed “taste test” and then mines her network of 150 practices to whittle down a shortlist.
Esteemed names the company has worked with include 8 Holland Street and Albion Nord. (A word on fees: usually these are recouped via the design services, and paid as a project progresses).
If your budget is more Mitcham than Mayfair, look up Beams. It’s a platform that aims to simplify the process for renovators and builders alike, with homeowners able to compare fixed-price quotes from certified construction companies.
Co-founder Hayden Wood launched the firm in frustration when he was making improvements to his own home and realised there was no clear way of finding a builder and understanding the real costs up-front.
The in-house team at Beams can help with early designs, or renovators can skip straight to the build part.
Customers first share their goals and budget, then Beams suggests three firms which have been vetted on their experience, references, insurances, accreditations and recent project work.
Sam Heague, head of brand, says the shortlist doesn’t boil down solely to geography: “Builders see the project scope before meeting the homeowner, so every conversation is meaningful from day one.
“We’ve learned that the best outcomes come from strong relationships, so things like fit and communication style matter just as much as skill.”
Good communication is paramount to every successful partnership. As with affairs of the heart, it’s the magic ingredient when it comes to matchmaking: “When you can sense the chemistry — even over a Zoom — it’s the difference between night and day,” says Barrington-Wells.
“It’s pure joy — the body language is so obvious, and the clients’ faces light up and the energy becomes so positive,” she adds.
Adams gathers clients and their chosen dream team to “gel” over a bottle of something chilled (and preferably bubbly). And then he watches everyone: “It’s really important for us to see the social dynamics — so how is the architect going to interact with the interior designer, and with the landscape designer?
“If you don’t get that right, egos and personalities will start conflicting.”
Without a straight-talking broker, client-tradespeople relationships can go disastrously wrong. Both Adams and Barrington-Wells are occasionally drafted in to mediate when people have wanted to get out of bed with their chosen architect or designer.
Often this is down to a lack of due diligence — for example appointing a contemporary architecture firm with no experience of heritage properties.
“In those circumstances we help tie up loose ends, get the contracts sorted and paid, then help the new client to appoint a better fit,” says Barrington-Wells.
“It’s a bit like any sort of divorce, in a way. Once it’s done, both parties are just relieved and quite happy to be able to go their separate ways.”
