News from Stockport based builder CPM Design & Build

CPM Win contract on the doorstep!

2011-04-18T11:19:00.007+01:00

CPM Design and Build have won a contract on the doorstep. The team have a 10 week programme to get the project complete which is up the road from Head Office in Romiley. After successfully completing a loft conversion on the same road this prestigious house continues to raise the CPM profile in the area. Iain Davidson of CPM said "This a typical example of work we specialise in. We are looking for home home owners and developers that may want to convert extend and realise their properties potential and similarly Architects looking for a contractor with professional approach". "The bungalow has been transformed" said Neil Houlihan who is managing the project and uploading the photographs onto the companies face book album.

CPM Building in Wilmslow

2011-04-18T10:43:00.004+01:00

CPM Design and Build have received a number of enquiries after winning a tender on Broad Walk in Wilmslow. The 2 Storey Extension being built in association with a Stockport based RIBA Architect is going up quickly and bringing more attention to CPMs high quality workload. The Pownall Park Estate is an example of a close community so word is quickly getting around that CPM Design and Build undertake high quality work within the specified time all around Cheshire. Obviously we are never the cheapest builder when individuals get prices and more often than not one of the most expensive, however, the fact that we win work by competitive tender through various Architects reassures us that our prices are not only competitive and fair but good value for money. Neil Houlihan of CPM says "There are so many cowboy builders putting peoples homes at risk and getting the message accross will always be difficult. You really get what you pay for in our industry and we belive quality and piece of mind are worth paying for". To quote John Ruskin: "When you pay too much you loose a little money - that is all. When you pay too little you sometimes loose everything, as the thing you bought is incapable of doing the thing that is was bought to do" All CPM extensions are underwritten with a bespoke 5 Year Insurance Backed Guarentee for your piece of mind and we look forward to a busy Summer.

Middleton building works near completion

2010-03-19T12:26:00.001Z

CPM Design & Build is close to completing the development of three commercial retail premises for a leading north west property development client. On site since the start of November, the project is now ready for external landscaping and the creation of large car parking areas. Formerly an old farm house, which was subsequently converted to a garage and filling station with a forecourt and service bays, the new units, 720 square metres in size, are clad with brickwork and polished steel cladding, with a profiled steel frame roof, which incorporates the extension of existing steel frames and insulating concrete slabs, to the flooring area.

Says Managing Director Neil Houlihan, “the transformation of the site is remarkable, we arrived looking at a real local eyesore and have had strong positive comment from the local community as the regeneration of the site has taken place”.

It is expected that the site will be handed over before the end of March 2010.

New Recruit for CPM

2010-03-14T12:57:00.002Z

CPM Design and Build of Romiley have announced the appointment of Iain Davidson as Contract Sales Manager. Iain has 25 years house building experience and is a welcome addition to our team as we expand our operations throughout Greater Manchester, Cheshire and Lancashire.

Managing Director Neil Houlihan, said, “Our core business, building extensions and carrying out attic and garage conversions, has long needed a dedicated sales professional who will carry our brand to the marketplace, providing exactly the levels of service and attention to detail in which we pride ourselves.”

Neil adds, “Our aim has always been to provide the very best levels of customer service and professionalism. Iain is a Chartered Surveyor with extensive experience in construction and specifically the residential marketplace. His knowledge of spatial design, specification and his eye for detail, coupled with his contacts and his marketing ability, mesh perfectly with what we have already, a dedicated build and design team, ready and able to increase our market penetration”.

Based at the firm’s Romiley HQ, Iain is looking forward to leading the line in business development for CPM Design and Build. He says. “CPM has already created a sound brand, a clear vision and an excellent level of customer service. I have no doubt that I can bring complementary skills and experience and in conjunction with the existing CPM team, am looking forward to taking the Company to the next level.” Iain added, “This is a Design and Build construction Company providing the highest levels of customer service and already enjoying a great reputation.

CPM Design and Build has industry approval via The British Board of Agrement, ConstructionLine, CHAS (the UK Government’s Health & Safety seal of approval) and is a member of Fairtrades. In addition, as members of Trustmark, the Company provides an underwritten 5 year guarantee on all works carried out. This is a great message to take to homeowners who want a builder that provides a professional service, backed up by guarantees and recognised by Government as an industry leader. We are one of the few North West Construction Companies who can offer this level of service to the homeowner as standard and at competitive prices.”

Come Dine With Me!

2010-03-10T11:12:00.002Z

We get so many requests to design and build single story extensions, which often turn out to be kitchen extensions with a utility room. We’ve often asked ourselves why? What was it about house building from the 1940’s almost up to date, which meant that the ground floor space was inadequate?

It’s got nothing to do with inadequate spatial layout within the house, when it was built, it just that our lifestyles have changed and the kitchen has become the hub of the house rather than just a utilitarian space occupied by a stay at home mother. Indeed today, you are just as likely to find a Cheshire male in the kitchen as you are Cheshire female.

But that’s the thing with men – when we cook we want space – lots of space and preferably an audience to marvel at our culinary skills. Our cave dwelling forefathers would not comprehend today’s culture where the man needs to cook the pig as well as having killed it and carried it home!

So space becomes paramount. Space for the audience in a comfortable and stylish kitchen environment with easy access to the multiple wine racks or garden – that important space for the performance of the domestic chef surrounded by Belfast sinks, double ovens, induction hobs, range cookers, knife blocks, hanging utensils – the new range of boy’s toys is endless.

Come dine with me – that’s the new invitation and what better way to receive and impress your guests than in that new, single story kitchen extension.

Bon appetite!

It was such a squeeze at Christmas!

2010-02-02T10:31:00.004Z

Far from being the prelude to a stand up comedian's punch line, this is one of the things that home owners say to us as we get into one of the busiest times of the year in home extensions. We've all experienced it at some stage, it's our turn to have the extended family around at Christmas, some of them expect to stay over and all of a sudden the house is bursting at the seams.

So come January, you'd be amazed at how many requests we get to talk about loft conversions, garage extensions, house extensions or other building works. And it's a good time of year to start the process off. Good reliable and experienced builders are always in demand and they tend to get booked up well in advance by discerning house owners. So those who leave the whole thing until the weathers turned and the clocks have gone forward are usually missing a trick.

Now is the time to talk about the possibilities and start to get some professional pre-build advice about the best options to make even more of your house. We're out and about all over Stockport and further afield in Cheshire and Greater Manchester, providing free initial surveys for all shapes and sizes of house, though there seems to be strong demand for two storey side extensions and classic loft conversions this time around.

There's nothing more exciting than helping a family see the possibilities of improving their living space and upgrading the value of their property. The domestic market will recover, and those that have invested in their properties when the market is low will see their rewards over time!

North west weather doesn't dampen spirits at CPM

2010-01-15T09:07:00.008Z

So it was the sunniest November since records began – and you'd think was great news for the construction sector! But here in the North West, surprise surprise, it was one of the wettest, just what you need when you have teams out on half a dozen different sites, from house extensions to major commercial construction projects. But we're not complaining, during the worst recession for many years that has been the death knell of several regional construction companies, a bit of rain hasn't stopped us taking advantage of the commercial and residential opportunities that continue to come our way.

We've also been out on site capturing some new images for the website. You'd love a beautiful sunny day to do that, but we think the rain dripping off lintels says more about the real world of a commercial builder!

In our news section you can see details of a commercial property project in Greater Manchester and a house extension in Cheshire. We have just delivered the final element of a public sector contract for the Greater Manchester Police and put a new roof area on to the 16th Century Underbank Hall in Stockport, home to the NatWest Bank. As we enter 2010 we are looking at a stronger order book than we might have expected 12 months ago.

So as we approach Christmas, let's hope that we don't get the traditional “white out” that everyone seems to clamour for. Apparently the odds are as low as 5 to 1 for a white Christmas in Stockport – lovely for the kids, but for the construction sector we'd settle for coming back to work in the warmest and driest January since records began!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all.

Retail Units taking shape in Middleton

2010-01-14T17:33:00.009Z

CPM Design & Build is well under way in the development of three commercial retail premises for a north west property development client. On site since the start of November, the project is expected to be completed by end of February 2010.

The property was formerly an old farm house which was subsequently converted to a garage and filling station with a forecourt and service bays. The new units, 720 square metres in size, are clad with brickwork and polished steel cladding, with a profiled steel frame roof, which incorporates the extension of existing steel frames and insulating concrete slabs, to the flooring area.

The show must go on at CPM Design and Build

2010-01-14T17:12:00.009Z

Stockport's iconic railway viaduct viewed from the Garrick Theatre

CPM Design & Build has been commissioned by the historic Stockport Garrick Theatre Trust, to carry out preliminary design work for a proposed £150,000 of refurbishment during the first quarter of 2010. The Theatre was founded in 1901 and has been housed at its current location in Exchange Street since 1920. Prior to becoming a theatre, the building was used as a mill and is set against the backdrop of Stockport's grand Victorian viaduct - built in 1840 and one of the largest brick structures in Europe.

As part of the refurbishment, new windows in the Theatre will be designed in the style of the viaduct, which is also the Theatre's emblem. Internally, the reception area is to be redesigned to provide easier access for disabled and elderly theatre goers alongside a full refurbishment of the bar area and toilet facilities.

Blog the builder

2009-11-30T23:34:00.002Z

So the recession continues and as ever the construction and building sectors were first in and will be last out. But we’re used to that and what it's easy to miss is all the strong things that happen in our sector during a downturn. The first thing is we keep smiling and retain the capacity to laugh at ourselves –

Four surgeons are discussing who makes the best type of surgery patient. The first surgeon says, "I like to see accountants on my operating table, because when you open them up, everything inside is numbered." The second responds, "Yes, but you should try electricians! Everything inside them is colour coded." The third surgeon says, "No, I really think librarians are the best; everything inside them is in alphabetical order." The fourth surgeon chips in: "You know; I like construction workers - they seem to understand when you have a few parts left over at the end and when the job takes longer than you said it would."

But there is a recessionary moral to that story, which we at CPM Design & Build learned and put into place a long time ago, to help us as we deliver full design and build services to commercial and residential clients in Stockport, Greater Manchester and the North West. Project planning is central to successful construction and for the home owner in particular, seeing a Gantt chart alongside their drawings that gives them the inside track on the project time line and the arrival and departure of the different trades is a real competitive advantage.

No bits left over when we do the work – and the job always comes in on time!