2023 Master Builder Awards

Rhys recently completed a Level Three Joinery City and Guilds with Macclesfield College. He joined Cheshire Building and Joinery Ltd in January 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, Rhys has impressed his employers with his commitment to learning. He continued his studies through the college closures, with no access to tutors or support staff and with limited support from his employers. 

Rhys's team has praised his strong work ethic. They haven’t held back with throwing him in at the deep end – he’s gained experience in completing cut roofs, building wardrobes, installing kitchens, skirts, and hanging doors. He has also supported his team when other people have been affected by COVID-19, stepping in and showing his willingness to help out. 

The comments from his team speak for themselves: ‘I feel confident leaving him on his own, he has great skills with the clients we have and all we ever hear is good positive feedback.’ They added: ‘He has picked a career that he's an expert in and we are proud to have him on our team. We can't wait to celebrate his success in the future.’ 

Find out more about Cheshire Building and Joinery Ltd.  

When E P Muldoon Building Contractors Ltd had a key team member poached from them, the whole team pulled together, showing great determination to overcome this blow to the business and continue to deliver a top-notch service, whilst a replacement was sourced.  

This Master Builder also enacted an effective strategy in dealing with the volatile material costs arising from the Ukraine conflict, remaining fair and transparent with their clients, even as they were forced to pass on higher prices. 

The company continues to invest in training for their workforce to upskill those on site and in the office. They also offer a healthcare package as an employment benefit, and regularly donate to the Emma Cosgrove Foundation so that children spending Christmas in hospices can still receive gifts and enjoy the festive period.  

The judges were impressed with the builder’s passion for giving back to the community, and willingness to fund team members’ career development. 

Find out more about E P Muldoon Building Contractors Ltd, who are also an FMB Insurance customer. 

Chris Shaw at T D G Contracts Ltd went above and beyond with helping one of his clients. They were in desperate need of extra space to help them look after their three-year-old nephew, who came into their care in very sad circumstances following the death of the client’s sister in August 2021. 

As a toddler with complex needs including autism, they wanted to give him his own bedroom with en-suite facilities, and to make the garden safe and secure for the youngster to play in. Despite their budget falling short, the team reached out to the local construction community via social media and received offers from tradespeople including bricklayers, roofers, joiners, electricians and plumbers, all willing to give their time and skills for free.   

The clients commented that the trades working on site all spoke highly of Chris. ‘The way he encouraged and motivated others to give despite this being a time of great financial pressure on everyone was incredible to see. Our gratitude goes beyond words.’ 

Find out more about T D G Contracts Ltd. 

C B Homes Ltd ‘s work on this plot of land in Kingsley, Cheshire saw them produce an exclusive development of four stunning new-build family residences. 

In each home, the generous living area downstairs includes a lounge (with a log burner), a beautiful kitchen and a huge dining space with a fabulous, vaulted ceiling. The garden can be accessed through double sets of French doors, and upstairs there are five bedrooms, including two en-suites, with a magnificent master bedroom complemented by a large dressing room and useful storage area. Each property also boasts a glazed Juliet balcony which overlooks the garden. 

The exterior design of the new houses was closely inspired by the barns and other agricultural buildings which dot the surrounding countryside, and the gardens have been landscaped with natural paving, creating an outdoor terrace area for relaxing and entertaining.  

The client was thrilled with this Master Builder’s work on the project, stating ‘we had utter confidence in C B Homes Ltd to deliver, and they really exceeded our expectations.’ 

Find out more about C B Homes Ltd. 

Tricklebank Ltd’s project involved the demolition of an existing building and the building of a new family home on a one-acre plot in Lancashire. 

The team worked on five different exterior finishes, including reclaimed slate, render, stone cladding, cedar cladding and aluminium roofing. With over 17 linear metres of glazing on the rear elevation alone, the clients wanted to make sure the build was comfortable to live in.  Tricklebank Ltd installed an air source heat pump and ensured a good flow of air and warmth through the property with air conditioning, mechanical extract ventilation and underfloor heating.  

They admit that this was the toughest project they have undertaken in nearly 25 years of being in business. They faced challenges on site, working with heavy wet clay and drainage issues as a result of horrendous weather conditions. Market conditions also caused long delays and daily material price fluctuations, and the build was impacted by delays to both scaffolding and subcontractors’ start dates. Their schedule changed rapidly from week to week, and they took on an additional role in amending the design as the architect sadly passed away during the build. 

However, the completed house exceeded the client’s expectations, and they praised both the quality of work and Tricklebank Ltd’s ability to keep the project on track, commending their ‘caring, dependable, professional, and honest attitude,’ which ‘kept us going throughout the build despite the hurdles that came our way.’ 

Find out more about Tricklebank Ltd. 

J C Building Services' work on this property in Ulverston involved the complete strip out of their client’s existing kitchen, with the removal of an internal structural wall and replacement of rotten ceiling joists. They also undertook a complete re-plumbing, rewire and replastering of the room. 

During the course of the works, a stone arch was discovered. Their client loved the feature so they restored it to its former glory and created a matching pillar, leaving it exposed as part of the new aesthetic. 

The new kitchen features a 5m x 1.5m island seating 10 people with matching porcelain countertops, a sink and a white induction hob. The island is lit by LED tape and there is also a concealed, walk-in pantry and triple breakfast cupboard with slide and hide-pocket doors. 

The client stated that ‘J C Building Contractors were a pleasure to work with. All the guys on the project were polite, friendly, and professional throughout.’ 

Find out more about J C Building Services.  

The winning project, a barn conversion nestled into the Staffordshire moorlands, was built to make the most of the beautiful views across the Peak District, whilst providing the owners with minimal running costs. The result is a sustainable and highly energy efficient home that doesn’t compromise on style. 

The team at A J Field Developments Ltd incorporated some of the existing fabric of the building into the renovation, but the brief called for SIPS insulated panels for maximum insulation. Black zinc cladding was fitted in the form of Tata standing seam walls and roof – a nod to the building’s industrial past which plays a visual trick in helping the structure to recede into the landscape. 

The team constructed a pond that passes under the building and is supplied by harvested rainwater. Adding further eco credentials, a bug hotel was built around the upper harvesting pond area and an extended overhang provided to promote swallow nesting, along with bird boxes and a bird terrace. A Corten screen shelters the south elevation from excessive passive solar gain, whilst casting patterns with shadows that change throughout the day. 

The clients were clear about their reasons for choosing A J Field Developments Ltd, and being a member of the FMB was a deciding factor. They also praised the team’s transparent costings, excellent communication and rapport – proving quality and honesty are just as important as price. 

‘The resulting build is everything we could have hoped for – high quality construction on time and on budget - despite the pandemic, Suez Canal blockage and Brexit!’ 

Find out more about A J Field Developments Ltd. 

Wickstead Developments Ltd’s work on this property in St Helens has enabled their client’s family to pursue their passions for cooking, entertaining, outdoor living and exercise. The single-storey extension added to the home provides a stunning family room with panoramic views, an outdoor entertaining area and a kitchen, as well as a leisure suite. 

The new family room features two glazed elevations with minimal sliding doors which open to display the beautiful garden and the woodland backdrop. A Peloton gym connects the garden with the associated hot tub nestled in one outdoor room, whilst another houses a portable BBQ space where the family and guests can make the most of the warmer months.  

The client loved the final result, stating ‘we considered carefully which builder to put our trust in, as we were living in the house throughout with our two sons, and I am happy to say our trust in Wickstead was utterly well-founded. Respectful, polite, considerate and above all friendly, the whole team became like a part of our extended family.’ 

Find out more about Wickstead Developments Ltd. 

J C Building Services’ winning project is a modern aluminium framed dining room extension to the rear of a Grade II listed building, built circa 1750. The team demolished an old 1960’s extension to get the project under way.  

It was a challenging build and they had a short time frame in which to deliver it – three months in all. However, attention to detail was not overlooked.  The team were careful to match details for a flawless finish, copying the profile of the original skirting board into the new extension, and incorporating natural stone into the new fireplace to provide a visual link to the main house. 

The team were also able to resolve a few challenges by applying logic. For instance, by working out cold bridging details to accommodate the complicated steel frame, and by figuring out how to attach the sleek, straight lines of the glazed structure that links the extension to the undulating stone of the original building. 

The judges praised the aesthetics of the build and the team’s ability to overcome problems. 

Find out more about J C Building Services. 

Bespoke Brickwork and Building Ltd’s work on this property in Runcorn saw them erect a 6m high retaining wall in their client’s garden with three arch details, lantern lights, stone copings, and a bespoke spiral stairwell. 

In total 250 tonnes of sandstone were moved from the site using machinery to enlarge the garden and make room for the new feature. The job was a significant undertaking, but this builder maintained regular communications with the client to ensure smooth delivery of the project.  

Find out more about Bespoke Brickwork and Building Ltd.  

The team at Cheshire Building and joinery Ltd whipped up a delight for the homeowner of this project in Altrincham – a side and rear kitchen extension to help her run her cake making business from home, which also caters to the needs of a growing family.  

The team offered a full design and build service, aided by inspiration from Pinterest boards provided by the owner, and the results exceeded expectations and fit the brief of a commercial kitchen on a family scale. Keeping to a limited budget, they delivered Crittall-style French doors, VELUX windows, a bespoke handmade kitchen fitted with commercial appliances (but without an industrial look), skirting boards templated to match the existing ones and a wet underfloor heating system to keep family toes warm. 

The team hit a few setbacks with planning in this historic market town, which led to them altering the design from a full wraparound extension to the current layout. However, they pride themselves on the relationships with their clients and communication was key in helping to manage expectations.  

Their client commented that ‘Paul and his team have done a fantastic job and we cannot thank them enough. It was a pleasure having the team here. We’ll definitely be using them again for any future work.’ 

Find out more about Cheshire Building and Joinery Ltd.