“Between the various ‘lockdowns’ of the Covid-19 pandemic, my partner and I started looking for a bolthole in the countryside. We wanted to find a home where we could easily escape the city, somewhere for the whole family to enjoy fresh air together at weekends or for longer holidays.
After looking at various properties in Dorset, we stumbled upon a house in the New Forest and arranged a visit. The whole family heard about this and suddenly we have children and grandchildren excitedly tagging along to take a look for themselves!
We immediately fell in love with the area. The New Forest is a simple 90 minute drive or train journey from London, and combines stunning landscape with roaming animals, with the Solent coastline and all the fun that the seaside offers.
The house was going to need a lot of work, however as we walked around, I could see there was potential. I started reimagining spaces, both in the buildings and also the land around the property. Although part of me wondered if it was going to turn into a nightmare challenge, it soon became clear that the family loved it!
We went ahead with the purchase and as the plans started to take shape, it became clear that I was going to need someone to manage the project for me. Simon Evans was recommended to me by the surveyor and was absolutely brilliant. Very experienced and incredibly calm in every situation, he successfully drove all aspects of our property project through two extensive phases.
Simon has all the best local contacts and managed tenders and contracts on my behalf. He knows who to engage – and importantly who to avoid. He’s incredibly affable and really looks after the team. He ensured that everything was in place for the team – and made sure that bills and contractors were paid promptly, on time, every week. We came down most weeks and stayed nearby. It was clear that Simon had created a really positive working community, where each contractor felt proud to be a part of the project and delighted to be paid on time.
Simon also knew what quantities of materials were required – and by spending time each week on site he’d be completely aware of any discrepancies. If there were any issues, he dealt with them calmly and fairly, negotiating where required, diffusing any tensions and ensuring situations didn’t become stressful.
It’s safe to say, we didn’t get stressed by the property project at all – Simon managed everything! Without a doubt, a good project manager like Simon will save you more than their fee! He’s like a shock absorber, dealing with any issues before they actually become problems. I wholeheartedly recommend Simon – and Luxury Property Projects.”
