Legendary Builds with Phoenix Construction Services

Monday, 30 September 2024 13:33

Phoenix Construction Services has worked on everything from A-list homes to museum conversions – now the company is turning its attention to local projects. Hanna Prince meets director Mark Woods to find out more

Phoenix Construction Services has a simple yet brilliant USP: bringing the professionalism of blue-chip companies to smaller construction projects. Established nine years ago by three experienced specialists, all of whom worked for national organisations, it has since built a stellar reputation for reliability, skill and quality.

“Over 50% of our work now comes from repeat clients,” said Mark Woods, who manages the company alongside co-director Neil Kirk. “But our focus has gradually moved up north to London and Cambridgeshire, while we both live down south – in Goring and Washington.” Phoenix embarked on a local project earlier this year, and its success convinced Mark and Neil to prioritise work closer to home. “We had so much more fun doing it,” he explained. “It was less travelling and less stress, and we thought: why aren’t we doing this more?”

Since then, the directors have been prioritising local projects, turning down high-value work across northern London and beyond in order to engage with their Sussex roots.

Timeless style

The expertise that the Phoenix team brings to the board has been honed through nearly a decade of high-end construction projects. Leafing through a brochure showcasing the company’s recent work is like picking up an interior design magazine; it encompasses stylish basement conversions, stunning kitchen extensions, sympathetic heritage builds – even the complete new-build of multi- million-pound mansions. Many of the buildings in Phoenix’s portfolio are of national significance. Some can’t even be shared, because they are covered by NDAs to protect the identity of their celebrity owners. But Mark says it’s the type of work rather than the size and prestige of the project that interests him.

“I don’t care whether it’s building a metal-clad barn for a farmer or working on a Grade II building,” he said. “If the jobs are interesting then we’ll do them.”

One of the projects he remains particularly proud of is the refurbishment of Petersfield Museum, which involved orchestrating the repair and renovation of the town’s old police station and courthouse. The works include a newly constructed extension, full high-specification redecoration and the subtle introduction of modern features such as glazed screens and architectural light fittings. Phoenix, in fact, specialises in heritage properties, sympathetically blending the modern with the classic – another recent success was overhauling a Grade I listed mansion in Cambridgeshire, installing an oak car port and even sourcing reclaimed cobbles from a Belgian convent for the courtyard area. They will soon start work on converting a local chapel into holiday homes.

From foundations to finish

The team’s broad range of expertise covers all aspects of construction, from groundwork through to finishing touches. Mark has been a qualified joiner for nearly 45 years and focuses on beautiful, bespoke finishes.

Neil, who has a background in civil engineering, handles all structural work. The directors are supported by three foremen with equally strong professional backgrounds – and long- standing relationships with architects, structural engineers and planning consultants mean that Phoenix can manage a project from the initial design stages. It offers a turnkey service, right through to stocking a kitchen before the client moves in. But it will also take on stand-alone elements of a construction, including the groundwork phase of any contracts.

“We have a design team we work with all the time, so we can manage a project right from the beginning,” said Mark, “but if someone tells me they have the drawings and asks whether we can price it – yes, we can. And, although we’re not small, we want to get back to doing smaller jobs because they are in the local area.”

Whatever the size of the project, whether a £50k extension or a £4 million bespoke build, the company brings the same degree of industry- leading professionalism to the board. “What we bring to smaller projects is doing the job right first time,” said Mark. “We work with programmes and procurement schedules, and we manage every project as it should be managed. I’d say we also bring a bit of flair and fun to the building industry too, in that we’re all characters!”

Built on trust

This approach has certainly won Phoenix accolades, attracting a wave of celebrity clients and glowing reviews. One recent reference describes Mark as “very pro-active and a consistently positive influence to work with on every project.” It goes on: “Mark is a passionate and knowledgeable construction professional with demonstrable experience working with historic and older buildings. This expertise makes Mark an effective problem solver and this has been particularly valuable where conservation work to sensitive and significant historic building fabric is required.”

Another review, based on the construction of a £4.5 million high- end design and build house completed in spring last year, praises the team as being “a pleasure to deal with,” and “always professional in their manner.”

Having a business with such a prestigious national reputation based locally is good news for anybody planning an upcoming project. It’s
not always easy to find the right construction company. But, thanks to Phoenix’s reputation for excellence, you can count on its reliability, timeliness, and dedication to quality across-the- board – whatever the size of the job.

Phoenix Construction Services

Clematis Cottage, School Lane,
Washington RH20 4AP
07799 773766

www.phoenixconstructionservices.co.uk

info@phoenixcsl.co.uk

Legendary Builds with Phoenix Construction Services

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