PENCIL AND BRICK
irregular ceiling form. There is also a frameless oriel glass window projecting into the courtyard. ● Exposed timber rafters: The Pencil and Brick team treated the many structural rafters as individual carpentry projects, with each rafter perfectly planed and sized, and featuring exposed studs. Overcoming challenges Eager to save on costs, the client opted for tilers that weren’t FMB members. Despite warnings by McAlister and his team about the potential pitfalls of such a choice, the clients went for the cheaper option. The tilers arrived late to the project and rushed the job, which McAlister describes as “catastrophic”. Pencil and Brick sent the tilers away, taking over that aspect of the project too, ripping up the previous work and redoing it. “We had to delay the sanitaryware install for the bathroom,” McAlister says. “The tiling adhesive was bonded to the underfloor heating compound, so we were at risk of damaging that layer too. “In the end we carefully removed the tiles, repaired the UFH and retiled with new tiles to our workmanship standards. The clients were so relieved when the episode was over. You might pay a little more with FMB members, but if you buy cheap you buy twice.” Another challenge was managing the oversized, single unit of glass for the courtyard, as it could not fit through the front door or windows. McAlister’s team met with the neighbour – a craft beer brewery, fenced off from the client’s back garden – and
Managing people The resolution with the brewery neighbour shows how important it is for builders to manage relationships with all those who might be affected by a project. As the build was in a protected conservation area, Pencil and Brick hand posted letters to every neighbour for 10 houses in each direction, giving everyone a chance to ask about the impact it might have on them. “We saw a retired neighbour every day diligently weeding and planting the street pavement plant beds,” McAlister recalls. “We helped them bring the plants back to life, removed stomps with our equipment and strength, and helped plant new plant beds. Key project relationships are not just immediately reciprocal ones.” Of course, communication with the client is essential – at all times. Pencil and Brick hosted frequent informal meetings to fine-tune construction to meet standards. “We spent a lot of time proposing and selecting finishes and judging constructability. We arranged mid-project and project completion social meetings with the client so they knew the team and trusted their character as well as their skills.”
McAlister’s team designed and built a large plywood- structure extension of the kitchen facilities. The internal structure divided the room, essentially separating the kitchen and dining areas with a beautiful, arched opening, and two concealed skylights to invite in the changing light of day and night. ● Internal courtyard: With glass features on three sides of the internal courtyard, which is inspired by Japanese aesthetics, the space is enlivened by light, air and impressive views. ● Feature glazing to courtyard: One side of the courtyard has a large single unit of glass, cut to fit the
offered to help them with work in return for allowing them to take down the fence to get the glass through. “We had the glazing manually lifted through the back and into the house then refitted the fence, protecting our client’s pièce de résistance,” McAlister adds.
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Master Builder
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