Master Builder Magazine: October-November 2023

2023 MASTER BUILDER AWARDS

Overall Master Builder of the Year and Large Renovation Project national winner – Vantage & Co Group Limited

V antage & Co Group Limited from the Midlands was crowned overall national winner, taking home an Isuzu D-Max DL40 pick- up truck worth more than £32,000. The company was also the national winner of the Large Renovation Project category for its full restoration of a luxury Georgian villa situated in Birmingham’s prestigious Jewellery Quarter. What was once a private residence built in the early 1820s for a merchant of high status later transitioned into a subdivided property of

commercial and industrial use before it was left vacant from 2005. Now, it is a unique, functional and luxurious living space. Project overview The original Georgian villa, known as Old Heaton House, is one of just two villas left in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter. Before the renovation it was in a state of ruin, forgotten in the blurred history of 19 th century industrial Birmingham. Vantage & Co Group Limited, in partnership with Elevate Property Group and

architects D5, restored this historical property to its former glory – and even retained and repurposed some of the original

The staircase is carved from Bath stone

features. The team says that throughout the project they felt connected to the original Master Craftsmen who had worked on the property two centuries before them. Project highlights and outstanding features Unlocking the potential of this once grand property was the major highlight for the team at Vantage & Co Group Limited. Historical, significant and ambitious is how the company describes the project. The two-storey building’s features include: a large slat roof with a central well; the double pile and three bay façade with a detailed cornice at the eaves and moulded architraves to the windows; and a staircase handcarved from Bath stone on display from the moment one enters the property. Challenges overcome The building was essentially derelict, having been left to ruin for nearly two decades, so it needed a new roof, which Vantage & Co Group

Limited installed with top-spec insulation. The team also put in double glazing and a system 3 low- carbon air circulation and ventilation unit.

From the client Steve Dodd, Founder of

The old villa is now a luxurious home

Elevate Property Group Ltd, said: “We genuinely feel that it has been restored to one of the finest homes in central Birmingham. The collaboration between Vantage and Co and Elevate Property Group has delivered this 200-year-old, once-private residence back to its former glory and is a jewel in the crown of Birmingham.” From the judges “Absolutely outstanding, executed with great sympathy and attention to detail.” “This masterful work leaves you feeling excited.” “A fabulous transformation of this derelict old building into a stunning home, which has not been over-restored externally so still fits well into its urban setting.”

Overall Master Builder of the Year sponsored by

Large Renovation Project sponsored by

24

Master Builder

www.fmb.org.uk

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