SPOTLIGHT BUILDWELLS
W hen Billy Buswell, Director of Buildwells Bricklaying and Construction Ltd, operating in the West Midlands, first heard his project would be featured on national television, his reaction was mixed. “We were a bit worried, obviously,” Buswell admits. “We know we do a good job, but we were nervous about how we’d come across on TV. But watching it back, honestly, it was amazing. Such a great feeling.” Head Office Manager Jonny Ivey echoes the sentiment. “I remember messaging Billy after, saying how proud he should be. A company coming from humble beginnings and then being showcased like that – it’s a big moment.”
Buildwells Bricklaying and Construction took on one of its biggest projects to date – a domestic build that ended up on national television, tested the team’s resilience and bolstered its reputation SMILE, WE’RE ON TELLY
Test of skill The Solihull project in
question was anything but straightforward. It began as a large rear extension with a flat fibreglass roof and skylights, but quickly evolved into something much more ambitious. “We built three dormers,” Buswell explains. “One new, and the other two were reconstructed from flat to pitched roofs. Then there was a second-storey extension above the existing garage, plus knock- throughs inside, bathrooms, kitchens, flooring, and full decoration. It was a big job.” It was, in fact, one of the company’s biggest jobs so far – especially given its relatively small size. “We’ve got a team of 15 at the moment, and we’re growing,” Buswell says. “That includes all trades and our regular subcontractors. But this project pushed us.”
What made the job unique wasn’t just its size, but the challenges it presented – such as a steel beam so large it even surprised seasoned structural professionals. “We had a steel expert on site – 30 years in the game,” Buswell says. “He told us it was only the second time he’d ever installed a beam that size in a domestic house. That’s how big it was.” The project came about
groundwork knew someone involved in the production of the George Clarke show. “We had to quote for it alongside five or six other companies,” Buswell says. “In the end, it came down to word of mouth. They looked at our previous work in Solihull and liked what they saw. Even though we were the smallest company in the running, we got the job.” Ivey adds: “Most firms our size might hesitate to take on something with this level of structural complexity. But we believed we could do it.”
And they did it. But not without solving serious design headaches along the way. “One of the biggest challenges was the placement of a steel column,” Buswell recalls. “The original design had it going right against the boundary wall. But once we measured up, we realised that pouring the pad foundation would spill into the neighbour’s garden. That would’ve triggered all kinds of party wall issues.” Instead of pushing ahead, the team made the call to redesign on the fly. “We shifted the post inward and extended
for Buildwells through a somewhat serendipitous connection – a friend of Buswell’s who handled
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