Finding a Builder

We first thought of major roof repairs in the Spring of 2008. we approached a number of builders explaining THE ROOF was old and was leaking and that during every Winter tiles were braking and falling to the ground.
No one did a structural survey. One builder had taken the trouble to bring binoculars with him. He spent some time looking at the roof making comments on where he could see problems.
Duly the quotes came in. They were mostly hand written with little information and the prices varied by over 100%.
We decided to shelve the project and think again.

By early 2009 the problems were getting worse. One valley at the back of the roof had failed resulting in water poring in and damaging a wall all the way to the ground floor.
An answer had to be found.
I spoke to a friend who had done a major extension. He recommended that I found a surveyor to manage the project from tender to completion.

I approached a number of firms and settled for Kirby and Diamond who had a good commercial record and were based in Milton Keynes.

They invited several local firms to tender. This time the process was highly structured and inspections were carried out both Internally and externally.

Each Contractor had to submit a detailed proposal. The successful Contractor then entered in to a fixed price contract

Contract Documents

Following extensive negotiations we settled on a long established local company. Most of the tenderers were small businesses with little working capital. We decided that Newport Pagnell Construction were a better bet. The company was financially strong with a good reputation. Rather than a repair we decided that the only option was to replace the complete roof.

Newport Pagnell start work

The work started in June 2010 with the arrival of the
scaffolders who were appointed by the main contractor.
We had not appreciated the scale of the work when they told us it would take a week to erect.
As the week progressed the scaffolding grew. By the
Friday the roof was being put on. The whole edifice
dominated the landscape and looked like a warehouse
had been erected over the house.
Mr and Mrs Shah our local shop keepers have told the
neighbourhood we were putting an extension on the roof
including a swimming pool.

A little History

THE STORY OF THE HOUSE STARTS IN 1867



Prior to that time the area of Leighton Heath was open Heath Land between the market town of Leighton and the Hamlet of Heath.
Much change had taken place to the area. The Industrial Revolution brought firstly the Grand Union Canal and then importantly the railway.
By the early 1830s the landscape changed with the enclosure act and the end of communial strip farming giving way to the fields we know today.
This was the end of the old rural life that had lasted for centuries.



1901 MAP of HEATH ROAD

The entrance of HEATH PARK HOUSE is on Park Road



OLD GATE STILL SHOWS THE NAME PARK ROAD



TODAY'S ROAD NAME HEATH PARK ROAD



My memories of the house date back to the mid 1960's. At that time I lived in the nearby village of Heath and Reach. I often walked past the house if I missed the School bus home. Strangely I always liked the house. It was different from the others in the road and shouted out its Victorian charm. In those days the plot was much bigger with an eccentric tennis court in front of the house and extensive kitchen gardens to the rear right. I had no idea my family would one day live in the house.

I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH ON THE OWNERS OF THE HOUSE

The 1881 census shows that Tom Atterton and his family lived in the house. Tom was an Organ builder with a shop in Leighton High Street.
Records show that many church organs in surrounding churches were built or repaired by him.
Strangely several examples of his work can be found in Sydney Australia

Records show that A J Pain lived in the house in 1919/20
The phone book shows R E Pain from 19933-38
The telephone number was Heath and Reach 30

I can remember a local builder Maurice White living in the house in the late 1960's
I have a piece of stained glass in the summer house with his initials.

We moved into the house in 1985.
Catriona started her Executive B&B about a year later.
We spent over twenty happy years welcoming many guests until her retirement at the end of 2008.

Our lovely house is now our home.
We wish it many years of continuous family life.

FAWLTY TOWERS

It's been almost twenty five years since we moved to Heath Park House.

Catriona called me and said I'VE FOUND IT.
What I asked her?
The ideal house for my B&B
This was a surprise having never discussed such a venture.
But petty coat power rules in our house.
What followed was many years of meeting and greeting and sharing our home with others.
We had great times and a few problems, not to mention our Fawlty Towers moments when we over booked.
Now was the time to make the house our home.

So why not start with THE ROOF.