A1 Loft Conversions - - Bad Experience - (www.a1pms.co.uk)

[Steve2011]

One year ago I decided to get my loft space converted. One of the places that I looked for local recommendations was this forum. I got a few quotes and decided to go with a company called A1 Loft Conversions. Despite them being the most expensive they seemed like they knew what they were doing. They?re based in Hersham, Walton-on-Thames but cover the much of the South East and had a kind of family run quality to them. This is their website: http://www.a1-loftconversions.co.uk

Interestingly, the salesman also used this forum and had an email prepared of all the negative comments he could find about other loft conversion companies in the area.

All was going well, I had the drawings done, planning permission granted and paid for two surveyors to grant Party Wall Agreements where I was unable to contact one of my neighbours.

Unfortunately, when the builder came to start the job he realised that the drawings they had done were completely unsuitable for the structure of my property. After a month of back and forth with their office they wanted to change me an extra ?3000 to do the job correctly, despite the fact that I had signed a contract and agreed a price for the entire project.

I declined their offer and spent the next three months trying to get my deposit back. They had also left some considerable damage to my property which they initially refused to repair, saying it wasn't their responsibility. They did eventually agree to put this right (three months later) but have still refused to cover cover any of the additional costs that I incurred due to their mistakes.

During this time the company was also taken over by a new Managing Director who became almost impossible to get hold of, while no one else at the company seemed to know how to deal with the issue.

All in all, one year later and I am back to square one and would like to share my bad experience back here on this forum with anyone else thinking of engaging with A1 Loft Conversions.

In the meantime, if anyone can provide a recommendation for a good loft conversion company, I would appreciate any suggestions.

[Southlondoncouple]

Hi

I would 100% recommend Lyons lofts, they are local I believe but there work I have seen on my brither in laws house and was superb! They made everything easy, understandable and affordable for him.

I will be using then for my loft conversion.

There contact was Sean Cronin on 02079244887

Pm me if need anymore info

Hope this helps

[karen104]

There's another thread on here about loft conversions too and I would thoroughly recommend Outlook Lofts www.outlooklofts.com They are just finishing off my conversion so I don't have the finished product yet but its looking great and they have been brilliant to work with. The most stressful part of the progress was getting the party wall agreement as I had delays with absentee landlords replying and an unhelpful next door neighbour but once that was sorted its been plain sailing with pleasant and considerate builders and a minimum of disruption.

[k8spellbound]

Hi Give Hamilton Walker Building Contractors a ring they had done my loft about a month ago now and did a perfect job. I said what i wanted and they built it, in and out in know time.

There number 01634 710 042

[Didine]

Hi,

we used Outlook Loft conversion and we are very glad about their work. They finished the job in July. We chose them following some positive comments from the ED forum and after seeing the end product from one neighbour.

I really liked the fact they were entirely managing the project and were the one saying 'now you need to choose your bathroom' or choose the floor.

All the best

Cheers

[Steve2011]

Thanks for the recommendations

[duffy10]

Try Classic lofts - they have completed numerous loft conversions in the area including mine. I'm very pleased with the result.

[Loretta12]

We recently had some work carried out to our house by a company called Builders GB. http://www.design-and-build.co.uk They made us a dormer loft conversion and side return extension. We felt a little more easy as they were recommended to us some by some friends. I know how it is to employ a building company and what we all go through and there are many questions we have to ask before signing a contract. This company provided us with a design and build service so they drew up the plans and helped with party wall matters also. Personally I think that it is important to use a company that has good reputation and covers more services because it saves you from a lot of running around and you don't have to randomly employ other trades for say, tiling, roofing and other odd jobs. We did our research before employing them and they provided a good service and were very helpful.

[Jeremy]

Loretta, what's that image you attached? Is that your place?

[Ossie]

Had same bad experience with this Company, unfortunately they had the roof off before we discovered they were working to their own plans. It took 20 weeks to complete and get the scaffold removed. For 3 weeks there was daylight in our loft in a very cold and wet period of the year. Could never speak to the owner of the business. Workmen through sickies and left the job for days. Hours of work were usually 10 till 3. The build team only had their pockets in mind, how much they can save not doing certain things and also what share of the cost of any extra work they could get from other trades people. The price was usually double a commercial going rate but they have you by the short and curly's when you have no roof. They even rounded off screw heads on door hinges so they could never be removed - terrible team, maybe we were unfortunate!

[dulwichquine]

We had our loft conversion done by Outlook. The planning was stressful but can't fault the build. They cared and did things right.

[Sue]

k8spellbound Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Hi Give Hamilton Walker Building Contractors a

> ring they had done my loft about a month ago now

> and did a perfect job. I said what i wanted and

> they built it, in and out in know time.

>

> There number 01634 710 042

According to your first post on this thread,

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?30,1093712,1094078#msg-1094078

it is you yourself who do loft conversions, no?

You gave yourself away when you forgot it was your "friend" you were posting about .....

"Hi my friend is looking for an experienced Carpenter and a labourer that can do loft conversions. You must know how to build a loft conversions!. Please see below and PM your mobile number and experience if interested.

You will be on site from day one and you will be required to put in the steels, the wood work, plaster boarding and then on to the final stages of 2nd fix, staircase, doors, architraves ect.

I will require you to run the job and to sort out calling off materials as there is limited space on the site

Your work must be to a high standard on 1st fix & 2nd fix

There is 8 weeks of work for the right person and may continue on to the next loft conversion for me. So you must be willing to work hard

Carpenter day rate ?110.00

Labourer day rate ?60.00

Please do not apply if you don?t know how to build loft conversions"

OOOPS!

[standswithfist]

Sue - if he is posting for his friend then its not dodgy as you are insinuating it is??

[Jeremy]

It's still a bit suspect. As is "Loretta12".

[standswithfist]

True. just thought innocent until proven guilty type thing. I'll just shut up and go!!

[edcam]

2 year old thread resurrection klaxon.

[Steve2011]

Just bumping this thread as I have received quite a few private messages over the last six months or so regarding bad experiences with this company.

Mainly - yes, this company has changed their trading name and now go by A1 Project Management Services Ltd - http://a1pms.co.uk/

[Batts]

Try Classic Lofts

[Tommy Duck]

My experience of A1 was similar to that of Steve above. If I had read this thread beforehand, I would never have made contact with them.