Decorator / Bathrooms / Refurb - Gary Skinner - 07572 588222

[Tim N]

I am writing to recommend Gary of First Choice Decorating (+44 7572 588222) and his team. This is the second bathroom refurbishment he has carried out for us and once again we are very pleased with the job.

- He gave the most competitive quote.

- His technical knowledge is excellent and provided insights other builders didn't. 

- He project manages the job at no extra cost.

- He provides substantial communication during the job so you never feel in the dark.

I've attached a few photos of the completed work for context.

Tim & Kate - Forest Hill

[akc74]

Over the summer, Gary and his team did a complete refurb of our bathroom. It was a complicated, and fiddly job, with architects drawings to follow, and the inevitable surprises thrown up when you rip out a room in a Victorian house! He worked through the challenges with us as they happened, and we’re really pleased with the finished result. He has some really good guys working for him, and the quality of tiling etc has been great. 

[Ciara M]

Gary & his team refurbished the timber windows in our apartment (the windows dated back to the 1950s) some of which were in poor condition. Gary was always prompt to reply, he made recommendations & he listened to our feedback. There was a marked difference after the works were complete & we were very happy with the result!

[ggibbons1994]

I've had a number of jobs completed by Gary, from damp investigation and wall repair to tiling and painting/decorating. They've all been completed in a timely fashion and to a very high standard.

Gary has a serious eye to detail and bundles of experience which comes in handy as he explain things the work he will be doing and advises on solutions he think will benefit you and your house most.

He's also incredibly reliable and very plugged into the building world which enables him to source high quality materials at good rates.

Can't recommend him enough and happy to answer any questions people may have.

Gary's number is 07572588222

[Andy_C]

Gary and his team have been doing work for us now for a few years, and he has just been back again to clean up and refresh our loft space.  

As every time they have been, Gary and team have done a great job, they are knowledgeable, care about the detail and finish, our loft is looking great.  Thoroughly recommended!!

Gary's number is 07572588222

Edited November 10, 2023 by Andy_C

[SY1]

Having read all the recommendations on this thread we contacted Gary to help fix some damage caused my some leaks. He came round to give a quote and was able to start the work really soon. He and his team are all really friendly and got the job done. The comms with him has always been great and reliable unlike some other tradespeople we’ve used in the past. He’s now also coming back going to fix some issues with our roof which we hope will stop any more leaks in the future. I definitely recommend contacting him if you need something done! 

[hepworth27]

Gary and his team refurbished my bathroom after a hidden leak caused damage to the wall and floor. They were able to start work within a month of assessment/quote visit, which was much quicker than anyone else I could find. They did a great job, and were really flexible after discovering that the damage was more extensive than first apparent, meaning the job became a much bigger one than initially expected - floor joists and a stud wall needed replacing prior to the reinstallation of the bathroom. Gary is extremely knowledgeable and was able to competently deal with the unexpected issues that popped up, which gave me real peace of mind as someone who lives in a period property that comes with various quirks! Gary managed the entire project, was always available to answer questions, and sent regular photo/message updates throughout. The overall finish is of high quality, and the team have been very happy to pop back and sort a couple of small snags just to make everything perfect, which I’ve really appreciated. Gary is on 07572 588222.

[SY1]

Another review for Gary and his team. They recently did some maintenance on our roof, fixing the skirting with special waterproofing paint to hopefully prevent some of the leaks we’ve previously experienced. Even if it’s not something you think would fall under ‘painting and decorating’ I’d still recommend you give Gary a call as he’ll definitely try to help or at least point you in the right direction. We’ve had lots of people come look at our roof and they couldn’t identify what was wrong. Gary bought his roofer to have a look and they came up with a solution to try. They were super quick and reliable. This is the second time we’ve used Gary and his team. 

[Nick Tyrone]

Gary is a talented builder and decorator. It turned out we had a lot more problems with our bathroom than we had realised and Gary was able to identify and fix the problems. He has an eye for detail and has a network of professionals that can do any work required in your home. His number is 07572588222. 

[LMC26]

So after hearing about this forum through a neighbour (we're new to the area) I had a little scan through for cleaners, builders etc as a guest and found Gary's many reviews.
Just before christmas we needed some work done especially in the bathroom - new tiles, some silicone around bath etc. I also needed some decorating repairs and electrical jobs to be done throughout the house and I wanted to ensure this could be done in time for Christmas as we were expecting guests over the festive period. Gary was able to fit us in with short notice and managed to complete it all on time to a high standard, so only seemed right to sing his praises! I’m still on the hunt regarding window cleaner and childcare etc but loving the forum so far! 
I honestly couldn’t recommend Gary enough! Thank you again!

Gary's number is 07572588222

[scottbran]

I recently hired Gary Skinner to fix my roof and install a new window. I have to say, I was pretty impressed with his work. He was super organized and got his roofer to come round and check out the damage before starting any work. He also managed to get me the cheapest quote for scaffolding.

Gary was always easy to get hold of and kept me updated throughout the whole process. He was really good at communicating and made sure I knew what was going on.

The work itself was done to a high standard and I'm happy with the end result. If you're looking for someone to help with your next project, give Gary a call on 07572588222

Edited January 10, 2024 by scottbran

[firstchoicegary]

No problem thanks taking bookings now from February onwards for outside stuff unuess emergencies or until it warns up!

Many thanks Gary 

[firstchoicegary]

Hi everyone thanks again for all reviews last year already taking booking for Spring for exterior works so get in touch for a free quote . .

please check out out website for more info on what we do 

Www.firstchoicedecorating.co.uk 

[rcb38]

I’ll add another recommendation for Gary and his roofer Danny - contactable on the number above. Our leak was fixed swiftly, with a visit to see the situation before quoting for the work. Work was completed to a good standard, and communication was quick.  

[rich_thomas]

Highly recommend Gary and his team. My roof was damaged during the recent storms. Gary and his colleagues  repaired it and made my house water tight again within 24hrs of the initial call. Great communication and price. 

[Gyroscope]

Another vote for Gary and his team.

We asked him to work on two smaller jobs, the more tricky of which was to cut out a corner of a fitted kitchen that contained an integrated fridge that is about to wheeze its last, and "make good" in preparation for a freestanding fridge.

So, as was:

Naturally once the units had been removed it became clear that the kitchen fitters back in 1998 had buried all sorts of horrors. Woodchip, Artex, tiles, gas, electrics, you name it.

Gary worked around all the issues and has basically left us with a clean white space for a new fridge, even fitting some spare floor tiles that were left by the previous residents back in 2005.

It's a small area, but the process was pretty laborious because of the number of layers of plasterboard, filler, more filler, fine filler, paint etc. that all had to dry.

The other job was a broken wall in a bathroom. A panel had to be cut out.

There's no point in me posting an "after" photo because it's simply a flat white wall and you wouldn't know that anything had happened.

Once we've caught our breath we'll be asking Gary to come back for a lot of other things that need to be sorted around the house.

He is on 07572 588222 - pro tip: I think it's fair to say that he conducts most of his business via WhatsApp.
 

[amse15]

Another recommendation for Gary, very pleased with the service and end results.

I reached out to Gary and he was able to start the work very quickly. Gary and team completed a number of things including painting and decorating our lounge, repairing a damaged wall and re-sanding and varnishing our kitchen countertops. All completed to a high standard, and great communication throughout. Thanks again!

 

[jeffersjd]

I just wanted to recommend Gary’s Skinner and his team for anyone who needs a reliable and professional roofing service. They replaced a key part of my roof and did an excellent job. They were punctual, courteous, and efficient. They completed the work within the estimated time and budget, and they cleaned up the site afterwards.

I am very happy with the results and I would highly recommend Gary and his team to anyone who needs a new roof or a roof repair. They are trustworthy, skilled, and affordable.

[fabius]

Gary (and Cliff and Ashley) did a magnificent job decorating our very tatty hall, stairs and landing - starting with tired old plaster, knackered skirtings, and tatty woodwork. It's all been impeccably filled, sanded and prepped. They've left it looking absolutely immaculate - far smarter than I'd thought possible. They worked really hard, and left a beautiful finish. Their attention to detail and professionalism is outstanding; and Cliff and Ashley were lovely guys. Very highly recommended - I'd have them back again like a shot for any future jobs.

[mistymorn]

Gary and his team have recently replaced our leaking cast iron gutters, renovated the soffits, and re-pointed the ridge tiles. All the work was completed to a hight standard, with minimum fuss and excellent communication. Gary keeps you informed at all times and any extra costs are discussed. We have now booked Gary and team in for a bigger external renovation/repair job in the summer. Have already recommended him to several friends, and would do the same to anyone looking for an honest and reliable builder.

 

 

Edited April 1, 2024 by mistymorn

[ggibbons1994]

Gary has recently completed a refurbishment of our en-suite bathroom and has done a great job. Throughout the whole process he was very hands on in helping us decide what new shower we should go with, which tiles would work best and where best to source them from.

The job was more complex than first thought due to some previously shoddy workmanship in fitting the shower but Gary was able to rectify this with no real impact to our budget. After finishing the bathroom we were so pleased with the work we had him tile our kitchen which we couldn't be happier about.

As usual with Gary everything was completed in a timely manner and with a good sense of humour along the way so it's always a pleasure to have him round. Can't recommend him enough.

[JPD]

I'd recommend Gary of First Choice Decorating and his team as well. They have taken on a tricky job of building in additional support into old crumbling plaster walls so they can support heavy curtain fixings.

He communicates well through the job, has a high quality threshold and attention to detail in reviewing the work his team carry out, and was very mindful on minimising disruption and dust for a messy process. 

[Josh Saunders]

Gary and his personal, friendly and supportive approach to our kitchen renovation allows me to highly recommend Gary and the team of experts he hires on all of his jobs. 

Gary made every effort to keep the costs of our renovation affordable without compromising on quality. 

Anyone looking to have any work done, no matter how big or small should reach out to him. 

Our job was not a straight forward renovation but at every complication along the way Gary and his team were able.to find a solution. This included routing new pipes through a concrete floor, moving our boiler, taking out a wall and replastering the opening, fitting radiators and re routing electrics to an amazing standard. We would certainly get them back again and hope to work with them again soon.

Amazing work. Thanks Gary! 

Josh and Barbara 

[mendozy]

Gary recently finished an exterior paintwork job for us, on time and to the agreed quote (there were some added costs but that was because we decided to do some extra work after what we'd agreed). He maintained good communication both before and during the job and his workers (especially Howard!) were exemplary in their work and behaviour. He also did some tricky work fixing some bad cover ups on the brickwork that we'd been putting up with since we bought the house. We'd definitely use him again. Thanks Gary! Lauren

[bonzo]

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Edited May 9 by bonzo