2020... What a Year!
A look back at a year like no other.
The very thought of the year, 2020, may cause many of us to run for cover behind the sofa...! Or maybe not the sofa, because we’re sick of looking at the sofa – is it time to get a new sofa? But 2020, with its many surprises, has no doubt had a lasting effect on us all, and those around us, in one way or another. However, as we learn to deal with continual changes in our lifestyles, which may indeed continue for some time, we can at least try to focus on some of the good that has come of the last year.
In early 2020, prior to the world falling apart, we were pleased to see works commence on-site for a full property restoration on a Grade II listed building in the Montpelier & Clifton Hill Conservation Area, in Brighton. This project, which would soon be affected by the inevitable arrival of COVID, showed us the true beauty and history of British architecture, each day. It demanded a finer attention to detail to ensure a truly great build, worthy of its setting – perched on a hill overlooking Brighton & Hove down to the shore.
In summer, as we rode out the first lockdown, we worked on numerous planning applications and construction packages for residential projects in and around Brighton & Hove, wider Sussex, Surrey, and parts of London. The private residential work we would normally undertake continued in this period. While our methods may have changed, we retained our ethos in paying particular attention to design and detail. We maintained the care we feel towards each and every one of our projects. Our interactions with clients, councils and consultants may have generated new experiences that took some time to get used to, but we had fun in the process.
In the middle months of the year, we completed a number of projects that were on-site and we will be keen to continue sharing these with you over the coming months. We have added a couple of these to our projects page, starting with Preston Drove and Wish Park. We are very proud to have rounded off a large amount of ideas and time spent in pre-construction with some fantastic clients. We were very lucky to have had the patience and the belief in us from our clients to see each project through the challenges of the times and achieve these builds successfully.
As the year rounded off, we were delighted to finally get one of our projects, in Kew, to site. Despite the setbacks, hurdles and complications thrown up over the course of the year, this new build house proposes a modern take on a Georgian house, and we were very keen to see it get underway. So, after some very detailed arboricultural, ecological and foundation surveys were completed, the building began to come out of the ground and take shape. Construction will be complete in Autumn of this year, so please stay tuned to our social media channels as we bring you more.
So, we end 2020 and start 2021 where we left off. Not just by being in yet another lockdown and wondering when this is all going to end, but by being busy and as motivated as ever to continue delivering work we are proud of. Like many in the construction industry, we have seen fluctuations in project activity and changes with our working methods day-to-day. As a team, and like everyone else, we had to endure some very trying times which meant coming together more than ever to ensure we maintained the same high standards we have come to expect of ourselves. At Life Size, we are really excited about what this year has in store, while everyday appreciating what we are still able to do despite the gloomy state of the world.
So, the plan for 2021? Keep doing what we are good at… and no, as it turns out that’s not baking banana bread or home-schooling. We look forward to working on more projects and working with more clients, who we see as the perfect partners to allow us to improve their homes and realise their ideas.
Keep safe everyone, and happy 2021!
Rob
