As the construction industry’s leading supplier of cast stone products, Haddonstone has undertaken many contracts where its workshops have been called upon to replicate architectural enrichments to many different ages of building. On one recent project, a client who Haddonstone helped to construct a Georgian style home 15 years ago required the company’s expertise once again when it came to extending the property.
For the original two-storey, four-bedroom detached home, Haddonstone produced an imposing entablature that features across the upper level of the frontage, along with string courses, window cills and other cast stone products. However, when the clients and their main contractor, Longdendale Construction, got back in touch, the new challenge was to match the style of the masonry features again for two new wings which involved the conversion of the garage into accommodation; as well as a completely new structure.
To help secure planning approval, Haddonstone’s design team provided the project architect with detailed drawings of the new entablatures for lower storey of the two wings, as well as cast elements such as window cills, heads and keystones; followed by coping stones and pier caps for the reconstruction of the boundary wall.
Haddonstone’s Senior Project Manager, Frank Manning, recounts: “Once we had the initial arrangement drawings from the client, we went back into our archives to find the details of what we supplied previously – in particular the large pediment/entablature, copings and string courses – which then assisted us in producing new moulds. Working to a ten-week lead time from confirmation of order, all the mouldings were produced using our semi-dry Haddonstone mix in a whitish grey Portland Stone colour.”
While all of the Haddonstone products were installed by the client’s own workforce, called off in half a dozen consignments, the manufacturer did offer advice where required by phone and email, to supplement its standard fixing instructions; with Frank and his team available to respond to any questions.
Sean Rafter, director of Longdendale Construction, commented: “Ours is a family run business specialising in top end residential work, as a result of which we’ve worked with Haddonstone a number of times since the 1980s. In the case of this latest house in Cheshire, I was involved in liaising with the company from the early stages and, although the architect designed most of the specials, I drew up a couple of individual copings which were required at the junction between the corner of the garage, reducing in width onto the top of the adjoining wall.
“Haddonstone was very responsive to requests and all of the deliveries arrived on time; right through to the end of the job when we found we needed two extra units which were produced in very quick order. This was a very intricate job, and the client was as pleased with the end result as we were.”
Haddonstone is a founder member of the UK Cast Stone Association whose portfolio encompasses a wide selection of traditional, classical and contemporary designs to suit virtually any setting and, therefore, all types of commercial as well as residential development. The members of its Building and Construction team combine more than 100 years of experience while the craftspeople in the proprietary workshops can produce moulds to fulfil virtually any bespoke order.
For further information, call 01604 770711 or visit https://www.haddonstone.com/en-gb/
For further information on Longdendale Construction call 0161 491 1143 or visit https://www.longdendaleconstruction.com/