The Design Centre Ltd

We've been working with David and Steve trying to make our old listed property work for the 21st century. We faced many planning challenges which David & Steve were always able to answer and revise the scheme and always managed to come up with innovative ideas for the property. They most certainly pushed our thinking of design and how we can live in our house.

The design worked well for our house refurbishment and David and Steve were helpful with answering the many questions that inevitably arise with projects of this type. Our builder did have to resolve some measurement discrepancies. Overall, I would certainly recommend.

Great team that understood our requirements and adapted the design a number of times without hesitation. Didn't rush the work or cut corners. Highly recommended!

Very helpful and clear design for a glass topped light well. Steve and David were extremely thorough and quick- very responsive - and did all the work we needed to get our design through a sticky planning application. At a very reasonable cost which included a site visit. Many thanks and would highly recommend

From the initial consultation to the final blueprint, David and Steve demonstrated an unmatched level of professionalism and dedication. They took the time to actively listen to our vision, preferences, and concerns, ensuring that every detail was accounted for in the design process. Their ability to translate our ideas into a coherent and aesthetically pleasing plan truly set them apart. They adeptly navigated through any adjustments or changes we wanted to make, always with a positive and collaborative attitude. This adaptability made the entire design process not only smooth but also enjoyable. Their innovative ideas, attention to detail, and commitment to delivering a design that seamlessly blends functionality with aesthetics ultimately exceeded our expectations. I wholeheartedly recommend The Design Centre Ltd for anyone seeking a professional, attentive, and flexible architectural firm. David and Steve's collaborative approach and commitment to client satisfaction make them the go-to team for turning dreams into reality.

We are in mid project and we are super impressed with The Design Centre. The ideas and concepts have been great and they have accommodated our ever changing minds. I can totally recommend The Design Centre.

The Design Centre is one of the most thorough practice I have worked with. As a Structural Engineer, is a pleasure to work with David and Steve as they are so knowledgeable. Not only do they understand their part, they have a good appreciation of the structure required and the constructability. This means most of the questions are answered before they are even raised by the client or builder. Would highly recommend.

We recently downsized to a small bungalow. The floors were on several levels and it only had one bathroom. Having accepted that we needed to extend in some way we still spent months, in vain, trying to work out how we could fit a second bathroom and utility, mostly within the existing structure and add a large kitchen without using up too much of the rather small garden. Finally, we heard about The Design Centre. David and Steve came along, inspected the whole property, asked us questions and listened very carefully to what we wanted to achieve. David has a great imagination, good communication skills, good taste, lots of ideas and has no problem thinking round all the constraints. His efforts distilled into a final plan that suited what we wanted in every way. Our only regret is that we didn't ask them to do the project management and the build. We now have a home that perfectly suits the way we live and we still have enough outside space to enjoy relaxing in the garden. We would recommend The Design Centre to anyone. A thoroughly professional company, and very easy to get on with.

We worked with David to create a stunning side extension to incorporate a kitchen / diner, including a lot of internal reconfiguration (removing walls etc). We wanted a contemporary modern exterior to complement our 1990s house with a modern shaker style kitchen. We choose David and The Design Centre having seen his style in other projects. The overall result was above and beyond our expectations and has transformed our way of living. He was happy to review and adjust during the planning stage. Overall I would highly recommend his (and Steve's) services. The build finished in December 2018, taking around 6 months.

This company are excellent. From start to completion they made the project, and consequently life, easy, exciting and a great experience. Dave came to discuss our project, what we wanted to achieve and what the overall feel should be. He drew the ideas up and gave us initial plans and images that we could then discuss with the adjoining neighbours. Only one amendment was required, which was swiftly applied. They then dealt with all the planning requirements. We were given different cost options with explanations and were fully involved with deciding which options to take. After this process there were no hidden costs, and the price agreed on was the price paid. When the actual day of construction started, Matt and Dan came on site. They were exceedingly capable and easy to get on with. They kept me updated at each stage and patiently answered all my questions. I asked a lot. They were on site most days, on the occasion that they did not appear we were kept fully informed as to why and what the issue was . They were polite, respectful of me and my property and asked permission for the dogs to be allowed in the garden. They were very efficient, extremely knowledgeable about the building process including the oak frame and completed the build on the agreed date. I was actually very sad when the build was completed and they were no longer going to be on site. The extension is green oak and after a couple of years the oak had dried, slightly shrunk and a couple of problems were noted. This is to be expected with a natural resource like oak. A telephone call and a site visit resolved the problems, all with no quibble. We have an extension that everyone likes. Even visiting tradesmen stand and admire. It has been a fantastic experience from start to finish. If you want a design that fits you, get these guys. If you want a build with no grief or hassle, get these guys. if you want builders that are open, honest and trustworthy, you get these guys.

We used The Design Centre in 2007/8 to create a new build garden room and again in 2014/15 to add a new large bay window to the bedroom as well as creating a large pond and terrace. The end result in both cases is stunning. David Smith showed great imagination and sensitivity with his designs so that as well as creating the "wow" factor he complemented the existing building and garden. His building team was excellent with a great emphasis on craftsmanship.

Our grade two listed 400 year old cottage is situated in as sensitive conservation area. There were many challenges, not least, ensuring our neighbours were happy with the end result. David's expertise in all aspects is outstanding. The planning officer considered the finished product to be one of the best and most harmonious relationships and our parish council, believes our cottage to be the showcase of the village. The brief was to be sympathetic to the age and area, but contemporary and fundamentally our home. David took our brief and enhanced -by discussion- virtually every aspect of the design and build. This was a big, complex project lasting nine months. Four years on, we wouldn't change any detail. We would be delighted to speak or indeeed show our beautiful cottage to any prospective client. Additionally, David is a delight to work with and a major part of the success was due to David's calm, diligent and professional manner throughout.