We had a chat with the lovely We Are St Albans about ACR Build and the local area.

Hi Andy, we're very happy to have you on board at We Are Community. Tell us when it was that you set up your company and what your mission for ACR Build was from the outset?

Hey, really good to be on board. ACR Build Limited was incorporated in 2003 and I’m thrilled we’re in our twentieth year with the projects getting bigger and bolder! I have worked in the building trade since 1996, for several years prior to setting up ACR Build. I’ve always loved seeing plans go from paper to physical existence. Providing people with wonderful homes is extremely exciting and rewarding.       

ACR Build’s company motto is ‘Trust, Honesty and Transparency’ and this is key to our mission as a company. We want our clients to want to work with us. From the very beginning, we have been focused on client relationships above anything else. We are dedicated to ensuring that the homeowners and ACR Build understand each other. Working with us on a build, renovation or extension is a huge journey for a client to go on and we want to ensure that they go from apprehension to trust early on in the process.

We aim not only to meet expectations, but to exceed them. We’re determined to push ahead on grand plans delivering on time and within an agreed budget, all the while reassuring and communicating openly with our clients. We recently worked on a huge renovation at Granby Avenue in Harpenden which was a dream job - despite the scale of the project, which was to transform the whole home, from the offset we had a trusting open relationship with the owners which meant we could work wonderfully together overcoming any obstacles easily.

For us, the biggest pat on the back is that our clients refer us to their friends and family or come back to us for multiple projects!

You deliver home renovations, extensions and new home constructions that are incredible. When you start a project, what are a few of the essential things you need to know in order to serve the client's vision?

The essential information always needs to include their budget and location (we service St Albans, Harpenden, and the surrounding radius), whether they plan to live at the property, if they have a timeline in mind and any complications about the property or the site that they may be aware of. They may also have some personal circumstances that we need to bear in mind. 

Beyond that, it comes to their vision - how they hope the space will function and what it will deliver for them, what kind of aesthetic is their ideal and if they have any specific materials, they’d like to see utilised. It comes down to a feeling that they might hope to have and passion for any particular design features. We need to acknowledge the practical and logistical elements of the project to start with but quickly after that, we like to look to the hopes and aspirations of the build.

Do you have an example of a favourite build from your recent portfolio? 

Every time we embark on a project, we get such a thrill from delivering homes and spaces that are going to improve the way people live. One of our recent projects in Harpenden for example, saw us knock through a dining room and kitchen in a Victorian semi-detached town house and extend into the garden. The transformation was incredible - when we can make such a huge difference to someone’s home, such as this one on Tennyson Road, it really is so invigorating. The light, space and communal living of the area afterwards has proven so enjoyable for the family, and it looks and feels totally different to before. It’ll serve them as a beautiful place to congregate for years to come. 

What do you love about working with people's homes?

Exactly that - that they’re people’s homes! That they are personal to the person/couple/family and that each build is so unique to the owners. Why and how people want to overhaul their homes, surprises us year after year. They can’t fail but to bring their dreams and desires to the build and the reasons for and specific design choices can be diverse. We work so closely with our clients and really get to know them, so that their renovation or build becomes such a clear reflection of them and their tastes. 

How do you keep your inspiration and vision for design high, as a team?

We love design. Elevating a building project from something functional to something impressive is motivational. All our team enjoy design in construction because they can see that the end result is such high-quality and that our clients can gain so much from the design aspects and finishing touches. We utilise platforms such as Houzz, Instagram, and Pinterest to look at current design themes and we look to our peers to see what’s worked well in their portfolios. It can be quite addictive to keep researching and you can end up in a spiral of reference after reference. Sometimes it can be organic though and as simple as a colour scheme you’ve seen somewhere.

ACR Build have won the prestigious 'Best of Houzz Service' Award for 6 years running from 2018-2023. You must be really proud - congratulations! What did you have to demonstrate to achieve the title?

We are proud, thank you. It’s really nice to have accolades like this, to show that we’re still performing to the highest standards possible. It also spurs us onwards to keep achieving excellence. Knowing we’re top-rated is a huge boost and keeps us on track.

This specific awards category is decided by the Houzz community and applauds professionalism in customer service. Judgement depends on the number and quality of client reviews. Being able to showcase this badge of honour on our profiles online is a pleasure; it’s nice to let our customers speak for us. 

In your industry, you partner up with local companies. Are there any of our We Are Community members that you have particularly liked working with?

We’ve really enjoyed working often with Greg and Gary at Lime Interiors, who have also been running for over twenty years, and produce super high-quality, stylish storage solutions such as media walls and built-in wardrobes. 

Earth Interiors is a fantastic interior design company, and the founder Clare really pushes great design for the home whilst also promoting sustainable living. 

We’ve also partnered up with Bonsra Media a few times and Michael does an amazing job providing us with aerial and timelapse footage and onsite photos for our portfolio. 

Do you have a favourite room of the house and why?

My snug. I have a room full of audio-visual delights, with a media wall and opulent furnishings. It’s such an amazing place to get cosy and watch a family movie together but it’s a strict ‘no toys’ zone!

When you're not busy at work and are looking to unwind, do you have any favourite haunts to visit in St Albans or Harpenden?

We have young children, so we never get out as much as we’d like but we love a good lunch at the Silver Palate in Harpenden - the food is amazing. I also conduct a lot of client and colleague meetings at The White Horse which has really nice spaces inside or out and plenty of parking. I like working out at the WeTrain gym and doing martial arts sessions at the Combat Arts also both in Harpenden. For a bit of a tidy-up, I enjoy heading over to Menspire and my wife always enjoys some pampering at the Main Hair Gallery.

See https://stalbans.thewearecommunity.co.uk/blog/meet-the-member-acr-build.