New home – New baby for Somerset couple with ‘Help to buy’ scheme

Husband and wife Anthony and Katey Pimblett celebrate the birth of their baby daughter Lauren at their new home purchased under the ‘Help to Buy’ scheme at Fern Green based in Langport.  The Somerset development built by award-winning independent builders C G Fry & Son has to-date sold five of its 30 private houses under this scheme.

Katey and Anthony Pimblett with new baby daughter Lauren and son, Max

The *‘Help to Buy’ Equity Loan scheme helps first time buyers and those looking to move up the property ladder to purchase a new-build home.  The government-backed initiative was set up to help new and existing home owners to purchase a property with as little as a 5% deposit.

The couple who have been married for four years originally re-located from Bristol to a rented house in a Somerset village as they could not afford to get in to the local property market.

Anthony who grew up in South Petherton says: “I created a financial spreadsheet and worked out that it would take us at least five years to get on the property ladder by saving a 20% deposit and getting a mortgage.  We wanted a family home sooner and were delighted when we heard that there was this scheme available.  I was already aware of the excellent reputation of C G Fry & Son so when we heard about the scheme for new-build homes we decided to visit their Somerset development.  I worked out if we were a successful applicant then we would spend less on the monthly mortgage and have our own home than we were paying for rented accommodation which was not a practical living space for young children.”

Fern Green based on the edge of Langport is the latest C G Fry & Son Somerset development following the successful completion of adjacent Old Kelways based on the site of the original nursery. The houses at Fern Green have generous proportions, good-sized gardens with the combination of traditional craftsmanship using modern materials and technique’s to recreate the look of those properties built centuries before.  Surrounded by unspoilt countryside the development is within easy commuting distance of Yeovil, Taunton and Bridgwater with good local amenities.

Anthony and heavily pregnant Katey moved in to their new house together with their young son Max aged 2.5 years.

Katey comments: “Anthony and I don’t normally like new houses as the majority are so box-like and we wanted space and a decent size garden in a safe area to bring up a family.  Fern Green has a lovely feel to it and it is within walking distance of shops and cafes and there are good local schools.  When we visited the site, we were immediately impressed with the layout, the wider roads, open green spaces and the houses were not crammed in. The quality of the house is really high and there is plenty of storage with a well-thought out and practical layout.  The sales office staff were very helpful and made it easy to apply for the ‘Help to Buy’ scheme.”

www.cgfry.co.uk

Purchaser In Their New C G Fry & Son Home Within Just Eight Days Of Viewing

C G Fry & Son has completed on the sale of a detached property at Balidon Place, their award-winning Yeovil development, within just eight days from the purchaser’s first viewing. The new owners visited the site on the Tuesday and reserved the detached house the very next day.  Legal completion was achieved by the following Friday and the family moved in on the same day and are now looking forward to spending Christmas in their beautiful new home.

The last few remaining properties located on the desirable West Coker Road which is convenient for the town-centre and local facilities, range from an apartment at £175,000 to three, four-bedroom houses at £380,000- and a larger detached house at £430,000. 

All detached houses have double garages and are built in a traditional style with Georgian proportions and varying architectural detailing.  Balidon House, the former Yeovil Maternity Hospital has been painstakingly restored to its former glory and has a spacious ground-floor two-bedroom apartment for sale with two allocated parking spaces.

C G Fry & Son also offer Fern Green, Langport - a development of detached, semi-detached and terraced homes reflecting the character and charm of this rural area of Somerset.

HAPPY COUPLE MOVE INTO ‘CRACKING’ NEW HOME IN RECORD TIME

Husband and wife Mal and Chrissy Sawdy 

Husband and wife, Mal and Chrissy Sawdy relocating from Queensland, Australia, have finally found their dream house, located at Balidon Place, Yeovil.   The Ex-pats completed all legal requirements and even arranged new carpeting throughout the new four-bed detached property before moving in within just eight working days from the first viewing in time to celebrate Christmas in their new home.

The award-winning development located on the desirable West Coker Road is built on the site of the former Yeovil Maternity Hospital by Dorchester-based developers C G Fry & Son.  Each of the detached houses are built in a traditional style with Georgian proportions and varying architectural detailing.  Balidon House, the former Yeovil Maternity Hospital has been restored and converted into twelve spacious apartments which have all now been sold.

Mal retired from the Fire Service and wife Chrissy took early retirement from the NHS in 2007 before emigrating ‘Down Under’.  Now back in the UK, the couple carried out an extensive search to find the right house in the West Country primarily in the counties of Devon, Somerset and Dorset to be near Chrissy’s family. 

Mal Sawdy comments: “It’s been a long and weary search to find the right place in and around the A303 corridor and unfortunately a couple of properties we made offers on fell through.  All our belongings and furniture were on a ship sailing to the UK and we had nowhere to live which was putting us under a lot of pressure particularly with the festive period approaching.  We found the C G Fry site just by chance.  We were feeling very cranky and the last thing we wanted to do was look around another house.  Jo Warren at the sales office, however, welcomed us with a calming smile and a very pleasant manner.  She didn’t pressurise us and gave us time to look around in our own time.  I have experience in the building industry and was very impressed by the quality of the build and attention to detail.  We returned the next day and said we would take it.  We had to return to Australia to tie up some loose ends and during that time Jo was very helpful in pushing things through quickly and smoothly with the help of two very good solicitors and she even arranged all the carpeting on our behalf.”

Chrissy Sawdy says: “I really like the open design of the development and the double garages and generous gardens.    It is unusual for developers to allow so much space for each property and accommodate plenty of parking space rather than try and cram in more houses.  The place is heaven and it is a proper house with chimneys and a fireplace which makes a lovely focal point in the lounge.”

www.cgfry.co.uk

FREE TRAINING SEMINARS IS JUST THE TICKET FOR LOCAL BUILDERS

Leading construction industry partners successfully launched the first of a series of free training sessions for local small building companies in Exeter on 1 February at Matford Centre on Marsh Barton.  Sponsored by premier builders merchants, Bradfords Building Supplies, it attracted over 50 attendees.  Rolling out across the South West over the next couple of months it delivers a major new green and low carbon training initiative which will prove to be a great business opportunity for the local smaller builder.  The main topics covered are conservation of energy, ventilation, heating, electrics and the new water safety and usage regulations. 'I've been updated' van stickers were allocated to each attendee at the end of the one day workshop.  This means that builders can demonstrate they have been fully briefed on the latest industry changes and have the essential knowledge required to offer ongoing advantages and service to their clients.

(L-R) Mike Kerslake Area Sales Manager, Bradfords Building Supplies, Tom Harper Director of Constructing Excellence SW, Anna Thompson Director of Training LABC, Dave Easterlow General Builder, Yvonne Mazzotta H& S Awareness Officer HSE and Andrew Sutton Associate Director BRE  SW

Bradfords Building Supplies Limited with 27 branches nationwide including Cornwall outlets in Redruth, Liskeard and a new branch in St Austell due to open this spring, has teamed up with key national construction industry organisations  including Local Authority Building Control (LABC), Constructing Excellence South West, BRE, HSE and the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). The series of one day training seminars being held across the South West region provides updates for builders on important legislation changes with the unique opportunity to meet experts in each of their individual fields and to share information and concerns with associates in their industry. The Cornish seminar will be held at The Dragon Centre in Bodmin on the 16^th February 2011 with the programme eventually being rolled out nationally.

Mike Kerslake, Area Sales Manager for Bradfords Building Supplies Ltd, Exeter. Says: “We were keen to support the key industry organisations in the region and Exeter was a natural choice as the first venue to launch this new initiative.  We were very pleased with the turn out and are hoping to increase numbers across the region as we roll out the programme; it is then the intention to push this out nationally.  The sticker for the van proved very popular with the builders as it adds value to the great service they already provide and offers peace of mind to their customers."

Director of Constructing Excellence speaking at the first seminar in Exeter.

Tom Harper Director Constructing Excellence says: "85% all construction companies employs 5 and less people therefore it is good for the industry to build knowledge and expertise in the local sector.  By displaying the 'I've been updated' van stickers it shows that small building companies are staying up to date with technical issues, regulations and challenges which gives consumer confidence.”

Further events will be held at Bodmin, Poole and Taunton.  Places are limited and allocated on a “first come” basis.  For more information please visit: www.bradfords.co.uk