Q&A: Why we’re London architects’ best-kept secret (until now!)
In this special Q&A blog, we lift the lid on just some of the reasons why Caledonian Stone is such a firm favourite with architects in the capital, ranging from its extensive industry experience, to wide-ranging project insight.
Q. What does your work with London architects typically involve?
A. Whatever their brief, we help architects ensure they specify the correct interior flooring and outdoor paving materials. This enables them to provide their clients with maximum visual appeal and value within their project constraints.
We work collaboratively with architects to help them find product(s) that best fit their requirements, such as material, slip ratings and colours, and help them deal with any revisions they may receive from their client accordingly.
Q. What types of projects do you work with them on?
A. The type of projects we are enlisted to work on vary widely in size and scale. We work on the full range of projects, ranging from renovations, new builds, private homes and boutique offices, to international hotels, restaurants, bars and public spaces – anywhere where natural stone or porcelain may be used.
Q. What are the benefits of London architects choosing Caledonian Stone over other city suppliers?
A. We have more than 20 years’ experience of supplying natural stone landscaping, paving materials and granite building masonry. As a result of our extensive experience, we inherently understand natural and engineered stone products, which enables us to fully meet architects’ requirements and help them deliver their briefs.
For instance, we were recently called upon to help with the repaving of an historic London landmark, the Tottenham War Memorial, as part of a wider refurbishment project. We were enlisted by the Regeneration Practice’s architect to provide 100m2 of Balmoral silver grey granite, which was installed in March 2016.
What’s more, unlike other suppliers, we can guarantee maximum cost and material efficiencies because we take orders that aren’t just full pallets of material. For instance, architects can order their materials from us in square meters (plus whatever safety margin they need). This enables them to ensure there are minimum materials on-site and minimum wastage, and that their projects represent maximum cost efficiency and value.
Q. Which services do you specifically offer for London architects?
A. We can work with architects’ and designers’ drawings to create drawings in which our product layouts are overlaid. This is particularly useful for correctly determining product quantities and installation requirements. It also makes it much easier for contractors to install materials because they can clearly see where the components need to be placed.
We understand that so much of the built environment is about texture, which can be difficult to determine from images alone. That’s why we ensure that our samples are quickly dispatched – whether that’s to an architect’s office or directly to their client for viewing and approval.
Got any questions or want to discuss your next design brief with us? Contact us on info@caledonianstone.creativem.co.uk or 01346 532747.
In the meantime, check out our blog, ‘How to deliver compliant commercial flooring projects with the wow factor.’