Portfolio – JW O'Dowd Building Contractors

New riverside family home

Eric — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 13:38:25 +0000

J W O’Dowd Ltd was commissioned to demolish the existing 1980’s building and construct a modern detached four-bedroom home with generous reception rooms and commanding views of the river.

The groundworks on this build were especially demanding with planning constraints necessitating the excavation of underground car parking. The house is on six different levels which presented a further challenge.

Working to a design by Architect John Denny we managed to track down the last of a rare Ibstock heritage brick and some beautiful chestnut tiles.

We are particularly pleased with the beautiful timber staircase with rebated banister lines and attractive detailing.

The home benefits from futureproofed environmental standards including an efficient ground-source heat pump which necessitated a borehole to a depth of 120m.

New Garden Office and Terracing

Eric — Fri, 01 Apr 2022 10:57:30 +0000

Extensive work was required to create a new drive and gated parking area following a housing development on neighbouring land.

We constructed a large retaining wall providing a terrace with parking for three vehicles and space for a new garden office. We created steps down to the meadow behind and built an agricultural store.

In the house, we removed a rotten 1970’s bay window, reinforced the ceiling with a reclaimed oak post, and installed a new machined oak floor and new Crittle windows providing access to a paved dining terrace and feature wall.

We constructed a paved brick path and arched gateway to the parking area and garden office at the bottom of the garden.

Art Gallery to Cocktail Bar & Lounge

Eric — Thu, 17 Jun 2021 09:42:48 +0000

The historic Issac Lord merchant’s warehouse on the heritage waterfront at Ipswich has seen many uses over several centuries. We were asked to transform the existing interconnected spaces into a modern bar and lounge.

Our work involved new flooring and timber work in Douglas Fir to match the existing beams, the creation of a lobby and adjoining washroom facilities. We also created a commanding bar area and access to adjacent hospitality spaces.

Modern living-space for Victorian villa

Eric — Mon, 17 Aug 2020 12:35:03 +0000

10 years in the planning, this project transformed a Victorian villa in Ipswich into a modern family home. The introduction of a lean-to extension enabled the incorporation of the existing dining room and kitchen to create a single, large living cooking and dining space.

The addition of glazed bi-fold doors provides a strong connection with the rear garden with new paving enabling a seamless transition from the kitchen to the garden.

New warehousing, retail and office space for family firm

Eric — Thu, 09 Jul 2020 08:32:51 +0000

Founded in 1885, the family firm of ER & RT Rackham were in need of new buildings to provide space and improved facilities for their business.

The company which trades in animal feed and bulk goods such as solid fuels, topsoil and landscape products, commissioned JW O’Dowd Ltd to create a modern facility fit for the 21st Century.

Located adjacent to the important heritage setting of the listed water mill at Wickham Market, the design by John Denny Associates uses traditional materials to its exterior and attractive blockwork and power-floated concrete floors internally.

The project required careful management in order to allow Rackhams to continue to trade throughout the construction period.

Victorian semi to award winning 21st century home

Eric — Mon, 24 Jun 2019 13:44:14 +0000

This Victorian semi-detached house in central Woodbridge was in a tired condition and had a layout unsuited to the 21st Century lifestyle of its new owners. Working to a design by Plaice Architects we completely refurbished the whole interior of the house including substantial structural reconfiguration.

RIBA Suffolk Craftsmanship Award-winner 2019

On the ground floor, the staircase was reversed and a downstairs washroom installed, the boundary wall was rebuilt and a steel frame installed to facilitate a fully open-plan ground-floor. Glazed doors to the rear and a frameless rooflight ensure good levels of natural light.

On the first floor we created a new bathroom with double height ceilings and a master bedroom with exposed brickwork and further variation to ceiling height. We built a staircase to the attic creating an additional double bedroom in the loft.

“The contractor did particularly well to maintain quality in some very tight spaces and the inclusion of an en-suite, as well as a second bathroom without reducing the size of the bedrooms was genius. This is an exemplar project – how to convert a traditional Victorian layout into a 21st century home.”

John Norman, RIBA Suffolk Craftsmanship Award Judge

Briarbank Brewery and Bar

Eric — Mon, 24 Jun 2019 09:36:09 +0000

Bespoke woodwork featured strongly in the conversion of the old Lloyds Bank close to the docks in Ipswich to a bar and brewery specialising in craft ales.

Working from scetch designs provided by the client we were responsible for bringing the interior design to reality. We built the staircase, bar, brewery structure and tongue and groove ceiling and created bespoke bench seating, barrel tables, and wall mirrors.

Abandoned shell to waterfront cafe

Eric — Mon, 24 Jun 2019 09:12:22 +0000

The visionary owner of this property on the Ipswich waterfront secured the building shell from the original developer and invited us to create this beautiful two-floor cafe.

From the bare shell, we added a second floor, staircase and customer toilets and made and installed handmade bench seating and other fixtures and fittings.

With no interior designer involved in the project, close collaboration with our client was essential. The outcome is a very successful contemporary interior for what has become a thriving waterside cafe.

From garden office to guest chalet

Eric — Tue, 18 Jun 2019 12:45:02 +0000

The garden office in the grounds of this Suffolk retreat was underused so, with a growing family, the owners wanted to convert it to accommodate their sons when they visit. The family commissioned Architect John Denny to produce the design and us to build it.

Although this was principally an interior refit, structural work was an important component. A complex steel frame was set into the existing walls to support the mezzanine floor and floating staircase. The beautiful existing porcelain tiled floor was to be retained so great care was needed to preserve it during building the works.

Felixstowe home extended

Eric — Tue, 18 Jun 2019 11:45:31 +0000

Having first added a garage and study to this home on a corner of a quiet residential road in Felixstowe the owner invited us back less than two years later to extend the kitchen and add a utility room.

Working to a design by Plaice Architects we retiled the porch roof to match the new garage and reconfigured the entrance to the living room to facilitate access to the new study. The larger kitchen required a lean-to extension with a trio of roof lights all to be integrated inside and out. We also made new double doors for the dining room, shelving in the living room and fitted the new kitchen.