Testimonials

Discerning Developments  carried out a massive modernisation scheme to our property. Structural changes were considerable, They included a ground floor extension and removal of several walls to create a vast open plan living area, total second floor rebuilding to create a stunning master suite, including re-roofing, a new custom made staircase to the top floor. The first floor was also redesigned to make much better use of space.

All wiring, heating and plumbing was renewed, their skilled carpenter created a new custom  fitted kitchen.  We now have 3 stunning brand new bathrooms, total redecorations inside and out and landscaped gardening front and rear.

We are delighted with our new home, the work was extremely well done to a exemplary standard , with vast attention to detail, on any project this large unexpected issues will arise, what we liked was that Discerning at every step came up with a resolution, their  moto was ‘no problems, just solutions’

The end result is a stunning home with that illusive Wow Factor

Kind regards,

Dave Harris and the Discerning Developments team did an outstanding job for me and I'm delighted to provide this testimonial. From the initial consultation with Dave, the process and experience was highly professional, very consultative and therefore enjoyable. Dave provided value-add input during the design phase, helping to reach good decisions in a time-efficient manner. Once finalised, the team engaged and they were incredibly skilled, experienced and very respectful for the environment, in particular neighbours. I found them to be incredibly courteous at all times and a pleasure to interact with. The resultant finish is high quality and deemed as 'impressive' by those that have visited. Furthermore, my new tenants are delighted and have nothing but praise for the property. I have no hesitation in recommending Discerning Developments to anyone looking for a professional job, on time and to budget.

Dave and his team did an excellent job with our refurbishment project, which included making lounge, D/R and kitchen open plan, converting the garage to utility room, installing underfloor heating and replacing old French door to open/slide doors.
Although we knew the design we were looking for, Dave recommended a few touches and solutions to various problems that have really made a huge difference to the final look, which is stunning and finished to an excellent standard.
The work was completed on time and budget, with any extra work required added to the cost, as you would expect.
What was really important to us is minimal dust/mess, as my partner is severely asthmatic and there was none at all, which was fantastic, given the knocking down of walls, plastering, etc.
We are very pleased with the job and would recommend Dave and his team to anyone.

Discerning Developments were recommended to me by one of the UK’s premier estate agents and their faith was justified.  I have found the owner, Dave Harris is professional, honest courteous and straightforward in every regard.

The project – originally a “simple” refurbishment - fast became a minefield with the whole house having to be rebuilt since the full structural survey did not pick up the significant structural problems – with no recourse available against the surveyors. 

Discerning Developments responded magnificently and the rebuild offered the opportunity to redesign the house.  Dave was very helpful with his suggestions both practically and artistically.

The job that he and his team have done is simply superb.  I have never had any project of this size and complexity that has had so few “snagging” issues and all were sorted immediately with no issue whatsoever.

The team is the core of Discerning Developments success.  It is a team in which both Dave and the team members – sub-contractors included – obviously take a pride in their work and their customer relationships.  They are universally polite, efficient and hard working.  It says a lot that all of them took pictures of the final result – they were clearly proud of their own work.

Finally, Dave himself made a picture story of the total project – from start to finish – and made this available to all of my prospective purchasers.

There is no doubt that I would recommend Discerning Developments to anybody and I can well understand why one of the UK’s premier estate agents also did so.

David Harris and his team at Discerning Developments have undertaken two projects on my flat in South West London, in the past couple of years.  The first was an extension to the back of the property to form an additional bathroom, and the second was a renovation and refurbishment of the flat throughout.

Their work has included planning, designing and construction from the ground up, as well as precise carpentry and decoration.All trades have been represented by skilled, professional craftsmen and I have been 100% satisfied with all work undertaken.Throughout David and his team have been punctual, polite, considerate and competent.  Their work has been to the highest standard and they have been accommodating and flexible when changes to the specification have been requested or timeframes were unsuitable for us, to the point of working late into the evening.

The pricing of the jobs has been fair and accurate and amendments for additions and deductions have been agreed without dispute.I absolutely recommend Discerning Developments for all types of building work and would use them again in the future without hesitation.

We hired Discerning Developments to complete a 2 storey extension to our house. We found them to be both professional and hard working. We appreciated the collaborative approach to the project - it felt like a real partnership and David Harris added a huge amount of value suggesting where we could optimise our budget and how we could achieve the finish we wanted. We were very impressed with the whole process. The end result was of superb quality and we would highly recommend them. 

We employed Dave Harris to undertake our building project which involved major structural work through to decoration. The job was completed on time and to budget which can be said of very few builders and we found him and his team to be efficient and professional at all times.

In addition to Dave's impressive building credentials, his artistic background undoubtedly adds to his abiltity to undertake and complete a job with great flair and attention to detail.  This was particularly apparent in the creation of our dressing room where he created beautifully constructed storage space. We found Dave and his team friendly and polite while able to maintain a business relationship.

Dave and his team take great pride in their work and are real craftsmen. We are delighted with the results and would whole heartedly recommend him to friends.

I am so delighted with my new bedroom and shower room you created in the loft.  Thank you so much for the fabulous job that you and your team did.  I must admit, I had been slightly dreading doing the work, but I can honestly say it was a joy to have you around!.  Everyone was so courteous and conscientious, with a good sense of humour and always turned up bright and early in the morning and was willing to stay late in order to get the job done.  

Your attention to detail and suggestions to enhance the room were invaluable and you seemed to know precisely what I was looking for in the finish.  You managed to source exactly the look I was after in the bathroom and the cupboards in the bedroom are perfect.  The space has been much admired and I would be sure to recommend your services to anyone thinking of doing a similar project.

I wanted to say a big thank you for the work you guys did on our kitchen, out of all the work we have done on the house the kitchen has been the biggest impact.  We absolutely love the kitchen breakfast bar...just can't believe we lived without one prior to that (mess containment to one room now).

We also really appreciated your advice along the way on cupboards, flooring and worktops.  Your insight was really valuable especially given we had never completed a kitchen before.

Hope all is well with you.

Kind regards

My partner and I had made our first home purchase and were of course very excited. We had purchased a one bedroom flat in a great neighbourhood, although we knew from the first minute we walked in that there would be some serious work required to update this as needed. 

It is hard enough finding a decent builder, let alone someone you can trust. I would have to say that we found both in Dave. He has been and still is very creative in helping us find solutions for problems, listens and understands what we are looking for and makes sure we come in on budget. Throughout the project, Dave would keep us updated on progress and ensure that if needed, the hours were put in to bring the project in on time. 

His knowledge and expertise, combined with his attention to detail makes him an asset on any project, large or small. We would recommend him any time.

I first contacted Dave Harris of Discerning Developments after a work colleague recommended his company. We required two building jobs to be done, which included internal remodeling and a garage conversion into a bedroom with an en-suite.

The first job took place in October 2009 and finished on time as promised. The second required waiting until planning permission came through, so didn’t happen until March 2010. I was anxious as I was pregnant with the baby due in April and concerned that the works should be completed in time for the baby’s arrival. Luckily, the entire job was finished to perfection with three days to spare and Dave fulfilled his promise!

From the beginning I was impressed and reassured by the way Dave Harris handled the job. Firstly his quote was detailed and transparent, with costings for every stage and component of the work. He was flexible about changes and was proactive about his ideas and suggestions for improvements, or more cost-effective ways of doing things. At every stage of the building process, I was impressed by the standard of work – from the level of attention to detail to the degree to which they cleaned up each night.

The team who undertook the job were a pleasure to have around – polite and considerate. They worked long hours with minimal breaks and were absolutely driven and motivated to get the job done within the promised timeframe.

Now that the works have finished, I am thrilled with the results which have changed our home and improved it immeasurably. Dave has delivered to exacting standards and since the works have been completed, has been quick to respond to follow-up queries. I am absolutely 100% satisfied with the job undertaken by Discerning Developments and would definitely use them again in the future. I would also not hesitate to recommend them to anyone looking for a builder who in my opinion will impress, provide absolute piece of mind and exceed expectations.

Dave and the team

Many thanks for a superb job in co-designing and then building my new office at home. You somehow made space for my thousands of books, a new desk and ample hidden storage. It looks great – especially with the LED lights around the suspended ceiling!

I know our neighbours and friends who we have recommended you to will be equally delighted with your work.

Dave and his team at Discerning Developments are superb and I would highly recommend them. 

As an absent, overseas landlord Dave made what could have been a very stressful experience for both me and my tenants a very smooth one.

Dave is extremely professional.

My existing kitchen had to be ripped out and a new one put in. Upon my request, Dave came up with designs and suggestions for the new kitchen. He kept within his price quote and his work was extremely punctual.

He also completed various other jobs around the flat including ridding rooms of mold, inserting damp pacifiers, bathroom plumbing etc. Again this work was all done within the time frame he stated and all within his price quote.

Dave kept me updated throughout the whole period by email and sent photos. He also responded immediately to any questions I had.

His standard of work is excellent and the flat looks fantastic. My tenants are thrilled and so am I. Thank you Dave.

Dear Discerning Developments

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the wonderful bathroom you installed at our flat. As I am sure you hear many people say, it is not easy to find reliable builders these days. You have not only proved this theory wrong, but you have clearly surpassed all expectations by carrying out top quality works with an acute attention to detail and customer care. It is clear you really take pride in your works and strive to achieve perfection even in the smallest details. We only had a tiny space to work with and as you know we wanted to achieve a spacious look and fit a full size bath within it. Whereas other developers we sought quotes from told us we couldn't make use of the space in that way, you spent the time and effort in finding a workable solution for us. I wish these other developers could now see what you created!

I think you have a fantastic business that will grow and grow and I wish you all the best for 2010. We will no doubt be using you again at some point during this year!

Thank you once again

Best Wishes

Discerning Developments Ltd.  and the Managing Director Dave Harris were given to us by word of mouth as a company that could carry out a complete refurbishment of a small 3 bedroomed house. This included structural alterations, window installation, re plastering, re wiring, central heating installation and a completely new kitchen and bathroom.  Dave effectively project managed the refurbishment for us, supplying us with layout designs for the kitchen and bathroom and suggestions for the electrical and plumbing works. All this work was carried out to a very high standard and the house now provides modern accommodation for family members.

Thank you, Dave Harris and his team.