DUNFERMLINE SELF-BUILD SPECIALIST SMASHING GROWTH TARGETS

A Fife architecture firm, which specialises in one-off house builds, has grand designs on smashing the million pound mark after consistently doubling its turnover year after year.
Dunfermline-based Allan Corfield Architects (ACA) has grown from a solo enterprise, to a team of six over the last two years, quadrupled its turnover since 2011, and looks set to exceed £1 million by 2016 if it continues at the same break-neck speed.

But its success wouldn’t have been as speedy had it not been for the advice and support received from Business Gateway Fife, which sign posted a number of funding and loan options available to the business, enabling the purchase of essential IT equipment and further growth.

Founded in 2009 by architect Allan Corfield, the company has seen its turnover rocket by 100 per cent year-on-year – something which self-build specialist, Allan Cornfield, attributes to ACA’s continuous diversification and ability to stay ahead of changing market trends and innovation.

Now in its fifth year, the business, which facilitates the design and build of one-off houses for the self-build housing market, as well as providing general architectural services, has become one of the first to specialise in the design and build of homes with structural insulated panels (SIPS).

ACA has also been one step ahead in Passive House design, which it began researching in 2011 ahead of the roll-out of the technique as the industry standard for residential properties in 2016. To date, the company has already used the Passive House principle on five separate projects.

ACA has also recently been awarded a loan from the East of Scotland Investment Fund, which has been crucial in growing the business that has faced a number of industry challenges.
Allan explained: “Continually sourcing new contracts can be difficult and time-consuming since repeat business is scarce given the one-off nature of our service offering and people are still nervous to spend.

“But we are starting to see some repeat business and the majority of our work comes from word of mouth recommendations.

“People are still nervous to spend, however, and the banks aren’t lending to the degree that they once were. Self-build mortgages can be hard to come by but ACA has specialist advisors who can help funding.

“But luckily people aren’t being put off building their forever homes – a trend that’s been bolstered by the likes of TV programmes such as Grand Designs and George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces.

“Needless to say, these homes have to be as cost effective and energy efficient as possible – which is exactly what we specialise in.”

Although the majority of ACA’s work spans the east of Scotland, including Fife, Edinburgh and Perth and Kinross, its self-build design expertise is also being sought south of the border. The company has already completed two projects in Northumberland and has five ongoing in the likes of Birmingham and Devon as it looks to build on its growing success and become the go-to architect for the self-build market.

Closer to home, its projects have included the design of the now established Appin Nursery & Creche in Dunfermline, countless house extensions, a large log home with a view of Edinburgh Castle and a stunning SIPS Eco House at Gleneagles.

ACA is also set to be featured on Channel 4’s Building the Dream series, for which one of its self-build projects in Biggar is currently being filmed. The programme is scheduled to hit TV screens in early 2015.