“I trusted Octagon from day one”…. Octagon Bespoke Client Testimonial – May 2019

Paul and Jane Hopkins knew from day one that Octagon were the developer to build their dream home. As Managing Director of St James Developments – part of Berkeley Group PLC – Paul Hopkins was well aware of Octagon’s well-established reputation, delivering high specification homes in the most desirable locations.

Paul comments, “I trusted Octagon from day one, as they share a similar ethos to my company, never compromising on attention to detail or specification. There is a true art to house building, engineering out complexity without losing quality, and Octagon deliver this like nobody else.”

The Hopkinses spent a number of years searching for the perfect spot to build, eventually finding a 0.6-acre plot on one of Northwood’s premier residential roads. They already knew the estate well, having lived there for five years before temporarily moving away to downsize. Once grandchildren were on the scene they wanted the space to entertain, so upsizing was back on the cards.

Paul explains : “Our aim was to find the worst possible house on the best possible plot in the best road, to knock down the existing property and build a home to our exact specification. The plot we finally settled on was perfect, backing on to a bridle path and Ruislip Woods – we just needed the house to match.”

Octagon’s Bespoke team began by showing the Hopkinses a number of their earlier projects, showcasing the quality of product delivered, and providing inspiration for their own bespoke home.

Paul mentions : “One particular home in Virginia Water stood out to us, and by coincidence was the perfect dimensions to fit on our plot. It was a huge benefit to be able to walk around a home that near mimicked what we were building, giving a feeling of the sense of space and light that we would achieve in our new home; a particularly rare luxury for any new build property.”

With planning submitted and approved, following the inclusion of a number of mature trees to mitigate the loss of a large oak, work soon commenced on their 6,500 sq ft, three-storey, six bed/ six bath Bespoke home, with the project completed before Christmas 2018.

Paul says: “We couldn’t be happier with the end result. Every element is exactly as we envisaged, from the exquisite stone detailing on the exterior, to the beautiful landscaping surrounding the home.”

“If I had to pick a favourite room, it would be the master en suite. Hidden behind pocket doors leading from the generous master bedroom, the bathroom is a masterclass in the use of book-matched marble. A feature bath sits central to a quadruple length walk-in shower, whilst a substantial roof-light offers views of mature oak trees, providing a wonderful connection with the outdoors.”

Small details make a huge impact, with coffered ceilings throughout the ground floor reception rooms creating a unique and visually interesting feature, while L-shaped glass partitions on each side of the dining room enhance the sense of openness and provide a practical barrier to prevent kitchen aromas travelling through the ground floor.

Paul comments: “Natural light is hugely important to us, so we incorporated a window that sweeps the height of the home, overlooking the south-facing garden; the result is a mesmerising column of light which greets us every morning.”

The Hopkinses brought onboard interior design agency Killer5 from the very start of the project, meaning important details such as the placement of electrical sockets and lighting layouts were established before the first spade hit the soil.

Paul adds: “Not only did this make the process smoother and more efficient, but it also meant that the total cost stayed close to the original estimate.”

“Unlike other developers and industries where you see a basic model and know you need to spend considerably more for the added luxuries, at Octagon a premium brand specification is the starting point. We chose to spend extra on media equipment, integrated ceiling speakers and security, but crucial details, from the taps in the bathrooms to the kitchen appliances, were all high specification as standard.”

Paul finishes: “Working for one of the most successful and detailed developers in the UK, it was inevitably going to be tough to really impress me, but Octagon did just that. Now we get to wake up in our dream home every day, and that never could have happened without Octagon.”