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Knowles Team | Chris Woods is Promoted to Quantity Surveyor

Having joined Knowles in 2021 as a Graduate Assistant Quantity Surveyor, we are pleased to share the promotion of Chris Woods as Quantity Surveyor.

Over the last two years at Knowles, Chris has gone from strength to strength, taking every opportunity available to gain a good exposure to a variety of different fields within surveying. Since starting out as a graduate, Chris threw himself in to his role at a site level looking to understand the fundamentals and processes on site, working closely alongside some of our Senior Quantity Surveyors. Opting to stay on site rather than in the office has enabled him to grasp and excel in the full lifecycle of a project.
Showcasing his ability to manage projects from a commercial aspect, Chris has managed both smaller level structural projects as well as being an integral member of the commercial team in some of our main contractor projects (structural and fit out) providing him with the opportunity to hone his skills in both sides of the prime residential sector.
Chris is always willing to get involved in any task, and his manner and ability to read site situations is that of somebody with many more years’ experience than he has.

Pat Kilbane, Commercial Director

We sat down with Chris Woods to reflect on his career so far at Knowles:

What attracted you to a career in Quantity Surveying?

I initially wanted to become an accountant based upon my enjoyment of crunching numbers and being involved in the management of funds. However, I found a short while into my accountancy course that it wasn’t for me, and I desired something that had a financial element to it but also a practical side to complement it. I then discovered Quantity Surveying, and knew after a short time researching the role, that it would be the profession for me.

What skills do you feel are necessary as a quantity surveyor? How did your education prepare you for your professional career?

I believe that good communication and maintaining good relationships with your colleagues, subcontractors and the client team is very important as a Quantity Surveyor. Being a team player and having a strong work ethic is essential to deliver what is required and is in the best interest of delivering a successful project. Being open to learning and listening to experienced peers is especially important when it comes to the methodology of build and what’s involved on site to enable sufficient pricing.

Other key skills include being aware and conscious of financial exposure in order to limit the level of risk associated to a project, alongside having good attention to detail, and possessing the ability to have an effective oversight of the financial position the project you are working on is in and where it will likely end up whilst taking into consideration live changes to the job and respective circumstances.

My studies prepared me with a lot of case law studies of JCT contracts which assisted me in realising the importance of issuing/receiving contractual documents within their respective timeframes from parties involved in the works. It taught me how to take off which is integral to what I do on a day-to-day basis and helped me to understand the stages of construction from preconstruction to final handover and the works/information available and actions required at each stage.

Looking back, what advice would you give your younger self?

Network at every opportunity – Form relations in your chosen industry as early as you can, reach out and request if there are any opportunities be it work experience etc.

Educate yourself in your chosen field – Education is key once you are aware of your intended career path, aim to gain as much knowledge as you can from speaking/working with experienced people in the industry and from your studies/ what you can source in the library and online.

What have you learnt throughout your career thus far?

Over the past two years I feel like I have successfully learnt how to be involved in the commercial management of high-end residential project delivery. This is mainly by:

Reading and pricing drawings/instructions
Monthly reporting of cost value reconciliations and performance.
Procurement of subcontractor packages/works
Understanding the clients requests and working to realise them.
Tender analysis and presentation

What projects are you currently working on at Knowles?

I am currently working across three of Knowles’ new super-prime schemes, two of which are located in one of the most prestigious roads in in St Johns Wood, Avenue Road, and the other on an exclusive road in Wimbledon.

All three projects are large scale, private residential schemes, that feature double depth basement levels which span the entire footprint of the properties. The projects have been full scope packages, allowing me to have been involved in the project from concept to completion. It has been exciting to work across all phases of the projects and understand what is required at these different stages.

Knowles Palmer Sports Day 2023

Last week, Knowles hosted a thrill-seeking, action packed day at Palmer Sports to celebrate and connect with teams, clients, and friends from across our industry.

Hosted at the famous Bedford Autodrome, and founded by former professional racing driving Jonathan Palmer, three teams were selected to race and battle for a range of prizes. Competitive streaks came out and pedals were put to the metal on what was an incredibly exciting (albeit slightly wet) day of driving.

The teams all had the opportunity to race a Formula 3000, a Caterham Seven, the Palmer JP-LM, a BMW M4 GTP, a Land Rover Defender, the Sodi GT5 Karts and the new Ginetta G56 GTA – a collection unique to Palmer Sports.

Team Redbull

Pat Kilbane

Megan Steele-Knowles

Stuart Fanti – Ascot Design

James Forrest Lines – LXA

Sergio Panayi – Corrigan Gore

Daniel Curtin – KSR Architects

Ricky Bika – RBA

Darren Price – ADAM Architecture

Stuart McLauchlan – SHH Architects

Freddie Rowland – Regency Grove

Bernard Van Jaarsveld – Webster Hart

Matt Beer – Yiangou

Team Mercedes

Mark Haslam

Philip Wright – Redbook

Kyle Cummings – Ascot Design

Charley Lacey – Marek Wojciechowski Architects

Chris Wills – Ascot Design

Andrew Inchley – Yiangou

Sam Cook – KSR Architects

Paul Fitzpatrick – Regency Grove

Nick Walton – Walton Wagner

Michael Welbourne – Corrigan Gore

Andrew Tindale Paul – Webster Hart

Steve Tyldesley

Team Williams

Robin Knowles

William Evans – HBA Residential

Robert Cox – ADAM Architecture

Justin Bamford – Colliers

Kees Van Der Sande – Formation Architects

Warren Joseph – Ascot Design

Neil Perry – Anderson Orr

Paul Griffths

Neil Hogan – SHH Architects

George Chilton – Webster Hart

Dan Firth

Winners

Congratulations to all our winners of the day:

Driver of the Day – William Evans

Fastest overall team – Team Williams

Fastest in a Formula 3000 – George Chilton

Fastest in a Palmer JP-LM – Robert Cox

Fastest in a Ginetta G56 GTA – Dan Firth

Fastest in a BMW M4 GTP – Stuart Fanti

Fastest in a Caterham Seven – Guy Newton

Fastest in a Land Rover Defender – Charley Lacey

Fastest in a Caterham Pursuit – Matt Beer

Fastest in a Sodi GT5 Karts – William Evans

Thank you to all that attended and here’s to 2024!

Knowles Country | An Insight Into Our Country Division

Britain is renowned for its magnificent historic buildings and beautiful country estates, however, maintaining, restoring, or developing these buildings requires skill, experience and understanding.

Committed to building excellence, Knowles Country is a division specifically positioned to deliver the finest private residences outside of London.

Our all-encompassing construction service makes Knowles Country uniquely positioned to deliver a project from concept to completion and beyond, with the ability inhouse to manage all aspects of a project. From the vitally important early stage enabling works and groundworks, all the way to bespoke finishes and landscaping.

In order to deliver our widely recognised services in London, we have curated a specialist team that uniquely hold decades worth of experience, alongside an intimate understanding and genuine respect for architectural heritage, importance of using local materials and appreciation of unique artisan trades.

Knowles Country is primarily geographically focused on the Home Counties, with projects live across Berkshire, Surrey, Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire.

View some of our Country Projects Here:

Private Country Estate, Home Counties

Equestrian Center Renovation

Wentworth Estate, GU25

Private Residence, Wiltshire

With this expertise comes a track record of restoring, conserving and sensitively altering some of the country’s finest residences, alongside newly constructed super-prime private houses and country estates. Completed projects include neo-classical restoration schemes, 75,000 sq/ft Georgian inspired private residences, Country Estate redevelopment, and the construction of residential We are equally comfortable building a contemporary new-build house and family estate in the Cotswolds as we are restoring a townhouse in Regents Park.

Finding a contractor capable of reviving, developing, and maintaining a country estate and all the buildings on it, can be a challenge. However, Knowles has the inhouse experience and skills to delivery just this. We provide all the building services that your estate needs to run smoothly, now, and in the decades to come. Our team is proud to have worked with some of the best known and highly acclaimed architects and designers.

PROJECT WIN | Knowles Appointed as Principal Contractor on Phase 2 Works on Hamilton Terrace

After successfully delivering Phase 1, Knowles is now pleased to announce our continued appointment as Principal Contractor on Phase 2, which will see the completion of a prestigious, super-prime project on Hamilton Terrace in St Johns Wood.

Knowles’ are currently delivering phase 1 works which sees the complete remodel and extension of this classic London townhouse residence. Scope of works within Phase 2 will include new MEP, HVAC & AV installation, full interior fit-out, as well as new landscaping to front and rear gardens.

Knowles will also be completing the bespoke specialist finishes throughout the property including bespoke joinery, installation of all new windows and doors, specialist floor installation including marble, stone and timber and complete high specification decorating works.

Upon completion, the property will stand at 6,600 sq/ft, and will feature a 2,300 sq/ft subterranean basement level.

See our post on Phase 1 here.

The Project is due for completion in 2025.

Knowles are proud to be working with:

Architects – KSR Architects

Structural Engineer – Heyne Tillett Steel

Interior Designers – Todhunter Earle Interiors

M&E/Building Services Consultants – Integration

Contract Administrator – Regency Grove

Hamilton Terrace, NW8

Knowles Appointed on Super Prime Country Residence on the Wentworth Estate

Knowles are excited to announce that we have recently been appointed as Principal Contractor on a new super prime residence on the prestigious Wentworth Estate in Surrey.

Knowles’ latest project, of which will be carried out by our Country division will commences this month with Phase 1 works including all structural works including piling and 8,400 sq/ft basement excavation, MEP and AV fit-out and façade works including windows and wetcast imitation stone. Once complete the project will total 16,600 sq/ft.

The Knowles Structures division are undertaking the 8,400 sq/ft basement excavation and delivering the RC structure and frame.

Knowles are proud to be working with:

Architects, PM & QS | Ascot Design

Structural Engineers | Glanville

M&E & SAPS | Inspire Consulting

Landscape Architects | Park Hood

Industry Insights | Q&A with Halstock

Halstock are experts at designing, manufacturing, and installing luxury bespoke interiors. Working with some of the leading architects, interior designers, contractors, and private clients, who demand the very best. Halstock’s team of designers, cabinet makers, project managers, veneerers, finishers, and fitters are passionate about their work and have worked with Knowles to provide beautiful, luxury finishes in one of our super-prime country estates. We sat down with the team to find out more about them and the outstanding service they deliver.

Tell us a bit about Halstock and the History of the business?

Halstock originated when three companies came together on our current site in the village of Halstock in the late 1990s. Church Farm Designs specialised in country kitchens, Wessex Joinery & Furniture completed fine joinery, furniture and fitted furniture and Polo Design focused exclusively on fine freestanding furniture.

Together Roger Evans with his technical knowledge and Richard Miller with his business acumen founded Halstock and over the years Halstock grew exponentially with the help of the team from the ‘early days’, notably Simon Elliott, Managing Director, Ben Symonds long time Project Manager, and Design Director Paul Walton.

Through Richards efforts to promote the business through B2B channels Halstock gradually won increasingly high-profile projects mainly in London and the Home Counties and cemented its presence and reputation within the high-end residential market. Now recognised as a leader in the UK for luxury fitted furniture Halstock have completed noteworthy contract such as the flagship Candy & Candy project One Hyde Park in 2009.

Between 2010 and 2020 Halstock grew and maintain its reputation, widened their network, and expended globally with recognised designers and architects.

In September 2020 the business was acquired by the Ateliers de France group joining iconic brands such as Weldons, Hare & Humphrys and EDM and became one of the now over 40 companies across Europe and the world that are part of the Atelier de France family.

In 2022 Richard and Roger handed the reins to the new management team alongside the long-term serving members of the Halstock team. David Golding became Commercial Director; James White became Operations Director and Simon Elliott took the role of Managing Director.

Halstock as of July 2023 employ 88 staff, turning over approximately £12m and typically have around 20 live projects (approximately 50% of which are overseas). Halstock are currently live in London and the Home Counties, Portugal, Sardinia and the South of France, with project sizes range from under £50k to upwards of £5m.

What sets Halstock apart from its competitors and what can clients expect from work produced by you?

Halstock’s focus is to maintain the highest of quality as a given, however where we really specialise is in project delivery and collaboration and it is here that you will notice a difference between Halstock and its competitors.

Halstock’s vision is “To make every step of the journey enjoyable and every space we create exceptional”. Our focus on customer first combined with an empowered engaged team mean that invariably we exceed client expectations.

Additionally, we have a problem solving, proactive, ‘can do’ attitude that leads to Halstock not shying away from challenging commissions that others would often turn down, trusting to our skilled team to find a solution.

Halstock also specialise in bespoke wine cellars combining furniture specialist knowledge and atmospheric conditioning to bring a unique proposition to the high-end residential market.

What is currently popular amongst your clients?

We have noticed a trend towards more natural materials and see this regularly in the concepts and scheme we see from design studios.

We have also noticed a maturation of our relationships with some of our best clients. Invariably Halstock are engaged earlier than the standard competitive tender stage and are often being trusted to assist as part of the design team, providing specialist knowledge and early cost advice.

Can you tell us about one of the most notable works that Halstock have delivered.

Halstock have delivered notable projects of many years but the ones that spring to mind are those that combine technical complexity and scale or those that were notable within the high end construction sector –

2008 – 2010 | Penthouse A One Hyde Park – This was landmark in terms of the level of specification and the grandeur of the commissions. Undertaken, it included a 12 meter long elliptical wardrobe with sumptuous leather wrapped wardrobe doors and a high gloss exterior.

2016 – 2017 – Chelsea Barracks | The Chelsea Barracks townhouse kitchens provided us with an opportunity to manufacture 13 No high end bespoke kitchens in two different palettes and the consistency of quality achieved was widely lauded.

2019 – 2021 | 20 Grosvenor Sq penthouse – This was an incredible penthouse project for a private client with designs and finishes of the highest level.

2019 – 2022 | Courchevel Chalet – This luxury ski chaelt covered six floors of luxury including a spa floor, family living spaces, receptions rooms, hallways, bedrooms, dressing rooms, guest suites, master suites and dressing rooms. Its not every property that has a fully fitted bar with karaoke and few projects that take the ski chalet vernacular and combine it with palatial luxury this was a project of the decade for Halstock.

Tell us a bit about the project you are currently working on with Knowles!

The project Halstock are completing with Knowles in the Cotswolds presents an incredible challenge for Halstock. To create the finest of fitted furniture across a project with over seventy rooms and on a scale that is unrivalled. Panelled ceilings of a scale unimaginable, hang above rooms fully fitted with incredible four-meter-high wall panelling. Almost every room in the project has panelling that demands a consistency of finish and coordination that is outside the normal. There are over one hundred internal doors. All this combine to make this mid-century masterpiece a once in a generation project.

LPF | Heritage and Listed Buildings Webinar with Knowles Director, Aidan Mortimer

Earlier this week Knowles Group Director, Aidan Mortimer had the exciting opportunity to participate in The Luxury Property Forum’s webinar on Heritage and Listed Buildings.

With 40 years’ experience managing a wide range of contracts, Aidan has an unrivalled track record in restoring and altering traditional buildings and has been involved in the management of many major refurbishments including a series of projects for Oxford University and the Colleges.

As a keen Historian with a passion for architecture, Aidan is a fellow of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, the Chartered Institute of Building, and the Royal Society of Arts, sits on the judging panel for the Prince of Wales’ ‘Building Craft Apprenticeship Scheme’ and is a Governor of the Building and Crafts College in London.

The webinar was expertly hosted by the founder of the Luxury Property Forum, Priya Rawal, and alongside Aidan were other top experts in the industry, of whom collectively provided an unparalleled and unreserved insight into what goes on behind the scenes when dealing with the magnificent heritage and listed building that the UK has to offer.

The Panellists included…

James Carter-Brown, Head of UK Residential Building Consultancy at Knight Frank

Robert Kerr, Director at Adam Architecture

Aidan Mortimer, Director at Knowles Construction

Marcus Barnett, Principal of Marcus Barnett

When asked ‘When working on these historic and heritage buildings, what are the key considerations you feel need to be made as a contractor’, Aidan replied…

“The first thing is to completely understand what’s required in terms of restoration, repair, and to ensure permissions and build consents are in place. It is essential that the works are clearly describes so we at Knowles can protect the right parts of the historic fabric of a building and fully understand what is require of us. Knowledge is power. We work closely with the client, architect, and interior designer to ensure this is achieved.”

‘What are the challenges Knowles face with your historic super prime properties that you may not face with more modern super prime properties.’ – Priya

“Historic buildings always have unexpected surprises to reveal that you wouldn’t get on a more modern building. Invariably it’s a voyage of exploration and that’s part of their beauty.

Particularly with London townhouses, it’s a common misconception that because they are old, they are well built, however, that’s often not necessarily the case. Many of those buildings were put up quite quickly and inexpensively and the construction isn’t as good as you might believe. However, Knowles are always prepared up for the challenge.” – Aidan

‘How do you go about as a contractor ensuring you appoint the right suppliers and subcontractor to maintain the integrity of a building.’ – Priya

“In Knowles’ case we carry a number of skilled craftsmen in-house and we supplement that with a selective group of tried and tested subcontractors in which we have worked with for many years, that we trust and have build great relationships with. Communication is key, and it is vital that we are able to communicate effectively with our team to ensure they fully understand what is required. Its equally important that our management team overseeing the project fully understand the time these types of work take. Traditional buildings often require tradition methods in order to repair them, and these are a lot more time consuming than more modern techniques.” – Aidan

In our time, Knowles have had the opportunity to work on a range of listed buildings, both in London and the Home Counties…

Private Residence, Wiltshire

Located in the Wiltshire Countryside, Knowles delivered restoration and expansion works alongside Greenway Architects to sympathetically restore and redesign this stunning Manor House in the Wiltshire countryside. In keeping with the area of outstanding natural beauty, specialist masonry and pointing works were delivered to an exceptional standard.

The Castle Club. Fulham

Located in the centre of the Hurlingham Estate in Fulham, Knowles carried out extensive alterations and restorations to give this Grade II listed building a new lease of life.

The Castle Club is a beautiful building that had, sadly, become derelict. Working closely with Thackeray Group, Knowles were able to able to apply our skills and knowledge of regenerating sites rich in heritage to bring the building back to life while fully respecting and retaining its historic character and principal architecture.

St Marks Coptic Church, Kensington

St Marks Coptic Church is one of Kensington’s most iconic structures, having been in place since 1863. Knowles were responsible for the entirety of the basement excavation, which sat beneath the full footprint of the church ground floor. Careful sequencing was required across the project due to the varying loads of the historic superstructure, including the church’s tower.

Eaton Square, Knightsbridge

Noted as one of London’s most desirable addresses, Eaton Square features classical terraced Grade II listed properties with white stucco facades and elegant mews.

Knowles was entrusted with the major structural alternation and restoration works in order to return the townhouse to its original configuration and former glory.

Pavilion Road, Chelsea

Sitting on the iconic cobbled Pavilion Road, our project otherwise known as ‘The Dutch House’ gained its name from the large Dutch cable built at the rear of the property. It was essential that Knowles ensured all façade features are retained when restoring and expanding this property to ensure localised aesthetic remains.

One of the few streets to contain contains original/ surviving Mews buildings after a high explosive bomb fell onto Sloane Street in 1940, the project and its neighbouring properties sit within one of Kensington’s largest Conservation Areas, ‘Hans Town’ and were originally the stable/ coach house accommodation for the main houses on the surrounding streets.

The full webinar can be accessed by member of LPF here. Thank you, Priya, for including Knowles and Aidan, in this fascinating conversation.

Should you wish to discuss an upcoming project which requires sensitive works due to a listed building status, please do get in touch.

NEW PROJECT | Knowles appointed as Principal Contractor for a Residence on Carlyle Square

Knowles is pleased to share our appointment as Principal Contractor on a prestigious project on Carlyle Square, Chelsea, working alongside Architects, Palladian and Structural Engineers, Price and Myers.

Located just off the Kings Road, Knowles are undertaking Phase 1 Shell & Core works on the Victorian property which include the complete strip-out and demolition of the internal superstructure, temporary works, façade retention, formation of new 1,530 sq/ft basement level, structural waterproofing, and new internal super-structure floors.

Phase 2 is currently pending appointment.

Carlyle Square is one of Chelsea’s most beautiful and sought after locations in London, with grand Victorian townhouses and terraces wrapped around the stunning private garden at its heart.

Architect & Contract Administrator | Palladian

Structural Engineer | Price and Myers

Project Quantity Surveyor | Harsbrook

LUXURY PROPERTY AND THE CHILDREN OF THE REVOLUTION

How the Millennial and Gen Z generation have impacted the luxury property sector.

There are now more UHNWIs than ever before, with more than 25 million millionaires worldwide. In London alone, the number of Millennials and Gen-Z UHNWIs has increased by over 50% in the last five years, a trend which is expected to continue.

The rise in private wealth amongst the Millennial and Gen Z generation has the potential to completely re-shape luxury property for the future. The new wave of multi-millionaires are cash rich but time poor and delivering luxury as efficiently as possible is essential. They are looking at their homes as not only a place to live, but also somewhere that is tailored to their personal needs and wants, and – as such – they are willing to pay for it.

This generation are more mindful, sustainable, technologically savvy, and place more importance on health and wellbeing – and they require their homes to reflect their lifestyle. Millennials and Gen Zs also expect carefully curated pieces, Instagrammable spaces, sustainable materials and smart home technology which is state of the art and easy to use. They wish to be located in vibrant neighbourhoods with amenities, local culture and green spaces all close by.

While some property, construction and design brands have stood the test of time, it is the agile and adaptable brands that will excel with this new and discerning generation. Thanks to the power of social media and influencer mentality, super-prime homes still need to deliver the highest quality, but they will need to bring something unique to the table. This does present challenges, but it will also allow for innovation and creative thinking.

So what impact has this generation had on luxury property? To find out, The Luxury Property Forum invited Megan Steele-Knowles, Brand Director and 11 other respected individuals from across the industry to offer their insights and perspectives…

Have you seen any notable trends or shifts in the priorities your Millennial and Gen Z clients when designing, constructing, or buying their homes?

Yes, and it’s quite evident that our newer generation of clients have three main focuses when designing their homes: Technology, Wellness and Sustainability. There has been a cross over with the previous generation, but this group are fully immersed and committed to these priorities.

With Technology, it’s not just about incorporating state of the art technology into the overall DNA of the property – with the installation of speaker systems, smart lighting, and even air purification systems – but we’re also seeing a rapid acceleration in dedicated high-tech spaces with our younger clientele. These include home offices, coding rooms, security rooms, gaming and cinema rooms and even underground car garages. High-tech subterranean storage systems are particularly popular with our wealthy London-based clients. This makes a lot of sense given how rare parking is in the Capital, but also a savvy investment opportunity given the minimal depreciation that classic cars/ supercars have. The coding rooms has been a very interesting rise, particularly if our millennial clients have children themselves.

Wellness spaces such as Spas and Gyms has been standard practice in the homes of HNW and UHNW clients for some time, and we are seeing an increased focus on this with Gen Z and Millennial clients. In a post covid climate, consumers are moving away from memberships of elite clubs such as Equinox and are favouring a more convenient and private set up in their own home incorporating the latest technology and wellness trends.

Lastly Sustainability, particularly as Gen Z come of age there has been a huge shift in the importance of sustainable living, with zero tolerance towards greenwashing. This generation are willing to pay more for sustainable and ethical products and are more inquisitive of product origins, the material of goods, and their social impact. Transparency and accountability are paramount, and companies must take sustainability into consideration in all aspects of their business.

Ultimately, millennial and Gen Z clients are the generation of urgency and we have noted this recently when setting construction programmes. Methods that save time, regardless of if they are more expensive, seem to be increasingly appealing; something that is quite contrasting from the generations.

Has there been a shift in the market share of Millennials and Gen-Z clients and how has that impacted your business strategy?

Since 2021, 15% of all Knowles projects are with Millennial clients aged 39 and under and contribute approximately 22% to annual turnover. This percentage is continuing to grow with some very exciting projects in 2023 and 2024.

There will be the need to adapt and improve. What can the luxury property industry do to adapt in order keep up with the emergence of this new discerning generation of consumers?

Millennial and Gen Z clients are savvier than ever, and it will be essential for companies to adapt with this cohort in order to stay competitive. As a digitally sophisticated generation, they have the skills and know how to obtain information instantly, and companies must be able to keep up.

This requirement has pushed many in the luxury property industry, particularly construction companies, to modernise their practices. It is essential that companies invest in optimising digital platforms and devote resources into marketing and their brand presence. This will be more valuable than ever before to ensure visibility to this clientele and appeal to this generation of consumers.

There has been a shift in the approach to the marketing of the super prime construction industry. Following the likes of fashion, and now the real estate/ property, the construction industry needs to engage directly with their consumer through content on various platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. And slowly we are beginning to see TikTok being tapped into. Due to the success and scale of the platforms that are now available, social media is giving way to a more engaging, dynamic, and authentic marketing style which allows for a wider reach of audiences. However, content is key for this generation and still images are no longer enough. They want to see exciting video content such as previews, timelapse or interviews that capture a short attention span. This is essential for professionally built films to really sell to this market.

The importance of how your internal collateral looks is vital too, ensuring it is constantly evolving and refreshed. You need a strong website, a live and active social media presence, and investment in digitized collateral, such as brochures, videos, and pitch decks, is key.

From a people perspective, companies should look to recruit, train, and build a strong younger generation of employees. It is essential to invest in our people and curate a dynamic and diverse team who Millennial and Gen Z clients can relate to and communicate with effectively. These employees are in the best position to provide insight to what their generation wants from a business.

The full paper can be found via the Luxury Property forum – click here to read.

The luxury property experts are:

Sally Maier-Yip, Founder, 11K Consulting
Esra Kumbasar, Design Director, Accouter Group of Companies
Robert Kerr, Director, ADAM Architecture
Ed O’Donnell, Co-Founder, Angel O’Donnell
Abby Ghafoor, Founder, Arc Management Consulting
Jo Eccles, Founder & MD, Eccord
Charu Gandhi, Director, Elicyon
Megan Steele-Knowles, Director, Knowles
Andrew Paulson, Partner, Lees Associates
Corin Hawthorne, Business Development, OKTO Technologies
Charlie Willis, CEO, The London Broker
Helen Darlington, Director, Woven Agency

KNOWLES TEAM | Q&A with Knowles Project Manager, Tony Trapani

Q. Tell us about yourself and your career history.

Once I completed a high-level City & Guilds Plastering Qualification and a Higher National Certificate in Building Studies, I started working for Knowles Brothers, with Robin and his Father. I then followed Robin to his new Company, which focused on retrofit structural basements, waterproofing and associated fitting out works within London.

As Site Manager, I managed both single residential dwelling works, and conversions of basement storage and cellar levels within Victorian mansion blocks. From there, I quickly moved into a Project Management role, where I primarily managed Phase 1 ‘shell & waterproofing’ and Phase 2 ‘fitting out’ works across multiple retrofit basement project.

I have continued my role as Project Manager ever since then and today at Knowles, I primarily manage London-based structural, waterproofing, and envelope works for both retro-fit basements and whole of house refurbishment projects.

Q. What projects are you working on at Knowles?

I am currently working on two private residential projects in North London.

64 Hamilton Terrace is a super-prime residential scheme located in St Johns Wood and involves the complete remodel and extension of the existing the residence, which includes the formation of a new 2500 sq/ft basement.

The other project is located nearby in Little Venice, and involves the transformation of a neo-classical detached property, with phase 1 works including demolition, full strip out, structural alterations, excavation, formation of new 2,000 sq/ft basement which will sit under the existing property, as well as the creation of new two-storey side extension. Once completed the property will total 11,000 sq/ft.

Q. What is your favourite projects that you have you worked on in the past?

My favourite projects that I have been involved in with for Knowles are St Marks Coptic Church in Kensington which involved the delivery of an incredibly complex retro-fit basement beneath the church floor, a Private Residence in Wimbledon where I managed the Phase 1 subterranean structure and waterproofing, and an AUTOCAVE project in Oxshott which involved the structural formation of subterranean box and installation of 6-car hydraulic stacking system for a clients collection of cars.

Q. How has Knowles evolved over the years, and what most excites you about working with Knowles?

Having worked with Robin Knowles for more than 20 years, from initially using cement-based waterproofing/tanking systems within existing ‘Victorian’ cellars, to then the company evolving and expanding to work with more innovative structural underpinning/cavity membranes systems. The step-up in both technology and scale of projects has developed more than I could have imagined during this period.
I am very lucky to have had the opportunity to work on new types and calibres of projects during my time at Knowles, which has enabled my learning of construction to develop on almost a daily basis. I also very much enjoy building relationships with Clients, and often, we end up working with the Clients again on multipale projects, so that is a very rewarding part of the role.

Q. What’s your project management ethos?

As a Project Manager, I aim to do my job to the best of my ability, completing the job on time and on budget, with all my workforce completing their tasks safely and effectively. I think it is important to help teach those working under my management develop their knowledge if I can, to try assist with their job roles and future careers. It is imperative to help the client where I can make the process as pleasurable as possible, to leave them with a positive experience so that they would want to return to Knowles should they require works in the future.

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