David Grey
Sales Director
In-house
What do you love most about your job?
I enjoy working with clients, assisting them to build their beautiful oak framed home. Clients from all over the country come to us to design and build their oak framed home.
What is your favourite oak frame project?
I have been working for Oakwrights for 17 years and have been directly involved in helping almost 300 clients build their homes, it would be very unfair to say I have a favourite project but I do get a terrific sense of achievement when we help clients overcome a particularly difficult hurdle during their journey.
Izzie Edey
Sales and Estimating Manager
Profile
I am responsible for encouraging the sales team to sell, and enabling the estimating team to effectively price all new projects
I love being part of a company focused on its people, and the passion that can be felt across the whole company for each individual house we build. As I am right at the beginning of the process, I get to see all the different types of buildings clients wish for us to produce, knowing that my team was part of the initial stages of that client’s dream.
Rupert Osborn
Business Development Manager, East Anglia
I am responsible for handling all sales-related enquiries from prospective clients in my area who are considering building a new oak-framed home. Explaining our process, providing costs and specification details, and guiding clients through the design and planning stages. Once planning approval is granted, agreeing an Oakwrights build package for their project and liaising with our Projects and Design Teams to take the project forward.
I enjoy meeting new and existing clients to discuss their projects, helping them find solutions to suit their requirements and budget, providing ideas and assistance with the design process, and helping clients gain planning approval for their ‘Dream Home’. Building your own house is one of the most fulfilling (and challenging) achievements in life so it’s very rewarding to be in a position to help clients achieve their goals.
Having built our own Oakwrights home in 2015, before joining the company, my favourite project is undoubtedly our own one! Working through the entire process from initial design to planning and then on to finally building and moving into our ‘Forever Home’ was a fantastic experience. Other than our own home, a large (8,000ft2) Traditional house we built about 15 years ago in Hertfordshire, (for Mike & Viv Edwards), set in 6 acres of woodland on top of a hill is probably the most impressive Oakwrights home I have ever visited.
Nigel Williams
Business Development Manager, South West & Wales
Ashleigh Bedford
Business Development Manager, North & North West
Iain Hendry
Business Development Manager, Scotland
Effie Seal
Sales and Events Coordinator
I manage the Oakwrights Show Home, organise our open days and the exhibition spaces at trade and lifestyle shows, as well as helping with general office admin.
My favourite thing about my role at Oakwrights has to be chatting with clients that have booked a stay in our Show Home, it’s amazing to see how inspired people are after getting a taste of what it’s like to live in an Oak Frame home. I do always look forward to Cake Friday in the office too – very tasty!
Victoria Harris
Sales Administrator
As Sales Administrator, it’s my job to provide admin support to our sales teams and clients. This involves all kinds of different tasks, from organising contracts to setting up handovers to one of the project teams and everything in between.
Working with so many wonderful and supportive people makes it a pleasure to come into work. The variety of my role means no two days are the same. I really like that I get to interact with so many different departments, following clients’ journeys from initial designs and contract signing to handing over to the projects teams. Seriously, I enjoy it all!
How can you pick just one?
Martyn Welling
Custom Build Sales
Freddie Stezaker
Sales Team Representative
Anthony Williams
Design Consultant
My role is to respond to client enquiries by advising them on the design of their building and then preparing quotations and design drawings. This also involves advice in respect of planning permission and other aspects of the build process. In other words, transforming their dreams into reality.
As a Design Consultant, I get to meet the most interesting people from a wide range of occupations and backgrounds and contribute to their enjoyment of life. It is hugely satisfying to know that one has been instrumental in the creation of a beautiful building which will also give the client a sense of achievement in a job well done.Oakwrights’ caring approach to clients also extends to all its employees and this means that everyone working for Oakwrights feels they are part of a family. I am proud to be part of that family. For me, the sense of belonging to a successful company that treats its customers, employees and suppliers with honour and respect is all-important
Over the past 10 years I have designed dozens of oak-framed buildings and although I can’t single out a particular favorite, I have enjoyed working on all of them. Some projects have presented a challenge and there is a great sense of satisfaction in finding the right design solution for the client. Other projects are in some ways idyllic in that the Oakwrights building is in a perfect setting. It really is a joy to stand back with clients admiring the completed building and to hear their glowing tributes to the Oakwrights team.
James Underwood
Design Consultant for Outbuildings and Garages, Central South Region
My role is to fully understand the needs of clients in my region wanting to build a garages or outbuilding and to marry their desires with the considerable abilities of the Oakwrights team – the project is then born!
I am entering my 10th year of working with Oakwrights, and whilst the firm has more than doubled in size with heavy investment on the CNC/computer design aspect of the business, the people within have remained the same – that is, true to the founding principles of the family business. No question is stupid and every man, woman and dog within it wants to give their best to get the project delivered. When I first toured the workshop at my interview, I asked the Sales Director, David Grey, where did they keep their frame ‘graveyard’, i.e. all of the jobs that were made wrong and had been returned to the workshop – he simply said that there wasn’t one, as every project was thoroughly checked and re-checked before a chisel was ever struck. And there is still no graveyard today…
Not one of our usual projects – it wasn’t even a building; it was a raised walkway within the grounds of a new hotel, in Somerset. I spent a few days considering the build options, costs and timescales before progressing it further. Nothing was standard about this project – over 700m2 of oak walkway on an oak supporting frame with stainless steel reinforcing rods to the edge of the platform, designed to handle the feet of over a thousand visitors a day at peak season. Even the posts were special – greenheart wood from South America, which would require its own dedicated machine time as it was so hard to cut – the waste shaving and sawdust had to be specially handled as a splinter from this wood could incur a trip to the hospital! Specialist groundworkers were brought in to mark the windey path that ran from the car park through the woods to the hotel. Much care was taken to avoid the roots of the established trees, with the post depths varying as the ground was by no means level. The result? As Jo, one of the hotel receptionists told me, when you start your walk on the oak decking, you know you’ve arrived!
Zoe Grey
Design Consultant for East and South East Regions
As a sales contact for clients in the South East and East regions, my role is to make sure that clients initial ideas are taken and transformed into a beautiful and practical oak framed building in the design stage. I then create planning drawings and work with a planning consultant to gain planning permission. Then work with clients on the exciting part of the build, often managing partner builders with our project managers to turn designs on paper into reality
I have grown up with Oakwrights from a young age as my Father also works for the company and have seen the company grow and thrive, but the passion and care to create something fantastic stays the same. Every project is different, even if the garage is a ‘standard’ they all have different quirks to suit each client. I love the company and the product we offer and the way that we produce and deliver the finished product. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing a finished project when you have seen the project through from the start.
The Firth’s Holiday Let in their back garden is a great example of using a standard room over garage and making it into something much much more. It’s really popular with guests.
George Allen
Design Consultant For Garages Outbuildings and Extensions
My role is to assist with the design of extensions and outbuildings to suit our client’s requirements and provide associated costings. My role is to bring ideas to life!
The people, the product and the variety! I’ve only ever worked in the Oak framing industry and it is not something I can ever see myself not doing! For me, there is never a day that feels the same. There is always a different client with a different project in mind. Whilst we do offer standard buildings, the vast majority of projects have their own spin and personality to match the client. It’s this personality that I love to reflect in the oak frame and project.
There are a few, but i still think that the Gallimore’s project has to take it. That gym setup is just phenomenal and with the chill-out/bar area it is literally the stuff of dreams for me – a really exciting project. This was only helped by Kerion being a fantastic guy. Honourable mentions have got to be the Sharpes garage and also a garden building in Shropshire both cracking projects that have totally been done justice by the client and the finished project!
Alex Cole
Extensions Design Consultant covering the South West
My role as client contact for oak frame extensions in my region is to visualise clients’ briefs and make them a reality.
I really enjoy being able to visualise the concept before I start any drawings and after more than 20 years in the industry, he still gets a real buzz from his work
Chris Broad
Extensions Design Consultant
My role is to offer expertise and advice and to design your bespoke oak frame extension project and provide associated costings.
I love to design! With years of design software experience under my belt, it’s great to be able to provide a personal touch and produce my client’s design concepts. Collaborating with them to design exactly what they want, or sometimes what they’ve never even thought of, is very rewarding. But, getting away from the desk, traveling the country, and meeting people from all walks of life, is an equally wonderful part of my job.
One of my favourite Oakwrights projects is actually a house, although it does have a small garden room. It’s a house designed by Pete Tonks in Herefordshire. It’s a simple, modest-sized house that combines an oak frame with aluminum windows and doors, mixing contemporary with rustic. The contrast between the dark modern materials, stained cladding, and traditional oak looks fantastic and is a real feast for the eyes.
Georgina Neep
Head of Marketing
My role is to craft strategies to best target our audiences and raise brand awareness
I love the variety that my job gives me, no one day is the same. The tip of the iceberg is meeting our wonderful clients and hearing their self-build stories and the joy their new oak frame houses, outbuildings and extensions have brought to them.
My favourite project has to be ‘Luke’ not just for its design but for the story behind it too. A determined young couple driven by a desire to build their perfect forever home no matter what challenges faced them, their dream always remained after 27 years of planning. The style of this home is beautiful, I love how the windows are strategically positioned to take advantage of beautiful countryside views and how the gorgeous interiors provide such cosy family spaces.
Sally Budd
Communications Executive
My role is all about communicating and spreading our passion for oak frames to potential clients and the press
I really enjoy working with clients and writing about their self build journeys and then talking to journalists about
We built our home with Oakwrights back in 2010 which we love living in. My ultimate luxury would be the Shentons Pool House. I absolutely love the design of the building, the roof has such character and on the inside the oak is stunning and to have a pool would be amazing.
Alice Devereux
Creative
My job involves providing expert judgement on all visual aspects of the company. Creating and commissioning visuals into effective output that supports the goals of the Marketing Strategy.
The ambition and determination that resonates throughout the workforce.
Caroline Bird
Marketing Assistant
My role is to assist the marketing team with all things digital and administrative. For example posting on social media, creating emails and updating our website.
I love how varied my role is, as we all know “variety is the spice of life”. I also think it’s awesome how much I can learn from everyone within the company. Being part of a great team that helps to inspire future oak frame projects and getting to see these amazing buildings come to life is so rewarding.
I have two projects that I really love. As a horsey girl, it’s only natural that I adore our oak frame stables and particularly the Thompson family’s stud yard, oak is such a great material, it’s so durable and stylish. The finish on these stables is just beautiful.The other project that I really love is Chris and Alison’s barn-style home. It’s very stylish and sleek, I love how they have made the most of the natural light within by using some extremely beautiful face glazing. A real dream home for me.
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