Cavanna Homes

Cavanna Homes shortlisted in Property Awards

Cavanna Homes shortlisted in Property Awards

Westcountry homebuilder Cavanna Homes’ impressive Newton Abbot development – Cavanna @ Wolborough Hill – has been shortlisted in the 2023 Michelmores Property Awards. Cavanna @ Wolborough Hill is one of only four developments in the South West to be recognised by the judging panel in the category ‘Residential Project of the

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Gearing-up for a strong construction year with senior team appointments

The Torquay- headquartered homebuilder Cavanna Homes has strengthened its senior build team with the strategic appointment of Andy Sykes as Head of Construction.  Formerly a Build Manager with the firm, Andy’s promotion follows the retirement of Fred Sureshkumar after 18 years with the company, eight of which were at the

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Cavanna Homes Invests in Artisan Bricklayer

Traditional, handcrafted building styles have made way for more cost-effective and less time-consuming modern-day methods as the homebuilding industry works hard to deliver the government’s ambitious target of 300,000 new builds each year. In the Westcountry however, fourth-generation family firm Cavanna Homes is investing in the skills of an artisan

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Regional Builder Records Highest Apprentices Number

A Westcountry homebuilder has welcomed its highest number of apprentices to date as part of the firm’s commitment to nurturing up-and-coming talent in the construction industry. “Apprentices are the future of the industry and we believe we should be doing everything we can to encourage young people to consider job-based

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Cavanna Homes Appoint New Head of Operations

The South West’s largest independent homebuilder, Torquay-based Cavanna Homes, has appointed Andy Addison to its senior team as Head of Operations. “My priority is to drive-forward the business without compromising on the all-important Cavanna family ethos, which has made this firm such an enduring success over the past 95 years,”

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Cavanna Homes Reports a Year of Growth

Cavanna Homes, a homebuilders from the South West, has announced another year of steady growth and a record number of sites in development across its region. The Torquay-based firm, which currently has new homes for sale in seven locations in Devon, Cornwall and Dorset, will be bringing forward an additional

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Latest Issue

BDC 321 : Oct 2024

Cavanna Homes

Cavanna Homes shortlisted in Property Awards

Cavanna Homes shortlisted in Property Awards

Westcountry homebuilder Cavanna Homes’ impressive Newton Abbot development – Cavanna @ Wolborough Hill – has been shortlisted in the 2023 Michelmores Property Awards. Cavanna @ Wolborough Hill is one of only four developments in the South West to be recognised by the judging panel in the category ‘Residential Project of the Year (35 homes and under)’ for delivering the finest new housing development in the region over the past year. The development of 26 high-end homes and four converted luxury townhouses, is set on top of Newton Abbot’s exclusive Wolborough Hill and offers far-reaching views over the town, the Teign Valley and Dartmoor. Michael Newman, Director of Land and Design at Cavanna Homes said: “It’s fantastic to have Cavanna @ Wolborough Hill shortlisted in these highly regarded industry awards, especially during our centenary year. “From planning to delivery, this stunning development has been a fascinating project to work on and has shown our ability to construct high-end homes, transform the former Bishop Dunstan School block into modern townhouses, as well as deliver one of the very first self-build units for Teignbridge Council. A huge well done to everyone involved in this scheme and we look forward to the awards ceremony in June.” The spacious three to five-bedroom homes are set within a parkland landscape which has a children’s play park and tennis courts for residents’ leisure, plus footpaths connecting the development to the town centre. Paul Furner, Director of Sales and Marketing added: “We’re incredibly proud of Cavanna @ Wolborough Hill – it’s a well-considered scheme and a brilliant addition to Newton Abbot. We are also pleased to have contributed funds through Section 106 for the provision of affordable housing in Newton Abbot, as well as for the upgrade of facilities at Decoy Country Park.”  Now in their 20th year, the awards celebrate the best property, development and construction projects in the South West, completed in the last year. The winners will be announced at the Michelmores Property Awards Gala Dinner and Ceremony on 22nd June 2023 at Sandy Park Conference Centre in Exeter. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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Gearing-up for a strong construction year with senior team appointments

The Torquay- headquartered homebuilder Cavanna Homes has strengthened its senior build team with the strategic appointment of Andy Sykes as Head of Construction.  Formerly a Build Manager with the firm, Andy’s promotion follows the retirement of Fred Sureshkumar after 18 years with the company, eight of which were at the helm of the construction operation.  Andy leads a team of three newly appointed Build Managers; Markus Micklewright, Mark Wyatt and Kurt Henson who will be actively involved in all development projects across the South West.  Commenting on the new build team, Andy said: “Our three Build Managers have real pedigree in the homebuilding sector, clocking-up almost nine decades of experience between them. This experience will enable us to deliver new homes to the highest specification, on time, on budget and within a safe and healthy working environment.” Andy continued: “My focus for the next six months is to develop and implement new ideas and productive systems across our sites and to secure the NHBC five-star status for the quality of our new homes, which is awarded for receiving the highest levels of customer satisfaction.” Markus Micklewright has joined Cavanna Homes from the Coyne Group and, with over 20 years’ experience in construction, he will oversee completion of the firm’s developments in Stoke Gabriel near Totnes, Newton Abbot, Tavistock and Bodmin in Cornwall. Mark Wyatt was previously with McCarthy and Stone and takes responsibility for Cavanna sites in Holcombe and neighbouring Dawlish as well as Barnstaple in North Devon. Kurt Henson has joined from Barratt David Wilson and is managing schemes in Wincanton in Somerset, Seaton in East Devon and two new developments in Exeter. Mark Wyatt said: “Our role is to ensure all site teams are meeting their targets in terms of quality and performance and by being within a two-hour drive of company headquarters we are able to have a very hands-on approach.  “As homebuilders we need to operate at an optimum level at all times; making sure that we are considerate homebuilders by being good neighbours in the communities where we’re building, exceeding health and safety expectations for on-site teams and visitors alike and delivering a high-quality product.” Managing Director Keith Miller said: “Fred Sureshkumar has helped Cavanna Homes achieve so much in his 18 years with the company, culminating in national recognition as the UK’s Housebuilder of the Year 2019.  His retirement has left a big pair of boots to fill and we are very proud and excited to have secured a senior build team of this calibre. “These strategic appointments are a great start to the new year and will be key in supporting the company’s aim to achieving excellence in construction.”     For more information about Cavanna Homes, visit: www.cavannahomes.co.uk.

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Cavanna Homes Invests in Artisan Bricklayer

Traditional, handcrafted building styles have made way for more cost-effective and less time-consuming modern-day methods as the homebuilding industry works hard to deliver the government’s ambitious target of 300,000 new builds each year. In the Westcountry however, fourth-generation family firm Cavanna Homes is investing in the skills of an artisan bricklayer to help define the character of its homes and developments, in turn, helping to keep the ancient craft of stonemasonry alive. Born and bred in the South Hams, Terry Newman currently spends his three-day working week as a subcontractor for West Country Brickworks Ltd on projects for Cavanna Homes, which has its headquarters in Torquay and is in its 96th year. Cavanna Homes incorporates stonemasonry in its developments to reflect a local vernacular and to make a new scheme look more mature so it immediately fits into its existing surroundings. Work incorporating traditional stonemasonry skills is intricate and time consuming: a three-metre stone panel takes around a day to build, while the same sized panel in bricks takes half-a-day, or a couple of hours for concrete blocks, plus wet weather can prolong a job involving stone work because the materials must be kept dry. “Nowadays, time and cost are big factors in the house building industry,” says bricklayer Terry. “So if a developer includes stonemasonry in its schemes, they’re adding time, and time is money! I take my hat off to those firms including stonework at their new developments; it not only adds character and charm to modern buildings but it’s keeping the tradition alive.” Terry trained as a bricklayer at South Devon College in the late 1970s when stonemasonry was included in the course, completing an apprenticeship with a local firm which “happened” to include stonemasonry in its remit. Nowadays, there are no colleges offering stonemasonry courses west of Bath and Weymouth, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a construction or bricklaying course which offers even a hint of stonemasonry. But Terry has used the skills of his industry’s forefathers ever since his teens. At Cavanna’s Dartington developments, Origins and Yarners Mill, Terry created stone walls and panels to add historic charm to the homes in-keeping with their position in the picturesque Dart Valley, and one of his most recent tasks has been the construction of a 30-metre wall at the entrance of Cavanna @ Wolborough Hill – a collection of 26 luxury-style homes in Newton Abbot – to replace the original wall. Also on his immediate list of pending jobs is replacing the coping (the top of a wall which acts like a lid, keeping the rain out) at Palstone Meadow – Cavanna’s 26-home development in South Brent – and building a wall at Kings Orchard – Cavanna’s emerging 53-home scheme in Stoke Gabriel. Traditionally, stone doesn’t tend to travel very far after it’s excavated, so where the job is determines what type of stone Terry works with. “In Cornwall it’s always shillet which is quarried there and has been used for building for centuries,” he says. “And in South Devon I often work with Stoneycombe, Glendinnings, Yennadon and Mill Hill Quarries stone, excavated on the doorstep.” Type “stonemasonry” into Google and you’ll find numerous glossaries explaining the terminology, which is often linked to the geography as well as the stones themselves. Take the style of the coping at the wall at Cavanna @ Wolborough for example. Bricklayer Terry describes it as “cock and hen” (where vertically placed stones run along the top of a wall). “I don’t know why it’s called cock and hen,” laughs Terry. “That’s what we call it down in the Westcountry.” Elsewhere, it’s known as “buck and doe”. Terry also describes using a method called “snail creep pointing” on the walls at his son’s house in Ivybridge. The effect can be achieved by using the handle of a metal watering can, cut in half. “It looks lovely when it’s finished,” Terry says, offering an insight into the intricacies of his craft, which includes being resourceful. Around a century ago it was typical for stonemasons to wade into rivers to collect stones. In the 90s, at a private residence in the South Hams, Terry found himself thigh-deep in a river which ran through the grounds, collecting stones to make sure the buttress he was building blended with the existing structure. Terry explains that stone can either be left in its natural state, known as rustic stone, or can be cut, so the face of the stone (the part which faces out, forming the side of the wall) has a smoother finish. Terry prefers the former and describes working with “random rubble”, the technical term for a mixture of different sized and shaped stones, which makes his job rather like a giant 3D jigsaw puzzle. Stonemasonry involves a huge variety of different styles and techniques and there is also far more to the pointing (or jointing) work (the joining together of the stones) than merely cementing between bricks. “At Origins I had to keep the jointing quite flush and create an indent of about half-an-inch between the stones,” he explains. “So instead of the surface being flat, the stones protrude a little. Usually the style will be down to the architects who designed the buildings, although often it will be the site manager who decides the finish.” For the wall at Cavanna @ Wolborough, bricklayer Terry said his biggest challenge was finding stones with “good faces”. “With slate or shillet you’ll use a larger quantity of stone but because of their shape it’s almost like stacking them on top of one another, whereas with random rubble a lot goes to waste because you have to have stones with good faces and which sit up well to create a wall with them. Although sometimes they won’t do either!” Although building in stone can be costly and slows down the build process, when completed to a high standard it gives a far higher quality finish.

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Regional Builder Records Highest Apprentices Number

A Westcountry homebuilder has welcomed its highest number of apprentices to date as part of the firm’s commitment to nurturing up-and-coming talent in the construction industry. “Apprentices are the future of the industry and we believe we should be doing everything we can to encourage young people to consider job-based training as a sound start to their careers,” commented Cavanna Homes’ Managing Director, Keith Miller. “We’re major supporters of apprentices and help subcontractors by funding apprentices so they can pass on their knowledge, which in turn helps us to be confident that the skills we’ll need in the future for housebuilding will be available locally.” Ten apprentices aged between 16 and 23 years of age have joined Cavanna Homes as paid full-time apprentices, the largest intake in the homebuilder’s 95-year history. Aaron Jones, Jesse Acutt, Matt Churchill, Max Dorothy, Jack Walker, Sam Perkins, Joe Darlow, Cameron Quinn, Lewis Duce and Owen Musk are based at Cavanna Homes’ head office in Torquay gaining experience both on-site and in the office. The apprentices will be completing qualifications in a range of specialist sectors including; carpentry, land, technical, commercial, build, electrical, painting and decorating, and plastering. “I am forever grateful to Cavanna Homes for providing me with such an amazing opportunity. They support me day in and day out, which has fuelled my drive even more. I’m surrounded by considerate colleagues who I now call friends and I can honestly say that there is no looking back, only looking forward. My one regret is not signing up to an apprenticeship scheme sooner – it’s the best decision I have ever made and I’m truly lucky,” said Sam Perkins, Land Apprentice at Cavanna Homes. The apprenticeships will be completed over four years which, depending on the scheme, will combine on-site work experience with skilled sub-contractors and attendance at college to gain an NVQ. “We’re increasing the number of apprentices that we support year on year, and we hope to see this number continue to grow in 2019. We strongly believe that providing open career paths within the construction industry will encourage young adults to explore the opportunities available to them,” Keith added. As a regional recruiter, Cavanna Homes takes pride in nurturing and investing in its apprentices to ensure they receive the best skills and experience in their trades to pass onto the next generation, and integral part of Cavanna Homes’ ethos.

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Cavanna Homes Appoint New Head of Operations

The South West’s largest independent homebuilder, Torquay-based Cavanna Homes, has appointed Andy Addison to its senior team as Head of Operations. “My priority is to drive-forward the business without compromising on the all-important Cavanna family ethos, which has made this firm such an enduring success over the past 95 years,” said Andy. “By continuing to focus on the delivery of high quality new homes in great Westcountry locations, we will build the Cavanna brand and strengthen the company’s reputation right across the region. It’s a really exciting time to join this thriving regional company – and to be working with Keith once again.” Andy will support Managing Director Keith Miller in a strategic role with operational and commercial responsibilities to ensure that the third generation family firm achieves its ambitious centenary year goals for 2023. Andy’s core focus will be on the firm’s Technical, Commercial and Design expertise. “We strive to attract, retain and promote the best people in homebuilding and Andy’s enthusiasm for the sector is what makes him really stand out. Andy’s appointment coincides with the launch of our new ‘Westcountry Collection’ portfolio of new homes and the launch of our new Cavanna Homes brand,” commented Managing Director Keith Miller about the appointment. With over 16 years’ board level experience in the housebuilding sector, Andy has most recently worked as the Regional Director of Churchill Retirement Living. He has also previously worked with Keith Miller for national homebuilder Redrow.

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Cavanna Homes Reports a Year of Growth

Cavanna Homes, a homebuilders from the South West, has announced another year of steady growth and a record number of sites in development across its region. The Torquay-based firm, which currently has new homes for sale in seven locations in Devon, Cornwall and Dorset, will be bringing forward an additional five sites this year, including Wincanton in Somerset, making it the busiest construction year in the company’s 95 year history. Pre-audited figures show a £64.7 million turnover in 2018 which represents a 6.4% increase on the previous year. Moreover, a total of 290 new homes were sold; 201 open market and 89 affordable homes for rent or shared ownership through a housing association. Last year’s results have been welcomed by the company, especially in light of the decline in the property market. “It’s been well publicised that nationally the housing market has taken a bit of a downturn, and the South West is no exception. The uncertainty over a Brexit ‘deal or no deal’ is causing people to wait and see what this will mean for the country and their own personal circumstances. Whilst there has been a dip in numbers of visitors to our showhomes over the last few months, the prospective buyers we’ve seen have been extremely positive of both the quality and specification of our new homes as well as the overall developments,” explained Cavanna Homes’ Managing Director Keith Miller. For 2019 the company has a range of new homes for sale at seven Westcountry locations: Bodmin in Cornwall and Holsworthy, Barnstaple, Stoke Gabriel, Paignton, Torquay and Newton Poppleford in Devon. Cavanna is also bringing-forward a further five new developments; Barley Meadow at Dawlish, Cavanna@Wolborough Hill, Newton Abbot, Broadleigh Park at Tavistock, Bellevue at Bude and Cales Reach at Wincanton. “Our business plan for 2019 has been adjusted to reflect the current market conditions, especially in the first quarter,2 said Looking forward, Keith Miller. “Whilst we anticipate a slowdown, we are proceeding with cautious optimism during this unprecedented and unpredictable period.” Cavanna Homes’ 95th anniversary was market by the launch of a new brand and a new portfolio of house styles – The Westcountry Collection – which can be viewed at new showhomes opening in the New Year at Kings Orchard – Stoke Gabriel, Alfred’s Gate – Newton Poppleford and Moorland Vale – Bodmin.

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