Jones Associates Architects

Chris Jones applied for and obtained planning permission for a first floor extension. As an experienced house builder I drew up rough sketches of what I wanted. However, Chris came up with a greatly improved design that overcame a number of problems. He prepared drawings and leased with the planning authority prior to submission. I’ve dealt with many architects over the years and very few have a grasp of practical and innovative house design. Chris is one of those.

We worked with Chris on a significant project to renovate and upgrade our home with a multi-storey side extension and into the loft conversion. The result more than delivered on our expectations. Chris’s considered approach and attention to detail was apparent from our first few meetings and served to reassure us throughout the project. He was attentive to our ideas and requirements throughout the design process and ensured that they were realised as specified in the construction phase. Chris has assembled a stable of providers, including contractors, structural engineers, surveyors, and AV specialists, who can be trusted and called on to help deliver the project at hand. He performed regular site visits and was very detailed in inspecting and tracking the progress of the project with the contractor. The finish of the renovated and transformed parts of the house is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also practical and functional. Indeed, Chris’s designs helped us to add several features to our home that carry a wow factor, not for their own sake but for everyday living. Chris made the overall project from design to completion a smooth and enjoyable journey. That this was achieved in the middle of a pandemic speaks volumes.

Chris Jones designed and managed our complete top floor rebuild over 11 years ago in Muswell Hill, North London. The proof of his attention to detail and quality is that we remain delighted after all this time. It has barely aged and suits are needs well - creating a penthouse style bedroom, large bathroom and new stairs within the roof space of our Edwardian house. We levelled the roof to start again and created an entirely new floor. Crucial to the project's success was his ability to find and work well with an excellent builder and to listen carefully to our wishes, responding flexibly with design recommendations. As the son of an architect, I knew at once we had found a real professional and can recommend Chris warmly.

Chris did a fantastic job, he is very professional and has interesting ideas. He was very clear throughout the process, discussing the different options and giving us a realistic time frame to work within. I would use him again for future projects and would thoroughly recommend him.

Chris did a brilliant job designing our conversion. I bought our next door neighbour's house and he dealt with all aspects of the knock through and the subsequent work to the upper floors to convert them into a more appropriate living arrangement. Highly recommend

Chris worked with us on a project to completely renovate our home. Prior to our build Chris met with us on several occasions to hear our hopes for the project. He came back with multiple designs incorporating our suggestions and then worked with us towards the final design. We felt listened to and never rushed and Chris was always understanding during periods of indecision. At every stage Chris was always clear about where we were at in the project and when deadlines were approaching. Chris steered us through the tendering process and helped us select an excellent builder. He then project managed the build for us. He was always completely on top of this and we met with him regularly. He was available at short notice on the occasions when something unexpected cropped up. Costs in a big project can be anxiety-provoking. Chris communicated clearly with us about this which we found very helpful and reassuring. Overall the build went really smoothly and it was enjoyable watching the project take shape. Chris has also been very helpful during the snagging period. What I particularly recommend about Chris is his eye for detail: he's really concerned about how things will look to the finest detail and this is important for a satisfying finished product. We've settled back into our transformed house now and it's exceeded our expectations. It's not hyperbole when I write that there's nothing about the house which isn't brilliant. Where once it was dingy it's beautifully light. The downstairs of the house is opened out and feels much more spacious; previously we had a room we didn't use but now all the rooms flow together. There's a boot room/area which is attractive and practical and bifold doors make the garden feel much more a part of our home. Chris's work has given us a very pleasurable home to live in. I recommend him very highly and if we had a similar project to undertake in the future I would see us going straight back to him and would delay work until he became available.

I hired Chris initially as an architect to design the wholesale renovation of a house that I had bought in Highgate, London. It was a large 3 reception, 4 bedroom house with a double garage that I was converting and extending into a 5 bedroom, 4 reception, family house with a further annex (the double garage converted into a granny-flat). Chris produced and costed a number of options and worked brilliantly with me through the pros and cons of each design until we agreed on a final design which Chris then took through planning. At this point I could have parted company with Chris but his quality of work and attention to detail meant that I decided to engage him on the detailed design and costing for the project (phase 2 of the project) and as project manager for the build phase (phase 3). Throughout both phases, Chris attended site on an extremely regular basis (more than once a week) and held regular update meetings with me on progress. He made sure that the key decisions were made well in advance so that the works never slowed down or were delayed. He also kept a close eye on the costs to ensure the final bill matched the original estimate, with only change requests agreed with me leading to any cost variation. Chris was a pleasure to work with throughout the project remaining calm and measured throughout and always looking for pragmatic and cost effective solutions to any issues that arose. I would highly recommend him.

Chris worked with us on the renovation of a large family home, this included all works on a loft conversion, extension, conversion of a garage to a granny flat, and external works. Chris was involved from inception, through design and planning to completion of the building works, this included the selection of the builder. Chris successfully and seamlessly managed the project, all relationships with the builder, and keep his client very happy. His approach to project management is hands on, he always has the detail and design in mind, and he works to keeps communication flowing. Chris has been a pleasure to work with, he has listened and revised the design as necessary to deliver solutions that are practical but elegant. For the conversion of the garage to a granny flat he has drawn much praise from neighbours for the innovative design, making the house and annex look as one. The completed project is what we had hoped for and without any major issues. The project has been delivered as per the initial budget. We would highly recommend Chris in all aspects of this project.

Chris worked on my house over 2015/16 on a project which started with the top floor (installing dormer windows, re-designing the bathroom and creating a desk area and storage drawers and cupboards in the eaves). As the house is Grade 2* listed, Chris had to negotiate with all the relevant authorities to ensure the windows could be as big as possible. Although there were set-backs from time to time, Chris worked extremely hard and constructively to make sure we ended up with a successful outcome. He then project managed the building works through to completion. Throughout Chris was an absolute pleasure to deal with - his design ideas were fantastic, both creative but practical and he managed the builders very effectively. I am very pleased with the way the top floor turned out and completely satisfied that no stone was left unturned in maximising the space and its potential. The second phase of the project was a re-design of a large bathroom. Again, I was very pleased with the design, lay-out and the creative touches which Chris brought to the project. He was also extremely helpful in sourcing the key materials by identifying appropriate suppliers and advising on a visit to their premises. If I have any similar projects in the future I would not hesitate to work with Chris.

Chris worked with us on a plan to return a large arts and craft house currently split into four flats back into a large family home. He took the project through to the successful granting of planning permission and would have managed the build process had we not postponed the work for personal reasons. Chris is great to work with, a good listener, has inventive yet practical solutions and delivered every stage of the project on time and as per his outline budget. We recommend him wholehearedly

Chris Jones has recently worked with us on a project that involved extending and refurbishing our Edwardian home. We found working with him enjoyable and are very happy with the final result. Chris’s combination of design skill, responsiveness to our needs/worries, pleasant manner and attention to detail made him an ideal architect for us. During the design process Chris met with us and listened to our thoughts about the project. He provided us with a number of ideas and we decided on the final proposal in a collaborative process. Chris guided us in a clear way through the planning application and also through tendering for a builder (who was also excellent). His communication with us was always clear and thorough and he was easy to contact if we had any concerns. Chris project managed the build. We never had a moment’s concern during this time. What was particuarly helpful was how diligent he was in communicating costs and other issues with us. We ended up doing more work than originally envisaged and this was accommodated without issue. Our ‘new’ house is really wonderful and has exceeded our expectations. Asthetically it’s very pleasing. It’s bright and spaceous and the final finish is very good. It also works very well on a practical level – the rooms now all flow together, and the configuration is very suitable for our day to day life.

Chris Jones did a fantastic job renovating my flat in Central London, and redesigning it to create more space and light. He was very responsive to my ideas, but also helped me to think through what I really wanted when I was less sure. The result exceeded my expectations! He is a real delight to work with - very professional, creative, thoughtful and thorough. I then hired Chris again when we bought two semi-detached houses in Yorkshire to turn them into a single house. He listened carefully to how we wanted to use our living space, and came up with a range of ideas - far beyond what we would have generated our own. Again, the result has far exceeded our expectations. It has been a real pleasure working with him!

We first used Chris over 10 years ago, to redesign our kitchen. When faced with a new kitchen/bathroom renovation in our new home, Chris was our first choice. What stands out is Chris' "can do" attitude - nothing is ever a problem. He is also very thoughtful, careful, and pleasant to work with. We now have the most beautiful kitchen - the perfect layout, design and colour. We could not be happier!

We have worked with Chris Jones of Jones Associates Architects on several occasions since 2003. In 2003/2004, he oversaw the re-design of and extensive construction work at our main central London residence, including a brand new open design for the kitchen and dining areas on the ground floor and for the children's playroom and au pair's accommodation in the basement. We were delighted with Chris' design (and would still choose the same some 12+ years on - it has stood the test of time well), his incredible attention to detail and oversight of all the construction and other professionals involved (saving us a lot of the "hassle") - he is very dogged and does not let anything drop or slip through the gaps. We have been pleased to engage Chris Jones/Jones Associates Architects for several follow-up projects, including renovation of our bathrooms, re-design of our garden and construction of garden walls and replacement of a 20 foot wide rotten wooden lintel between our ground and first floors (where he oversaw the complex work of the structural engineers to carry out a full replacement without disruption to the rest of the house and structure). He also recently helpfully recommended a roofer to us for some roof repairs following a leak. We have had no hesitation in recommending Chris Jones to others.

Jones Associates completed a large project which consisted of knocking two houses together and turning the top half of the second house into a self-contained rental apartment. We were living in the first house and bought our neighbour's adjoining house, which had not been updated for a few decades. Chris was involved right from the start - viewing our neighbour's property when it was on the market, giving us some rough costs and ideas, through to the design, project management and completion. Based on his rough cost estimates, we went through with the purchase and, 18 months later, these projections were proved to be absolutely spot on. It was a complicated project because we wanted to retain as much of our house as it was (the kitchen, the living room etc) while linking with the lower two floors of the next-door house. Oh yes, and we wanted to be able to live in the house throughout in order to keep costs down. We found him to be very receptive to our requirements. When we started out, we had three children under five and required a house that was robust and far from a show home, while at the same time would be able to evolve with our family's needs. He was patient and inspired confidence. He always seemed to have complete control over the process (when sometimes the contractors did not). The house has exceeded our expectations and is a wonderful place to live in. Everything works exactly as we want it and it is both beautiful and practical. Five years on and we've employed him again to help us re-do the top floor of the original house (about the only thing left undone in the project) and he is as efficient, thoughtful and creative as ever.

I am an architectural photographer and have now worked with Jones Associates for quite a number of years. My experience of working with them has always been positive, and I have the following observations that I believe would be relevant to others - there is always an extremely high level of professionalism, organisation and efficiency in arranging and undertaking shoots - the relationship between Jones Associates and the client as well as the contractor and other professionals involved in a project has always been very good - the standard of design is extremely high. The projects not only look fantastic (and photograph well!) but they are also highly functional and well constructed, with an eye for detail - communication is excellent and there is always a great degree of transparency when it comes to financial issues, fees etc - if I was ever thinking of employing an architect myself, Jones Associates would be at the top of my list.

Chris was our architect on a major house refurbishment and was professional, thorough and responsive throughout. He acted as project manager, co-ordinating logistics and liaising with all parties involved allowing us to concentrate on materials, finish and interior design. This took away huge stresses and made the whole process more pleasurable. He was patient when my husband struggled to read architectural plans and came up with a to-scale 3D model that meant he could envisage the end product - inspired! He was adaptive at altering plans to suit new ideas and the result is a house that we love. Chris has remained helpful whenever we have called on him post-completion and we would use him again on any future project.

Chris is one of those rare finds that thinks outside the box and on top of that is a genuinely lovely guy who's is always there to help. I would have no hesitation in recommending him. He is thorough and his attention to detail is second to none. He focuses on the clients needs is there is to hold your hand throughout the process and makes what can be a stressful experience enjoyable. His ideas are current and innovative yet still have all the practicalities required for family life. A gem of a guy.

We hired Chris Jones of Jones Associates to design and project manage a loft conversion and major renovation of our property in 2012. Spanning a year from start to finish, we found Chris to be meticulous in his attention to detail and cleverly creative in his ideas for the project. From the first drawing to the last inspection, Chris was incredibly responsive and thorough in his approach to both us as well as the builders. We really enjoyed working with Chris and felt he always had our best interests at heart. I would not hesitate to recommend his services.

We worked with Chris Jones Associates on this North London kitchen http://www.houzz.co.uk/projects/1372687/north-london CJA showed an openess to our ideas and the clients wishes allowing us to achieve exactly the kitchen wished for. The project ran perfectly and the site was immaculate for us at the time of fitting. The end product created by CJA is a beautiful space to live, cook and eat in.

Working with Chris on the renovation of our 1930's house, was an absolute pleasure. He listens really attentively and turned our " kettle's Yard meets Scandinavia design" brief into a beautiful reality. We spent a year carefully planning the project and everything from the design, planning, materials, plumbing and lighting etc... was thought through in considered detail. We felt very strongly that Chris really understood our aesthetic and all decisions were led by this. This has created a flow through the house where nothing jars. Importantly everything was also costed along the way so we always new what we were spending. Chris project managed our build and communicated with the builders and different trades brilliantly. When a problem arose he was on top of it immediately. He has an exacting eye for detail and won't let anything he is not happy with go. We have him to thank for the smooth running of the whole process and the high quality finish. The time spent in the planning enabled the build to carry its own momentum, there were no nasty surprises and no nasty surprise final bill. It all cost exactly what he said it would right at the beginning. We could not recommend Chris highly enough. We now have a beautiful yet functional house where the modern extension blends seamlessly with the original house. There is a place for everything, and everything was thought of. For us it was a year planning and a year building and we enjoyed every step of the way. We have Chris to thanks for it being such an incredible journey.

Chris Jones worked with me on three listed houses; two London houses and one large Wiltshire Rectory. Chris is a very professional person who listened carefully to our needs and translated them into well costed plans and beautiful drawings. His respectful and calm demeanour and dry humour and his ability to communicate effectively means that the relationship between builders and architect and client remain civilised and cordial. His professionalism and accurate paperwork really helped the planning permission process. Chris can adapt his style if need be to the 'twiddly bits' as we called them of a Victorian Rectory despite his refined modern clean lines of preference and is not too precious to incorporate an ikea cupboard if required. I enjoyed working with Chris and will be starting on a fourth project this summer.

Chris made our dream kitchen a reality! He designed and managed all aspects of the project for us, which included getting planning permission, tearing down our ugly old extension and garage and putting in its place a light and livable open plan kitchen with utility room and downstairs toilet. We appreciated his great ideas but also his attention to detail and his practical suggestions eg carving out extra storage and practical ways to manage costs. He not only listened to us but was brilliant working with our builders, who weren't great at meeting deadlines, and making sure they keep to our specification and not cut corners. Chris is professional, organised and drives forward projects. We are very happy with the result (which was bang on budget), which means that we have ended up living in the kitchen and under-utilizing the other rooms in our home.

Chris completely redesigned the downstairs of our house and aspects of upstairs. He was very imaginative, which we really valued, coming up with ideas that we hadn't thought of. He clearly explained the pros and cons of each possibility, conscious of our needs and taking them into account. He had very good attention to detail eg re door handles and sometimes asked the builders to redo something if it wasn't right. He was reliable and kept to deadlines, meaning the project didn't overrun by too much. He was pleasant to work with and had a good relationship with the builders, which is extremely important. Obviously there are aspects that with the benefit of hindsight we might have done differently but overall, we were pleased with how the project went and we love our house.