Dr Abid
a year ago
This was my first ever home improvement project (a garage conversion). I have heard all the horror stories as we all have, so I did what research I could before finally getting a few builders in to give quotes.
Chris was actually the last person I contacted having read his good reviews online. Immediately he stood out. From our first meeting when he came out to see the garage, he was asking questions, giving suggestions, pointing out possible challenges.
This proactivity and positive attitude continued throughout the build. Problems were met with solutions and options. Chris oversaw the entire project, even turning up to oversee rubbish collection from the site at the end of the build. He turned up on time every day, went about his work efficiently, cleaned up the site at the end of each day and genuinely I can say he was a pleasure to have around. Very respectful of the property and my family and I. A real gent.
Overall we are delighted with the finished work and very grateful to Chris for his efforts. I have already been recommending him to my friends and family and hoping to get him back for some more works in the future!
Jasmine Few
a year ago
I got my garage converted by Chris and he did the most amazing job, he was trustworthy, thorough, reliable and personable - nothing was too much of an ask. From the start I could tell Chris was who I was going to go with, he was so knowledgable about his profession which made the process so smooth for me. As well as this, his prices are competitive which also made the decision so easy. I couldn’t have picked someone better to do this conversion and I would recommend him to anyone !
Ryan Scott
a year ago
Chris came highly recommended, and we couldn’t be happier that we chose him for our renovation project. From start to finish, he was an absolute professional, and my wife and I were blown away by his attention to detail and ability to manage every aspect of the work seamlessly.
Our project involved a complete transformation of our home, including a full kitchen remodel, reconfiguring several living spaces, and making significant structural adjustments. Chris handled every challenge (and there were several) exceptionally well, coordinating electricians, plumbers, and decorators to ensure everything ran like clockwork.
What stood out most was how Chris always kept us in the loop. He was transparent with costs, offering practical advice on where we could save money without compromising quality, and where it was worth investing for the long term. On top of that, he went the extra mile by coming to our house to handle deliveries when we weren’t able to be there, ensuring everything stayed on track.
Chris didn’t just meet our expectations—he exceeded them. He kept the worksite immaculate, communicated progress clearly, and always made sure we were happy with each decision, big or small. His professionalism made what could have been a stressful experience truly enjoyable for both of us.
This was one of the smoothest renovation experiences we’ve ever had. My wife and I are thrilled with the results, and we’ll definitely be reaching out to Chris for any future projects.
harry scott
a year ago
Unbelievably professional and knowledgeable, not just a skilled tradesman but all round great guy that is attentive to the work and needs of the client. We will be using Chris for all of our projects in Essex and London going forward, and have no doubt in his ability to manage our larger projects over the coming years.
We got EXTREMELY lucky in finding Chris for our project. I have been working on other projects for some time and encountered 50+ workers from different trades in the last couple years, this was my first project in Essex and having no contacts in the area, took a punt with Chris. It could not have turned out better, by far the best project manager and tradesman we have encountered to date.
From initial plans to convert the garage, to us being a pain and adding on parts of the project, he has effectively renovated the entire house, built new bedrooms from scratch himself, levelled and installed new flooring throughout, completely built out 3 new ensuites where there were none and tiled all of them as well as the old ones, coordinated for the entire house to have the old single glaze windows and doors removed and replaced with double glaze, coordinated plumbers and electricians, decorators, carpenters and plasterers. All whilst assisting with building control to make sure all parts were up to spec.
At each stage he presented us with a range of costs for different finishes and pointed us in ways we could save money, always keeping us on budget. To get this level of work done elsewhere would have set us back an additional £40k+ based on similar projects we've done. The site was always clean and tidy and every change, hiccup (as a result of the building being near dilapidated at purchase) or suggestion came with as much as little input as we would like, i.e. at times we would just ask Chris to go with his best judgement, other times he would explain all the options and we would choose, but it was always conveyed well and transparent throughout.
Can not recommend more!
Shani Vasudevan
a year ago
Chris converted our garage in to a home office. We were very impressed with his work ethics; he was very professional, hardworking and reliable. We would be happy to use First Choice Conversions again.
Wendy Edwards
2 years ago
This was our 2nd garage conversion with Chris. Superb quality of work and very reliable. Able to work very closely with 3rd parties and understands completely what the customer wants. We would highly recommend Chris and the company.
Charlotte Tann
2 years ago
Chris, First Choice Conversions, was recommended to me by my brother who had recently had his garage converted. I am so pleased we went Chris as his workmanship is outstanding.
From the first meeting with Chris, he was so professional and knowledgeable and this continued throughout the job. We encountered a couple of issues but Chris went above and beyond what would have been expected to make sure we had the best outcome. One of those issues were that our house bricks had been discontinued many many years ago and we couldn’t get anything similar. Chris went out of his way and sourced bricks that he then put together to create our brick style/pattern. We’ve had so many compliments on the brick matching and it’s so lovely to hear.
We were kept informed each day of what the plan was and we felt so involved. Chris also kept the space tidy, clean and as free from dust as possible which helped us with our allergies.
One of the things we will always remember, is Chris let our little boy lay a brick in the front wall. It’s just something to remember and our little boy always says, mummy that’s my brick.
I honestly couldn’t recommend First Choice Conversions high enough. We are so happy with our garage conversion, it’s just perfect.
Thank you Chris for doing such an amazing job.
Christopher Goodman
3 years ago
We found Chris through a recommendation and viewing one of his conversions.
Project Description:
Chris converted our large single garage blocking off the main garage door and leaving the front of the property unchanged; he installed a window for light and created an internal entrance to access the space from the house. Plaster finish ready for decorating. Chris also installed our wooden flooring.
Project time: 4 weeks.
From the beginning of the process to the end, Chris was polite, focused and had great attention to detail; what we liked was his approach to problem-solving when something wasn't as expected to find a solution. Most Important, we always felt looked after and at ease with him in our home.
Chris works on his own and takes full ownership of the build; he works with a trusted certified electrician, plumber, and plasterer for the tasks he does not do himself.
The garage conversion was generally straightforward overall, we had some complexities around retaining access internally for boiler maintenance, but Chris approached this methodically and came up with a suitable solution to the problem. The project needed little intervention day-to-day and was delivered on budget. Chris discussed all aspects along the way and gave us options when needed regarding light placements, number of plugs, window size etc.
We are delighted with the conversion; we wish we had done it years ago; the space is great! The finish is to an excellent standard, and overall we were super pleased with hiring Chris to do our job and the outcome! If I needed a conversion, I would have him work for me again without hesitation in recommending his services to anyone.
Charlotte Goldhagen
4 years ago
We have been stung previously with builders so we were very apprehensive to start new work but Chris has totally restored our faith in quality professional tradesmen.
Chris was always very clear with his communication throughout the job and worked alongside us listening to our needs and wants whilst always keeping building regulations in mind. He worked within our budget and there was never any hidden costs. He was always on time and worked clean, never leaving a mess. Chris is very personable and friendly which made us feel totally comfortable with him being in and around the family home especially given our two young children.
We are over the moon with our double garage conversion, it has exceeded our expectations and we can’t thank him enough. We will definitely be using Chris again. If you are looking for a builder, look no further than him!
Anthony Luke
4 years ago
We are really pleased with the Work undertaken by First Choice Conversions. Chris & his team have changed our very outdated garage into a very smart presentable building that we can now use as an utility room. An extension to our kitchen for storage.
Chris came recommended to us by a work colleague who recently had their garage converted into a study.
Chris provided us with some good ideas in his initial visits to review the work to be undertaken. Great quality, clean and tidy work and we would highly recommend.