“What follows is pretty much an unqualified hymn of praise, so it’s probably important to note upfront that prior to working on my property I had no connection with SWA at all, and – other than this project – I have none now. What I expected when I appointed an architect was for someone to draw up what I wanted; to get it through planning and then to hand over the project to the builders who would make it a reality. What I got was something very different. Simon is highly creative. I could tell him what I wanted to achieve, and he would understand wholly, and then invariably come up with a far superior creative solution. This applied throughout the process, whether in drawing up the original plans or in then choosing fixtures and fittings once the plan was agreed. His commitment to the whole creative process of house design is therefore absolute. And his knowledge is as wide-ranging as his thinking and ideas. Simon is a demon on detail. He has an eye on every angle, every fitment and every discipline, with exacting and helpful views on all aspects of building. But this attention to detail extends beyond the project and into the management of the project. His detailed minutes of every meeting, for instance, have actually been vital to the final success of the project. Simon cares about the project and also about the client. I went through four months’ of building work, and was unnaturally stressed from about month three. During that time, I would mostly speak to Simon daily, and he was always either available to talk or prompt to return calls. I rather think that I was close to being the Client From Hell at times, but Simon’s careful shepherding always saved the day. And Simon is a nice chap. Which helps. What could he do to improve? Well I still don’t understand his invoicing system, (and I don’t know if he does either). But I do know that the costs were accurate, and – far more importantly – worth every single penny. I do not begrudge one pound of the money I spent with SWA : I think in fact I got far more than my money’s worth. So it’s a great pleasure to write this reference.”

Matthew Lonsdale