How long have you been working with us at Holroyd Homes?

It’s coming up to nearly a year now. I came to the team when the cottages at Broad Lane Farm were being rebuilt and completed my qualification to drive a telehandler in January 21. I’m now working at the Fold Farm site in Netherton.

Ryan Mosley – Telehandler driver at Holroyd Homes

What’s a typical day like for you on site?

I have a 7am start and I get the machine running. I work alongside many different trades and it’s mostly the bricklayers at the minute so keeping their tubs filled with mortar and supplying them with blocks and stone. I’ve been dealing a lot with the delivery side of things on site which can be pretty manic! This involves working alongside the site manager to keep on top of things and get everything in it’s place. I sometimes feel like I need to be in 3 places at once but it makes the days fly by!

Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?

In September I’m going to be doing a carpentry apprenticeship at Kirklees college which Holroyd Homes are kindly supporting me with, so I’ll be working towards becoming a qualified joiner over the next few years. I’m really looking forward to this challenge! So, in five years’ time I see myself hopefully working as a joiner alongside our current team of expert joiners which include John, Dave and Adam.

What are you enjoying most about working at Fold Farm?

Working alongside the whole team is the most enjoyable aspect. It’s a good bunch of people on site and everyone has the same work ethic.

It’s enjoyable to stand back and see the end products – the homes are quality and look amazing and it’s great to be a part of that.

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We like to incorporate natural elements into outdoor spaces, and some of these features include sandstone rockeries, natural stone paving/flagged areas and turfed lawns. We also plant beautiful shrubs and trees in all our gardens which, as well as helping the environment, instantly helps to make the garden seem more homely.

Gardens can be as low or high maintenance as you wish to make them, but if you wanted to put your own stamp on your outdoor space, we’ve a few useful ideas on how you can personalise your outdoor space.

Where to begin

It can seem like a daunting process once you start by looking at your garden as a whole, but you don’t need to tackle it all at once.

Make a plan and prioritise what is most important to you in the design. Scrolling through magazines, websites and Pinterest can be a good place to start gathering inspiration and ideas.

Brighten up your space

Plants can be an easy way to add instant colour to your outdoor space. Do give it lots of thought before selecting as, whilst some are robust and hardy, others may need a lot of looking after.

Perennial plants can not only add colour to your garden as late as November, but also attract wildlife such as bees and butterflies too. They are normally easy to grow and can be planted almost anywhere such as fillers between shrubs, in containers or borders. They return each year so can save you time and money in the long run. Salvia, Geraniums, Rudbeckia, Lavender, Dianthus and Phlox are some of our personal favourites. Assess how much direct sunlight and shaded aspects there are within your outdoor space as this may determine where best to place the plant when you come to referring to the plant’s care instructions.

Although most bedding plants may be annual, they are a great way to add fast-growing, colourful displays. They can instantly add colour and are great for hanging baskets, beds and containers. Beware that having too many pots can be time consuming to look after as they need a lot of watering and dead-heading.

The Mistal, Broad Lane Farm

Transform a fence

Painting or cladding a fence with trellis can make a fence more appealing. Black paint is often the go-to colour for garden designers as the depth of colour helps to provide a striking backdrop for greenery and colourful plants. Alternatively, trellis panels are great for encouraging climbers to thrive which will add a bit of interest and colour. Clematis is a good example of a climber that is easy to grow and is tolerant of many soil types and conditions, though it does need annual pruning.  It’s always a good idea to check with your neighbours first before doing any work if you share a fence.

Create a cosy outdoors

As extensions of our homes, our outdoor spaces are becoming ‘rooms’ – now more so than ever! You can make your garden feel cosy by investing in an outdoor rug, adding some garden lanterns and outdoor cushions.

Other finishing touches may include fire-pits, chimeneas, patio heaters and barbeques, though it’s useful to consider how you plan to store/protect these items over winter.

The post Make your new garden your own appeared first on Holroyd Homes | New Homes | Upperthong | Netherton.

Here, he tells us a bit about his role as well as what he’s looking forward to most at our next development at Fold Farm.

Talk us through what a typical day is like for you

It’s an early start for me each day – but other than that, each day is different! I’m a joiner by trade but over the years I’ve developed skills in all areas so will turn my hand to almost anything – the variety helps to make the day go fast!

Recently I’ve been doing the trusses and have fitted the windows in the cottages and it won’t be long before I start on with the second fix joinery. Soon we’ll be starting all over again at Fold Farm.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

Definitely the variety. Each day holds something completely different. Put it this way – you can never be bored when you’re working on site!

Why should someone buy a ‘Holroyd Home?’

They are really well built homes. I can first-hand say that a lot of care has gone into each one and the quality is way above that of most new houses. Attention to detail is really evident when you see them, both inside and out, and you can tell that the team all go that extra mile because they care so much about each one.

What are you looking forward to most with the next development at Fold Farm?

I’m looking forward to starting the whole process again. For many reasons, like site access and mud, Broad Lane Farm was a tricky site to begin with so from that point of view Fold Farm should be a lot easier as the site is a lot larger and has already been properly set out ready for the build to start. We’ve all gained a lot of knowledge having worked on the Broad Lane Farm development so I’m looking forward to being able to carry this forward to the new site.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I don’t get any! Things are pretty full on at home as my wife and I have 2 boys so they keep us busy. Any spare time is spent working and doing my own house up!

The post Meet the team – David Jackson appeared first on Holroyd Homes | New Homes | Upperthong | Netherton.

Upperthong Village Hall on Wickens Lane, is the starting point of this easy circular, taking in magnificent views of the Holme Valley. There is an added option to drop down into Holmfirth for a coffee stop, though this does increase the distance and more significantly, the gradient!

Time: 2 hours (more if you drop into Holmfirth for a coffee stop)

Distance: approx. 3 miles (or 4 miles if you add in Holmfirth centre)

Starting point: Upperthong Village Hall

Back Lane is a wide, walled track that runs down the side of Upperthong Village Hall. On a clear day the views are impressive across to Farnley Woods, Emley and Thurstonland, while Upperthong stands to the right.

Continue along Back Lane for a short distance, turning left at the first footpath signs you see. Follow this path as it drops steeply down and crosses Wickens Dike over a small stone bridge. The well signposted path, through a series of gates, climbs steeply up towards Carr Farm and on to the driveway. Follow the driveway to the right of the house and you will arrive on Wolfstones Road.

The walk now turns right on Wolfstones Road. The extensive views out to your right as you continue up the road are of Holme Moss, Cartworth Moor and Longley. At the crest of the hill, as the road begins to swing slightly down to the left, there is a footpath that leads down the driveway between the buildings of Wolfstones Heights Farm. As you gently descend through this complex of houses the views open up in front of you, revealing Castle Hill, Huddersfield and Emley Moor. Continue along this well trodden path, passing a duck pond on your left and a horse paddock on your right.

With Wolfstones Heights Farm behind you, take the stone stile which drops you into a field on your left. The path continues along the wall side in this field, emerging at the corner of the field, by a telegraph pole, on a track that leads to Brownhill Farm, a short distance to the right. From here you cross immediately over the track, climbing another stile and emerge in a large field. There is normally a clearly defined path to follow in this field, dropping down diagonally right immediately after the stile and continuing until it reaches the bottom of the field from where it tracks the wall and fencing at the lower part of the field. This field and path continue all the way into Netherthong, passing through a stone gateway and running between two fenced in paddocks before emerging between houses and down a set of stone steps on to Moor Lane.

Moor Lane is narrow, so it is best to cross immediately over onto the pavement, turning right and continuing a very short distance until you see the footpath sign on Broomy Lea Lane on the opposite side of the road. Cross over and take this lane between houses and along the back on the Netherfield Estate of houses. As Broomy Lea Lane begins to bend to the left at the end of the estate, take the stone stile immediately ahead. The path is fenced in, running between fields normally inhabited by sheep with a second stone stile to cross at the furthest end.

Once again you are on a walled track. Turn right and follow the track as it gently winds its way down, the surface a little wet and stony in places, to Wickens Dike, which is the same stream crossed at the beginning of the walk.

There are a various large rocks in the Dike that can be used as stepping stones but take care not to fall in when you cross! This area is known as Dead Man’s Hole and is a fantastic, shady paddling spot for children and dogs on hot summer days.

Once on the far side of the Dike you are on an extension part of Back Lane (where the walk began) called Mark Bottoms Lane. Turn left and follow this well used path as it undulates, curving around a hillside until it comes off the rough surface and on to tarmac – Holt Lane. There are interesting views here of the main Holme Valley, from Wooldale to the centre of Holmfirth, with sandstone exposures at the upper limits of Cliff down to the valley floor and Holmfirth Cricket Club. Shortly after the tarmac begins on Holt Lane you can take the first footpath on the left which leads steeply downhill towards Holmfirth or, alternatively, follow Holt Lane and continue upwards as it becomes Hill Lane if you do not wish to make a coffee stop in Holmfirth. If you are bypassing Holmfirth, look for the next paragraph in bold font below to continue the walk instructions.

The footpath from Holt Lane is steep and can be a little muddy, passing through a wooden swing gate and emerging down a driveway then onto Wood Lane. From here you can decide to continue immediately downhill to meet Huddersfield Road, or walk alongside the quieter, residential street of Hightown Lane until it bends down to meet Huddersfield Road opposite Medicare Chemist. Coffee stop choices are plenty in Holmfirth. Some of our favourites include On Route, Bloc and Ribbles.

Once you have quenched your thirst in Holmfirth and are ready to make the short, but steep climb back towards Upperthong, head for Victoria Park behind the library and follow the path to the top right corner of the park. Victoria Park has commanding, close up views over Holmfirth, over to Cliff and up Dunford Road.

At the top right corner of the park, the walk continues along a narrow path for a few metres, arriving on Cooper Lane. Continue up Cooper Lane, bearing right at the top onto Holt Lane.

Once on Holt Lane there is immediately a footpath on the left that climbs steeply up between cottages and their gardens. A series of steep stone steps winds up through dense trees and bushes and onto a short gravel driveway that emerges on Hill Lane, where you will turn left. Although it is a steep climb it is thankfully over quickly!

The hamlets of Holt and Hill are extremely close to the centre of Holmfirth yet due to their lofty height feel somewhat isolated. Continue on Hill Lane as in climbs through the hamlet and the tarmac gives way to a rough, walled track.

This track continues all the way back into Upperthong, passing Melbourne Cottage just before the track again becomes tarmac and delivers you at the bottom of Towngate. Make sure you stop and turn around to admire the spectacular views across the valley as you climb into Upperthong on this track.

Quaint Towngate, once the main high street in Upperthong, is a gorgeous finish to the walk transporting you back to another era. After passing the local watering hole Royal Oak, Towngate bends gently to the right, becoming Wickens Lane and it is a short walk along here, with Upperthong Cricket Club to your left, back to the beginning of the walk at the Village Hall.

The post Beautiful Upperthong – a circular family walk appeared first on Holroyd Homes | New Homes | Upperthong | Netherton.

What is Stamp Duty?

Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is a tax paid by anyone purchasing property or land in England if the value of the transaction is over the threshold of £125,000 (or £300,00 for first-time buyers).

What is the Stamp Duty Holiday?

This was first announced by the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, in July 2020 and was due to end very soon at the end of March 2021. The Stamp Duty Holiday means that the Government has increased the threshold on properties exempt from Stamp Duty fees to £500,000.

The fantastic news that was announced last week is that the Stamp Duty Holiday has now been extended by a further three months. This means that there is no SDLT to pay at all on a house purchase up to the value of £500,000 until the end of June this year meaning that home buyers could be making savings up to £15,000! For house sales above £500,000, regular stamp duty rates are payable but only on the value above £500,000. After the 30^th June, the value of the SDLT threshold tapers to £250,000 until the end of September 2021 with home buyers still being able to make potential savings of up to £7,500. The Stamp Duty threshold then returns to the usual threshold of £125,000 from 1^st October 2021.

What does this mean if I’m thinking of buying a Holroyd Home before the end of September?

The only available property we currently have on the market is ‘The Barn’ at Broad Lane Farm, which will be ready to move into at the start of June 2021. This home is a restored 3 bedroom Grade-II listed barn in the much sought-after village of Upperthong in Holmfirth, for sale at £359,950. If completed before the end of June, there’ll be no Stamp Duty payable. If the purchase of ‘The Barn’ was completed after the end of June 2021 but before 30^th September 2021, some stamp duty will be payable but there’ll still be a saving of £2,500 (assuming you’re not a first time buyer). There’s never been a better time to move home!!

If you’d like to speak to someone further about ‘The Barn’ or to arrange a viewing of this stunning home, please contact our agents at Wm Sykes (01484 683543) who’ll be delighted to speak to you! You can also click this link to view our brochure.

The cottages will be ready to move into at the start of June.

CGI of ‘The Barn’

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Richard Holroyd, Director

Talk us through what a typical day is like for you

I’m largely office based, so most of my day will be spent dealing with emails and phone calls, like co-ordinating with our solicitors and estate agents. I work alongside Jack in progressing the next development to get to the stage where you can start on site.

I also deal with all other back-office aspects like keeping accounts, doing VAT and other HMRC returns, updating the website and most importantly paying people! I get out to site as often as I can to see the progress or to show someone around if we have a house on the market.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

Seeing the transformation on site is definitely the most satisfying part of the job. To see something change from a sea of mud into a beautiful home is really pleasing. The other really exciting part of the job is finding the next development – when you first visit a piece of land and start to imagine what it could be. It’s a bit like when you are looking for a house to buy and you walk into the right one – you just get that feeling. Then when you’ve decided it’s the right site, it’s doing the deal, agreeing a price and keeping fingers crossed until the legal aspects have been agreed.

Why should someone buy a ‘Holroyd Home?’

Because we care. It’s got our name on it. We don’t want to put our name to something that’s just ‘good enough’; it’s not how we do things. Our houses aren’t built by a cast of thousands. We have a small and very consistent team who have worked with us for years and that means everyone feels personal responsibility for their work. We have a great set of lads on site and we all enjoy (in normal times!) a summer outing to Leeds or a Christmas night out together. This strong feeling of a team means that when we say it’s got our name on it, that’s not just mine and Jack’s name, but all the team at Holroyd Homes.

What are you looking forward to most with Phase 2 (The Cottages) of Broad Lane Farm?

Dealing with old buildings, it’s an opportunity for the team to showcase some different skills when dealing with the characterful/heritage aspects of them. They’ve been derelict for as long as anyone can remember so it will be nice to see them brought back to life!

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

My wife and I have 2 small children so we spend a lot of time keeping them busy. We do a lot of walking with our Springer Spaniel with the kids on our backs! Our own house is a renovation project so there’s always something to do on the house or the garden. I try to play golf and do some road cycling and always have a book on the go. I’ve been missing going out for drinks and a meal!

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When we say this is a unique development, we really do mean it; and every last attention to detail has been painstakingly considered.

Exterior restoration

When the derelict buildings were demolished (images of this can be seen below) they were dismantled carefully ensuring as much original stonework as possible could be reused for the build. However, a lot of the original stonework was too badly damaged and weathered to be salvaged.

The earliest structures, The Farmhouse and The Barn, dated back to the 18^th century and featured gritstone quoins and wonderfully ornate gritstone window surrounds to the front of The Farmhouse. Given the original ones were beyond repair, we’ve painstakingly sourced some exact replacements from a local gritstone quarry. These are now starting to go back in to the rebuild and are looking fantastic! It’s been great working with local craftsmen on such bespoke items, bringing history back to life and helping to support an artisan craft.

All the other replacement feature stonework has been sourced from another local supplier using Johnsons Wellfield sandstone, ensuring a close match to the badly weathered original stone.

The stonework for the cottages is looking fantastic so far

Once the stonework is completed early next year, the cottages are to be pointed in natural lime mortar by our skilled team to give that authentic look they deserve.

The roofs are then to be covered in aged natural stone slates with cast iron guttering and downpipes throughout. Furthermore, to replicate the original style, hardwood timber windows and doors are to be installed, all finished in a wonderful off white.

Dry stone walls will be constructed to all boundaries and garden walls using the original stone salvaged from the site. This Yorkshire tradition will be undertaken by skilled local craftsmen and will finish off the development nicely.

The Farmhouse and The Barn are starting to take shape

View looking up at all three cottages

Interior restoration

All three cottages promise to be stunning on the inside as well as out, with all the properties including traditionally constructed floors with exposed timber beams, giving a nod to the original age of the building and allowing our skilled carpenters the opportunity to show off their skills to create a real ‘wow’ factor!

All three living rooms are also to include hand-carved gritstone inglenook fireplaces and hearths with feature stoves, somewhere to cosy up to after a long winter walk in the beautiful surrounding countryside.

Contemporary elements such as stunning Siematic kitchens, ash and glass balustrades and striking bathrooms will compliment the traditional elements, creating a truly unique feel for a new build property!

We’re delighted with how the buildings are coming together and can’t wait to see how they turn out. It’s been a wonderful opportunity for our team to utilise their skills on something a little different and hopefully their pride and passion will be evident for all to see for many decades to come!

The cottages pre-development

The cottages were carefully dismantled so that original stone could be reused for the build

The derelict buildings were well-known in Upperthong and will be brought back to their former glory!

The post Heritage revitalised appeared first on Holroyd Homes | New Homes | Upperthong | Netherton.

John Hay, Joiner

Talk us through what a typical day is like for you on site

It tends to be an early start before 7am and first thing involves some teamwork alongside the site manager to deal with the practicalities of delivery wagons arriving on site and sorting for the day ahead.

Day to day my joinery role depends on the stage that the build is at. It may involve some first fix work which is the joinery that needs completing pre-plastering such as fitting the roof trusses, partitions for the walls and casings for the doors. Once the properties are plastered, I can fit things like balustrades, skirting boards and the architraves. Finally the finishing touches can be done once the decorators have done their job, so things such as fitting the glass balustrades and the ironmongery to the doors can be completed.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I enjoy working as part of the team alongside the different trades. Each day is different on site, and you’re faced with new challenges each day. I like the variety of the job, and the fact that things are always progressing and moving forwards.

Why should someone buy a ‘Holroyd Home?’

The homes have been built with passion and integrity. It’s clear that everyone on site who’s working on them cares about the houses and it helps that we’re only a small team. I think the dynamic we have on site translates into the build and it’s great that the new-builds possess a lot of character.

What are you looking forward to most with Phase 2 (The Cottages) of Broad Lane Farm?

Right from the start of working on Broad Lane Farm, I’ve been looking forward to starting work on the old farmhouses. I’ve really enjoyed working on the new-build houses (plots 1-10) and it’s been really satisfying seeing what we’ve created from scratch. I’m now looking forward to working on some of the more traditional aspects that you find with Grade II listed cottages and helping to sympathetically restoring them whilst being sensitive to the original design and profile. That type of craft appeals to me the most. These homes will be a bit more niche, and I think will have a lot of depth of character.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

This is a difficult question to answer during a pandemic! Normally I’d spend social time with my friends and do things like go to the cinema. I also enjoy going to see live bands.

The post MEET THE TEAM – JOHN HAY appeared first on Holroyd Homes | New Homes | Upperthong | Netherton.

Once you’ve settled in though, you may feel that you want to put your own stamp on your new property. So, where do you start? Here, we’ve provided a few tips to help you get the most out of your new home.

Introduce a splash of colour!

Whilst freshly painted white walls make a room feel nice and bright, it can certainly add some interest if you add a feature wall. Behind the television in your living space is always a good place to start; you can consider choosing either wallpaper or a splash of paint to do the job! Trending at the moment is classic blue, which is officially Pantone’s interior colour of the year 2020, and this shade can help create a sense of tranquillity to your environment. But if you don’t want to opt for something too dramatic or bold, choosing a shade of grey can work almost anywhere, as can a subtle wallpaper. Keep your feature wall simple by not adding any shelves or pictures – let it speak for itself!

Furnish with colour and textures

Choose sumptuous textures such as wool and velvet to make your home feel more ‘homely.’ Wool rugs and cushions can really transform a room and make it feel really cosy – a place where you really want to spend time. In bedrooms, throws and cushions can transform the space in an instant; we love scrawling through Pinterest for inspiration! The ‘home’ section in our local supermarkets are often a good place to start; here you can pick out some key accessories without having to break the bank!

Use mirrors to your advantage.

Using large mirrors can add space and brightness to any room of the house; it can be a really easy win. Strategically placing them opposite a window can help you achieve this and helps to increase the amount of natural light cast into a room. A large mirror opposite bifold or French doors can work really well, especially if they face into the garden as they’ll elongate the room and help blend the outside with your inside space.

The post How to make your new build house feel like home appeared first on Holroyd Homes | New Homes | Upperthong | Netherton.

Jack Holroyd, Director – Holroyd Homes

Talk us through what a typical day is like for you

I start the week with a team meeting on site with the guys to discuss progress and make a plan of action for the week ahead. It also gives me chance to have a look round site and check over the finer details to ensure things are running smoothly. The rest of the week is spent in the office, either planning and coordinating current projects or progressing new ones like our next scheme at Fold Farm.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I enjoy most aspects of the process and it’s incredibly satisfying to see progress on site, particularly once people are living in the houses and we get to see them turned in to wonderful family homes. However, the most exciting part for me is finding the next project, agreeing a deal and planning the site details. I think it’s the thrill of the chase!

Why should someone buy a ‘Holroyd Home?’

If I had to use one word it would be individuality.

I think there’s a tendency amongst some house builders to focus too much on ease and driving down costs, certainly to the detriment of individuality and more often than not, quality. Perhaps due to the fact we’ve had a more varied background in property development, we tend to be drawn toward the trickier, one off sites. Although these may take a little more thought and attention, ultimately they create truly unique places to live. When we look at a site, it has to excite us, it has to be somewhere we’d want to live and be proud to put our name on.

That’s why for us the location and setting are paramount. If they’re right, the rest tends to follows naturally. That’s not to say we’re ever complacent though…

As part of the design development we make sure each and every home on the site maximises the wonderful setting and has some kind of wow factor. Be it at Upper Croft with full width bifolds and South facing balconies or at Fold Farm with huge plots in the most stunning rural surrounds, every one of our homes has been thought through right down to the tiny details. That way, it just feels right when you walk round, puts a smile on your face and hopefully gives you that feeling we’ve all had when you know you’ve found the one!

What are you looking forward to most with Phase 2 (The Cottages) of Broad Lane Farm?

We’ve owned this site for a number of years and in that time it’s either been a derelict eyesore or a builder’s storage yard so I can’t wait to see a part of the areas history be restored and the mud gone! The character of the listed cottages is what originally attracted us to the site so we’re all excited to get these put back together and see three wonderful homes created. I think they’ll really set the Broad Lane Farm development apart from other schemes and give the neighbours something beautiful to finally look at!

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

With two small children and third on the way there’s not a great deal of spare time but I can’t complain as I love spending time on a weekend with my boys, both of whom ‘help’ with our own building project at home. I also enjoy walking with my wife and playing golf or cycling with friends. In normal times we love to get away for a summer break although that’s on hold this year, as I’m sure it is for most people. Fingers crossed we get back to some normality soon.

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