Residential Builders
Hampshire

Current News

New specialist division - Daedalus Conservation

Breaking news for the company is the recent formation of a specialist historical repair and conservation division, Daedalus Conservation. 

Gary Jones, who was previously with the renowned conservation company St Blaise, heads up Daedalus and is joined by another former St Blaise expert Andrew Housley.

Daedalus Conservation brings together their wealth of specialist heritage and conservation expertise, including experience on many prestigious projects like the restoration of Windsor Castle, with the already established reputation for quality craftsmanship of R.W. Armstrong & Sons.

The new division's services are already in demand, with work due to commence soon on the conservation of a National Trust property in Berkshire.  

Why Daedalus?  In Greek mythology he was a skilled craftsman and artisan.

(20th November 2011) 

Fashion Show raises £10,000 for charity

R W Armstrong and Chiverton were delighted to help co-ordinate and provide sponsorship, along with Ian Adam-Smith, for a fabulous Fashion Show, held in aid of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).

The JDRF Fashion Show included fashions from top local boutiques being modeled in front of a sell-out audience of 180 people, whose generosity raised in excess of £10,000 for this worthwhile charity. 

Our joinery workshop helped too with the transformation of the venue in Petersfield, including making a screen for the stage, as well as being on hand to help with the set-up and on the night. 

(31st October 2011) 

King of the JCB retires and new apprentices recruited

Long serving R.W. Armstrong employee, Gordon Lane, retired on 22nd July 2011 after 44 years of service with the company.  Known affectionately by colleagues as 'King of the JCB', Gordon was presented with a JCB garden ornament and a garden sundial at his recent retirement party.

To ensure our valued traditional craftsmanship skills continue to be nurtured within the company, new apprentices were once again recruited this August, three in carpentry and one in bricklaying.     

(31st August 2011)

Royal Wedding connections

We couldn’t let the Royal Wedding go by without mentioning that several years ago R.W. Armstrong & Sons refurbished the period home owned by the Middleton Family in Bucklebury.

Closer to home the company was delighted to contribute to the Royal Wedding festivities at the local village, Ramsdell.

(3rd May 2011)

Employees achieve CSCS Heritage Skills Card

Twelve R.W. Armstrong & Sons employees achieved CSCS Heritage Skills Card last year, ten carpenters and two bricklayers.

The CSCS Heritage Skills Card helps craftspeople who work on heritage buildings prove that they are competent, have specialist skills, and are up-to-date on health and safety awareness

(31st January 2011)

Fundraising raffle in memory of founder

The employees of R W Armstrong & Sons and Chiverton recently held a raffle to raise much needed funds for the Alzheimer’s Society in memory of their late founder Roland (Roy) Walter Armstrong who died last year.  A total of £1,700 was raised with various prizes donated by Buildbase, the builder’s merchants, as part of a national promotion rewarding their significant clients. 

Chris Miller, one of the company’s carpenter's scooped the top prize of a 32” LCD television, followed by other site based labourers and joiners winning a games console, dvd player and a digital camera.

Raffle organiser and Company Secretary, Grace Hall said: “All our employees have really supported the raffle which I think shows what a well respected gentlemen Roy was.  We are now able to give something back to the Alzheimer’s society in memory of Roy and hopefully help other people and families suffering with the disease.” 

(20th December 2010)

Christmas raffle for local hospice

Armstrong staff once again held their annual Christmas raffle to raise funds for the local St Michael’s Hospice.  Both employees and suppliers’ donations of prizes were as generous as ever resulting in £358 being raised and shared between the hospice and Children in Need.

(18th December 2010)

National Stone Award for Chiverton project

The new build of a traditional private home by Chiverton (Armstrong's subsidiary) received a Highly Commended at the National Stone Awards last November.  Designed by notable architects Quinlan and Francis Terry the contract also included a luxury pool house.

The award illustrates how Chiverton, as the main contractor, can manage and recommend specialist contractors, in this case CWO, to produce first-class award winning results.

Run by the Stone Federation of GB, the Awards aim to celebrate the use of this attractive, traditional, yet vitally modern building material.  Entries were judged by a team of internationally recognised architects with advice from stone experts.  They looked for a sympathy of scale to any surrounding building or features, an understanding of the requirements of stone detailing and weathering to give a clean and minimum maintenance building, as well as innovative use of stone and the overall quality.  

(27th November 2010)

Founder Roy W. Armstrong passes away

The founder of the company, Roy.W. Armstrong, sadly passed away on 4th August 2010 at 91 years. 
 
What is clear from the various anecdotes and tributes, is that Roy was acutely aware of the value of his employees. From the very beginning, he treated all his workforce with respect, and rewarded their loyalty with good training, rewarding work and job security.
 
His involvement with regional training boards and building associations helped influence the trade’s current educational structure, and the company continues to support the various local technical colleges through our annual programme of training apprentices and management trainees.
 
Founded in 1957, the reputation Roy and his workforce developed during the firm’s formative years has resulted in R.W. Armstrong & Sons having worked on some of the finest private residences in the south of England.  The company aims to continue to improve the training and relationships within, what is still a family business, and strive to continue expanding the firm in his memory. 
 
Roy founded the company with his wife Vera in 1957 following 12 years with the building company H.N. Edwards. Prior to that his first job was erecting marquees for local company JM Carter, during which time he achieved the title of South West Junior Boxing Champion.  He also worked briefly as a sheet metal worker and miner, and during the Second World War enroled in the Home Guard then volunteered for the RAF.
 
The first office was their dining room and the telephone number was Monk Sherborne 177 - essentially the same number as today.  Business prospered during the first few years, and gradually more men were employed. Turnover was in the region of £10,000. 

Roy and Vera’s sons, Brian and Colin, joined the company in 1962, and it became a limited company, R.W. Armstrong & Sons Ltd.  The company went from strength to strength, and soon a larger office was required. A prefabricated office was built in the old dell in Aldermaston Road (the site of the current office) and a joiner’s shop was also erected using a portable wooden ex-classroom from a local school. There was also an electrical department.
 
During the 1970s, the company grew into a substantial company employing over 50 men on site, with turnover up to £200,000.  It gained a very good reputation for work on prestigious homes and for notable businesses.  In 1978, Roy’s grandson Nigel joined the company resulting in three generations working together. 
 
In 1984 Roy retired and handed over to Brian and Colin.  They expanded the company further, obtaining many prestigious contracts and enhancing the companies reputation. The office and joiner’s shop was rebuilt and named Armstrong House in 1997.
 
Colin retired in 2001 and Brian in 2003. The company is now run by Roy’s eldest grandson Nigel with managing director Simon Lewis and a talented and professional team.  It has further expanded, taking on larger contracts both locally and further afield, now employing over 200 people with a turnover in excess of £20 million. Roy and Vera particularly enjoyed commemorating the company’s 50th anniversary in 2007.  

(28th October 2010)