But it is not just the fact that our design service is free that makes it so effective. It is the way in which the service is provided which makes it worth its weight in gold.
Fleming Homes design team is led by head designer Bernard Buss. Bernard has been designing bespoke timber frame homes from the very beginnings of the UK timber frame industry. Over the many years Bernard has established a widespread reputation for quality designs that are based on his astute ability to design homes that not only look great but are practical as well.
The rise of popular television shows such as Grand Designs has arguably seen the design industry shift toward an art form rather than a profession. More and more designers are drawing 'pretty pictures' rather than designing quality homes. The essence of a solid design is (and will always be) defined by its ability to not only look the part as a quality home but to play the part of a quality home. This is what defines Bernard as a designer.
Bernard's skills as a designer have evolved over years (and years) of experience. He graduated from Maidstone College of Art in 1957 and began a design apprenticeship with timber frame manufacturing company Colt Homes. Colt was one of the first of its kind in Britain and along with only a handful of other companies they pioneered the beginnings of the now common industry of timber frame construction. Bernard was there, at the tender age of 17, learning his trade as a designer of British timber frame homes.
Before becoming a member of the design team Bernard had to 'do his time' learning the practicalities of timber frame construction. He worked on the factory floor making the timber frame components and worked on site erecting the timber frame kits. From a very early age he got a true understanding of practicalities associated with home building.
After ten years as a designer for Colt he took a position as head of design for the Austin Hall Group. Here he led a design team who specialised in large scale commercial projects such as the construction of hospitals and schools. He spent 5 years in this position before relocating to return to the design work he enjoyed the most - domestic bespoke homes.
Bernard and his other passion - Motorsport. Here he presents Formula One
driver David Coulthard an award at the Scottish Motor Racing Club Gala
Dinner in Edinburgh 2009. Bernard is an honorary member and
ex-chairman of the Scottish Motor Racing Club
In 1969 Bernard moved to Scotland to work in an environment which he assumed to be more “receptive” to a non-traditional form of construction. His assessment was correct as timber construction rapidly grew in popularity (which continues in Scotland today with timber frame construction accountable for 76% of all new builds in 2009). Along with Fleming Homes director Mike Keher, he began Clanwood Homes which specialised in one-off ‘bespoke’ homes for domestic clients. Bernard himself designed, manufactured and on occasions, erected Clanwood homes for several years before Clandwood Homes became Fleming Homes. During this time Bernard spent time as chairman of the Scottish Consortium of Timber Frame Industries which later became the UK Timber Frame Association (UKTFA).
Nowadays he lives a more relaxed lifestyle. As Fleming Homes head of design, Bernard passes his wealth of knowledge and experience onto the 'younger' designers in the team and oversees every design to ensure the highest of standards are reproduced. He is responsible for hundreds of timber frame homes throughout Great Britain (and abroad) and is as passionate now about bespoke design as he was 50 years ago.
In terms of designing a new home, there is no substitute for experience. It is fair to say that Bernard is practically unrivalled in this department.
