Out & About July 2017

42 / 68

When childhood friends Sam
McCallum and Tim Green left St
Barts School they little imagined
that their separate careers –
Sam in Hatton Garden learning business
skills, and Tim in Newbury using his love of
carpentry – would one day bring them together
into a business partnership, which this year
celebrates 25 years.
Hartwood Oak Buildings Ltd has established
itself as the go-to company locally for bespoke,
high quality timber constructions from house
extensions and outbuildings to simple, but
effective porches, pergolas and garden buildings.
They have worked on restoring listed timber-
framed buildings to creating large new oak
frames of traditional and contemporary design.
Hartwood Oak works as both a main contractor
for bespoke projects as well as specialist
contractor to other companies.
Tim and Sam have built the business from a
two-man band, working out of a small shed, to
a thriving commercial operation, which today
employs around 15 people and is housed in a
large, suite of offices and a spacious workshop
in East Woodhay.
It is still very much a family affair with Tim’s
son James now in charge of site operations and
his daughter Helen handling drawings
and planning.
“We started off building sheds and
outbuildings,” says Sam. “And then progressed
to larger domestic projects.
They have now added the increasingly-popular
Shepherd’s Huts to their range, as people look
for a stylish alternative for a spare room or
extra office space.
“Shepherd’s Huts are something we have
been wanting to do for some time. It is such
a versatile space – home office, playroom,
writers retreat, changing room, spare
bedroom,” explainsTim.
Although the original aim was to produce huts
that were as authentic as possible, the design
can be tailored in a variety of ways to meet the
needs of the individual in terms of size and
internal or external finish.
They can be clad externally in oak or traditional
‘wriggly tin’ and fully lined with matchboard
painted in a variety of colours, there really is a
wide range of posibilities.
Although they would love to produce an entirely
authentic version, complete with rusty tin walls
and time-worn floors and doors, they would like
to hear from people with their own ideas.
Prices for the huts start at £15k plus VAT and
include oak chassis with cast iron wheels,
treated softwood main frame, insulation to
floor, walls and roof, corrugated steel cladding
in a variety of colours, timber floor, matchboard
lined walls, lighting points and plug sockets,
stable door and two traditional casement
windows, plus oak entrance steps.
To find out more about Shepherd Huts or other
designs from Hartwood Oak call:
(01635) 253534 or visit
Bespoke Shepherd Huts
from Hartwood Oak
42