Who we are

A bespoke personalised local service in a world increasingly dominated by multi-national chains. The customer can satisfy their desire for the beautiful and functional in the knowledge that the product they order is not only ethically and environmentally sound, but designed purely to their specifications, without breaking the bank.

Kevin Lench has over three decades experience of skilled furniture-making and of creating beautiful and unique fixtures and fittings for the places where you spend your time; your home, place of worship or work.

After his six year apprenticeship as a cabinetmaker in the 1970s, and several years in the industry, Kevin spent over ten years working for a church furnishing company, repairing, renovating old furnishings and fittings and creating exceptional new pieces in churches all over Britain. In 2000 Kevin came to north Wales to establish his own business as a cabinetmaker, but soon found that there was also a great demand for work on old and listed buildings. Kevin has spent nearly a decade working in a workshop at the ancient Vaynol Estate near Bangor, and during that time he worked on many of the properties within the Estate's walls. Recently Kevin has taken the decision to move to a more accessible location at the Griffith's Crossing Industrial Estate on the road from Bangor to Caernarfon. Kevin is a sole trader who completes all stages of the manufacturing process himself. Whether you are a private customer seeking a special item of furniture or a purpose made fixture or fitting for your property, or a building company looking to sub-contract specialist work, Kevin looks forward to meeting you and discussing your requirements.

What we do

From bespoke furniture to work on historic and listed buildings, Kevin Lench Cabinetmaker is an established business where quality work speaks for itself.

Sash Windows

There are two main types of sash windows - those that slide up and down, and those which slide from side to side and are known as Yorkshire sashes.

If your property is listed or in a conservation area you may be able to replace your old windows with single glazing. This has the advantage of maintaining the original look of the property that you like so much. Please consult your local authority Conservation Officer or a conservation architect if you are in doubt about whether this applies to you.

Since the legislation brought in by the Government earlier this decade most properties whether new or replacing existing windows have to meet specific insulation guidelines. This is generally interpreted as meaning that your new windows should be double glazed, although you could consider secondary glazing as an alternative. The additional benefit of this is of course that you heat your house instead of the street! Kevin has been making double glazed sash windows for a number of years, and puts a great deal of effort into making the glazing bars and frame sections as elegant as possible, given the limitations of the heavier glazing. You can find out about the history of sash windows and how to care for them from this link to the Historic Scotland website You will need Adobe Reader to open this file. If you don't have Adobe Reader it can be downloaded by clicking here.

Casement Windows

Casement windows hinge at the side and are more usual in houses dating from the 1930s onwards. Windows from those pre and post-war years often feature stained glass which it may be possible to preserve in the new windows. If not, Kevin can recommend the services of a fellow craftsman who specialises in traditional stained (leaded) glass manufacture - this can also be encapsulated in a double-glazed unit. If your property is listed or in a conservation area you may be able to replace your old windows with single glazing. This has the advantage of maintaining the original look of the property that you like so much. Please consult your local authority Conservation Officer or a conservation architect if you are in doubt about whether this applies to you. Since the legislation brought in by the Government earlier this decade most properties whether new or replacing existing windows have to meet specific insulation guidelines. This is generally interpreted as meaning that your new windows should be double glazed, although you could consider secondary glazing as an alternative. The additional benefit of this is of course that you heat your house instead of the street!

Bespoke Furniture

As a cabinetmaker, Kevin's first love has always been furniture making. Since coming to Wales, Kevin has developed an interest in traditional Welsh and Celtic-styled furniture, even sourcing Welsh oak to create as authentic a Welsh piece as possible. From Welsh dressers and settles to a more modern approach celebrating Celtic design, the choice is yours.

Naturally, everyone has their own tastes in furniture and you will of course have a style that you prefer, or that suits your property. It doesn't matter if what you want is just in your head, sketched out on the back of an envelope or drawn up by an architect, Kevin can advise and help translate your ideas into reality. Whether you want solid hardwoods like oak, softwoods such as pine or even painted MDF, your wish is our command!

House and property fittings

Wooden windows and doors and other external features such as barge boards have at least a hundred year lifespan, unlike other materials, and given the historic nature of much of the housing stock across north Wales there are many homes and buildings which are now needing to have these assets replaced. This is where craftsmen like Kevin come in, with their respect of and sensitivity to the original design and features of these buildings. You will add long-term value and integrity to your property by investing now in solid sustainable wood. If your home, shop or other property is listed, in a conservation area, or you just happen to love the items that need replacing, Kevin can replicate all your wooden fixtures and fittings exactly as the original craftsman made them. Legislation about insulation means that it tends to only be listed properties or those in conservation areas which require single glazed windows these days. All other properties from old to modern will certainly benefit insulation-wise from wooden double-glazed windows and doors, and new draft-proofing techniques can be applied to all windows (whether single or double-glazed) which will mean that rattles and draughts will become a thing of the past. Great care is taken by Kevin to make these windows and doors as close to the elegant originals, or appropriate style, as possible within the practical limitations of the heavier double -glazing. Kevin uses a range of Pilkington glass products, depending on the requirements of the customer. Below you will find links to relevant parts of the Pilkington's website for more information. Pilkington leaflets:

• General information about their glass with regards to thermal insulation

• K-glass

• energiKare ( pdf format )

• ActivClear (self cleaning glass)

Interiors too may need repair or restoration, or perhaps changes to a property mean that original features need adapting, replicating or extending. Perhaps you need more storage space and want it to blend in or match with your existing furniture?

The Design Process

If you are changing or extending your property, or even building from new, then Kevin can work with you, your architect or builder right through from the planning stage provided by the client to completion.

Unless architect's drawings are provided, Kevin draws up his own diagrams and plans using a computer aided design package to establish exactly what is required, whether it be furniture or house fittings, and how that will manifest itself in terms of design, cost and manufacture. You will have the opportunity to discuss all your requirements and receive a no-obligation quotation for the planned work before you commit yourself to engaging Kevin to undertake the work.

What we believe

Wood grown in properly managed woodland is a sustainable resource which has a positive environmental impact in its living form. All the solid timber used by Kevin Lench Cabinetmaker is obtained from a sustainable FSC-certified source. If the wood requested is not available in this way it is the customer's decision whether to proceed with that material, or whether to consider an alternative FSC-certified wood.

Links
Forestry Stewardship Council
The Forestry Commission
Forestry in Wales (Microsoft Word Document)

Why choose wood over UPCV?

Both materials need maintenance to keep their looks, but wood will last for generations and can be repaired or altered as necessary. UPVC is more unenvironmentally friendly to manufacture and dispose of. Also, a key thing to remember is that often the locks and fittings that the manufacturers use become obsolete in a couple of years. So if something breaks in your UPVC windows, you may find that you need to buy a whole new window.