Introducing Odyssey Homes

Property Development – Love it, or Hate it?  Opinions vary hugely, especially in and around the Dorset area where demand has soared, with new sites popping up every month. In the midst of a nationwide housing crisis, developers are seeking ways to utilize land and existing properties to maximize its area and investment potential.  Pressure in the housing market and tough planning restrictions are forcing some builders to construct homes lacking in character. With an incredible array of unique properties in their portfolio, the team at Odyssey Homes is taking a new approach to property development.

Chris Richardson, founder and Director of Odyssey Homes Ltd, has sought an innovative way forward. We wanted to find out more about this ground-breaking company so we spoke with Chris to get to know more about this man of many talents.

Raised in Poole from a young age, Chris knows only too well the demographic that makes this area so special; “The demographics for this area (Poole/Bournemouth) haven’t really changed over the years. It’s where my grandparents raised a family, my parents too. The area has always attracted young people looking to raise a family in an environment that encourages an outdoor lifestyle”.

Chris set up his business in Poole, having recognised the area’s potential; “Where Poole stands head and shoulders above many other seaside towns is that its economy doesn’t totally rely on tourism and therefore it is possible to build a professional carrier, whilst at the same time enjoying the local environment with your family. Historically, houses were designed into that lifestyle requirement. Too often the pursuit of profit has lead developers (myself included) to knock down these perfectly good family homes and replace them with two, or sometimes three, houses squeezed onto a plot originally designed for one”.

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Breaking Conventions
Odyssey Homes take tired, but otherwise perfectly good, family homes and transforms them, making them more relevant to modern lifestyle requirements. The results are spectacular. The process known as ‘upscaling’ means the existing foundations remain, as do most of the existing walls; The heart of the
home stays.

“By keeping the existing footprint and extending where necessary, we are able to create spacious, light-filled homes, sitting in established gardens for the price of a smaller, more cramped new build”

The idea is simple. Should a purchaser be unable to find a new build in a style or location that they like, then Odyssey Homes will find an older house for them and upscale it.  The beauty of this is that the purchaser will own an end product that has been built entirely with their needs in mind and probably for less money than many new build developments.

“We don’t work on behalf of a third-party profit lead investor. We work directly with our clients and with guidance from our team of experts, including award winning architect ‘David James’ and our own highly skilled craftsmen. We plan and create a bespoke home that suits their personal needs”

Odyssey Homes project manage the entire build, from planning application to completion, ensuring that it remains on budget, hassle free and quality controlled. “Our reputation is at stake and delivering beautiful, bespoke homes is at the core of our philosophy”, Chris remarked. “Equally, should a client want to upscale their existing property then we will work with them to produce exactly what they have always dreamt of”, he continued. 

I was curious to find out what inspired Chris to get involved in this industry. Evidently it all began in his late teens. A former pupil of Seldown School, he knows the area well.  Having trained as a Sailmaker with Crusader Sails and a champion sailor in his own right, he journeyed across the Atlantic to New York, delivering a small yacht. His eyes lit up as we spoke of his time in the Big Apple; “I remember sailing into New York when I was 19 years old, being out at sea, looking at all of those amazing buildings and the wonderful vertiginous landscape. It was extraordinary”. Not wanting to leave this awe-inspiring city, he knew he had to find work. After wandering into a bar one day, he managed to obtain a painting and decorating job. He worked with the owner to give the bar a whole new look, it was both eye-catching and innovative. More commissions were fast to follow and soon word had spread to the affluent; New Yorkers who were desperate to have Chris renovate their residences. During his time in New York he designed five apartments on the highly prestigious 5th Avenue. “I was doing amazing things, things I could never have imagined; I was being asked to decorate spaces with Picassos on the wall. Then they’d ask me what I thought of another space and I’d make suggestions, do a quick sketch and it all sprouted from there”.

Travelling, especially backpacking through Europe, has had a big effect too. In his twenties, Chris worked in Florence for a while restoring churches and picturesque villas. Drawn to the beautiful architecture and art he felt inspired, “It became something more, I found a passion to learn all I could”, says Chris.

These commissions took Chris to many countries and cultures.  As part of the design team he built the famous Chiva Som resort in Hua Hin, Thailand.  Voted the best spa in Conde Nast for the last 10 years.  Chris developed his knowledge of listed homes and took on many historically important commissions including Chavenage House in Gloucestershire, familiar to fans of the TV series Poldark. These homes require a very different approach, as one must meet very strict conditions of planning and restoration”, Chris enlightened. These projects are the reason that Chris holds such a deep respect for the roots and structure of a building. He is extremely conscious of his role to be sympathetic of how a home fits into its surroundings.

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Setting the Standard
The concept behind Odyssey Homes comes directly from Chris.  He has travelled away from Poole, but his heart has always remained here. This became part of the company’s motto, ‘Worth the Journey’.  With the concept in mind that Odyssey Homes make ‘beautiful homes, that people want to come home to’ and based on glowing testimonials, their clients seem to agree too. Even the names of their homes reflect this notion; Athena, Artemis, Orion and Calypso, all give a sense of coming home.

When you walk into an Odyssey Homes home, the evidence of expert design and construction is everywhere and everything is completed to an incredibly high specification. With a talented team  behind him, Odyssey Homes are breaking the boundaries of conventional property development and producing stunning results.

t. 01202 674369
e. info@odysseyhomes.co.uk
a. 5a New Orchard, Poole BH15 1LY

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