Advice from Gosport firm keeps TV show's amazing space dry and safe

Chris Reynolds, director of Alliance Remedial Supplies Limited, with some of the waterproofing membrane that was used for the project Picture: Sarah Standing (161558-6514)

IT’S a show that explores the extraordinary world of inspirational small builds – and a Gosport business owner was proud to play his part in it.

Chris Reynolds, of Alliance Remedial Supplies, a specialist builders’ merchants in Gosport, was delighted to hear from a client in Stockport, thanking him for his advice on converting his basement so it didn’t flood after torrential downpours.

Mark Brown, from Manchester, sought advice when taking on his DIY project, which ended up being so amazing it featured on an episode of Channel 4’s George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces programme.

While Mark was doing DIY at home, he noticed some different bricks in his basement and knocked through, to find a large basement covering the entire footprint of his house.

He set about converting the space into a gym, wine cellar, bar, games room and utility room, but not before taking advice from Alliance Remedial Supplies.

After the project was completed, he got in touch with Channel 4 and it appeared on the show.

But it was months later, when Stockport suffered serious flooding, that Chris said he was most proud of.

‘I’d heard about the flooding and when the e-mail came through from Mark, I was a little worried that something was wrong,’ he said.

‘But on seeing videos of him wading knee-high in water, I was delighted to hear that despite the flooding, his basement was dry.’

Alliance Remedial Supplies advised Mark on the equipment he needed for his DIY basement conversion, which cost £10,000.

Chris said: ‘Because he followed my advice to the letter and adopted my designs, his basement remained bone dry despite the flooding going on above.’

Mark said: ‘I spent many hours of hard work and labour on the conversion and thankfully spent even more hours researching help from professionals.

‘Chris was brilliant. I’m so glad he was there to advise me. I would like to thank him and warn anyone taking on a project of this nature to get a professional to advise, listen to the advice and don’t cut corners.’

Chris, from Stubbington, set up Alliance Remedial Supplies, a specialist builders’ merchants in 2011. He grew the business from his spare room into a firm employing six staff and it recently moved into new premises in Regents Trades Park in Gosport.