Handyman Cochrane Park

Cochrane Park and its interwar homes

Cochrane Park is a leafy residential area in NE7, tucked between High Heaton, Benton and Longbenton in the east of Newcastle. The Freeman Hospital is close by, and the Metro stations at Four Lane Ends and Longbenton put the coast and the city centre within easy reach. It is a settled, well-kept part of the city that appeals to families and to staff working at the hospital and the nearby offices.

Most homes date from between the wars: solid brick semi-detached houses with bay windows, hipped roofs and front gardens, arranged along gently curving roads. Many have been carefully looked after, and owners often want to keep the character of these houses while bringing kitchens, bathrooms and decoration up to date.

Keeping character while updating

Interwar houses in Cochrane Park often still have original features such as panelled doors, picture rails and deep window boards, alongside later changes. We aim to work with what is there. Our traditional joinery repairs include easing old doors, replacing broken window boards, repairing skirting and fitting new storage that suits the room's proportions.

Decorating these homes is rewarding work. Bay windows, coving and picture rails need care to cut in neatly, and woodwork painted many times over usually benefits from proper sanding and priming. We offer full room redecoration as well as smaller touch-ups to woodwork and ceilings.

Our most common Cochrane Park jobs

• Easing and re-hanging original panelled doors
• Replacing damaged window boards and sills inside
• Fitting curtain poles and blinds in bay windows
• Building alcove storage and bookshelves
• Painting rooms with picture rails and coving
• Replacing dripping taps and worn washers through our household plumbing repairs
• Bleeding radiators before the heating season
• Mending garden gates and side-path fences

Outside, the front gardens and side paths of these semis usually have a gate and a stretch of fence or low wall. Gates that have dropped on their hinges, rotten fence posts and peeling paint on timber are common, and we can repair, treat or repaint them so the frontage looks cared for. We also dismantle and remove old sheds from back gardens when they have reached the end of their life.

Helping busy households

Many Cochrane Park residents work long or irregular hours, including shifts at the hospital, which makes it hard to tackle jobs around the house. We try to fit in with you, agreeing a time that works and keeping you updated if you cannot be at home while we work. If you would like a whole list of small jobs sorted, our general handyman visits make it easy to deal with everything at once.

How quotes work

Send us a message through the contact page or call the number on our site. Tell us roughly where you are and what needs doing, and attach photos if you can. We will provide a free quote, or arrange to visit if we need to see the job first. Photos of original features, such as door styles or mouldings, help us bring suitable materials so repairs match. Once you are happy, we book a date and arrive ready to work, with floors and furniture protected and everything tidied at the end.

We also cover the neighbouring areas of Heaton, Benton, Forest Hall, Gosforth and Byker, so if you have family or friends nearby, they are welcome to contact us too.