Building together with J.G. Timmer

A village with an urban planning challenge, that was Driebergen. A village with a recognizable urgent housing need and a village with a town hall that was way past its sell-by date. De Bunte Vastgoed knew how to meet that challenge and developed "Eyckendael," a beautifully designed complex of fifteen apartments. "We made the right choice with J.G. Timmer as our contractor," the property developer says with satisfaction. Eyckendael is the starting point of a collaboration that tastes like more.

Monumental, that is the term that fits Eyckendael. The facade subtly reveals that the brand-new complex contains fifteen luxurious and energy-efficient homes ranging from 65 to 110 square meters. But the building shows that the appearance and atmosphere of Driebergen was taken into account during design and construction. A survey of village residents revealed a preference for a historic architectural style.

Monumental appearance

"In the design, that was the starting point," says property developer Daan Verweij of De Bunte Vastgoed, the developer that builds homes in a wide area around places of employment in Ede and Breda. "The chosen style fits the Stichtse Lustwarande, the collective name for the nature-rich country estates where wealthy Amsterdam celebrated vacations in the Golden Age. For the monumental look, we quickly knew we had to be with Bouwbedrijf J.G. Timmer."

Broad lattice work

"And of course we are happy about that," responds Gijsbert van Rijswijk, salesman for Bouwbedrijf J.G.Timmer in Kesteren. Eyckendael landed on his plate. "We are a construction company for broad craftsmanship and always build together. We work with the client from A to Z, from private individuals to entrepreneurs to project developers. The beauty of Eyckendael is that the building really speaks. We are a versatile contractor and have already built many monumental villas. We were able to make maximum use of that knowledge in this project."

Demolition of town hall

The tender also included the demolition of the old town hall, which became redundant after a municipal redivision. To the regret of no one at all, by the way, because the outdated building was an eyesore throughout Driebergen. Van Rijswijk: "Sustainable demolition also falls within the scope of our wide-ranging expertise, although the pre-stressed floors made it quite a challenging job. That also had to do with the adjacent fire station, which had to be preserved."

Efficient construction process

After a prosperous demolition, the construction of Eyckendael also went smoothly. "It was an efficient construction process in which we recognized our own way of working," says Daan Verweij of De Bunte Vastgoed. "Tidy and with the right people in the right place, plus a constant eye for quality and good advice. There was a piece of calm in the planning, and where J.G Timmer deviated from the plans it went very constructively in good consultation. So it was very pleasant working together. And like us, they like to take on projects completely, so from start to finish."

Short lines

Construction company J.G Timmer maintained contacts with the Utrechtse Heuvelrug municipality regarding work outside the property boundaries. "We also provided buyer guidance," adds van Rijswijk. That personal approach characterizes the Kesteren-based contractor, where years of experience in residential and commercial construction are there for the taking. "We keep the lines of communication short and like to be involved all the way to the finish line." On behalf of De Bunte, Daan Verweij can appreciate that, "We like to work with smaller contractors or family businesses."

In October, Eyckendael was completed and Driebergen was one urban planning challenge poorer and a monumental splendor richer. Satisfaction is on all sides. "We have found each other," it sounds at Bouwbedrijf J.G. Timmer in Kesteren and at De Bunte in Ede. The plans for the next project are already in place.   

Five-star rating

Construction company J.G. Timmer realized a fine example of sustainable construction in September 2019 in the form of a new hall for mushroom grower Champi'mer in the Betuwe. In record time, a 5-star BREEAM factory hall stood there. The new building was needed after a fire destroyed the existing hall in late 2018.

"That 5-star BREEAM certification involves a lot of work," says Henk Roodbeen, owner of Champi'mer. "It was fantastic to see how energetically J.G. Timmer took on that job. It shows their broad experience, also with the latest techniques around sustainability."