Since its formation in 2020, Harrys & Co has built a reputation for thoughtful, high-quality residential developments shaped by a close-knit team and an unwavering commitment to doing things the right way. This philosophy has not only enabled the Cumbria-based housebuilder to thrive commercially but also saw it recently secure a regional LABC Award 2025 for its Braffin Heights scheme.
For Director, Chris Robinson, the LABC accolade reinforces what he has always known – that Harrys & Co produces homes of an extremely high standard. “We know we build great houses, as that is our objective on every development. We would never want to find ourselves in a position where we’re building something we’re not proud of. It’s all about having the right team of people to develop houses that ensure customer satisfaction every time. Experience is critical to delivering quality builds and Harrys & Co is privileged to have Co-Director and site manager, Stuart Airey, onboard. The knowledge he has gained from building locally for over 35 years has been invaluable.
“Of course, winning the LABC Award is fantastic, as it demonstrates to everyone within the business that we’re on the right track. It’s almost like a product endorsement. However, it is more important to us that our properties sell and that the customer is happy with the final product.”
Harrys & Co’s emphasis on traditional values stems from the ethos of Chris and the four other directors, which includes three members of the Edwards-Lihocka family, all of which bring their own unique range of experience and expertise to the business.
Operating with a deliberately lean structure, Harrys & Co relies on a trusted group of long-standing subcontractors with which it has built strong relationships over many years. This model ensures tight control over quality, health and safety, and day-to-day coordination, something the team sees as critical in an industry where speed too often trumps standards.
In a sector that can be overly schedule sensitive, Chris outlines that Harrys & Co’s approach is unapologetically steady. The company only builds a relatively small number of homes each year, insisting that craftsmanship always takes priority over timelines. “In the building industry now, I see nearly every major developer putting their staff under so much pressure to finish to a deadline — and what always slips is quality. This is what we always strive to avoid. It’s very similar to the ‘slow food’ concept that is so popular in Italy. Creating houses of a high standard is the aim, regardless of how long it takes.”
That ethos is clearly reflected in Braffin Heights, the award-winning development of four homes located in a village nestled within the Lake District National Park. With the site sitting in a prominent position, the design needed to feel entirely at home within the landscape. Working closely with its long-term architect, Harrys & Co set out to create a development that echoed the character of traditional farmstead clusters so common across the area. The result was a group of new-build homes that appear settled and sympathetic, despite the challenges of achieving such authenticity with modern construction methods. “When you look at the properties from afar, for new-build houses they already look really settled in the landscape,” says Chris. “That’s an achievement we’re really proud of.”
Despite the award-winning success of the project, reaching that point was far from straightforward, with planning permission taking almost two years to obtain. In terms of other challenges generally, market conditions have also been testing, with limited land availability and a slowdown in housing sales across much of the past year. Nonetheless, Chris has seen clear signs of improvement and remains optimistic about future prospects within the National Park, where demand tends to remain resilient.
Looking ahead, Harrys & Co is preparing for another period of considered growth. Opportunities include exploring more contemporary design styles, such as a modern barn concept, and developing new relationships with landowners to unlock future sites. Sustainability is also an increasing focus for the Chris personally, particularly as his previous career included many years with the Environment Agency, including that as Programme Manager for Nuclear New Build.
For the longer term, his fellow directors hope to play their part in delivering more affordable housing when viability allows — a goal driven by a desire to make meaningful contributions to the community as the business matures. For now, however, Harrys & Co remains firmly centred on the principles that have guided it from the outset: integrity, craftsmanship, and delivering homes that the team is genuinely proud of. This is sure to see continued success, both commercially and in the shape of further award recognition.