A WEST Devon, family run building company has scooped a top industry award.

Character Builders South West Ltd from Throwleigh has received a prestigious Master Builder of Year award for best small renovation project in the South West. 

The Federation of Master Builders is looking for the best builders in Britain and tests the entrant's technical ability together with their customer service skills. Every entrant has to be nominated by a satisfied customer. 

Character Builders, run by brothers Simeon, Matthew, Tom and Sam Diffey beat hundreds of other firms to claim the best small renovation prize and now go through to the national finals.

The national winners will be announced by celebrity property guru Phil Spencer at a luncheon on Friday, March 11 in London.

Sam Diffey said: 'It's great to have some recognition of our client service and the work we undertake. Winning the regional finals has been a real boost for the business, not just in terms of getting our name out there but in terms of team morale.'

Tom said: 'Character Builders South West is very much a local family run business so to be picking up an accolade of regional and national importance is fantastic.'

The brothers' work mainly consists of period property maintenance with a portfolio that includes work on barn conversions, restorations, timber framing, church restoration and general building maintenance.

They work with sustainable materials, ensuring any renovations fit into the surrounding countryside with as little environmental impact as possible and aim to support local businesses and suppliers.

Ron Willers, Federation of Master Builders South West regional director, said: 'The standard of entries in the South West this year is amongst the highest we have seen in the ten-year history of the awards and reflects the expertise, attention to detail and dedication of the nation's builders.'