Dunstable · Bedfordshire
Property maintenance in Dunstableby your Dunstable-based tradesman.
Fencing, roofing, brickwork and repairs for Dunstable homeowners, carried out by Francis himself. Send a photo today and get a free, straight-talking quote.
Local to Dunstable
Looking after Dunstable homes
Crown Property Services is based on Sandringham Drive in Dunstable. This is where the business is based, so Dunstable jobs are right on the doorstep. When you book work here, you deal directly with Francis from the first quote to the finished job.
Dunstable sits on the edge of the Chiltern Hills, high on the chalk downs below Dunstable Downs. That height means gardens and roofs here take more than their share of wind and weather, and fences and ridge tiles feel it first after a stormy night.
Being local makes the practical side easy too. Site visits for quotes are straightforward to arrange, materials can be collected nearby, and you are not paying for someone to travel in from the other side of the county.
Property types Francis works on in Dunstable
Post-war and 1960s–70s estates
Much of Dunstable's housing was built in the decades after the war as the town grew. These semi-detached and terraced homes are now old enough that original fascias, gutters, fencing and pointing are reaching the end of their life.
Victorian and Edwardian terraces
Closer to the town centre you find older brick terraces with chimneys, bay windows and narrow rear gardens. Chimney pointing, ridge tiles and boundary walls are common jobs on these properties.
Newer developments
More recent estates on the edges of town have smaller gardens with panel fencing that often was not built to last. Replacing builder-grade fencing is one of the most common requests from newer homes.
Common jobs in Dunstable
- Storm-damaged fence panels and leaning posts
- Slipped tiles and loose ridges on exposed roofs
- Overflowing or sagging gutters
- Garden clear-outs and patios
- Worn pointing on older brickwork
- Green, slippery patios and drives
Services in Dunstable
Everything your Dunstable property needs
Fencing in Dunstable
New fence panels, posts, gravel boards and gates, plus storm repairs.
Fencing details →
Roof Repairs in Dunstable
Slipped or broken tiles, leaks and ridge work, with guaranteed workmanship.
Roof Repairs details →
Guttering & uPVC in Dunstable
Gutter repairs, clearing and replacement, plus fascias and soffits.
Guttering & uPVC details →
Landscaping in Dunstable
Garden clear-outs, patios, borders and tidy, low-maintenance outdoor spaces.
Landscaping details →
Brickwork in Dunstable
Garden walls, small builds and brick repairs, finished to match.
Brickwork details →
Repointing in Dunstable
Raking out and repointing tired mortar to protect your walls from the weather.
Repointing details →
Exterior Cleaning in Dunstable
Driveways, patios, paths and walls, cleaned back to their best.
Exterior Cleaning details →
Handyman Services in Dunstable
The small jobs you keep putting off, done properly in one visit.
Handyman Services details →Property Repairs in Dunstable
General repairs inside and out to keep your home in good order.
Property Repairs details →Why choose Crown
Why Dunstable homeowners call Francis
Owner-operated
Francis quotes and carries out every Dunstable job himself.
Local coverage
Francis is based on Sandringham Drive in Dunstable, so this is his home patch.
£100k insured
Public liability insurance on every job.
Licensed waste carrier
Environment Agency licence CBDU430346.
Guaranteed work
Roofing, fencing and brickwork workmanship guaranteed.
Francis spent years renovating and maintaining his own properties and helping family and friends with theirs before turning those skills into Crown Property Services. Customers across Dunstable, Houghton Regis and Toddington and the wider Bedfordshire area deal with him directly from the first message to the finished job.
Local issues
Common property problems in Dunstable
Exposure to wind on high ground
Dunstable's position on the Chilterns means gardens are more exposed than in many lower-lying towns. Panel fencing on short or shallow posts is particularly vulnerable.
Chalky ground
Chalk and flint in the soil make digging post holes and footings harder work. Posts and footings need to be set properly, not skimped because the digging is tough.
Ageing post-war housing
Homes built in the 1950s to 1970s often still have original roofline timber, gutters and pointing, which are now well past their best.
Frost on exposed brickwork
Cold winters on high ground mean wet brickwork freezes more often, which speeds up spalling bricks and crumbling mortar.
Local know-how
Looking after a home in Dunstable
Before winter on the Downs
Dunstable's height on the edge of the Chilterns means autumn gales arrive early and hit hard. Late September and October are the right time to check fence posts for movement, look along the ridge line of your roof from the street, and clear gutters before the leaves come down. A loose panel fixed in October is a far smaller job than a run of fencing flattened in a January storm.
Chalk, flint and garden work
Gardens across Dunstable often sit on chalk with plenty of flint mixed in. It drains well, which is good news for patios and paths, but it makes digging hard work. Post holes and footings dug in chalk need to be taken to a proper depth even when the ground fights back, otherwise fences and walls loosen within a few seasons.
Keeping post-war homes sound
Many Dunstable homes were built from the 1950s to the 1970s. Seventy years on, original timber fascias, cast gutters and the mortar in exposed gable walls are reaching the end of their life at roughly the same time. Planning these jobs together, rather than waiting for each to fail, usually saves money and repeat disruption.
Front of house in the town centre
Older terraces near the town centre often front straight onto the pavement, so pointing, sills and front walls are on show every day. Small repairs here make a visible difference to how a home looks to visitors and buyers.
Crown Property Services works across Dunstable and the neighbouring towns of Houghton Regis, Toddington, Leighton Buzzard, Harpenden, as part of wider coverage across Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire from its base in Dunstable. Wherever you are in Dunstable, the same person quotes the job, does the work and stands behind it.
When you book property maintenance with Crown Property Services, you are not booking a company with an office, a sales team and a rota of subcontractors. You are booking Francis McDonagh. He is the person who answers the phone, looks at your photos, gives you the price and turns up to do the work. If you have a question halfway through the job, the person who knows the answer is standing in your garden.
Francis spent many years as an HGV driver before setting up the business. Throughout that time he was renovating and maintaining his own properties and helping family and friends with their repairs. That practical, hands-on experience is what Crown Property Services is built on: real work on real homes, not theory.
Every job is covered by £100,000 public liability insurance. Francis is a registered waste carrier with the Environment Agency (licence CBDU430346), which means old materials and waste from your job are removed and disposed of legally; you will not find them dumped down a country lane with your address on them. Workmanship on roofing, fencing and brickwork is guaranteed.
Quotes are free and can be given from photos or a site visit. Francis works Monday to Saturday, 08:30 to 18:30, across Dunstable, Houghton Regis, Leighton Buzzard, Toddington, Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted, St Albans, Harpenden and Redbourn. Payment is by bank transfer (BACS) or cash; card payments are not accepted.
How it works
How a job in Dunstable works
- 1
Photos or site visit
Send photos of the job or ask Francis to come and look. He checks the problem, access and what is causing it.
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Clear diagnosis
You are told plainly what is wrong, what needs doing and what does not.
- 3
Free, clear quote
A straightforward price before any work starts. No obligation.
- 4
Francis does the work
The same person who quoted the job carries it out, using materials suited to your property.
- 5
Tidy finish
Waste is removed under a registered waste carrier licence and you check the work with Francis. Roofing, fencing and brickwork are guaranteed.
Questions answered
Dunstable FAQs
Do you serve Dunstable?
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Yes. Francis is based on Sandringham Drive in Dunstable, so this is his home patch. Crown Property Services covers Dunstable along with Dunstable, Houghton Regis, Leighton Buzzard, Toddington, Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted, St Albans, Harpenden and Redbourn.
How fast can you reach Dunstable?
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Francis is based on Sandringham Drive in Dunstable, so this is his home patch. Francis works Monday to Saturday, 08:30 to 18:30. Get in touch and he will let you know his next available slot for a quote or the job itself.
How much does work cost in Dunstable?
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Every job is priced on what it needs, so there is no fixed price list. Send photos of the job and Francis will give you a free, clear quote. Quotes can also be given from a site visit in Dunstable.
Do you offer emergency repairs in Dunstable?
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If you have storm damage or a leak, contact Francis with photos as soon as possible and he will tell you his earliest availability. Standard working hours are Monday to Saturday, 08:30 to 18:30.
Do you cover all of Dunstable?
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Yes. Francis is based in Dunstable and covers the whole town and the surrounding villages.
Can you do a site visit in Dunstable?
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Yes. As Dunstable is Francis's home base, site visits are easy to arrange. Many jobs can also be quoted from photos.
Are you insured?
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Yes. Francis holds £100,000 public liability insurance.
Do you guarantee your work?
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Workmanship on all roofing, fencing and brickwork projects is guaranteed.
Do you take waste away?
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Yes. Francis is a registered waste carrier with the Environment Agency (licence CBDU430346).
How do I pay?
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By bank transfer (BACS) or cash. Card payments are not accepted.
Got a job in Dunstable?Get it quoted today.
Send a photo for a free, no-obligation quote. Insured with £100,000 public liability cover, and you deal with Francis from start to finish.