Thirty-four years ago, Andrew Triffitt took a leave of absence from his life in London, England to visit Shelter Island. He fell in love with the place and never looked — or went — back. Recalling a penchant for DIY/handyman work passed on to him by his father, a banker, Triffitt started working in construction around the island, at first with friends, then small companies. In time, he formed Delamere Building Corp., with three partners, one of them a childhood friend from the U.K. Now, some 25 years and 20 employees later, the Bridgehampton-based Delamere has become a custom builder of high-end homes in the East End, working, Triffitt says, mostly east of the Shinnecock Canal but also as far as Amagansett.
Southforker: Your projects all look pretty sizeable — what is driving that demand?
Andrew Triffitt: Typical residences range from 3,000 to 10,000 square feet; people are wanting to maximize their investment, quality and the Hamptons is all about high-end finishes. I think there’s a movement to more manageable properties, as homeowners are using them year round more than they used to, with the ability to work from home.
SF: Any trends you’ve noticed?
AT: Doubles in the home space. We’ve recently bid on two projects that have multiple offices, or his and hers [primary] bathrooms and closets. We put a gym in almost every home now and doing a lot of spa features like cold plunge tubs. We’re seeing more homes with wine cellars and outdoor amenities like tennis courts. I don’t think people are planning for the next pandemic, but they do want things you can do to occupy yourself on your own property.
SF: What sets you apart from other home builders?
AT: We’re all about quality, but custom services is a priority for us. We have a project management team and site supervisors, but my partner Lem [Menelaws] and I are personally involved in every project from beginning to end as the liaison for clients. We limit what we take on — only five or six going at once, so we can ensure quality and quality of life. We’re happy where we are in the marketplace and we don’t want to expand too much more.
SF: What’s challenging about the Hamptons market? And what’s rewarding?
AT: We get to work with some really talented design teams — landscape, [interior] designers and architects and we work with some wonderful materials. The local traffic is a challenge and we’re aware that tariffs could affect some of our materials from Europe and Canada, but we try to source materials elsewhere and in the local market.
SF: Where are you and what are you doing in your spare time?
AT: The East End is a wonderful place and I have loved every minute of raising my kids out here — it’s not just a summer place. Our two children are in college now, so we are empty nesters. But anything on the water — that’s my happy place.
