Support your small businesses

February 2023

As 2023 brings us more freedom to get back to life as we once knew it, it comes with fresh challenges. The rise of inflation across almost every aspect of our work, from timber to fuel, has been noticeable, and affects us small businesses as we compete with larger nationwide companies.

As a local company we enjoy going the extra mile for our clients, building meaningful and personal relationships over years, and making excellence at the core of everything we do. In order to continue working to the high standard we've built a reputation for, and spending all the time required on every project, we're having to pass on these costs to our clients as fairly as possible.

As materials flux month to month it's become difficult to predict what the costs are likely to be in the short term ahead and we're charged with reluctantly revising quotes as projects come close to getting started. This has been received with great understanding from our customers, of which we are tremendously grateful, and will safeguard our future success and allow us to continue doing the meticulous work that we love doing.

While I'm here I thought I'd take the opportunity to champion the real benefits of shopping local and using your local companies such as ours.

Support your local economy

'Every £1 spent is a vote for how we want to live'. Did you know every £1 spent in a local business keeps roughly 63p in the local economy - thats around a third more that spending your money with a nationwide chain. When you shop local you're choosing to support your local economy, to keep it alive and thriving, you're voting to keep your high street open, along with all those brilliant retailers and services full of people who are passionate about what they do, who care about providing the best service they can. These businesses give back to the areas in which they belong economically and in ways that enrich our towns and cities. We use other local businesses as our suppliers daily, and local businesses use us to carry out work, everyone wins.

Create more local jobs

Local business employs local people, and many are responsible businesses that know how to look after their staff. Companies such as ours take on new starters who show potential, sometimes with little experience, and invest huge amounts of time in training in our particular craft, developing them to become experts in their field. Alongside this we know our team is at the heart of everything we do, as such we endeavour to support and develop them. A people-first happy team makes for the best work, and therefore the best service.

Reduce your environmental impact

Shopping local means less shipping, less deliveries, less emissions. No great big lorries necessary.

Better value for money

A local business will always go that bit further for their clients. I'll be frank, people often ask us if we could take care of something extra, from moving furniture to changing our working times to suit a families needs, or simply painting 'that bit up there'. Local business is often focused on people over profit and hand-in-hand comes a level of service you don't find with national companies, all from people who actually know your name. I've been asked to give clients a lift several times over the years ('of course!') and more recently visited a client in hospital knowing she was worried about having her window completed in her absence. It comes naturally because people like us care about our people.

These are but a few reasons why we should support, love, and cherish our local businesses, particularly during these times of rising inflation. There are tonnes more, perhaps I'll delve into these deeper in another post. In short, shopping local benefits everyone, we must keep these businesses alive and thriving. It boosts the local economy, is good for local people and offers real service and value for money. Every £1 spent...

With love, Shane

A huge thank you

April 2022

People really love their local businesses, but we knew that anyway. Just look at Leamington's booming independent coffees shops and restaurants. Whenever we visit a new customer they will almost always rather use a local business over another national soulless franchise. And for good reason; not only are you supporting the local economy, you're supporting the families behind the businesses. You're helping us create local employment and train local people in a unique set of skills. You're instructing a team of people who live and breath the areas we treasure, who in turn take great pride in their work. Not to mentioned celebrating the culture and personality of a small team. And as everyone who works in the construction industry knows, you'll get an awful lot more out of a good local tradesman, over a large scale contractor.

With all of the above already known, we've been absolutely staggered by the unwavering support of every single customer past, present and future during the lockdown period. Your kindness and support has been nothing short of touching. As a team we really relish being ourselves and personal with our customers, which only compounds our sense of gratitude for the firm backing and sense of pragmatism we've received, allowing us to continue our work, albeit at a slower and safer pace.

For all those who've been put on hold and patiently waiting - we'll be in touch very soon. For all those who've kindly worked around us, offered help (in so many ways) and kept us going, we're truly grateful.

Thank you

How we’re working

June 2021

We’re still working through this period with a much-reduced team, meaning we’re getting through projects slower than we’re used to. If you have a project upcoming, your dates will have changed. We’ll be contacting customers one by one to advise of our progress – if you have any queries please contact us anytime 01926 830035.

The continued support of our lovely customers is not lost on us, thank you. It means the world to this small team.

We take the coronavirus pandemic very seriously, so we’re taking extra steps during this time to protect both our team and customers:

• Our teams have hand sanitisers, which are used frequently, and we are regularly washing hands
• Team members have face masks for those who wish to wear them
• Sadly, we’ll not be making physical contact of any kind between ourselves or customers (no hand shaking or hugs, for now)
• If we use a bathroom, work surface, or indeed any surface, we are using antibacterial wipes to sanitise the area
• Our team are working alone wherever possible and are heavily distanced where space allows 2 team members
• Team members now travel to and from work separately
• Where we’re working on a window, we’re asking customers not to come in that room during the day
• We’re working completely independently, no sharing tasks
• Team members have been advised not to interact with the public, if you have an enquiry please get in touch 01926 830035
• Only one person will be collecting required tools at a time
• We can no longer accept food or drinks from customers
• Breaks will be taken separately

We’ll be posting regular updates during this period, do check back here for the latest info.

Stay safe