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Discover more at festal dot co dot UK. This is the Carpentry Show
with Festal on fixed Radio and I'm your host, Robin Clevitt. On today's
show, I'll be joined by a top builder and a good friend of mine,
Jack our letter. Jack has a huge limited construction company in the domestic
market and designs and builds some amazing properties. I've asked Jack to join us
to give us some advice on how we as carpenters can work better with general
builders. So in the last week I've been trying out a new material and
material that I could not wait to get my hands on because it's to replace
birch ply, which is as you know as carpenters, has become a real
problem since the issues in Ukraine. The supply of this material has dwindled down,
the prices have risen, so there's been a big gap in the market
for something which we can find which will be as good as hopefully as birch
Ply. Now we use birch ply for everything, especially furniture makers. It's
a very stable, reliable material. So I did some research and found a
product which has a strange name. It's called street Tech, and on the
face of it it looks very much like birch ply. It's got very good
plies all the way through it, hardly any core voids. That means when
you cut through you get those gaps in the layers of ply. And I'm
making a slatted wall which turns into a slatted screen which lets light through but
also disguises a room, so there's a hidden door. And it's been a
very interesting thing to get my head round because when I'm using products like MDF
for example, stuff like that, you know, I have my techniques the
ways of cutting things. But when you're talking about plies, you know you've
got to make sure you've got the right blades. You don't want anything on
the bottom of the salt to scratch it because it's going to be the finished
item. But anyway, that's been going pretty well. So it's been full
on carpentry and joinery, doing all kinds of other bits and pieces. There's
been lots of jobs to price all the normal sort of stuff we get bogged
down with fixed radio time to crack on. I'm Robin Clevertt and joining me
on the Carpentry Show. Now is Jack our letter a builder with a large
limited company in the domestic market. Jack, tell us how long you've been
in the building trade now, and give us a scale of how big your
firm is. Oh wow, I've got to be in the building trade for
about thirty five years now. I mean we run it's very kind of a
large building company. We run a small to medium construction company in a very
small umbrella of Mole Valley, and I've got certain ten employees. And you
know, over the years of thirty five years, it's grown for me being
in a van with a laborer to having ten guys who offices, a commercial
premises where we store and create things excavators, dumpers, a fleet of vehicle,
fleet of ten vehicles and so on. Really, so, yes,
yes, it's been an exciting time. It's been a good song and I'm
still enjoying it. Yeah. Well, as I say, I've got to
know you over the last few years personally, but prior to that, because
as you say, moul Valley, it's Minecker the words as well. I
see all of your amazing vehicles. It's always beautifully presented. And even before,
even before I knew you, I thought, this guy is definitely going
about things in the right kind of way, and he's stuck his neck out.
He's trying to get above the sort of normal kind of standard that you
see of not dissing any small building firms, don't get me wrong, but
m and then I've obviously met, we became neighbors, and we met,
and I think that I was absolutely blown away that not only just the appearance
of the firm, but the work that you do is phenomenal as well,
and the standards and all of the types of jobs there, huge complicated jobs
that you seem to turn around in a fairly quick time. So one of
the reasons I've asked you on the show today is because carpenters work with builders,
Okay, as do other trades people, and there can sometimes be a
disconnect between the two. I mean, so you've hired every kind of trade.
So what's your experience, what's your experience in hiring carpenters. I've got
I've got four carpenters that work for me full time, two of them being
apprentices. And without my chippies, you know, we wouldn't have a building
company. I mean that, you know chippies are They have this ability to
come on site, create things, get me to an area where I need
to be, and then get to the finishes. You know, you can't
complete you can't complete the trouble at a chippy. Of course, you need
the other trades like the decorators and nutrition, and they're just as important.
But you know what, people like to see chippies on site. People like
to see chippies creating things, making things, making covers, hanging doors,
putting skirting boards on kitchens, elements in ooms and stuff like that. So
chippies have got to, you know, an important role we've been within my
business. Yeah, that's why, that's why I've got form. Yeah,
it's the third of my business. It's carpentry's carpenters. Yeah, good,
bring bring it on, bring it on. And so so if you if
you were forgot, you've got your builder hot and you've got your employers hot
on now and you had to sort of give some carpenters advice what they need
to understand about how builders operate Okay, So let's say take to take the
example that a carpenter's done his time, he's now going out to look for
work, and he's decided to go and work for a builder. Is there
anything he'd need to sort of think about? I think, I think with
anyone who's going to come along and work for builder, and if I with
my employees, the first thing I said, I love my guys having their
core skill, I e. Carpentry, m but I always always always tell
them that they've got to look at the other elements of the phase. That
so I it's funny all my employment contracts with my guys, they're all over
time, they're all they're all detailed as one one description only and that's the
general builder. They've got to be able to understand all the phases. That's
just not only laying bricks and understandable foundations, bit about electrics, bit about
plumbing, bit about heating systems, bit about av a bit about guard design.
But you know, all those sorts of all those sorted outside skills out
of what they understand. Its car. You know, a car is really
important for us as a business, really important. Yeah, And I honestly
think as part of a contract. What are great thing to put in there?
Because I always say this is people who regularly listen to the show.
I often say the carpenters are first on and last off because we set out
even setting stuff out for as you say, for the other trades, putting
the grounds in, getting all the sort of stud work set out, so
the sockets are going the right places, the TVs can hang on the wall.
You need to know so many other things. Next, let's talk about
the availability of builders here in the UK the Carpentry Show on fixed radio.
You're listening to the Carpentry Show with Festival. I'm Robin Clevitt talking to Jack
our letter, a builder with a sizeable company dealing in the domestic markets.
Something that anyone who's doing that knows is not straightforward, okay Jack. When
it comes to working with all the different trades, how do carpenters compare with
others when it comes to sort of reliability and professionalism. I think the carpenters,
I mean, with their skill sets. The carpenters, I know,
always seems to be you know, it alway seems to be presentable, They
alway seem to have they away seems to have the right tools. Um Their
understanding of their skill sets is genuinely really good. Um So. And it's
and that's that's quite impressive for us as as a building company because it always
tells me that they can hold their own. They can always under it always
makes me understand that they've got a handle on this. Yeah. So I've
always been quite impressed, even with the even my apprentices. They've always always
you know, I think we've had me robbing me and you've had this conversation
and these times work I go to I'm fifty four years old now, and
it's I've seen a lot of the business and always and always always chuck when
when the when the younger member of teams and the carpenters come along and just
show me something they've just they've created. Yeah, and I'm always questioned of
how they've done that. Yeah, capers. Yeah, I mean, you
know, like I say, it goes back to it. It cuts that
you know, they hold their own within the building trade and with a big
building project, the certainly runs that the I run anyway. Yeah, and
so talking about trades and all the rest of it and finding them okay,
something we hear all the time from the public. Okay, So, especially
since the pandemic is where are all the builders? You see it in the
newspapers? Why can't I hire a builder to come and work for me?
I mean what so, so, I know we've we've waxed lyrical about this
as well, but what are your personal thoughts on that? From a customer's
perspective. Do you get customers saying to you, go, we we thought,
you know, we struggled to find anyone or not? Yeah, thing?
I mean builders, builders sometimes you know, sometimes always haven't got a
great name or a great reputation because there's a big differences between a very good
building and a very bad builder obviously. Um, and I'm not just talking
about quality of work to some of how they present themselves within the business,
and how they talk to clients, and how they come across with their with
their estimates and possible ending, you know, going through the fruition of creating
something is their snagging as well, which is just as important. I struggle
with. I struggle with, you know, my my biggest thing within my
business is finding general builders. Ignore the fact that I've created these my world
of general builders, but having something that comes to me that has a little
bit of knowledge of all the aspects of the building trade. Yeah, and
I've struggled with that and so with with within my little world, I just
I try to create my own. Um. I've worked alongside of the builders.
Some are really impressive. Some I've learned from, you know, I've
learnt from, and I've I've actually copied, which is always glad. Yeah,
but I've see I see a lot of builders that I know I'm more
than happy to keep a waste on as well. Yeah, yeah, after
I mean, I can count on I've said this to you before. I
can count on one hand how many builders or building firms that I've worked with
over the years that I would trust to build something for me. Obviously you're
in that list. But but really and truly, when I see other stuff
going on a thing, I wouldn't I wouldn't get them to do anything for
me. So what are the public and maybe even trades people need to understand
about the building trade now and how it's operating in twenty twenty three. I
do a lot of tasers. I do a lot of a lot of things
where I have to store market myself. Even after doing it all these years
and having what I've got as a business. I think the best thing for
builders is to make sure they're honest, to make sure they're presentable, make
sure that they you know that they can they can show people what they've done
before, which is really important. That gives customers the you know, the
sense that they're in safe handy. I'm slightly different from a lot of you
know builders in a sense that I have got a spine to my business where
there is something to fall fall onto if there is an issue. You know,
we do have issues, you know. You know some even we're not
you know, we we we have to correct something. The win. We
can't get right the first time, we get made sure and that that gives
a lot of my clients the the the nicest for the confidence that's the right
work where they can know that they can say, well, you're not going
to get right this time. I know Jad's going to sort it out or
or one of one of these foremaners are going to sort it out. And
that's that's why we win a lot of work. We are. I'm a
very I'm a very fortunate person, but it's taken me a lot of years
to get to the situation. I am now, um where customers as soon
as they call me that you know that I passed that point where they're looking
they're trying to look for you. Yeah, they've done the due diligence.
They hundred hundred percent, hundred percent um, you know. But that's taking
me years to get there. And it's my little formula has worked for me.
Whether it's going to work for another building, you know it could.
But I would say I think honesty is a big thing within our trade fixed
Radio. I'm Robin Clevitt talking to Jack our letter on the Carpentry Show.
Jack is a build up with a really lovely company, Okay, And I
know this personally, and this is one of the reasons why I wanted to
get him here to sort of share his knowledge and experience because it's it's so
invaluable to hear someone like Jack who's out there doing it in the domestic end
of the market. So I've, as I said, I've been keen to
talk to Jack because it's something in the sort of carpenters in the domestic market
can really learn from. Okay, So you've managed to build a really successful
company and you were talking about honesty in the previous segment. I mean,
so would you say that that's your secret or what is your secret? I
think honesty is passed my secret. I think being available to people as well
is another thing. I mean, you know, I I work like you,
Robin, I work almost twenty four seven, even at the level I
am now, I think the difference of me it's a passion for me.
I've always enjoyed the building trade. I've always enjoyed building stuff, and you
know, and even doing that, you know, doing the sales and the
marketing bit. Um, it's it's you've got to have that in yourself.
Yeah, it's no. For me, it's not just a job. It's
more of it's more of a way of life. And that's a big that's
a big statement to make, but it's, you know, that's how I
build my business. Is my little my little world. It's important things go
right for me. And when it goes wrong, we you know, we
of course we get upset and we get it sorted. Yeah. And and
I'd imagine there's a lot of listeners today who are nodding along saying it becomes
your world, because when it's when it's whether you're on your own or whether
you like you. You're responsible for ten employees, loads of subcontractors, clients,
the responsibility of the jobs, the safety of everybody on site. You
know, there's no there's no skirting around it. You can't do that part
time. You need to. If someone phones you on Assassin and says,
by the way, there's something dripping upstairs, it falls to us to get
and get in the car and go around and deal with it, you know
what I mean. And I know that you should be able to compartment your
personal life away from your work. But sometimes when it's your own business,
as you say, your baby, you just got to do it, haven't
you. Yeah, you know, you're like me. We use our actual
names. Yeah, that's absolutely. And when use and when you do that,
you've lent yourself to someone. People know, they know you're ready,
they know their name, they recognize how you spell it. I mean,
I've got an unusual name to spell anyway. And that's something you know,
and people feel and so you're you're part of their world already. It's you
know, it's a nice feeling, you know, when people recognize you or
they say, let you know, I've been recommended by somebody to use you.
And when those those important words to you. You you know you've,
you've you you know you've absolutely absolutely. So why did you stay sort of
mainly in the domestic market, I mean, what has focusing on the domestic
market market sort of nearly exclusively allowed you to achieve? Well, that's a
good question. I mean, I love, I love, I love working
with clients and making their homes. I love. I'm a I'm a D
and B A type builder. I'm a design and build type builder. I
love you. Of course, we we do a lot of tenders. We
worked a specifications, we worked too, sort of the architect specification and their
drawlings. But one thing we like to do, I mean it and it's
become a bit of a game. I suppose where we like to tweak things,
then I turn it around so we can give the customer a few more
options that we see through our eyes and um, and we're well known for
that. We're well known to take in a project, taking care of it
and making it a bit more bespoke, UM to what the s the customers.
I mean big in our world, in my world is that the customer
is key within our projects. We set up WhatsApp groups as soon as we
start projects, we have to meet. We have meetings. I give them
the contact details for my site supervisors or foremans as you want to call them,
so that it's that they got the almost part of my business once we
start the build, which I think's really important. Yeah, I think that
engaging the clients all the way through. I love working with engage people because
of the fact there's so many decisions to make. They will basically be the
success or the failure of part of a job. If they've not made the
decision on time. Someone's gone and board the concrete. Win we could have
changed something by three feet and you know what I mean. So I know
that you'd put a lot of effort into that. So talk about talk about
money in general. Okay, So the domestic market, as far as I
see it, for me personally, is much more reliable from a profit point
of view, because a, I'm working generally for the people who are going
to be paying the bills. I'm I'm not going to go and work for
a big local authority and then put my invoice in in sixty days, isn't
if I'm lucky to get it. So it is the domestic market the best
place for you to sort of maximize your profit potential. I've always concentrated in
the domestic markets and it's worked to me. You know, there there is
at my level, there is lots of jobs and lots of large projects that
we can work week. You know that we can tender for um and certainly
at the moment in our current climates, you can, you know, we
there is there is, there is money still there within our sector that still
makes us, that still makes us survive in a sense. Ye, yes,
I have done a few, I've done a couple of you know,
I've done a few commercial jobs which have been really successful. Um And it's
and but with commercial jobs, you don't get the same feeling as doing a
domestic job because it's it's very disconnected. A commercial jobs, there's no there's
no touchies. Really yeah, it's about delivering something, delivering a product.
But we've you know, with domestic jobs, you know, you work.
I think we've been those that their family, you know, what their families
wants and stuff like that. Yeah, it's enjoy it certainly is. And
I know for a fact that a bit like me, you know, when
I start working for someone, they become someone I know virtually for the rest
of my life, and I worked for going to work for their children and
in one case, their children's children. So there you go. Jack,
thanks so much for joining me on the show mate the Carpentry Show on Fixed
Radio. That's it for Today's Carpentry Show, where I talked to build a
Jack our letter about how we can work together on site, and he also
gave us some really useful insight into the building side of the construction industry,
mainly the domestic market. So I really enjoyed chatting to Jack. As I
declared, he is someone I've got to know personally. And before I got
to know him personally, I used to see him around, see his trucks
around, and he was although he's not a competitive it to me because I've
decided not to grow a business like that, but I did used to look
at his work and think, yeah, I'd be really happy with that,
you know. And I'm talking about some really quite nice extensions on some really
quite nice property where you've actually got to get every element right, the brickmatch,
the joinery, the roof tiling, and all of the other little details.
And what I found really useful from the conversation was the fact that I
know that Jack works a lot of hours, but because he lives and breathes
his clients experience, he also wants to sort of take their vision, or
an architects vision and maximize the potential of it, because quite often an architect,
as they draw, can't often see that the light coming into this room
means that if you did a bookcase in that corner, it's going to be
amazing. And I know that's exactly what he does. And I know a
lot of carpenters and join us out there also offer just naturally that kind of
advice because quite often you get a client says, we want a thing in
the corner, and if you've got that vision, and if you've got that
kind of foresight, you can actually turn something into something completely different without spending
a lot more money. So anyway, I really enjoyed chatting with Jack.
I hope you enjoyed that too. With regards to someone who has grown a
business in a very hard market, the domestic market is difficult. It does
take time to get established, and you've got to manage relationships in Jack's case,
many many Okay, so this and all of my previous shows are available
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