After what has been an exceptionally difficult year, an opportunity to celebrate high-quality craftsmanship, exceptional customer service and building excellence at the 2021 Master Builder Awards offers a beacon of light amongst the ongoing challenges that our business community faces.
Builders, and those who supply to them, have demonstrated extraordinary agility and resilience in the face of exceptional circumstances. The Government’s emphasis on the ‘build, build, build’ agenda, and the construction industry’s role in supporting economic recovery is testament to that.
The coronavirus has drawn attention to the importance of our homes, and how they support our health, productivity, and educational attainment. The recent surge in demand home repair, renovations and improvements comes as no surprise.
I am aware of a growing sense of urgency in the need to reduce the carbon impact of our housing by improving water efficiency. I know that building back greener will be high on both the Government and industry’s agenda in the months and years ahead.
The FMB is supporting consumers to upgrade and improve their bathrooms by providing an ultimate guide to a bathroom renovation on our relaunched website. I hope this guide will inspire and educate any homeowner looking to bring that extra sparkle to their daily routine, a true act of self-care in an era of health and wellbeing.
The 2019 Master Builder Awards showcased just how bathrooms can achieve the ultimate combination of beauty and high functionality. The overall winner – Apli Construction Ltd – designed a beautiful, bespoke bathroom to suit a modest budget for their client’s flat in Oxford. The design brief was to provide a shower and bath, as well as to incorporate elements of natural wood.
Apli Construction Ltd sourced the wood via a local reclamation charity and converted it into a unique countertop. Additional storage space was installed via shelving integrated into the tiled wall, avoiding any infringement on the use of the bathroom utilities.
FMB members are often required to upgrade homes while the household continues to live in the property, and in Apli Construction Ltd’s case it was no different. Disruption and discomfort were minimised through the use of WhatsApp to communicate, helping to foster a great builder-client relationship.
In my opinion, communication is the key to any successful venture, whether it is business to client, or business to business.
Entries are now open until 15 January and unlike most award schemes, the Master Builder Awards are free to enter, but you must be a Master Builder to be eligible. If you are not a member, you can start your application to join today. I look forward to celebrating 2021’s crop of excellent bathroom projects!
Footnote: The overall Master Builder of the Year award winner will drive away in a brand new, yet-to-be-released model of an Isuzu pick-up truck worth more than £36,000, thanks to headline sponsor Isuzu UK!
This guest blog was written by Brian Berry, Chief Executive, BMF