MAINTAINING SPOTLIGHT MEMBER VOICES
P am Wilson and her husband Kevin have been running Kevin Wilson Master Builders in Scotland for 18 years. In fact, making it this far together is what Wilson regards as her biggest achievement. “We still like each other. We still love each other. We can still work together,” Wilson says. “It’s not always easy, because we’re very different and do different roles, but we and the business have grown together.” In nearly two decades, Wilson has overcome unique challenges: the financial crash of 2008 followed by the global shutdown in 2020 caused by the Covid pandemic. “During Covid, I could see everything that was going on but had no control,” she explains. “It was hard to pivot when there was no help or information coming quickly enough. It was very laborious, a long two years of trying to fight for your business. “The first six weeks were horrific. I was stuck and couldn’t see any way through it. Eight weeks in, I gave myself a shake. My kids were fantastic. My daughter, who was at university in England, came home to help and said, ‘I’ve got your back.’ That was a really nice feeling to think these kids are super strong.
after the other, resulting in the project moving very quickly. “The clients were especially happy with our efforts and we have entered the property into different award competitions, including the FMB’s Master Builder Awards.” Even with successful and enjoyable projects, running a construction business is not easy – as most members know. Challenges are inevitable and, currently, Richards cites the cost of materials as a major hurdle to overcome. “Something that would have cost a few hundred pounds a year or so ago, is now closer to a thousand pounds and ever rising,” he points out. “When submitting quotes to potential customers, it can be alarming to see how much the prices have risen when compared to similar quotes from previous years. “The construction industry is working with the tightest budgets at the moment without actually pricing themselves out of work.” It has been essential for Richards and his team to navigate these challenges as best they can. Building strong relationships with branch managers at key suppliers
“So I pulled myself together – and the FMB was a big help. We moved board meetings to Teams, and to see people’s faces on the screen, hearing their stories, reminded me we’re not alone. We’d not done anything wrong.” Collectively discussing solutions and funding support was a significant help, Wilson says, and it boosted her resilience to keep pushing forward.
Taking the lead With a decade and a half of
construction experience under his belt, Josh Richards was ready for change. So three years ago, he and his wife – juggling life with their two young children – took action and launched their own family business. Now the Director of Tecta Build Ltd in Horsham, Richards has much to be positive about. For a start, he and his team just completed a major renovation project in West Sussex. “We turned a 1960s-style house into a Scandinavian-style house, with a full wraparound garden in only 16 months,” Richards reveals. “We paid great attention to using our time efficiently and being extremely organised so we had all the subcontractors lined up one
Pam Wilson
Josh Richards
Ever wondered how fellow FMB members stay motivated when times are tough? Pam Wilson and Josh Richards share their stories
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Master Builder
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