Summary of Operation
Property repair specialists servicing the insurance and property industries and private property owners. As an All Trades Network franchise owner you will manage a complete building repair and maintenance service, providing one convenient and reliable point of contact for your clients.
INITIAL INVESTMENT REQUIRED FROM £20,000 + VAT
Before launching his Cardiff-based All Trades Network franchise in 2006, Graham Parks enjoyed a successful career as a Purchasing Manager at a heavy engineering company, but when his son, Rhys Hillman, approached him with an exciting business proposition, he just couldn’t refuse.
“I had wanted to change my lifestyle for a while,” explains Graham. “So when my son Rhys, who runs his own building and maintenance company, came to me with the idea of starting a business together, I thought it sounded like a brilliant idea. Trade had been really slow for Rhys, so joining a franchise seemed like the best way to get a more reliable flow of work.
“Through thorough internet research and word-of-mouth recommendations, we ended up whittling our list down to two or three different property repair and maintenance franchises. It was All Trades’ professional approach and industry experience that won us over.”
Since launching its franchise opportunity in 2005, All Trades has been successfully providing comprehensive property maintenance and repair services to the insurance industry, and has continued to develop its client portfolio within the insurance industry to include a number of highly prestigious clients.
The All Trades’ business model provides the ideal platform to provide a raft of property services to property specialists such as Facility Managers, Commercial Agents, including Landlords and Letting Agents, as well as private property Landlords and individual home owners throughout the UK.
Graham visited the All Trades head office to meet with the Company Directors and to find out more about the franchise package and what the business has to offer.
All Trades provides its customers with a range of repair and maintenance services including insurance re-instatement, property renovation or refresh, through to kitchen and bathroom installations.
To prepare for the launch of their All Trades franchise, Graham and Rhys attended a comprehensive one-week training course, which covered every aspect of the business, from pricing up repair quotes to the operation of All Trades bespoke operations system, ATOMS.
From its centralised head office, All Trades receives and handles customer calls and distributes services accordingly throughout the franchise network, leaving you to concentrate on managing your team and all important local business developments.
“The first few years of trading were fantastic,” says Graham. “Rhys and I had plenty of work coming in and All Trades was great at generating leads and keeping us busy. This year has been no different, the company continues to develop its national client base for the benefit of its franchise network. This not only provides us with a steady stream of leads but enables us to further concentrate on developing our business locally.”
All Trades can meet almost any property requirement with the help of the All Trades 24/7 emergency service centre, which handles calls 24 hours a day, every day in support of the franchise network. Since launching their All Trades franchise, Graham and Rhys have enjoyed all of the benefits that come with being part of a franchise network and working together.
“By being my own boss, I am able to arrange my own schedule and take time off when I need to – leaving Rhys to hold the fort.
“Moving forward, we are both more than satisfied with our initial business decision and had no hesitation is renewing our initial Franchise Agreement for a further five years. We believe that is a testament to the way we feel about our relationship with All Trades.
“Even after almost six years with All Trades, our personal development continues,” says Graham. “With the help and encouragement of the All Trades franchise support team, we are encouraged to take various industry courses to help expand our knowledge. I recently obtained a recognised qualification in validation, which is a great tool for helping me provide a top service.”
Written by Tiffany Brooking