Running a building firm is a lonely business. Financial worries loom large. Deadlines weigh heavy. Delays can tip you over. Filling the order book isn’t easy. With responsibility often comes mental health deterioration. In UK construction, stress, anxiety, and depression account for one-fifth of work-related illnesses. We talk to builders on a daily basis and we hear their concerns.

But there’s light at the end of the tunnel.

Holding a load of information in your head is going to take its toll. On the next page we suggest ways of downloading your thinking into a digital format, delegating, finding ways of getting organised through simple, practical processes. Improving your work-life balance. Even a free business course. Using technology in a stress-free way.

The UK construction industry has had a difficult few years. Economic uncertainty is still with us. We’ve had hefty inflation rises. A pandemic. And Brexit. For many of the builders we talk to, there seems to be fewer building projects to go round. Before you know it, it’s survival of the fittest. So what do you do to generate profitable work?

That’s where we come in.

It’s time to reassess your business. And a lot of it has to do with mindset. On the next page we explore the kind of the work that generates decent profit. We look at methods and processes. Marketing. Presentation. Professionalism. Referral work. Ready to make a start?

At the end of 2022, close on 100,000 businesses in the construction sector were classed as being in significant financial distress. Money worries can quickly go from a problem to a crisis. Think of how much you spend on materials and labour to get the job done and how long you have to hold on for payment. You probably feel like you’re being squeezed from both ends. Materials, plant hire and labour prices are rising. Homeowners are being forensic about numbers.

It’s time for a fightback.

Over the next page we look at how to turn financial worries into a positive outcome. We look at it all. Planning. Estimating. Under-pricing. Profit margins. Overheads. And importantly, the courage of your convictions. Get the plan right and it can be life-changing.