45
PRO INSTALLER OCTOBER 2014
PRO BUSINESS
@proinstaller1
Good news for installers as
government figures show
upturn for building momentum
Building momentum in the housing sector is undoubtedly good
news for installers, but things could slow in the long term.
This is the view of the
Consumer Protection
Association Director
(CPA) Jeremy Brett. The
CPA is a leading installer support body and
was recently named by
Fensa as one of only
a handful of accredited companies able to
provide installers with
Insurance Backed Guarantees (IBGs), since
they became mandatory for glazing installations.
Jeremy said the membership base was upbeat
following the news that
private housing starts are
set to increase by 18% this
year to 134,170 units.
Government figures published recently also revealed
that help to buy sales had
hit a monthly high, with
4,357 sales made under the
equity loan scheme in June
2014 – the highest monthly total since the scheme
launched in April 2013.
But in conjunction with
leading housing analysts
and economists, Mr Brett
said that members were
well aware of how fragile
the market remains.
He comments: “We understand that over the next
two years the construction
industry as a whole is forecast to grow by 10 per cent,
with the private housing
sector experiencing strong
growth too. This means
increasing opportunities for
installers to win new business and we are equipping
our members with the tools
they need to meet expectations.
“However a slowing
of growth is anticipated
towards the end of the decade and installers should
be aware of the trajectory
of the economy. But in
the short term the private
sector is benefitting from
improving economic condi-
tions and sensible government measures.”
The CPA has been operating for 22 years and is
recognised as a body where
installers go to add value
to their sales presentations
and take advantage of new
business opportunities.
Members have access to
Insurance Backed Guarantees; marketing and
sales support and training;
finance options to fund
projects; quarterly reports
that assess their business;
and deposit protection
schemes.
The CPA also recently
launched a campaign to lob-
by government to remove
VAT on home improvement
products.
Fabricator
Opens Window
To The Future
One of the UK’s longest-standing VEKA fabricators has undergone
a dramatic rebranding,
better reflecting its focus on window projects
as opposed to general
building contracts.
The original company,
based on Borough Road in
Darwen, had traded for over
40 years and worked with
VEKA for almost 30. Now
named Darwen