is word-of-mouth, mostly. People have to like you, and recommend you. That’s why Trust A Trader’s so useful. And people have always recommended me, but then I’ve worked hard for my reputation. I’m never late, I always turn up when I say I will, and I’m always clear on how much things cost. I’ve spent the past 20 years trying to overcome the many stereotypes that people still have towards tradesmen.
If I’m honest, I sort of fell into this line of work. I’ve a law degree, and a postgraduate diploma in publishing, and I worked in marketing for a while. But when my son was born, I began to feel like I was leading someone else’s life, and wanted to do something else. I actually wanted to write a book, but I needed to earn money. There was a shortage of plumbers at the time. I know this because we were renovating our flat then, and found it really hard to find a plumber.
I like the job, and I like being someone’s hero. If you turn up to a house where they have a burst water main, or a flooded toilet, I come along, and fix it. People appreciate you. In this job, you get to go into all sorts of homes, and meet people from every sector of society. And if you do a good job, they call you back year after year. I’ve fixed toilets for people in their student flat, and then, years later, I’ve fitted a bathroom for them in their five bedroom family house.