Designer Contracts has established a reputation as the country’s leading supplier of floor coverings to the new-build sector
Designer Contracts, the UK’s largest supplier of floor coverings to the new-build sector, combines national buying power with regional service with one aim in mind – to help house-builders sell homes.
From supplying top brand floor coverings at exceptionally keen prices to providing simple yet immensely professional curtain, lighting and furniture packs, Designer Contracts has established a reputation as one of the most reliable players in the market.
Said MD Peter Kelsey: “Value and service are at the heart of everything we do. With twelve regional depots, each run by a dedicated local team, we can offer local ‘knowhow’ backed by the resources of a national company.
“Our central warehouse allows us to keep huge stocks, and with our automated cutting machine and in-house curtain workroom, we are ideally placed to meet the most demanding supply schedules.”
In a tough market with increasingly tight margins, the company’s national buying power means it is able to offer top brands – such as Amtico, Karndean, Cormar and Laura Ashley – at outstanding prices.
“We know that price is important, but reliability is equally vital to our customers,” said Peter. “With 20 years’ experience in the business and a team of over 150 people, we are totally focused on providing developers with our full support. We hold £2 million worth of stock at the central warehouse facility and operate our own distribution service so that we can meet even the tightest of turnarounds and don’t let anyone down.
“In addition to our 12 regions we have a dedicated show home design division further helping Designer Contracts to be the best one stop solution in the house-building sector.”
Such is its success and reputation, Designer Contracts has increased turnover by well over 40% the past two years and is now becoming a first point of contact for leading local, regional and national house-builders. Its rapidly expanding network of regional offices and warehousing includes the recently opened Thames Medway and Thames Valley regions.
Each office is run by a manager and support team who deal with every aspect of the business, from enquiry to immaculate customer care.
Said Peter: “We have a vast selection of products to suit every market: from the home building sector that requires luxury floor coverings such as Amtico, to social housing charities looking for a range of practical, hardwearing options.
“We offer a truly bespoke service. From first time buyer properties to luxury homes and penthouse apartments we work to meet a brief and exceed expectations.”
Focus on floor coverings
Designer Contracts prides itself on providing customers with the most up-to-date and stylish flooring options on the market.
Managing Director, Peter Kelsey says: “When it comes to dealing in our market you can never afford to be complacent.
“It’s essential to stay in touch with changing consumer trends in order to ensure that we, in turn provide our customers with the most relevant products.”
While beige, natural tone carpets remain prominent in the interior styling magazines, 2013 is the defining year for classic, timeless flooring finishes and Designer Contracts also offers an extensive selection of real wood and Amtico flooring options.
“There has been a shift away from cheap floor coverings as more customers want something that is going to avoid service issues but also looks incredibly stylish in their home,” continued Peter.
Designer Contracts offers a wide range of Karndean and Amtico products to cater to the demand for statement flooring, along with fashionable laminates from Quickstep, Pergo and Laura Ashley and carpets from leading manufacturers.
Said Peter: “The more adventurous vinyl and laminate designs are popular among homeowners in high traffic areas such as hallway. Luxury vinyl flooring is practical too and can be easily washed, so it’s a fantastic product for families with small children and a cost effective alternative to ceramic tiles.”
As the more open-plan living concept takes hold, developers require wider width floor coverings to suit. The company stocks huge quantities carpets in the wider five-metre widths to ensure customers avoid unsightly seams.
The company holds £2 million-worth of stock at the central warehouse to make sure customers receive their order fast and efficiently.
The finishing touches
It’s the finishing touches that matter – that’s why Designer Contracts has developed an extensive selection of furniture and lighting packs and has also expanded its successful curtain and blind ranges.
The company’s extensive portfolio of fabrics and accessories ensures windows can be individually dressed to suit every homebuyer’s requirement – whether it’s for a traditional roman blind or a modern eyelet curtain.
There are three ranges to choose from, including the ‘Essentials’ collection which has been designed with buy-to-let customers in mind; the ‘Select’ range, which offers a variety of fabric designs to cater for buyers who want to see plenty of choice, but good value; and the ‘Supreme’ portfolio, which features lavish fabrics and accessories tailored towards more discerning customers.
Said Peter Kelsey: “Customer service has always been our top priority. While expanding the curtain and blind packs we wanted to develop a simple selling system for sales negotiators, which is why the ranges are presented in a stylish folder which clearly displays fabric and accessory choices.”
The ‘off the peg’ furniture and lighting packs are an inexpensive solution to purchasers, particularly customers buying on a buy-to-let basis that might not have time to shop around and kit out a home. The packs offer customers traditional and modern styles, as well as bedding, picture and hardware products, available through all twelve Designer Contracts regions.
Continued Peter: “We constantly strive as a business to provide good quality products at sensible prices. The aim of the game is to deliver a ready-made home, which is ready to move into.”
Show home division delivers rapid return on investments
The interior design team at Designer Contracts understands that a house builder’s most critical selling tool is the show home.
The company is gaining a solid reputation for providing an invaluable selling tool that meets the requirements of the most demanding of briefs.
The team works incredibly hard to meet the individual marketing needs of each builder’s specific development and location profile, creating show homes that not only showcase a brand new housing development, but also attract the exact target audience through precise planning and implementation of interior design.
John Oakley, head of show home design at Designer Contracts explains: “Show home design is about creating a vision, which is specifically tailored to suit a buyer’s expectations and aspirations.
“Meeting the brief of our clients is absolutely critical and we totally understand how important it is for potential buyers to walk through the front door of a show home and feel instantly at home.
“A well designed and thought out show home will sell a house extremely quickly and a good interior design team will do that on time and crucially on budget.”
Recently Designer Contracts created the interiors for three properties on a development just outside Portsmouth for house builder, Barratt Homes. The result was one of the client’s fastest selling developments in the country.
“We focus on the fine detail of a client’s brief to ensure we are hitting the nail on the head every time,” said John.
For more information, visit www.designercontracts.com
