MOVERS & SHAKERS JEREMY CURLING
In August 2021, Jeremy Curling, founder of Curling Contractors in Surrey, was feeling the pressure just like everyone else. Fast forward three years, and while Jeremy and his team are in a good place, there are still significant issues that he—and the industry as a whole—continue to grapple with.
“It was an extremely challenging time,” Jeremy explains, “but we got through the other side in one piece, and I feel business is back on an even keel.”
Running your own business, as Jeremy describes, is a privilege, but it comes with frustrations. “With external factors such as the war in Ukraine, inflation, interest rates, the general cost of living, and perhaps even Brexit, these challenges seem to hit harder than ever.”
Post-Covid Market Stability
Following the pandemic, rising costs for basic materials made job pricing difficult, especially with long lead times. However, the market has steadied in the last 18 months. “We were incredibly fortunate during Covid—we never lost a day of work. We followed the Covid protocols and continued working throughout, avoiding any rash business decisions. We came out unscathed.”
Despite the uncertainty many faced, Jeremy’s team is now reinvesting in equipment that had been postponed during the pandemic. “We timed those purchases well, especially with the worst of the interest rate hikes behind us.”
However, Jeremy is cautious about the national economic confidence. “We may be in a southeast bubble. Being 30 miles outside of London has certainly benefited us with a trickle-down effect from the City.”
Curling Contractors’ projects range from estate railings in London’s Royal Parks to stock fencing in rural West Sussex. “We’re fortunate to pick and choose our projects now, with prestigious clients offering repeat business.”
The Equestrian and Estate Market
The equestrian and estate market remains busy. Jeremy shares, “We’ve been building exercise tracks, polo arenas, and menages for over 25 years, and the demand has stayed strong. We’re about to start a 7,000 sqm polo arena and exercise track locally. We’ve also picked up more grant-aided fencing work than ever before.”
Despite the variety and steady flow of work, Jeremy highlights recruitment as a major challenge. “We have three fantastic staff alongside two directors—my wife and I—but growing that team is a nightmare. Staffing and workload management are the hardest parts of running this business.”
Recruitment and Workforce Challenges
Finding the right people who are hardworking and passionate about the job has become increasingly difficult. “Attitudes toward work have changed over the last 10-15 years, and this hasn’t benefited outdoor trades. Pay rates, hours, and conditions may play a part, but it’s holding back businesses, including ours.”
To address this, Curling Contractors has focused on training. “One of our team members now leads training and Health & Safety. He’s attending courses to run this alongside his day-to-day duties.”
Striking the right balance is crucial, according to Jeremy. “We want to be serious about Health & Safety, but without overwhelming demands.”
The Importance of CAS Accreditation
Three years ago, a client required Curling Contractors to obtain Common Assessment Standard (CAS) accreditation from Build UK. “After initial reluctance and a lot of frustration, we achieved CAS accreditation. It wasn’t easy, but it’s becoming something customers recognize. It shows we’ve reached a certain standard.”
Jeremy adds, “It also improves the tendering process, and we’re proud of achieving it.”
Increasing Rates and Attracting Talent
In terms of recruitment, Jeremy believes the industry needs to attract the best talent, and to do that, wages need to be raised. “We need to take a ‘brave pill’ and push labour and material rates to levels where businesses aren’t afraid to make good money. That will build a motivated workforce and give existing contractors a fair return.”
Jeremy laments the perception of the sector as a “poor cousin,” noting the excellent work many rural contractors produce. “Too often, we see ‘here today, gone tomorrow’ characters who slash margins and leave messes for others to clean up.”
Timber Treatment Issues
One ongoing frustration for Jeremy is timber treatment and failure in ground contact. He raised this issue at an AFI conference years ago. “I went on a bit of a rant in the Q&A session! But it’s something I feel very strongly about. There’s a lot to fix, but I applaud AFI for tackling this.”
While Jeremy remains positive about the future, he acknowledges that the challenges he faces are shared by many in the industry. His insights and suggested remedies may not only help Curling Contractors but also benefit the fencing industry as a whole.
