Kbb review winner - Carl Terlecki

At the prestigious KBB Review Retail and Design Awards, held recently at Liverpool’s iconic Anglican Cathedral, a new award was launched for the Installation Company of the Year.

Rob Nicholls, Editor of The Installer Magazine, was delighted to have a chat with Carl Terlecki, Director of the inaugural winners, Maidstone based, Terlecki …

Many congratulations Carl, what does this prestigious award win means to you and how has your business risen to such prominence?

Thank you. The award is a great honour and it is a fantastic affirmation of the service we endeavour to offer. I don’t believe that prominence is a science, we are just trying our best like so many in the industry and to be honest and we feel humbled and blessed to be bestowed with this honour.

And what do you think makes the difference between your business and many other installation businesses?

I certainly don’t want to assume we have it all together as I believe there are many experienced, hardworking, honest installers in the UK. We have positioned ourselves as an installation company that is not a collection of individuals but a team and importantly, we follow the laws and regulations and we want every single customer to have a quality experience.

You are based in Kent, do you travel beyond that and if so, what is the reach of your business?

We work within a 25mile radius of our virtual base in Maidstone, Kent.

"The award is a great honour and it is a fantastic affirmation of the service we endeavour to offer."

So going right back to the beginning, what got you into kbb installation?

An overseas move. A personal crossroads experience. A moment of reflection in a quiet time. A search on google for carpentry jobs. A call to a recruitment officer. A purchase of tools. Much frustration and hard work. Patience. Steps of faith. Customer service. Creativity and problem solving. Teamwork.

What’s has been your biggest challenge whilst growing your business?

Margins. Building the team. Understanding the industry and market. Educating the customer.

Do you install kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms?

Yes we deliver all three types of projects including the associated services. I believe our strongest service is in kitchens, bedrooms and bespoke spaces for example: utility room, pantry, boot room, outdoor kitchen etc.

Our customers include; direct clients, developers, retailers and suppliers.

How many men do you have working for you?

We have a full-time team of 6, a part-time admin support team of 3, a subcontracted team of 6 and their support crews. I must mention that they are an incredible team and much valued.

Do you have apprentices and if not are you considering taking any on?

Training is part of our values with all of us developing our skills. Two of our team are undergoing training and we are wanting to take on a new apprentice.

Talking of apprentices, what do you think of the BiKBBI Apprenticeship Scheme?

It’s a very exciting scheme and much needed in the industry. The BiKBBi is doing a fantastic job of highlighting the skills shortage and pulling together a government Trailblazer group which we support. The initial government feedback of the reviewed Fitted Interior Installer apprenticeship standard is positive and will certainly be the answer to the skills gap crisis. I would encourage the industry to please get behind it!

If you can offer one piece of advice for an apprentice, what will it be?

Be patient, practice, ask questions and do the small things well. Understand the finer details.

How long have you been a BiKBBI member?

I believe we are in our 3rd year.

What does being a member add to your business?

Business Support, training, news and updates, accreditation, customer support.

What’s the secret of growing a successful business?

Sounds like free business advice…! It’s a much bigger conversation but here are some thoughts:

I think everyone should know their strengths and be happy in that. I do believe that there is a major difference between being a quality tradesman and being a business owner. I think the construction industry often gets this wrong. Just because you can install a quality bathroom or kitchen does not mean you can grow a successful business.

Having been through what we hope is the worse of the pandemic, what is your biggest challenge today?

Educating the industry and the market. For example, the market wants quality for cheap and the suppliers and retailers want to make profit on product but don’t necessarily honour the installation teams. If we drive down prices on installation we will lose quality for customers, the suppliers and retailers won’t sell and we won’t see young new craftsman and professionals enter the industry. It’s a vicious circle that can be addressed with common sense.

Back to the amazing award, how do you think you can use the win to your best advantage? I would say we are only as good as our last install.

Looking ahead I hope that winning the award might open new doors for us as a team to deliver more interesting installations and projects. With the exposure we are getting we also hope that potential team orientated tradesman might want to get in touch.

"Enjoy what you are doing. Look after the customer. Value the relationships you forge. Remember teamwork makes it work."

What advice do you have for anyone else being nominated?

Enjoy what you are doing. Look after the customer. Value the relationships you forge. Remember teamwork makes it work.

What’s next for Terlecki?

I am asking God that same question. I believe we need to continue being faithful with what we have in front of us. Every opportunity is important. Taryn and I dream of having our own design studio and deliver a full customer experience.

So let´s wait and see…maybe we will get nominated in another category!

And if you had one piece of advice for an existing installer wanting to grow his business, what would it be?

Give me a call, I´m always happy to have a chat.

Thanks Carl, I´ve really enjoyed this interview, you obviously have a great business supported by a loyal and skilled team that practice good ethics and customer care in every project the company undertakes. I will watch your future development with interest.

To conclude, I feel we should mention the other worthy finalists too as they are all great Installation businesses, run in a highly professional manner. They are: Alexander, Worthing | Liberty, Dundee | ProBuild360, Birmingham