With a renowned focus on working collaboratively with clients to ensure all of their needs are met, Cheltenham-based family firm Root Construction has established itself as one of the county's go-to firms for building projects, large and small.
SoGlos hears from owner and director Sam Swift about how his team carefully considers everything from design to cost saving, for projects ranging from contemporary commercial builds to domestic renovations requiring a blend of old and new techniques.
Sam, tell us a bit about yourself and the history of Root Construction.
Having worked my way up from being an apprentice to being in building control and completing a degree in building surveying, to senior management with many years’ experience with regional contractors and national house builders, I’ve gained a comprehensive practical and technical background in construction.
Root is a family business and started life as a small team doing a selection of small detailed projects, but we quickly gained a reputation for quality and reliability and started getting a large number of enquires about small and large projects.
We now employ over 50 trades directly and use a number of quality local sub contractors. We have our own in-house plumbing, electrical and groundworks.
What kinds of projects do you typically work on — what is your bread and butter and has that changed over the years?
Typically we work on projects of all sizes, from small maintenance jobs up to commercial projects in the millions. The kind of projects include home extensions, refurbishments, internal alterations, new builds, commercial buildings and shop fits.
We used to travel a lot for a variety of projects, like shop fitting, but in 2020 during the pandemic we made the decision to keep the bulk of our work within Cheltenham and the Cotswolds.
As the size of our business has grown we have taken on larger projects, but we still do smaller projects and are happy to help our clients with remodelling and extensions.
We have a very strong focus on quality and reliability. We are often asked by our clients to help with technical and design queries, which help them build on time and within budget.
What can residents and businesses expect when they contact Root about their project?
At Root, we always try to add value to every conversation, from the very first meeting we will look for ways to help our clients realise their vision. From design ideas to cost saving, we will focus our personalised service to meet clients' needs.
Increasingly clients want to find cost savings on the build so they can focus their budget on the finish they want. With our extensive technical knowledge we are able to guide our clients to best value. Even clients with large budgets want value for money.
We work closely with the architects and designers to make the client’s vision a reality and we very often get involved in the detail.
It is a very good idea to engage with a builder early on in your design process so that you can build your project brief around your budget. We offer an early engagement service, where we can put costs to options for helping to make decisions before the project goes to planning. At Root we give our clients a detailed quote.
The firm prides itself on efficiency — how does your team ensure that projects are completed on time and on budget?
Our family-run business was established in 2015 and today our team has grown to over 50. We work hard to maintain the small business ethos despite having expanded significantly by investing in our own team.
We focus on efficiency and quality by recruiting talent, then supporting them with training and encouraging continual professional development. In doing so we have created a strong skilled team of professionals who excel in their specific trades. Because of this we can manage every project detail from conception to completion, in-house.
The wider team are backed by an experienced management structure, together with our dedicated administrative team we prioritise customer service and satisfaction as each project progresses. Our experience enables us to be responsive and as projects and schedules invariably evolve, deliver the client's project to our very high standard on time.
With our comprehensive construction knowledge owing to a vast hands-on experience, we are able to shape the project to meet the client’s budget. Our leading team liaise closely with our suppliers to ensure we can offer competitive prices without compromising on quality.
We are hugely proud of the feedback received from our clients, praising the quality and the team’s approach to their work. We hold regular staff events as we feel it is important to recognise and celebrate the dedication every member of Root brings to the project.
What are some of the biggest and best projects that Root has worked on?
We work across a wide range of projects, ranging from extensions and alterations, to full refurbishments and new builds.
The 270 Climbing Park in Bentham is one of the largest projects Root has worked on. Combining new commercial buildings with the refurbishment of an existing building, once complete, it will be one of the most impressive adventure activity centres in the region. We’ve worked hard to help the client achieve their goals on budget and programme and we are really excited to put our name to such a wonderful project.
Others include a large family home in Prestbury, which started as a mock Tudor exterior with a dated, cluttered interior. Working with
the excellent designers at Moon Design, we were able to focus on the extensive
detail from an early stage concentrating on budget and quality, transforming
it into a modern, sleek contemporary masterpiece.
What is your favourite thing about working on construction projects in Gloucestershire?
One of the most exciting aspects of construction across the county is that the range and scope of the projects is so varied.
Our projects can range from full domestic renovations to minor updates, from contemporary extensions, to listed buildings and Cotswold stone. Commercial projects can be anything from smaller independent shop fits to large-scale construction projects. No two projects are the same, but the overwhelming desire from our customers remains, for a high-quality end product.
At Root, our ethos is always to build collaborative relations with our clients. As an expanding independent business, we value the importance of a hands on, face to face approach.
We are passionate in combining our expertise and creativity with our clients’ needs and visions, whatever the brief, to deliver unique outcomes, fantastic results, and creating lasting value to all the projects we touch.
