60-Second Interview: Marcus Vaughan, MJV Flooring

Name: Marcus Vaughan 

Age: 42 

Company: MJV Flooring 

Job title: Managing Director 
 

How did you get into the flooring industry? 

Back in the day, I had my own window cleaning business. It was a bit quiet one January, and a friend asked if I wanted to pop up to Whitby, near Scarborough, to help with a hotel job, fitting carpets into 47 bedrooms.   

I was up for it, especially as it would be warmer working indoors, and I’m glad I did because I really enjoyed it.  

He must’ve seen something in me because he offered me an apprenticeship, and I liked the thought of learning a new trade, a new skill, so I went for it.  

We worked together for a few years before I welcomed my daughter into the world and travelling around the country for work (I’m Somerset-based) and being away from home for so long was no longer an option.   

So, I moved on to work for a local company for a few years, before deciding to go it alone.   

What’s been the biggest change in the industry over the years? 

The internet! Now, everyone wants to buy products online for me to fit because they believe they can buy it cheaper than we can buy it from suppliers. Of course, it doesn’t work like that, and I explain if there’s any problems with a carpet, you can’t just pop down to the post office and send it back. Plus, we don’t know how products are being stored and this could impact on their performance – smoothing compound sacks, for example.  

Also, there’s now much more to screeds and subfloors with things like damp testing, and working over anhydrite screeds – you can get caught out if you’re not careful. You need a lot of knowledge these days.  

Looking forwards, what do you think will be the biggest industry change in the next 10 years?  

The workforce. There just isn’t the number of youngsters coming through to take up the trade. It’s hard work and people think that there are lots of ‘easier’ ways to make good money, instead.  

What’s the best job you’ve been on?
I think my first job up in Whitby was a real eye opener in terms of getting to see how flooring is done; going from walking into a hotel that was a building site to leaving six weeks later and it being fully carpeted. We’ve all walked around hotels and seen the finished result, with patterns joined up. Until you’ve done it yourself, you don’t realise how much goes into it.  

I’ve also done a number of jobs for charities, and seeing how much it means to people is a really good feeling. There are so many jobs over the years to look back on and take pride in.  

What’s the worst? 

There was a hair salon which closed on a Saturday afternoon and then had to reopen the following Monday and it was a full job with removal of LVTs, latex, and new flooring coverings being installed.   

The floor stripper broke (of course it did!) and so all the LVT had to be pulled up by hand. It was all glued down (of course it was!) and the top surface peeled off and then the hammers were out to get it all up. It took three of us about eight hours to do it.  

You couldn’t pay me any money to do a job like that again!  

Do you have a go-to product for certain jobs? 

I always use F. Ball. I use Stopgap 1200 and Stopgap Micro Rapid a lot. My favourites are Styccobond F48 PLUS for LVTs; and Stopgap 1400 is a lovely product. It’s got a nice flow and smooth finish. And it can be used with minimal prep work.

What do you like best about the job? 

Being in different places. Most jobs I’ll be there for two or three days and then it’s on to the next one.  

All my customers are really good, too. I enjoy chatting to people from different walks of life. 

I’d also say the satisfaction I get from the job. From walking into a space with a bare floor to leaving and knowing you’ve made a house into a home, you can’t get much better than that.  

What is your least favourite thing?    

Moving furniture – those spring-loaded mattresses in Altman beds are the worst!