Retailer Profile: Premier Floor Fitting Solihull Ltd

Spotlight on the flooring retailers who are putting their trust in the yellow bucket.

For this issue, we spoke to Emily Hancock, manager at Premier Floor Fitting Solihull Ltd.

The established family-run business provides a comprehensive range of flooring solutions, including luxury vinyl tiles (LVT), engineered wood, carpets, and bespoke rugs, as well as installation.

We started by asking Emily about its history.

“The business started in 2004, when Dave Mudd began fitting Amtico floors in Solihull and across the Midlands. In 2013, we opened a showroom in Solihull as more fitters joined the team, which allowed us to expand our offering to include carpets, rugs, runners and wood flooring.

“In 2016, we moved to much larger premises in Worcester to be able to provide a greater range of flooring options. Finally, in 2020, we moved to our current premises to bring our warehouse, offices and showroom all under one roof. We now have two companies operating here: Premier Flooring and Knot & Grain, which specialises in bespoke, engineered wood flooring.”

How does the company stand out?

“We strive to provide an exceptional service, whether it’s supply-only or a fully managed fitting service from start to finish. We have a friendly, approachable team with extensive knowledge of the flooring industry to help guide our customers.”

What trends are you seeing in the market at the moment?

“The market is clearly evolving, shaped by economic pressures and a very strong demand for design-driven products. We are seeing dominant growth in the LVT market due to its many benefits and reasonable price. Engineered wood also sees decent demand where budgets allow for that authentic, natural wood feel.”

How has the market changed since you first set up?

“It has changed significantly over the last 20 years. Flooring has moved from being a functional necessity into a design-driven, technology-enabled lifestyle product. This has been led by the rise of LVT and a slow decline in wall-to-wall carpet; the market is much more hard-floor dominant now. We’ve also noted a leap in design options, with highly realistic wood and stone-effect finishes, various plank sizes, and complex laying patterns becoming the norm.”

Are there any standout jobs that you have undertaken that you are particularly pleased with?

“We are super proud of all our jobs, so it is honestly hard to pick just one!”

What do you enjoy most about your job or the industry?

“I enjoy the variety, ranging from helping someone choose a bathroom floor to managing whole-house renovations. It’s rewarding to explain the different options available and help customers truly transform their living spaces.”

Which F. Ball products do you use?

“We have only recently changed over to F. Ball, and our fitters are very happy with the switch and are enjoying the products. Our main ones are Stopgap 1200 and Stopgap 1400 smoothing compounds, along with various primers and Stopgap F77 and F78 waterproof surface membranes.”

How do you engage with the support that F. Ball offers?

“We have met our retail representative, Rachel Sorroll, a few times now since making the switch. While we haven’t required specific site visits or training courses yet, the transition has been smooth and the feedback from the fitting team regarding the product performance has been excellent.”