Name: Ian Day
Company: Bollin Valley Flooring Services
Job Title: Managing Director
How did you get into the flooring industry?
I started out as an apprentice and back then, it was a completely different process to install carpets. It was my job to measure rooms by drawing the size of the room on to a work sheet, then return to the office and draw out the plan of the room on the floor.
We’d then sew the carpet together, lay it out over the plan and turn it over to sew on rings every nine inches. The fitters would then take the finished carpet back to the client’s and install it using ringshank nails. This is where the term ‘ring and pin installation’ comes from.
This was how carpets used to be installed until Gripperrods came out and revolutionised carpet installation and saved everyone a lot of time.
What’s been the biggest change in the industry over the past 10 years?
It seems to me that trends are shifting from carpet to hard floorcoverings, particularly in healthcare, which is likely due to infection control. There seems to be shorter deadlines for projects, too: years ago, clients were happy to wait six to eight weeks for carpet deliveries but now people want jobs to be completed yesterday. At least the market’s buoyant, though.
Looking forwards, what do you think will be the biggest change in the next 10 years?
I believe we’re already seeing what’s to come: the commercial market will likely shrink, owing to more people working from home. Many businesses are already downsizing their offices or cutting them out altogether, which is understandable – business is business, after all.
What’s the worst job you’ve been on?
We had a job a few years back which stands out: it was over the Christmas-New Year break, which isn’t a great start. We had three days to strip carpet tiles from a large office refurbishment. Styccobond F3 had been incorrectly used to install the tiles originally (instead of Styccobond F41) and trying to bring the tiles up was a nightmare, even with floorstripper. In the end, I had to call in a few favours from mates to help with the uplift – fortunately, they agreed to help at that time of year!
And what’s the best?
About four years ago, we worked at the Theatre Royal in London’s West End. It was a really nice job; the carpet had been designed especially for them and I recall using Styccobond F3, which, as always, was reliable. The building dates back to the 1600s, so it’s nice to have worked on such an iconic building.
Do you have a go-to product for certain jobs?
It would be difficult to choose a product we don’t use! We use a lot of Styccobond F3 and F41, as well as Stopgap 1200 Pro and I think Styccobond F46 is one the best products F. Ball has ever made. In the past we’ve been involved with trialling new products as they’re being developed. F. Ball really do work with contractors to meet our needs – it’s probably why their products are so popular.
What do you like best about the job?
Meeting new people. And the satisfaction you get from completing really challenging jobs where you go in and it’s a bit of disgrace and you turn it into something special.
What is your least favourite thing about the job?
Being the last to work on a job and working out of hours – no-one wants to work after 5 o’clock in the afternoon. I think most contractors would agree with that.