Name: Roger Britcher
Age: 64
Company: Border Flooring, Suffolk
Job Title: Managing Director
How did you get into the flooring industry?
My father owned a building near Colchester and rented it out to a Southend based flooring contractor in 1972. In 1974, I was fortunate in that they offered me a job having left school in the July and briefly worked on a farm but realised that this was not the way forward for me!
The firm did purely contract work, mostly for the government, and I stayed with them until 1989 when I set up Border Flooring and have been ticking along successfully ever since.
What’s been the biggest change in the industry over the years?
It must be the quality of flooring installation products; smoothing compounds have moved on lightyears. Back in the day, if you could get smoothing compound down reasonably flat, you were doing well! Now, we’re spoilt for choice. I’ve yet to try F. Ball’s new Stopgap 1500 AquaPro, but I suspect my Rep, Steve Spinks, will be leaning on me soon.
With regard to adhesives, the pressure sensitive Styccobond F46 is more user friendly and effective than previously recommended products. The addition of primers nowadays I personally find a great boon. Years ago, if the floor looked a bit dry, you used to brush some water over the area beforehand! Everything’s come a long way, largely thanks to F. Ball’s product innovation.
Looking forward, what do you think will be the biggest change in the next five years?
LVTs continue to be very popular and I believe that the carpet industry is taking a hit at its expense. I worked on a job recently where the carpet had been down for less than two years and they wanted to swap with LVTs.
Tastes change and trends come and go. 25 years ago, it was all laminate and carpet. Now, the LVTs are in, but maybe in a few years the domestic market will be yearning for the comfort and cosiness of carpet again. And if people ask for laminate, I always talk them out of it!
What’s the best job you’ve been on?
In 2007, I helped a colleague on his job on a yacht in St Tropez on the French Riviera. It was March, so there weren’t too many French ladies with their pooches walking by to have a chat with, but it was a memorable job all the same.
And what’s the worst?
Probably working in HMP Chelmsford in 1979 (the prison that was used for filming Porridge) following a fire. We had to take up a wing affected by the water used to put the fire out, which was easy enough. But the remaining 7,000m2 was stuck good and proper and was a complete nightmare to remove. It still depresses me when I think about it all these years later.
Do you have a go-to product for certain jobs?
Styccobond F3 for many day-to-day jobs, and Stopgap 300 HD gets a lot of use. I use all the primers as well. Stopgap P141 is a winner.
What do you like best about the job?
Not going to the same place every day. The job doesn’t change, but the places do, so I don’t get bored, and there’s always something new to learn. I’ve seen most things, but you’re a fool if you’re not prepared to learn something each time you go to work.
What is your least favourite thing about the job?
Back ache and knee ache, in equal measure! Also, sometimes working for builders can be a bit demanding – the smaller ones tend to be more understanding and appreciate any advice I can give having been in the trade for the last 48 years.
Pictured: Roger and his wife, Linda, on a trip to Norway.