Tales On The Tools
Take a look at what's going on at Spiral; both on site, and behind the scenes.
Competition or Colleague?
On paper, other ceiling and partitioning companies are the competition, right?
The enemy.
The people we're fighting against for the same jobs, the same enquiries and the same opportunities.
That's what we're supposed to think anyway.
Well, not necessarily.
Over the years I've come to have a very different view.
When you've been on the tools as long as I have, you realise that nobody can do it all on their own. At some point, we all need an extra pair of hands, a bit of specialist knowledge, or simply someone you trust to help get a project over the line.
The first people that spring to mind are our good friends at Nic Solli Ceiling Systems ltd.
(www.nicsolli-ceilingsystems.com)
Now, depending on the project, you could probably argue that we're competitors. We price the same types of work and moree than likely find ourselves chasing the same opportunities from time to time.
But we've also spent plenty of time helping each other out over the years.
Nic helped us deliver the full ceiling & partition package at the Omoda dealership, and I've worked alongside him on projects including Belvedere School and, more recently, Knowsley Community College. In fact, as I'm writing this, we've just priced another sizeable project together.
That's the reality of construction.
No matter how experienced you are, there are times when you need extra capacity, another opinion, or simply someone you trust to help get the job done properly. When that happens, having good people around you makes all the difference.
What I like about working with Nic & Sue is that there's never any drama. Nic turns up when he says he will, knows his trade inside out, and takes genuine pride in the finished product. Communication is straightforward, problems get solved rather than passed on, and the focus is always on delivering a quality job for the client.
Behind the scenes, Sue runs a tight ship.
Materials are where you need them, when you need them, paperwork is always spot on, and she'll even turn up with coffee on a regular basis!
Do we compete?
Most likely!
Do we collaborate? Absolutely!
And I think that's something worth celebrating.
Clients don't benefit from trades keeping each other at arm's length. They benefit from experienced people working together, sharing knowledge and stepping in when needed to make sure projects stay on track.
After 25 years in the industry, I've realised that the best relationships aren't built on seeing everyone else as the enemy.
They're built on mutual respect, trust and knowing that, when the situation calls for it, good people look out for each other.
Because in my experience, colleagues beat competitors every time.
Half time: 2026.
It's hard to believe we're nearly halfway through the year already.
Looking back through my photos, we've crammed a fair bit into six months.
We've fitted ceilings in Blackpool and Ellesmere Port, taken on a full refurb package at a garage in Prenton, carried out shop fitting works in West Kirby, completed an apartment refurb in Liscard, built new office partitions in Toxteth, and been involved with projects connected to Liverpool FC, including Anfield and office spaces.
Some jobs have been straightforward.
Others have had us scratching our heads and wondering whose bright idea it all was.
And that's just the work on site.
There's also been the quotes written late at night, drawings spread across the kitchen table, chasing deliveries, sorting paperwork, renewing our SMAS accreditation, updating the website, and trying to remember passwords we've definitely written down somewhere.
Running a small business isn't just turning up with your tools anymore.
One minute you're fixing ceilings, the next you're doing admin, marketing, IT support and making enough brews to keep the whole thing moving.
It can be hard work at times, but I still wouldn't swap it.
A massive thank you to our clients, suppliers, and the good people we've worked alongside so far this year.
Right then...
Half the year done.
Let's see what the next six months throw at us.