Name: Ben Rule
Age: 33
Company: Carpets + Flooring by Ben Rule
Job Title: Proprietor
How did you get into the flooring industry?
I was offered an opportunity when I had just left school and have been in the industry ever since!
What’s been the biggest change in the industry over the past 10 years?
I think customers’ expectations have heightened in the past 10 years – they certainly pay a lot more attention to contractors’ work and demand more of our time.
Looking forwards, what do you think will be the biggest change in the next 10 years?
Hopefully, product and skill training will be improved in the next 10 years. I think this is really necessary to keep the industry thriving.
What’s the worst job you’ve been on?
I was once involved with the installation of flooring in a really awful rental property; the property had been abandoned and left in a terrible state by its tenants.. and their pets.
And what’s the best?
The best job I’ve ever done is probably one that I recently undertook; it was the total refurbishment of a harbour-side property in Brighton. We ripped out the old flooring, repaired the subfloor and installed brand new floorcoverings – it was amazing to see how vastly improved the property was, it was a total transformation!
Do you have a go-to product for certain jobs?
To be honest, we install so many different types of flooring that there isn’t one product in particular that we rely upon; we use a range.
What do you like best about the job?
Seeing the end result of a flooring installation and witnessing client satisfaction!
What is your least favourite thing about the job?
It is an incredibly time consuming job – I seem to be busy 24/7, whether physically out on a job, speaking to clients or making appointments.