The UK Flooring Podcast

Live from the Flooring Forum at The Flooring Show 2026 in Harrogate, Shaun Wadsworth, Deputy CEO of the Contract Flooring Association (CFA), joins The UK Flooring Podcast to talk about where the trade can find more fitters and how businesses can keep the people they train.For a self-employed fitter, a day on a course is a day off the tools. Shaun explains what can make that time worthwhile, even if you’ve been fitting floors for years. He also shares what contractors can do from day one to give apprentices a reason to stay, from giving them more responsibility on site to talking openly about what they could earn once they qualify.What you’ll learn in this episodeWhat the CFA does for commercial flooring contractors and how FITA supports training.Why travel, lost earnings and limited access to local courses can make training a hard sell.How career changers, including people leaving the armed forces, could help fill the skills gap.Why Shaun expects fitters to be asked for more evidence of their competence on commercial jobs.How to give an apprentice a clear path beyond mixing compound and sweeping up.Memorable quote“Why should I train someone if they’re just going to run off once they’re qualified?”Shaun Wadsworth, on a question he hears from contractors.Guest linksContract Flooring Association · FITA floorlaying apprenticeshipsWhere to find The UK Flooring PodcastWebsite · YouTube · Spotify · Apple Podcasts · Instagram · FacebookProduced by Cockerill & Co.

Tom is joined by Marie Callens, co-founder of Floorify, for a live conversation at the Flooring Forum during The Flooring Show 2026 in Harrogate. They discuss what helps flooring retailers sell, from choosing the right brands to creating displays that support the conversation with customers.Marie explains how Floorify built its business through a selective network of independent flooring specialists, and why product knowledge, staff confidence and strong supplier relationships matter. Tom raises the issue of retailers becoming “stand collectors”, filling their showrooms without considering what each brand brings to the business.The conversation explores Floorify’s smart displays, which connect physical samples with room imagery, installation information and stock availability. Marie explains how these tools help customers understand the product while giving sales teams the information they need to move towards an order.They also discuss perceptions of premium click flooring in the UK, why Floorify introduced glue-down options, the challenges of subfloor preparation and how its chevron format is designed to make installation easier.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:• Why a carefully selected range of brands can make choosing flooring easier for customers.• How staff knowledge and confidence influence product recommendations.• Why a display should do more than hold samples.• How Floorify’s smart displays combine inspiration with practical product information.• How access to stock availability and delivery information supports the sales conversation.• Why Floorify added glue-down flooring alongside its rigid click ranges.• The challenges of selling premium click flooring in the UK.• How subfloor preparation and future replacement feature in the discussion around floating floors.• Why long-term supplier partnerships can offer more value than a good one-off deal.Memorable Quote:“I believe the role of a retailer is to pre-select what they believe in because they need to reassure the end customer that this is the right choice.”Marie CallensSpeaker Information:Marie CallensCo-founder and Managing Director, FloorifyMarie co-founded Floorify, a Belgian flooring brand specialising in rigid vinyl flooring. In this episode, she shares the company’s approach to product development, showroom displays and supporting independent flooring retailers.Where to Find Floorify:Website: https://www.floorify.com/en-GBEmail: hello@floorify.comTelephone: +44 20 3633 3934Where to Find The UK Flooring Podcast:Website: https://theukflooringpodcast.co.uk/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cockerillco6141Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/59DLhGPVKNtVoS656EYtxqApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-uk-flooring-podcast/id1606720642Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theukflooringpodcast/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theukflooringpodcast/Produced by Cockerill & Co.Subscribe for more conversations with the people behind the flooring industry.

Recorded live at the Flooring Forum during The Flooring Show 2026 in Harrogate, Tom is joined by Simon Jenkins and Steve Lane from F. Ball to discuss getting subfloor preparation right and avoiding costly problems on site. From unexpected moisture to using the wrong primer, Simon and Steve explain why a successful installation starts with understanding what’s underneath the floor. They discuss the risks of mixing manufacturers’ systems, the value of written specifications and why picking up the phone for technical advice should be part of the job. Simon also shares a site visit where a missed adhesive residue led to a failure, how F. Ball put it right and why the experience stayed with him. With questions from the Flooring Forum audience, the conversation covers moisture control, packaging and recycling, lignite in screeds and explaining preparation costs to customers. Throughout the session, the message is clear: doing the job properly starts with asking the right questions. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: Why sticking to a complete manufacturer’s system matters. How technical representatives can help with unexpected site conditions. The value of site visits, moisture testing and written specifications. Why you can’t judge whether a subfloor is dry just by looking at it. How product testing moves from the laboratory to real working environments. Planning moisture control and smoothing work around a fitting schedule. Explaining the cost of proper preparation to customers. Why turning down a shortcut can protect your reputation. How fitter feedback influences packaging and product development. F. Ball’s approach to questions about lignite in screeds. Memorable Quote: “Doing it properly is going to be significantly cheaper than doing it twice.” Tom Cockerill Speaker Information: Simon Jenkins National Sales Manager, F. Ball and Co. Ltd. Simon joined F. Ball as a technical representative in 2008. He now manages the team supporting flooring contractors, retailers and wholesalers, drawing on extensive experience of site inspections, specifications and installation challenges. Steve Lane Technical Representative, East Midlands, F. Ball and Co. Ltd. Steve spent 30 years as a floor layer before working in F. Ball’s training school and moving into technical support on the road. He brings practical fitting experience to helping contractors assess subfloors and choose suitable preparation systems. Where to Find F. Ball: Website: https://f-ball.com/en/ Technical Support: https://f-ball.com/en/technical-help/ Where to Find The UK Flooring Podcast: Website: https://theukflooringpodcast.co.uk/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cockerillco6141 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/59DLhGPVKNtVoS656EYtxq Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-uk-flooring-podcast/id1606720642 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theukflooringpodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theukflooringpodcast/ Produced by Cockerill & Co. Subscribe for more conversations, practical advice and business lessons from across the flooring industry.

Recorded live at the Flooring Forum during The Flooring Show 2026 in Harrogate, Eamonn Prescott, Chief Executive of Greendale Carpets & Flooring, joins The UK Flooring Podcast to discuss what buying groups actually offer independent retailers.Better buying prices are part of the appeal, but Eamonn explains why the benefits can go further. From own-label ranges and stockholding to customer service and support from fellow retailers, the conversation explores what membership can bring to a flooring business.Eamonn talks through Greendale’s member-owned structure and how its warehouse in Hereford allows the group to buy carpet in bulk and stock exclusive ranges. He also explains how rebranding products can help retailers protect their margins and reduce direct price comparisons.The discussion covers the practical side of joining, including subscriptions, shares, deposits and geographical exclusivity. There’s also a debate about physical showrooms, mobile retailers and whether buying groups need to adapt as the way people sell flooring changes.Eamonn’s advice is to speak to more than one group, understand what each offers and find the right fit for your business.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:How buying groups combine independent retailers’ purchasing power to negotiate supplier terms.Why own-label ranges can help retailers protect margins and reduce price comparisons.How Greendale’s stockholding model differs from other buying groups.What a member-owned cooperative means for the retailers who join.The value of sharing knowledge, asking questions and getting support from other business owners.How Greendale’s member WhatsApp group supports everyday conversations across the trade.How subscriptions, shares and deposits work within Greendale’s membership model.Why geographical exclusivity affects where Greendale can accept new members.The discussion around physical showrooms, mobile retailers and how membership rules might evolve.Greendale’s iD interior design collection and its approach to introducing retailers to the group.Why retailers should compare buying groups before deciding which one to join.Memorable Quote:“It’s more than just price. It’s more than just a brand. It’s the network of support you get in a buying group as well.”Eamonn PrescottSpeaker Information:Eamonn PrescottChief Executive, Greendale Carpets & FlooringEamonn leads Greendale, a member-owned carpet buying group based in Hereford. The group supports independent flooring retailers through collective purchasing, own-label ranges, warehouse stock, merchandising and member services.Where to Find Greendale:Website: https://www.greendalecarpets.co.uk/iD Carpets: https://idcarpets.co.uk/Email: admin@greendalecarpets.co.ukTelephone: 01432 852000Where to Find The UK Flooring Podcast:Website: https://theukflooringpodcast.co.uk/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cockerillco6141Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/59DLhGPVKNtVoS656EYtxqApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-uk-flooring-podcast/id1606720642Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theukflooringpodcast/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theukflooringpodcast/Produced by Cockerill & Co.Subscribe for more conversations, practical advice and business lessons from across the flooring industry.

Recorded live at the Flooring Forum during The Flooring Show 2026 in Harrogate, Martyn Cohen of Cockerill & Co takes a practical look at selling a flooring business, what buyers look for and why preparation should start well before you’re ready to leave. Valuing a business might sound as simple as multiplying its annual profit, but Martyn explains why the reality is more complicated. If the owner handles every quote, holds every customer relationship and keeps the knowledge in their head, how much of that business can someone else actually take over? Martyn explores the factors that build a buyer’s confidence, from reliable financial records and a balanced customer base to organised systems, documented processes and a team that can keep things running without you. With questions from the Flooring Forum audience, the session also covers staff retention, when to tell your team about a potential sale and how a proper handover can help. Martyn shares an example of an employee becoming a potential buyer, even after the owner had ruled out that possibility. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: Why a simple profit multiple doesn’t tell the whole story when valuing a flooring business. How relying too heavily on the owner can affect a buyer’s confidence. Why depending on a few large commercial customers can create risk. How customer records, CRM systems and measuring software can create transferable value. Why documenting your quoting, pricing and fitting processes makes a business easier to take over. The importance of consistent financial records and preparing your accounts before a sale. How industry connections and allowing enough time can help you find the right buyer. When to discuss a potential sale with staff and why retaining an experienced team matters. How employee buyouts, staged payments and an agreed handover can shape the deal. Memorable Quote: “What happens if you go on holiday for two weeks?” Martyn Cohen Speaker Information: Martyn Cohen Director, Cockerill & Co Martyn works with flooring business owners to improve their operations, support growth and prepare for a future sale. In this episode, he draws on his experience of advising owners and connecting sellers with prospective buyers. Where to Find Cockerill & Co: Website: https://www.cockerillandco.co.uk/ Email: hello@cockerillandco.co.uk Where to Find The UK Flooring Podcast: Website: https://theukflooringpodcast.co.uk/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cockerillco6141 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/59DLhGPVKNtVoS656EYtxq Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-uk-flooring-podcast/id1606720642 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theukflooringpodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theukflooringpodcast/ Produced by Cockerill & Co. Subscribe for more conversations, practical advice and business lessons from across the flooring industry.

Recorded live at the Flooring Forum during The Flooring Show 2026 in Harrogate, Tom is joined by business consultant Ben Wain to tackle a question facing independent retailers: are flooring shops dead?Ben’s answer is no, but the way customers shop has changed. People are researching online before visiting, and retailers need to think about the whole customer experience, from their first video to their first step inside the showroom.Tom and Ben discuss what they would prioritise when opening a flooring shop today, including a clear website, social media with personality, the right team and a proper understanding of who they want to sell to.With questions from retailers and suppliers in the Flooring Forum audience, the conversation also covers finding time for content, making better use of sales data and tackling the habit of collecting display stands that don’t earn their place.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:The five things Ben would prioritise when starting a flooring retail business, plus the key numbers he would track.Why showing the people behind your business helps customers feel comfortable before they visit.The importance of hiring for attitude and making time for proper staff training.How knowing your target customer should shape your showroom, product range and marketing.Why fewer, better-chosen display stands can make buying flooring easier.Practical ways to fit social media into a busy working week.How sales data, customer records and AI can help retailers make better decisions.What good supplier representatives should bring to your business beyond another product stand.Why exclusivity matters to independent retailers competing with larger shops and online sellers.Memorable Quote:“Every single space in your showroom carries value.”Ben WainSpeaker InformationBen WainBusiness Consultant, Coach and SpeakerBen works with retailers across flooring, furniture and kitchens, helping them improve performance, profitability and the way they run their businesses.Website: wainconsultancy.co.ukLinkedIn: Wain Consultancy & CoachingWhere to Find The UK Flooring Podcast:Website: theukflooringpodcast.co.ukYouTube: Cockerill & CoInstagram: @theukflooringpodcastFacebook: The UK Flooring PodcastListen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, or watch on the Cockerill & Co YouTube channel.

In this episode of The UK Flooring Podcast, Tom sits down with Jason Hill, co-owner of South Coast Floors and founder of PlanIt Flooring.After more than 25 years working in technology and start-up businesses, Jason thought he was leaving the tech world behind when he joined a flooring company in Southampton. Instead, he found an industry still heavily reliant on pads, pens, PDF price lists and knowledge stored inside people’s heads.Unable to find software designed around the way flooring businesses actually operate, Jason built his own.What began as an internal estimating and EPOS system for South Coast Floors quickly attracted interest from fitters, retailers and flooring businesses across the UK and beyond. Jason explains how PlanIt Flooring can help businesses produce professional quotations, manage rolls and stock, calculate margins, communicate with customers and reduce the time spent on paperwork.Tom and Jason also explore why flooring businesses often underprice jobs by overlooking fixed costs, how better systems can make a business more valuable, and why professionalism can matter more than being the cheapest.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:• How Jason moved from a 25-year career in technology into the flooring industry.• Why generic retail and estimating software often fails to meet the needs of flooring businesses.• How PlanIt Flooring developed from an internal tool into software used by businesses across the trade.• How supplier price lists can be imported from PDFs without manually entering every product.• How fitters can turn spoken measurements, photographs and hand-drawn plans into professional quotations.• The difference between PlanIt Estimating and PlanIt EPOS.• How flooring retailers can manage rolls, remnants, pallets and stock across different locations.• Why fixed costs must be included when pricing flooring jobs.• How quicker quotations and better customer communication can help businesses win more work.• Why a professional written quotation can be more persuasive than offering the lowest price.• How customer records, quotations and job history can create transferable value within a flooring business.• How early users from across the flooring trade are helping shape new features.• The potential for technology to reduce paperwork and give flooring professionals more time away from the business.Memorable Quote:“It’s actually been built by the flooring trade, for the flooring trade.”Speaker Information:Jason Hill is the co-owner of South Coast Floors in Southampton and the founder of PlanIt Flooring.Before entering the flooring industry, Jason spent more than 25 years working with technology and start-up businesses, progressing from small teams to board-level roles. He has used that experience to develop estimating and EPOS software around the practical challenges faced by flooring fitters, retailers and trade counters.Where to Find Jason and PlanIt Flooring:PlanIt Flooring:https://planitflooring.com/Email:info@planitflooring.comSouth Coast Floors:https://www.scfloors.co.uk/Where to Find The UK Flooring Podcast:Website:https://theukflooringpodcast.co.uk/YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@cockerillco6141Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/59DLhGPVKNtVoS656EYtxqApple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-uk-flooring-podcast/id1606720642Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/theukflooringpodcast/Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/theukflooringpodcast/Produced by Cockerill & Co.

In this episode of The UK Flooring Podcast, Tom visits the F. Ball Centre of Excellence to speak with Tim Green, Head of Training, and Alan McEwan, Technical Representative for Scotland.Together, they explore one of the biggest challenges facing the flooring industry: the shortage of skilled floorlayers and the difficulty of attracting younger people into the trade. Tim and Alan explain why flooring is still misunderstood as a career, how the industry can promote itself more effectively, and why good training has never been more important.The conversation also gets into the technical and commercial realities of flooring installation. From mixing different manufacturers’ systems and skipping damp-proof membranes to pricing subfloor preparation properly, they share examples of how shortcuts, poor specifications and pressure from main contractors can lead to expensive failures.This is a straight-talking conversation about training, technical support, professional responsibility and what the flooring industry needs to do to develop its next generation.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:Why the flooring industry continues to struggle with a shortage of skilled labour.Why many young people do not understand what a professional floorlayer actually does.How flooring can compete with other established construction trades for new apprentices.Why experienced installers can still benefit from manufacturer training.The importance of understanding substrates, moisture, primers, smoothing compounds and damp-proof membranes.Why mixing products from different manufacturers can create unnecessary risks.How pressure from clients and main contractors can lead to shortcuts and flooring failures.Why flooring professionals need to be prepared to say no when site conditions are unsuitable.How poor subfloor preparation can result in entire installations having to be replaced.Why disclaimers may not completely protect a contractor who knowingly completes unsuitable work.How qualifications and competence requirements are changing across the construction industry.What skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours mean when demonstrating competence.How F. Ball supports contractors through technical site visits and installation specifications.What happens during training at the F. Ball Centre of Excellence.Memorable Quote:“You’re an excellent floorlayer, but you’re probably not a great chemist, so don’t mess with the mix.”Speaker Information:Tim Green is Head of Training at the F. Ball Centre of Excellence. A time-served floorlayer with experience running his own business and teaching in further education, Tim now oversees training for flooring contractors, retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers and apprentices.Alan McEwan is F. Ball’s Technical Representative for Scotland. With nearly 30 years in the flooring industry and almost 20 years at F. Ball, Alan supports flooring professionals with site inspections, technical specifications, product recommendations and problem-solving before, during and after installation.Where to Find F. Ball:Website: https://f-ball.com/en/Training courses: https://f-ball.com/en/training-innovation/training-courses/Book a free training course: https://f-ball.com/en/book-your-free-training-course/F. Ball Floorsight™ Fitter Apprenticeship Programme: https://f-ball.com/en/about-us/f-ball-fitter-apprentice-programme/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/f_balluk/Where to Find The UK Flooring Podcast:Website: https://theukflooringpodcast.co.uk/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cockerillco6141Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/59DLhGPVKNtVoS656EYtxqApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-uk-flooring-podcast/id1606720642Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theukflooringpodcast/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theukflooringpodcast/