Business is good for extensions expert Leigh Fowler – so much so that he’s tripled his workforce over the last few years.
Taking on four joiners has enabled the conscientious bricklayer and builder to offer an even smoother service. “There’s no stress now at the joinery stage of relying on somebody to come in. It makes the job much faster,” says Leigh, 39, who employs 20 staff and now has eleven vehicles to support all they do. The mild mannered builder ensures his extensions match existing brickwork perfectly.
Unlike most builders, he takes a skin off the old building, cleans the bricks and uses them on the front for a seamless match. “I like to think the little details set us apart,” he says. “Like structural steelwork which we like to get flush with walls so there’s no bulkhead. We try to make a job blend in as much as possible.”
Leigh grew slowly and thoroughly into offering extensions and new builds. He trained as a bricklayer on leaving Lostock Hall High School, and worked for various builders, until setting up on his own 12 years ago to give his young family a more financially secure future. Then he was offering a ‘watertight package’ – groundwork, walls, roofs, windows and doors.
In 2019, confident he had good sub-contractors, he began doing all the inside work as well, from plumbing and electrical work to fitting bathrooms and kitchens. Due to the increased demand, Leigh has recruited managers Jamie Kemp and Ian Walmsley to ensure that each and every project is carried out with the same attention to detail. They seek to complete jobs without mistakes and with great communication, always. Leigh likes to have a good relationship with customers. “He’s reliable, trustworthy, fair and honest. If there’s a problem, he doesn’t hide it and we talk and find a solution,” said one Fulwood customer.
If people need expertise to realise their dreams, Leigh is the man. He adds; “Building extensions excites me. I still like bricklaying, but I like project managing and running a job better.” Get in touch for a quote.
“LJF built us a large extension. They stayed on site all day, not disappearing to other projects. They also stuck to the quoted price, despite it being such a big project. Highly recommended!” Mrs W, Willow Drive, Wrea Green
“Leigh has done a wonderful job on our single-storey extension. He and his team are true professionals and a joy to deal with. I cannot recommend him highly enough” Andrew Wilkinson, Penwortham
