It’s widely reported that home improvement companies have been some of the most resilient businesses throughout the pandemic. They’ve faced challenges, of course, but once the first national lockdown was relaxed in the summer of 2020, almost every tradesperson and renovation firm began filling their diaries fast, enjoying unprecedented demand from the nation’s homeowners.
Dream Doors, the UK’s #1 kitchen makeover brand, was no different.
Despite shutting their showrooms during the harshest lockdown last spring, Dream Doors’ 100 franchisees were still able to virtually engage with customers. Then from May onwards, when retailers opened and home visits were allowed once more, the floodgates opened with franchisees posting record monthly sales through the rest of 2020. This year has been no different, seeing new starters achieve a full year’s sales projections in just a few months, and even veteran franchisees, who’ve traded for a decade or more, growing turnover by 50%.
While this surge in sales has undoubtably been influenced by the pandemic – lots of locked-down homeowners have money to burn, while many more who couldn’t go on holiday are refurbishing their properties instead – the UK’s home improvement sector will always be buoyant. And the kitchen industry, worth some £4.3bn annually, is one of the most lucrative.
An in-demand business, whatever’s going on in the wider world
Just think about it; typically, our most valuable asset is our home and, because of that, it’s something we’ll always spend money on. Whether that’s a revamp to enjoy ourselves or an upgrade that helps sell a property, as the heart of the home the kitchen is a room we’re happy to invest in. And we mustn’t forget that there are hundreds-of-thousands of tired kitchens that have simply worn out, and many more where something unexpected goes wrong or breaks down. In every situation like this, companies like Dream Doors can step in a provide a genuine value and time-saving proposition.
A typical kitchen makeover, which involves swapping the doors, drawers, worksurfaces, sink and taps, appeals to homeowners as it takes just two or three days to install. A full kitchen, on the other hand, can take two or three weeks! What’s more, through keeping key components that don’t need replacing, such as cabinets and appliances, a makeover saves customers money – as much as 50% – and has far less impact on the environment too!
But while Dream Doors focuses on value for money, it doesn’t compromise on quality and service. In over 24,000 independent consumer reviews on Checkatrade, Dream Doors’ franchisees’ average scores are 9.7 out of 10. This is rare within the home improvement sector at large, where sadly customers are more likely to report negative experiences. And those negative experiences have been amplified through the pandemic, with well-publicised supply chain issues and labour shortages. All of which means companies that focus on the customer, communicate any potential issues and are committed to delivering on their promises stand out even more today.
Transforming the nation’s homes for over two decades
Dream Doors sold its first kitchen makeover in Portsmouth, Hampshire back in 1999. 20 years later it became part of Neighbourly, the world’s largest parent company of home service and property repair brands that, here in the UK, includes Bright & Beautiful, Countrywide Grounds Maintenance, Drain Doctor and the Pimlico Group.
Since that first makeover was sold at the end of the last century, Dream Doors franchisees have improved over 120,000 homes nationwide and, today, complete 1,500 projects every single month. What’s interesting, though, says director of franchisee recruitment, Alex Waite, is that very few franchisees have come from a kitchen background:
“Of the 100 franchisees we have today, only five had any direct kitchen industry experience. And only two of those had run their own business before,” he says. “What makes our best franchisees stand out has little to do with previous experience. It’s more about their attitude, their work ethic and their ability to follow our proven business model. And that’s the magic ingredient in our business. It’s the people, their efforts, our infrastructure and route to market that can generate life-changing amounts of money.
“For any budding new franchisee, or an experienced operator looking for a new venture, Dream Doors is a hugely compelling proposition. It’s pretty much a futureproofed sector, with unwavering demand and a business that will never go out of fashion,” he adds.
“There can’t be many franchises out there that, for a £35,000 franchise fee – and a total investment of less than £100,000, of which 70% can be funded through lenders – can deliver earnings of £1m in a five-year franchise term. And it’s the earnings that draw most franchisees to us, with some taking home more than five times what they were in a previous career. Imagine what that does for them, and their families. It’s really rewarding to see how a Dream Doors franchise can change people’s lives.”
This article comes courtesy of Dream Doors the UK’s largest kitchen makeover brand, and only national retailer with a network of local franchised showrooms.
