The UK Flooring Podcast

The UK Flooring Podcast, produced by Cockerill & Co, is on a mission to elevate and unite the flooring industry community. Our aim is to connect every facet of the industry, from retailers and contractors to manufacturers and distributors. Since its debut in January 2022, The UK Flooring Podcast has become a vibrant hub for sharing compelling stories and valuable insights from flooring professionals. We’re passionate about building a strong community and sparking dynamic conversations that not only inspire and inform but also entertain and uplift our listeners. Join us as we explore the endless possibilities within the flooring world and celebrate the people who make it thrive. If you're interested in being featured on the podcast or for more information on sponsorship opportunities, please reach out to us. Email: hello@cockerillandco.co.uk Call:

The UK Flooring Podcast is a business podcast hosted by Cockerillandco, with 231 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Cockerillandco hosts The UK Flooring Podcast, a business show with 231 episodes published.

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  Episode #6

  Are Flooring Shops Dead? with Ben Wain

  Oct 2, 202620 minS7

  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 Wain Speaker Information Ben Wain Business Consultant, Coach and Speaker Ben works with retailers across flooring, furniture and kitchens, helping them improve performance, profitability and the way they run their businesses. Website: wainconsultancy.co.uk LinkedIn: Wain Consultancy & Coaching Where to Find The UK Flooring Podcast: Website: theukflooringpodcast.co.uk YouTube: Cockerill & Co Instagram: @theukflooringpodcast Facebook: The UK Flooring Podcast Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, or watch on the Cockerill & Co YouTube channel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  Episode #5

  How Flooring Software Can Save Time, Reduce Waste and Protect Profit with Jason Hill

  Sep 2, 202652 minS7

  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.com South Coast Floors: https://www.scfloors.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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  Episode #4

  The Flooring Skills Gap: Training, Competence and the Future of the Trade with F. Ball

  Aug 26, 202659 minS7

  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/@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/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  Episode #3

  Is Your Flooring Business Properly Insured? with David Edmondson

  Aug 19, 202647 minS7

  In this episode of The UK Flooring Podcast, Tom is joined by David Edmondson from JMG Insurance Brokers for a practical conversation about insurance for flooring contractors, retailers and business owners. Many businesses arrange insurance because they know they need it, then assume everything is covered without checking the exclusions, conditions or limits hidden within the policy. David explains why choosing insurance solely on price, allowing policies to renew without a proper review and failing to tell your broker when the business changes can leave you exposed when you need to make a claim. Tom and David discuss the cover flooring businesses should consider for tools, vans, stock in transit, ongoing contracts, employees and subcontractors. They also look at the growing risk of cybercrime, why even small flooring businesses can be targeted and what insurers expect businesses to have in place. The conversation includes real examples of rejected claims, stolen tools, major fires and workplace incidents. They even tackle the question every business owner has probably asked at some point: can you insure against stupidity? What You’ll Learn in This Episode • Why having an insurance policy does not necessarily mean you are properly covered. • The exclusions, clauses and conditions business owners often overlook. • Why the cheapest insurance policy can become the most expensive when a claim is refused. • The difference between labour-only and bona fide subcontractors. • Why changes to your staff, vehicles, tools and turnover should be discussed with your broker. • What to check when insuring expensive flooring tools and machinery. • How single-item limits can reduce the amount paid following a theft. • Why overnight storage conditions can cause claims for tools stolen from vans to be rejected. • How goods and stock in transit insurance can protect flooring materials while they are being transported. • Why flooring retailers and contractors should take cyber insurance seriously. • The security measures insurers may expect, including multifactor authentication, updated software and secure internet connections. • How management liability and directors’ and officers’ insurance can protect business owners. • What contract works insurance covers when materials or completed work are damaged before a project is handed over. • The essential cover a one-person flooring business should consider. • Why having an experienced broker can make a major difference when managing a claim. Memorable Quote “Would you rather pay for a piece of paper that covers you in the event of a claim, or pay a little bit less for something that doesn’t respond when you need it?” Speaker Information David Edmondson has worked in the insurance industry for around 20 years and works with JMG Insurance Brokers in Lancashire. He helps businesses understand their risks, review their existing policies and arrange appropriate commercial insurance cover. Where to Find David and JMG Insurance Brokers David Edmondson: https://www.jmginsurance.co.uk/our-people/david-edmondson/ JMG Insurance Brokers Lancashire: https://www.jmginsurance.co.uk/businesses/lancashire/ Telephone: 01254 460160 Email: lancashire@jmginsurance.co.uk JMG Insurance Brokers: https://www.jmginsurance.co.uk/ This episode is intended for general information only. Insurance requirements vary between businesses, so you should speak to a qualified insurance professional about your individual circumstances. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  Episode #2

  How Surplus Carpet Is Helping Families in Need

  Aug 7, 202653 minS7

  In this episode of The UK Flooring Podcast, Tom sits down with Andrew Sykes from Noah’s Ark Centre and Carpets Like a Boss to explore the impact flooring can have on people experiencing poverty, poor mental health and housing insecurity. Andrew shares his own journey from running successful businesses to suffering a nervous breakdown that completely changed the direction of his life. After finding a new purpose at Noah’s Ark, he used his financial background to help families escape debt and build more stable lives. That work eventually opened his eyes to carpet poverty. Families were moving into social housing with bare concrete floors, struggling to heat their homes and, in some cases, being prevented from bringing their children home because the property was considered unsafe. Andrew explains how Carpets Like a Boss grew from a shipping container and one local fitter into a warehouse operation with several fitting teams. By working with Mercado, Headlam and other partners, surplus flooring that might otherwise have been discarded is now being used to create warmer, safer and more dignified homes. This is a powerful conversation about mental health, debt, purpose, social value and the role the flooring industry can play in changing lives. Content note: This episode includes discussions about suicide, domestic abuse, addiction and mental health crises. What You’ll Learn in This Episode How Andrew’s own mental health breakdown led him towards charity work. Why debt and financial insecurity can have such a serious effect on mental health. What carpet poverty looks like inside homes across the UK. How bare floors can affect warmth, safety, dignity and social isolation. The story that first made Andrew realise how urgently families needed flooring. How Carpets Like a Boss began with a shipping container and one local fitter. How surplus and end-of-line flooring can be redirected into homes that need it. How the project has provided flooring to more than 950 families in Calderdale. Why applicants receive wider support with debt, benefits, budgeting and employment. The real cost of funding carpet fitting, storage and warehouse operations. How flooring helped one young man return home from hospital in time for Christmas. Why Andrew believes support should provide a hand up, not simply a handout. How housing associations could improve tenancies by providing properly finished homes. Andrew’s ambition to create a self-sustaining model that funds more community services. How flooring manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers can support similar projects. Memorable Quote “Can carpets save someone’s life? I say, yeah.” Speaker Information Andrew Sykes works with the Noah’s Ark Centre in Halifax and is the driving force behind Carpets Like a Boss. After a successful career in financial services, Andrew experienced a serious mental health breakdown. He later used his knowledge of finance to develop debt advice, budgeting, food support, white goods and flooring projects for people experiencing poverty across Calderdale. Carpets Like a Boss works with the flooring industry to redirect usable carpet into the homes of families and individuals who would otherwise be unable to afford it. Where to Find Andrew and Carpets Like a Boss Carpets Like a Boss: https://carpetslikeaboss.com/ Noah’s Ark Centre: https://www.noahsarkcentre.org.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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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