Wolseley UK has invested in bookabuilderuk.com, a platform to connect homeowners with local vetted tradespeople, as bathroom and heating installation jobs are added to the site.
The strategic move by Wolseley is “designed to help trade customers find and win more business” whilst also growing the profile of its Wolseley Plumb Bathroom Showrooms and specialist installer scheme. Wolseley additionally states that “homeowners will also benefit from knowing that quality tradespeople are purchasing materials from an established specialist national merchant”.
Chris Taylor-Hone, National Director at Wolseley Plumb & Parts, said: “There are clear synergies between the two businesses and this investment will build on our existing strengths. BookABuilder is an exciting business with real vision for growth – providing significant opportunity to support more installers, particularly in the bathroom and heating sectors.”
BookabuilderUK.com states it has over 40,000 trades registered across the UK with c.£600m worth of work having been posted to the platform. The launch of its SafePay facility is said to have made it “the first in the online home improvements booking space” to offer a secure way of paying that ensured the homeowners’ money and homes are protected, and that the trade is always guaranteed to get paid on time for work that they had completed.
Bradley Jarvis, CEO & Founder at BookABuilderUK, commented: “The partnership will propel the platform to the next level. We have some very exciting ideas that we cannot wait to explore. The strategic investment is the biggest event in Bookabuilderuk.com’s history.”
