About Southern Carpentry Ltd
Reliable and Trusted Tradesmen
WHERE IT BEGAN
Southern Carpentry Ltd was established in 1995 by myself Gary Parker, after spending many years in the construction industry, starting my apprenticeship in 1979 aged 16, with a local general building company called Eldridge & Cruttenden Ltd. I left school on the Friday and started work on the following Monday it was a gap weekend! Thereafter followed some of the most memorable days of my life.
My father also worked at the same company as a senior Contracts Manager and it is to him I owe my career, he put his job on the line to enable me to get an apprenticeship in the year Eldridge & Cruttenden Ltd were not awarding any, something he never tired of reminding me!
When a new apprentice started work, it was obligatory to spend the first year in the joinery workshop, learning to use the tools of the trade correctly, although I enjoyed being in the workshop and also at college, my heart was out on site in the fresh air.
Occasionally someone would pop their head round the workshop doors asking if they could ‘borrow’ the lad for a bit?….by the time it was agreed the lad could be borrowed, I was already in the van waiting for the off.
However the jobs I was borrowed for usually involved working with itchy fiberglass, climbing triple extension ladders (which were absolutely terrifying), lifting something heavy, dirty, or wet or on many occasions a combination of the whole lot, however I loved every moment.
LEARNING THE TRADE
In my second year I was finally let out on site and worked with many talented carpenters who to me seemed to magically create the finest work with just a handful of old tools, I watched, I made tea (badly) and I slowly learned my trade.
In the third year of my apprenticeship, I started working in my father’s team; he was a Contracts Manager in charge of about 100 men. My father was liked and respected and I learnt a lot from him, one of the most enduring things he told me was to always treat people how you would like to be treated, always show respect and never belittle anyone. I took this to heart and use it as my basic standard in business and in life.
A year or so after my apprenticeship finished I left the company and became a self-employed carpenter, then followed commitments with a young family and mouths to feed. I would work all day return home for tea and then go out again to work the entire evening, at times in the winter I hardly saw my home in daylight.
Eventually I started pricing and winning small projects in my own right and I built a good team of carpenters around me.
Growing the team
Southern Carpentry LTD was formed
As time passed my small team gradually grew as we became more successful and eventually there came a tipping point where I had to choose to be either a working carpenter or an office based manager. I remember this moment very well, because it was a dark cold miserable rainy day, I was soaked to the skin with water running down my backside, hanging halfway up a roof guiding a crane load of trusses in, while at the same time trying to negotiate a new contract on my huge brick of a mobile phone (which I still have), this was the moment I decided to become an office based manager, and I’m glad I did.
Eventually we grew to the point where I formed Southern Carpentry Ltd in 1995. Over the years we have completed many different types of construction projects, such as a 2 year renovation of Tonbridge School Chapel that had been destroyed by fire, where we worked with decorative gold leaf ceiling panels and built an award winning timber spire, to modern large scale new social and private housing projects and one off multimillion pound designer homes and everything in between, including a garden shed for free because a lovely elderly gentleman called the office for some help.
Training for Young people
The training of young people is very important to us and we continually give apprenticeships. I’m pleased to say many of our former apprentices still work for us, including two of my sons. Ashley my eldest son helps me run the company.
I try to always be professional, straight and honest. I am passionate about quality and our work and reputation and I want people to feel they can trust us to get the job done to a high standard and on time. For the past 30 years we have been doing just this.
What we can do?
Simple or complex Cut & Pitch and Trussed roofing.
A team with expert practical advice on hand.
All types of build method, from traditional to modern.
Friendly experienced quality tradesmen.
Experts in kitchen fitting.
Passionate about quality and customer satisfaction.
Want to know a little bit more about us?
Get in touch with us today to find out how we could help.