A new venture set up by one of the region’s leading fit-out specialists, Paul Eatock, has hit the ground running with several new client wins.
Eatock Design and Build, based at Centurion House on Deansgate, will operate across the UK servicing the office and commercial sector accommodating projects of all sizes including full reconfigurations to extensive refurbishments.
The company will design, fit, refurbish and build Covid secure and environmentally friendly workspaces, retail fit outs and commercial property developments, responding to increasing demand from clients seeking to adapt their offices to welcome back staff who have been working from home since lockdown.
Within weeks of setting up the firm, founder Paul Eatock has been appointed by 19 new clients including online retailer, I Saw It First, which is looking to redesign its reception area at its head office in the Northern Quarter.
“I wanted to combine all my experience and expertise alongside my large network of contacts and manufacturing partners and bring that experience to the table,” said Paul.“I enjoy what I do and have worked on some amazing projects, but it was time to launch on my own.”
“I’ve got the ability and contacts to deliver high profile large schemes with a personal approach and without massive overheads.”
“One of the downsides of the industry is that a lot of furniture companies outsource their fit-out which means you can lose control of a project as you’re relying on a third party. This is common in the sector, but it can also be frustrating too.
“People who appoint me now are getting me and my experience, not a third party fit-out company. This means I’ll be utilising my network to do a good job for my clients without the hassle and stress and delivering a project on time and on budget.”
The company is also responding to meet increasing demand from clients seeking to furnish their offices to welcome back staff who have been working from home since lockdown.
Paul said: “The city centre might not be as busy, but many firms are beginning to welcome staff back and are embracing a combination of working from the office and the home.This means they are looking at how the design of the office works in the current climate of social distancing and using the space in a smarter way so that staff feel safe while also enjoying being back in a work environment.”
Paul is one of Manchester’s leading experts in office fit-outs and joined the sector 12 years ago having worked in retail management.He started with Diamond Interiors and initially grew his network by cold-calling but says strong client engagement has been key to his success.
Paul went onto co-found Spatial Office Environments, a fit-out and furniture company based in Manchester in 2014 and grew the firm to a £5m turnover business in four years.He left Spatial to re-join Diamond Interiors in 2018.
Paul has worked on several multi-million pound large scale projects including the headquarters of Car Finance 24/7 in Manchester as well as Euro Garages’ head office in Blackburn. Paul also designed the Kensington home of Zubair Issa, the billionaire co-founder of Euro Garages.
But the 43-year-old says a health scare in early 2019 which saw him diagnosed with a benign brain tumour had prompted him to reevaluate his future.
“In early 2019 I had experienced loss of vision on one eye,” said Paul.“I went to the optician who discovered I was colour blind in one eye and referred me to an eye specialist in Wigan.
It was there that they discovered there was something pressing on the optic nerve and sent me for a precautionary MRI test. A week later I was diagnosed with a benign brain tumour and I was put on a six-month waiting list for surgery. But when I went for a pre op they discovered the tumour was hovering over my other eye too and the operation was brought forward, and the brain tumour was successfully removed on August 1st last year.”
“I took three months off to recover but the operation was a reality check. It made me think about what I want for my future, which is to be healthy and strong for my two daughters.It made me grateful for what I can do and set me up for taking the plunge to eventually launch Eatock Design and Build.”
He added: “When you’re in this business you need a loyal supply chain to back you and a list of clients who want to work with you. I’m excited by a promising start and the opportunities my network has already given me”.
