The baton of national presidency was officially handed over to Chris Carr at the FMB’s 2023 National Annual General Meeting this Monday, 25 September.
Chris, co-owner of FMB member company Carr & Carr (Builders) Ltd, is very clear on his first priority as President, and that’s to drive membership – as an industry, we’re stronger in association. ‘My priority is in gaining and retaining new members. I’m really keen on being proactive with getting new members. I think a crucial part of that is to get our members to engage more in recruitment, be proud of what we are as part of the FMB team and tell everybody how good it is and what we offer. I think that this can sometimes be better coming from another builder or construction company.’
‘We need to promote some of the great work our members are doing, like Mark Gribbin [of Setanta Construction Ltd] who’s delivering homes to Passiv Haus Standard, or Vantage & Co Group Limited who won the coveted Master Builder of the Year Award for their incredible resurrection of a Georgian villa standing in Birmingham’s historic Jewellery Quarter. We need to find ways to promote these type of quality FMB members to architects, social housing providers, councils and Local Authorities as well as the general public.’
Chris is keen to help builders who specialise in Repair, Maintenance and Improvement (RMI) to work to win public procurement bids, getting into the public buildings and social housing sector. ‘The “bottom up” approach is showing our members how to find public sector work. But we also need a “top down” approach, which is showing Local Authorities what the FMB can offer, starting with the elected members on councils, showing them how our members can help with RMI work and that they’re fully warrantied’.
Having a role in both the Construction Leadership Council and the Future Homes Hub’s SME Housing Group, he’s already helping smaller housing developers, and will continue to represent their needs through the FMB. ‘The housing industry is in decline for SMEs. We used to build 40% of all new homes and now we build 10%, so unless we do something to reverse this, it’s only the big players in the market.’
“I think the opportunity for members to move from contracting or general building to becoming a housing developer can be more profitable, and there’s some excellent guidance from the CLC, in conjunction with the FMB in the form of their Guide to Becoming a Housing Developer. If you want to branch out, then the rewards are there.’
While the FMB is pushing for more small builders to enter the house building market, Chris recognises that SMEs are disproportionately affected by legislation such as the Future Homes Standard and Biodiversity Net Gains. ‘The FMB is doing a fantastic job lobbying government directly and through the Construction Leadership Council to make sure they aren’t affected.’
Chris thanks his predecessor, outgoing FMB National President Jan Etchells, and praised her for the great work she’s done in stabilising the FMB during what has been an ‘horrendous three years’ through COVID, Brexit and the conflict in Ukraine and its impact on the construction sector.
Chris also offers special thanks to FMB National Board member Michael Quickfall of M J Quickfall Builders Ltd for his support over the years. ‘Mick got me to attend my first FMB meeting when I was in my early 20s and since then he has mentored me from being an FMB member to being a branch secretary of the Grimsby and District Branch. I became the Regional President of Yorkshire and Trent in my 30s. In my 50s I’m now on the National Board and looking forward to the role of National President.’
FMB Chief Executive Brian Berry welcomed the new President, saying ‘Chris brings a wealth of knowledge to his new position as National President of the FMB. He knows the FMB very well and I’m looking forward to working with Chris over the next two years. It’s an exciting but challenging time as the building industry adapts to the changing economic climate. The FMB will be well served by Chris’s industry experience and passion to ensure members’ needs are met.’
