British workers are criticised too much
A RECENT TV programme showed the building of a large house which was constructed in Germany by a design and build company, and erected in the UK by German specialist staff.
Naturally, much was made of the fact that a lorry load of concrete was a few hours late arriving, and that British workers were therefore vastly inferior to German, etc.
Little was made of the fact that only the waterproof outer shell of the building was erected by the German team in four and a half days. Completion of the plumbing, electrics, kitchen, bathroom and internal finishes took the time to four and a half months.
Of course, the foundations and base, sewage, etc, were constructed before the factory made building was delivered.
Back around 1970, a Cornish-born entrepreneur set up a company to build timber-framed houses, then considered innovative.
At the time, a conventional three-bed estate home cost around £11,000 to £12,000. The timberframed homes cost as little as £7,500 if terraced, a little more on better sites and semi-detached.
On one notable day, the Cornish firm set up a demonstration for the press and other interested parties, such the mayor and other officials.
The base and services to a house had been prepared.
At 7.55am, the MD of the company arrived by helicopter and met the prospective owners of the house on site.
At 8am, the MD blew a whistle and a lorry with the first load of the house drove on site. At lunch time, the dignitaries and clients were served lunch.
At 5pm prompt, a further whistle sounded and the MD handed over the keys to the clients for their new home, ready for immediate occupation.
I can also vouch that the same company was noted for better wages and conditions for its workers than most competitors at the time.
So a bit less of criticism of British workers and entrepreneurs is called for.
The company as above has had several changes of owner, usually the staff being retained by new owners and its successors still in business, to best of my knowledge.
PS – the entrepreneur was Robert Carey, born in Mevagissey. He set up a number of companies, subsequently leaving the UK and showing his method of timber-frame building to builders who had given the UK its original timber-frame methods.
Mike Baker St Austell, Cornwall