Pandemic prompts boom for bathroom business

A Bristol-based bathroom business says the Covid-19 pandemic has prompted such an increased demand for its services it has had to expand its team.

Keystone Bathrooms only started selling to the public earlier this year, having become a trusted brand among builders and developers since the firm was founded in 2014.

While many businesses are struggling to survive in the current economic climate, Keystone Bathrooms is on track for continued growth.

Managing Director Dale Gregor formed the business after spending the previous 15 years working for merchants and manufacturers.

He said: “Because of the lockdown rules, people were forced to spend a lot more time in their own homes and became tired of staring at the same walls.

“Many families had holidays and other activities cancelled because of Coronavirus, which left them with a bigger budget than they might otherwise have had for some home improvements, so many of them have decided to splash out on new bathrooms.

“Being able to treat themselves and relax in a new bathroom which has been specifically designed to meet their personal tastes has given people something to smile about.”

Keystone Bathrooms – which has worked on prestigious developments such as Finzel’s Reach in Bristol and Royal Eden Docks in London – faced a difficult start to 2020 after large developers started panic-buying when the pandemic threat first emerged.

Mr Gregor said: “All the stock was purchased but was then not required as we went into lockdown, which meant we had to increase our warehouse capacity.

“April and May were pretty much completely shut down, with 10 percent of developers still working, but we felt we had to remain open for them, or we might lose their custom and not be able to get it back when the lockdown lifted.

“We slowly started returning in June, and there was then a huge spike in office refurbishments, which saw great demand for infra-red washroom controls as businesses invested in ways to reduce the risk of the virus being spread in the workplace.

“By July and August, things were back to full speed for us, and after the Government announced cuts to stamp duty, we had to expand our team to meet the increased demand.”

He added: “We started selling to the public this year mainly due to the downtime I had as a result of the pandemic, when I had a lot of time to reflect on the business.”

A unique selling point of Keystone Bathrooms is that they have no showrooms or shops for customers to visit – instead, they visit people in their own homes, to design a bespoke bathroom to match their available space, budget and tastes.

Mr Gregor said: “People have found themselves with this extra money to spend, because of having holidays cancelled, but they are still nervous about travelling around to browse several showrooms.

“They find it reassuring that we come to them, and work with them to create something special. Everyone feels like they need a treat, and one way to do this is to relax in a lovely new bathroom that has been designed just for you.”

To find out more, and to book your no obligation bathroom consultation, visit www.keystonebathrooms.co.uk or call 0117 332 0080.