Rebecca Blott: Being a woman working in construction has been my superpower

In a male-dominated industry, our clients find dealing with me a breath of fresh air. Being a good listener and communicator allows me to understand exactly what they want and ensure Castle Construction gives them even more than they were hoping for.

I founded Castle Construction with my husband Scott in 2004. Together, we offer home improvements including basements, extensions, garden rooms and much more, but it isn’t our range that sets us apart, it’s our incredible attention to detail, and our industry-leading customer service. 

While I’ve always been closely involved, I took up a leading role in the business in 2018 and now jointly run the company with Scott. Truth be told he’s the real expert in construction, with years of successfully managing large-scale civil engineering projects, including everything from bridges to underground car parks …but I keep the whole show on the road from a strategy and leadership perspective!

One of my main roles is to oversee the customer-facing side of Castle Construction. I ensure projects run smoothly, to plan, and on budget. I often deal directly with customers, managing their relationships with our architects, structural engineers and construction workers. 

Working within people’s homes and enhancing their personal spaces might sound like a cushty job, but while I do really enjoy it, it takes serious intuition, tact and diplomacy! Beyond this I’m always busy bringing in new business, engaging with new clients and drawing up contracts …which means working with them to pin down exactly what they are looking for.

My background wasn’t originally in construction, but I’m very used to working in traditionally male industries. Having graduated in Electrical Engineering & Management, as only one of two women in the final year, I joined Ericsson’s graduate training scheme as a software engineer.

I then moved into IT, consultancy and financial services, where I held both strategic and delivery roles, including managing large teams delivering multi-million dollar projects. After a successful 20 years in the corporate world, I was then ready to invest my experience and energy in our rapidly growing family business, Castle Construction.

I have never been phased by being in the minority as a woman. In fact, I consider it an advantage. As a woman in an industry dominated by men, you learn quickly to believe in yourself and stand up for your ideas. But there are a distinct lack of female role models in business …and in sectors such as construction. As a mum of two daughters and a son, I want to be a good role model for my children. And, I am passionate about raising standards in an industry that has an undeniably poor reputation …and deservedly so, in some cases!

At Castle Construction our core values are: Quality, Integrity, Respect and Transparency.

These underpin everything we do. For example, we create opportunities for our employees to develop, and are signed up to the Living Wage scheme. These are also the values I adhere to in my daily life.  

My vision for Castle Construction is to become Brighton and Hove’s most trusted construction company. Trust, after all, is crucial to our success. Most of our projects involve significant structural alterations to private family homes, enhancing and expanding people’s personal space – where they live, eat, work and play. Our changes hugely impact the daily lives of our clients and for us to do this successfully, having their absolute trust is paramount.

Many of our clients will never have undertaken such a large project themselves. This is one of the reasons why our projects are overseen by a dedicated Client Manager. With attentive, insightful customer-service, we guide our clients through the process from start to finish.

Looking to the future, I am focused on continuing to grow our construction business. This will allow us to create more job opportunities and positively influence change within construction. We’ve had a bumpy couple of years with Brexit, Covid and the escalating cost of materials, but there is one very definite silver lining. Many more people now have the chance to work from home and want to improve, reorganise or extend their space. Which has meant we’ve been kept very busy fitting home offices, extending homes and putting in basements. And now, our exciting new offering for 2022 is our range of spectacular, modern garden rooms.  

It may sound immodest, but I truly believe Castle Garden Rooms are a cut above the rest. We use a steel frame and aluminium cladding to make them as durable as they are modern and beautiful. Forget simple man caves or potting sheds …our garden rooms are works of art that are designed to look beautiful, last for generations and bring space and light into your home.

Running a business as a mother of three can be challenging. There isn’t much time off! Scott and I make the most of family time with days out and camping trips. Occasionally, I get to enjoy a bit of ‘me time’ and go running on the Downs with our 1-year-old Hungarian Vizsla, Rocco. I am looking forward to a fantastic 2022, and bringing beautiful spaces to families across the South East.

m: +44 (0)7776 182892
e: rebecca@castle-group.co.uk
w: www.castle-construction.co.uk