House Martin News
Chudleigh's Burning
Visitors to our showroom should approach House Martin from the Exeter direction, as a fire in the Coaching House has closed them ain thoroughfare.
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Grand Designs NEC October 2011
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It's three years since we last "did" Grand Designs at the NEC. Â Here's the Orac display. Â If you paid us a visit and want to buy make sure you tap in the code given on the day.
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Stephen
House Martin Online
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The Goodwood Revival uses Orac C990
House Martin were delighted to be chosen by the team running the 2011 Goodwood Revival meeting earlier this month.
Motor Sport enthusiasts will be familiar with this wonderful annual event, where spectators arrive in period costime, Tesco's open a 1960's themed supermarket and great names like Stirling Moss, Martin Brundle and Gerhard Berger turn up to entertain.
Our popular C990 Orac Luxxus Coving was used throughout the aircraft hangar that is used as the venue for an "Earls Court Motor Show exhibit".
The organisers cleverly added a red transfer system to create a scalloped effect to the base of each length of coving. Â The installers did a fabulous job with mitre joints and really did a good job. Â Who say making mitres on big covings is difficult?
Orac C990 stands proud above a priceless Delahaye at Goodwood 2011.
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The classic lines of a Jaguar"E Type" with the classic Orac C990 coving nestling behind on the Goodwood Hangar walls.
If you too have an unusual project or need assistance for an exhibition give us a call on 01626 853987.
Stephen Biggs
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Edenbridge & Oxted Show August 2011
This bank holiday weekend we exhibited at the Edenbridge & Oxted Show. Lots of good enquiries and a good take up of brochures and samples.
Always entertaining at the shows we have exhibited at and interesting talking to clients to understand their needs. Often the ease of installation and availability of our coving comes as a suprise. Sadly our last planned exhibition. Sixteen now completed, with some thirty two days meeting clients.
If there is any follow up needed, please do not hesitate to contact us. Phone to contact us for advice, brochures and samples.
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Salvo June 2011
Fabulous three days of glorious weather and a successful show. Lots of interest shown in the Orac coving, dado and skirting board. There is often a surprise that the products are so tough, light and easy to install. So often people say 'I've just had the coving down,If only I'd known.' Box in Pipes and Lincrusta were also a hit with customers now knowing where to source.
Guildford County Show 2011
A lovely day at the Guildford County Show. One of my favourites. Plenty going on and a good size without being exhausting to get around. All packed into one day, a boon for the exhibitor.
New to our range the Lincrusta wall coverings were on show. Lincrusta is one of those products many people know of, but would not be able to source locally. The whole range is available through House Martin Interiors now and will shortly be available online.
Lincrusta samples will be part of the service we provide with Orac moulding samples. We also hope to add a Box in Pipe sample service as well.
House Martin awarded prestigious contract
APRIL 2011
We are delighted to have been chosen to assist in the design and specification of buiulding materials for the prestigious "Mountwise" new build site in Plymouth.
Our work will include glassfibre chimneys, copings, and canopies to the exteriors and the fabulous C217 Orac coving for the interiors.
Work is already progressing on site, within a few months we will have added our decorative dimension to over 140 new homes on the projects which nestles alongside the banks of the River Tamar.
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Big Society - Commons Select Committee
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What a special day.
The BIG SOCIETY Commons Select Committe came to meet about 30 of us from various aspects of the town.
Here we see Graham Wall addressing Devon County staff andsix MPs. Â James Morris, Simon Danczuk, Heidi Alexander, Clive Betts, Bob Blackland, and Mark Pawsley.
Whatever your political persuasion the Government is out there listening to us, and trying to shape effective policies for the future.
I applaud them, whatever poltical persuasion.
Stephen Biggs
Chudleigh Business Guild
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Orac Factory Visit
We have just returned from a training day at Orac in Ostende. Â The Orac philosophy is to manufacture and present everything to the highest possible standard.
Two sessions were running on our 19/11/2010 visit, one looking at the best possible installation procedures (House Martin course) plus a 10 man course for German installers who were being trained on "Marble Painting Effects" on columns.
The flags witness to the Orac attention to detail, with the national flags of Germany and Britain flying alongside those of Orac and Belgium.
This shot shows the main entrance and office complex. Â Demand for the profiles is so high that there are now 180 staff, with production running on three shifts six days a week.
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Installation Instructions
With all orders a new easy coving installation guide is being sent with the product. This should make life even easier and improve customer satisfaction with the finished result. Latest survey currently recording this at 96%! Any questions or concerns, please call. It matters to us.
South of England Autumn Show - Ardingly
If you have ever walked in the Fells in bad weather, this is what the weekend was like. Trees bending in the wind and 45 degree rain. Fortunately we were warm and dry in the Norfolk Pavillion, but the exhibitors outside did suffer. I was still amazed by those attending, although enquiries were down by 60%. Disappointing for the last show of 2010, but all packed away now and time to review and plan for next year.
Surrey County Autumn Show
A one day event held at Losely Park, which was a lovely venue. The dog competitions were amazing to watch, brilliantly trained.
Good interest not only in the usual cornice, coving, skirting, panel moulding, dado rail and box in pipes, but trade as well in the dentils, external mouldings, radius guttering and glass fibre production.
Last show of the season next weekend at Ardingly, so hope to see you there.
Newbury, Berkshire Show
A two day show with not a lot of activity in the morning, but much more in the afternoon. Being an agricultural show an early opening at 8am, with many of the public seeming to arrive late morning. Very cold out of the sun on Saturday, with added wind chill factor and more cloud making Sunday colder. A long day with a 7pm and 6pm finish respectively.
However a slight change of interest from the normal coving, cornice, dado rail, panel moulding and skirting. With enquiries to make to order, using glass fibre, exterior mouldings of dentils and columns.
We are also often asked to make bespoke cornice, which we can do. But the cost of taking an impression, making a mould, producing the cornice and then the need to expertly install, is labour intensive and is usually more than customers would like to pay. The simplist and cheapest solution is normally to replace the whole room.
Essex County Show
The morning of Saturday 12th Sept found me somewhat concerned and the slight increase in afternoons activity hardly made up for the slow start. However Sunday was much better. You can never really tell at an exhibition how it is going to go. Even if after the event it does not seem to have been a success, as with this show, it can be surprising when the orders come in. Even more than an event where it seemed to go well!
All the usual favourites caused the most interest. Box in Pipes, Coving, Cornice, Dado, Skirting and Ceiling Roses. A new departure was handing out requested samples at the show, rather than sending them on afterwards. More effecient and better for the customer.
Pure torture though being next to a fudge stall, with the lovely flavoured smells each time a sample was cut. I was firm and resisted for both days! My daughter was not pleased that I returned empty handed.
Somerset County Show
Car all packed up on Saturday for a 4am start for 4.30 departure Sunday. All set up for the 9am start. Had to adapt the stand as the roof did not allow the top of the dispay to be installed.
A bit slow, but the weather was fine. The marquee soon became stuffy, so a few side panels were opened. Mid morning onwards became livelier with the usual interest in coving, cornice and box in pipes. In particular the advantage over plaster with quality, cost of installation and finishing.
The journey home involved a detour from the M3 to avoid congestion caused by an accident involving a coach. I may have had a longer journey home, but at least was not involved in the accident.
Michael
Devon County Show - Clyst St Mary
Glorious weather left me with a tan. Fortunately we have no pictures of this event as me in a hat is of questionable value. A very productive event with many enquiries and orders already fulfilled.
These exhibitions are however more about increasing our profile and explaining the choice that is not always realised. Interior mouldings that do not suffer the disadvantages of traditional products. Coving and cornice that is lightweight, not subject to damage and easy to install. Skirting that is tough and needs only a final coat of paint. A huge range of decorative mouldings from dado to columns.
Michael.
Fraud
In the last week House Martin has been the unwitting victim of a £2000 credit card fraud.  I suppose with our systems in place we had rather hoped that we would never be in this position.
Firstly it feels rather deflating to lose such a significant sum to one unscrupulous individual, and secondly it is likely to be quite distressing for the innocent card holder when they open up their credit card statement.
The good news in situations like this is that we are able to assess what happened and learn from the experience. Would be scammers will now be subject to a further two tiers of security. Â If you are a House Martin customer be assured that always aim to put the customer first, but sometimes we may need to proceed with security checks which may delay your order by a few days.
Should you have any queries please ask.
STEPHEN BIGGS
9th March 2010
Flexi Mouldings
Flexi or flexible mouldings are a real boon to curved bays and walls. With a range of Skirting, Dado / Panel Mouldings and Coving / Cornice this is a problem we can solve. All flexible moulding also come in a ridged material for larger projects. For the degree of flex refer to the chart on our FAQ page.
Indirect Lighting
Wow. Take a look at our new Lighting section.
Indirect Lighting Why have a single pendant in the middle of the room giving harsh lighting, or inadequaet lighting from lamps? Our Indirect Lighting Coving is such an improvement.
Recessed Lighting Designed to add flair to lighting in lobbies, stairs, hallways, corridors and anywhere else you imagination takes you.
Skirting Board Lighting Designed as background lighting to add sophisication to your home. Neat LED lighting, giving floor low level lighting in skirting or down lighting in coving.
Uplighters Create a woulderful atmosphere with a splash of light towards the ceiling adding softness and style to any room.
Two Ways to Shop
At precisely 00:01 this morning we had our first order today. Â Gerry will pack it, and it will arrive tomorrow. Â
Here is a typical scenario for Mrs. Average.
It's hard to imagine but there are people out there in the big wide world today who are actually going to jump into a hatchback, queue on the nation's roads and try to buy good quality coving.
Maybe they'll drive 5 miles, park up in a crowded car park and stroll into a big DIY Store or builders merchant. Â What will they find?
I'll tell you. Â A pitiful selection of (at best ) six different designs. Â The cheaper stuff will look like re-constituted paper cups from the obligatory snack wagon parked outside. Â Yuck!
Moving on they'll perhaps discover an outrageously heavy Six Pack of Gypsum simple concave coving. Mmmm, just what the average punter wants. Â Sadly Mr.Smith is at work and our would be coving customer is a helpful wife, with a toddler in one hand and as she goes to lift this seemingly good value carton nothing happens. Â Why? Â Well unfortunately our Size 12 female has absolutely nothing in common with Geoff Capes and the only thing she is likely to get at this juncture is a hernia.
Not to be deterred she cast her eye along the display and finds a cellophane wrapped own brand coving. Â Just what is this one going to look like back at home? Â Unfortunately for her whilst it may once have looked good this product has been mauled by a previous customer, and now looks like it has been decorated by a bunch of kids from the face painting stand at the school fair.
Four more choices then? Â Fat chance, as the theme continues with an assortment of broken cartons, and just one suitable design. Â What a relief. Â That'll go down a treat, now I all that's needed is enough for a 4 x 3 metre room. Fourteen metres then. Â Guess what there's only 12 on display.
Our intrepid shopper wanders to the surprisingly mis-named "Customer Service Desk". Â The lady behind the counter is dealing with some who wants to know how to get his loyalty points added onto his card, but he forget to tell the girl on the checkout.
Five minutes pass by, eventually a tannoy is sounded for assistance. Â A young lad in what looks like a romper suit arrives. Â He'll have the answer, and get the one final carton to allow this weekend's DIY escapade to get underway.
Er NO! Â After being gone for a while (he was hijacked by someone wanting to know where he can find a trolley that doesn't have a mind of it's own), and a lady hoping to find a PJ996 battery for her torch.
Our hero returns without the missing pack, and says they aren't sure when their next delivery will be in, but can she come back next week? Â You might think I'm joking, but she has now wasted nigh on 30 minutes and is late for collecting Johnny from Primary School.
As our would be shopper straps Lucy into her Vauxhall Zafira and surveys the congested exit for one moment she thinks, "There must be a better way to buy coving".
You and I know there is, with samples readily available, a courier to carry the (much lighter) cartons which can either be delivered to her door, or at her husbands office. Â No, surely this is too easy?
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Lincrusta
