House renovation company says there’s always room for improvement

It’s now a well respected team of professionals working to the highest standards with customer satisfaction as their top priority.

Here, in our latest Business of the Week feature, Daniel tells us how the business has evolved over the past 18 years, why he wanted to extend into Wirral and Warrington and why satisfied customers never hesitate to recommend DK Building to family and friends.

If you would like to appear in one of our business features, email heidi.summerfield@newsquest.co.uk

Daniel Kozinski owner of DK Building

What’s your full name?

Daniel Kozinski - founding director of DK Building (Liverpool) Ltd – originally from Poland

What’s the name of the business?

DK Building (Liverpool) Ltd

When did you open the business?

The company has been operating since 2005 when I came to Liverpool.

Inside wraparound extension

Has it always been in the same location?

I set up originally as a sole trader and the company has expanded, so we are now extending our geographical area to Warrington and Wirral.

Are you local to the area? Did you grow up here?

I am originally from Poland and established the company in 2005 when I came to Liverpool. I set up originally as a sole trader and as business picked up, I needed to co-opt other tradesmen to help.

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A large wraparound extension

Tell me a bit about your business

The business has gradually evolved from a one-man-band into a well-respected team of professionals – on site and in the office. The onsite team work extremely well together and share my values – working to a high standard and respecting the customer.

I have always enjoyed and taken pride in my work as a plasterer and builder – and so do my team in theirs.

Honesty and openness with clear communication are key factors in building trust and a good reputation – which the company has achieved. Customer satisfaction is high on our list of priorities.

What do you do? What services do you provide?

The DK Building team includes all trades: joinery, plastering, carpentry, heating and plumbing, electrics, tiling, bricklaying, groundworks and insulation. We work together with residential and commercial clients to build extensions, loft and garage conversions and other building projects.

We are particularly proud of our whole house transformations and other large projects such as wraparound extensions. We work closely with local architects to realise the client’s vision for their home or other premises.

We offer a design and build service and will talk clients through every step of the way – at the pace that suits them.

A bathroom upgraded including underfloor heating

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Why did you decide to open your own business?

It is unfortunate that the building industry in this country generally has a poor reputation and I knew I could do better. I wanted to be a building contractor who offers a high quality professional service. I felt there was a market for a company that focuses more on the client and really works with them, understanding exactly what they want, and giving them good value for their money.

I have always produced the best result possible and I know that customers appreciate the extra care and attention we give to the job.

What’s your business background?

I love learning and have invested a lot of time and money learning how to run a successful business; how to manage people – employing the ‘right’ person for the job, and then supporting them as they develop their career, and their role within the company.

I am always intrigued by new ideas and techniques. As the business expands, it has been necessary to learn more about being a good manager – of the business as well as of people.

I am keen to invest time and money in learning and trialling systems and techniques if they will be an asset to the business. There is always room for improvement.

A renovated exterior

Why this sort of business?

Arriving in England as an experienced plasterer, it seems a fairly natural progression to run a building company.

Were you open during the Covid-19 pandemic? How did this affect your business?

The company continued to work within the government guidelines throughout the Covid pandemic.

As a lot of our work is outside or in vacant properties, we were able to continue the business operations. Communication and administration tasks can be largely carried out online or over the phone, so the office was kept busy throughout. It was an opportunity to think about our marketing strategy and improve our website and online presence.

The changes in culture and behaviour meant that a lot of people were triggered to consider changes to their accommodation and working environment, so there was an identifiable surge of enquiries.

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A renovation of a terraced house in Liverpool

What makes your business different to others in the same area/field? What sets your business apart from your competitors?

DK Building is different to many building companies in that we are very professional in our approach. This surprises many of our clients. We respond very quickly to all enquiries – even if we are not interested in the job. We have a very clearly defined way of handling and processing enquiries. We are open and upfront in all communications and make sure potential clients have all their questions answered before we talk about money and contracts.

During the building work, clients are constantly updated and able to speak to the site or project manager straight away if they have any concerns – even if they are abroad. Many clients remark on the friendly polite hardworking team onsite and how they miss them when the job is completed!

Why do loyal customers return to your business?

We have a good number of loyal customers now who recommend DK Building to their friends and family. They know they can trust us to do an excellent job – whatever we take on. No one likes to recommend a trader who might or might not do a good job.

The flip side is that people can also rely on our honesty to decline a job if we feel we are not the best builders for a particular project.

DK Building has been independently vetted by recognised organisations such as Trust Mark, Federation of Master Builders and Accreditus. We have been recognised as one of the Three Best Rated home builders in Liverpool for the last five years – an accolade we did not even know we were entered for!

What’s next? What do the next few months hold for you and your business?

The company is always looking for ways to improve. All members of the team, on site or in the office, are offered opportunities to improve their skills. We are now using a powerful new estimating and project management system which allows us to record and monitor all aspects of the business.

DK Building is now offering building services across the Warrington and Wirral areas as well as Liverpool. We look forward to continuing to provide the highest quality service for our clients, old and new.

This month, we will be enjoying a team get-together before Christmas. We have tried our hands at axe-throwing, go-karting and shooting – always up for something new and a bit of fun. Incidentally, the best shot in the company turned out to be Zaneta - a lady bookkeeper!

Some of the DK Building team