Asking price: < £200k

Sales revenue: Undisclosed

Net profit: Undisclosed

Fixtures value: Undisclosed

Stock value: Undisclosed

Business description
The company was established in 2004 and has successfully been developed as a professional garden design & installation service company aimed at the domestic UK market. The principle of the business is to use great value garden design as a way of attracting customers to sell to the materials, installation work and garden extras such as furniture.

The service utilises in-house designers, who also manage the quality control aspect of the installation work which is undertaken by a network of approved installers. This minimises the overhead within the business. The company acts as lead generator through local, regional and national advertising and promotions. A useful analogy for the business model is to say this business is to garden design and installation what Interflora is to flower bouquet design and delivery.

The business has been run on a smallscale during the three year trial period since launch and is now ready to be rolled out to a national operation. The directors include the former vice president of the Housebuilders Federation and board director for one of the largest housebuilding companies in the UK (as well as primetime TV presenting for BBC 1 and Channel 4).

During the three year launch period for this business it has undertaken showgardens for the housebuilders CALA Homes, Jennings Homes, Redrow Homes, Parker-Lake Homes and Countryside Properties. The company has designed and installed the garden for the most expensive house ever built in Coventry, a Michelin starred restaurant in Birmingham and designed a new children’s play area for Ikea Birmingham. We have undertaken national marketing initiatives with Heinz Soups, Additions Direct catalogues, Mastercard and BBC Good Homes magazine. The business won the prestigious 2005 Daily Express/New Homes Marketing Board silver award for UK Garden Design Company of the Year and installed a silver medal winning garden at the 2007 RHS Royal Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. The business is a full member of BALI (British Association of Landscaping Industries, the main governing body for landscapers in the UK).

Since launch nearly £0.5m of landscaping work has been created. The business has been designed to operate as a stand alone business, but especially suited to sit within an existing organisation that can add further value.

Years established: 4

Employees: 1

Trading hours: to suit

Home based: This business can be run from home.

Relocatable: This business can be relocated.

Location
The business is mainly marketed via the internet and through promotions with third parties. It is completely relocatable having national supply arrangements for all main elements of the domestic garden installation: hard materials, plants and turf enabling delivery direct to site anywhere in the country thus minimising stock holding to a bare minimum. The installation of the gardens is subcontracted through a network of approved installers. The garden design and garden sales element is best run by a local agent/designer in each part of the country targeted by the business who can also monitor the quality of the installation work.

Expansion potential
With a national design & installation network in place, there is a genuine opportunity to offer a “white label” design and installation service to housebuilders, DIY outlets, builders merchants and garden centres. These companies will be able to offer a design and installation service to their customers, incorporating the stock they typically hold, but designed and installed by the business and its approved installer network. With major DIY outlets suffering in the switch from DIY to “get-someone-in-to-do-it” we see this as a significant growth area that the existing fragmented domestic landscape industry is unable to take advantage of. Lead generation and other initiatives which have been started but remain open for further development and exploitation by new owners include: • A National prize draw with Mastercard, which has seen the business promoted to several hundred thousand Mastercard holders in the UK offering a complete garden makeover as a prize (paid for by Mastercard). • The promotion of the business through the high street branches of the UK’s leading estate agency, plus other estate agent networks • The promotion of the business via the UK’s largest online portal for new home developments • The promotion of the business via the UK’s leading “House Doctor” service • The promotion of the business through the second largest paving manufacturer in the UK • The promotion of the business through the UK’s leading alternative wedding gift list service, The Bottom Drawer (www.thebottomdrawer.co.uk). This company is a sister company to the business and has the same shareholders and executive. It enables marrying couples to have a garden makeover broken down into small gifts that their wedding guests can contribute towards (in the same way that an expensive dinner service might be broken down into each plate, cup, saucer etc on a traditional wedding gift list) • A database of contact details for all nursery and primary schools in the UK (over 40,000 schools) with eco-learning gardens being a target growth area • National supply arrangements in place with major suppliers for direct to site delivery of all hard materials, plants, equipment hire and turf • The availability of a national network of landscapers (the majority approved as members of BALI or APL) built up over several years who are willing to undertake installation work • Many excellent client testimonials to include in further marketing • The development of an extremely high quality web site

Competition / Market
The domestic garden design and installation market is highly fragmented with many one or two man bands only. Only one other company has attempted to create a national brand name and they were acquired by Marshalls, the largest landscaping manufacturer in the UK showing the huge potential in this market.

Support & training
The existing directors/shareholders are keen to continue in an advisory role and retain a minority interest in the business to reflect their continued belief in the significant opportunity the business offers going forward.

Reasons for selling
The business has been developed to the point where it is ready to be taken on by an organisation or individual who can maximise the opportunities available. The current Managing Director will remain heavily involved in the development of the wedding gift list service The Bottom Drawer (as mentioned above), providing a link between the old and new management if required