Quite the Christmas season - Getting floors done with Andrew @Ataboy Services Melbourne.

Quite the Christmas season - Getting floors done with Andrew @Ataboy Services Melbourne.

Ah Yes, it is almost Christmas again.

I made a promise two years ago that I would create a professional Christmas article every year to showcase some of the things I have achieved across the year in Business development.

It's important to take the time to celebrate the both heartache and the little victories that took patience to see through to the end.

Working in Melbourne this year has had some unique challenges that have revealed smart professionals in the construction industry who have found ways to work smarter around Covid compliance and lockdown stages.

I also discovered during different stages this year that Bunnings was a much needed refuge for tradies and construction professionals alike.

While abiding by the rules we also learned this year that those who ask, receive tenfold more than they asked for.

These serious times of recovery in Victoria have brought out the best in some of our hardest working individuals in our local communities.

Special letters of request, following new home trends, and putting out the message for emergency work has helped several small businesses in the flooring industry who I have personally met rise above the many challenges while working in Melbourne this year.

Staying connected to contacts and reaching out for help even in uncertain times as this, are key ingredients to success as a small business owner.

As is the case with one of Melbourne's leading floor contractors who I had the pleasure of catching up with recently in the rush leading up to Christmas.

It's a few days leading up to Christmas and I have booked an appointment with one of Melbourne's most recognised floor contractors.

Andrew from Ataboy services in his more than a decade of experience has done just about every sanding, finishing and installation job you can imagine across all parts of Melbourne.

Driving to upper East side of Melbourne it is a bright sunny day, with beautiful rows of pine trees and beautifully wide roads, signs of an older Melbourne suburb attracting new renovation work and redesigns.

As I pull up to the drive way I see Andrew's black Ute and matching trailer with its custom black license plate 'Ataboy' glistening in the sun.

He shakes my hand like we are old friends coming back from holiday break and walks me through the front entrance to show me the work he is doing for a client.

"This house has been recently renovated to provide a modern appearance, all of this front entrance is a brand new extension with new stairs.

"Providing wider access and a modern appeal when you first walk in is a fantastic option to increase the value of a house said Andrew as he walks across the length of the floor."

"My job here is to make sure the new timber we have installed matches the old timber to create a seemless appearance." said Andrew

My first response to Andrew's work is "wow, I am aware that some floor contractors would not take up a challenge like this".

"I've been doing this for a long time, it could be difficult for someone just getting started in their career, but with the right process and the best product selection I make light work of it."

"Using the best water based finish on the market, Bona finish I am going to create a modern appearance that will stop the floor from fading an undesirable yellow, this is usually at top of mind for customers getting their floor redone."

'Spotted Gum - Bona Traffic HD 2 pack in matt'

"It is an easy sell for me, if you look at my Facebook page 'Ataboy services' or Google 'Bona Traffic HD' you will see the excellent quality of this product above any of the other brands used here locally in Melbourne."

"The customer wants this house completed by Christmas and plans on living in the house for the next ten years or so."

"I always put in the extra effort into the job to exceed the customer's expectations."

"You see since starting this business I have never needed to advertise because my customers call me back for additional repeat business and they get their friends to call me too."

"There are some pockets of Melbourne where I have had referrals across whole neighbourhoods and for good reason too."

When a home owner puts their house up for sale, they may do some research online to see what appearances they should aim for in comparison to others houses that have sold in their area."

"What my customers love about my service is that I can easily explain to someone who has no experience with floors, the current local trends and what colours other home owners are putting down in their suburb."

"Once I have explained this to the customer I then explain what products I am going to use to achieve the desired result."

Cypress with Bona antislip

What are your thoughts about the market next year? Do you see solid timber installation increasing and what else do you think we will see from floor trends?

"Absolutely we will see more solid timber, despite the price rise in raw timber people are spending more time at home and that will probably stay fairly consistent into next year."

'Bona Traffic on Tassie Oak'

"Warm, homely lighter colours has been a feature this year due to the significant amount of time we are spending at home, likely we will see more of these tones next year."

"It's going to be a busy start to next year but I always look forward to helping people create the home they are looking to make."

It's been a different kind of Christmas for the people of Melbourne but we are grateful for every opportunity this year has given us and looking forward to a bigger year next year.

Merry Christmas from our families to yours!