Two builders; Lee McGinley from Beckenham in Kent, and Steve Barnett from Watford have reached the semi-finals of Screwfix Top Tradesperson 2023.
Lee, 51, who owns LMG Building Services London Ltd has been working in the trade for 34 years. Lee is passionate about sustainability and incorporating eco-friendly practices and materials in his day-to-day work.
Steve, 53, who owns Barnett Home Improvements has been working in the trade for the past 30 years. Steve has gradually honed his skills over the years from general painting and decorating, kitchen and bathroom installations to now – where he carries out complete home renovations. Steve is also a keen advocate of using recycled materials, and through careful site management reduces the amount of waste being carried off site on all the jobs he leads on.
They will now compete against 25 other top tradespeople from across the UK and the Republic of Ireland, who were selected from over 1,000 applications, for the chance to be shortlisted as a top 10 finalist.
The top 10 will participate in a one-day final event at Screwfix Live, on Friday 22nd September, where a panel of esteemed industry experts will interview the finalists before deciding on who is this year’s champion.
The overall winner will be crowned Screwfix Top Tradesperson 2023, and take home the ultimate trade bundle of tools, tech, and training worth £20,000.
Lee comments: “I’m thrilled to get through to the semi-finals of Screwfix Top Tradesperson 2023, particularly knowing how many incredible tradespeople I would have been up against. I hope to impress the judges with my commitment to future skills and sustainability. It’s not only important we have the right people entering the trade, but we also need to make sure we’re all doing our bit to operate as sustainably as possible too, while inspiring others to do the same.”
Steve comments: “Reaching the national final in September and winning the award would be great recognition for me and my business. I am committed to constantly learning and honing my skills to be the best tradesperson I can be, having undertaken qualifications in electrics and roofing to be able to manage all areas of a construction project from start to finish.”
Now in the 14th year of the prestigious award, Lee and Steve aim to join the Top Tradesperson Hall of Fame, alongside reigning champion Toby Peacock who won the competition last year.
Toby, an electrician from Cambridge, has shown himself to be a true ambassador for the trade, launching his podcast ‘Tearoom Talks’ which focuses on improving mental health in the trade.
Jack Wallace, Marketing Director at Screwfix, said: “We know there are many exceptional tradespeople out there who show passion and dedication day in, day out. When choosing our champion of the trade, we look for inspirational tradespeople that go above and beyond for their customers, as well as acting as an ambassador for the industry to encourage the next generation of tradespeople. Through this national award, we hope to recognise the fantastic work of tradespeople who are invaluable to our economy and the communities they serve.
“A huge congratulations to all our semi-finalists – I wish them the best of luck and look forward to meeting our finalists in September!”
To find out more about Screwfix Top Tradesperson, please visit screwfix.com/stt