Swallow Hill Homes – the construction firm with 200 fundings

“If it wasn’t for me and my business, somebody else probably would’ve knocked that down” – iwoca customer Rob Bailey is building for the future, one restoration at a time.

17 January 2020

In 2018, nearly 165,000 new houses were built in the UK. In the construction industry, it can seem like a race from one project to another. But for Rob Bailey, detail is key.

Rob founded Swallow Hill Homes in 2005 – a construction company that specialises in restoring old buildings and repurposing them for modern use. For him, it’s all about giving these incredible works of architecture a new lease of life.

One of Rob’s current projects is a Victorian school that he’s determined to save from demolition.

“A lot of people would’ve just torn it down and built something new, but the reality is these buildings are very well built.” he says. “I think having been able to save something for another 100 years makes you look back on it and think, ‘Oh yes, I did that. If it wasn’t for me and my business, somebody else probably would’ve knocked that down.’”

“On another project, we’re trying to save an old hospital in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales. It’s got another year before it crumbles to the ground. In terms of craftsmanship, there are very few places in the world where you would see that much detail on a building.”

How iwoca helps Swallow Hill Homes

For Swallow Hill Homes, iwoca:

Helps with cash flow management from one construction project to another
Allows Rob to buy in new resources for future jobs
Acts like an overdraft facility

“I use iwoca for managing cash flow. I used to have an overdraft but the bank took that away during the credit crunch,” Bailey says. “Having that £40,000 that I can just turn to at very short notice is really handy.”

Rob is a long term iwoca customer who has used us over 200 times since his application in 2015. We’re proud to have supported the growth of Swallow Hill Homes and provide them with flexible finance when they need it most.

“When you request the money it hits your bank instantly. If I get up in the morning and have to pay an invoice, rather than having to go through a load of processes I can just pay the person and forget about the job. iwoca’s systems are so slick.”

The future of Swallow Hill Homes

Despite uncertainty around Brexit, Rob is optimistic about the future of construction in the UK. Having carefully planned for the future of the business by exiting the London housing market, he and his team are keen to continue what they do best.

“I think the UK is a great place to do business. I’m positive about the economy and think Swallow Hill Homes is going to have a good few years.

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Dan is part of the content team at iwoca. He writes articles explaining financial topics, as well as guides on the best support for small businesses during coronavirus.

Article updated on: 20 February 2020

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2020

BY DANIEL SMITH