Helps Entrepreneurs’ Business Take Off

23rd July 2007

Two entrepreneurs who ran a small business whilst employed full time elsewhere have given up their jobs to channel all their efforts into their company with backing from Merseyside Special Investment Fund (MSIF).

Chris Hitchmough and Paul Clay set up their business Take Off & Build on a part time basis in 2005. The company provides a range of cost estimation and project management services to the construction industry including subcontractor tenders and bills of quantity.

Take Off & Build uses state-of-the-art software and the directors’ industry experience to manually ‘take off’ specifications from architects to provide accurate calculations for materials and costs required for building projects.

The company, whose main customers are architects and small to medium sized building firms, has already worked with contractors on some of the city’s major regeneration projects.

Take Off & Build has raised a finance package which includes a loan from MSIF’s £20m Small Firms Fund and directors’ own investment to fund the further development of the business.

Mr Hitchmough said: “Paul and I have worked in the industry for many years and time and time again we saw builders losing out because they were either over pricing or under estimating costs. We provide a complete bespoke service to customers working on anything from multi-million pound projects to domestic extensions.”

“The building trade in Liverpool is thriving and we were winning lots of new business so we decided to take the plunge and leave our jobs to operate the company full time.

“MSIF’s support and advice has been fundamental to us taking the business forward. We have lots of work in the pipeline and we intend to grow the business significantly.”

Alan Birkett, Investment Manager of MSIF’s Small Firms Fund said: “This is a great example of the entrepreneurial talent Merseyside produces. We are pleased to be supporting this business and believe it deserves to do very well.”

Take Off & Build currently employs 2 staff and expects to take on a further 4 in the next two years.

Ends

MSIF Helps Entrepreneurs’ Business Take Off

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Pic shows L-R - Alan Birkett (MSIF) with Paul Clay and Chris Hitchmough (Take Off & Build)

MSIF Helps Entrepreneurs’ Business Take Off

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