Damon Blakemore, of Blakemore Plumbing and Heating, was crowned our National Runner Up at the 2022 awards during InstallerSHOW.
As we always love to hear from our winners, we organised a call between Damon and Installer to find out more about his work and career:
Q: What made you choose a career in heating and plumbing? And how did you get to where you are now?
I have been in the industry for about 17 years now. Surprisingly, it wasn’t my first choice, since leaving school I’ve explored a few different career paths before deciding on a career in the heating and plumbing industry. Firstly, I studied graphic design but I just didn’t enjoy it, so I decided to join the army instead. I was going to be an avionics engineer, but once again – it wasn’t for me so I chose to drop out of the army and went back to college. I soon realised that I don’t thrive in a classroom environment and was on the lookout for a more hands-on role, which is how I got a job making gas fires in a factory.
Coincidentally, I saw an apprenticeship opportunity advertised in the local newspaper and decided to apply, and as they say, ‘the rest is history’. After completing a 5-year apprenticeship with the Rotherham Borough Council, I received qualifications in NVQ level 2 & 3, Gas Safe, Water Regulations, G3 and wiring.
And that’s how it all started. After the 5-year apprenticeship, I wanted to get my HNC & HND in mechanical engineering. However, the course I was on was given up for tender, so my plans changed unexpectedly.
Q: When did you start your own business? Was it nerve-wracking to take the plunge into self-employment?
I was still working full-time when I set up Blakemore Plumbing and Heating five years ago. I would spend 37 hours at my day job and probably a further 20-30 hours per week building my business from the ground up.
Lockdown was a real eye-opener for me as I decided to take an extended leave of absence from work to spend quality time with my family and following this, I decided to resign from my day job.
Even now, I’m not sure what prompted me to leave. I went back to work that morning with no intentions of leaving, something just clicked and I decided that I needed the change. I haven’t looked back since, and to be completely honest, I wish I’d taken the plunge years ago.
Q: What work do you undertake?
My work now ranges from full system designs to detailed heat-loss reports. I also offer water treatment and undertake specialised Viessman installations. Today, I’m exploring more sustainable methods of heating homes, and my journey into heat pumps and solar thermal is just beginning, so I’m excited to see where it takes me.
Q: Do you have any employees or apprentices?
For now, it’s just me. I do hire professionals to help me from time to time if I have a certain project that I need support on. However, I’ve found it challenging to find the right person who matches my standards and who doesn’t already have a business of their own.
Having said that, I was managing an apprentice for two years in my previous job and he recently sent me a message to tell me that he’d won apprentice of the year at his college. It was great to hear from him and know he’s doing well and is still passionate about the industry, but it was also a huge compliment to know that I’ve had a positive impact on his career.
Q: How did you hear about the awards and why did you choose to enter?
I heard about Heating Installer Awards from a previous national winner a couple of years ago at the IMI Hydronic Installer Stock festival. As I’ve never been particularly active on social media, I wasn’t aware of the goings on in the heating and plumbing industry so it was great to see an opportunity for dedicated installers to showcase their work.
I chose to enter the Heating Installer awards as I wanted to see how I would perform alongside the other installers in Yorkshire. I was surprised when I was announced as the Yorkshire and the Humber regional winner and it was a great achievement for me as I know how much talent there is locally. Then, to also be in the national final was a huge achievement in my career – and was something I really wasn’t expecting!
Q: What job did you choose as part of your entry?
I took a chance and entered a job that I was really impressed with. It was a technical job where I removed 75kw of appliances and replaced them with a 32kw Viessmann 222 rated to 21kw on the heating with a max flow temp of 43 at -2.8°c. The low flow temperature allows the boiler the hit above the 90% efficiency mark, all year round.
Q: How did you feel when you heard your name called at InstallerSHOW?
I was so shocked. To come second to such big names, I couldn’t believe it.
I think my project and technical performance were what impressed the judges the most. Although being runner-up can be quite a bittersweet feeling, it’s something I am still incredibly proud of.
Q: How has it affected your business since winning the award?
Since winning the award, my social media following has grown rapidly and most importantly, my existing customers have congratulated me after seeing the announcement online. It’s great to not only see my business grow as a result of the awards, but to also get recognition from both the industry and people in my local area which I otherwise might not have had.
Q: Would you recommend other installers to enter the awards?
Absolutely. It’s a great experience to network with other professionals and test your skills. I know installers often have mixed feelings but it’s honestly a great platform for self-promotion and business growth.
My advice for other installers is to be true to themselves when explaining their projects and most importantly, be proud of the work you have done. The most important aspect is that the project or installation runs correctly and suits the customers’ needs, try not to focus too much on how it looks.
To enter the awards and for your chance to become the National Heating Installer 2023, visit the enter page on our website and submit your entry today!