The architect behind Nottingham’s Acres Group has designs for huge growth for 2022 after already achieving phenomenal expansion since the start of the global pandemic.
Edward Acres, who founded Acres Architects from a laptop in his parents’ spare bedroom in 2008, has seen his business expand from a turnover of a few hundred thousand pounds to an empire projected to turn over £10m in less than two years.
His team of three people at the start of the pandemic has expanded by around 600 per cent to 20 full-time staff in the same period – and the Acres Group is looking to almost double that number this year.
The success is partly down to Edward’s hard work, vision and refusal to stand still, while many competitors were making cuts in the face of Covid-19.
But his decision to offer diversified services and formally set up a growing list of non-architectural companies within his group is the main reason why the business has grown so much in such a short space of time.
Now, the group boasts various additional divisions, including Acres Investments, Acres Developments, Online Media Video Productions (OMVP) and Acres Construction.
Established only 18 months ago, Acres Construction began with a pipeline of works to support Acres Architects, which was struggling with its existing crop of contractors, which largely specialised in residential projects. Acres Construction has now secured larger scale business and commercial contracts such as property developer residential projects like apartment schemes and luxury private gated developments, as well as dilapidation works, SEN schools and interior fit-out works. It is currently working towards a sales pipeline of £25m in 2022.
Edward said: “These new facets of the business have created this amazing company growth. Our clients love the one-stop-shop, where we add levels of accountability and security that other practices can’t offer. All processes are effectively delivered under one roof.
“This linear process and, most importantly, our ability to provide clients with straightforward communication throughout all aspects of a build, has generated huge interest and popularity.
“As a result, our client base has sky-rocketed – and we are planning for even greater expansion of our services and projects in 2022.”
Edward said that there was a very simple reason that he was able to achieve something in two years that might typically take decades to achieve.
“I stopped thinking like an architect, and started thinking more like a businessman,” he said. “More and more investors are coming forward for support, and this full, turnkey solution provides them with a combined set of assets and a holistic overview that they value highly, and which architects alone do not offer.”
The Acres Group’s record-breaking 2021 included a decision to exhibit for the first time at Grand Designs Live – a significant investment which paid off in the shape of a large spike in client enquiries.
This, and the enormous traction created by the setting up of several new arms of the company, has led to growth in all aspects of the business.
Acres Architects alone is seeing a big increase in enquiries for residential developments, particularly countryside barn conversions – citing 13 separate barn conversion projects on the go currently.
“We are still gaining momentum,” said Edward. “While 2021 was an incredible year for us, our sights are firmly set on adding more commercial projects, targeting more property developers across the UK, adding more turnover and building a bigger team in 2022. We’re thinking big and we’re going places.”
Acres Architects is a multiple award-winning, RIBA accredited firm. The Acres Group operates from its expanding head office at Nottingham Science Park, near to the University of Nottingham.
To find out more about the services provided by the Acres Group, please visit www.acresarchitects.co.uk, email info@acresarchitects.co.uk or phone 0115 838 9738.
