The Secret is Simple
“Find and work with the right people”. If I had to distil the advice of everyone we’ve interviewed for Blue Bricks over the years into one sentence, that would be it.
For many businesses, that means hiring the right employees. But for most solo investors, developers and SME property businesses, that means working with the right external team.A team that includes professionals like an accountant who will make you thousands in tax savings, a solicitor who can help you cleverly structure a deal, a lender who can get you the money, and a builder who’s not going to leave you with a half finished project 20% above budget.
It’s easier said than done though isn’t it. How many businesses promise the earth but then under deliver monumentally? How many service providers don’t understand our niche, odd world of property?
We have heard the horror stories of when the wrong team causes projects to go south. But instead, how about we share with you a project that, by using the right team, went oh so right?
This is Flo Luxury Bathrooms in Blackpool, and how it went from a commercial building that was practically falling apart, to a successful, trading business. It’s a story that features a creative deal, and perfectly demonstrates how working with the right people is the real key to success in our industry.
There’s a lot of business going on in the Blue Bricks community. And we’re proud to share this as one of many stories.
At Blue Bricks, we have crafted our own ‘Power Team’ (forgive me the use of this phrase). We have carefully selected the businesses we recommend, ensuring they are property specialists who offer an impeccable service.
They’re not simply advertisers like you might see in most magazines. They are businesses who specialise in working with property investors and developers. Businesses we have built relationships with over the years through the magazine, our events and our community.
Tom Sumner, the developer behind this project, a long time Blue Bricks reader, advertiser and now close friend of mine, decided to work with several of our partners on Flo.
Tom actually discovered these partners through Blue Bricks itself. First by seeing them in the magazine, and later by meeting them at our events, including the Horses and Houses event and the Front Line Property Conference.
To complete the project, he used:
1. Roma Finance to help secure the funding
2. Ison Harrison Solicitors for the legals
3. Procurement 4 Housebuilders to help cost the materials for the job
Each business brought their own unique expertise to the project to help get it over the line.
Here’s how they did it, and why this shows just how important it is to work with the right people.
But before that, let’s look at the project itself.
Because it’s a corker of a deal.
If you have read Tom’s articles in previous issues of Blue Bricks, you’ll know that he works to a high standard. Whether that’s his luxury aparthotel brand Swish, or his other investments, Tom has built a reputation for raising the bar.
He probably spends more on bathrooms than most people spend on their refurbishments.
Because of this, he realised something interesting. If he was spending that much on bathrooms across his developments, why not become the supplier himself?
That idea eventually became Flo Luxury Bathrooms.
The opportunity appeared when Tom came across a commercial building on Mowbray Drive in Blackpool. It was dilapidated and up for sale for £300,000.
The building had clearly seen better days. Internally it was little more than a tired industrial shell, with exposed steel roof trusses, broken internal walls and decades of wear and tear. Sections of the interior had been stripped back to brick and blockwork, and the whole place felt tired and forgotten.
But what Tom saw wasn’t the condition of the building.
He saw the location.
And the space.
At roughly 4,500 square feet, the building was large enough to create something impressive. It also had the added benefit of space outside for parking, which is ideal for a retail showroom.
Driving past one day, Tom spotted the owner outside the building and managed to strike up a conversation. After some back and forth negotiating, they managed to structure a creative deal.
The landlords wanted at least two years’ worth of rent, and that allowed Tom to structure the purchase in a creative way.
They agreed on a purchase price of £210,000 with a two year lease option. If Tom does not buy the building within the two years, it swaps onto a five year lease.
Rent is paid monthly until then, but crucially it can now be paid from Flo, a cash flowing business.
Tom’s vision for Flo was simple.
He wanted to create a bathroom showroom that wasn’t like the others.
Most bathroom suppliers operate out of fairly industrial retail spaces where customers walk around looking at rows of baths and sinks. If you’re lucky, you might get a milky brew and a biscuit while you do. Tom wanted to create something much more experiential.
A place where developers and homeowners could sit down with a coffee, take their time, and walk through different bathroom designs in a relaxed environment.
A showroom built by a developer, for developers.
Tom also spotted a gap in the market. Developers often struggle to find the right supplier. At one end of the spectrum you have cheap suppliers with limited design options. At the other end you have luxury suppliers whose prices simply don’t stack up for development projects.
Flo aims to bridge that gap.
Tom can now supply both ends of the spectrum. Developers who are price sensitive and want reliable products at competitive prices, and high net worth homeowners or luxury developers looking for something standout.
There was also another strategic reason behind Flo.
Vertical integration.
By creating his own supply chain, Tom can now supply bathrooms to his own developments, saving money on every project while also monetising his existing network of developers.
Using the same build team that has worked with him across multiple projects, Tom turned the renovation around in just four months. Work started in October and the showroom was completed and ready to open in January.
The building was already stripped back when Tom took it on, so the focus quickly turned to reconfiguring the internal layout. Structural elements were opened up to create one large flowing showroom space, allowing customers to walk around and actually step into each display area.
The final layout forms a semi circular showroom that guides visitors naturally through each bathroom display.
Every section showcases a different style, size and design. Some are sleek and modern. Others are warm and spa like. Some are designed with developers in mind, focusing on practical layouts and efficient use of space.
Others lean more towards luxury, with dramatic lighting, statement materials and premium fittings.
Tom wanted each display to feel immersive.
Instead of simply viewing a bath or shower from a distance, customers can walk into each space and experience what the finished bathroom would feel like in real life.
The showroom itself opens into a comfortable reception and waiting area, complete with seating, a coffee machine and a mini fridge stocked with drinks.
Relaxing music plays throughout the showroom, reinforcing the idea that this is meant to be an experience rather than a traditional retail environment.
Tom is also planning to add a further innovation in the future. A virtual design room where a customer’s bathroom layout can be projected onto the walls, allowing them to physically walk through their design before it is installed.
Building something like this in such a short space of time wasn’t easy. As Tom explains, the biggest challenge was juggling multiple moving parts at once. Creative deal structuring, the refurbishment and construction, the design side of the showroom, building the actual business itself, and making sure the finished product met the high-end standard he is known for.
All in all, the result is a 4,500 square foot luxury showroom that feels far removed from the building Tom originally walked into.
Asking Price: £300,000
Purchase price: £210,000 (two year lease option)
Refurbishment: £400,000+
Showroom size: 4,500 sq ft
Renovation timeline: October to January
End value (bricks and mortar): £450,000 to £500,000
End value (commercial): around £800,000 estimated
Already, Flo is operating and taking orders, working with both high net worth clients and developers across the UK.
One of the biggest advantages Tom had during the renovation was his relationships within the industry.
Because of his work developing the Swish luxury aparthotel brand, Tom has built strong relationships with many suppliers over the years.
His projects have received significant press coverage, and suppliers are keen to have their products featured within them.
Because of this, many suppliers were happy to support the Flo showroom by providing products at heavily discounted rates. In some cases Tom was able to negotiate discounts of up to 90 percent.
For suppliers, the showroom acts as a powerful showcase for their products.
For Tom, it allowed him to create a luxury showroom filled with premium products without paying the full retail price for each display.
Of course, delivering a project like this quickly and creatively requires the right professional team.
The wrong partner could have broken this deal, holding it up for months or costing Tom money in time and unnecessary fees.
But as you can see from the project above, having the right team allowed Tom to pull off a creative below-market-value deal and turn it around in an unbelievable timeframe.
Ison Harrison Solicitors have worked with Blue Bricks for just over five years now. They have a specialist team dedicated to property who work on deals of all sizes.
A lease option on a project like this would be complex for your average solicitor. However, Ison Harrison was able to structure the agreement quickly and effectively.
Alongside structuring the option agreement itself, they also supported Tom with his company structures, helping him reorganise things in a way that saves him a significant amount in tax each year.
Roma Finance supported the project by releasing funds from Tom’s unencumbered property portfolio.
Working quickly, they were able to structure the funding in a way that gave Tom access to the capital needed to push the project forward without delays.
The release of these funds allowed Tom to purchase stock for the showroom and progress the refurbishment quickly.
It’s also worth noting that Roma’s founder, Scott Marshall, is a judge alongside Tom at the Blue Bricks Awards 2026. Another example of the relationships that have developed within the Blue Bricks community over the years.
Procurement 4 Housebuilders specialise in helping developers purchase materials more cost effectively.
They worked with Tom to analyse his material costs and identify opportunities to reduce them across the project.
The team supported on the Flo showroom and Tom hopes to continue working with them across future developments.
Blue Bricks is more than a magazine.
We’re a national community.
Property can be a lonely game. Finding the right team isn’t always easy. But when you do find them, things start to move faster and opportunities begin to appear.
Whether that’s investors supporting each other through our events and conferences, or our partners working alongside developers on real projects like this one, collaboration sits right at the heart of what we do.
Flo Luxury Bathrooms is a brilliant example of what can happen when the right people come together.
And it’s far from the only example. There’s a lot of business happening inside the Blue Bricks community.
Blue Bricks is for the good people in property. The ones who want to succeed, build great projects, and do things the right way.
Many of the businesses you see in this magazine specialise in working with property investors and developers, and are part of that wider community.
If ever there’s a gap in your Power Team (I had to use the term again despite my best wishes), drop us a message at hi@bluebricksmagazine.com
and we’ll happily put you in touch with someone who can help.
Because as this project shows, when the right people come together, great things happen.
And in property, collaboration really is currency.
Contact
Email:
Website:
Instagram: tomsumner01 & floluxurybathrooms
Email: mail@isonharrison.co.uk
Website:
Email:
Website:
Email: hello@procurement4housebuilders.com
Website:
