Growing a construction business from a small trade operation into a specialist contractor working in one of the UK’s most complex environments is no small achievement.

Founded in Cumbria in 2008, William King Construction has evolved from a masonry contractor into a company delivering projects in the highly regulated nuclear sector at Sellafield, while maintaining a strong commitment to quality, people and the local community.

Britbuild Magazine spoke with William King about the company’s early ambitions, the importance of professional standards, and why investing in skills and social value is central to its long-term future.

Q: You founded the business in 2008 in Cumbria. What did you want the company to stand for from the beginning?

William King:

“The start is a bit blurry, which you often find with tradespeople who end up running businesses. One minute you’ve got a van and a set of tools, then you’ve got a trailer with more gear, then a garage full of equipment, and before you know it, you’re renting premises. It’s just the natural evolution of a tradesman.

2008 is really when things became more professional. We had our name on the van, my wife joined the business, and it started to feel like a company rather than a one-man operation going wherever the work was.”

From the outset, William says the business was built around a simple principle: delivering better quality than the industry reputation often suggested.

“The core belief was quality, the quality of the product and the service we gave to people. You hear so many horror stories about poor workmanship, unclear pricing and people getting ripped off. I recognised that early and wanted to do something better.

I wanted us to be better than everyone else in terms of quality, transparency, costing and how projects were delivered.”

Nearly two decades later, that focus remains unchanged.

“We’ve gone from being a sole trader with a couple of apprentices to a company with more than 100 employees and a dedicated quality team, but quality is still the thread running through everything we do.

It’s what’s earned us repeat work and helped attract talented people who might otherwise work for companies ten times our size.”

Q: You joined the National Federation of Builders early in the company’s development. Why was that important?

William King:

“The main reason was recognition and trust. If you’re serious about your industry, you should be affiliated with a professional organisation.

The National Federation of Builders is the country’s longest-standing trade organisation, and joining it felt like the right fit. It carries heritage and credibility.”

Membership also helped reinforce the company’s professional reputation.

“Being part of an organisation like that ticks a box for clients. People see that you’re prepared to invest in membership and align yourself with industry standards. It reinforces the perception that you take what you do seriously.”

Q: The business originally focused on masonry and structural packages before moving into full project delivery. What triggered that shift?

William King:

“A lot of that evolution came when we started working in the nuclear sector, particularly on the Sellafield site.

That environment is very different from traditional construction. It’s highly regulated and extremely professional, so you quickly realise you need the right people around you.”

To meet those demands, the company began recruiting experienced professionals who understood the sector.

“We went through quite a rapid period of growth during those early projects because you can’t enter an environment like that without the right expertise.

But we were very careful about who we brought into the business. It was never about grabbing people quickly, it was about recruiting individuals who fitted the culture of the company.”

Those decisions, William says, have played a critical role in the company’s development.

“We’ve been fortunate to attract some excellent people who know the nuclear environment inside out. They’ve been pivotal in helping us grow and develop as a business.”

Q: What has working at Sellafield meant for the company?

William King:

“It’s massive in terms of prestige and recognition.

Being involved in a highly regulated nuclear environment carries a lot of credibility within the construction industry.”

For William personally, the opportunity also reflects the company’s strong local roots.

“Everyone in the company, including me and my wife, is from West Cumbria. All our employees live locally, in the same communities as the Sellafield site.

That means the economic benefits stay in the area. Our people have mortgages, families and children in local schools, and they’re spending money in local towns and villages.”

He believes that local connection adds significant social value.

“We’re a small, family-owned company that was born and raised in the same postcode as the site. That makes us slightly different from many contractors who travel into the area.

I think that local story resonates with people at Sellafield as well. It shows how major infrastructure investment can benefit the communities around it.”

Q: What are the biggest differences between working in a nuclear environment and traditional construction projects?

William King:

“The biggest difference is the level of contractual and professional structure.

When you move into that environment, everything is governed by detailed contracts and rigorous processes, particularly under NEC contract frameworks.”

That required the company to adapt quickly.

“It was a huge learning curve. I realised very quickly that while I could run smaller construction projects, you can’t operate in that environment without the right expertise and systems around you.

We responded by bringing in people who understood those processes and could help us navigate them properly.”

Q: You’ve also founded Aspire Academy to support young people. Why is investing in skills and mentoring so important?

William King:

“Aspire Academy is something I’m incredibly passionate about.

We work with young people who have been permanently excluded from mainstream school. Once that happens they go to specialist learning centres, and those are the students we bring in.”

Many of the young people involved face significant challenges.

“Quite often they’ve had difficult circumstances, problems at home, involvement with crime, or simply a lack of support.

I can relate to that. I was excluded from school myself and left with very few GCSEs. I had friends who went down the wrong path, and some of them are no longer with us.”

Through Aspire Academy, William aims to give those young people a different direction.

“We teach practical skills like bricklaying, but more importantly we focus on discipline, work ethic and decision-making.

The aim is to show them that construction can provide a career and a future.”

One early example has already demonstrated the programme’s potential.

“We’ve got a young lad who’s been training with us one day a week for around eight months. When he visited a local college recently, he realised his bricklaying was already better than some first-year apprentices.

That moment of realisation gave him real confidence. It showed him that if he sticks at it, he could genuinely succeed in the industry.”

Q: Looking ahead, how are you preparing the business for the next five to ten years?

William King:

“Our focus is on taking the knowledge we’ve developed in the nuclear environment and applying those standards elsewhere.

Working in nuclear means operating at extremely high levels of quality, safety and planning. If we can replicate those standards on other commercial projects, it gives us a real advantage.”

That approach could open opportunities in new sectors and locations.

“We want to take the professionalism and systems we’ve developed and apply them to projects outside the nuclear sector, whether that’s commercial developments or other types of infrastructure.”

Q: What does sustainable growth look like for your company?

William King:

“Our growth has always been organic, and I don’t think we’ll ever move away from that approach.

In construction you see too many examples of companies growing too quickly and getting into trouble. People want to be the biggest company overnight, but that can be risky.”

Instead, the company focuses on selecting projects carefully.

“We only take on work that feels right for us. Because we’re a family-owned business, we don’t have shareholders pushing us to grow as fast as possible.

That gives us the freedom to make decisions based on what’s sustainable.”

Sometimes that means turning down attractive opportunities.

“I’ve turned down some very good projects recently simply because the timing or location wasn’t right. Not many companies have the discipline to do that, but it’s important if you want to grow in a controlled way.”

Q: Finally, where do you see the business, and the wider industry, in the next decade?

William King:

“I think the industry is only going to get busier.

There’s a huge shortage of skilled people, and at the same time the country needs massive amounts of housing and infrastructure.”

For his own business, William expects steady expansion.

“In ten years I’d expect us to be at least twice the size we are now. I think we’ll be delivering projects across multiple nuclear sites and also undertaking larger commercial projects outside the sector.”

“The company is already moving in that direction.

“We’ve recently secured a place on the Cumberland Council Capital Works framework, which will deliver around £200 million of projects over the next four years, including work in schools, hospitals and public buildings.

That’s exactly the type of opportunity that allows us to grow while continuing to build on the expertise we’ve developed.”