Trade Legends | Construction Podcast

Anthony from Rothenberger joins us to talk about how a 75-year-old titan of the industry is staying ahead of the curve. From Lee’s start as an engineer in '97 to Rothenberger’s massive €2 Billion global presence, we dive deep into the tech that’s making tradespeople faster, more efficient, and more profitable.

Sam from Oval Renewables launched a solar business during Covid with just £3k and no guarantees, and lived to tell the tale. Mark from Power Sonic Ltd and Adam from Nerrad Tools hold nothing back on big energy companies undercutting independent electricians, the apprenticeship system failing the trades, and what building a business from nothing actually looks like.

Rich Cockerline cold-approached sparks on building sites for 18 months just to get his first break, and that relentless mindset never left him. From working inside the National Cyber Security Centre with zero electronics allowed, to why 13 electrical deaths in a single year is an industry scandal nobody's talking about, this episode goes places most podcasts won't. Fake business coaches, the 2-million-homes pipe dream, and a mission that could save lives.

Russ nearly shut down Talking Tradesmen with just £80 left in his business account, and Kev had his entire van of tools stolen on Boxing Day. Two tradespeople who refused to quit join Trade Legends to get brutally honest about mental health in construction, building a product brand from scratch into Dulux and Johnsons stockists, and why resilience in the trades is more than just a buzzword..

Tom from Testo reveals how the same precision technology used by heating engineers is trusted by McDonald's, KFC and high-end pharmaceutical labs to keep their operations safe. From why relying on guesswork in the trades isn't just unprofessional but genuinely dangerous, to how Awaab's Law is forcing a reckoning in social housing, this conversation goes places most trade podcasts won't. AI fault diagnosis, CO monitoring, heat pumps and why digital documentation is becoming your biggest professional weapon.

Ash, Jack and Joe from Super Trowel are back, and this time they're addressing the controversy from the 2025 event that sent the internet into a meltdown, why Super Trowel 2026 has moved location, and what really happened at Spec Mix in the US. This is the first time they've spoken about the 2025 drama together on any podcast.

Andreas Degiulio from Woodway Windows lost his mum at 24, and explains how that moment fundamentally changed everything about how he approaches work, life and resilience. From early site graft to carving out one of the most specialised niches in period window restoration, this is a conversation about what it really costs to do things properly in the trades. Old school work ethic, charging what you're worth, and building real authority, not empty attention.

Carleton from Nooks Carpenter walked away from an eleven-year factory job during Covid, drove by loss, a mentor's dying encouragement, and one mindset shift: "comfort is the thief of joy." He built a six-figure carpentry portfolio from nothing, using job deposits to buy tools and social media to land million-pound projects. Now he breaks down exactly how he prices, bids and protects his margins on high-end contracts.

Mark and Alex pull back the curtain on what it actually takes to run one of the UK's leading trade podcasts, from last-minute cancellations and juggling real life to conversations that ended up in Parliament. They revisit the hardest-hitting guest stories of 2025 and get honest about why niche trades and real stories will always beat chasing big names. Plus, what's coming in 2026.

Luke from Blue Bulldog Plumbing has turned down brand deals, been threatened by companies for sharing real-world experiences, and built a following by showing jobs going wrong rather than polished highlight reels. Back on Trade Legends for the first time in two years, he gets brutally honest about the pressure, the imposter syndrome, and why credibility in the trades will always outlast a quick payday.