Rule change costs

The change in the self-employment rules has meant that Rydon's labour costs have risen by five per cent. It is also encountering a general shortage of skills, though the impact of this is minimised by having what Seal describes as a "loyal subcontractor base".

"Virtually all the subcontractor firms we work with in our core base area (Kent, Sussex and south London) have worked with us before," he pointed out.

"However because we are growing we're always looking for good subcontractors - in social housing you need to expand your market area to maintain turnover."

Expansion has taken Rydon into north London, Essex, Herts, Oxford and Dorset.