Our Story
Discover more about the heritage of Bakers Garden Buildings
Our Story
At Bakers Garden Buildings, we pride ourselves on being a family-run business with a legacy of over half a century in the industry. Our dedication to exceptional customer service and unparalleled expertise has been the cornerstone of our success.
Martin Baker, our Managing Director, shares the rich history and core values that have shaped our company into a trusted name in garden buildings.
Early Days - Laying the Foundations
It was in April 1963 that my Dad, Keith Baker, began a five-year apprenticeship in machine woodworking at Crawley Technical College while working in the mill at WC Youngman Ltd.
He went on to pass his full Technological Certificate in Building Crafts at the Brixton School of Building, before gaining a certificate in Timber Technology after two years at the High Wycombe College of Technology and Arts.
When he passed his Institute of Wood Science exam, Keith received the top mark in the whole country and won the Timber Trades Journal Silver Cup - enabling him to use the letters CMIWSc after his name.
He worked as a wood machinist for many years, gained valuable experience as a rep for a timber importer based in London's Docklands, then went on to manage a Crawley company manufacturing garden sheds.
When that job was made redundant he decided to start his own business - and in February 1985 'Bakers Timber Buildings' was formed.
Keith's Ethos
For the first year or so Keith's only assistance came from my Mum Pam, who did the saw work, kept the books and helped with delivering and installing the buildings.
Keith's ethos was to learn from the errors made by the other companies he had worked for and make sure his company did things better.
He soon realised that the heavy-duty ranges of sturdier buildings were more popular with customers, so decided to focus on delivering quality buildings with great customer service.
He took on his first employee in early 1987 and the firm has grown steadily ever since.
I was 11 when the business was set up and I worked as a Saturday assistant - keeping the workshop tidy, treating the buildings and learning how to manufacture the panels.
Dad made me the floor manager when I was 12. That sounds grand, but the floor panels are the easiest to make and I produced these at weekends and in school holidays.
From my Dad I picked up a good understanding of running a business. I knew about VAT and gross profit by the age of 14 and would help Mum with the book-keeping, adding up columns of figures on an old calculator.
But I also loved the technology behind the timber and the tools and equipment used. When I was 14 I won a school prize for an oral presentation on how to build a shed panel. I was also awarded a distinction in woodwork for making a toy helicopter that still sits proudly in our sales office.
Keeping it in the Family
It became obvious I would join the business, but Dad and I both felt I should gain other experiences. When I left school I took an apprenticeship in Carpentry and Joinery at James Longley's in Crawley - renowned for some of the best training in the UK.
I passed my City & Guilds advanced exam with a credit. While I enjoyed working in the joinery shop, I focused more on site work, specialising in roofing and other structural elements. In September 1993 I joined Dad in the business.
I worked on the production side in the factory for many years and then spent time on site. I was gradually taking on more responsibility, but always working as a team with Dad.
His genius lay in knowing when to loosen the reins, to allow me to make my own mistakes and to push the business in a new direction.
Keith's initial aim had been to be his own boss, to make a living without the threat of redundancy and to have a business to be proud of.
With that target reached by the time I joined him, I wanted to put my own stamp on the direction of the company and it quickly became my passion to produce the best buildings in the UK and offer the best customer service in the industry. Or even the best service a customer has had anywhere.
Dad is now retired; but instead of playing golf he comes in a few mornings a week and continues to stay in the loop with most aspects and still helps me with big picture decision making and company direction.
Change and Modernisation
Our first workshop was located on the same estate where the company is still based today. But at that time we worked in converted chicken sheds. Things were a bit rough round the edges, but the price was right and the location - in close proximity to the M23 and M25 - really worked for us.
As we grew, so did the estate. Its first modern factories were built in the late 1980s and we moved into Unit 35.
In 1996 we bought a new factory (Units 28 and 29) prior to it being built, allowing us to install our 10-feet deep vertical preservative dip tank. We also got permission to build a show centre next door.
As Bakers Timber Buildings has grown, the Bolney Grange Business Park has done likewise around us and we have some fantastic companies among our neighbours.
We have always moved with the times and since 2010 and the advent of new materials, we have moved towards lower maintenance and a higher specification on our buildings.
The garden rooms we create for clients now are unrecognisable from the structures we delivered when the firm was first created. But what has not changed is the determination to deliver quality custom-made buildings.
A New Name, a New Brand.
As we have evolved over the last few years, it became apparent that our old name did not reflect our products and services. We are still a family-run, independent business and we are hugely proud of how far we have come since 1985, continuing to marry craft and quality with cutting edge materials and technology, but our name needed to describe our products and manufacturing processes. The amount of timber used is a fraction of our past buildings. In the last year, less than 5% of buildings included 'timber cladding', so we decided to rebrand with a subtle name change, but a complete new look.
So, from March 1st 2021, we are trading under the new name Bakers Garden Buildings.
Our new brand better reflects the materials we use, along with our innovative approach and style, while maintaining our steadfast passion to offer the best customer service. Our new brand reflects our contemporary garden buildings. We have taken our craftsmanship and years of experience and applied it to modern, innovative materials to produce beautiful, efficient and flexible spaces which can be used all year round. We care passionately about our craft and we are excited to be able to evolve our product range whilst still focusing on design, quality, sustainability and service.
We thank our customers and partners for their ongoing support - we hope you like our new brand as much as we do!
The Story Continues
In March 2023, Bakers Garden Buildings had the privilege of winning both the “Customer Delight” and “Manufacturer of the Year” awards at the prestigious Gatwick Diamond Business Awards.
This was a truly special moment for me, as I had the opportunity to share the stage with dad and some of the team. Winning the Customer Delight Award was particularly important to us, as it recognises our consistent efforts to exceed customer expectations and deliver world-class customer service. Our commitment to maintaining the highest possible standards of customer service is reflected in our five-star rating on Google. Winning the Manufacturer of the Year award is a testament to our commitment to quality, sustainability, service and processes, which encompass every step of our manufacturing journey, from sale to completion. Our innovative approach and use of cutting-edge materials have allowed us to pivot from a traditional manufacturer to an award-winning company.
It was a great honour to receive this recognition of our hard work, and to have Mum and Dad with the team on the night made it even more special.
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