Alan Heath & Sons exploit the full potential of BathCAD

Established twenty years ago, Alan Heath & Sons

is a family-run business based in Coventry,

specialising in bathroom renovations.

A Design-led World Brings BathCAD to the

Fore for Alan Heath & Sons

Winning with BathCAD

WHILST MUCH OF Heath & Sons business comes from referrals and recommendations, the company also advertises in local papers and the Yellow Pages.

Customers visit the recently refurbished showroom where they can choose from a wide array of bathroom suites, fixtures, furniture and tiles. Armed with the measurements for the room, a plan, elevations and 3D design is produced in BathCAD. Gary Heath: “The software is very easy to use. A straightforward colour design and plan can take just five to ten minutes to produce, although it will obviously take a little longer if the design is particularly intricate.”

The completed ArtiCAD designs are then either sent to the customer or discussed at a meeting in the showroom, where changes can be made both quickly and easily. Once the design is agreed, a quotation is produced which is linked to the company’s order processing and stock control systems.

“Customers find it much easier to make a decision about their bathroom if they can see a detailed image of what it will look like. Undoubtedly from my point of view, using BathCAD makes the sale easier. I also believe that in today’s environment, it is absolutely essential to give customers professionally produced computer drawings: it is what they have come to expect.”

"Customers find it easier to make a decision about their bathroom if they can see a detailed image of what it will look like"

OVER THE COURSE of a typical year, the company will undertaken some two hundred renovations ranging in cost from around £4000 to the somewhat exceptional amount of £40,000 for a bathroom which incorporated the latest in high-technology wall coverings.

Alan Heath & Sons first considered installing a CAD system eight years ago, and having looked at the various options available chose the BathCAD product from ArtiCAD Limited in 2003. A key factor in this decision was the ease with which BathCAD could be integrated with other software applications to provide the company with a complete business system, with design at its heart.

Gary Heath, Showroom Manager and son of the founder: “We were – and continue to be – in the fortunate position of never having any trouble selling bathrooms. Our reason for investing in a CAD system was to enable us to produce computer-generated drawings which would not only look more professional than hand-drawn ones, but would also save us a great deal of time.”