Lawsons
Lawsons is a UK independent builders' merchant group operating 35 branches across 7 brands in London and the South East, supplying timber, building materials, fencing, landscaping, brick, and loft-conversion products to trade and DIY customers via physical branches and an e-commerce platform.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1921
- HeadquartersColney Heath, United Kingdom
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Lawsons does
Lawsons is a UK-based independent builders' merchant group headquartered at Tyttenhanger Farm, Colney Heath, operating 35 branches across seven brands and employing more than 700 people across London and the South East. Founded in 1921 and held through Lawsons Holdings Limited with thirteen wholly-owned operating subsidiaries, the group supplies timber, building materials, fencing, landscaping products, garden buildings, brick, insulation, doors, windows, and specialist loft-conversion materials. It is described as the largest independent timber, building materials and fencing merchant in its region, with a 4.7/5 Trustpilot rating across 1,200+ reviews.
The business model is sales-led and omnichannel: 19 Lawsons branches provide face-to-face trade counter service, supported by an e-commerce storefront offering free standard delivery on orders over £350 ex VAT, and a registered trade-account programme granting exclusive pricing, a quote/negotiable-quote workflow, and credit terms to builders, carpenters, fencing contractors and other trade professionals. Specialist inventory and configuration tools are offered across multiple categories, including a Brick Centre with brick-matching and sampling (stocking Forterra, Ibstock, LBC and Wienerberger), a Lugarde premium garden-buildings configurator, and dedicated fencing, landscaping and loft-conversion ranges stocked with category-leading brands such as Jacksons Fencing, DuraPost, STIHL, Milwaukee, VELUX, Marshalls, and Talasey.
Revenue is generated primarily through one-time unit-based sales of building materials and merchandise across the trade and DIY segments, with no disclosed subscription or recurring revenue stream. The group is privately held with no public listing, and no equity-funding rounds are disclosed; recent strategic activity is centred on real-estate-led branch consolidation, including the March 2026 acquisition of an additional freehold property in Salfords, Surrey (third property purchase in nine months). Operational and reputational credentials are anchored by 2025's Fair Tax Mark certification, the first awarded to a UK building materials merchant.
Lawsons firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Lawsons
- Legal name
- Lawsons (Whetstone) Ltd
- Website
- https://lawsons.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1921
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Lawsons is a UK independent builders' merchant group operating 35 branches across 7 brands in London and the South East, supplying timber, building materials, fencing, landscaping, brick, and loft-conversion products to trade and DIY customers via physical branches and an e-commerce platform.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Lawsons industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Building Materials Retail
- NAICS
- Building Material and Garden Equipment and Supplies Dealers (444)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Lumber, Plywood, Millwork & Wood Panels (5031), Sawmills & Planting Mills, General (2421)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Forest Products Import/Export & Commodity Merchants (IMAMAIAM)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Sawmilling & Lumber Production (IMADADAA)
Keywords
Where Lawsons is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Colney Heath
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Lawsons business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Building Materials and Merchandise Sales: Revenue generated from sale of building materials, timber, fencing, landscaping supplies, garden buildings, tools, and related construction products through physical branches and e-commerce
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard retail pricing for general customers |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Trade account pricing with exclusive discounts |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Lawsons product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Lawsons is the largest independent Timber, Building Materials & Fencing merchant in London and the South East, operating 19 Lawsons branches plus group-wide 35 branches across 7 brands. The company sells timber, fencing, building supplies, landscaping materials, garden buildings, insulation, windows/doors, tools, and fixings through physical branches and an e-commerce platform with free standard delivery on orders over £350 ex VAT. It serves both trade professionals via dedicated trade accounts and DIY consumers via retail channels.
Product overview
Lawsons is the largest independent Timber, Building Materials & Fencing merchants in London and the South East, operating as a multi-branch builders merchant with 35 branches across seven brands and employing over 700 people. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of building materials and related products through its 19 Lawsons branches and other group brands. The product range centers on core categories including: Fencing Supplies (panels, posts, gates, specialist fencing), Timber & Sheet Materials (carcassing, mouldings, sheet materials), Building Supplies (aggregates, bricks, roofing, drainage, insulation), Landscaping Supplies (decking, paving, railway sleepers, artificial grass), Garden Buildings (Lugarde, sheds, greenhouses), Windows & Doors (VELUX products, internal doors), Tools & Site Supplies (power tools, hand tools, PPE), and specialized services such as the Brick Centre with brick matching capabilities. The business operates under a unified brand identity while serving both trade professionals and DIY consumers through physical branches and online ordering.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Fencing Supplies Comprehensive range of fencing products including fence panels (closeboard, lap, decorative, trellis, picket), fence posts (timber, concrete, Durapost), gravel boards, specialist fencing (Jacksons, DuraPost, chainlink, chestnut, post & rail, stock), gates (garden, field, metal), fence repair spurs, and fencing accessories for trade and DIY customers.
- Landscaping Supplies Wide selection of landscaping materials including railway sleepers, decking (timber and composite), paving (garden, driveway, council slabs, kerbs), decorative aggregates and bark, topsoil, artificial grass, drainage membranes, woodcare products, garden lighting, and landscaping tools.
- Garden Buildings Garden structures including Lugarde premium buildings (with configurator), garden sheds and workshops, storage solutions (bikestore, dog kennels, hen houses, binstore, logstore, wallsheds), summerhouses, playhouses, greenhouses (Middleton), and storage organization products.
- Timber & Sheet Materials Extensive timber range including carcassing (regularised, treated, CLS), planed all round softwood, mouldings (MDF skirting, architrave, beading), sheet materials (OSB, chipboard, plywood, MDF, hardboard), flooring, cladding, and architrave/skirting products for construction and trade use.
- Brick Centre Specialist brick service featuring brick matching, quotation services, and samples. Products from major manufacturers including Forterra, Ibstock, LBC, and Wienerberger, available in multiple colours (multi, red, buff, yellow, grey, brown, black, blue, purple).
- Building Supplies Core building materials including aggregates (sand, ballast, shingle, rocksalt), bricks/blocks/beams, roofing (GRP products, insulation, battens, felts, fascias, lead), groundworks (fabrication mesh, reinforcing bars), drainage, damp proof, cement, lintels, external cladding, building chemicals, fixings, screws, and nails.
- Insulation & Drylining Thermal and acoustic solutions including loft insulation, PIR insulation, cavity insulation, acoustic insulation, flat roof insulation, foil insulation, floor insulation, cavity closers, plasterboards, beads & mesh, plaster & compounds, plastering accessories, metal work.
- Windows & Doors / Joinery Windows, doors and joinery products including VELUX roof windows (top hung, centre pivot, electric), VELUX shutters & blinds, internal doors (JB Kind, Deanta Oak, fire doors, panel doors, ply flush), flooring with underfloor heating, door linings, and ironmongery.
- Tools & Site Supplies Power tools, hand tools, site supplies and equipment including STIHL and Milwaukee branded tools, chainsaws, drills, pressure washers, hedge trimmers, landscaping power tools, wheelbarrows, safety workwear/PPE, ladders, decorating materials, and related accessories.
- Screws & Fixings Comprehensive fixing range including bolts, builders ironmongery, door security products, general fixings, gate ironmongery, hinges, latches/catches, nails, and screws.
- Plumbing & Heating Plumbing and heating supplies for trade and DIY customers.
- Lofts & Steels Specialist loft conversion materials and steel products for construction projects.
- Lugarde Premium Garden Buildings Premium garden building brand featuring wooden garden rooms, garden offices, and summerhouses with a product configurator for custom designs.
Quantifiable outcome
- Net cash position improved by £9.5m despite industry challenges
Companies that use Lawsons
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Lawsons technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Lawsons partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Moore Kingston SmithminorMoore Kingston Smith acted as administrators for Mitchells Holding, from whom Lawsons purchased a freehold property in Salfords, Surrey. This represents a transactional acquisition rather than a strategic partnership.
- Jacksons FencingminorJacksons Fencing products are sold through Lawsons as a specialist fencing brand offering.
- DuraPostminorDuraPost fencing products offered through Lawsons as part of specialist fencing range.
- STIHLminorSTIHL power tools and outdoor power equipment sold through Lawsons.
- MilwaukeeminorMilwaukee professional power tools available through Lawsons.
- VeluxminorVelux roof windows and shutters/blinds sold through Lawsons.
- ForterraminorForterra brick products available through Lawsons Brick Centre.
- IbstockminorIbstock brick products available through Lawsons Brick Centre.
- LBCminorLBC brick products available through Lawsons Brick Centre.
- WienerbergerminorWienerberger brick products available through Lawsons Brick Centre.
- LugardeminorLugarde premium garden buildings offered through Lawsons, including Lugarde Select and configurator.
- MiddletonminorMiddleton greenhouses and potting sheds sold through Lawsons.
- Talasey GroupminorTalasey Group products including EVA-LAST composite decking sold through Lawsons.
- MarshallsminorMarshalls landscaping and paving products sold through Lawsons.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Lawsons competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Huws Gray: Independent UK builders' merchant group built through regional acquisitions, similar in growth-by-roll-up character to Lawsons' 7-brand, 35-branch structure.
- Travis Perkins: UK's largest builders' merchant with a national multi-branch network serving trade customers across timber, building materials, and heavyside/lightside categories — the closest large-scale comparable to Lawsons' core wholesale/trade model.
- Bradfords Building Supplies: Long-established regional independent builders' merchant in the South West of England, operating a multi-branch trade and retail network — highly comparable in scale and business model to Lawsons.
- Wickes: UK home improvement retailer serving both trade and DIY customers across building materials, kitchens, and landscaping — overlaps with Lawsons' dual trade/retail customer approach.
- Selco Builders Warehouse: Trade-only builders' warehouse chain operating across the UK with a multi-category building materials offering — closely mirrors Lawsons' trade-focused GTM and branch-based distribution.
- Buildbase: Grafton Group-owned builders' merchant with a UK branch network supplying heavyside and lightside building materials to trade customers — directly comparable in product range and channel.
- Jewson: Saint-Gobain-owned builders' merchant with extensive UK branch coverage selling timber, bricks, landscaping, and tools to trade — directly comparable product mix and customer base.
- Gibbs & Dandy: Saint-Gobain regional builders' merchant operating across the Midlands and South East with a similar trade-focused branch model selling timber, bricks, and general building materials.
- Howden Joinery: UK trade-only supplier of kitchens and joinery products through a depot network serving builders and tradesmen — comparable multi-branch trade-distribution model, though narrower in category.
Broad incumbents
- B&Q (Kingfisher): UK's largest DIY home improvement retailer; a broader incumbent with overlapping categories (timber, fencing, landscaping, tools) and DIY customer overlap, though predominantly retail rather than trade-led.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Lawsons social profiles
Digital presenceLawsons compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Lawsons financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Lawsons leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Lawsons subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries12 records
Lawsons funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Lawsons M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Lawsons
What does Lawsons do?
Lawsons is the largest independent Timber, Building Materials & Fencing merchant in London and the South East, operating 19 Lawsons branches plus group-wide 35 branches across 7 brands. The company sells timber, fencing, building supplies, landscaping materials, garden buildings, insulation, windows/doors, tools, and fixings through physical branches and an e-commerce platform with free standard delivery on orders over £350 ex VAT. It serves both trade professionals via dedicated trade accounts and DIY consumers via retail channels.
Is Lawsons a public or private company?
Lawsons is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Lawsons founded?
Lawsons was founded in 1921. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Lawsons based?
Lawsons is headquartered in Colney Heath, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Lawsons make money?
One revenue line is on record: building Materials and Merchandise Sales.
Who are Lawsons's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Huws Gray, Travis Perkins, Bradfords Building Supplies, Wickes, Selco Builders Warehouse, Buildbase, Jewson, Gibbs & Dandy and Howden Joinery. B&Q (Kingfisher) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Lawsons have an API?
No public API is recorded for Lawsons.
What industry is Lawsons in?
Lawsons's product category is Building Materials Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAMAIAM, Forest Products Import/Export & Commodity Merchants, with a secondary code of IMADADAA, Sawmilling & Lumber Production. Its NAICS code is 444 and its SIC code is 5031.