king & sons

What king & sons does

King & Sons operates Kings DIY, a family-run independent hardware retailer founded in 1977 in Sandhurst, Berkshire, by Tony King and Simon King, who remain associated with the business. The company runs two physical retail branches — the original Sandhurst store at 45 Yorktown Road (GU47 9DU) and a second store at 1 The Parade, Mulfords Hill, Tadley (RG26 3LG) — serving the Berkshire, Hampshire and Surrey tri-county area. Operating geographies are domestic-only, with no international footprint.

The product portfolio spans nine merchandising categories: Building & Timber (aggregates, boards, fencing, insulation, roofing, sheds), Hardware (car care, fasteners, sealants, signage), Garden Hand & Power Tools, Electricals (alarms, lighting, household appliances), Plumbing, Painting & Decorating (with full Dulux and Cuprinol ranges), Household, Garden, and Security. Kings DIY stocks major brands including Dulux, Cuprinol, Ronseal, Russell Hobbs, Stanley, Black & Decker, Dimplex, Brabantia, Bosch, Flymo, and Miracle-Gro. Underlying technology is conventional: a product catalogue website (kingsdiy.com) supporting browsing and click-and-collect, with no proprietary technology stack.

Revenue is generated one-time at the unit level through in-store and online sales, supplemented by while-you-wait in-store services (paint mixing, key cutting, timber cutting, watch battery replacement, carpet cleaner hire) and a tiered local delivery service (free over £100, £15 fee below, 8-mile radius from Sandhurst). Customers are predominantly local DIY consumers, with a secondary trade-professional segment sourcing bulk materials and timber. Marketing relies on physical footfall, local word-of-mouth, and the website; no disclosed digital advertising, social, or partnership-driven acquisition channels. The company is privately held with no disclosed funding, no parent company, and no institutional shareholders.

Name

king & sons

Legal name

Kings DIY

Website

https://kingsdiy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Short description

King & Sons operates Kings DIY, a family-run independent hardware retailer founded in 1977 with two physical branches in Sandhurst and Tadley (UK), serving local DIY consumers and trade professionals across Berkshire, Hampshire and Surrey with a broad DIY, building, garden and household product range plus in-store services and local delivery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hardware Retail

NAICS

Home Centers (444110), Hardware Retailers (44414), Hardware Retailers (444140), Building Material and Garden Equipment and Supplies Dealers (444)

SIC

Retail-Building Materials, Hardware, Garden Supply (5200), Lawn & Garden Tractors & Home Lawn & Gardens Equip (3524)

akta.pro primary industry

General Home Improvement & Hardware Stores (CRAIADAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Craft, DIY & Value Variety Stores (CRAEAGAC)

Keywords

• DIY hardware retail
• Home improvement supplies
• Building materials
• Garden and outdoor products
• Paint and decorating

Headquarters

HQ city

Sandhurst

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Retail product sales: Revenue generated from in-store and online sales of hardware, DIY, building, garden, painting, plumbing, electrical, and household products. Also derives income from in-store services including paint mixing, key cutting, timber cutting, watch battery replacement, and carpet cleaner hire.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

King & Sons operates Kings DIY, a family-run local hardware retailer with two physical branches in Sandhurst (Berkshire) and Tadley (Hampshire) and an e-commerce website, selling DIY, home improvement, building, garden, painting, plumbing, electrical, and household products from major brands. The business also offers while-you-wait in-store services including paint mixing, key cutting, timber cutting, watch battery replacement, carpet cleaner hire, and tool sharpening, alongside local delivery within 8 miles of Sandhurst.

Product overview

Kings DIY is a family-run local hardware shop established in 1977, serving Berkshire, Hampshire & Surrey with two physical store locations in Sandhurst and Tadley. The business operates as a traditional brick-and-mortar DIY retailer with an e-commerce website, offering a comprehensive range of hardware, building materials, tools, and garden products. Their product portfolio spans Building & Timber, Hardware, Garden Hand & Power Tools, Electricals, Plumbing, Painting & Decorating, Household, Garden, and Security categories. They stock major branded products including Dulux, Cuprinol, Ronseal, Russell Hobbs, Stanley, Black & Decker, Dimplex, Brabantia, Bosch, Flymo, and Miracle-Gro. In addition to retail, they provide in-store services such as paint mixing, key cutting, timber cutting, and watch battery replacement, alongside local delivery services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Building & Timber

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Decco Ltd / Stax Trade CentresminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProduct images sourced from Decco Ltd and Stax Trade Centres. Decco is a trade supplier and distributor for hardware and building materials, supporting Kings DIY's product catalogue and inventory supply.
• Wilsons of ColchesterminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProduct images sourced from Wilsons of Colchester, a supplier of hardware and household products, used for product photography on the Kings DIY website.
• Dulux (Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd / Dulux / Cuprinol)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKings DIY is an authorised stockist of Dulux paints, Dulux trade products, Cuprinol woodcare and garden treatments. The company stocks an extensive Dulux product range including emulsions, woodsheen, trade paints, Weathershield exterior paints, and specialty products. Multiple Dulux Colour of the Year products are stocked.
• RonsealcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKings DIY is a major stockist of Ronseal products including wood fillers, varnishes, woodstains, fence treatments, decking products, damp seal, anti-mould paint, radiator paint, tile paint, and uPVC paint. A dedicated Ronseal brand page is maintained on the website with extensive product listings.
• LiberonminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKings DIY stocks Liberon products including beeswax, finishing oils, wood bleach, liming wax, ring remover, and burnishing cream. A dedicated Liberon brand page is maintained on the website.
• Brabantia Branding B.V.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProduct images for Brabantia household and laundry products are sourced from Brabantia Branding B.V. Kings DIY stocks Brabantia branded items including clothes airers, ironing boards, and storage products.
• Calor Gas LtdminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKings DIY offers gas bottle refill services and stocks Calor Gas products. The company provides gas bottle exchange and refill services at both branches.
• Timber Garden Buildings Ltd / TGB ShedsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProduct images sourced from Timber Garden Buildings Ltd (TGB Sheds). Kings DIY stocks sheds, summerhouses, and garden buildings, sourced in part from this supplier.
• Other suppliers (Fairway Electrical Wholesale, Flogas UK, HG International, Sterling Locks, Reliance Manufacturing, Whitefurze, Maingate, Mueller Primaflow, Eterna Lighting, Technical Consumer Products International)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVarious product image and branding sources and stock suppliers covering electrical products, plumbing, gas, cleaning chemicals, locks, storage, and lighting. These represent Kings DIY's broader supply chain for hardware and household products.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• B&Q: UK's largest home improvement and garden retailer, operating more than 300 stores under Kingfisher. Directly overlaps with Kings DIY across building materials, paint, garden, plumbing, electrical, and tools categories, but with national scale, exclusive own brands, and integrated click-and-collect.
• Amazon UK: Dominant online general merchandise retailer in the UK including substantial DIY, tools, paint, garden, and household ranges. Not a direct store peer but the principal structural competitor for online DIY spend that Kings DIY's website must compete against on price and range.
• Jewson: UK builders' merchant with hundreds of branches supplying timber, bricks, landscaping, and tools to trade and self-build customers. Comparable in building materials, timber, and trade/DIY supply overlap, though with much larger scale.
• Travis Perkins: UK's largest builders' merchant supplying timber, building materials, plumbing, and heavyside/lightside products to trade and DIY customers. Comparable to Kings DIY's Building & Timber, plumbing, and trade supply categories, though focused on the trade segment.
• Homebase: UK home and garden retailer offering paint, decorating, furniture, and garden products through a national store network. Overlaps with Kings DIY in paint, decorating, and garden categories, but with a broader home and lifestyle assortment.

Direct peers

• Robert Dyas: UK high-street hardware and homewares retailer selling tools, DIY, garden, kitchen, and household goods through a smaller store estate. Directly comparable to Kings DIY in product mix and neighbourhood hardware positioning, though Robert Dyas has broader household/homewares depth.
• Screwfix: UK trade and DIY retailer with over 800 branches and a strong click-and-collect model focused on hardware, tools, plumbing, electrical, and fixings. Comparable to Kings DIY's hardware and trade supply offering, with the trade professional segment explicitly served by both.
• Wickes: UK home improvement and DIY retailer selling kitchens, bathrooms, building materials, paint, and tools through a network of stores plus online. Highly comparable to Kings DIY's product breadth in building, painting, and general DIY categories, though at significantly larger scale.
• Toolstation: UK trade supplies retailer (Travis Perkins subsidiary) selling tools, hardware, plumbing, electrical, and fixings via branches and online. Direct competitor for trade and DIY spend in the same product categories and similar geographic catchments.

Regional players

• Wilko: UK value home and household retailer (currently restructuring/relaunching after 2023 administration) selling DIY, cleaning, garden, paint, and household essentials. Comparable to Kings DIY in household, cleaning, and value DIY categories, though historically positioned at lower price points.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about king & sons