A three-part TV series sponsored by Travis Perkins which followed a group of young builders as they built a house on time and on budget, secured more than half a million viewers on its first showing.

Rookie Builders, which aired on ITV4 in March and April, charted the progress of 22 apprentices as they spent a year building a four-bedroom detached property in Cumbria. It drew an audience of more than 508,000 over the three episodes and is due to be repeated later in the year.

Travis Perkins sponsored the programme as part of its commitment to support young construction talent and supplied everything from timber to plumbing for the house, which is on Story Homes’ Magellan Park development at Whitehaven. The rookies used over 12,000 bricks and more than 80 tonnes of concrete, along with hundreds of metres of cables and pipes supplied by Travis Perkins.

Jon Burcham, marketing manager for Travis Perkins, said: “Everybody connected with the show was delighted with these figures and it is a great credit to the apprentices that took part.

“These young builders were aged just 16-24 and many were recruited at a jobs fair in Whitehaven. With the guidance of senior construction staff they have delivered a superb detached house on time and within budget. It shows just how capable young builders can be if they are given an opportunity.

“This sponsorship was another indication of Travis Perkins’ commitment to support the future of the construction industry. We have a policy to help young builders in our branches by providing advice and offering excellent trade prices however long they have been with us. This is backed by branch managers who work to build lasting relationships with their customers – we know this makes all the difference to those just starting their career.”

*Article with thanks to Builders' Merchants News