Exposing the reality's of the construction industry
- Sophie Mitchell
- Mar 6
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 24
Welcome to my blog The Unfiltered Female Site Manager
I'm The Unfiltered Female Site Manager, and I couldn't be more excited to share that I'm launching my very own construction consultancy! It couldn't be launched at a better time, women in construction week has just passed and International Woman's day tomorrow, I am so proud to be starting this new chapter. With 8 years of site management experience working with various UK house builders, I'm eager to bring my expertise to new projects. After taking a break to focus on family, I'm absolutely thrilled to jump back into the industry I adore!
I’m a proud wife with an amazing husband and two beautiful children. I'll be returning to my full-time job when my maternity leave wraps up in April 2025. I love my life, but there's a spark I miss since stepping away from site work. Building houses was my passion!
One day, I dream of having operatives working directly for me. To make that dream a reality, I need to show people that I can manage their projects with excellence. Then, finding trustworthy operatives to deliver top-notch work will be the next exciting challenge!
Welcome to my blog, where I'm thrilled to share my insights and personal experiences about the fascinating world of construction! Here, you'll uncover the real ins and outs of building, from the standard processes involved to the true costs. My hope is to inspire you to consider hiring me or other skilled construction management professionals for your next home improvement project.
While building may not be rocket science, it certainly has its complexities and numerous moving parts. Even seasoned experts can be misled, and I believe it's time for some cultural shifts in the industry. I've learned countless lessons the hard way, and I'm eager to share them with you!
Honesty
My dad always said that one day, someone will truly value my honesty. I believe those people are my followers and the readers of this blog, and I'm so excited to share this journey with you!
In this blog, I'm not claiming to be the most experienced or that I can build any project on my own. I always rely on drawings and technical specifications to create anything. I'll never be so experienced that I can build without them. But give me the right drawings, and I'll build anything, with the right team, of course, which I'm on the hunt for!
I'll be sharing how I've tackled projects, then questioning, researching, and learning to see if there's a better way to do things. Hindsight is a wonderful thing! If I don't know something, I won't pretend I do, and if I make a mistake, I'll own up to it. Nobody's perfect, and this is my way of helping those who might have less experience. So many people claim to know the right way, but it's often just their opinion. Here, I'll share my opinions, celebrate what I've done well, and reflect on what I might have done differently. Join me on this exciting adventure!
Current Build Culture
Last October, we completed the design and construction of a pub in our garden, The Fox Den Inn. Initially we were quoted £35,000 by one company, we achieved it for a fraction of the cost. This was only possible due to my involvement in creating the plans, submitting the planning application myself, then my husband David independently built the entire structure, with minimal help from 2 external trades.
On New Year’s Day 2025 we began planning a home extension, receiving verbal on-the-spot quotes ranging from £150,000 to £200,000, which exceeds our budget.
With my planning and construction expertise, I'm confident our extension won't reach those figures (I have currently estimated the build to be £50,000). I plan to document the entire process whether I’m right or wrong. Follow The Unfiltered Female Site Manager blog to see what happens.
While labor and material costs have risen, I don't believe the increase is as much as everyone is making out.
My Services
I'm thrilled to offer all the services listed on my services page, and I'm very confident in delivering them! With my customers' permission, I'd love to share some of the incredible journeys we embark on together here on this blog. If given the chance to work with you, it would be an honor to highlight our shared experiences!
My Passion
On New Year's Day 2025, we began planning our home extension.
By January 7th, I had boldly decided to start a business.
On January 9th, Transparency Construction Ltd (16174049) was officially registered. I also created a Google profile and set up a business email.
By January 11th, I had roughly quoted the build for our major extension project.
By January 12th, I had designed and launched a website.
By February 4th, I had redesigned the website, started creating content for this blog, and written this post.
On my notes in my phone I already have over 100 articles I would like to write and I have only been thinking about this for the past month.
Some people might say my passion is a little crazy, but that's just me—driven, determined, and wholeheartedly committed to my vision! I'm always on the go, love staying busy, and keeping my mind buzzing with ideas.
Launching this consultancy while balancing a young family and returning to work is definitely a bold challenge, and I'm thrilled to take it on! I'm not afraid of making mistakes, and I'm excited to share this journey and see where it leads. I hope you enjoy my insights and recommendations. Feel free to leave a comment, subscribe for regular updates, and follow me on social media!
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts. The most crucial opinion is your own. I hope that through some of the stories, experiences, and professional insights I share, you'll be able to make more informed and confident decisions before or during your build. I'm just a phone call or an email away if you ever want to chat about building. This is my way of doing things!
I have heard and seen many horror stories where I think people are being ripped off. It makes me sad. I have been ripped off before, I really am just trying to prevent more people being ripped off.
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