About Us
Shields Buildings – creating great spaces on the land we’ve farmed for over 100 years
de Bathe Farm has been in our family for generations. For over a century we’ve used our land to provide for the local area.
Over the years, we got pretty nifty at making outdoor structures and timber buildings for our own farming purposes – stables for the animals, silos for the grain and offices for the workers.
And over time, our skill and craftmanship became well known, and people started seeking us out, understanding that we knew how to create timber buildings that withstood the elements and that complemented their outdoor space.
The enquiries grew, slowly but steadily – a home office here, a double-garage there – and then the whole thing start snowballing, leaving precious little time for farming.
We took the plunge, made it our sole focus, and have never looked back.
35 years on, and we make timber garden buildings to order all over Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset, staying true to our values: bespoke, hand-crafted buildings that look beautiful AND stand the test of time.
Our people are important to us – we aim always to provide a stable work environment, with plenty of opportunity for learning and personal growth.
We’ll always treat our employees with concern, respect and care, and in turn, they will do the same for every single Shields Buildings customer.
There are five values we live and breathe – they encapsulate all we do here at Shields Buildings:
- Only the very best is good enough
- We will always go the extra mile
- We care deeply about what we do
- We do what we say we’ll do, when we say we will
And last but not least, in everything we do, we seek to bring joy to people with bespoke timber garden buildings that make their lives better. A lofty aim, but one that keeps us driving forward, every single day.
To talk to us about your timber garden building, give us a call now on 01837 82442, email us at sales@shieldsbuildings.co.uk, or pop along to the display site at the farm.
Our staff members
The Installation team are the customer facing part of the business and, as many of our customers testify, are excellent and a pleasure to have at their homes.
As one customer recently said;
‘Everyone at Shields was friendly and helpful throughout the design and installation process. The guys on site were excellent workers and I can’t fault them. The quality of construction also is to a high standard. We look forward to using our new garden room more fully when we have more time and better weather!’
As Site Supervisor, nothing is too much trouble for Mike. He will stop at nothing to deliver the perfect finish on every build. He takes huge pleasure in his work, exuding a contagious positivity – but be warned, this can sometimes lead to singing, so ear defenders are advised…
Neil splits his time between the site and workshop and brings with him excellent carpentry skills and is a great support to the rest of the team – always willing to go the extra mile.
Rafal plays a key role across both our site installations and day-to-day operations at the yard.
Splitting his time between working on builds and keeping everything organised behind the scenes, he ensures materials, equipment and logistics are always in the right place at the right time.
Nathan is the newest addition to the team and is learning the trade alongside our experienced installation specialists.
With a hands-on approach, he is building his skills day by day, gaining valuable experience in crafting and installing our bespoke timber buildings.
The workshop is the backbone of our business. Meticulously ensuring that each and every one of our bespoke timber buildings are constructed to the highest standard.
The perfectionist! It’s his tenacity that helps maintain our excellent reputation for high quality timber buildings. Nothing is more important to Ivan than knowing that our customers will be getting the perfect garden building every time.
Our ‘Jack of All Trades’ – but in this instance, a master of all as well. Vast experience in the building trade means Jerry is just as at home at a work bench as he is fitting slates on a roof. Not to mention, a dab hand with the paint brush!
Shields Buildings are specialists in what we do. Each member of our close knit team are passionate about their work, taking great pride and enjoyment in every element of the job. This ensures every customer receives the very best service and, ultimately, the timber garden building that they’ve always dreamed of.
There are three elements to our business – The Office, The Workshop and The Site Team – each one a vital cog in the well-oiled Shields Buildings machine.
Here at Shields Buildings it’s not just about the building. We want to make sure that every customer is properly looked after from initial enquiry, to design and construction, all the way through to our attentive follow up procedure.
Paul brings a wealth of experience and strong business ethics to his role as Managing Director. Having worked his way up through the business, he began his journey hands-on in the workshop before joining the site team. With an in-depth understanding of the design, manufacture, and installation of our timber garden buildings, Paul is the perfect person to help turn your dream project into a reality.
Overseeing both the production and site teams, Paul provides steady leadership and ensures everything runs smoothly, maintaining the high standards we’re known for.
Aaron is our Production Supervisor and plays a key role in keeping everything running smoothly across both the workshop and on-site teams.
He began his time at Shields Buildings as part of the installation team, gaining hands-on experience constructing our buildings from the ground up. This practical knowledge now underpins his role, overseeing production, coordinating teams, and ensuring every project meets our high standards.
Working alongside Paul is Harry, our dedicated salesman and customer liaison. Harry is often the friendly voice on the phone or the welcoming face you’ll meet when visiting our display.
Harry handles customer quotes, drawings, and all communications, ensuring you receive clear and helpful guidance throughout the process. With a passion for photography and marketing, Harry also showcases our work through stunning visuals and engaging videos, helping bring our products to life.
Hayley plays a key role in the office, supporting Paul, Aaron and Harry with the day-to-day running of the business.
From managing customer administration and accounts to carrying out sales and marketing analysis, she keeps everything organised and on track. A whizz with spreadsheets and naturally detail-focused, Hayley makes sure nothing slips through the net.