Tradesmen in Desborough: who we trust
Short answerWe can pass Desborough jobs to the one electrician, plumber, plasterer and carpenter we trust from our own Market Harborough renovation. Desborough is about 5 miles away but over the county line, so whether they can take your job depends on the work and their diary. WhatsApp us and we'll get you an answer quickly.
Desborough is a growing Northamptonshire town about 5 miles south-east of Market Harborough as the crow flies, a short way down the A6. It's close, but it's in a different county and council area, and it's changing fast. If you're looking for tradesmen in Desborough, we can pass your job to the electrician, plumber, plasterer or carpenter we trust, and they'll tell you straight whether they can fit it in.
We're a Market Harborough family who recently renovated our own home. We recommend the people we used because they did good work at a fair price. We're not paid for recommendations. We just pass you to people we trust.
What Desborough is like
Desborough has deep roots. St Giles's Church, the oldest surviving building in the town, dates from about 1225, and the town is known for two finds now in the British Museum: the Iron Age Desborough Mirror and the Anglo-Saxon Desborough Necklace.
Its more recent character comes from industry. Desborough Heritage Centre highlights the town's 19th and 20th-century silk, shoe and corset trades. R. and W.H. Symington, the corset makers also linked to Market Harborough, were listed at Rothwell and Desborough by 1877. A corset factory on Queen Street carries an 1895 datestone, and another on Rothwell Road opened in 1905 and stopped production in 1990. The town council notes that housing built for workers at a boot and shoe factory was the first planned estate in Desborough.
The Desborough Conservation Area was adopted by the then Kettering Borough Council in 2007. It covers a compact central area, including the Lawrence's factory site and terraced rows along New Street, Mansefield Close, Burghley Close and the south side of Gladstone Street.
Then there's the new Desborough. The 2021 census counted around 11,900 residents, up more than 11% in ten years, and around 1,800 more homes are in the pipeline, including a 700-home site being built by Bellway and Ashberry. So a large share of the town's homes are now very new.
Typical jobs in Desborough homes
New-build homes
New houses come with their own list: snagging, extra sockets where the developer didn't put enough, outside sockets and lighting, EV charger points, fitted wardrobes and loft boarding. See our guides to extra sockets costs, loft boarding costs and fitted vs freestanding wardrobes. Check your warranty first, as some faults should go back to the builder.
Older terraced streets
Older terraces in the centre are a different job. Wiring may have been extended many times, plaster may be tired, and doors and skirting often need replacing to suit the period. If you're buying one, an EICR is worth doing early. See signs your house needs rewiring and skimming vs replastering.
Mid-century homes and Artex
Many 20th-century homes still have textured Artex ceilings. If they're from before 2000, get a sample tested for asbestos before anyone sands or scrapes. Read plastering over Artex.
The four trades we can connect you with
- Our electrician for rewires, consumer units, EICRs, sockets and EV chargers. See electricians.
- The plumber we use for bathrooms, radiators, toilets and leaks. Gas work only ever goes to a Gas Safe registered engineer. See plumbers.
- Our plasterer for skimming, ceilings and replastering. See plasterers.
- Our carpenter for doors, skirting, stud walls, wardrobes and loft boarding. See carpenters.
Message us on WhatsAppFree. We pass you straight to the tradesperson we trust.
Planning: North Northamptonshire Council
Desborough's planning and conservation matters are now handled by North Northamptonshire Council, which replaced Kettering Borough Council. If you're in the conservation area, check before changing the outside of your home. Electrical work is still notified under Part P and gas work still needs Gas Safe, exactly as in Leicestershire. Our conservation area guide covers the principles.
Getting tradesmen in Desborough: distance and diaries
Desborough is roughly 5 miles from Market Harborough in a straight line, so it's not far. But it's over the county line and outside the villages our tradespeople cover most often, so whether they can take a particular job depends on the work and their diary. A bigger job is usually easier to fit in than a very small one. The quickest way to find out is to send us a WhatsApp. Nearby Rothwell works the same way.
Message us on WhatsAppFree. We pass you straight to the tradesperson we trust.
Tell us the job, add a photo, and we'll pass it straight to the right person. Any price comes from their own quote after they've seen the work.
Frequently asked questions
Do your tradespeople work in Desborough?
Sometimes. Desborough is about 5 miles from Market Harborough in a straight line, but it's over the county line and outside the villages they cover most. Whether they can take your job depends on what it is and how busy they are. Send us a WhatsApp with the details and a photo, and we'll get you an honest answer.
Is there a conservation area in Desborough?
Yes. The Desborough Conservation Area was adopted by Kettering Borough Council in 2007 and is now looked after by North Northamptonshire Council. It covers a compact central area including the Lawrence's factory site and terraced rows on New Street, Mansefield Close, Burghley Close and Gladstone Street. Check with the council before outside changes.
Who do I contact about a fault in my new-build Desborough home?
Check your new-home warranty and the developer's customer care process first. Many defects in the first two years should go back to the builder at no cost to you. For improvements the builder doesn't cover, like extra sockets, outside lighting, wardrobes or loft boarding, a local tradesperson can quote.
Do I need an EICR when buying an older house?
It isn't a legal requirement for owner-occupiers, but it's a sensible step for an older house. An Electrical Installation Condition Report shows the real state of the wiring and any safety issues, so you can budget for repairs or a rewire before you move furniture in. Landlords must have one at least every five years.
Is it safe to scrape off an Artex ceiling?
Not until it's been tested. Artex and similar textured coatings applied before 2000 may contain asbestos. Sanding or scraping can release fibres. Get a sample tested by an accredited lab first. If it's clear, a plasterer can skim over it or remove it; if not, use a licensed or competent asbestos contractor.