Alan Cooper

Director & Renovation Consultant

"Over 40 years ago, I bought a set of books called ‘The Knack.’ They were brilliant—detailed with excellent photos and diagrams. With the help of those books, I managed to build my own home, doing all the fitting out, plumbing, and electrics myself. Even though I was already a qualified electrician, they gave me the confidence to tackle anything. It just goes to show—you can do anything if you put your mind to it."

Background

With over 30 years of experience as an electrical signals engineer on the railway, Alan has spent his life working with complex systems and high-voltage equipment. His work
on 10,000-volt railway systems honed his technical skills and problem-solving abilities, but his passion for hands-on work and construction had been evident long before.

Alan has always been the type of person who never sits still—if something needs doing, he’s already halfway through it. His love for practical work led him to take on a major new- build project at a young age, constructing a detached family home on a relative’s land. Working closely with architects and Building Control, Alan managed and coordinated trades, from groundworkers and bricklayers to roofers. Not one to shy away from hard work, he took on much of the internal construction himself, handling everything from joinery to electrics.

This experience ignited a lifelong passion for building. Over the years, Alan continued developing his skills, building extensions, conservatories, and refurbishing homes—all while working full-time. Eventually, when the opportunity arose for voluntary redundancy, Alan and Hazel made the bold decision to go all-in on property investment. They built their portfolio one property at a time, with Alan personally managing and completing the majority of the renovation work—from fitting kitchens and bathrooms to structural alterations and plastering.

Today, Alan is the go-to problem solver at The Hazel Company. His experience, resourcefulness, and technical knowledge make him an invaluable consultant on every project. If a challenge arises, there’s a good chance Alan has already solved it before.