Construction and maintenance builder Try Group increased its pre-tax profit 48% to £5m on turnover up 10% to £166m.
Group chief executive David Calverley attributed this increase to strong growth in the homes business, which increased its operating profit 50% to £5.4m on turnover up 36% to £39.7m.
This was helped by the inclusion of figures for Amey Homes, which was acquired for £10m in late 1998.
The purchase also pushed the average selling price of Try’s homes down £40 000 to £185 000, but the group sold 204 units, compared with 117 units the previous year.
Calverley added that Try aimed to double the turnover of its new fit-out business Try Interiors to £20m this year and to get its loss-making facilities management arm Try Accord into profit.
