Attract finance on terms that reflect the quality and resilience of the business.
Fractional COO and Operating Partner for HVAC, Renewables and Electrical Contracting Businesses
Senior operational leadership for founder-led HVAC, renewables and electrical contracting businesses with £1M–£50M turnover. We work alongside your managers to improve job delivery, protect margins and reduce the decisions that depend on you.
Built for established businesses ready to operate differently
The Right Fit
For founder-led HVAC, renewables and electrical contracting businesses, typically £1M–£50M turnover, where growth has outpaced the operating structure. You want stronger managers, clearer priorities and reliable delivery without every issue returning to the owner.
You may recognise one or more of these:
You are involved in decisions that should not require you
Growth has slowed or stalled despite strong demand
Margins are under pressure and the cause is unclear
Good people leave, forcing you to step back in
Managers need clearer responsibilities and a consistent review rhythm
You want to raise, acquire or exit, but the business is not ready
The starting point is different for every business. The common requirement is a willingness to replace dependency with structure.
What Rostone does as your Fractional COO
PRACTICAL OPERATIONAL LEADERSHIPWe agree where senior operational leadership will make the most difference, then work with your managers to put changes into practice. Responsibilities, priorities and progress measures are defined at the start.
- Financial hygiene and management reporting
- Operating rhythm, meetings and reporting rights
- Accountability frameworks and role clarity
- Risk identification and operational controls
- Core process design and documentation
- Quality and consistency frameworks
- Performance metrics and KPI dashboards
- Technology and tooling alignment
- Sales and delivery alignment
- Margin analysis and commercial model review
- Customer experience and retention systems
- Brand and operational consistency
- Transaction readiness and due diligence preparation
- GRAX Deal Team coordination
- GRAX Target Operating Model development
- Integration management for post-acquisition delivery
01
Foundation
Structural Layer
Give managers clear responsibilities, decision boundaries and a weekly operating rhythm. Build reporting that shows delivery, margin and cash performance.
02
Operating Engine
Execution Layer
Improve the flow from enquiry and quote to scheduling, installation and handover. Use practical checklists and appropriate automation to reduce avoidable delays and remedial work.
03
Market Position
Commercial Layer
Review quoting, job costing and cash collection together. Help sales and delivery teams plan capacity, understand margin by job and follow up variations and unpaid invoices.
04
The Deal Room
Transaction Layer
When investment, acquisition, succession or sale is part of your plan, prepare the operating evidence and coordinate the relevant specialist support. Transaction work is optional and follows your objectives.
Explore value and exit readiness · Explore acquisition integration
Progress you can measure
EVIDENCE & PERFORMANCEAgree a starting point before making changes. Review delivery, margins, cash collection and owner involvement against the same measures each month, so decisions are based on evidence.
Outcomes depend on the starting position, agreed scope and implementation. We do not promise a fixed percentage improvement or a guaranteed valuation.
01
Owner involvement
Track which decisions still escalate to the owner and where managers can take responsibility.
02
Margin by job
Compare quoted and actual costs, variations and remedial work to understand where margin is lost.
03
Delivery reliability
Review scheduling, installation completion and handover quality against agreed targets.
04
Cash collection
Monitor overdue invoices and the time between completing work, billing and receiving payment.
How a Fractional COO engagement works
A Clear Delivery Structure01
Alignment Audit
Step One
Review the flow of work, management information and operational risks with your team.
Output: a shared baseline and prioritised improvement plan. Scope and timing are agreed after the diagnostic.
02
Operating Plan & Responsibilities
Step Two
Agree priorities, decision boundaries and named owners with the founder and managers.
Output: a practical operating plan, accountability map and performance scoreboard.
03
Embedded Execution
Step Three
Implement the agreed changes alongside your managers: workflows, reporting, checklists and appropriate automation.
Output: working routines and documented processes. Monthly reviews track results, resolve blockers and update the action plan.
04
Transition and Continuity
Step Four
Transfer knowledge and responsibility into the business so managers can sustain the improvements.
Output: a handover plan and agreed continuing support. See how a Rostone engagement works.
The GRAX pathways: where this takes you
Strategic OptionalityTotal Alignment is not an end in itself. It creates a strong operating engine that gives business owners four strategic options.
G
Grow
Scale revenue and margins with an operation built to handle greater complexity.
R
Raise
A
Acquire
Buy and integrate businesses without destroying the value the transaction was intended to create.
X
Exit
Prepare a business with clearer operating evidence and fewer owner dependencies for succession or sale.
GRAX describes four possible pathways: Grow, Raise, Acquire and Exit. Choose the one that fits your goals; completing all four is not required. Total Alignment helps organise the operating work behind your chosen direction.
Working together: your questions answered
Working RelationshipOur Fractional COO provides operational leadership; “Operating Partner” describes how we work alongside your team to implement change.
How do you work with our existing managers?
We agree priorities with the owner and work with managers on implementation. Responsibilities and decision boundaries are defined together; your team remains responsible for daily delivery.
How is this different from a full-time COO?
A Fractional COO provides senior leadership on an agreed part-time basis. A full-time COO is a permanent role with dedicated capacity. The right arrangement depends on your needs and the scope of responsibility.
What does it cost, and how long does it last?
Fees, involvement and duration depend on the scope and support required. These are agreed before implementation, with milestones and reviews so progress is clear.
Does my team need to be involved?
Yes. Managers share information, help test changes and own the operating routines. We build capability inside the business so improvements can be sustained.
Do we need to be preparing for a sale?
No. You can focus on delivery, margins, cashflow and owner independence. Investment, acquisition and exit preparation are optional.
Start with the challenge taking your time.
Ready to Close the Gap?On the first call, we discuss your business, the operational problems that need attention and what you want to achieve. We identify whether a diagnostic is a useful next step.
Bring your questions about job delivery, margins, cashflow or owner dependence. The proposed scope, fees and commitments are agreed before work begins.
A clear next step
Discuss your priorities and whether Rostone is the right fit.
A management system your managers can use
Rostone connects operational leadership with a practical business management system: your living operations manual, dashboards, management reports and agreed feeds from CRM, Xero and other data sources. The platform is selected around your team and existing tools.
We help managers use the system in their regular reviews: understand performance, resolve exceptions, assign actions and update the playbook as better ways of working emerge. Platform setup, connections and continuing support are agreed in the engagement scope.