⚠️ WARNING !! CONSTRUCTION PERSONNEL .. You may recognise yourself ⚠️
From the Glass Act to the Scaffolding Peacock, these are the trades, managers, and misfits you’ve met a hundred times
A Field Guide to Construction Stereotypes
Welcome to the site. Not the website—the building site. Where the tea’s strong, the nicknames are stronger, and every character is larger than life.
The Big I Am is a comic-style celebration of the unsung legends of British construction culture. Think of it as a satirical field guide: 36 gloriously exaggerated archetypes drawn from the muddy boots, cracked banter, and spiritual chaos of the UK building trade.
From the Old School General Builder to the Van Philosopher, the Apprentice who's Afraid of heights to the Client's Pinterest Board, each character is captured in bold black-and-white line art with a healthy dose of dry humour and affectionate mockery.
This isn’t just for builders. It’s for anyone who’s ever worked on a site, lived next to one, or just wondered what really goes on behind the hoarding. It’s for van drivers, architects, apprentices, and armchair foremen alike.
If you’ve ever heard the phrase “That’s not in the spec,” this book’s for you.
Split into six bite-sized volumes for easy reading (and glovebox storage), The Big I Am is designed to be dipped into, passed around, and quoted on-site. The full collection will follow—along with new characters, spin-offs, and a few surprises still under wraps.
Whether you’re looking for a laugh, a gift for the gaffer, or a mirror held up to your own site persona, this is your new favourite read. No filler, no fluff—just pure, character-driven comedy from the trenches of British construction.
Get it on your dashboard.
Get it in your break room.
Get it in your life.
Send us your nicknames from site along with an explanation.
We know some will be pretty random !
Maybe you could inspire a character for the next Volume of THE BIG I AM
Get the latest releases from THE BIG I AM