About us

INSTAR Construction Ltd is a partnership between company directors Dan Potter and James Gething.

Dan is a highly-skilled carpenter, builder and project manager with more than 18 years’ experience in the construction industry. Prior to establishing INSTAR Construction with James, Dan ran a successful solo business, D Potter Carpentry, and taught on the carpentry apprenticeship programme at Exeter College. He started his journey working with his father in the family carpentry and building firm, completing his own carpentry apprenticeship in 2010. Dan has completed numerous domestic and commercial construction projects in the Exeter area to an excellent standard. Examples of recent work can be seen in the gallery and example projects sections of this website.

James has a PhD in Physics, an MSc in Quantity Surveying and ten years’ experience of working in financial services. He has been involved in the construction industry since 2016, renovating and building properties in his home town of Moretonhampstead on Dartmoor, alongside work as a freelance quantity surveyor. James combines meticulous attention to detail, research, planning and costing with high-level carpentry and construction skills. Examples of recent work can be seen in the gallery and example projects sections of this website.

Dan and James bring complementary skills and experience to their business partnership. They have been working together on domestic construction projects in the Exeter area since 2020, and honing their good friendship and strong teamwork skills on the basketball court for many years prior to that. They set up INSTAR Construction Ltd in 2024 with the aim of providing a comprehensive, professional, and reliable building service to home-owners in and around Exeter.