Over the past eight years and counting, Brian Hughes Construction Ltd. has earned a stellar reputation as a builder of choice, having delivered a fantastic portfolio of outstanding projects across counties Wexford, Wicklow and Dublin. Building Ireland interrupted the eponymous founder / proprietor’s busy schedule to find out more about this progressive, in-demand contracting company.
Within a relatively short period of time, Brian Hughes Construction has become renowned as a model building contractor, invariably delivering high-quality workmanship with the focus very much on always achieving a high-end finish. No stone is left unturned in the relentless pursuit of construction excellence – on all projects, large or small – and this is why the Wexford man’s services are currently in such big demand not just in his native county but also in Wicklow and Dublin.
The keenest attention to detail characterises and permeates every Brian Hughes Construction project, consistently culminating in a standard of finish that meets, nay exceeds, client expectations. Brian’s engineering background is a major asset in the company’s armoury, combining with outstanding workmanship to deliver high-end bespoke architectural residential new build and refurbishment solutions that never fail to impress.
Reflecting on the genesis of Brian Hughes Construction, the hands-on director comments: “I set up as a limited company in 2016, having operated as a sole trader for a couple of years prior to that.”
Having graduated from Waterford Institute of Technology with a Degree in Construction Management & Engineering, Brian served his time working as a site engineer, project manager and construction manager before taking the decision to go out on his own. He has never looked back!
Interestingly, the Wexford builder / engineer never had any aspirations to front his own construction company but fell into it organically in response to demand for the high standard of workmanship he was able to deliver from the off…
“It happened by accident rather than design,” Brian confirms. “The recession came along and I found myself out of work and took on a small job for a neighbour. That led to another job and the work just kept flowing. Prior to that, I had no real interest in going out on my own but when the work was there it seemed like the obvious way to go.”
Times were tough at the beginning as there wasn’t much money in the economy and Brian busied himself with a series of smaller jobs with small margins before the market started to open up again and confidence and funds began to return. New houses started to go up again and some school work was secured to complement this. Brian Hughes Construction was on a roll and by always delivering a quality finish more work followed through referrals and word of mouth. To say that Brian’s portfolio of completed projects is impressive would arguably be an exercise in understatement!
“The core of the work is residential new builds and extensions / renovations,” he reveals. “We specialise in high-end houses of up to 3,000 or 3,500 square feet and have also done some high-end restoration work. In education, we did a couple of science lab upgrades and also installed screens, etc. during Covid.”
New builds and refurbs is where Brian Hughes Construction is predominantly focused at present, covering a generous catchment area from Gorey North up through Wicklow and into Dublin. At the heart of the business are Brian and his brother, Paul, a block layer by trade, with additional direct labour brought in during the summer months as well as a tried and trusted crew of exceptional subcontractors.
“We only use the best tradesmen and I’ve been working with more or less the same people since the beginning,” notes the Wexford contractor who is renowned for precision and professionalism. “We provide a full turnkey service from start to finish and it’s very rare that we would take on a bit of a job. We can look after everything from groundworks right through to interior design and the highest-spec finishes.”
During 2022, Brian Hughes Construction carried out the complete top-to-bottom, front-to-back refurbishment of a 2,500 sq ft Georgian home in Ranelagh, Dublin – a huge project which comprised the revamp of literally everything apart from the front façade and side wall. At present, Brian and his team are engaged on projects closer to home, in counties Wexford and Wicklow.
“We don’t advertise at all, but deal with the same two or three architects all the time. They recommend us and virtually all our work is coming through them. We do still have couples calling us to enquire about new builds but mostly it’s referrals through architects these day,” says Brian.
“We do like a high-end finish with a lot of attention to detail. I work closely on all the jobs myself and we’d never have any more than four projects ongoing at any one time, to ensure that we can give them all our full attention. The consistency is there because when you have the same team of lads working for you all the time it’s easier to manage and you know what they are doing and what they are capable of doing.
“The company is at a manageable size at the moment but it’s at a point where I will have to take on more lads if I want to take on more work,” concludes Brian, with one eye on the future. “That’s a decision for another day. We’ll see what the market is like, but we are not going to compromise on quality. One-offs seem to be slowing down a little at the minute, but there could be work in social housing down the line – we could look at that.
“Those are all decisions for another day. For now, all my focus in on maintaining the high standards we have set since we started out. Construction is a tough game, it’s not for the faint of heart, you have to be prepared to work hard at it and that’s what we will continue to do.”
Brian Hughes Construction Ltd.,
Annagh,
Gorey,
County Wexford.
Tel: 086 8175186
Email: [email protected]
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, May 2024, Vol 10 No 5
