Based in Castlebar, Co Mayo, Kenmart Construction Ltd is a specialist when it comes to carrying out refurbishment and new build works for its customers. Building Ireland touched base with company co-director Kenneth Casey to hear all about the company – from its origins to the current state of business.
When Kenneth Casey and Martin Neary set-up Kenmart Construction Ltd in 2017, they did so with the clear intention of creating a construction venture which would go on to build a golden reputation for quality work.
Today, the Castlebar-based firm boasts exactly that as it continues to deliver excellent projects and enhance its name along the way.
While the majority of Kenmart Construction Ltd’s work is situated in and around the town of Castlebar, it’s main focus right now is about 20 minutes up the road in Foxfort where it’s carrying out its second project for Foxford & District Alzheimer Trust.
Building Ireland caught up with Kenneth Casey to found out more about the project and his company’s overall hopes for the months ahead and moving towards an eighth year.
“Myself and Martin Neary are the two directors here and we’d sub out all of the work that we do here. We don’t actually have any direct staff,” the co-director outlined.
“Namely, we would specialise in refurbishments and new builds. Most of our work would be small refurbishments, extensions to dwellings and new builds to dwellings.
“Currently, we’re building a 3,600 square foot Day Care Centre for the Foxford District & Alzheimer Trust. It would’ve started at the end of January this year and it’ll be a 12-month contract job.”
The project in Foxford is certainly a flagship one for Kenmart Construction Ltd, as the business itself continues its growth and overall upward trend.
Of course, it’s all a far cry from where Kenneth and Martin first started out with their company, with it having been born in more difficult times than the present.
“Like any company, the first couple of years were the most difficult and it was in the most difficult time,” said Kenneth.
“Around then, it was a difficult time to get off the ground but we were very lucky with the suppliers in our local area in that they were all very helpful to us in giving us a lift to get going.
“We came out of the recession years when we all lost money between 2008 and 2010 and had to lick our wounds and get back on our feet again.”
The business partners did exactly and, as things stand, the project books are set to see Kenmart Construction Ltd busy with work well into next year.
On top of that, Kenneth himself has another construction-related venture which he has was good enough to share some details about.
“I also have a planning and engineering design business. That’s been in existence for the last 20 years and I would tend to get some of the work from the clients that I would be advising and doing work for,” he said.
“Martin Neary would be the man on site who would program in the subcontractors and materials, and also look after the quality of the work.
“We tend to do a lot of repeat business and we get a lot of family business, so if we do something for a father or brother, they tend to refer us. So, it’s a lot of reference work.”
Building a solid reputation for quality work has certainly paid dividends for Kenneth and Martin, as business at the moment is perhaps as good as it has ever been for their company.
The Foxford District & Alzheimer Trust Day Care Centre is the focal point of its work currently and the hope is that there are projects of a similar size to come down the line.
“The past 12 months have been very good. Obviously, to start a job of this value, which is just north of a million, has been good for us,” Kenneth pointed out.
“Our turnover has almost doubled every year since we started. It started off very small in the beginning and we both have second jobs, so we weren’t impacted too much on the business finance to give it a go.
“Now we’re relatively healthy and we still don’t take huge wages out of the company. We’re just trying to build the company to eventually look at maybe getting some investment properties for pensionable purposes. Realistically, we have enough work for the next 24 months ahead of us.”
So, the clear question is, what has been the secret behind the success of Kenmart Construction Ltd to date?
How has a small start-up grown into what is now a thriving construction venture which holds an excellent reputation amongst its customers?
“I think familiarity is a big part of it, to be honest,” said Kenneth.
“Both myself and Martin are well known in the industry. We’ve been working in Castlebar for the guts of 25 years now and, I suppose, we’d be well known, trusted and we would be deemed to be very fair in terms of price and variations.”
Looking towards the months ahead for the business, its co-founder is optimistic as ever while also adding that he’d like to see some aide for the young couples in Ireland out there that are looking to build new homes.
“I suppose, good health for the two of us and our customers would be the hopes first and foremost. After that, we’d hope that prices don’t increase too much.
“We’d also like to see some sort of help or assistance be given to poor unfortunate people that have to build new homes. That there’s something that either the developer can give by VAT or whatever, or the government can assist the young couples that are getting planning permission but can’t afford to build new homes,” Kenneth concluded.
Kenmart Construction Ltd
Aghalusky,
Castlebar,
Mayo.
Mobile: 087 227 4217
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, July 2024, Vol 10 No 7
