Providing a comprehensive range of civil engineering and construction (residential, commercial and industrial) solutions, Datum Building & Civil Engineering in Tralee, Co. Kerry has earned an enviable reputation for delivering high-quality projects on time and within budget.
Datum Building & Civil Engineering (Datum BCE) was established in 2018 and continues to go from strength to strength. Managing director Brian Hayes is joined by a 50-strong team of experienced engineers, foremen and ground staff who are supported and supplemented by the same tried and tested subcontractors. With a wealth of expertise and experience in successfully completing a wide range of civil engineering and construction projects, the company is known nationwide as a flexible, dependable and professional building contractor.
As a one-stop shop for both civils and construction, Datum offers the full array of services from groundworks to complete turnkey finishes. Although renowned for delivering unrivalled workmanship both above and below the floor slab, the Tralee-based contractor’s expertise in large scale, multi-unit groundworks is particularly impressive.
In civils, they work regularly to the most exacting standards for prestigious clients such as the ESB and Uisce Éireann. “To get projects across the line with the ESB and Uisce Éireann, it goes without saying that your quality has to be up to the very highest standards,” Brian states.
“They expect you to work to the highest standards and we’re proud to have a longstanding working relationship with them.”
Datum BCE has accumulated immense expertise in utilities, including sewerage, water, stormwater and electrical ducting. Alongside traditional building practices, they are also happy to embrace new construction technologies and methodologies and, to this end, have completed a number of rapid-build ICF projects across a number of counties.
“I would describe Datum as a medium-sized building and civil engineering company,” the managing director continues.
“Our direct staff includes project managers, engineers, specialist pipe layers and general operatives, while we also have our own estimating department, headed up by [commercial director] Sean Daly, and do all our pricing in-house.”
Between them, Brian and Sean boast over 35 years’ experience working at the cutting edge of the construction industry. Both men have worked previously with major Tier One contractors and that combined knowledge has been instrumental in driving Datum BCE’s growth in recent years. The company is a leader in Quality, Environmental and Health & Safety, having achieved ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015 and OHSAS 18001:2007 accreditation.
Datum’s core values of Safety, Quality, Productivity, Programme and Housekeeping form the basis of everything they do. Their focus has always been on finding solutions and anticipating problems. There are seldom projects that do not have either a delay imposed or sudden acceleration required. All of Datum’s staff, from management to field personnel, are trained with this mindset. Retaining the same staff helps them to anticipate the needs of the industry on a contract-by-contract basis.
“Our people are our greatest asset,” explains Brian, who is a carpenter by trade and also holds a degree in civil engineering.
“We wouldn’t be where we are today without their knowledge and expertise. Despite the shortage of skilled labour in the industry at the moment, we have doubled our staff numbers in the last few years. In some cases, we’ve succeeded in bringing back quality tradespeople from the UK.”
Datum BCE takes great pride in the knowledge they possess, and never fail to meet their clients’ requirements or expectations. Where difficulties are encountered, they approach them in a structured, collaborative manner. They have a strong team of expert management who operate with an enthusiasm to surpass the client’s wishes and the ability to achieve results.
The construction and civil engineering specialists can count Cairn Homes, Glenveagh Homes and Dwellings among its valued clients in the residential sector. Currently, they are carrying out the main drainage, utilities, road, footpath, foundations and floor works for Cairn Homes on their stunning new ‘Bayly’ development of 472 homes in Douglas on the outskirts of Cork city.
These modern three and four-bedroom homes sit on an elevated position, offering breathtaking views of the city and beyond. They are perfect for first-time buyers who are looking for an opportunity to own their own home. They are also suitable for people wishing to downsize to a more energy-efficient home. Launching in the summer of 2024, most homes will be eligible for Help to Buy and First Homes Schemes. With BER A2 energy ratings, they will also be eligible for a green mortgage.
The homes in Bayly are built with sustainability in mind and prioritise energy efficiency and environmentally responsible building practices. The development features open play spaces and landscaped parkland. Existing hedgerows and trees throughout have been protected and retained, with innovative Greenwalls a welcome harmony between complex engineering and nature.
“Cairn Homes are a great client of ours who demand the highest standards. We’ve been on site in Douglas for the past 18 months and will be there for at least another 12 months,” Brian says.
Datum has also completed ICF (Insulated Concrete Formwork) projects in Derrinturn, Co. Kildare (30 residential units) and Moycullen, Co. Galway (nursing home) using the Altherm ICF System. Insulated Concrete Formwork (ICF) is an increasingly popular method of building construction using lightweight and hollow insulation forms that fit together and are then filled with concrete. Once set, the concrete becomes a high-strength structure and the formwork remains in place as thermal insulation.
Buildings delivered using ICF provide many advantages over traditional building techniques, the most obvious being speed of build, low labour requirements, the ability to work in all weather conditions and, of course, the inherent high energy efficiency in the end product. Datum’s ICF-built residential homes are designed to meet the highest standards in quality and compliance, with BER standards of A1-A3 typically delivered.
“Things are progressing very well. Inflation and the cost of building materials is an ongoing challenge, but you have to work through it. We’re getting plenty of work and that’s the main thing,” adds the affable Kerry man, who concludes by thanking his clients and suppliers for their continued support as well as his direct employees and subcontractors for their hard work, dedication and skill.
Datum Building & Civil Engineering
Unit 5I,
Liber House,
Monavalley Business Park,
Tralee,
Co. Kerry.
Telephone: 066 7127254
Email: [email protected]
Web: datumbce.ie
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, September 2024, Vol 10 No 9
