Surely, there was no way that anyone would start a business at 20 years of age and certainly not in the construction industry as the recession began to grip the nation. Well, in fact there was and that business is still thriving 12 years later.
Dublin man Niall Healy was told that he was ‘stone mad’ by a number of people when he revealed he was starting out on his own as a one-man show providing building services to the private sector.
To say that Niall started from modest beginnings would be an understatement as the Stillorgan native focused on domestic carpentry and renovation projects.
Unlike many start up companies, Niall had no contacts whatsoever and it was certainly a case of learning the trade as he went along, but one of his earliest mottos and one that has stuck with him to this day was to provide a quality service to each and every customer, regardless of the size of the job.
“I was told I was crazy and stone mad alright, but I wanted to work for myself and I started out doing small jobs and I set targets for myself, which I felt was very important,” said Niall.
NHC Construction evolved over the intervening years and Niall revealed that a decision in 2013 helped catipult the company’s profile.
“I went limited in 2013 and became members of the CIF and CIRI which certainly made us more recognisable and probably more approachable as well,” added Niall.
The services provided by the company include: Main Contractor – New Build – Green Field / Brown Field, M & E Builders Works, Refurbishment, Conservation and Restoration, Fit-out, Project Supervisor Construction Stage (P.S.C.S.), Civil works, Building Maintenance, joinery/carpentry, Fire improvement works (repairing doors).
Now NHC Construction Ltd’s clients know that the work will be carried out to the highest standard by knowledgeable and professional contractors for any scale of project.
In the early days, every tender I put in for was new, but now we would have a lot of repeat custom and the client base is growing all the time. It has been a massive learning experience and I’ve learned from every job and I think that has been a good thing. Our aim is to deliver on time and on budget.”
NHC Construction Ltd manages projects up to €1,000,000 in value with a proven track record in a diverse range of sectors including commercial, state, education, and industrial.
“We believe our reputation and success as main contractors has transpired by undertaking projects that deliver the best outcomes for our stakeholders; clients, design teams, contracting partners, suppliers and employees. Competitive tendering, professional management, quality construction, an excellent safety record, a proven ability to meet precise programmes, and our co-operative and proactive approach, have ensured the satisfaction of Design Teams and Clients in both the public and private sectors.”
The Dublin based firm carry out a lot of work for Government bodies including the Department of Education and Niall revealed that word of mouth has certainly been the mainstay when attracting new work.
“There is an old saying that you are only as good as your last job and through that one job has led to another. However, you do need a certain amount of luck and by chance one night I was talking to a friend’s father in a pub and he put me in contact with a client I still have todaywith close to €1 million spent to date, and that all came out of a chance conversation in a pub!”
NHC Construction Ltd carry out renovation and refurbishment works for several Education Boards, Boards of Management, the HSE and the OPW also and aside from his own team of six employees, Niall revealed that he uses a number of tried and trusted sub-contractors to carry out the majority of the work.
“I would have worked with the subbies in the past and I know what they can offer. They know the quality of work that is expected, and we work well together.”
Niall admitted that there has been ups and downs in the business like there is in any company and he revealed that 2016 was a particularly tough year.
“It was very stressful in 2016. We had so much work on and it was impossible to keep up with everything. We ended up giving up the domestic market as we just couldn’t keep everyone happy. We keep the team small so we can manage all of our projects on a personal level.
“I’ve always been conscious of not getting too big and being able to keep the company at a manageable size. These days, we would generally have four to five sites going at one time and I’m happy with that workload.
“That’s not to say we are tendering for projects on a continual basis. We have a good working relationship with our customers and we are happy with our turnover. You can’t be greedy in this industry or bite off more than you can chew or it will simply come back to haunt you.”
NHC Construction Ltd offer the personal touch on so many levels as their employees are on first name terms with many of their clients, while Niall himself is always available to them and on-site as much as possible.
“I deal with the client direct. What you see is what you get with us and that is a big selling point. The one team drives on the business and I would do all the pricing myself, so if there are any queries, I can deal with them.”
Being so varied in the type of work that NHC has involved in, has seen them take on a wide variety of jobs, some of which have earned them national headlines.
“We were actually contracted to clean and restore the Papal Cross in the Phoenix Park ahead of the Pope’s visit, this was our second time carrying out maintence on this famous structure.
“We have also worked in Leinster House, the Garda Headquarters and Áras An Uachturáin at different times, which is good for our portfolio.”
Twelve years after been told he was ‘stone mad’, Niall has developed a business that looks set to stand the test of time and depending on how large he wants to be, the sky is really the limit for NHC Construction Ltd.
Contact Details:
NHC Construction Ltd
Unit 18 Block C,
Greenhills Business Park,
Greenhills Road,
Tallaght,
Dublin,
D24 CY68
Tel:01 4625765
Mobile:087 9741769
Email: [email protected]
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, May/June 2020, Vol 6 No 3
