Since its inception in 2018, Kilkenny-based Dormer Plant and Civils has through the consistent delivery of exceptional men, machinery and workmanship established itself as a premier groundworks and plant hire contractor. Building Ireland headed Noreside and touched base with director Martin Dormer to find out more about this in-demand, industry-leading family business.
With a team of dedicated and vastly experienced workers paired with state-of-the-art equipment, Dormer Plant and Civils delivers exceptional groundwork, plant hire and concrete finishing solutions to a vast array of construction projects across Leinster and into Munster.
Synonymous with great machines and tidy work, and boasting a proven track record for producing the goods on an ever-expanding portfolio of residential, commercial, industrial and utilities projects, Dormer Plant & Civils pride themselves on providing professional and value-added groundworks / plant hire services that meet the most exacting standards of quality and efficiency.
A trusted partner to a who’s who of building contractors, developers, utility providers and local authorities, Dormer Plant and Civils strive to build lasting relationships with clients by consistently exceeding their expectations and providing innovative solutions to all construction needs.
Offering a comprehensive range of services designed to cater to various construction and civil engineering requirements – from site set-ups, drainage systems, road maintenance, footpaths and kerbing, underground services, industrial and residential groundworks – Dormer Plant & Civils has literally hit the ground running to make a major impression since the business was established only eight short years ago…
As Dormer Plant & Civils have a vast selection of fresh and immaculately-maintained machinery in their fleet, all of which are operated by skilled, motivated and safety-conscious operatives, they have the wherewithal and manpower to handle any groundworks project large or small.
Capacity, scale and complexity are never an issue and a prime example of their ability to deliver is the multi-award-winning Crokers Hill social housing scheme in Kilkenny city, where Dormer Plant and Civils provided a complete groundworks package for long-term client Ormonde Construction.
Featuring apartments, houses, a group home and a community centre, Crokers Hill is a breath-taking, community-enhancing 88-unit social housing development that provided much-needed high‑quality, energy‑efficient living in the city to 242 people.
With an A2 BER ratings, 21% wheelchair‑liveable units and a dedicated community centre, this state-of-the-art social housing development sets a new benchmark and is thoughtfully designed and built to support a vibrant, inclusive neighbourhood for years to come.
Martin Dormer was honoured that Dormer Plant and Civils was able to play its part in such a landmark and historic development for Kilkenny: “We did all the groundworks at Crokers Hill and were onsite there for more than a year. As with all our projects, we’re very proud of that one. It’s always nice to be awarded local work and especially a big one like that, which has had such a positive impact on the local community.”
The Dormer brothers come from a strong construction background as their father was a renowned house builder before them. Reflecting on the genesis of the family groundworks and plant hire business in 2018, Martin recalls: “I had worked locally in groundworks previously and then went to Australia for a while. We started Dormer Plan and Civils when I returned home. It’s a family business, with my two brothers John and Patrick also involved.”
Due to the superb level of service provided on every job, Dormer Plant and Civils benefits from a high volume of repeat business, which is the lifeblood of a company that continues to grow and evolve.
Some satisfied customers who readily testify to the workmanship and dependability of Dormer Plant and Civils through the regular awarding of repeat business include DFL (David Flynn Ltd.) in Waterford, Ormonde Construction in Kilkenny, Byrne & Byrne Building Contractors in Wexford, Irish Water / Uisce Éireann and Wexford County Council.
Keen plant hire services are offered to clients nationwide – with an operative supplied with every machine – while civils / groundworks projects are typically confined to Leinster (mainly Kilkenny and Wexford) and Munster, with current activities including a large site in Waterford. Another ongoing project at the time of writing is the new link road in Wexford town.
At the heart of the business is a magnificent fleet of modern, tough machinery that is preserved in perfect working order at all times and manned by experienced personnel. Martin knows only two well that a machine is only as effective as the person operating it and that’s why he has surrounded himself with a highly-skilled and experienced team.
“We have 20 diggers on the go at the minute and two dozers, a couple of dump trucks, three lorries and some smaller diggers and dumpers,” he comments. “We purchased a couple of new machines in January and you have to make sure you always invest money in the fleet – both in keeping it fresh by adding new gear and also by keeping on top of what you already have.
“Maintenance is very important and nothing is left to chance when it comes to performance or safety. We pride ourselves on that and it’s what any civils / plant hire business has to be built upon at the end of the day.”
By implementing a rigorous preventative maintenance programme, Dormer Plant and Civils always eliminate potential problems before they can occur.
Direct employment is generated for a team of up to 60. “A number of our men have been with us for a long time now and we’re very lucky to have such a good crew. You’re only as good as the team you have behind you.”
Martin – who oversees the day-to-day running of the business – and his brothers are hands-on, with John and Patrick both onsite as foremen on a daily basis, keeping a tight rein on everything and making sure there is no compromise on standards of workmanship, efficiency or safety.
As for the secret of Dormer Plant and Civils’ success to date, Martin agrees that it all comes down to hard work and application: “It’s all about the quality of the work you do and being able to back up what you say you will do. You have to deliver for your client. We are working with the same builders since we started and that speaks for itself. If you do good work, you’ll earn a good reputation and people will stick with you.”
Looking to the future, the Kilkenny man would ideally like to expand the business further, although he’s not sure how feasible this is in the current climate: “I’d like to grow as much as we can, as long as it’s sustainable growth, but getting the staff to accommodate this is the problem,” he concludes.
“There’s demand for our services and an opportunity to grow in response to that, but you can realistically only grow if you have the right people – onsite and in the office, including Quantity Surveyors and engineers – to make sure you can handle the additional work to the highest standards. There can’t be any compromise on quality, and there won’t be.”
Dormer Plant and Civils,
The Lodge,
Knocknadogue,
Castlecomer,
County Kilkenny.
Tel: 083 818 9689
Email: [email protected]
Web: dormercivils.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Dormercivils
Dormer Plant and Civils, featured
