Boasting an unrivalled track record for invariably completing high-quality projects with the keenest attention to detail, W Gore Construction has earned a stellar reputation as Meath’s residential building contractor of choice. We touched base with managing director Liam Gore to get an update on this exceptional family-run contracting company which has been achieving industry-leading results for more than 40 years.
Across the Royal County and beyond, W Gore Construction is renowned for delivering building projects of distinction, marrying decades of expertise with meticulous workmanship and a client-focussed approach, inevitably culminating in an unrivalled reputation for excellence.
From high-end, one-off residential new builds to painstaking restoration and conservation works – or even critical commercial projects – W Gore always work to the most exacting standards, with a genuine enthusiasm for the art of building evident at the heart of this standard-setting family business.
While fulfilling clients’ expectations surely represents one of the biggest challenges facing main contractors, through adopting a professional, collaborative approach to every project, W Gore Construction have an uncanny knack for exceeding them, resulting in a large volume of repeat business and positive referrals through word of mouth.
Considering that they have proven themselves time and time again over the past four decades and more, one of the frightening things about W Gore Construction is that, rather than rest on their considerable laurels, instead of easing up, if anything, they are getting even better at what they do, constantly reaching even higher standards than hitherto! “
“We genuinely do build every home like it’s our own,” states managing director / senior project manager Liam Gore. “We’re 43 years in business and we really do care. There is a close-knit crew here, with myself, my father [founder William Gore] and a number of lads who have been with us for a long time. We treat them well and trust them and they share the same interests and passion for construction as ourselves. Whether they are doing work themselves or overseeing subbies, they will do their level best to make sure that everything is finished to the highest quality, as agreed with the client, on time and within budget. There is no compromising on quality and that’s a massive thing that stands to us.”
Due to their stellar reputation, W Gore Construction are in big demand and could expand significantly by taking on more and more projects, but Liam prefers to remain at the size he’s already at in order to maintain maximum control and to remain in a position whereby a personal service is guaranteed: “We do have a huge amount of work on and we’re constantly getting enquiries from clients both old and new,” the Meath contractor confirms.
“We are at a stage now where we can excel in the quality of our projects and also the scale, size and scope of those projects. The scale of our projects has gone up quite a bit and we have worked for major corporate clients on data centres and call centres as well as taking on a lot of high-value restoration and conservation projects, sometimes working closely with Meath County Council’s Architectural Conservation Officer.
“But I don’t believe it is feasible for us to grow and take on more projects at a time. We want to keep the crew we have – the bigger the locomotive the harder it is to control. There is no point in having multi-million-euro developments if the quality and attention to detail aren’t going to be there. Look, we want to make money the same as any other business but we are content to stay at our present size and at the same time to go into some larger projects. The way I see it is we are going around a bend rather than turning.”
A case of prioritising quality over quantity? “Massively. Clients tend to stay with us because they know everything we do is carefully thought out. Construction is not just about putting layers on layers on layers. It is a craft and it’s about planning those layers and getting the best aesthetic as well as the best performance. If you don’t micromanage your tradesmen and subcontractors down to the millimetre, the results will not turn out as pictured in your head or in your client’s head. In fact, you are the client in many respects.
“The client invests a lot of money and trust in you and you can’t turn away from that. Keeping control of the programme is difficult as you have so many different materials and people on site at different times, but you have to stay on top of it. That’s way more important to me than massive growth. We have found our niche and we are comfortable within it.”
What Liam doesn’t mention is that W Gore Construction are widely regarded as the very best at what they do, or that architects and engineers alike love working with them due to the core values and ethos they bring to bear on every project they associate themselves with… “I like to think that people enjoy working with us because there will be strong communication throughout and a level of understanding,” he notes.
“Everybody in that room has to be on the same page as us and fully geared towards getting the finished project to be the best it can be, because that is what the client is paying us to achieve and everybody should be aiming towards that common goal.”
To complement their magnificent one-off new build / restoration service, W Gore Construction intend to diversify slightly going forward to also undertake select residential developments. “We’re slowly moving into the commercial residential sector as in carrying out our own developments where we will act as both the developer and building contractor,” Liam confirms. “This will incur more risk and more manpower but also more control. We have a very clear view of what we want to do and the plan is to deliver high-quality, energy-efficient estates.”
With the cost of construction soaring, Liam points out the importance of clients striking the right balance between budget and expectation: “Money is not the most important thing by any means – far from it – but it does provide more scope to give the client exactly what they are looking for, down to a tee. However, with materials, labour, fuel, transport, resources and running costs all having increased dramatically, expectations of what the client can get for their money have unfortunately had to come down a bit – because they are all going in with a limited budget which can only stretch so far.
“Across the board, I’d estimate that there has been a 30% increase in the cost of construction, which is massive. So, obviously budget is important. But, for us, the most important thing about the relationship between contractor and client is that they are willing to work with us. There’s a misconception that a construction company can come in and flick a switch and work magic but construction is dirty and it’s hard work.
“Ideally, you want a client that is willing to work with you, that will meet your expectations and is prepared to be flexible to enhance the overall finished product and achieve the best results. I find that clients don’t always budget properly and will sometimes need to be flexible with their finances, too. I would always advise clients to have an over-run allowance to make sure they are covered for any little changes they might wish to make along the way.
“While budget is obviously a big part of it, so are real-time expectations. I make a point of meeting with the client every week or bi-weekly and it’s nice to give them that sense of how we are coming along and to keep them in the picture. Communication is the most important thing of all and we love to involve the client in the project, even more than they might have expected at the outset. These relationships endure. I can honestly say that there isn’t a single client that I have had a negative relationship with and 90% of them will ring me years later to have a chat. It’s always nice to hear from them and building lasting relationships like that is important to any business.
“When we plan a project, we plan it from the finish to the start. We have the complete picture in our heads of where we are going before we commence. We have the experience, knowhow and vision to know how things are going to go before we even put a shovel in the ground and we plan it all down to the finest detail. My lads are very proud tradesmen – something which unfortunately seems to be diminishing in the construction industry, but it’s important to us to stay the way we are and maintain those standards.”
As well as their own skilled and experienced tradesmen, W Gore Construction regularly use the services of more than one hundred tried and trusted subcontractors. “We use the same lads all the time. I never change,” Liam confirms. “We have lads still working with us now who would have worked for my father in the 1970s, ‘80s and ‘90s. They are still with us because they continually meet the standards we expect and we look after them accordingly. Having those subcontractors on board allows us to deliver consistency and continuity.
“Despite the labour shortages that have impacted on construction in recent times, fortunately we haven’t had any issue in terms of getting subbies who hold the same values as we have. We will always have the job ready for them when they come in. From a management point of view, we are on top of our game and if a chippy arrives on site the materials he needs will be there ready for him. We make the whole process as seamless as possible and will make sure all the equipment is there, from lifts to hoists and scaffolding, as well as carrying out all the necessary Health & Safety checks, which is huge.”
At the time of writing, Liam and William and their team were engaged on a number of residential and commercial projects including the extension and restoration of a stunning 18th-century Georgian building for a long-term client in Bellewstown, County Meath. With painstaking attention to detail, this is very much the kind of projects the Gores specialise in. The works include the recreation of an underground tunnel as well as underground swimming pool, underground wine cellar and cigar room, underground leisure centre and a three-storey lift shaft. Work here has been ongoing for over a year and will continue into 2023. An astonishing building that would not be out of place on MTV Cribs, this is the kind of project that really gets Liam’s juices flowing…
“We do enjoy getting the opportunity to show what we can do,” he concludes. “If the client says they want this, this and this and there are no budgetary restraints then that leaves it open to our own imagination and we can express ourselves even more. We talk to the client and get involved. We like to speak to them on a personal level and find out what they like and what their living habits are so that we can focus on the finer details.
“We do a lot of the work that architects do. We regularly meet clients on site and discuss how rooms will flow and how they will interact with the building instead of just drawing lines. Anybody can draw a line but every family home should be a reflection of how that family lives.”
W Gore Construction,
Rathfeigh,
Tara,
County Meath.
Tel: 041 9825489
Mobile: 086 3502155 / 087 2515192
Email: [email protected]
Web: wgoreconstruction.ie
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, March 2022, Vol 8 No 3
