In October, Donaghmore Construction Ltd picked up the Social Housing Award for Ballymisert Supported Housing at the 2016 Construction Excellence Awards. Building Ireland spoke to company Director, Heather Burton, to hear all about the big night and find out more from the Co Tyrone-based firm.
Operating since 1988, Donaghmore Construction Ltd is a privately owned firm which is committed to innovation, continuous professional development and the latest technology to continue to deliver quality and sustainability.
The company was founded by brothers Brian and Raymond Currie and some 19 years later the reins of Donaghmore Construction were handed over to Brian’s son Mark, who is at the heart of all its projects and project co-ordination as Managing Director.
Mark has helped build the company’s strong reputation for delivering high quality construction and civil engineering projects.
At the moment Donaghmore Construction are currently working on 15 different schemes, according to Director, Heather Burton.
“Business is good at the moment,” she told Building Ireland in October. “We’re working on a private scheme in Lisburn which includes 48 private houses and we have projects on-going in Banbridge and in Coleraine as well”.
“At the minute we’re on 15 schemes. During construction industry downturn, we were very lucky in that we actually continued to grow!”
Not too many companies immersed in the Irish construction industry could boast that during that particular time, with so many having to downsize and some ceasing operation.
Heather herself joined Donaghmore Construction right in the midst of the economic recession, back in 2010, and was initially appointed as Procurement Manager before being promoted to Director two years later, having shown considerable flair and management expertise.
She is known for being highly competent in the area of project cost estimating and scheduling, subcontractor relations and negotiations and is also responsible for working with the Management Team in implementing robust and progressive commercial strategies.
With a staff of 45 full-time employees, Donaghmore Construction is renowned for conducting its business with integrity and uncompromising ethics. The company’s core values are safety, people, ingenuity, results and success.
The success of Donaghmore Construction is plain to see and the foundations of their successful approach to doing business are comprehensive and detailed planning, innovative use of new technology, strict adherence to health and safety procedures, strong commitment to quality assurance, effective communication and robust reporting systems.
The approach is to provide clients with a team of people that know how to work together, with the experience and skills required to make the project a success for all involved.
Donaghmore Construction aim to operate in an open and harmonious environment with a ‘partnering’ style approach adopted so that when challenges occur they work together to find the best solution. They provide a world class service through every stage of every project to ensure that their delivery meets and exceeds clients’ expectations.
This approach has fuelled the company’s continued growth, whilst completing a wide range of complex and challenging projects throughout the UK and Ireland.
“I like to think that we adopt a proactive approach here at Donaghmore Construction,” Heather stated. “There’s no fuss in what we do. We just get the job done and do it as professionally as possible.”
Some of the projects within the company’s portfolio demonstrate that. The Church of Annunciation in West Belfast, St Patrick’s Primary School and Nursery in Dungannon and the PWC Offices in Moygashel are amongst some of the recently completed successful projects for the Coalisland-based firm.
However, it was the Ballymisert Supported Housing project that saw Donaghmore Construction standing out from the rest in the Social Housing Award category at this year’s Excellence Awards.
Held in the Culloden Hotel on October 6th, the company were nominated for three awards in total, which Heather described as “a great honour”, coming away with the Social Housing gong for its excellent work in Ballymisert earlier in the year.
Ballymisert is a purpose-built supported housing scheme, providing state-of-the-art accommodation for 21 residents with mental health needs. The development also features offices/staff accommodation and a common room – designed to promote social interaction amongst residents. The housing is set within a beautifully landscaped site, providing further opportunities for recreation.
Ballymisert was designed and delivered with its future residents at the heart of every decision made. Medical and construction experts (including the supply chain partners) joined forces, working together from inception to completion to optimise best outturn. Their collaborative endeavour resulted in a state-of-the-art facility which has been revered as a phenomenal success by Triangle, NIAMH and the families/friends of those now residents there.
Speaking on the win, Heather stated: “Some of these categories had 30 different projects nominated for them, so it was a tremendous honour to win. To be nominated for three in total was something else and I think it shows the high standards which the company holds itself to.”
The night had also seen them nominated for the Private Housing and Training awards and come November, Donaghmore Construction were back on the stage picking up further prestigious accolades in recognition of their excellence.
The Ballymisert scheme was named ‘Best UK Social Housing Scheme’ and ‘Best Sustainable Residential Supported Housing Scheme’ at the 2016 ‘Build’ Sustainable Building Awards.
Those awards focus on rewarding the efforts of firms who have helped shape the works of eco-friendly and sustainable buildings across the globe.
Kaven Cooper, Awards Co-ordinator, said on the night: “With these awards, we pay tribute to the outstanding firms who are dedicated to supporting the environment and all those who live in it. I am proud to be able to turn the spotlight on these exemplary firms and would like to wish them continued success in the future.”
It’s a future that looks very bright indeed!
Donaghmore Construction Ltd
Address: 7 Dungannon Road, Coalisland,
Co Tyrone,
BT71 4HP
Tel: +44 (0) 28 8774 6235
Web: donaghmoreconstruction.com
Email: [email protected]
Taken from Building Ireland Magazine, November/December 2016, Vol 2 No 7
