JK Carpentry and Construction works across the heath, education, commercial, maintenance and residential sectors. Proprietor John Kelly gave Building Ireland magazine an insight into how this progressive business operates.
JK Carpentry and Construction is a well-established business, based in Portarlington, Co Laois. As a dynamic operation, with over 17 years of experience, they have developed a strong client portfolio, working on domestic as well as commercial projects.
John Kelly and his team of eight employees are quality craftsmen in all aspects of carpentry, roofing, flat roofing, internal joinery, external joinery and renovations. They also have their own Quantity Surveyor, Safety Officer and design team and all aspects of construction are covered.
They cater for internal and external works and specialise in schools (new and old), houses (private to social) as well as hospitals. In addition, they can look after all your drains, wall repairs, painting, electrical, plumbing, windows and doors.
After serving his time, John Kelly took the brave decision to start out on his own back in 2000 as a sole trader and it’s fair to say that he hasn’t looked back since. They weren’t immune from the negative repercussions of the economic downturn but they have cut their cloth accordingly.
He down sized from 35 employees to the current staff number and this more streamlined approach means that JK Carpentry and Construction is well positioned to continue to satisfy their customers’ needs.
“Business is good, put it this way we are tax clear!” quipped John. “We’ve plenty of work coming up – four projects on the go and another three starts in the pipeline.”
The latest addition’s to JK Carpentry and Construction’s project portfolio is a successful fit-out, on a Sisk build on behalf of Woodfit, at the new purpose built premises of leading Irish law firm Arthur Cox at Earlsfort Terrace in Dublin.
They are also working on a fit-out for Special Olympics Ireland at The National Sports Campus in Blanchardstown and a fit-out at APC Ltd which is a leading pharmaceutical company based in Cherrywood.
As with all their jobs, they strive to deliver the best services on time and within the budget, because they know that their best showcase are positive reviews given by their satisfied clients.
They pay careful attention to project management from start to finish so that you can be confident that your shop fit-out, commercial or domestic joinery project will be completed on time and on budget.
“We pride ourselves on our workmanship,” John added. “It’s not about quantity any more, it’s all about quality. That’s our motto.”
JK Carpentry and Construction are registered contractors for Firestone Roofing and Rhenofol Roofing and pvc roofing and are also registered for LG Asbestos removal.
Firestone Building Products is a leading manufacturer of high performing Roofing Systems for commercial, industrial and residential roofing applications.
This roofing membrane is ideal for extension, renovation and new build project. One of the huge advantages of Firestone RubberCover Roofing membranes is the fact that the rolls are available in wide sheets including 3m, 4m and 6m and even up to 9m wide.
Therefore you can cover many residential or commercial roofs in one piece of membrane, reduceing the potential for any leaks. Firestone EPDM RubberCover has a phenomenal life expectancy of 50 years plus!
Rhenofol, meanwhile, is manufactured by FDT which is Europe’s leading single ply roofing membrane manufacturer. Rhenofol CV is reinforced with polyester grid reinforcement, ensuring this membrane is extremely tear-resistant. Rhenofol CCV is Hail and UV-resistant.
As regards the current state of play in their line of work, John has one gripe he wants to get off his chest.
“The biggest challenge that I see is that you have a lot of new small start up sole traders since 2015 – ’16. They are getting grants for tools and get the little extra cash flow help but, basically, they don’t have a clue how to price work. They’ve no experience in the sector and they’ll be gone within a year or two. In the meantime, businesses like ours is missing out on work with our employees missing out as well. Who’s to blame for that?!
“Overall, though, I’d be optimistic about the future. Like everyone else in the construction industry, we’re after going through a tough time but we’ll not let that affect us. I can’t see myself going back down the route of having forty lads on the books but I’m confident that the next three years, at least, will be very good from a business point of view.”
From the first call through the design to the installation process, JK Carpentry & Construction make sure that all of their customers’ needs are met to the last detail. At the same time, they understand that money doesn’t grow on trees and are happy to offer competitive prices and free quotes.
So whether you are looking to renovate existing doors or windows, refresh the look of your kitchen or you are building a new house, JK Carpentry & Construction will be happy to help. Call John now for a free quote.
JK Carpentry & Construction
22 Derrymore, Portarlington, Co Laois
Tel: 087 1409 083
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.jkcarpentry.ie
Taken from Building Ireland Magazine, June 2017, Vol 3 No 5
