O'Connell's Drywall Contractors Company Profile

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SOUTHEND-ON-SEA

SOUTH EAST LONDON

DARTFORD

MARGATE M25

M20

SITTINGBOURNE M2 CANTERBURY

SEVENOAKES

MAIDSTONE

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M20

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Company Profile

A Quality Contractor working in partnership with Quality Contractors and Developers Working with construction’s biggest names in London and the South East

ROYAL TUNBRIDGE WELLS

W

HE

ASHFORD

R E W E WO

RK

FOLKESTONE

1978 – 2018 40 years’ experience

INTRODUCTION The region’s Number 1 choice for high quality finishing, workmanship and affordable prices.

Formed in 1978, O’Connell’s has been providing building developers, architects, project managers and private homeowners from across Kent, South East London and the South East with first class drylining, plastering, rendering, screeding and insulation services for 40 years.

With clients that include Berkeley Homes, Taylor Wimpey and Barratt Homes, O’Connell’s is the region’s Number 1 choice for high quality finishing, workmanship and affordable prices.

Whether you have a need for renovation work, new build or a refurbishment project, you can benefit from experience and expertise you won’t find anywhere else.

“Whether you have a need for renovation work, new build or a refurbishment project, you can benefit from experience and expertise you won’t find anywhere else.”

With a comprehensive quality control system that ensures 100% customer satisfaction and a professional, dedicated and focused team, we have built a reputation for a better quality service at a competitive price. In fact, the price we quote you at the beginning of the project will be the same at the end – there are NO hidden extras!

How’s that for a guarantee!

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CUSTOMER SUPPORT & SATISFACTION

100% customer satisfaction achieved through planned strategy, clear communications and regular evaluations, providing you with complete confidence in our capability.

A first class drylining, plastering, rendering and screeding service that provides you with;

Clients we have worked with Numerous high profile clients who expect to work with a contractor of the highest pedigree. A proven track record over 40 years and continuing repeat business that means we are achieving our target of 100% satisfaction.

• Ongoing comprehensive quality control for 100% customer satisfaction • A service that is not simply an agreement between business and customer, but one between partners that creates a close and mutually-beneficial long-term relationship • A high quality service at competitive prices

Training A CITB approved Training Plan ensures that all training is carried out to schedule. This means that your project will be carried out by a fully trained team, with a CSCS card being a must for our people.

O’Connell’s invests heavily in training, working with an ongoing training plan that identifies where employees have scope for improvement.

This means that you benefit from a skilled team that provides the best possible service.

• Sam O’Connell has recently completed the SMSTS. • Denver Andrews has recently completed First Aid.

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HEALTH AND SAFETY, CHAS AND CONSTRUCTIONLINE

A safety-certified workforce and our Safety Advisor enables us to be proactive rather than reactive, with site audits carried out every quarter to ensure all standards are met.

Our dedicated Health and Safety Advisor handles all Health and Safety matters for the Company.

Consequently, all our workforce are certified for manual handling, risk assessment, access platforms, Hilti guns and other specialised equipment.

Employees benefit from regular Toolbox Talks and have undergone a formal induction to ensure that they understand all that is required of them in regard to Health and Safety.

In addition: • Contracts managers are trained in Health and Safety, which is refreshed every five years

Project Management All sites are visited daily by our highly motivated contracts managers. Every unit is checked before we commence our works and is not signed off as complete until we are satisfied that it meets our high standards.

Our systems benefit from the most up-to-date communications and scheduling technology, so that surveyors, manager, contracts managers, supervisors, suppliers and operations personnel cooperate to ensure that deadlines, correct materials and quality targets are met.

Furthermore, the company has a reliable databank of inducted subcontractors to draw upon during peak periods.

All sites are visited daily. A contracts manager is allocated to each project with an onsite supervisor for larger projects. (Please see Case Study and endorsements from our clients.)

• All our sub-contractors and employees hold a current CSCS card • O’Connell’s carry out random site health and safety audits (please see Case Study and Health & Safety Inspection Audit).

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TENDERING

A prompt, comprehensive and cost-effective tendering service that puts you, your aspirations and the project first.

Upon receipt of your tender request, we address the tender in the following manner: • Create schedule of materials

All tenders are returned promptly showing any savings that can be made. Tenders are unambiguous and no extras will be charged after the order is placed. Careful planning ensures allowance has been made for current Regulations, Robust Details and Air Pressure Testing.

• Check the drawings and specification match the Regulations • Consider the Fixed Price Term • Take measurements

We compete and win contracts on the quality and timeliness of our delivery, customer relations, customer care, correct specification, compliance and price.

• Consider and schedule labour rates

Customers are the most important part of our business and our commitment to them has been recognised by winning the ‘Swale Business Award for Customer Service & Commitment’.

• Consider programme duration

• Consider specification details and create composite rate build ups

• Check drawing notes and drawing variations • Calculate quantity breakdowns

Over the past decade, new trends and changes have taken place in the industry, which includes the tremendous expansion of the economy and the growth of new specifications, for example, Part E and L Regulations and Air Pressure Testing.

• Consider exclusions • Request and consider material quotations

During the tendering process we take pride in highlighting potential problems with specifications, planning the tender in such a way that eliminates the need to alter specifications or agreed prices after the works have commenced.

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TEN WAYS TO HELP MAKE TENDERING EASIER 1 – Talk to the manufacturer Manufacturers have the expertise to interpret your designs to the most cost-effective solution to meet all aspects of the brief, and they can help develop solutions to meet specific requirements.

2 – Performance is king Performance is probably the most important aspect of a specification (fire, sound etc) so performance is key to getting a smart specification. A product may look great, and be under budget, yet it will be useless if it can’t perform in the way you want.

3 – Consider the interface with other elements It has been said that the edge is the most important element of a construction project, and therefore the interaction of elements is crucial.

4 – Understand the use now and in the future As operational and work practices are changing rapidly to accommodate a new agile workforce; flexibility may be required from some products like partitioning to accommodate change. The wall may require shelving or ceramic tiling to be added, or may even have security requirements.

5 – Understand the budget As budgets will vary greatly from project to project, with varying performance levels required depending on the installation in question, specifiers can make their budget work harder for them by speaking to a specialist, experienced contractor who should be able to suggest where cost savings can be made without compromising the end result.

6 – Understand the programme and site conditions Of course, whilst careful planning and budgeting can account for most things, the availability of the selected system can hold up the operation of the facility.

8 – Ensure the performance and workmanship requirements and standards are clearly included Specifying a product is only halfway there if you don’t state the standard of workmanship and quality that’s expected at handover, this is particularly important where you are specifying finishes. There are several British standards that refer to workmanship on site, and we always recommend asking for a benchmark to allow the rest of the work to be measured against.

9 – Understand the implications of maintenance A product in a high traffic area will undoubtedly require a different maintenance regime to say a boardroom. Products that can meet the need with minimum maintenance and cost should be a first choice.

10 – Understand the environmental implications and what will happen at end of the life Specification considerations may in some cases be steered by the company’s CSR or environmental policy statement. As a result, the need to meet these requirements can result in a very specific solution being needed – meeting a good BREEAM or SKA Rating for example can impact the initial specification process.

Do not be wary of specifying new products This is how new products are developed

Remember products must be Equal and approved, not equal or approved Remember that the person specifying a performance product to meet the requirements of the building regulations is responsible for ensuring they comply; so any alternative should be equal and should be approved by the specifier.

7 – Understand the vision and client aspiration This can be in terms of aesthetics, and in terms of how the space works, for example; can I hold a private meeting or can my teams work collaboratively, is it a good acoustic space?

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QUALITY, SERVICES, & AFFILIATIONS All sites are visited daily by highly motivated contracts managers. Our membership of the Federation ensures that we keep abreast of new technologies and regulations.

Services include: • • • • • • • • • •

Specialist Floor Screeds Drylining Specialist Renders Solid Plastering Suspended Ceilings Partitioning Fibrous Cornice Acoustic Ceilings Fire Cladding Thermal rendering

Memberships, Partners and Accreditations Membership of the Finishes and Interiors Sector, ISO9001, 14001, CHAS, SMAS, HSAS and Constructionline clearly demonstrate that we are committed to “best practice” in our industry.

Quality Control ISO9001 and ISO14001: Quality and Environmental Standards that underline our commitment to Best Practice.

Our reputation relies on the quality of our workmanship. We inspect the work before we commence and complete an internal site inspection sheet, raising any areas of concern with you.

This has become more important owing to the robust details and air testing now carried out on site and means that:.

• The contracts manager will ask the site manager to look at any areas identified and sign the form to agree that the work is required • The site manager is given a copy of this form and completes any works identified before we commence • As we complete the works, the contracts manager must sign off all tasks completed. We will then pay the sub-contractors • Once the work has been completed the unit is then taken over by the making good man who will inspect the unit to ensure that it has been second fixed completely and is ready for making good • Once the making good is complete, the unit will be signed off.

• Should any customer care works for that unit be required it will be completed by the customer care manager and his team.

Having ISO9001 has helped us implement systems that not only help O’Connell’s but assist the client in getting a better finished job through robust systems of work.

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WHERE WE WORK

SOUTHEND-ON-SEA

SOUTH EAST LONDON

DARTFORD

MARGATE M25

M20

SITTINGBOURNE M2 CANTERBURY

SEVENOAKES

MAIDSTONE

M20

ROYAL TUNBRIDGE WELLS

ASHFORD FOLKESTONE

Located in Sittingbourne Kent, adjacent to the M2 and M20, we work across the South East and in South East London.

Contact us for more information O’Connell’s specialises in New Housing, Flats, Refurbs, Schools and Thermal Rendering!

To find out more about how O’Connell’s can help you with your project, or to ask us to tender for any projects in the future, please contact John O’Connell (Managing Director) or Kevin Clark (Director) who will be happy to deal with your enquiries.

O’Connell’s Drywall Contractors Limited Unit 5 & 6 Eaves Court Off Bonham Drive Sittingbourne Kent ME10 3RY

Telephone: 01795 410477 Fax: 01795 411800 Email: enquiries@oconnellsdrywall.com

www.oconnellsdrywall.com

A Quality Contractor working in partnership with Quality Contractors and Developers