Ben Macpherson, MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith was welcomed by Barratt Developments to its Merchant Quay development on Friday (28 July) in celebration of its site manager’s Pride in the Job Quality Award win.
James O’Neill, site manager at Merchant Quay recently received the Pride in the Job Quality Award, known as the “Oscars of the housebuilding industry” from the National House Building Council (NHBC) setting them apart as one of the very best in the country.
This year, a total of 19 site managers from Barratt Developments Scotland, which includes Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes, took home a top national award for the quality of the homes they are building – the most ever received by the housebuilder in Scotland.
Ben Macpherson MSP visited Merchant Quay and was given a tour of the development by award-winner James and Nick Wright, Development Director for Barratt Developments East Scotland.
Located in the bustling heart of Leith, Merchant Quay has an array of one, two and three-bedroom apartments. Close to a range of cafes and shops, the development is a short distance to the city centre by bus or foot.
Nick Wright, Development Director for Barratt Developments East Scotland, said: “We were thrilled to welcome Ben Macpherson MSP to Merchant Quay and to demonstrate the quality which we are building across all tenures in his constituency.
“The Pride in the Job awards acknowledge the work we’re doing to showcase our commitment in building the highest standard of homes in Edinburgh and across Scotland, with our elite site managers demonstrating our award-winning customer care.”
Ben Macpherson said:“I was glad to visit the development at Merchant Quay and meet some of those involved in the project. As well as private housing, in partnership with local housing association Harbour, 53 high quality, warm affordable homes, of which 43 are for social rent, have been delivered.
“I was pleased to see that this affordable housing has been built as a priority and is already occupied and to learn that more affordable housing units will be delivered as part of the next phases of the development.
“It was interesting to learn how some of Leith’s industrial heritage has been preserved in the communal areas of the development, as many will know the area was previously a glassworks.
“It was also good to meet site manager James O’Neill, and personally congratulate him on his award, as well as hear directly from some apprentices who have been able to further develop their skills while working on the project.”
In addition to the recent Pride in the Job award wins, Barratt Developments has also been awarded 5 stars by its customers for satisfaction in the annual Home Builders Federation (HBF) new homes survey.
To be rated 5 star means that more than 90% of its customers would recommend one of its homes to a friend, with Barratt being the only major national housebuilder to be rated 5 star for 14 years in a row.
Find out more: If you would like to pay a visit to Merchant Quay and explore the Restalrig or Argyll show homes, find out more here.
Scotland’s top site managers gathered to celebrate their achievements at NHBC’s Pride in the Job 2022 Awards which were held at The Hilton in Glasgow last week.
A series of regional events are taking place throughout the autumn, to announce the Seal of Excellence and Regional Award winners and celebrate the achievements of the Quality Award recipients.
Now in its 42nd year, judging for the Awards is rigorous, with each site manager assessed across six key areas: consistency, attention to detail, leadership, interpretation of drawings and specifications, technical expertise and health and safety.
The competition is split between three categories: small, medium and large house builders, plus a multi-storey category for site managers working on projects of five storeys or more for multiple occupancy.
This year’s Regional winners were:
Small Builder category – Duncan Moon of Guild Homes (Tayside) Ltd, for their work at Strathmore Fields at Forfar.
Medium Builder category – Stuart Gillespie of Mactaggart & Mickel Homes Ltd, for their work at Greenan Views at Doonfoot.
Large Builder category – Eddie McCann of Taylor Wimpey East Scotland, for their work at Calderwood in East Calder.
Multi-storey category – Cathal Lamph of CALA Homes East, for their work at Waterfront Plaza in Edinburgh.
As well as their category wins, Mr Moon, Mr Gillespie, Mr McCann and Mr Lamph were each awarded a Seal of Excellence. A further ten managers across the region were also awarded a Seal of Excellence at the ceremony having gained a Quality Award in the first round of the competition in June. They were:
Gavin Bianchi of Taylor Wimpey East Scotland
Jeff Calder of Barratt and David Wilson Homes North Scotland
George Carty of Bellway Homes Scotland West
Victoria Chalmers of Barratt and David Wilson Homes North Scotland
Iain MacLaren of Barratt and David Wilson Homes North Scotland
Ewan MacLean of Barratt and David Wilson Homes East Scotland
Jim Martin of Miller Homes Scotland East
David McClure of Taylor Wimpey West Scotland
Colin McNeish of Miller Homes Scotland West
Michael Roarty of Barratt and David Wilson Homes West Scotland
Over more than four decades, Pride in the Job has underpinned NHBC’s core purpose of raising standards in house building by championing high-quality homes and protecting homeowners. By recognising the very best site managers across the UK, showcasing best practice and rewarding excellence, the competition celebrates the vital role that site managers play in ensuring new homes are delivered on time, on safe sites and to exacting construction quality standards.
Commenting on the Awards, NHBC Chief Executive Steve Wood said:“For more than 40 years Pride in the Job has been an important part of our work to help drive construction quality. Winning site managers tell us that it inspires them to give a little extra and to strive harder for ever-higher standards of house building.
“At NHBC we believe that the calibre of the site manager and the way they inspire their site team has the greatest influence on the quality of the finished home. By promoting friendly rivalry, showcasing best practice and rewarding excellence, Pride in the Job supports the delivery of homes of the highest quality.
“Congratulations to all the 2022 Pride in the Job Seal of Excellence and Regional Award winners. They are an inspiration to us all and should be very proud of the quality of new homes they are creating.”
The Regional Award winners will now go forward to compete for the ultimate prize in house building, the Pride in the Job Supreme Awards which will be unveiled at a gala ceremony in London in January 2023.
NHBC, the UK’s leading new homes warranty and insurance provider, has announced a number of site managers from Edinburgh as winners in the first round of its flagship competition to determine the very best site managers in the UK.
The competition recognises site managers who have achieved the very highest standards in house building with the awards being the most prestigious of their kind in the sector.
The winners in Edinburgh are:
Ewan MacLean of Barratt and David Wilson Homes East Scotland for Cammo Meadows in Edinburgh (above)
Barrie Mitchell of Barratt and David Wilson Homes East Scotland for Heritage Grange in Edinburgh.
Colin Scott of Barratt and David Wilson Homes East Scotland for The Strand @ Portobello in Edinburgh.
Mark Foley of CALA Evans Restoration Limited for The Crescent in Edinburgh.
Ian Welsh of CALA Homes East Ltd for Waterfront Plaza in Edinburgh.
Jim Martin of Miller Homes Scotland East for Edgelaw in Edinburgh.
From a field of more than 10,000, 450 site managers have won a Quality Award in the first round of NHBC’s Pride in the Job Awards 2021. This represents the top 5% of those who entered and is testament to their commitment to deliver quality homes for their customers.
Pride in the Job, first launched over forty years ago, is the most highly regarded competition in the house-building industry. Judging for the Awards is rigorous, with the current competition beginning in July 2020 and each site manager assessed across six key areas: consistency, attention to detail, leadership, interpretation of drawings and specifications, technical expertise, and health and safety.
Pride in the Job is at the heart of NHBC’s core purpose to support the delivery of high-quality new homes. By recognising the very best site managers across the UK, the competition celebrates the vital role that site managers play in ensuring new homes are delivered on time, on safe sites and to exacting construction quality standards.
The competition is fully inclusive and representative of the UK house-building industry with three categories for different sized businesses: small, medium and large, with a separate multi-storey category.
The Quality Award winners will go on to compete for Seal of Excellence and Regional Awards in the autumn, with the national, Supreme Award winners unveiled in January 2022.
Commenting on the Awards, NHBC Chief Executive Steve Wood said:“Pride in the Job has been pivotal in improving the quality of new homes for more than 40 years. Despite the numerous challenges the industry has faced, the very best site managers of 2021 have remained focused on delivering high quality new homes for their customers.
“At NHBC we are very proud of Pride in the Job, what it stands for and the impact it has across the sector. Pride in the Job winning sites have higher levels of homeowner satisfaction as these homes are among the very best in the country.
“Congratulations to all our 2021 Pride in the Job Quality Award winners in Edinburgh – be proud of what you are building and the standards you are setting.”
Barratt East Scotland site managers named as best in the country for quality
– Five David Wilson Homes and Barratt Homes site managers in the region win awards
– Barratt Developments wins more ‘Pride in the Job’ Quality awards than any other housebuilder, with 14 awards in Scotland alone
Five site managers from Barratt East Scotland have won a top national award for the quality of the homes they are building.
Known as the “Oscars of the housebuilding industry”, the National House Building Council (NHBC) Pride in The Job Quality awards recognise the finest site managers from around the country.
In total, site managers from Barratt Developments won 93 ‘Pride in the Job’ Quality awards this year. In Scotland, the housebuilder scooped 14 awards. This is the 17th year in a row that Barratt has won more Pride in the Job Quality awards than any other housebuilder, showing its long-term commitment to building high quality homes.
These awards, now in their 41st year, rate site managers against key criteria such as technical expertise, health and safety, consistency, leadership and attention to detail. The awards celebrate the vital role site managers play in ensuring new homes are delivered on-time, on safe sites, and to the highest quality standards.
Every site manager that is registered with the NHBC is automatically entered into the awards, with just 450 winners being selected from 11,000 entrants, showing how difficult they are to win.
These awards come off the back of a Barratt site manager being crowned the overall winner in last year’s awards. Kirk Raine, senior site manager, won the supreme award, the fifth time in the last six years that a Barratt site manager has won the top prize.
Alison Condie, managing director for Barratt East Scotland, said:“These awards showcase only the best new homes and well-run sites.
“By winning so many awards, it demonstrates that we are building some of the highest quality homes in the country. It also shows the long-term commitment we have to looking after our customers and making them happy. No other housebuilder can match our record at the NHBC Pride in the Job Quality awards.”
These awards closely follow Barratt Developments being awarded 5 stars by its customers for satisfaction in the annual Home Builders Federation (HBF) new homes survey.
To be rated five star means that more than 90% of its customers would recommend one of its homes to a friend, with Barratt being the only major national housebuilder to be rated five star for 12 years in a row.
CALA HOMES: BUILDING WITH PRIDE
SITE MANAGERS RECOGNISED AS TWO OF THE COUNTRY’S BEST FOR 2021
TWO CALA Edinburgh site managers have received UK-wide recognition for their excellent professional standards and positive contributions to the construction industry.
Mark Foley, site manager for CALA Homes at The Crescent at Donaldson’s and Ian Welsh, site manager for CALA Homes Waterfront Plaza, are celebrating after receiving a prestigious industry award from the National Home Building Council (NHBC).
Mark and Ian have been recognised in the 2021 Pride in the Job Quality Awards for their contribution to creating homes of the highest quality and showcasing best practice, joining an impressive 16 site managers from across the CALA Group to receive the coveted accolade.
The Pride in the Job Awards has been running for more than four decades and is one of the highest industry accolades a site manager can receive.
More than 11,000 site managers across the UK were assessed this year, with only 450 winners selected, putting those awarded in the industry’s top four per cent who demonstrate the passion, commitment and leadership to deliver new homes to the highest possible standards.
Mark and Ian will now go through to the next stage of the competition, the Seal of Excellence, which will be announced later this year.
Craig Lynes, Managing Director with CALA Homes (East) comments: “The Pride in the Job Awards recognise site managers who, along with their teams and sub-contractors deliver excellence for our customers every day.
“It is our teams on the ground who bring our homes to life, ensuring the vision for each development is delivered on time, safely and to the highest quality standards.
“Over the past year, more than any other, site managers have had to overcome unprecedented challenges, but the commitment from Mark, Ian and their teams to deliver the highest quality standards have been unwavering. We wish teams at The Crescent and Waterfront Plaza all the best of luck as the awards progress on to the next stage.”
As well as undergoing spot checks of the day-to-day running of their site, each site manager is assessed across 37 different areas of site management, including technical knowledge, quality and consistency.
Mark, who is CALA’s most decorated project manager with 15 Pride in the Job awards, alongside 10 Seal of Excellences, three regional awards and one supreme award, said: “To secure the Pride in the Job accolade is a real honour.
“Knowing that our team at The Crescent has achieved this following stringent site inspections is testament to their hard work and professionalism.”
Ian added: “Knowing how diligently the team at Waterfront Plaza have worked from the outset of the project, it’s great to see our efforts rewarded in such a fitting way. We are all very proud.”
A cutting-edge interpretation of Georgian architecture, with 18 acres of landscaped gardens and grounds, prices at The Crescent range from £595,000 to £1,750,000, with a range of one, two and three-bedroom apartments, duplexes and penthouses available.
Launched in summer 2019, Waterfront Plaza is CALA’s latest brownfield regeneration project.
After the sell-out success of the first release colony apartments, Waterfront Plaza currently features 2 & 3 bedroom apartments & 4 bedroom townhouses ranging from £295,000 to £520,000.
With the combination of more people working from home and the current colder temperatures, heating bills for most people across the UK are rocketing.
Energy bills will rise further for millions more after the regulator, Ofgem, lifted the price cap on standard tariffs back to pre-pandemic levels but there are lots of simple things you can do to keep cosy and reduce your fuel bills during the current chilly period.
Here are some top tips from NHBC, the UK’s leading warranty and insurance provider for new build homes, to help you save on your winter bills:
· Reduce draughts – an important job as winter approaches is to make sure that your house does not have any unintended draughts. Floorboards and skirtings usually go ignored but cold air can easily filter through, so check for gaps and fill them in. Check to see if your letterbox is draughty, which can lead to cold hallways – installing a letter box draught excluder that fits onto the inside of your front door is an inexpensive easy DIY job. If you have an open fireplace and chimney which is not used, this can be draught proofed to stop warm air escaping and cold air entering your property. Remember that openings for ventilation should not be blocked.
· Bleed your radiators – trapped air or gas prevents hot water from heating your radiators fully so, if you have a radiator that is warm at the bottom but cool at the top, this may well mean there is air in the system, which may require bleeding to ensure maximum efficiency of the heating system.
· Loft insulation – insulating your loft is a simple, inexpensive and effective way to reduce energy waste and lower your heating bills. All new houses are fitted with loft insulation that meets the latest building regulations but, if you are in an older property, you may want to think about renewing it or topping it up.
· Thick curtains – they can help to protect your home from losing heat through windows. It’s important to try to get as much sunlight into your home during the day as possible but, as soon as dusk falls, remember to close curtains to reduce the need for additional heating.
· Keep radiators free – a common mistake we often make is to place our sofas in front of the radiators which can absorb the heat.
· Cavity wall insulation – around a third of all the heat lost in an uninsulated home escapes through walls so, if you live in an older property, considering thermal insulation of cavity walls could save you lots of money.
· Loft hatches – energy loss through the loft hatch is often overlooked. Insulating the hatch and ensuring that an effective draught seal is in place will help to keep heat energy in and your home warm.
· Windows – energy-efficient glazing keeps your home warmer, allowing less heat to be lost. Double glazing is fitted as standard to new-build homes but, if your house is older, replacing windows could be a good investment as they help to keep warmth in and reduce external noise.
· Service your heating system – all central heating boilers should be serviced and safety checked at least once a year by a Gas Safe Registered engineer. If your boiler is old, then consider an upgrade. According to the Energy Saving Trust, a new A-rated condensing boiler can save up to £315 a year on heating bills – most new homes have this type of boiler.
· Room temperature controls – your thermostat should typically be set between 18°C and 21°C, but by installing thermostatic radiator valves you can set different temperatures in different rooms (turn down the radiators in unoccupied rooms), according to individual preference. These will be standard in new homes but are easily fitted to existing radiators.
· Floor insulation – insulating your ground floor or floors above any unheated spaces e.g. integral garages will assist in keeping your home warm.
· Insulating tanks, pipes and radiators – Lagging water tanks and pipes and insulating behind radiators reduces the amount of heat lost, so you spend less money heating water up, and hot water stays hotter for longer.
Standards and Policy Manager at NHBC Giles Willson, said: “People living in new homes typically benefit from lower energy bills because their properties are built in line with the latest Government regulations for energy efficiency.
“However, whether you live in a newly-built home or an older property, there are a lot of ways that could save money on utility bills during the coldest part of the year when many millions of us are also working from the kitchen table and home-schooling our children.”
If you’ve recently moved into a new-build home, you’ll have a garden that is a completely blank canvas for you to create your idyllic outdoor space. With spring finally here and with many people still based at home for the next little while, it’s the perfect time to start!
You may already have newly laid lawn or some paving and have started to think about the type of plants or trees you would like for your dream garden. But there’s also plenty of other issues to consider.
Giles Wilson, Standards and Policy Manager, at NHBC, the UK’s leading warranty and insurance provider for new homes explains: “We know that despite the continued impact of the pandemic, confidence in the housing market, particularly for newly-built homes, has remained strong.
“With many people deciding now is the time for a new home and in a lot of cases relocating to somewhere more rural, it’s wise to think about the small steps that could make a big difference to your outside area if you are planning on, or have just moved.”
Read on for some practical tips to help you make the most of your new garden at your new home:
With remote working now more common-place, most of us are all looking for ways to get some much-needed peace and quiet – or a change of scene – when working from home. A garden office provides a dedicated space to concentrate on work in a productive and inspiring setting, while also providing outdoor space for family and friends, so take extra care examining garden / outdoor dimensions and sightlines.
In clay soil, plant trees well away from your home. Find out how tall the mature tree will be and make sure it is positioned at least three quarters of this distance from the house.
The level of soil around your home should be kept below the damp proof course (generally 150mm or two brick courses). Paths should also generally be kept around 150mm or two brick courses below the damp proof course, except where these have been designed to provide level access into the home. If you are not sure where the damp proof course is, ask your builder to show you. Where air bricks, permanent ventilators or perpend vents are provided, they should not be blocked or covered by soil or paving.
If you’re planning to grow your own fruit – a favourite lockdown pastime of course, order your fruit trees as soon as you can to plant before summer, and continue planting trees and shrubs while they are still dormant.
High water demand trees should be planted no closer to the home than one-and-a-quarter times the mature height. High water demand trees include elm, eucalyptus, oak, poplar, willow and some common cypress species.
Avoid planting climbers such as Ivy and Virginia Creeper against house walls, as they hold on using suckers, twining tendrils or aerial roots which could damage mortar and may cause damp. Plant these at least three metres away from your home.
Allow enough room for trunks and large roots to grow safely. Be particularly careful if planting near drains or lightweight structures.
Although you do not need to, when planting new trees in your garden that will also be near you neighbour’s house, be considerate and ask your neighbour if this is ok. As you could be liable for the cost of repair if the trees you plant cause damage to their home.
Regular pruning of fast growing, thirsty trees such as Cypress Leyland, will help to reduce the amount of water taken from the soil.
Inspection chambers and rodding eyes are there to provide access the drainage system below ground so that blockages can be cleared. It’s important these are not covered by soil, turf or paving. Ask your builder for further information regarding this.
And last of all, although the UK is fortunate to have plenty of rain, do ensure trees and shrubs are watered sufficiently to give them a good start in life especially those that maybe sheltered by other structures. If you haven’t got one already, consider purchasing a water butt ready for the summer. Rainwater is particularly useful for watering acid-loving, ericaceous plants as opposed to tap water which is often slightly alkaline.
AN EDINBURGH project manager has won a top industry accolade at a prestigious national awards ceremony in London.
Mark Foley, of CALA Homes (East) took home the esteemed “Multi-Storey Building” award after representing Scotland at the National House Building Council (NHBC) Pride in the Job Supreme Awards, at the Park Plaza Hotel in Westminster.
This year’s judging process began with the assessment of thousands of site and project managers from across the UK and culminated in only four Supreme Award winners.
Mark, 49, faced tough competition from projects in York, Poole and London but his work on the UNESCO-accredited site, The Crescent at Donaldson’s, stood out against his competitors.
This success follows Mark’s win in the qualifying heats of the NHBC ‘Pride in the Job’ Quality Awards in July and Regional Awards in October 2019, after impressing a team of inspectors during a series of rigorous and unscheduled visits to the development.
As well as undergoing spot checks of the day-to-day running of their sites, each Site Manager is assessed across 37 different areas of site management, including technical knowledge, quality and consistency.
Mark is CALA’s most decorated project manager with 13 Pride in the Job awards, alongside nine Seal of Excellences and two regional awards.
Mark said: “Delivering excellent quality for customers is what most site teams strive for and for our work at The Crescent to be recognised by the NHBC at the Supreme Awards is a real privilege and without doubt, the highlight of my career.
“Having the opportunity to work on such a prestigious site, with this level of architectural design, makes it all the more exciting.
“While my name is on the award, I want to make sure that it is appreciated how much of a team effort this is, and it couldn’t have been achieved without the amazing team I have working alongside me.
“I was immensely proud of the whole team at the Regional awards, but to make it to the Supreme Awards, and come out victorious, is a dream come true.”
Kevin Whitaker, Chief Executive Officer of CALA Homes, said: “The Pride in the Job awards recognise the industry’s best site managers and the exceptional contribution they make in creating homes of outstanding quality.
“The Supreme Award is the very highest accolade that a site manager can receive and we are extremely proud of Mark for this fantastic achievement.
“This award doesn’t just represent success for Mark, however, but for the entire team at CALA Homes East, who all play a vital role in ensuring that this unique and complex architectural design is delivered safely and to the highest quality standards for not only our customers, but also the wider Edinburgh community, on what is a very important site for the City.”
Steve Wood, NHBC Chief Executive, said: “Through Pride in the Job, NHBC has been celebrating the best of the best in house building for almost 40 years.
“There is no doubt that these awards have been instrumental in driving up the quality of new homes and results show that Pride in the Job winning sites have higher levels of customer satisfaction.
“The final stage of this competition is tough, so to earn the highest accolade of Supreme winner a site manager must have successfully managed a wide range of competing demands and challenges.
“Their determination and success in achieving excellence deserves recognition. More importantly, site managers like Mark are creating high quality outstanding homes that their customers can have confidence in – they are building the future. Congratulations, Mark.”
Designed by architect, Richard Murphy OBE, The Crescent mirrors the curve of the traditional New Town homes it finds itself inspired by.
Situated in the tranquil grounds of the iconic Donaldson’s estate, homes at The Crescent offer the convenience of capital living with an authentic rural feel with expansive views of the Pentland Hills.
The final remaining homes in the development’s west wing have not long been available and offer a range of sizes – from one-bedroom apartments to a deluxe penthouse – to cater for any potential buyers from £595,000 – £1,750,000.
For more information, or to register interest in the Crescent development visit: www.cala.co.uk/the-crescent or call 0131 341 2667.
