Securing a New Project with a New Client
29th March 2019
This week we secured our first project working with a new client, Conlon Construction, on their KFC/Costa new build in Sheffield. We identified Conlon as a potential client through the Expansion Programme, and we have started to engage with them in order to assist them in all their various projects, by installing soft and hard Landscaping schemes.
The project came about when we received an enquiry from their QS, Tony Bennett, who invited us down to see both himself and the Site Manager, Paul Maltby, in order to gain a better understanding of the project and the scope of works entailed in order to price the job effectively.
Through our site meeting we were able to obtain a drawing, in order to scale off and quantify materials such as turf and the number of trees that would be required on the project. We discussed a programme of works to determine how long we would anticipate the landscaping element to install, and we also discussed logistically how we would organise materials to site so we could work as efficiently as possible.
After obtaining the information we needed, we were then able to relay that to our Estimator, for the tender to be formalised and submitted in the agreed time frame for our client’s consideration. We provided rates for cultivation, soil importation and spreading, turfing and the installation of trees with suitable support. There was also a 12 month maintenance package to encompass into our submission which we were able to factor into our bill, while ensuring we remained within our clients budget.
We then received the news that Conlon had accepted our tender and had awarded the project to us, with an official order number attached. We are currently awaiting an indication of start date for our works to be carried out.
Health and Safety
21st March 2019
Our latest blog edition is focused on our Health and Safety procedures which our company have created for the safety of our employees, as well as others in the construction industry.
The policies have been formulated through both our internal Health and Safety advisor who is NEBOSH accredited, and Stallard Kane, an external representative who we engage with to ensure all policies and procedures are comprehensive in order to control any potential risks or hazards and to minimise accidents in the workplace.
As a Landscaping company working in the construction industry, it is vital we are aware of any potential hazards which we may encounter while working on site. Therefore, as part of our internal training and procedures, our workforce are compliant with our risk assessments and method statements and sign the policies as a mandatory requirement before starting on site.
Our compliance with Health and Safety policies and procedures, are both a legal requirement and an internal value which we uphold on both a professional and moral level. As an employer, we are required to provide a safe working environment for our workforce, however, Health and Safety is everyone’s responsibility, therefore we encourage everyone we employ to adopt the same ethos and take appropriate preventative measures when working.
Regular toolbox talks are held as part of our internal training to ensure we are all aware of various hazards and risks to raise awareness, prevent injury and ill health. These talks are compiled with clear, informative content from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), and also internal NEBOSH course content, so that we all understand how to identify potential risks or hazards when working. We finish each session with an open discussion, to raise any points or questions we may have and deal with them collectively.
All employees are issued with up to date company handbooks which have been externally verified, providing information on all the company’s policies and procedures and outlining the objectives we are striving to achieve.
Our Expansion Programme
14th March 2019
This week we are providing a focused insight into the Expansion Programme and the process we go through from meeting with a new client, right through to working on site and up to completion.
We have recently begun trading with GS Kelsey, a renowned construction company based in Scunthorpe. After securing our first Landscaping package with them, we initiated a meeting at their premisses to discuss current and upcoming projects with the Commercial Contracts Manager, Simon Taylor.
The meeting was both positive and rewarding as we left with a drawing for a new residential development they are working on, Albert Marson Court. When we are provided with the opportunity to tender for a project, the next step is for our Estimating department to price the job competitively to ensure a good value for our client, and for us to secure it.
Once we secured the project, the next step is to provide appropriate risk assessments and method statements, taking into account all possible risks, hazards and other factors including an Ecological Report which has been sanctioned to ensure necessary precautions have been taken to preserve nature and animals within the area. We have to submit these documents for approval before works on site can commence due to Health and Safety purposes.
A Pre-Start meeting is always carried out by our Site Manager before commencing works, with the allocated supervisor in attendance, meaning a schedule of works, labour and other resources can be discussed in a practical environment.
The project requires a lot of topsoil importation which is being supplied by an approved contractor, providing screened and certificated soil. In order to distribute the soil to the designated areas, our site team coordinates daily with the Site Manager of GS Kelsey, maintaining consistent communication in order to work effectively.
Through our Pre-Start meeting, we were able to identify the need to use our Avant 640 which is an articulated multi-loader, to enable the importation and distribution of the topsoil, to be a fast and efficient process. We continue to retain a presence onsite while battling on with the ever changing weather conditions, ensuring the importation and preparation of the topsoil to all designated areas is completed, ready for turfing or seeding at a later stage.
The Launch of Our New Website
1st March 2019
Through our development, we have re-evaluated our previous website and decided that its model was dated, it lacked in key content and ultimately, it was not up to our high standards.
We have since undertaken the task of redesigning our old website, and transforming it into the existing model into a modern, relevant website, allowing us to publish key information which reflects us as a company. It also enables us to showcase our landscaping projects and the services that we provide to all our clients.
We have chosen to use “WordPress”, as our preferred website building platform, with the programme being extremely accessible and user friendly, which was key in our decision to proceed with this software.
As part of our development strategy, this chosen platform is SEO friendly, which means our website is adaptable for us to make it rank higher on search engines, so that you can find us more easily. This new platform also means our website is accessible through the use of all devices, not restricting users to desktop computers.
We have settled on a minimalistic format in which we have been able to display information clearly, encompassing multiple tabs with relevant sub-headings enclosed, providing easy navigation to access all areas of the website.
All pages feature our company’s symbolic logo, paired with the green and deep blue colour scheme we are renowned for, allowing us to portray a clean and fresh company image.
Multiple features have been included in the new design, such as the gallery containing finished and working images, providing an insight into the landscaping project management that we carry out. We have also included a location service so users can identify where the business operates from and visit us if they wanted to. The company’s Twitter feed has been embedded at the foot of each page to allow users to access information across multiple platforms and keep right up to date.
Included in our website are profiles on our valuable team, featuring portrait images with a small background on each member. By including these details, it allows the user to get to know each member before physically dealing with them, providing them with a preconceived idea of who we all are.
Information on our company’s mission statement along with our current objectives to expand are an important feature on the website, as this brings our clients and partners closer to the us, by allowing everyone to relate to what we have set out to achieve. Also, encouraging them to discover in detail what we are working to achieve in the long term.
The website will serve us in the long term as an important marketing tool, allowing us to engage with more organisations, making it easier for us to be found and to ultimately aid us in continuing to prove our quality and personable service.