No nonsense approach to quality

As a housebuilder, Cocksedge Building Contractors has inevitably felt the pinch over the last couple of years, but that hasn’t stopped the company making the most of its niche to enjoy a strong start to the year

Cocksedge Building Contractors is a long-established business, founded in 1938 by Frederick William Cocksedge. From its base in Mildenhall, Suffolk, the company has grown into a regionally operating firm, with 100 employees, and for the last 20 years it has fostered a strong relationship with social landlords. The company is by no means a mass house builder, but specialises in smaller developments, offering a diverse range of building services including mechanical and electrical work and also joinery.

As a client-focused business, it prides itself on delivering the quality its clients require on time and within budget. As the company says – “construction is a simple business – so why complicate matters?”

“All of our employees appreciate the importance of understanding and putting the requirements of our clients first,” said John Brand, marketing manager. “The management takes an active role in every project, from tender stage to handover. This ensures that as a company we remain pro-active in assessing and understanding the needs of our client.

“This approach has helped us to establish an excellent working relationship with several leading professional consultants as well as develop a client portfolio that many national contractors would envy.”

The company has maintained electrical and mechanical divisions for over 30 years and, as with its general construction capabilities, it prides itself on delivering the highest quality within a client’s budget. “Our highly motivated and experienced teams of raftsmen are dedicated to producing high quality installations, and close site liaison has ensured the successful completion of many complicated projects, and has enabled us to be proud of the reputation we have gained,” Brand said.

Affiliated to the NICEIC since 1976, the electrical division boasts a wide range of competencies, covering industrial installations, commercial and domestic services, fire alarms, emergency lighting, security, nurse call systems, access control, CCTV, structured cable and containment, and periodic inspection and testing. Its mechanical capabilities, meanwhile, include commercial and domestic heating, plumbing, ventilation, air conditioning and control systems.

All told, it covers much of a client’s needs from a construction skills base, but it also covers many of the added virtues required of a modern contractor, such as environmental policies, the sound management of site waste, a commitment to health and safety and more.

Over the last 20 years, the company has worked with a number of social landlords. Given the history of mergers that has consolidated the housing association sector in this time, not all of them exist any longer, except perhaps as brands within a larger group, but the organisation has worked with RSLs such as Flagship, Hastoe Housing, Sanctuary Hereward, and The Hundred Houses Society to name but a few.

Of course, as a housebuilder, the last couple of years have seen the company squeezed somewhat given the economic climate and the decline in housebuilding. The company has seen its turnover drop from its previous £30 million given these conditions, but it is still holding its own with ongoing and forthcoming work.

“Competition has become stronger because of the lack of work,” said Brand. “But we came through last year reasonably well and started the year with at least £10 million of work. We are tendering for more sites this year to build up another £10 to £20 million worth of work.”

The company is currently working to deliver 59 social homes for several clients: Flagship in Norfolk; The Hundred Houses Society in Cambridge; Santuary Hereward in Cambridgeshire; and Hastoe in Essex. Away from social housing, the company is also busy in another sector of accommodation – carrying out work for a number of colleges at Cambridge University. The work involves refurbishment of student accommodation.

Cocksedge has also been using the Kingspan timber frame system to build holiday villas on behalf of Centerparcs, so it is well versed in catering for the accommodation-related needs of various sectors.

Given the tough economic times, of course, a company needs to maintain a multi-skilled, flexible capability, but it seems that as the company enters its 72nd year there’s plenty of life left in it yet.