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August 2015
Housing
B
ig Ben Construction, a division
of the Rabie Property Group,
has increased its turnover from
R50million since 2012, to a staggering
R250million on the order book for the
2016/17 financial year.
Big Ben Construction Managing
Director, Colin Ridley says that they
expect this upward trend to continue
in the foreseeable future.
Ridley says that while the bulk of
their work load was for Rabie’s ac-
count at Century City, the construc-
tion division is undertaking other
projects besides Rabie.
Recent projects included a day
hospital at Century City, where the
company had to meet exacting tech-
nical specifications. He says the
company’s staff complement has
grown in line with its turnover. Four
years ago it employed nine manage-
Big Ben’s
rapid
construction
growth
rial staff and a workforce of 20 and
this now stands at over 20 managers
and a work force of 80. The company
recently completed the second phase
of the 5 600m² Greenford office proj-
ect in Kenilworth, comprising seven
office blocks.
At Century City the company has
undertaken an office block in The Es-
tuaries for Horizon Capital, the Quays
mixed use development comprising
92 apartments in two blocks; 4 000m²
commercial component with 36 sec-
tional title office suites; restaurant;
as well as 140 residential apartments
and seven villas in Ashton Park.
“We are currently busy with May-
fair, a mixed use development, com-
prising 136 apartments within two
blocks; 3 000 m² of sectional title
offices at Century City, which are due
for completion before April 2016. We
have also commenced construction
at Manhattan Quarter, a 63 apart-
ment residential development with
basement parking.”
Ridley points out that in addition
to this, the company will shortly
start work on a 190 unit residential
development in addition to a 9-storey
residential apartment block in Cen-
tury City. The key to Big Ben’s success,
he says, is their hands-on passionate
approach to construction and their
striving for continuous improvement
in both systems and quality.
“This is not a nine to five industry
- it is literally 24/7. One is continually
on call and the attention to main-
tenance is as important as the con-
struction in terms of delivering both
the ultimate client experience and
building a track record of excellence,”
concludes Ridley.
■
From a small niche residential
cont ractor spec ial i s ing in
low-rise construction to a
medium sized contractor with
a diversified work portfolio
across commercial, residential
and specialist projects is a
remarkable achievement in just
four years.