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C2C founder Greg Morrison tells Emily Moore why, having worked in the construction industry for 25 years, he decided to set up his own business
THERE is no doubt that the past few years have been tough for the construction industry.
As well as having seen some big-name casualties, many others still fighting to keep their head above the parapet have warned of the impact that fixed prices, rising costs and recruitment challenges are having on their businesses.
But from this somewhat bleak picture, there is a ray of hope, as one man with more than two decades’ experience in the industry has taken the brave step of setting up his own business which aims to bring a new operating model and approach, based on project development and relationship building, to the market.
Having fallen in love with the sector during his 25 years in the trade – which saw him start as a trainee before working in a range of positions including site manager and project manager prior to holding director positions – Greg Morrison felt two years ago that he had come to “a crossroads” in his career.
“I suddenly thought: ‘What am I going to do next?’ I was a director at one of the Island’s biggest and most successful construction companies in a role which I loved but I felt that it was time to branch out and try something different,” he reflected.
“As those thoughts took hold, I started thinking about what I would do differently if I started again and how I would achieve it. And that, coupled with my own experience working as the principal contractor on countless projects over the years, fuelled my belief that there was a gap in the market.”
Admitting that he had felt “a few nerves” about launching a business in such difficult market conditions, those nerves were outweighed by his conviction that there “was a different way of doing things”.
And so C2C – the initials standing for concept to completion – came into being, with the goal of completing quality projects while working honestly and openly with the client from the very beginning.
“Quite often on a project, issues arise mid-way through the construction phase,” he explained, “and, more often, these problems could have been pre-empted and avoided if there had been greater collaboration with the client and project team earlier in the process.
“Traditionally in construction, the contractor liaises predominantly with a contract administrator or architect rather than with the client. I wanted to change that and work directly with the client, not just from the point of building but, even more importantly, throughout the pre-construction phase, as I strongly believe that by building these relationships and maintaining that dialogue, we can manage the project more effectively.”
Indeed, using his experience as a project manager, Greg offers a comprehensive service which includes everything from liaising with architects, the Planning Department and Building Control to secure approval for proposed developments, through to accompanying the client on trips to choose tiles, kitchens, joinery and all manner of materials.
“The most important thing for me is that the client gets exactly what they want,” he said simply. “I want to rejuvenate that experience for the client, so that they enjoy the process and so that when the project gets to site, all the hard work has been done and the end build captures the client’s wishes.
“The build itself shouldn’t be punctuated with delays and battles over costs because everything will have been worked out already.”
On paper, it is an approach which sounds simple and it is one which, having recently completed the first C2C project, Greg is relieved to say “definitely works”.
“Having set up the company because I wanted to do something in a particular way, it is great now to be able to say that the process, with that dual focus on relationship building and project development, works,” he admitted with a smile. “The first time the theory was tested was when I worked with George Carswell to develop a property called Oaklands, in Grouville.
“He had battled for several years to obtain planning permission for his scheme and had already engaged an architect and completed the planning and building control stages. However, if he had been starting with a blank piece of paper, we
would have been happy to engage a design team, architect and engineer, and project manage that stage of the development as well.
“In the case of Oaklands, we joined the project just before construction got under way, and worked directly with George, and later his daughter, who took on the property, to nail down exactly what they wanted.
“Working transparently alongside each other, we discussed every aspect of the build, negotiating prices, overheads and profits, as well as agreeing the completion date. Our site manager and commercial manager then came in and the build commenced. Throughout the construction, we kept in regular contact with George and his daughter, advising them if any obstacles arose and working with them to find alternative solutions, if necessary, which didn’t impact the overall cost.
“There were some challenges because the cost of materials is still going up and, having committed to delivering the project within an agreed budget, this meant in some cases, using different materials from those originally specified but all of which were chosen by the client in association with C2C. Critically, though, each time something came up, we were transparent with the client and came up with ideas that would achieve the desired result without driving up the price.
“During the construction phase we further strengthened that close working relationship, built on trust and a shared goal, so when I said that the build would definitely finish at a certain time within the agreed budget, the clients were confident that we would deliver that, and, sure enough, we completed on time and on budget.”
It is an approach which Greg hopes will not only enable each client to enjoy the development process but one which he is hoping will “instil some confidence in the industry again”.
“It has been very sad and difficult to see businesses going under and a lot of Islanders, recognising that the industry is struggling, have been reluctant to embark on projects because they’ve feared starting something and then losing the contractor mid-way through the build,” he explained.
“I want to show that, through the C2C model, we can build those relationships, develop that trust, support people through the pre-construction period – which is often the most time-consuming part, as you obtain all the necessary permissions – and then complete the build. By achieving these goals, I really hope we can start to rejuvenate the market and create some much-needed market confidence. It is not only the clients who Greg hopes will enjoy the experience and feel greater confidence in the industry.
“It’s been a really tough time for those working in construction, and I’ve noticed that a lot of people in the industry have started to lose the love for it,” he said. “It is hard work and when you face problems during a build, that love can fade. By identifying and solving problems during the pre-construction phase, when the guys get to site, they can enjoy their work again, which also adds to the client’s enjoyment of the project.”
As well as hoping to enhance the experience of those already in the industry, Greg hopes that the positive message he is sending out will also settle the fears of school-leavers – and their parents – who are considering their next steps.
“Parents must be wondering about the career opportunities that construction offers but I think there are still tremendous opportunities, and with the pre-construction services that C2C offers, we are providing something different,” he said. “People need to remember that the industry extends beyond construction itself. From planning and building control to engineering and quantity surveying, there are so many different roles to explore.”
There are also, he says, several different projects with which the eight-strong C2C team and its chosen subcontractors are already involved.
With Oaklands now complete, attention has turned to a new house, Makai, in St Brelade, as well as to the company’s first large-scale development – the building of 38 units at Five Oaks for Langlois Homes.
“It has been really exciting and gratifying to see the C2C model applied to both one-off domestic builds and large-scale commercial developments,” said Greg. “Working with Langlois Homes, we have introduced various systems and initiatives to simplify the project and control the costs. Pre-construction is now complete and, with the hard work having been done in the beginning, the build should be finished by the end of next year.”
With a strong focus on customer service, Greg admits that one of the challenges for C2C is “balancing the books without impacting the service that each client receives”.
“I’m happy with the workload we’ve got,” he said. “If we took on too many projects, the service would be diluted and I don’t want that. We will probably look for ‘another Oaklands’ now that we have completed that project but I want to ensure that whatever we do, we enjoy it and the clients enjoy it and are happy with the process and the result.
“After all, you are only likely to design and build your own house once and if you are creating your forever home, you need to have a great experience at all stages of the scheme.”
More information on C2C’s construction of Oaklands will be in this month’s edition of Homelife, which comes out on Wednesday 24 September.
