Construction Manager

Jeremy williams

Kristina Smith spoke to Williams on the evening of his triumph

CM: How do you feel?
JW: I am thrilled. You enter these things thinking “I wouldn't mind having a go at that” but with no great expectations. When you get to that final moment it really is a great thrill. I think we did a great job, I think it's something a bit special. It's brilliant that other people could see that as well.

CM: What sort of job was it?
JW: It was such a diverse project. I ran the job right from tender to the building being opened. It was something you could really get your teeth into. I am the sort of person that works with my head but also with my heart. On this job I did not need to put any effort into it. I was keen on doing it.

CM: What do you think of the finished design?
JW: It’s a very good building. If I think back to when I was first introduced to the project and how it was described to me by the architect and then look at the building now, it lives up to that vision. That’s what we set out to do. It’s architecture that people can understand and relate to. When we pulled the hoarding down and the public saw it for the first time, the reaction from the generally sceptical public was “we really like the building”.

CM: The press applauded you for delivering the building without the “dumbing down” that can happen with design and build. How did you do it?
JW: We never set out with an agenda to sell it to the client cheap and then dumb it down which is sometimes what design and build appears to be about. We had a strong idea from the client and a very strong vision from the architect. My job was to match the architectural vision and the client’s requirements. Where you get the dumbing down is when clients are trying to buy too cheaply, architects are trying to wind it up as the design progresses and the contractor is trying to give a cheap price and knock corners off it.

CM: How did you get into construction?
JW: By accident really. I have always had an interest in buildings, more on the architectural than building side. I was strong in mathematics so I did engineering, I started in civil engineering and quickly moved into building. I preferred the variety and general interest. I’ve been with Taylor Woodrow for 21 years.

CM: What was the high point of the project?
JW: The award of the contract at the early stage, when we got the submission done. It was intense work. We were getting designers on board, engaging with subcontractors. Realising that we had got through that ridiculously short period and come up with a superb solution, that was a massive moment.
CM: Any hairy moments?
JW:The biggest hurdle came when we redesigned a huge amount of the inside of the building to take on board the client’s IT and broadcast requirements. It came very late on, one year into the project. Really what it came down to was trust. The only way through was to look across the table and think “do I trust this man?” Some people might say I exposed myself to risk. It’s very easy to start firing the letters in but the trouble is everybody becomes entrenched and you spend time fighting battles rather than finding a solution. There were some nervous months while we were trying to find a solution. I had a few sleepless nights thinking “are we doing the right thing?”. I believed in my heart we were. Collaboration with the client and the trust we had to show each other got us through to find a solution.

CM: Describe yourself in three words
JW: stubborn, determined, caring. I very passionately care.

CM: Advice for budding construction managers?
JW: I wouldn’t encourage anybody to do it. I wouldn’t tell them not to do it. It’s a difficult road, the rewards are not great, the hours are long, and geographically it’s one of the worst industries to be in. You have to want to do it. There are a lot of downsides to it. If someone has got the hunger to sit in the head position on site, without much of a safety net and deal with everything from the trivial to the huge, then go for it.

CM:What's next?
JW:I am working on an apartment development in Bristol, Harbourside, which has one and a half years to run. Then who knows… In some ways a job like the assembly is hard to follow but then you throw yourself into the next one.

Head and shoulders above the rest

As chair for Category 1 (Projects over £25m) it was immediately obvious that we had one clear winner in our category. Despite visiting some other impressive candidates, the visit to the National Assembly of Wales to meet Jerry Williams was the high point of the tour.

During the interview it was clear that we were talking to a first class construction manager. He took immense pride in the project that he had delivered and explained in
an eloquent and concise manner the difficulties he faced in delivering the project.

Jerry came in at a difficult time when Taylor Woodrow had taken over the project from another contractor. He stabilised the ship and set about designing and procuring the project in a methodical manner.

He delivered a Richard Rogers design on time and within budget under a design and build contract. While other projects were mainly delivered using construction management contracts, where most of the risk was carried by the client, Jerry managed to deliver a very technical and demanding building on a fixed-price contract – truly amazing! The level of built quality he achieved was another key stand out feature of the building. Great attention had been made to detail and it was extremely difficult to fault the finished product.

In terms of overall presentation, Jerry scored highly in all categories, including programming the works,
his approach to health and safety, sustainability issues and the management of his supply chain.

In point scoring terms Jerry was head and shoulders above the pack.

Finally, he gave an excellent five-minute presentation. He was clearly organised, picked a different subject from everybody else, structured the talk well and finished on time. As in every other area he stood out from the other candidates.

Peter Whitmore