‘Other contractors will be in the same boat…’ What Ardmore’s predicament means for the rest of the industry

By Dave Rogers2026-07-27T06:00:00

Firms which thought they could protect their businesses from safety liabilities need to think again, Dave Rogers writes. But one lawyer has a solution to the issue for builders potentially crippled by the cost of historic repairs

“The question for government is, do you want to wreck the industry or protect it? There is no perfect solution and it needs an honest, open conversation between parties.”

That is the view of one industry veteran who thinks that well-meaning legislation introduced in the wake of the Grenfell fire, which killed 72 people in 2017, will mean that more firms meet the same fate as Ardmore.

To recap, in the middle of last month the London contractor said that its construction group – which includes Ardmore Construction Group, Ardmore Major Projects, Regeneration, Fit-out, Hotels & Commercial and Landmark – had gone into administration.

Already registered? Login here

To continue enjoying Building.co.uk, sign up for free guest access

Existing subscriber? LOGIN

Stay at the forefront of thought leadership with news and analysis from award-winning journalists. Enjoy company features, CEO interviews, architectural reviews, technical project know-how and the latest innovations.

Limited access to building.co.uk
Breaking industry news as it happens
Breaking, daily and weekly e-newsletters

Get your free guest access SIGN UP TODAY

Subscribe now for unlimited access

Subscribe to Building today and you will benefit from:

Unlimited access to all stories including expert analysis and comment from industry leaders
Our league tables, cost models and economics data
Our online archive of over 10,000 articles
Building magazine digital editions
Building magazine print editions
Printed/digital supplements

Subscribe now for unlimited access.

View our subscription options and join our community