West Kent Construction

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WKCS Contracts Director Pete Williams and his son Sam (6 yrs old) completed the build of a spectacular ‘one off’ project over the Christmas period – a 3500 piece Lego Deathstar. The project involved extensive use of cutting edge construction technology and was undertaken in extremely taxing conditions, working in zero gravity, with the constant threat of asteroid showers, solar winds and the vacuum of space.

The project was completed on program and came in under budget, thanks to some innovative value engineering.

The happy client (Lord Vader) said, "To have my project completed so quickly and with a director heading up the team, was absolutely fabulous. Now I have all the space I need to practice the Dark Ways of the Sith. I'm so excited. The huge planet-destroying gun is a lovely touch, and I know it will get comments from my mates at Dinner parties. Thank you WKCS. You're the best." 

Another happy client for WKCS!

On a slightly more serious note, as I watched Sam building his new highly detailed (and far too expensive!) Lego model, it was immensely gratifying to see that he already understood the basic principles of a successful construction project.

The first thing he did was to carefully prepare for what was to be five days of intense work. He cleared the site (table) and made sure that everyone knew to keep out of the way. The cat was ushered outside and his younger sister was sternly warned not to interfere. He knew that for the project to be a success his preparation had to be thorough.

Next, he examined the detailed instructions in the form of an A3 manual the thickness of a phone book. What struck me was how detailed and easy to follow the instructions were. It meant that what looked like a daunting project was in fact greatly simplified, with the work broken down into fairly simple, straightforward steps – exactly what we hope for from an Architect or Engineer when carrying out a project. Good drawings, with well considered construction details and intelligent engineering solutions, play a considerable part in achieving the desired end result – the client has a clear idea of what they will get and the builder can accurately cost the project and ensure a timely delivery.

Finally, I saw in Sam a determination to see it through without cutting corners. He persisted with the project and was uncompromising when it came to the details. When he needed a particular piece and struggled to find it his Mum would suggest he use a similar piece from his enormous stash of Lego. His answer was always “No Mum, it has to be right. If I use different pieces it won’t be a REAL Deathstar!”

Attention to detail and ‘getting it right’ are what separates the great builders from the crowd. At WKCS we know that our reputation depends upon getting it right. It needs persistence to ensure that if something is not as it should be, we do it again and we keep at it until every detail of a project is exactly as it should be.