Name: Guy Lacey MCIOB
Employer: Willmott Dixon Construction
Project: Macclesfield High School , Macclesfield
Contract: NEC 2 option C
Guy Lacey knew he’d cracked this project when during one of his user site tours an astonished teacher was told that the room he was standing in had been his pre-project classroom.
Any project that extends a facility as much as this one did (65% of the development was new-build) runs a serious risk of failing to achieve consistency of finish across the new and refurbished areas. Guy eliminated that risk by championing a quality-focused approach within the project team.
He introduced a bespoke quality plan and held regular meetings with the supply chain to ensure that standards were adhered to. And three months before completion, he held handover workshops with the users and other stakeholders. Many users were ultimately unable to distinguish between the new-build and the refurb.
Achieving that level of finish was a major triumph for Guy given the financial difficulties. When one funding body didn’t deliver at the 11th hour, £1.3m disappeared from the budget and Guy had to turn to the tough techniques of value-engineering.
Despite starting onsite £350,000 over budget, he found the necessary savings and more through prudent risk management and more productive construction techniques. Not only was Willmott Dixon’s financial position protected, but the school also gained an extra £450,000 worth of wish-list enhancements, such as the substantial upgrading of all finishes in the reception areas.
Aware from previous education projects of the importance of ensuring the users get what they want, Guy made huge efforts to grant them their wishes. An early partnering workshop made it clear that the project’s notional design did not fully meet their aspirations, so Guy insisted on changes. The users got all they wanted: wide circulation spaces, social areas and a 30% increase in the new-build’s floor area.
Guy’s promotion of a single-team culture created cohesion and common purpose. He continually demonstrated that rare talent of combining straightforward honesty with a touch of diplomacy, and delivered this striking project on time and on budget.