Name: Andy Ellis MCIOB
Employer: Willmott Dixon Construction
Project: Sunshine House - Southwark Children and Young Peoples' Development Centre
The fearsome fixed budget and punitive penalties for overshooting this project’s programme were offset for Andrew Ellis by the contract’s cast-iron stipulation of no variations. Or that was the theory. In practice, the design was incomplete at financial close, and a point-blank refusal to accommodate the many sometimes conflicting design alterations naturally requested by a healthcare building’s multiple stakeholders could easily have soured relationships.
So Andy did brilliantly what construction managers do best, fusing pragmatism with a spirited defence of the programme. He agreed numerous no-cost design changes to create as user-friendly a building as possible, and for truly significant design variations persuaded the client to make additional funds available. And when the point came, as it always does, that no more changes could be made without serious harm to the programme, he stood his ground and refused.
His good judgement earned the client’s goodwill, respect and satisfaction, and was crucial in ultimately delivering on time and on budget.
An experienced construction manager, Andy had the critical path written on his heart, and knew exactly what was needed to drive the project forward. He worked extremely closely with the architects, building in design flexibility that provided a much needed buffer for subsequent problems such as late supply of power.
His sound preparation for the round-table meetings allowed architects, subcontractors and client to reach design agreement without affecting the programme or the contract. And because he had already targeted the larger issues, monthly construction progress meetings with the client were smooth and short affairs.
Driven to succeed, Andy nevertheless always maintained his composure and treated everyone with respect, reflected in his one-team approach. Resilient and tenacious, he dealt with problems immediately they arose and allowed nothing to stand in the way of the successful completion of this scheme.