About the Project

Construction of three-storey healthcare facility, completed in 91 weeks.

By overcoming major technical challenges in a proactive way that saved time and money, Nick Proverbs won over an initially sceptical client project manager and delivered a high-quality building.

He made the big project calls that project success was built on. He replaced telehandlers for site distribution with a tower crane, rightly concluding that the greater upfront expense would ultimately save time and money by giving the trades better site access.

With a gabion boundary wall exposing the foundation slab to excessive load, Nick introduced a specialist wall that relied on compacted ground rather than a wide concrete foundation. Having only ever been trialled on highways, it also generated a generous tax credit for innovation and allowed speedy installation.

When the user raised safety concerns about exposed sink traps in the 80 bedrooms, Nick avoided having to replace the already installed sinks by finding a bespoke solution. The product – a Corian cover for the traps – could be removed for maintenance, and the smooth finish eliminated the impact hazard. Client and user alike were delighted.

Best of all was his solution to the designer’s failure to include a motor room for the specified lift. Nick found a supplier able to produce a bespoke lift for a designed building with lift shafts already constructed that not only met the client’s highly detailed lift specification without a motor room but also saved £100,000.