We believe we have a different approach to construction from most of our competitors. Underpinning much of what we try to do is our commitment to a directly employed labour force at both site management and trade level, and the extent to which they are consulted and involved in the company. We have an excellent highly skilled workforce which takes pride in its ability to produce a high quality product.

Our most recent Investors In People review stated:

"Sandwood is an outstanding organisation serving as an example of how it is possible to achieve excellent people management practices within the construction industry and to operate in a really forward thinking way. There is a multitude of good practice in place ... which helps to focus the efforts of team members into a committed, value-driven and high quality unit."

Many of the initiatives we undertake in terms of training, development, lean construction and innovation would not be possible if we were just a project manager rather than a builder more closely involved in the finished product. This close involvement with the building process also influences our interest in overall design and detailing, as well as the quality of the end result.

Niall McLaughlin, the architect we worked with on the Evelyn Road project, says of Sandwood:

"When we won the Fresh Ideas for Low Cost Housing Competition with The Peabody Trust, it was one of our first significant public projects. As a young practice working on a partnering commission, we were highly dependent on the quality of the contractor. Sandwood contacted us at a very early stage and explained their team working ethos. They described the building to us in terms of its key design ideas. This is unusual for a builder. They reassured us that they would support the design throughout the whole development process. They kept their word."