Retford site manager wins top award for quality house building

Laurence McLaughlin, of Hughes McLaughlin Homes Ltd, has won a Pride in the Job Award for his work at Woodlands Ridge in Retford.

Organised by the National House Building Council (NHBC), the UK’s largest provider of new home warranties and insurance, the prestigious Pride in the Job Awards 2024 crowned regional winners at the Coventry Building Society Arena on September 27.

Laurence won in the small builder category and was also awarded a Pride in the Job Seal of Excellence.

Picking up awards alongside him in the medium and large builder categories respectively were Lincolnshire site manager Michael Ramsay and Derbyshire site manager James Kilby.

Now in its 44th year and widely considered the ‘Oscars’ of the house-building industry, Pride in the Job has become the benchmark for exceptional site managers.

Judging is rigorous, with assessment across six key areas – consistency, attention to detail, leadership, interpretation of drawings and specifications, technical expertise and health and safety.

Pride in the Job has five categories – small, medium and large builders, plus multi-storey for projects up to seven storeys and high-rise for projects more than seven storeys.

Steve Wood, chief executive at NHBC congratulated the winners and said: “For more than four decades, Pride in the Job has underpinned NHBC’s purpose of raising standards in house building.

"The competition recognises the UK’s top site managers, showcasing best practice and rewarding excellence.

“Winning site managers demonstrate dedication, passion and leadership to ensure new homes are delivered to exacting construction quality standards.

"While house building is a team effort, we believe the greatest influence on the quality of a finished home is the calibre of the site manager and the way they inspire their team.

"Congratulations to all the winners.”

A series of regional events are taking place throughout the UK to announce the Regional and Seal of Excellence Award winners and celebrate the achievements of the Quality Award recipients.

Laurence will now go forward to compete for the ultimate prize in house building, the Pride in the Job Supreme Awards, which will be unveiled at a gala ceremony in London in January 2025.