Having launched with a clear plan to disrupt the sector and offer something different, FormFive has certainly come up with some surprising results – including surpassing its initial targets well before the end of its first year.
Founded at the start of this year by Matthew Abraham and Matthew Kemshed, FormFive is a construction company that positions itself in a project from concept to completion – collaborating with developers, project management companies, architects, investors and the wider supply chain to bring form and cohesion through a five core service model.
Now a team of four, FormFive’s services include viability studies, project planning, design management, cost management and construction – and the interior furnishing arm, FormFive Furnishings, has just been launched.
A current project involves the construction of a one-off private house in Towcester on the site of the existing property, which is to be demolished. Involved since the design stage, FormFive has brought together everyone from the architects to suppliers to energy assessors.
Matthew Abraham said:
“The house is being built using modern methods of construction (MMC) with SIPs panels for insulation, air-source heat pumps and PV solar panels and will have excellent energy rating when it’s complete.
“A project like this shows the benefit of our involvement in that we can save time by coordinating everything, combining the time spent on design with costing the project and sourcing the materials. We reckon we have saved up to eight weeks on the process already simply by bringing it alltogether.
“It seems natural to us to approach a project like this, but in truth it doesn’t often happen and that’s why we’re disrupting the market and seeing it take off. For us, it makes sense to keep a check on the design, making sure it’s remaining true to what the customer wants and staying within time and budget constraints. It’s obvious, but it’s not the norm in this sector.”
Elsewhere, FormFive has recently submitted designs for Brixworth Community Centre and hopes to continue that relationship into the refurbishment of an existing building; and has completed the first phase of a project at Headlands Primary School in Northampton.
Combined with the unforeseen rate of growth in the interiors side of the business, the order book is looking very healthy and the targets set out at the beginning are looking increasingly modest.
FormFive Interiors will supply turnkey solutions for office refurbishments in conjunction with a major provider – capitalising on the changing face of commercial environments as people begin to shift back from working at home into full-time or part-time in the office. Open plan offices with good ventilation, lighting and break out areas are increasingly in demand, with modern features like meeting pods built into the design for times when privacy is needed.
“It’s been an interesting start to the business,” said Matthew. “We went out there and did all the networking and got our name known and it has taken off in a way we hadn’t really imagined.
“Because we cover all facets of the construction industry, we get phone calls from recommendations about certain aspects people need help with, but then the natural step is for them to use more of our services once they get to know us.
“We said at the start that FormFive is new, different and bold, and our five core service model make us different from traditional main contractors as we can envelope all services for developers, project managements companies and investors. We see things from the point of view of the client and break down the barriers to the free flow of information, so that they are kept up to date every step of the way.
“The construction sector is sometimes slow to adapt to new ways of working and we are disrupting that. We make clients’ lives easier and make them feel connected to their own projects, but at the same time we’re also lightening the workloads of the other involved parties, because they are using us to bridge gaps and deliver a joined-up solution.
“That way, we end up with a happy client at the end. If what the client gets is what they wanted at the start, then everyone is happy.”
For more information call 07926 167477, email info@formfivegroup.co.uk or visit the website www.formfivegroup.co.uk
