Devon construction site manager shortlisted for national quality award

The site manager at a popular Devon housing development has won a prestigious industry award for quality in the South West regional finals, known as "the Oscars of the housebuilding industry".

Darren Hall, who is overseeing construction of 110 two to five bedroom homes at Embden Grange, Tavistock, has been presented with the Seal of Excellence Award from National House Building Council (NHBC) putting him in the top 1% of site managers in the country.

This is a second stage win in the national competition for Darren who received the NHBC Pride in the Job Quality award this summer, during his first site manager role.

Now in their 40th year the NHBC Award scheme recognises the very best site managers from around the country and assesses a range of key criteria including health and safety, technical knowledge, customer service and attention to detail. The Pride in the Job Awards is the most highly regarded competition in the housebuilding industry, with just 17 site managers in the South West presented with the Seal of Excellence from a total of 11,000 entrants.

Speaking after the award presentation, Darren Hall, 32, who has been in house building for six years after initially starting his career as a tradesman before going to university to study construction management, said:

"I'm amazed and thrilled to receive this award and to have gone through to the next stage. But it's not just my win - it's down to a brilliant team both on site at Embden Grange and in the regional head office in Exeter, and to Barratt Developments' overall commitment to quality and safety. I'm very proud to work for the firm that year in year out, wins more awards for quality than any other housebuilder in the country."

Huw Llewellyn, managing director, Barratt David Wilson Homes, Exeter said:

"After an incredibly challenging year for all of us, we're proud to be back building the homes we so desperately need in Devon and the South West and it's fantastic to see the hard work of Darren and his team recognised with this latest win. Safety, quality and customer confidence mean everything to us here at Barratt and David Wilson Homes so it's hugely encouraging to see that commitment celebrated."

In total Barratt Developments site managers won 92 Pride in the Job Quality awards earlier this year, and 16 Seal of Excellence awards, more than every other housebuilder. The leading housebuilder also received the maximum 5 star rating for customer satisfaction in the Home Builders Federation (HBF) annual New Homes Survey, for the eleventh year in a row. The number of stars awarded is based on responses to the question "would you recommend your builder to a friend"? For Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes to have been awarded 5 stars means that over 90% of its customers would recommend their homes to a friend.

This is an unmatched record for both awards across the industry, winning more Pride in the Job Quality awards than any other housebuilder for 16 years in a row, which shows its commitment to building homes of the highest quality.