Having been in the construction industry for 37 years, Brian Barton certainly knows a thing or two about how to deliver a project successfully. That’s why, when Brian joined Howard Civil Engineering in 2020, we knew he would be the perfect person to take on the role of Framework Manager and ensure our framework clients are continually satisfied with our performance.

We sat down with Brian to discuss his extensive experience and discern why he thinks Howard Civil Engineering is uniquely positioned to deliver a quality product on our frameworks.

How did you get your start in construction?

I entered the industry straight after completing my A-Levels, so in total I’ve been in construction for 37 years! My older brother was a civil engineer travelling all over the world, and I decided to follow in his footsteps.

I progressed from setting out to completing my HND and becoming a qualified engineer to spending time as a site manager and even managing projects for a while, working on sites all over the country.

I ended up in bid writing and pre-construction by accident, really. I was headhunted while I was working as a Project Manager, and I discovered I had a natural talent for it.

How does this experience make you the ideal person to be a Framework Manager?

Having worked a long time in civil engineering, I’ve seen the good and the bad side of the industry. I’ve worked on everything from £200,000 jobs to £54m projects in a range of disciplines from highways and heavy civils right through to structures and renewables. I know what good practice looks like, and I know how to avoid careless mistakes.

I’ve also worked several projects on the client-side, so I know the high standards that these frameworks have and can ensure Howard Civil Engineering meets the robust criterion where possible. Consideration and respect go a long way, so I always keep the framework in the loop with what we’re doing and where.

Most importantly, I’m an experienced planner. Having done my own programming and planning on most projects, I’ve taken these skills into my role as Framework Manager so I have an acute ability to know how best we can support any future projects in terms of workload and machinery.

Having worked at several larger companies before, how does Howard Civil Engineering compare when it comes to framework delivery?

Crucially, we have the ability to be more flexible and dynamic when responding to project changes. I think we are a unique offering for frameworks because we’re large enough to successfully deliver multi-million-pound projects as a primary contractor, but we’re also carry our own labour and have the support of Howard Plant Hire for our plant requirements. This means we typically self-deliver the majority of our wors, and it’s this element of reactivity that helps us to mobilise quickly when necessary.

I also think Howard Civil Engineering is more genuine. When it comes to the social value criteria, we don’t have a massive staff we can lean on to make up the hours like larger companies, but certainly do a lot more than companies of a similar size.

It’s very easy for bigger companies to demonstrate that they’re doing a lot of social value for very little cost, whereas for us it’s real cost but we do it’s because Mick [Howard, Managing Director] actually believes in it, not because we have to. That’s a nice position for me to be in.

How has the transition been moving from a £1.1b turnover company to a £40m turnover company?

I find smaller companies such as Howard Civil Engineering are more aligned with my personal values. I like that it’s not as process-driven [as larger companies], you’re recognised for your abilities and what you have achieved, and you’re given more independence. The people above me are as good as I could wish for, and Pete [Howard, Pre-Construction Director] may be young but he certainly knows what he’s doing.

Primarily, I think we’re also given more accountability. This is ultimately what makes Howard Civil Engineering such an exciting prospect when it comes to mini competitions in frameworks. In an SME such as this, every person is so much more intrinsic to the day-to-day running of the company – you’re not just another cog in the machine. It’s this that drives me to ensure I represent Howard Civil Engineering to the highest standards as Framework Manager.