This year has already been a year of celebration for MAKE Group, as it not only marks the Bristol-based contractor’s tenth anniversary, but one of its projects also recently won a prestigious RIBA Award.
Matthew Church, who co-founded the company with Michael Teeling, takes up the story: “Myself and Mike were university friends before we went our separate paths into the corporate world after graduating. We always kept in touch about the possibility of developing a business together, and around ten years ago we had both come to the point in our careers where we could either keep climbing the corporate ladder or take the plunge and create something new together.”
And leap they did, with the result being MAKE Group, which has since grown from a two-man operation into a thriving company with around 20 staff across multiple sites each year. Matthew says: “The stars certainly aligned, and while the overriding objective originally was to be in a position where we were working for ourselves, from Day One we also wanted to have a clear emphasis on quality and to create a brand that we would be proud of.”
This goal has clearly been achieved, not only by the fact it is going from strength-to-strength ten years down the line but that it is also involved in award-winning projects, such as The Orchard, which recently won the aforementioned RIBA South-West and Wessex Award 2025. “We were the main contractor on the project and worked with Prewett Bizley Architects on the development. It’s lovely to be involved in a project that gets this level of recognition, particularly as it makes you realise that you must be doing something right. The project is also part of this year’s ITV Home of the Year, which is very exciting for us, the architect team, and our lovely clients alike.
“Once you get on the merry-go-round of work, all your energy is concentrated on either completing the projects you are currently working on, or finding and securing the next contract. It’s therefore very easy to lose sight of all we’ve achieved so far, as we’re so focused on pushing the business forward.”
As well as being involved in award-winning projects, MAKE Group’s tenth anniversary has provided another chance to take stock and pause for reflection, an opportunity the company has quite rightly taken with both hands.
“We’ve got a really enthusiastic team that are keen to do things a bit differently to the norm. We prefer to recruit young, ambitious people and develop them to reach their full potential alongside us. The team have played a key role in our journey, so we’ll be having a celebration for them and their partners to reward all their hard work and the support they receive at home.”
“We’re also keen to celebrate our supply chain too, as they’ve also been an invaluable part of our story. We had pre-existing relationships with several of them before we created MAKE, so it’s great that so many of them have grown in tandem with us, progressing as we’ve progressed.”
This progression and its burgeoning reputation have allowed MAKE to expand its horizons, resulting in satellite offices in Devon and London. These have opened new opportunities for the business in what remains a testing marketplace.
“From our Bristol site, we’ve traditionally covered an area that reaches up to Abergavenny in Wales and across to Birmingham,” says Matthew. “With our new offices, we’re now able to cover both the north and south coasts of Devon, while our operation in Paddington has given us the capacity to target viable South London areas, such as Wimbledon and Richmond, as well as the Home Counties.
“If the project was right, we’re confident we could operate anywhere in the UK. However, the South-West, London and the Home Counties will be our main focus of attention for the time being, as we look to cement our presence in these areas.
“As we’ve carved a niche in the high-end residential market, another bonus is the fact that each project is completely unique, and has its own challenges to overcome. We much prefer the satisfaction of overcoming these challenges, creating our clients’ unique vision on a project by project basis, as opposed to replicating the same work time and time again.
“I’m proud of every project we’ve completed because not one of them have a standard design. It would be impossible for me to choose a favourite, as we put our heart and soul into every single one. The Woodpecker project is one I’m particularly proud of, as the design is so unique due to its porcelain tile façade. It’s a really striking building. Our Clifton Lodge contract was great too. Being invited to participate in such a local project was an honour, even if it essentially only involved the development of one room.
“We’re currently on a really beautiful project in Woolacombe, although proving logistically challenging. This is not something we never shy away from though, as we know that we have the right team to rise to the occasion and deliver excellent results, regardless of the accessibility, logistical and design challenges we face.”
Despite chalking up ten years of operation and achieving award recognition in the process, it’s hasn’t all been plain sailing for MAKE, as the company hasn’t been immune to the choppy waters that have affected all construction businesses over the past decade.
“The rising price of materials and labour is one of the biggest issues, but having close working relationships with our suppliers and sub-contractors again helps limit the impact. More recently, disruption on the global stage has unsurprisingly led to concern in the marketplace, with some plans being put on hold. That said, we continue to secure excellent projects, and positive indicators are that there will be a strong work pipeline coming through in the remaining quarters of 2025, aided by the expansion of our geographical reach. We wouldn’t rule out the opportunity for commercial development either, such as one-off community efforts or specific school developments, supported by past and present experience in this field.
“Looking ahead, the main objective is to build on the excellent work we’re doing out of Bristol, while further developing our operations in Devon and London. We’re hoping that each passing project will see opportunities in these regions continue to rise, although we have no aspirations to become a 100-employee business with a massive turnover. Slow and steady growth with a strong focus on quality is the aim.”
Given the award-winning approach it has demonstrated over the past ten years, MAKE seem to have hit upon the right formula to continue its upward trajectory, particularly as it has just introduced a new document management control system to improve the exchange of design information with suppliers, known as ‘Capsa’. What’s more, given the quality of workmanship it has demonstrated so far, further award recognition should continue in the not-too-distant future.