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 two regional winners at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes on Friday 8 November 2024:
Medium builder category – Mike Smith of Spitfire Homes for his work at Malabar Farm in Daventry, Northamptonshire Large builder category – Cymon Robinson of Bellway Homes North Home Counties for his work at Weavers Field in Kettering, Northamptonshire
As well as their category wins, Mr Smith and Mr Robinson were each awarded a Pride in the Job Seal of Excellence. A further eight site managers from across the region were also awarded this accolade after they gained a Quality Award in the first round of the competition in June. They were:
Jack Allen of Vistry Northern Home Counties in Milton Keynes, BuckinghamshireLewis Billington of Taylor Wimpey North Thames in Codicote, Hertfordshire Charlie Church of Bloor Homes South West in Faringdon, Oxfordshire Colin Clay of Bloor Homes South Midlands in Winslow, Buckinghamshire Martin Cooper of Taylor Wimpey West London in Ascot, Berkshire Michael Crake of Bellway Homes North Home Counties in Leighton Buzzard, BedfordshireMichael Tierney of Vistry Northern Home Counties in Overstone, Northamptonshire Pavel Vassiljev of Vistry West London in Watford, Hertfordshire
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, CEO at NHBC congratulated the winners: “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.
Mr Smith and Mr Robinson 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.