Contrada Group

Who Are We

Contrada is a refurbishment and new build principle contractor, specialising in the residential, commercial, retail, and leisure sectors. We undertake fit out and refurbishment works for all sorts of clients – large blue chip companies to small individual ones as well as retailers and developers.

Our works include structural works, mechanical and electrical services, IT installations, security, AV, ceiling, partitioning, flooring, specialist joinery, cladding, decorations and just about any other trade

Our projects range from £500 up to £5m but we’re hoping to go higher soon.

We carry out work all over the UK and occasionally abroad. Most of our work is however in the home counties and London areas.

We’re happy to work on traditional types of contracts with the client’s team of architects, project managers, QS and other consultants or design and build projects where we use our own design, services and cost control team

Contrada comes from a Latin word which means ‘to deliver together’

Our approach & promise

We strongly believe in the value of working as a team with the client to deliver a great project – a project we can all be proud of. Our people are what makes us as good as we are. We all care about what we do. We know that a great project is made up of everyone doing their bit, doing what we say we’re going to do.  Being proactive.
One thing that never changes is what our clients want – simply a space that meets their expectations of quality, for the cost they expected and in the time we agreed. It’s our job to make sure that always happens and generally we do that, time and again.

We know that a great project is not just the end result but how you get there.

• We promise to be completely honest in everything we do and to act in your best interest
• We promise that you’ll feel we’ve been part of your team
• We promise to be as proactive in our management as you expect us to be
• We promise to make your problems our problems and do our best to solve them
• We promise to deliver a value for money project, on time and to the level of quality you expect

Our Team

Martin Burke
Director

Martin started the business in 2004 and just carried on doing what he’s always done – the best for our clients.   A background degree in Building Surveying was followed by many years in commercial management and ultimately to directing all areas of our business. As well as his role in overseeing the running of the business, he is also heavily involved with contracts & commercial management as well as estimating.

Stephen Walsh
Project Manager

Stephen joined Contrada in 2016 as a project manager specialising in groundworks and structural works. He is a crucial member of the team and takes great pride in delivering projects to the best of quality. He’s a great organizer and communicator who get’s on very well with clients and workmen.

Julian Yorke
Project Manager

Julian came to us straight from Australia where he achieved degrees in both Planning & Design and Construction Management.   A great people person, he also understands construction very well. Julian’s honest approach is very important in helping to form trusting relationships with our clients.

Tony Thira
Project Manager

We are not sure where Tony came from! He joined Contrada as a labourer and quickly worked his way up to foreman on our RICS project.   Tony’s progression to Site Manager and Project Manager is down to his incredible attitude and commitment. Clients love Tony, as he gets things done and never lets anyone down, always goes that extra mile. He’s a very hands on manager with experience of all types of works and environments.

Manni Varsani
Site Manager

Manni has been with Contrada for over 5 years and joined as a carpenter and site foreman with a reputation for top level quality. He has progressed to site manager in that time and, delivered high end retail, residential and commercial projects of the utmost quality. A very clear and forward thinking individual, Manni always does a job properly and is a key factor in Contrada attaining the Federation of Master Builders accreditation.

Brigette Burke
Head of HR & Accounts

Having had many years experience in the retail business, Brigette joined Contrada in 2007 when we expanded to the point of needing our own internal HR & accounts personnel. She’s key to our business, making sure suppliers and subcontractors are happy as well as all our valuable staff.

Sarah Vecchio
Site Support and Health & Safety

Sarah has been multitasking ever since she joined Contrada in 2010 from a building background. Having started in administration, she now provides site support and with her friendly and meticulous approach, Sarah is an absolute attribute to the company.

Graham Elliott
Services Manager

With over 25 years experience in co-ordinating and managing services in fit out and refurbishment, Graham has an in depth knowledge of all types of mechanical, electrical, data and specialist systems. He is a very proactive manager who likes to get things right first time. As well as managing installation works, his role includes the design co-ordination of services at preconstruction stage which is crucial to good delivery and overseeing quality and commissioning through to client handover.

Clare Podbury
Estimating & Commercial Manager

Clare’s been with us almost from the beginning starting as a secretary. Having to multi task in the early days, she quickly showed her ability with numbers and is now an integral part of our estimating and surveying team

Ben White
Commercial Manager

Ben’s another Aussie who’s been with us from the beginning and we’d be lost without him. He didn’t know a great deal about the UK market when he joined but there’s not much he hasn’t achieved since then, A real team leader who’s really passionate about his projects and always strives to be the best. His enthusiasm and honest approach make him a real favourite with client and colleagues

James Elton
Project & Design Manager

James manages the design process for our projects. He’s capable in most design programmes and ensures our client's design brief is interpreted into the drawings used to make the project a reality.

Stevan Krakovic
Marketing & IT

Stevan has also been with us from the beginning ensuring the both the company and site IT runs smoothly. His natural creative side helps him look after our marketing too

Clive Beesley
Accounts

Clive has been with us since 2006 looking after our accounts and advising on the business growth. Another dedicated member of the team who’s commitment has been vital through our continued development

Valentin Christea
Site Foreman

Valentin joined Contrada in 2007 as a labourer and has worked on both retail and commercial fit our projects since then, progressing to site foreman. A dedicated and helpful individual, he has a very good eye for detail helped by his other skills which include decorating & plastering. Valentin also has a very good understanding of health & safety and the site fire marshal role.

We have an important responsibility to maintain the environment.

Sustainability

We self monitor our impact and strive to reduce our impact on the environment in the following ways:

• Using materials such as timber from sustainable sources
• Using local materials and services where possible
• Reduce emissions from our works
• Using site waste management plans to minimise our waste to landfill and send to recycling plants instead
• Achieving sustainability requirements under the Considerate Constructors Scheme

Health & Safety on our sites is our foremost priority

Health and Safety

We continually assess our performance & procedures and ensure continued training for our staff. Our procedures also require that all suppliers and subcontractors adhere to our health & safety requirements, including demonstrating ongoing training of their own staff.
All of our site and project managers are SMSTS trained and directors are IOSH trained and we require that all our operatives and manager carry CSCS cards. We have an impressive health & safety record for our sites, with incidents well below the industry average

Contrada Group uses The Health & Safety People for its health and safety site audits, procedures, advice and ongoing H&S policy. We have accreditation with both Safe Contractor and CHAS