‘We aim to have everything right and this attitude has stood to us’ – Danny Evans
DANNY Evans is a Keel man through and through and takes immense pride in knowing his work not only looks good and is structurally sound, but also helps to generate close links with the community. Danny is a carpenter by trade and, like Stephen, started out with Ned O’Shea many years ago. Danny recalls those tentative years starting out as subcontractors, prior to setting up Evans & Kelliher Construction in 1997.
Danny believes familiarity and presence are important components of the business as clients appreciate the fact those responsible for the job are close at hand to oversee every stage of development. This isn’t a new approach, but simply a tried and tested formula in business that’s as old as the hills.
“This matters to people and being on site for most of the time is part and parcel of the overall service we at Evans & Kelliher Construction aim to provide,” Danny explained.
Baile Mhuire Day Care Centre in Tralee and Keel Crèche are two builds that Danny is particularly proud of; builds that not only look well, but are important to the lives of people in their respective communities. The sense of permanency in construction and the satisfaction knowing that something you helped construct has an enduring presence in a community is double the rewardreward. “I guess it is importantimportant. It’s not something you necessarily think about at the time of construction; but yes, there is a sense of satisfaction as time passes knowing you’ve helped construct a particular building that is important to a community,” Danny said.
Danny also refers to other successfully completed projects: a toilet block opposite The Plaza Hotel in Killarney fits seamlessly into the design and layout of the town; apartments in High Street, Killarney, and a Day Care Centre in Listowel have all turned out extremely well.
But with time also comes change and Danny cites many positive changes within the construction sector during the past 20 years. Health & Safety has been allocated more resources which is a good thing, while building regulations have also come a long way since 1997.
So where does Danny believe the key strengths of the company lie?
“Experience is the first thing that’s important. We’re also good at communicating with people and we work to a high standard. From the word go we aim to have everything just right and this attitude has stood to us during leaner times. We have a good team of staff and around 90 % of the time all our subcontractors are from Kerry,” Danny concluded.