M/Construction hit a quadfecta at this year’s Master Builders Australia 2021 Excellence in Construction Awards when the company took home its fourth ‘gong’ for ‘Best multi-unit development’; this time for its work on Quest Apartment Hotel, Ascot in the $10-20 million division.

This high-profile, 112-room purpose-built property is the second Quest apartment building to be entrusted by the apartment hotel giant to M/Construction and has significantly strengthened an already strong relationship between the two organisations.

The project faced many challenges, notwithstanding planning holdups with Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, a complete review of all materials and their delivery timeframes due to supplier delays and being located on a busy intersection where traffic management was required.

M/Construction director, Mr Michael Read, said the sheer prestige of the building and the work that went in to finish it to the highest caliber makes this year’s award win even more gratifying.

“Our work is often likened to that of a well-oiled machine, where all the many components are coordinated with such great precision that result often exceeds expectation,” he said.

“In the case of Quest Apartment Hotel, Ascot, we faced enormous challenges that might have crippled another building company. However, our advanced systems and processes were so well executed that we finished the job on time and to an extraordinary standard.”

The development program saw the company introduce a unique construction methodology whereby one entire floor was competed every two weeks, enabling for services to start work weeks earlier than usual.

In assessing the project, the award judges considered quality of construction, project management, value for money, innovation, and site management – all which M/Construction excelled.

The Master Builders Award accolade is equally reflected in the client’s response of being impressed by the process and end results. Shortly after completion Quest was announced as “Oceania’s Leading Serviced Apartment Brand 2020” in the World Travel Awards further highlighting their strong and consistent brand through their premises.

“Many might query what makes M/Construction so different to other companies within the marketplace and the answer is evident in the way we conduct our business towards achieving outstanding results time after time,” Mr Read continued.

“We are extremely pleased by this latest award win, as it truly cements M/Construction’s credentials not only in apartment buildings, but also serviced apartments where quality and consistency are on show.”

“We thank the MBA for its acknowledgement and look forward to working on many more great construction projects.”

The Quest Apartment Hotel, Ascot is an $18.5 million project built on a 2,211sq.m site with a project area of 8,072sq.m. It was completed in just over 15 months.

Construction completion of the new Bunnings Warehouse has been achieved, located beside Chester Pass Mall in the regional south west town of Albany.

The Bunnings Warehouse site spans across 15,000m2 and was constructed by M/Construction in conjunction with Aboriginal-owned company, Marawar.

Perth-based M/Group and its construction arm, M/Construction, have delivered its second Quest Apartment project, Quest Perth Ascot, giving investors a high-profile freehold property and a long lease arrangement with the national accommodation provider.

Although construction of the 112-room apartment hotel was subjected to lengthy planning approval delay and Covid-19 regulations, it met strict building timeframes due to a new development model and building process that saw one floor completed every two weeks.

M/Group Managing Director, Mr Lloyd Clark, said the formula used on the project had been perfected in the development of Quest Joondalup several months prior, and proved critical in an environment that brought with it unexpectedly challenges.

“The M/Construction team used a building process that combined pre-cast concrete walls and a hollow core flooring structure with the integration of construction methodologies and custom-designed features. These had all been perfected during the Quest Joondalup program and, as a result, dramatically cut down construction time,” he said.

“The process allowed for up to 100 people on site at once, and the building program was meticulously coordinated and synchronised to not merely save time and maximise resources, but adhere to new Covid-19 safety regulations. It was an extremely impressive build from many perspectives.”

With concrete floors and toppings poured and cured over the weekend to create self-supporting formwork, the workspace below was obstruction-free for follow-on trades to install framing and services unencumbered.

The process effectively shaved some three to four months off the construction timeline, which meant Quest Apartments could meet their operational deadlines and M/Group could fulfil their investor commitments.

The Quest Perth Ascot project was the result of an $11.5 million development fund managed by M/Group. Its success has been instrumental in building on a commercial relationship with Quest Apartments, which was established after the previous Quest Joondalup project attracted a great deal of praise in terms of finish and quality, including a finalist nomination in the 2020 World Travel Awards.

“We have earned a high level of trust with Quest Apartments by clearly demonstrating our capacity to deliver on what would have undoubtedly been quite a challenging process for other companies,” Mr Lloyd continued.

“We hope this relationship will open many more doors in the future, not merely from an investment opportunity perspective, but for M/Construction as an independent operator.”

The main structure of Quest Perth Ascot officially commenced in January 2020 and the building was fully completed in August of the same year, equating an impressive eight-month build.

For more information visit www.mgroup.com.au or www.mconstruction.com.au

As the dust settles on this year’s coveted Master Builders Western Australia Excellence in Construction Awards, M/Construction is making more room on the shelf for its third victory in the same amount of years.

This year, our dynamic building company took home the award for ‘Best Multi-Unit Development between $5-10m’ for its work on the sophisticated and understated M/28 by Match in South Fremantle.

Designed by David Barr from David Barr Architects alongside Cameron Chisholm Nicol Architects and developed by Match, this latest award puts a spotlight on the attention to detail that M/Construction is increasingly being recognised for.

It also provides even greater assurance for those seeking to engage M/Construction in private building contracts, or those looking to buy an associated Match apartment ‘off-the-plan’.

Lloyd Clark, Managing Director of parent company M/Group, has reflected on the significance of a third win in three years, particularly in light of the highly competitive construction environment.

“To receive the assurance of a high-quality builder is arguably the most important factor when making building decisions or buying an ‘off-the-plan’ apartment,” he said.

“M/Construction has consistently delivered not just high-quality work, but a standard of construction that has attracted the attention and kudos of the industry at large.

“This latest award is a testament to the unique systems and processes the company has in place. We are extremely proud of M/Construction’s ongoing achievements and what it means for its internal and external clients.”

Director of M/Construction, Michael Read, is thrilled by the acknowledgement and recognition from industry peers.

“Being able to repeatedly impress the judges over consecutive years says that the result is not by chance,” Michael said.

“We have an incredible team behind each project, backed by processes that ensure that nothing is overlooked.

“We truly believe we have introduced a new standard of building methodology to the landscape, and it is so great to be recognised for it.

In 2019, M/Construction won the Best Multi-Unit Development between $10-20m for Form by Match, Port Coogee and in 2018, the company took home the award for Best Multi-Unit Development between $10-20m for M/24 by Match, Leederville.

M/Construction is currently working on the construction of M/27 by Match in Parry Street, Fremantle and is available for discussions regarding independent opportunities.

The affluent riverside suburb of Como is most prominently known for its large stately homes and treelined suburban streets. However, as its population has matured and families grow up, the range of residential product suitable for people wanting to downsize yet stay in the area has been limited.

The M/26 by Match apartment complex was specifically developed for this market.

Located in an idyllic treelined street just minutes’ walk to the popular café strip and theatre, the site offers easy access to the Kwinana Freeway and close proximity to CBD. It is also a short stroll to the banks of the Swan River.

The design requirements needed to both reflect the luxuries that are befitting to the suburb, as well as accommodate the floorplan and space demands of the downsizer market.

The property was designed by reputable architects CCN Architects on behalf of Match, and the 40- apartment boutique complex was deliberately designed to be understated and airy, with interior scheme choices that reflect the popular Hamptons and Manhattan styles.

From a building perspective, the site’s exact location in relation to the Swan River had some challenges. It fell into Coastal Conditions, which meant that all external materials would be required to be ‘fit for purpose’, and additional building considerations would be needed for building on top of the high-water table with a basement carpark.

M/Construction, part of the M/Group of companies, was engaged to execute the development plans, and did so with precision and ingenuity.

M/Construction Director, Michael Read, said being an integral part of the development process meant that the company had the flexibility to address all building and material requirements with innovation and value-add where possible.

“M/26 by Match was not merely completed on time and to specification, it has showcased how attention-to-detail and innovation can deliver a broad range of ongoing benefits,” he said.

“An extraordinary amount of focus was given to areas that are not overtly evident to those visiting the property but will ensure the longevity and quality of the investment for many years to come.

M/Construction reinforced the entire basement wall structure with some 380 concrete continuous pilings at 450mm diameter running from ground level, down to the basement and beneath. Once the piles were in place and the site was excavated, a large amount of de-watering and waterproofing took place, including all concrete footings, lift shaft, tower crane base and fire tanks.

Extensive future proofing provisions for the underground water table level were made within the basement area. In the event that the water table was ever to rise above the recorded maximum level, a water pump could be installed at that time to allow water to be pumped into council’s stormwater system. Given that a water pump may never be a requirement for the property, the forethought to circumvent its installation has effectively removed the need for regular servicing and maintenance and all associated strata costs. Further, All storerooms in the basement are raised on concrete plinths for added precautions.

Two x 72kl concrete fire tanks with the capacity to hold the water reserve were installed, which were backed by two x 42kw diesel water pumps to be used for pushing the water to a booster cabinet located at street level for the Fire Brigade trucks to connect to. An additional fire safety measure included the installation of auto-closing sliding fire doors in the basement car park to compartmentalise the area to avoid spread of fire.

Above ground, all external items were graded to some of the highest specifications to deal with and last through conditions of a property located nearby a large body of water. The majority of products provided a lengthy warranty for coatings and finishes.

“We were able to re-engineer several aspects of the project, including a concealed air conditioning system in lieu of an unsightly wall mounted split-system, as well as the introduction of a polished plaster feature wall to the lobby. Such detail can add immeasurable value to the property and create a consistent and uninterrupted experience for the end-users.

“The project was subject to some of the toughest environmental requirements by the City of South Perth, which not only met, but also exceeded Greenstar accreditation in some cases.”

M/Construction sourced and applied sustainable materials throughout the project. This included Greenstar Concrete to slabs and AFS walls, Greenstar reinforcement in concrete slabs and AFS walls, low VOC paints, adhesives and linings. The directive was to achieve a minimum of 51 points. However, M/Construction delivered a project that exceeded this by 13 points to 64.

M/Construction Senior Contract Manager, Mark Gannaway, said the construction team were meticulous in the delivery of the building and effortlessly adapted to unforeseen Covid-19 conditions.

“M/Construction is one of the few companies that use advanced technology to manage the development process. This enables the highest level of site-tracking and safety processes across all our projects, he said.

“In terms of M/26 by Match, I can tell you that our workforce recorded a total of 63,633hrs, 288,742min and 5,132sec based on the output of our site tracking software. This technology enormously simplified the increased requirements brought on by Covid-19, where we had to manage rigorous cleaning procedures and stringently monitor who and how many workers were on site at any given time.

“Time delays and an inadequate workforce can have an adverse impact on a project like this, so we take our systems and processes, methodologies and materials extremely seriously. Being part of the larger development framework makes us accountable for this and gives us the flexibility to manage a building process that will benefit the end user, project investor and company reputation. That’s not always the case with third party builders.”

M/Construction’s parent company, M/Group, is an integrated property group that offers services in investment, development, construction and real estate.

“The days of the traditional builder is well and truly over. Today, construction is a significantly more regulated and controlled industry and the successful players are highly professional with knowledge that must span across a whole range of disciplines,” Michael continued.

“While we will always look to research and test new innovations, all our fixtures and fitting are from well-known brands and sourced from credible suppliers. We place the quality of brands such as Bosch and Reece, ahead of the potential for higher margins, and we transfer all the after-service value onto the new owner.

“We are extremely proud of the standard of projects M/Construction consistently delivers and the benchmark we continue to increase in the construction game. M/26 by Match is another testament to the standard of work we deliver in Perth.”

M/26 by Match comprises of one and two-bedroom layouts across three stories. Each apartment is designed to maximise the city skyline and river views, with most floorplans running vertical to the exterior to capture the outlook across the living space and multiple bedrooms.

The project is located in Mary Street, Como, and the property has been made further distinctive by an artwork sculpture by Ayad Alqaragholli.

“(The sculpture) showcases two human figures, a man and woman, who pay homage to the multicultural tapestry of the South Perth community and how this blend of people live, love and interact,” she said.

“I hope that my sculpture will embody the positive values of life and that the wider audience who view my sculpture will feel uplifted and blessed as did I with my first experiences of this area.

M/Construction has won several coveted building awards for its work within the M/Group project network, however, the company is also highly regarded for its work for independent clients.

As seen in Master Builder’s Magazine – Spring 2020 Edition