A business with a glowing reputation, P & M Burke Ltd specialises in one-off housing and renovation work around the Leinster region. Building Ireland touched base with company co-director Pat Burke to learn more about the Co Kildare-based firm.
Business is thriving right now at P & M Burke Ltd and the plan for directors Pat and Martin Burke is to keep things that way right through to 2021.
Based in Tankardsgarden just outside of Newbridge, the company specialises in building one-off houses all around Co Kildare and has developed a proud reputation for high quality work down through the years.
Pat Burke himself has been immersed in the construction industry for a quarter of a century now and the Burke name has been renowned for producing quality projects all around the Leinster region for some time now.
Building Ireland touched base with Pat himself to learn all about the business and some of its current projects around Kildare.
“I’m at it 25 years now and my son Martin is a director with me now. We’re 50/50 in this business together,” Pat outlined.
“Right now, we are employing five direct staff and it’s mostly one-off houses and renovation work that we’re concentrating on at the minute.”
Since becoming a Limited company last year, P & M Burke Ltd’s books have been full to the point where they haven’t had an idle day.
Government lockdown this past Spring was the exception however, as the company was forced to close down for the best part of 10 weeks.
However, since May 18th, they’ve been flat out with several projects and the plan is to keep things the way right through to next year.
“We are very busy at the moment,” Pat stated. “Right now, we are on three different house projects and we have more lined up after that, so we can’t complain.
“Lockdown saw us shutdown overnight in March for more than eight weeks, but we’ve been busy here ever since and hopefully that will continue for us going forward.”
Pat and his son Martin are certainly intent on making the most of the busy time with plans to grow the company further in 2021.
Pat himself has vast experience in the construction industry, having previously worked for well-known developer Jack Tierney.
He worked for the former construction giant for years before taking the decision to go out on his own 25 years ago, and now he and his son run their own business venture together.
Martin Burke followed his father into the industry, having previously spent a stint abroad to help him learn his trade and contribute new ideas to the company.
“My son is 30 years of age now and he previously served his time as a carpenter,” Pat outlined.
“He’s been working with me since he was 18. He spent two years working in Australia, which was a good experience for him and, since he’s come back, he’s been with me and we’re now running the company together.”
It seems the father/son partnership has hit the ground running in spite of some of the early challenges they’ve had to face so far.
The Covid-19 pandemic has affected businesses throughout Ireland regardless of what industry they may be in but, since the lifting of government lockdown on May 18th, P & M Burke Ltd have been ‘flat out’ with different projects in and around Kildare.
“We’re building a couple of one-off houses around Kildare at the moment,” said Pat.
“We’ve one on-going in Straffan, another in Milltown and then we’ve one more just outside of Naas, so they’re keeping us busy for the next while.
“We don’t really advertise, so I suppose our clients are getting in touch with us through word of mouth, which is always a good sign.”
In the business 25 years now, Pat himself knows a thing or two about the building business, especially around his native Kildare where the Burke name is associated with quality work in one-off houses and renovation projects.
So, what has been the secret to his company’s longevity and ultimate success down through the years?
“I suppose a lot of it is down to the fact that we leave a good finish on all of our projects here,” he said.
“That and the fact that we have always had a good relationship with our clients over the years, which I think counts for a lot.”
Going forward Pat and his son will look to grow the company and hopefully avoid another lockdown like the one building firms across the country experienced this past March.
It may be early days for P & M Burke as a Limited outfit, but the company has the perfect blend of youth and experience with Martin and Pat at the helm to succeed for years to come and perhaps expand somewhere along the way as well.
Watch this space.
P & M Burke Ltd
Calbur,
Tankardsgarden,
Newbridge,
Co Kildare
Mobile: 086 818 2669
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, January 2021, Vol 7 No 1
