project testimonial

I write this letter in recommendation for Evan Graham and Evan Graham Master Builder Pty. Ltd. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Evan Graham on a number of my projects now.

The first was a new Multipurpose Hall at the Newcastle Waldorf School, 30-36 Reservoir Road, Glendale 2285. The project was a part of the Government’s 2008 BER projects. The total budget was $1.218M.

Evan Graham tendered the project along with 3 other larger building companies, and his meticulous and detailed quote was extremely professional & clearly presented and his price competitive. Evan Graham Master Builder Pty. Ltd. was awarded the contract in Nov 2009. The construction of this unusual & complex building was executed by Evan Graham and his team without fault or delays and to such a high standard, the project won the 2011 MBA award for best public building under $2.0 million. The contract sum was exceeded by less than 1%, perhaps the only BER project to come in anywhere near the budgeted cost.

In 2013/14 Evan Graham constructed a three storey Art Studio for a local artist, also in Glendale.

This was another high quality project with special attention given to the building’s thermal performance which well and truly exceeded all BCA requirements, including extensive double-glazing, in particular for the entire southern elevation which was a commercial glass curtain-wall.

The project was nominated for the Lower Hunter Urban Design Awards in 2014. It was also featured in edition sixty nine of Hunter & Coastal Lifestyle Magazine.

In 2014/15 Evan Graham won the stage 2 tender on another project for the Newcastle Waldorf School which was a new High School block for year 11 and 12. The construction was in 2 stages: Stage 1 (Base stage) was concrete slab, footings, retaining walls & drainage.  Stage 2 was the construction of the 2-storey Class 9 building and the budget was $450K. The new block is connected to the existing buildings with a 22 degree twist and involved a half-hexagon hipped gable-end roof as well as a complicated transition between old and new.

There was also some intricate masonry work required including 5.0m high mitred block-walls and face brick piers. I also specified the ceilings as HeraDesign Wood Wool Cement panels for its excellent acoustic properties and this relatively new material was managed well by Evan Graham and his team. Generally they completed the complicated building with the usual attention to detail and high standards of workmanship.

Throughout the course of these projects, Evan Graham was a consummate professional. He was accurate in his initial assessment of the scale and cost of the projects. He was absolutely clear in his record keeping, invoicing and variations. He chose and managed the sub-contractors well. His direct employees were highly skilled and trained during the build if or when needed. Safety and WHS on site was exceptional and in general they keep the workplace extremely clean and tidy. All projects were completed without incident.

I can recommend Evan Graham highly and without reservation. If you should have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Morten H. Pedersen.
Pedersen Design.