Profile of a Victorian Builder

Peter Mason has always had a passion for building things. Maybe it’s in his blood, (his dad and granddad were very successful in the building industry), or maybe, it’d because as a kid he just could see how things went together like a jigsaw in his head. What might have been disguised as a passion for construction actually turned out to be a passion for creating the best team of people in the building industry.

Peter started Ducon in 2003 with business partner Roger Gribble after leaving Kane Constructions where they both worked for a number of years. What Peter describes beginning “like two kids playing in the sandpit”, today is a company of over 50 staff with a turn-over in excess of $30 million.

In those first few years Peter was on the “tools”, running the jobs and Roger was in the office. They were flat-out just servicing the work. From small beginnings, they built their office in Clayton and quickly put on staff. Peter then found his talent for building and managing a team.
The staff quickly grew, as did the projects, including retail giants like Nando’s and Kathmandu, several private developers and institutions. These two builders had to grow themselves fast. They transitioned from being the experts on the tools to managing the demands of running a multi-million dollar business, with a great team and a distinctive culture.

Tell us about Ducon:
“Every day we work with architects and owners to make building easy. We are building a reputation for caring and communicating that has given us repeat work with many clients. We have built the Ducon culture on some core values that we feel set us apart from other building companies.” Peter says. “It is our job to make building easier. In a serviced based industry it is all about how we make the process as simple and easy for the people involved. We do this by living our values. Our team is awesome. Everyone says we are great to deal with and that is something I am really proud of.”

Where is Ducon going? Can you paint us the future picture?
“The future for Ducon is really exciting. We have plans to increase our exposure in the Victorian market and are always looking at ways we can work better with architects in the building process. We already operate in commercial, residential, retail and maintenance markets and have some great projects lined up for 2011. We are further refining our offering so we can cater for specific targeted building projects. We want people to think building, think Ducon.”

What has been your most outstanding business achievement?
“We have won numerous awards and to me that is a great public affirmation of our success but the real achievement is building a company that I am proud of. We are set on a course to build a brand that our customers and employees love.”

What are your top building tips?
1. Unless you’re after a good dinner party story, (the one about the unreliable shonky horror building experience), DON'T choose the cheapest! We all buy from the same shops and have the same pool of contractors, so the only way to be cheap is to cut corners.

2. When choosing your builder remember, building is not an exact science. Building is bringing together of many different elements in sometimes trying conditions. At times things don’t go as planned. Choose the builder who you trust can resolve the issues quickly, easily and cost-effectively.

3. Remember the three keys to an all-round successful project. Time, cost and quality! You can’t build a quality job on time at no cost or a low cost high quality job with little time.

4. Be part of the project, not in the way of the project. Have regular site meeting with your builder and ask questions. Do your homework. Be ready to answer questions and make decisions. Your builder should prompt you about things that need to be answered ahead of time so both parties can have things in place for every stage. This allows for a much smoother project.

What can't you live without?
My two girls, my wife and my sailing and fishing (not necessarily in that order!)


Peter Mason
CEO
Ducon
55 Whiteside Road
Clayton South VIC 3169
Tel 039558 8411 fax 03 9558 8422
email peter@ducon.com.au
http:www.ducon.com.au
Connect with Peter at Linkedin


Services: Construction company building high end residential, retail, commercial and maintenance projects
Awards:2009 HIA CSR Victorian Housing Award Winner
Winner Best Custom Home over $1 Million, Winner Best Small Commercial Project, Winner OHS Trainer of the Year
Runner up Best Townhouse/Villa Development