A Dundee property firm hopes a “substantial” investment in its city offices can help establish the business as the market leader in Tayside.
Hardies Property & Construction Consultants is currently renovating its offices in the city.
Once the offices on Albert Square are ready, bosses plan to have staff from Hardies and its sister company Shepherds working under the same roof.
They will be joined by workers from the recently-acquired John Duguid Partnership.
Hardies investment in Dundee offices
Gareth Cordiner, the firm’s north division managing partner, believes this will make a real difference.
He said: “It’s hugely important especially after Covid. We do have a flexible working policy but we’ve found people want to be back in the office and back together.
“The amount of information you share from hearing it across the room, it makes a big difference.
“From a mental health point of view it’s brilliant. You see relationships building again, so there’s huge benefits.”
Douglas Smith, who was appointed Dundee partner recently, added: “We’ll have our one-stop-shop under one roof and that’s really exciting.
“It needs to be a more modern way, with collective thinking.”
Mr Smith also outlined his ambition for Hardies to become the go-to business for anyone’s surveying requirements in Dundee.
“It’s a pretty exciting time for Hardies in Dundee,” he said.
“We’ve got a fairly big team that are looking to make giant strides in the Tayside area moving forward.
“We’re trying to build the Hardies brand.
“In Dundee, we’re trying to make it a one-stop shop surveying service across all disciplines – building surveying, quantity surveying, you name it, we’re doing it.
“We’re going to target sectors we want to work in.”
Tayside offices crucial for Hardies
Mr Cordiner said its presence in Tayside and Fife – the firm also has offices in Dunfermline, St Andrews and Perth – are key to the business.
He added: “Dundee and Perth work closely together as the Tayside region.
“Historically in Dundee quantity surveying-wise, we’re historically very strong and very well known.
“Joining up with the John Duguid Partnership we’re keen that we become the strongest quantity surveying team in Tayside.
“I don’t think we’re far off that at the moment.”
Mr Smith said the firm’s progress would be based on “considered and selective movement”.
