Coombs was formed in 1971 by Rodney Coombs as a small house building company, operating from the family home in Canterbury. Over the years Rodney built a reputation as one of Kent’s most reputable building contractors, responsible for many prestigious projects in the South East. These included new-build, refurbishment and heritage for local authorities, housing associations and the public sector.
But construction is a tough, often volatile industry, and while it can be lucrative, it can also be high risk. Coombs learnt the hard way, but from that experience in 2020 (when the business became part of RJ Barwick) we have changed. Now, rebranded as Coombs and Partners, we have refocused on sharing our learnings and deep knowledge with others. Mitigation of risks and their impact is critical to the success of any project and while it is impossible to eliminate entirely, identifying potential sources of risk is the first step to avoiding project delays, expensive cost increases and lengthy disputes.