About Argyll
History
Ben MacMillan founded Argyll in 2003 with the dream of building exceptional homes and commercial spaces. Over the past sixteen years, Argyll has grown to become a construction innovator in London and the South East of England and has deservedly gained a reputation as a premier contractor for luxury homes, high-end commercial spaces and sustainable construction.
Argyll have recently opened a new office in Henley-on-Thames to service the home counties. In 2019 Argyll have expanded their professional services offer with an in-house Passivhaus design service for retrofit and new build projects and a cost planning services for architects, developers and private clients. Our team has also delivered project management services to two commercial developments in Edinburgh and added a basement, ground works & RC structures divisions.
Argyll’s growing and loyal client base values the team’s commitment to quality, craftsmanship, integrity, effective communication and delivering projects on-time and on-budget. We are proud to say that much of Argyll’s business comes from repeat clients and referrals from satisfied customers in Kensington, Chelsea, Fulham, Notting Hill, Mayfair, Hampstead, Wimbledon, City of London as well as many other London boroughs and across the Home Counties.
Who we are
Argyll is a privately-owned construction company, delivering high quality, innovative and sustainable building developments across London and the South East of England. Argyll has successfully delivered an impressive range of award winning, architecturally inspired residential and commercial projects. Our extensive portfolio includes luxury one off homes, mixed use / multi unit new build developments, exterior envelope, basement & RC Frame construction, period and historic building restoration, remodelling, timber frame & polar wall construction, fit-out and energy efficient Passivhaus developments.
Our building team use the latest building technologies and modern construction techniques. Utilising Procore the world’s leading construction management software, our customers and the design team have real time access to our project management hub. Clients and their team can collaborate on RFI’s and defect rectification lists (snagging) before, during and after practical completion. This seamless process helps avoid time consuming email chains, impenetrable spreadsheets and lengthy meetings by keeping all the project stakeholders literally on the same page with real time online photographic records and status updates on progress, key financials and information flows. Subcontractors and suppliers are also integrated ensuring all project updates and drawings issues are managed automatically, greatly reducing the challenge of change management. The software automatically detects discrepancies in drawing issues and provides site teams with daily task schedules.
Argyll also value the importance of preserving traditional craftsmanship and have well established relationships with best in class specialist joinery providers; polished plasterer installers; ornate cornice and plasterwork suppliers; stonemasons and numerous other specialist finishing trades.
Our tailored inception-to-completion service and commitment to quality, innovation, sustainability, communication, flexibility and attention to detail drive the business. Theses principles have helped Argyll to build a solid reputation and loyal client base.
Our team
Argyll’s continued success is attributable to the commitment, knowledge, experience and complementary strengths of our management team. Our on-site leadership team have many years of experience across a variety of building methods, strong knowledge of UK building regulations and a practical knowledge of period and historic property restoration techniques.
Our in-house team includes highly skilled master builders, specialist craftsmen, expert technicians, joiners, a quantity surveyor and passivhaus designer. Every member of our building team has a strong work ethic, a meticulous attention to detail and relevant professional and health and safety training.
Construction projects only succeed with excellent subcontractors and an established supply chain. We therefore ensure that all projects are set out on clear terms with measurable goals and conducted in a collaborative manner. As a result, we build long term relationships and consistently exceed our customers’ expectations in delivering the most challenging and time-critical new build and renovation projects.
Working closely with architects, interior designers, structural engineers and other construction professionals, we strive to provide the most practical and cost-effective building solutions to our clients.
The Argyll Team
Ben MacMillan
Originally from Edinburgh Ben studied history at
Newcastle University and business management
at Durham University Business School. He has
also undertaken Passivhaus training at the SIGA
Academy in Switzerland and completed a course
in entrepreneurship with Harvard Business School
(Online).
He started his career working for a niche
investment company in Edinburgh purchasing
and renovating business centres and serviced
apartments before moving to Dubai to work for a
global serviced office provider. Settling in London
in 2001 he spent a year as the Marketing Manager
for a financial conference company staging events
in Brussels and Moscow focused on anti-money
laundering compliance. Tiring of wearing a suit
and staring at spreadsheets Ben started trading as
Argyll in 2003 (and now wears jeans and stares at
spreadsheets all day and half the night).
Ben’s exit plan is to buy 1000 hectares of land on
the West Coast of Scotland and live off grid in a
carbon neutral development. Ever optimistic Ben
has a debenture for Murrayfield, he lives with his
wife, 3 daughters and border collie Scipio in Saffron
Walden.
Carina Martins
Carina started her journey graduating in Tourism at the University of Sao Paulo. She went on to pursue a successful career in the hospitality industry, including 5 years leading a team of 200 at the most luxurious country hotel in Brazil.
Carina has an MBA and is a certified Project Management Professional, Agile, Prince2 and Lean Practitioner. In 20 years, she has contributed to the development and growth of several organisations, in a variety of industries. She has an approachable leadership style and a genuine enthusiasm to help businesses realise their potential through best practice and strategic focus.
Carina lives in a household with eclectic culinary skills fusing her Italian origins and Brazilian upbringing with her husbands Japanese & Korean heritage. Everyone is angling for an invitation to dinner. She believes in authenticity and living with purpose. She enjoys simple pleasures like watching a good sci-fi movie or going out for long walks with her whippet Luca.
Aidan Heron
Aidan grew up in the property business, supporting his parents who ran a successful property investment and management business in the East Midlands.
Ultimately, he left a postgraduate position to set up and grow a boutique housebuilding business with an experienced partner, then drove the business to expand in two separate regions and developed a pipeline of 112 units. It was through this venture he got the bug for construction, even going on to manage a small project and gain his SMSTS qualifications. Now he is actively using that history to support Argyll in its ambitious growth plans.
He lives in Peterborough with his wife and two young children (they don’t yet own a dog, but apparently it’s only a matter of time).
Matthew McCord
Since graduating with first class honours in Quantity Surveying and Commercial Management from Ulster University, Matthew has gained considerable experience in the high-end hotel sector, most notably working on the £200m re-development and extension of Claridge’s Hotel and Connaught Hotels in Mayfair. He also has considerable experience in pricing and delivering high-end dwellings in the South East region ranging in value from £500,000 to over £5 million, including several Passivhaus developments.
Matthew is involved throughout the design and construction process, assisting clients from early feasibility costs through to the detailed measurement and pricing of projects, procurement of sub-contract packages and the post-contract cost management of the project. He also enjoys value engineering projects to make sure the client is getting exactly what they want for a price they are happy with.
His interests away from the counting of bricks, the calculator and spreadsheets include the Arsenal, spending time with his girlfriend Shannon and their Basset Hound Dora, going to the pub and playing some cricket.
