Building consultancy celebrates half century

Project managers, construction cost consultants and building surveyors Armsons Barlow has celebrated 50 years in business.

More than 100 staff, clients, associates and friends recently marked the occasion with an evening reception at Derby Museums’ Museum of Making.

Armsons was founded by Michael Armson in 1972 to offer specialist quantity surveying expertise to private and public sector clients across the region.

Over the past five decades, the business has expanded its service offering and now delivers a range of core services, including project management, construction cost management and building surveying.

It offers its services to a broad spectrum of sectors, including commercial, industrial, civil engineering, residential, healthcare, retail, sports and leisure, education and heritage.

Over the past 50 years, Armsons has been involved in many award-winning schemes, including transforming the historic Roundhouse on Pride Park into a £51 million engineering, technology, and construction campus for Derby College Group.

Other projects include creating a state-of-the-art flexible performance theatre for Repton School.

At the end of last year, Armsons joined forces with chartered quantity surveyors and building surveyors Barlow & Associates to create Armsons Barlow.

The partnership saw the business from its long-standing home on Brick Row in Darley Abbey to Vernon Street in Derby.

The new combined business provides an expanded, multi-disciplinary operation, which encompasses all major building and surveying sectors.

At the event, presentations were made to Michael Armson in recognition of his 50 years in business and to Stephen Fernie, who is celebrating 25 years with the firm.

Sally Walters, director of Armsons Barlow, said: “Over the past 50 years, we have seen many changes within the sector.

“Due to the hard work of Michael and former directors, we have been able to develop the practice and become the firm we are today.

“Joining forces with Barlow Associates at the end of 2021 was a great opportunity for both businesses to come together and share our expertise, resources and clients and continue to grow our team.

“It was great to see so many of our staff, past and present, clients and associates in one place to celebrate this amazing milestone.”