Two members of the team recently recruited by Jones Homes to take on key roles at its new Abbots Grange development in Hoo St Werburgh say that the housebuilder’s reputation for quality was one of the major factors in them deciding to join the company.
Gary Thurlow officially took up his position as Senior Site Manager at Abbots Grange when construction work began on the site in April this year, having joined the family business a month earlier after two decades with PLC housebuilders.
And Layla Brimsted was appointed as Sales Advisor at the beginning of July, just over a week before the opening of the sales and information centre at the development, fulfilling a dream of hers to work for the company where both her mum and auntie have previously held sales roles.
Jones Homes is building 100 homes at Abbots Grange, on a nine-acre site off Stoke Road. The development will feature a mix of two, three, four and five-bedroom properties.
Two show homes are currently under construction and due to open in December, while the first residents are expected to move into their completed homes early 2027.
Gary, 41, who lives in East Malling, has taken on more senior role in his career, having worked as a site manager for the past 10 years. He entered the housebuilding industry around 20 years ago, working as a labourer and then a forklift truck driver before training to become an assistant site manager.
He said: “The main thing that attracted me to Jones Homes was their focus on quality. They expect quality and as a site manager they give you the time to deliver that. They also really value their employees’ quality of life and want them to have a healthy work-life balance, which is something that appealed to me coming from the PLC world.
“Since I have joined, everyone has been extremely warm and welcoming. It was a big decision to make the change but everything just felt right and I definitely don’t regret it. They say that the grass isn’t always greener but it certainly is in this case.”
On site, Gary is supported by a site operative and a forklift truck driver directly employed by Jones Homes, with an assistant site manager due to join the team soon, plus a team of contractors.
He said: “All the contractors seem to buy into the Jones Homes ethos which is to get it right first time – if it takes a bit longer, no problem, as long as it’s right. A lot of the contractors have been working with Jones Homes for a long time and we have a very constructive relationship. Everyone is pulling in the same direction and working very well together on site.”
While this is Layla’s first job in the new homes sector, she comes to the role with knowledge of the local housing market, having worked for the past three years as an estate agent, which included selling homes in the Hoo area.
Layla, 20, who lives near Maidstone, said: “Working in new homes and for Jones Homes in particular is something I had always wanted to do. I have relatives who have worked for them and they always said that it’s a really nice company to work for and that everyone is extremely supportive. It’s always been a dream of mine.
“My first few weeks have been really exciting. It’s nice to start on a brand-new site where everyone else is new. We have been very busy, with lots of interest from local people as well as people travelling from further afield.”
She said the attractive semi-rural location and good transport connections to London are proving to be a major draw for prospective buyers. As is Jones Homes’ reputation for building quality homes.
“Quite a few customers who have made appointments with us know people who already live in a Jones Home and who have recommended us because they like how their homes are built. Having a quality product certainly makes my job easier. And it makes me more enthusiastic to sell it because it’s something I believe in.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing people move in. Getting to hand over the keys to new owners is something I got to do as an estate agent and it’s one of the most exciting parts of the job.”
A selection of two and three-bedroom houses are currently available to reserve at Abbots Grange, with prices starting from £360,000. For more information about the development, visit https://www.jones-homes.co.uk/