Beard has capped a record year by handing half its £9m profit back to communities as turnover surged 16% to £230m.

The family-owned contractor chose to donate £4.5m to regional charities instead of boosting shareholder dividends, marking one of the biggest philanthropic moves seen among UK regional builders.

Strong trading was driven by a busy delivery year, with 62 projects completed across its South of England patch and a steady stream of framework and direct award wins.

Operating margin came in at around 3.9%, reflecting a solid but still tight regional contracting performance despite growth.

Finance director Fraser Johns said the firm is now enjoying its strongest three-year run to date, built on consistent delivery and tighter operational control.

He said: “Our ethos of prompt and faultless delivery, alongside a continued focus on getting the basics right have laid the foundations for the strongest three-year period in the company’s history.

“During this time, we have expanded our presence across all regions, particularly in Southampton where our newest office opened in 2024. Our special projects division – comprising work up to £2m in value – continues to be a key contributor to our growth and success.”

The business continues to build a healthy forward pipeline but is bracing for tougher bidding conditions through 2026 as competition intensifies.

Headcount edged up 5% to 354, with 27 promotions made and a growing intake of apprentices and trainees now accounting for around 11% of the workforce.

Beard also pushed hard on social value, delivering £45m across completed schemes and keeping 94% of spend within SMEs.

Major live schemes include a £17m basement library for Hertford College, works at Stonehenge and a £32m refurbishment at the Defence Academy in Shrivenham.