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John Dennis is a multi-disciplined construction company built on a solid foundation of tradition and workmanship that stretches back to 1864.

Design teams and other clients have continued to work with us over the years because they value our workmanship, professionalism, enthusiasm, reliability, flexibility and client care.

We work across the full range of construction sectors, including:

  • Education

  • Recreation and leisure

  • Commercial

  • Housing

  • Historic

  • Social housing

  • Refurbishment

Our commitment to providing excellent customer service at every stage of every project has led to our procuring many projects by negotiation rather than the conventional tender process.

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Core trades

CONSTRUCTION SERVICES

We offer the full range of construction services and can manage every stage of your project - from design to completion.

Retaining the core trades in-house, and partnering with reliable sub-contractors when needed, allows us to keep control of quality and cost and provide you with the best possible service. We handpick the best team for each project.

Manufactured joinery department

Our manufactured joinery department can make any joinery item you need, including:

  • Doors and windows

  • Staircases

  • Balustrading

  • Reception counters

  • Bars

  • Bespoke furniture

Contact us to discuss our full range of services, or take a look at some completed projects.

Community

COMMUNITY

At John Dennis, we understand the importance of community, education and development. 

Each year we welcome students from the Midlothian catchment area and provide them with a week-long experience within our joinery manufacturing workshop. Our workshop is a safe controlled environment where we can demonstrate the knowledge, planning and execution required to produce the high quality work that is expected from our clients.

This is crucial in allowing youths, who are making career choices, get a feel for the industry and develop skills for future employment.

"Had a great time at this particular workshop, the staff were very friendly and helpful and even though it was only 5 days I learned a lot of skills and It was a brilliant experience."

Histroy

Established 1864

A JOURNEY THROUGH TIME

1843

John (Dennis) Murphy was born in Navenby, Lincolnshire. John was the son of Benjamin Murphy and Sarah Murphy (Née Machin).

At some point later the family changed their name from Murphy to DENNIS.

1864

John Dennis had travelled to Scotland in the early 1860's with only a bricklayers trowel. By 1864, John Dennis established himself and set up the company John Dennis Bricklayer, Furnice Builder and Contractor. 

He built the company up over a short period of time to a reasonably large company specialising in brickwork building chimneys, furnaces and boiler houses at most of the paper mills in the Esk Valley and throughout the United Kingdom.

1901

John Dennis and Company Limited was registered in 1901. You can see this registration in The Dundee Courier Newspaper dated Saturday 27th July 1901.

1912

On the 29th February 1912 John Dennis sadly passed away and John Dennis and Company was taken over by his Toynbee relatives (related through the marriage of John Dennis's Sister, Hephzibah).

The Toynbees' carried John Dennis and Company forward following John Dennis's death up until the 1970's

1977

The Toynbee’s owned the company until 1977 when it was purchased by William Robertson who was one of the partners in Robertson Construction from Denny.

2006

The Robertson family owned the company until 2006 when as part of a management buyout by George Baillie and Stewart Cairney, two directors of the company. At this point the company became known as "John Dennis & Company (Scotland) Ltd".

2006 - 2020

Since 2006, we have been involved in a number of projects across a multitude of sectors. Some examples of these projects include:

The British Golf Museum - St. Andrews

The Patrick Geddes Centre - Edinburgh

St John's Church - Edinburgh

The Ripple Retreat - Callandar

George Heriots School - Edinburgh  

The Edinburgh Academy - Edinburgh

You can view more of our recent Projects here :

PRESENT DAY

The John Dennis name has now been trading for 150+ years in construction.

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