Result and Video of our July Draw 2013

Posted on August 1, 2013 by Oliver Dempsey

Congratulations to the winners!!Hi folks,

Each month we have a draw for cash prizes for everyone who posts a job on our site and provides feedback. So not only do you get up to 4 quotes Fast from Rated Tradesmen but you could also win a cash prize as well!

 

 

The draw for everyone who provided feedback in June was held on July 31st and the 1st prize of €100 cash went to Darragh Flynn, Tallaght, Dublin 24 (Thanks for the photo Darragh:))  The 2nd prize of €30 went to Karen Rath, Finglas, Dublin 11

darragh flynn, winner of Tradesmen.ie 1st Prize

Darragh Flynn, winner of 1st Prize

 

 

 

 

 

Congratulations to you both and thanks to everyone who provided feedback on our site as it helps to improve the experience for everyone. You can see the video of the draw below:-

And don’t forget that everyone who posts a job for a tradesman and provides feedback will be entered in a draw at the end of each month to win a cash prize!

So what are you waiting for, get posting today!:)

Cheers
Oliver Dempsey
Tradesmen.ie
1st August 2013

Related Keywords: Ireland free competition, competition results, draw results, Irish competition, builders competition, contest winners, cash prize winners, competition entries or entrants

Posted in Prizes and Competitions | 1 Comment

Digiweb External Attack

Posted on July 31, 2013 by Oliver Dempsey

31/7/2013 20:29PM
The issue with the Digiweb network has been resolved. We will be reviewing all options once service is restored.

31/7/2013 6:07PM
Hi folks,
our website has been affected by an attack on the Digiweb network,  they are working to get it resolved.  You can see more information on the issue at http://www.digiwebstatus.com/?p=86

Kind Regards
Oliver Dempsey
31st July 2013
http://www.tradesmen.ie

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Video Testimonial from Eamonn O Neill, Dublin Tree Surgeon

Posted on July 29, 2013 by Oliver Dempsey

Eamonn O Neill, Tree SurgeonThis is a video testimonial from tradesman Eamonn O’ Neill, Dublin County Choppers, Shankill, Dublin18.

Eamonn is a Tree Surgeon based Shankill, Co.Dublin. Eamonn holds qualifications from NPTC and Coillte and specialises in Tree Surgery, Tree Dismantling and Onsite Logging. Eamonn’s company, Dublin County Choppers, offer a 24 hour Emergency Service.

Eamonn was chosen a while back to take part in Dullamullóg, a series on TG4. The series put tradesmen into studio settings and paired them with established artists in order to find out if they could transfer their skills and become artists.  Eamonn put in a fantastic performance on the show and is a credit to his trade.

You can see some reviews of Eamonn’s work below from customers who posted jobs on Tradesmen.ie:-
Eamonn and Luke did an excellent job on one of the hottest days of 2013. They maintained a professional approach throughout – tidied everything up with attention to detail. They were a pleasure to deal with and I would have no hesitation in recommending them. Gerry (Dublin 18) – Score 10/10
Gerry Fallon, Foxrock, Dublin 18
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Eamonn cut down 4 trees jn our garden, and trimmed back another. We are extremely happy with the outcome, and found him to be very helpful and knowledgeable throughout. The job was done to a very high standard, there was no mess left over afterwards, and the price was very reasonable. – Score 10/10
Nick Young, Ranelagh, Dublin 6
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I found Eamonn to be very efficient. He did a great job and cleaned everything up afterwards. Would have no hesitation in recommending him. – Score 9/10
Tony Buckley, Tallaght, Dublin 24
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Eamonn O’Neill carried out job professionally and also did additional work requested at a very reasonable price . I would have no hesitation in recommending him to anybody else and would certainly use his services in the future if needed. – Score 9/10
Cathal MacMahon, Tallaght, Dublin 24
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I found Eamonn to be very professional, reliable and punctual. Of the four people that quoted for the work, Eamonn was the most knowledgeable and professional. While other people were happy to do whatever we suggested Eammon offered his expert opinion on the pros and cons of trimming or cutting trees. In doing this he ensured we ended up with a result we were very happy with. He arrived when he said he would and rang regularly with updates. I would highly recommend Eamonn to anyone. – Score 10/10
Therese Byrne, Rathfarnham, Dublin 16
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Eamonn is firstly very courteous and was very knowledgeable about the condition of the trees. He followed up as he promised and arrived on the agreed day. He met within my budget and his work was carefully and efficiently carried out and he left the Garden clean. I would definitely recommend Eamonn for any professional Tree Surgery services. – Score 10/10
JOAN LAVELLE-FORTUNE, BRAY, Wicklow
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Excellent job. Eamonn arrived on time and completed the work within the agreed time. Eamonn and his colleague were friendly,efficient and polite. On completion of the job the surrounding area was left clean and tidy. I would have no hesitation using Eamonn again or recommending Eamonn to anyone else. – Score 10/10
Ailish Hollingsworth, Bray, Wicklow
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You can see other testimonials from Tradesmen and Customers Below:-

http://blog.tradesmen.ie/2013/06/video-testimonial-from-tradesman-andew-cronin-hd-roofing-services

http://blog.tradesmen.ie/2013/05/tradesmen-ie-testimonial-from-tradesman-keith-moran-km-construction

http://blog.tradesmen.ie/2013/05/tradesmen-ie-testimonial-from-tradesman-colin-hayes-hayes-group

http://blog.tradesmen.ie/2013/04/tradesmen-ie-testimonial-from-tradesman-nicky-moran

http://blog.tradesmen.ie/2013/04/attic-conversion-testimonial-from-tradesmen-ie-user-patrick-quane

http://blog.tradesmen.ie/2013/01/video-testimonial-happy-customer-gives-feedback-2

http://blog.tradesmen.ie/2013/02/customer-talks-about-her-experience-with-tradesmen-ie

http://blog.tradesmen.ie/2013/04/video-testimonial-orla-fahy

And always remember these 4 tips below when hiring a tradesman:-

1. Ask for phone numbers of references so that you can check them out

2. Check insurance of the tradesman where insurance is required

3. Hire a suitably qualified architect, building surveyor or building engineer if the job is anything to do with a new build, building renovation or extension

4. Agree on some sort of stage payments for the job. Remember that full payment should not be made until the job is complete and has been inspected by you, and if necessary by a certifier.

Thanks Eamonn for your testimonial and keep up the good work!

Kind Regards
Oliver Dempsey
29th July 2013
http://www.tradesmen.ie

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Bathrooms Dublin – Best Websites Reviewed 2013

Posted on July 12, 2013 by Oliver Dempsey

For Irish home owners living in the Dublin vicinity, there is an abundance of options available when it comes to looking for suitable Bathroom websites. Dublin has many renowned companies with a strong online presence to showcase their bathroom catering services.

Below we have reviewed some of the best bathroom websites in Dublin that you  should check out when looking at renovating or indeed kitting out a new bathroom.  Our scores were based on 1.  Ease of Navigation, 2. Range of products or bathroom ideas, 3. Existence of a regularly updated blog and 4. How easy it is to find contact details (Call to Action).

Ideal Bathrooms & Tiles

Ideal Bathrooms & TilesIdeal Bathrooms & Tiles are based in Lr Ballymount Road, Walkinstown, Dublin 12.

Ideal Bathrooms & Tiles are stockists of the popular Villeroy & Boch baths and system baths, Huppe shower doors, along with HSK shower doors and enclosures.

Website Score: 9/10
Ideal Bathrooms & Tiles was our favourite out of all these bathroom providers, expanding the customer’s choice by providing them with a broader range of products on display including:- bathroom accessories, bathtubs, shower systems, radiators and even shower trays. We found the site easy to navigate and easy to find contact details.  The website’s one downfall being it’s lack of a blog.

You can see their website at www.idealbathrooms.ie

Classic Bathrooms

Classic BathroomsClassic Bathrooms are located on Longmile Road, Walkinstown, Dublin 12.

Classic Bathrooms showcase a wide selection of bathroom suites and have been providing bathroom conversions in the Dublin area for the past 20 years.

Website Score: 8/10
Classic Bathrooms was our second favourite.  This site was very easy to navigate, giving brief descriptions and images of different types of of fitted bathrooms, show rooms and special needs accessories. Their contact details were available on every page. It provides a variety of bathroom photos. There was no product section and it did not appear to be a blog.

The company’s website is called www.classicbathrooms.ie

Prestige Bathrooms

Prestige BathroomsPrestige Bathrooms is located in Blanchardstown,Co. Dublin.

Prestige Bathrooms offer the following services:- Plumbing, Bathroom refurbishments, Tiling, House renovations, Bathroom installation and Wet room installation

Website Score: 7/10
We found this site a little more difficult to navigate and the calls to action were not obvious. There was a nice selection of bathroom ideas but no product section. It was good to see a blog section on the site but unfortunately it hasn’t been updated since January 2013.

You can see their website at www.prestigebathrooms.ie

Ripples

Ripples BathroomsRipples Bathrooms are situated on 52 Cleggan Ave  Dublin 10.

Ripples are a family based business with services offering bathroom renovation or installation ideas.  They offer a 12 month guarantee.

Website Score: 7/10
This site was quite easy to navigate through with a telephone number and email address visible on each page. The site did not appear to have a selection of products to choose from and it did not appear to have a blog which resulted in a lower score.

You can see Ripple’s website at www.ripples-bathrooms.ie

Brennan’s Home Improvement Centre

Brennans Home Improvement CentreBrennan’s Home Improvement Centre is based at Unit 9, Porters Avenue, Coolmine Industrial, Dublin 15.

Their collection of bathroom samples from manufacturers in Ireland, the UK and Europe is accompanied by a range of tile choices to choose from, including porcelain, marble, ceramic and terracotta.

Website Score: 6/10
The site was easy to navigate and had strong calls to action. The phone number was prominent on every page. The reason for the low score was it’s limited range of bathrooms to view,  with only eleven products showcased by the company.  There did not appear to be a blog associated with the site.

You can see their website at bathrooms-dublin.com

Usher Bathrooms

Usher BathroomsUsher Bathrooms are situated in North West Business Park,Ballycoolin, Dublin 15 .

Usher Bathrooms offer the following services:- Residential Refurbishment, New House Build, Showering, Healthcare & HTM64, Education, Hotel & Leisure, Commercial Developments, Security & Anti Vandal, Special Needs

Website Score: 5/10
The website is a one page website with links to it’s supplier websites.  There did not appear to be a blog.  It misses the opportunity to provide good quality tips and information to their customers.

The website can be located at www.usherbathrooms.com

I hope you found the reviews useful when choosing where to purchase your bathroom sanitary ware, tiles and accessories and especially for getting ideas for different types of layouts and designs.  Make sure to get as many prices as you can to compare prices.  When getting prices make sure you are comparing like with like as there is a huge variation in prices for different brands.  You would expect the more expensive brands and ranges to be longer lasting but it’s not always the case so get a number of plumbers to quote for the job and ask them for recommendations on better lasting brands to help make your decision.

If you decide to go ahead with it you can get a number of bathroom renovation quotes here and get up to 4 quotes fast from rated tradesmen!

Cheers
Oliver Dempsey
Tradesmen.ie
July 12th 2013

Here is another bathroom article that you might be interested in below:-

blog.tradesmen.ie/2012/09/bathroom-renovation-cost-survey

Posted in Website Reviews | 9 Comments

Result and Video of our June Draw 2013

Posted on June 29, 2013 by Oliver Dempsey

100 euro prizeHi folks,

Each month we have a draw for cash prizes for everyone who posts a job on our site and provides feedback. So not only do you get up to 4 quotes Fast from Rated Tradesmen but you could also win a cash prize as well!

The draw for everyone who provided feedback in May was held on June 29th and the 1st prize of €100 cash went to Margaret Callery, Drogheda, Co. Louth.

The 2nd prize of €30 went to Sandra Jordan, Sandyford Rd, Dublin 16

Congratulations to you both and thanks to everyone who provided feedback on our site as it helps to improve the experience for everyone. You can see the video of the draw below:-

And don’t forget that everyone who posts a job and provides feedback will be entered in a draw at the end of each month to win a cash prize!

So what are you waiting for, post your job today!:)

Cheers
Oliver Dempsey
Tradesmen.ie
29th June 2013

Related Keywords: Ireland free competition, competition results, draw results, Irish competition, builders competition, contest winners, cash prize winners, competition entries or entrants

Posted in Prizes and Competitions | 1 Comment

Custom Kitchen Cabinets and Units

Posted on June 25, 2013 by Oliver Dempsey

Today we are going to talk about the pros and cons of Custom Kitchen Cabinets and Units in comparison with semi-custom cabinets or stock units off the shelf.

The first thing that most people think of when revamping their kitchen is what sort of cabinets to fit it out with. Because cabinets can take a big bite out of your wallet, it’s important to choose the right one that reflects what your plans are and also blends into the layout of the kitchen itself.

Custom cabinetry while not the cheapest option, will provide you with exactly what you’re looking for. Due to the labour intensive nature of the work, the price of the finished product is always going to be much, much more than your typical stock cabinets.

For a typical average sized kitchen, you’re talking about a figure of anywhere between €10,000 – €20,000 to get it fully fitted. Obviously your choice of design, materials and finish would factor into this estimation. If you are looking at just getting  one unit custom built then the cost can be anywhere from €1,500 – €5,000, again all depending on the specifications you desire.

The main reason for the increased expense in custom cabinets is due to the fact it can take one or more craftsmen a few weeks to complete the job, whereas mass produced cabinets are built on a production line in a short turnaround timeframe.

A more affordable option would be a semi-custom cabinet which will allow you the best of both worlds. With these cabinets, you are generally offered different styles, wood species, colours and features. They would then be built to order but would be limited by the options provided by the manufacturer. You would have a little more room for customisation compared to the standard stock models.

The advantages of going down the custom road far outweigh the disadvantages.

Standard kitchen cabinets are normally built to a height of 36 inches, which includes the countertop. For some families, this is too high, or too small in order for it to be comfortable. Custom units are built to your specific dimensions.

If you have an unusual layout in your kitchen or a specific floor plan, then custom cabinets can be built to make use of all your available space. This in turn will lead to every inch in the kitchen being taken advantage of.

You can choose diverse cabinet and drawer combinations for your kitchen to accommodate your cooking and baking styles. You may want a cutlery cabinet, wine rack, dust bin drawer, spice cabinet or island cabinetry for your kitchen, all these can be incorporated by a custom fitted solution.

Upper cabinets can also be highly customised and the possible ideas are only limited by what the homeowner can describe. Glass doors are a feature you won’t see much of in stock units off the shelf.

The choice of countertops today range from marble, granite and even slate for kitchen units. These materials are more durable than your standard laminated plastic units from stock cabinets. Having a custom built solution will afford you the choice over what type of countertop you want for your kitchen.

Unless you intend to renovate the kitchen in the future, the custom units will be built to last, and will be a lot more durable than most stock cabinets.

At the end of the day, a customised cabinet solution for your kitchen will be unbeatable in terms of design and aesthetic appeal. While you may be the talk of your neighbours with your splendidly designed cabinets, it will have come at a price!

I hope this helps some of you who are planning to revamp your Kitchen in the future and if you decide to go ahead with it you can get a number of kitchen cabinet prices here and get up to 4 quotes fast from rated tradesmen!

Cheers
Oliver Dempsey
Tradesmen.ie
April 22nd 2013

Here are some other articles that you might be interested in below:-

http://blog.tradesmen.ie/2013/04/tips-for-building-your-perfect-kitchen-extension/
http://blog.tradesmen.ie/2012/04/do-i-need-planning-permission
http://blog.tradesmen.ie/2012/04/certifying-my-building-or-renovation
http://blog.tradesmen.ie/2013/01/construction-contracts-why-are-they-needed
http://blog.tradesmen.ie/2011/10/attic-conversion-prices-dublin-ireland
http://blog.tradesmen.ie/2012/04/house-extension-prices-dublin-ireland/
http://blog.tradesmen.ie/2012/07/conservatory-prices-and-sunroom-prices/
http://blog.tradesmen.ie/2013/03/garage-conversions-things-to-remember-when-planning-to-convert-your-garage/

Posted in Price Comparisons, tips | Leave a comment

Video Testimonial from Tradesman Andew Cronin, HD Roofing Services

Posted on June 17, 2013 by Oliver Dempsey

Andrew Cronin, HD Roofing ServicesThis is a video testimonial from tradesman Andrew Cronin, HD Roofing Services, Newbridge, Co. Kildare.  HD Roofing Services provide a wide range of roofing services that include the following:- New/re-roofing, Repairs, Roof inspections, Low pressure roof cleaning, Guttering, soffit and fascia, Tile re-sealing, Free quotations and inspections.

Their website says that they are, “focused on providing a high-quality roofing service and are driven by customer satisfaction”.  It goes on to say that they will do everything they can to,  “meet your roofing needs, with a reliable friendly service.”

Below is a list of reviews by users of Tradesmen.ie:-

Score: 8/10
I am very happy with the job. It was done in the agreed timeframe and at the agreed price, to a good standard, which is basically all you can ask. – Michael Garvey, Newbridge, Kildare
———————–

Score: 9/10
Totally professional and extremely competent.Also pleasant to deal with . – john Dillon, dublin, Dublin 22
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Score: 10/10
Delighted with andrew and john. Very professional and knowledgeble. – karen english, naas, Kildare
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References from previous customers for Andrew Cronin:-

I am happy to recommend Andrew Cronin and HD Roofing ltd, they fixed my roof problem and sorted out the water damage. I found them to be both efficient and a pleasure to deal with. I have passed on their names to friends and family without hesitation. – Sean Byrne, Naas, Kildare
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Andrew has worked with Kildare Village over the past 6 Months. Andrew is professional in his relations and workmanship with Kidlare Village. His work is to a high standard as we only work with contractors that have a high proffesion standard of work. I would have no hessitiation in recommending Andrew for work and hope to continue doing buisness with him. Please contact me should you need any further information. Regards Martina – Martina Culbert, Kildare, Co Kidlare
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I phoned hd roofing and spoke to Andrew.i explained I had a leak in my roof and I needed it dealt with as soon as possible as I was flying out the following night.he asked me questions about the damage if any and we’re I thought it was coming from.he arrived at my house promptly and assessed the inside and outside and the following day himself and a colleague arrived at my house and repaired the leak.i was pleased wit the work they carried out and the cost was reasonable I wud recommend them. – Grace Dolan, Clondalkin, Dublin 22
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Andrew was prompt, reliable, respectful and a very clean worker. A pleasure to deal with, would hire him again with no hesitation. – Jane Travers, Newbridge, Co. Kildare
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We were delighted with the job that was done on our roof and gutters. There was a build up of moss on the garage and on some of the granite, it has now dissappeared. The gutters were filthy as it had been nearly six years since they were done. Andrew and his colleague were very professional I would highly recommend their company. – Sue Hannon, Clonee, Meath
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Andrew and John did work for me last year I had a major moss problem on the roof of my house which was constantly falling to the yard. They did a fantastic job. They also did some roof repairs and replaced Fasica and Soffet. Their work was very professional and the moss treatment is perfect months later. They are also pleasant to deal with and there are so many cowboys doing this work HD roofing are a breath of fresh air. I recommend them highly and would have no hesitation in using them again – Willie Hannon, Curragh, Kildare
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Excellent work. Very competitive price. The lads were very professional and punctual. I have no hesitation in recommending Andrew and his crew to others. – Joe Mason, Walkinstown, Dublin 11
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For more information visit their website at www.hdroofingservices.com

You can see other testimonials from Tradesmen and Customers Below:-

http://blog.tradesmen.ie/2013/05/tradesmen-ie-testimonial-from-tradesman-keith-moran-km-construction

http://blog.tradesmen.ie/2013/05/tradesmen-ie-testimonial-from-tradesman-colin-hayes-hayes-group

http://blog.tradesmen.ie/2013/04/tradesmen-ie-testimonial-from-tradesman-nicky-moran

http://blog.tradesmen.ie/2013/04/attic-conversion-testimonial-from-tradesmen-ie-user-patrick-quane

http://blog.tradesmen.ie/2013/01/video-testimonial-happy-customer-gives-feedback-2

http://blog.tradesmen.ie/2013/02/customer-talks-about-her-experience-with-tradesmen-ie

http://blog.tradesmen.ie/2013/04/video-testimonial-orla-fahy

And always remember these 4 tips below when hiring a tradesman:-

1. Ask for phone numbers of references so that you can check them out

2. Check insurance of the tradesman where insurance is required

3. Hire a suitably qualified architect, building surveyor or building engineer if the job is anything to do with a new build, building renovation or extension

4. Agree on some sort of stage payments for the job. Remember that full payment should not be made until the job is complete and has been inspected by you, and if necessary by a certifier.

Thanks Andrew for your testimonial and keep up the good work!

Kind Regards
Oliver Dempsey
17th June 2013
http://www.tradesmen.ie

Posted in testimonials | 2 Comments

Result and Video of our May Draw 2013

Posted on May 29, 2013 by Oliver Dempsey

CongratulationsHi folks,

Each month we have a draw for cash prizes for everyone who posts a job on our site and provides feedback. So not only do you get up to 4 quotes Fast from Rated Tradesmen but you could also win a cash prize as well!

The draw for everyone who provided feedback in April was held on May 29th and the 1st prize of €100 cash went to Dan Duhig, Glanmire, Co. Cork.

Linda Devlin, 2nd prize winner on Tradesmen.ie May Draw

Linda Devlin

 

The 2nd prize of €30 went to Linda Devlin, Priorswood, Dublin 17 (thanks for the photo Linda:))

 

 

Congratulations to you both and thanks to everyone who provided feedback on our site as it helps to improve the experience for everyone. You can see the video of the draw below:-

And don’t forget that everyone who posts a job and provides feedback will be entered in a draw at the end of each month to win a cash prize!

So what are you waiting for, get posting today!:)

Cheers
Oliver Dempsey
Tradesmen.ie
29th May 2013

Related Keywords: Ireland free competition, competition results, draw results, Irish competition, builders competition, contest winners, cash prize winners, competition entries or entrants

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Will Stricter Building Regulations Improve Building Standards in Ireland? PART I

Posted on May 27, 2013 by Oliver Dempsey

New building regulations 2013PART I of III

The Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2013 (the “Regulations”) were signed into law in April of this year by Phil Hogan, Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government.  The new measures will be effective from 1 March 2014.

The current system is one generally of self-regulation but the new regulations will include a statutory system of certification for design and construction.

The new regulations will apply to works that involve the creation of a building
(including a single dwelling unit), an extension greater than 40 square metres or
require an application for a Fire Safety Certificate in accordance with Part III
of the Building Control Regulations 1997 to 2013.

The main change is that a revised form of Commencement Notice will have to be submitted prior to the commencement of building works.  Some of the points required in the Commencement Notice include the following:-

1.    Such plans, calculations, specifications and particulars as are necessary to demonstrate how the proposed works or building will comply with the requirements of the Second Schedule to the Building Regulations relevant to the works or building concerned,
2.    A Certificate of Compliance (Design),
3.    A Notice of Assignment of Person to Inspect and Certify Works,
4.    A Certificate of Compliance (Undertaking by Assigned Certifier),
5.    A Notice of Assignment of Builder, and
6.    A Certificate of Compliance (Undertaking by Builder)

There will also have to be documents and a certificate of compliance submitted on completion of the build.

There will be a Code of Practice for persons inspecting or certifying the building.

The question is will these new regulations be enough to make buildings in Ireland completely safe and to avoid the problems like we had with the likes of Priory Hall in the past?  On the plus side have the following:-
1.    The new regulations require certification in relation to design and construction.
2.    There will be an inspection plan for each building to which these regulations apply.
3.    There will be a stronger emphasis on the competence of the builder.
4.    The proposed Certificates are a huge improvement on the current ‘opinions of compliance’ and will instead ‘Certify’ compliance.

On the negative side there are some deficiencies in the new regulations as follows:-
1.    The new system of certification does not seem to apply to building renovations or extensions less than 40 square meters,
2.    It does not require the builder or property owner to take out insurance cover for the build.
3.    The regulations will only be effective if the proper resources are given to police them and to carry out random inspections.
4.    There is no requirement as to the independence of the certifier.

The Code of Practice (yet to be released) will be very important and I hope it will require that professionals are on site at certain key stages of the build such as when…

PART II >>

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Will Stricter Building Regulations Improve Building Standards in Ireland? PART II

Posted on May 27, 2013 by Oliver Dempsey

New building regulations 2013<< Continued from Part I.  The Code of Practice (yet to be released) will be very important and I hope it will require that professionals are on site at certain key stages of the build such as when pouring concrete.  In relation to inspections by local authorities I think that in these days of the Internet, smartphones and GPS technology there is considerable scope for radical innovation to reduce costs and ensure more effective timing of inspections.  For example it should be possible to input up to the minute information about such things as when delivery of concrete is due and the co-ordinates of the site so that inspectors could be on site before and during the pour of the concrete.

In the future it looks like the Government are planning to have a register of Builders and approved inspectors/certifiers and that this register would be accessible online.  In addition to this I would like to see an online register of insured builders with up to the minute information on insurance policies and photo IDs.  This could be created by the relevant Government department in conjunction with the insurance companies by linking to their databases through an application programming interface (API).  I would also like to see a similar online register of businesses with up to the minute information on tax compliance.  This should be very easy for the Revenue Commissioners to provide as this it is already accessible through www.ros.ie for the businesses themselves.  It should also be possible for websites such as Tradesmen.ie to access this information for the benefit of it’s users.

Some commentators have argued that the new regulations are a way for the government to shift the responsibility of certification from the Authorities to the property owner, builder and the certifier.  Some people have expressed concerns that the new regulations will add to overall construction costs.  I think it is important to point out that regulation and certification are there to protect us as consumers.  These regulations help to ensure the safety of people who live, work or use buildings.   There is always going to be an extra cost with additional regulation but it is worth that cost for the extra safeguards that it provides.  However, if an online system is properly implemented for submitting plans, documents and certificates the cost of such regulation can still be kept to a minimum.

Notwithstanding the additional safeguards that the new regulations provide, I think it is important that we as property owners should really take responsibility and a keen interest in everything that is going on during a new build, renovation or extension.  If we were spending €20,000 on a new car wouldn’t we make sure to carry out a lot of research before we made the purchase?  We would make sure the make and model of car we were buying is reliable, will have minimum maintenance costs and will have a good resale value when we trade it in.  During our research we would read reviews of the cars and ask a trusted mechanic for his advice.

In a similar way when we carry out a new build, extension or renovation, we should…

CLICK HERE FOR PART III >>

 

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