With over 30 years’ combined experience in the construction industry and a dedication to delivering high-quality work, Larkrock is your go-to SEAI-approved One-Stop-Shop in Dublin.
2024 got off to a great start for Larkrock who featured on the hit RTÉ television programme ‘Room to Improve’. Sandra and Daniel Davey bought their dream home in Knocklyon, Dublin over four years ago. However, the house was so cold that Sandra, Daniel and their two young children spent most of their time in the front room. The Davey’s got in touch with architect Dermot Bannon with an incredibly tight budget to create a more functional, energy-efficient home.
With an initial budget of €130,000 and the SEAI grant, QS Claire Irwin brought in the expertise of Larkrock to complete the entire build and retrofit. Focused on delivering warm, energy-efficient homes that prioritize quality and future-proofing, all while aiming to minimize energy costs and overall energy usage effectively, the SEAI-approved One-Stop-Shop specialist completed a remarkable transformation of the home that surpassed all expectations. The total build cost ended up at nearly €175,000 and the homeowner received grants worth nearly €26,000, and the total build cost was €149,000.
Fronted by Damien Tracey and employing 16 people directly, who are supported and supplemented by over 100 tried and trusted subcontractors, Larkrock is one of the select few companies registered by the SEAI as a One-Stop-Shop providing SEAI upgrade grants and builders works in Dublin.
Larkrock managing director Damien Tracey comments: “Larkrock were delighted to have the opportunity to showcase what we can do and with the feedback we received.
“It’s amazing the amount of people who watch the show. It was a challenging project, but a very rewarding and enjoyable experience. Our clients were more than pleased with the finished product.”
The collaboration with ‘Room to Improve’ involved a deep retrofit project, far exceeding the scope of a typical SEAI One-Stop-Shop grant upgrade. This transformative project involved a complete reconfiguration of the home, presenting an opportunity to reimagine and renew several aspects of the property.
The original home faced numerous challenges, meaning a comprehensive renovation was required. The home owners’ objectives and visions were not only to enhance energy efficiency through SEAI One-Stop-Shop grants, but also to create additional living space and reimagine family areas for a more functional and comfortable living environment. As Daniel spent so much of his time in his kitchen for work, it was imperative that Larkrock and Dermot created a uniquely special area for him. Daniel wanted to create an outdoor office area that he could work from, and record videos and podcasts for his clients.
Given the extensive scope of the project, detailed planning was required. Collaborating with all stakeholders was essential to ensure progress and adherence to the Davey family’s vision. Larkrock wanted things to run as smoothly as possible and stayed close to the homeowners throughout.
Detailed planning sessions were carried out by the Larkrock team outlining every aspect of the project, covering design, logistics and execution. The contractor collaborates with a network of skilled tradespeople on a regular basis and can bring painters, tilers and carpenters into the design process and project implementation. During this particular project, Larkrock was able to introduce many from its network and their contributions were pivotal in bringing the Davey family’s vision to life.
Furthermore, Larkrock has established trade discounts with leading floor and bathroom wholesalers across Dublin. To further enhance cost efficiency, the family was able to tap into its network. This not only streamlined procurement, but also allowed the builder to pass on cost benefits to the homeowners, contributing to overall project affordability, something it brings to all projects.
The reimagined spaces have given the homeowners a new lease of life, and with increased energy efficiency and insulation upgrades, they now have a cozy home to live in. Originally a C3 BER-rated home, it now possesses an A1 BER rating. While the SEAI One-Stop-Shop grants were instrumental in achieving energy efficiency goals set out by the Davey family, the project delivered far beyond, with expanded living spaces and a home that now showcases what can be achieved with a deep retrofit project.
As such, Larkrock will: manage your home energy upgrade and heating upgrade grant from start to finish; provide all the contractors and specialists to guide you from initial home assessment and design through to project completion; identify the best solutions for your home, give you a quote on works, organise and manage works completion, apply for the SEAI One-Stop-Shop grants on your behalf and discount all available supports from the overall upgrade cost invoiced to you.
To be eligible for One-Stop-Shop grants, your home should: be built in or before 2010; achieve a minimum BER B2 after the upgrades; complete a deep upgrade (BER reduction in energy use of 100kWh/m2/year which your BER assessor will advise you on, e.g. going from C3 to a B2, C1 to a A3).
A full list of SEAI One-Stop-Shop grants is available to view on www.larkrock.ie which also has a two-minute questionnaire to get you started with your home energy upgrade. Larkrock’s Dublin-based team will organize a full home energy assessment which includes a review of your current BER. The cost of this is €850 and a grant of €350 is subsided off this. They also offer an additional cost plan service with this discounted to €300.
The assessment includes: an update BER assessment; a roadmap of potential upgrades to get to a B2 or potentially A-rated; a SEAI Heat Pump Technical Advisory Report (the purpose of the report is to outline the recommended pathway to achieving compliance with the SEAI heat pump grant requirements); full quotation of the proposed works and any recommendations by Lark rock of the cost benefits of these upgrades.
“The Government’s target is to retrofit 500,000 homes by 2030. That was a major factor in us going down this road,” Damien says.
“There were 10 SEAI One-Stop-Shop grant specialists initially. There are now 18. It took us 12 months to qualify for the scheme. It isn’t for everyone. You have to have the right personnel and expertise.
“The areas we specialize in are insulation, heat pumps, windows and doors, ventilation, solar PV, renovations and extensions. From Day 1, having the right insulation is a must. Once the fabric of the house is right, we recommend upgrading the windows and doors to triple glaze if the budget allows. We then recommend installing a heat pump, which is 300% more efficient than the traditional methods, and provides a constant temperature of 21°C all day long.
“The typical cost of retrofitting a mid-terrace home is between €40,000 and €70,000. The SEAI are working to finalise low-interest loans with the banks. Most of our clients also look for small improvements elsewhere on top of the retrofit measures and typical budgets are between €60,000 and €180,000. It’s all part of the package we offer. We don’t shy away from any type of work.
“We have huge insurance cover behind us which provides additional peace of mind for our customers. As we continue to grow, our biggest challenge is to find a way around the labour shortage and to have teams we can trust.”
He adds: “The message from ‘Room to Improve’ is that the SEAI grants are available to modernise existing houses and to get the energy efficiency and spatial side of things right.
“We were a development company before one of my colleagues came to me about 18 months ago with the idea of becoming an SEAI One-Stop Shop grant specialist. It was a no-brainer because there is more long-term certainty in the energy upgrade market and it gives us the opportunity to grow.
“A lot more people are thinking about energy upgrades than there were a few short years ago. There’s a movement to get old housing stock upgraded and that’s where we can lend our expertise.”
Larkrock Ltd
Seamount House,
Malahide,
Dublin,
K36 W718.
Telephone: 01 845 5553
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.larkrock.ie
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, July 2024, Vol 10 No 7
