Operating out of Portmarnock in Dublin, Castlegrange Building Services has delivered an impressive portfolio of stunning, high-end new build, extension and refurbishment projects over the past decade and a half. Building Ireland interrupted managing director Brian McGrath’s busy schedule to find out more.
Synonymous with superior workmanship and the most exacting attention to detail, Castlegrange Building Services consistently and meticulously creates dream homes.
Whether it’s a new build, extension and / or renovation, the end result is always the same – a comfortable, striking, energy efficient living space that invariably meets, nay exceeds the expectations of homeowners and architects alike.
The company prides itself on delivering high-spec, industry-leading work and this non-negotiable hallmark is why Castlegrange Building Services has established itself as a go-to residential building contractor in the capital, currently active on a series of magnificent, high-end extension / refurbishments in the greater Malahide / Howth / Portmarnock / Clontarf area – extensive transformations that effectively result in new homes!
“While we also do one-off new houses, the majority of our work at the moment is large refurbishments,” Brian reveals. “We’re currently working on five major renovations of existing homes – these tend to be largescale projects where everything is stripped back to the four walls and a new energy-efficient home is built. It’s all very high-end work where we are upgrading old homes to modern standards, with a focus on airtightness, heat pumps, underfloor heating and solar energy.”
One of the ongoing projects at the time of writing is an extensive architectural reimagining of a 4,500 square foot home in Malahide, where the combination of a complete refurbishment alongside a series of extensions will culminate in a spectacular brand-new home.
From Brian’s perspective, as a builder, it’s extremely satisfying to see a large, ambitious project like this taking shape slowly but surely: “You put everything into it and when you see the progress that’s made every week, you take a lot of pride in that. We started on site there in November, 2024 and will be handing over in February. That’s a particularly large project and watching it come to life off the architect’s drawings has been very enjoyable.”
Indeed, to build at this level of excellence, one must have an innate love of construction. To this end, at Castlegrange Building Services, Brian has surrounded himself with a fantastic team of skilled, experienced and enthusiastic tradesmen, using only the best of the best in-house staff and subcontractors. The fact that everybody buys into the ethos of the company – i.e. quality workmanship – is paramount to its success and viability.
“I have the same crew with me all the time,” the progressive, energetic and client-focused Dublin builder continues. “I’m very, very lucky to have a great crew of lads who have been with me for a long time. Without good workers, you wouldn’t have a business. We have a team of 14 direct staff and also use a tried and trusted crew of electricians, plumbers, etc. They all know the standards I expect and we all work well together.
“We’ve also built good relationships with a few very good architects, who appreciate the work we do and tend to refer a lot of work locally.”
The very nature of the local area and the fact that greenfield space is at a premium in Dublin dictates that in general there will likely be more extension / renovation projects than new builds: “A lot of people here are buying old homes and doing them up, or they are living in old houses from the ‘80s and realise that it is time to bring them up to an ‘A’ or ‘B’ energy rating and in so doing completely refurbish them.
“A lot of these homes wouldn’t have been touched by a builder since they were first built, so in many cases the best thing to do is a full refurbishment with insulation, rewiring and a new heating and energy system, etc.”
As a carpenter by trade, Brian has always been cognisant of the importance of applying a tidy, professional and precise finish to everything. “We’re very conscious of the quality of our work because this is high-end stuff and the finish is very important,” he confirms. “We have a superb crew of second-fix carpenters and they operate to very exacting standards.
“The attention to detail is second to none – it has to be – and communication is another thing that’s very important. We collaborate closely with the client and with architects and engineers to make sure that the completed project is to everybody’s satisfaction.
“At the end of the day, it does all boil down to the detail in the finish and that’s where you get the continuous work from. Once you pay close attention to the architect’s and engineer’s specs and listen closely to the wishes of the client, then there’s every chance you are going to leave good work behind you, which should lead on to more work. All our work comes from referrals and recommendations.”
With a proven track record for delivering dream homes, Castlegrange Building Services has come a long way in a relatively short space of time to firmly establish itself as a high-end contractor. Going forward, Brian feels that the business is currently at a good size, so consolidation will be the goal rather than growth:
“Ideally, we’d like to stay at the size we’re at and keep the continuous work coming,” he concludes. “We’ve a good crew of lads here and a good system going. Normally, we’d be working on four or five projects at any given time, with five or six vans on the road, so we’re set up nicely for that volume of work and the goal is simply to keep doing what we’re doing.”
Castlegrange Building Services Ltd.,
Portmarnock,
County Dublin.
Tel: 087 6650971
Email: [email protected]
Web: castlegrange.ie
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, January 2026, Vol 12 No 1
Castlegrange Building Services, featured
