Celebrating 10 years in business, LM Costello Construction Ltd is a leading ICF installer and carpenter specialising in Castleforms insulated rafts, ICF walls, roof structure and roof finishes. The Mountmellick, Co. Laois-based contractor’s modern construction solution epitomises durability and energy efficiency.
Over the past decade, LM Costello Construction has successfully delivered an exceptional portfolio of one-off, high-performance, rapid-build homes across the West and Midlands. Embracing modern methods of construction, the company also offers clients a project management option on completion of their new home or a full turnkey package from start to finish.
Insulated Concrete Formwork (ICF) is an increasingly popular method of building construction using lightweight and hollow insulation forms that fit together and are then filled with concrete. Once set, the concrete becomes a high-strength structure and the formwork remains in place as thermal insulation.
A building constructed using the Castleforms ICF system will achieve far higher thermal, sound and fire performance standards than traditional construction methods such as block or timber frame, and at a much lower cost for comparable performance than any other building system available today. A house built with ICF systems will easily meet the building regulation’s requirements for air-tightness, junction thermal bridging minimisation and U-Value needed for an A3-rated home as standard.
Castleforms is a manufacturer of high-quality Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) insulated products and systems that are used in the new build and retrofit construction sectors. The company manufactures and distributes two insulated construction systems that utilise EPS, namely Raft Therm and ICF Therm.
Raft Therm is a NSAI certified insulated foundation system used in the construction of residential homes and commercial buildings. Reduced cold bridging and exceptional U values as low as 0.1W/m²K are achieved by wrapping the sides and underneath of the concrete foundation and ground floor in a continuous layer of high density Expanded Polystyrene (EPS).
ICF Therm is a leading ICF system offering a proven alternative to traditional building methods. As a Modern Method of Construction (MMC), it ensures an exceptional thermal performance and enables a fast, efficient build with minimal mechanical equipment on site. ICF Therm can be used with Raft Therm, further improving the thermal performance.
ICF Therm is a cost-effective EPS ICF block available in a range of wall thicknesses, providing excellent performance and value to any construction project. The combination of its interlocking system and reversible block pattern makes for a fast and easy installation, while considerably reducing job site waste. The wide range of insulation thicknesses and concrete core sizes allows for limitless design possibilities.
Larry Costello set up LM Costello Construction in 2015 and is now building 25 new ICF homes a year. His team consists of seven fully-qualified carpenters who are supported and supplemented by the same tried and tested subcontractors, including ACE Electrical, Warmth Ltd and plasterers H&S and Shane Scanlon. His main suppliers are Castleforms, Spollen Concrete, Smyth’s of Killucan and Chadwicks Ballinasloe.
The vast majority of Larry’s projects are carried out in collaboration with James Lohan Consulting Engineers. Based in Roscommon Town, the practice is a multi-disciplinary team of engineers and architects who offer a complete service ranging from initial assessment and conceptual drawings through planning applications to construction and supervision.
“The main package we offer is a shell of insulated rafts, ICF walls and the roof, which is provided using all my own direct labour,” Larry explains.
“There’s a great draw for that package and once the envelope is ready, we can recommend subbies to go in and finish the house off – the same electricians, plumbers, plasterers, etc. that I’d use on our own turnkey package, only I let the clients deal directly with them. My subbies will always go because they are getting 25 houses a year out of it and it pays them to make themselves available.
“We do a handful of turnkey houses every year as well because some clients just prefer the whole thing finished and it eliminates the need for direct labour. We can look after everything bar the kitchen units and tiling.
“The third package we offer is a project manager on top, where we do the shell and then provide a project manager to oversee the rest.”
The affable managing director continues: “People are becoming more familiar with ICF construction which has many advantages over traditional construction methods. One of the big advantages is that it’s about 50% faster than traditional methods. We can put up a shell in four weeks and there is typically a five-month turnaround if building in a sequence.
“It eliminates the need for block layers, who are in extremely short supply at the moment, and there are no hold-ups caused by wet weather which is always an issue in Ireland.
“ICF also provides superior thermal and sound insulation, air tightness, fire safety and structural strength, while SEAI grants are also available for external wall insulation aimed at boosting thermal efficiency.”
Superior workmanship, value-for-money, an unwavering commitment to Health & Safety, sustainability and working closely with clients to deliver total satisfaction are the hallmarks of LM Costello Construction. From concept to completion, Larry and his expert team are with you every step of the way, ensuring that your new project is designed and built to your specific needs and to the highest standard.
“Regardless of which package the client wants, the whole process is very efficient and quick. It took us a while to get to where we are, but we are here now. We have everything programmed and lined up with our suppliers and subbies and it’s working very well. If the client has the money ready and we’re not waiting for drawdowns, we can get the shell of the house up in a matter of weeks and it’s ready to go.”
Larry is full of praise for his team, adding: “As a carpenter myself, I stick with the carpenters. I used to do a lot of joinery fitouts of apartments and I kept all the best guys and have a good crew of Irish lads here with me now.
“They are all knowledgeable and they all know exactly what is going on on-site at any given time. Clients can talk to any of them at any time and they know every project inside-out.
“We do all the joinery ourselves as well and I’d have my own lads back second-fixing on a lot of the sites. We’d do 15 to 20 of those every year and that work keeps the lads happy. They are a nice crew and most of them have been with me seven or eight years already. I’m very happy with them.”
A native of Galway, Larry now lives in Mountmellick with his wife Michelle and their children Ella (four), Danny (two) and baby Anna.
“We moved to Mountmellick in 2023, but most of my work is still in Galway where we currently have 15 new builds taking place. It takes time to establish your name in a new area,” he points out.
As LM Costello Construction continues to go from strength to strength, Larry would like to take this opportunity to thank his clients and suppliers for their continued support as well as his staff for their hard work, dedication and expertise.
Here’s to the next 10 years!
LM Costello Construction Ltd
Acragar,
Mountmellick,
Co. Laois.
Telephone: 087 906 0052
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: L.m.costello_construction
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, June 2026, Vol 12 No 6
featured, LM Costello Construction
