The sky is the limit for CB Scaffolding, who have been consistently delivering unrivalled scaffolding solutions throughout Dublin and Leinster for 17 years and counting. We touched base with hands-on proprietor Chris Byrne to find out more about the full range of industry-leading scaffolding sales, hire, erect and dismantle services provided.
Fronted by Malahide man Chris Byrne, CB Scaffolding is a one-stop shop for all residential, commercial and industrial scaffolding needs, while recently-formed sister company GBS Plant Hire provides a full teleporter sales and hire service.
CB Scaffolding supply and erect scaffolding around buildings of every shape and size, from a loose chimney on the top of the smallest bungalow to the spire of the tallest church, invariably bringing the highest levels of professionalism, safety and accessibility to bear on new build, restoration, repair, upgrade and maintenance projects for a who’s who of clients across the capital and neighbouring counties.
“At the end of the day, in this line of work, it’s all about quality and safety,” notes MD Chris Byrne, who boasts almost two decades of experience in delivering scaffolding excellence. “We’re members of the STA [Scaffold Together Association], which is doing fantastic work in raising safety and operational standards and has been instrumental in introducing a new scaffolding code of practice as well as a new apprenticeship scheme.
“The STA is playing a key role is helping keep scaffolding standards high and that can only be positive for everybody in the industry. We fought for that apprenticeship scheme for two years and it was great to get it over the line, so that we will have new blood coming through – scaffolders who will be trained to the highest possible standards. The industry is changing for the better and this is a good time to be involved in scaffolding.”
Chris currently oversees a team of five fully-qualified and vastly-experienced scaffolding specialists, with the capacity to design a system to suit each individual project as well as offering a labour only option if required. “We could be involved in 20+ jobs at any given time,” he reveals. “We do a lot of residential and commercial jobs, including private self-builds. In terms of catchment area, we will go wherever the client wants us to go but we are predominantly focussed on Leinster. At the moment, we have seven jobs close to home here in Malahide, which is handy.
“We recently added a number of teleporters to the fleet and are getting into plant hire. Even though I set up a sister company for the teleporter hire, it’s really part of CB Scaffolding, an additional service we’re providing.”
As for the key to consistently providing a top-class scaffolding service, Chris wastes no time in declaring that “Health & Safety is the main thing. That has to be your No.1 priority at all times. After that, you strive to do a good job, using the best materials and personnel, do it efficiently and to programme and make sure the client is happy with your work.
“We offer either hire and erect or hire only on the scaffolding side, while the teleporters are hire only for the time being at least.”
CB Scaffolding benefits from a large volume of repeat business and is also regularly picking up new clients. Some recent and current projects include Lidl in Tyrrelstown for Glebe Builders; a high-profile job to remove a well-known sign on one of Dublin’s busiest streets – Bachelor’s Walk, off O’Connell Street; a stunning apartment block on the beach front on Coast Road, Malahide; 200 new houses in Tyrrelstown for MDY Construction; as well as projects for Bayview Contracts, Murney Construction (four high-end houses) and Fitzpatrick Construction (five townhouses and an apartment complex in Blackrock). Chris and his team also worked extensively for Dublin City Council during the height of Covid.
“We also do quite a few one-off houses in North Dublin. We’re doing a lot of solar panels and external insulation upgrade work at present,” he continues. “Scaffolding is needed for all kinds of building and maintenance projects and it’s an area where you simply can’t cut corners. You have to comply with all Health & Safety guidelines and you have to use fresh, clean and safe materials. We only use the best.
“I’ve just invested in 2,500 new scaffolding boards which I bought directly from the manufacturer in Latvia and brought in through Warrenpoint. I also have good contacts in India and China and we are constantly updating our stuff. I always replace the boards with new ones after five years.
“I like to update the steel too because it looks better and creates a better impression. I’d often sell stuff on even though there’s nothing wrong with it, but the new boards and new steel look really good in place and it helps to create a positive impression.”
Through the aforementioned scaffolding apprenticeship programme, Chris has recently taken on one apprentice and hopes to add a second soon. He also has two sons who he hopes will join him in a couple of years and perhaps take over the running of the family business sometime in the future.
“This new apprenticeship course or scheme is a comprehensive one and it goes on for two years, one of which is spent at college in Portlaoise,” he points out. “It will produce scaffolders of the same standard as you get in England – and England is renowned internationally for scaffolding. So that scheme is going to help take things to the next level. All in all, these are progressive times for scaffolding in Ireland.
“We’re very busy at the minute but there are no plans to grow the business in the short term,” Chris concludes. “I’ll keep it at this size for the time being, until all the lads are trained in. There’s strong demand for our services at the moment. I was offered a couple of bigger jobs recently but we’d prefer to stick mostly with the smaller residential and commercial jobs for the time being and reassess the situation in a few years’ time.”
CB Scaffolding Ltd.,
Swords Road,
Malahide,
Dublin.
Tel: 01 8456001
Mobile: 085 7087224
Email: [email protected]
Web: cbscaffolding.ie
Facebook: www.facebook.com/cbscaff
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, November 2023, Vol 9 No 11
