For coming up on 20 years, Alan Cribben Electrical has been delivering unrivalled electrical contracting solutions across an impressive portfolio of residential, commercial and industrial projects throughout counties Kildare, Dublin, Meath and beyond. We interrupted the eponymous founder / proprietor’s busy schedule to find out more about the industry-leading services provided.
The large volume of repeat business generated by Alan Cribben Electrical Ltd. [A.C.E.] speaks for itself. With a proven track record for delivering outstanding solutions, this vastly-experienced, fully-certified and highly-motivated electrical contractor is in big demand right now, having carved a niche for itself working on largescale multi-unit residential developments within the Dublin commuter area.
At the time of writing, up to 90% of their work was with renowned home builders Glenveagh Properties, with whom Alan enjoys an excellent long-term working relationship. “We’re delighted to have a long association with Glenveigh,” the Kildare man confirms. “We are one of the longest-serving contractors with Glenveagh, having been with them since they were Bridgedale Homes. We’ve worked consistently with them on large residential sites down through the years and have grown hand in hand with them.
“I’m fortunate to have a good relationship with Glenveagh, as we started out around the same time. I suppose it was just good timing. I was lucky in that I have been with them so long and I got to strike a personal relationship with their directors when they were still a small company. It might be difficult to strike up a relationship like that today. But we got to know them early and, as their business progressed, so too did ours.”
As well as providing full electrical fit outs on Glenveagh’s developments, Alan Cribben Electrical Ltd. also carry out one-off private residential work and excel in small commercial projects. The standard-setting RECI-certified business was established by Alan – alongside his wife and fellow director Charlotte Deeney – in 2003 and offers a full range of electrical contracting solutions on new builds and existing properties alike, from house wiring / rewiring to security lighting, electric showers, periodic inspection tests, access control, electric gates, replacing old fuse boards, additional sockets, etc.
Very much the archetypal hands-on owner, Alan oversees an excellent in-house team of experienced, qualified and friendly electricians to ensure that every project large or small is completed to the highest standards pertaining to industry. “We’d have up to 20 men on site at any given time and they are all experienced, qualified lads,” he continues. “We also bring through our own apprentices. Getting young lads who are prepared to work and prepared to listen and learn can be a challenge these days, so I find you are better off getting them raw. It’s a really good career for young lads who are prepared to learn.
“We pride ourselves on doing the full fit out – we can help with the electrical design if required and then take the first and second fix as well as commissioning and handover.”
Current projects include a stunning new Glenveagh development of beautifully-crafted, spacious three- and four-bedroom homes called Bellingsmore in Tyrrelstown, Dublin 15; a breath-taking development of two-, three- and four-bedroom terrace, detached and semi-detached family homes at Ledwill Park near Kilcock in Kildare; and an exclusive development of three-, four- and five-bedroom homes named Effernock, situated on the Dublin Road in Trim, County Meath; with work on a 187-unit development of stylish family homes at Walker’s Gate, Kildare town, due to start soon.
Previously-completed, highly-acclaimed developments of note include Holsteiner Park in Clonee, Cois Galaisin in Navan and Butterstream Manor in Trim, to mention just a few. Alan has also worked extensively down through the years for the Healy family, who run Blessington Plant Hire and the popular 33 South Main pub, restaurant and live venue in Naas.
With their reputation for exceptional workmanship preceding them, Alan Cribben Electrical have never been busier. Benefiting from a high level of repeat business as well as positive referrals through word of mouth, Alan has earned a reputation as an electrical contractor of choice and is determined to safeguard this hard-earned reputation by continuing to invariably deliver high-quality, value-added solutions.
To achieve this, creating and fostering a positive and productive working environment is imperative: “Customer support is very important and meeting the targets they set as they are under enormous pressure to meet their own programmes,” he notes. “Being able to work to deadlines is a big thing, so you have to be organised. You have to build good working relationships with site management and you must be able to work hand in hand with other trades.
“It’s a team effort at the end of the day and you have to have a good relationship with all the other lads on site. From your own perspective, you have to have a good working system in place and it has to be structured. Things have to flow well, so you work to a plan and everybody has to be on board.”
Training is crucial and all A.C.E. personnel are fully-qualified and upskilled on a continual basis in working at height, manual handling and Safe Pass. “Safety is a huge thing and we have to comply with the very high safety standards that Glenveagh – and our other clients – insist upon,” Alan stresses.
“On Glenveagh projects, there are regular whiteboard meetings on site where every trade highlights to one another what they are going to be doing that day and this is a great way of flagging any potential hazards, ensuring awareness and safety on site and to make sure that everybody is working together on the same page.”
Of course it’s not all plain sailing as the past two years have presented significant unprecedented challenges as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, while seemingly-exponential increases in the cost of materials and the sheer volume of paperwork required to run a contracting business are far from ideal.
“One of the biggest problems in construction is sourcing staff,” Alan concludes. “Quality labour is hard to come by. Having said that, we are at a nice size at the moment and are busy, so I’m happy enough to keep things as they are. Instead of targeting growth, you are better off controlling what you already have and making sure every project is completed to the most exacting standards.”
Alan Cribben Electrical Ltd.,
Sallins,
County Kildare.
Tel / Fax: 045 856144
Mobile: 086 2243464
Email: [email protected]
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, June 2022, Vol 8 No 6
