Quality is the hallmark of Behan Builders Ltd. – an exceptional second-generation family-run construction firm operating with distinction out of Shanagolden in County Limerick for more than five decades. Building Ireland spoke to hands-on director John Paul Behan to find out more about the full range of turnkey construction services consistently delivered to industry-leading standards.
Constantly striving for and invariably achieving construction perfection, the Behans have been building in Limerick since 1971. Founder Mike Behan and his son John Paul, who established Behan Builders as a limited company in 2006, share the same exacting ethos when it comes to construction standards and this is why the family business has not only stood the test of time but continues to deliver some of the most outstanding residential and commercial building projects in the Treaty County.
“It’s all about quality,” confirms John Paul, who like his father is a fully-qualified carpenter by trade. “From the very first day he started building, if a job wasn’t right, then my father wasn’t happy. Every job had to be 110 per cent, nothing less.
“I took that approach from him and have continued in exactly the same vein. If I see something that I’m not happy with, then it will come down again and will have to be re-done. It would really bother me if it wasn’t right.”
It doesn’t take long to work out how Behan Builders has established itself as the go-to construction contractor in Limerick, providing a complete turnkey service in-house – from the initial point of contact right through to the turning of the key in the front door – on a comprehensive array of domestic and commercial projects, from one-off new builds to extensions, refurbishments, renovations, roof repairs and everything in between.
Embracing the latest technology and with an innate respect for tradition, Behan Builders’ excellent team of experienced, qualified and conscientious building professionals boast an exemplary track record for always producing outstanding workmanship to deliver high-quality, client-focused solutions, to programme and on time, resulting organically in a high volume of repeat business as well as new referrals through positive word of mouth.
The seamless continuity between father and son – coupled with the fact that Mike and John Paul are cut from the same cloth when it comes to their meticulous approach to construction – has been a major factor in the longevity and continued high standards reached by Behan Builders.
“Dad is still involved and his name and influence will always be an important part of the business. He started out trading as Michael Behan in 1971 and had two lads with him in the early days, doing a lot of work in the locality, around Shanagolden and the Port of Foynes. I have been with him since I was 16 and learned my trade from him. He gave me an excellent platform to learn from – and provided me with a skillset in carpentry, blocklaying, plastering and many other invaluable skills of the trade. We’re hands-on and if there is an issue anywhere I will spot it and resolve it straight away.
“In all the years we have been in business, we have never been out of work, thankfully. Even during recessions, we have always had plenty of work. We provide quality workmanship and we collaborate with the client all the way through from start to finish. From when we first meet the client, we will work with them and help them through the whole process.”
John Paul has scaled back on the number of direct staff employed in favour of a model of using tried-and-trusted subcontractors, who are essentially part of the extended Behan Builders team at this stage. “It’s a system that works out better for me and we tend to use the same guys all the time. Some of them have been with us for 20+ years.
“They are all top-class specialists, who excel in their trades and can bring the best modern innovations and skills to any project – slabbers, roofers, spray foam insulation experts, etc. We have a lot of subcontractors travelling from Killarney and they are all there when I need them and we know we can trust them to provide outstanding workmanship every time.”
Project-wise, Behan Builders provide a healthy mix of residential and commercial work, with the capacity to project-manage and oversee all aspects of each project from start to finish. Two years ago, they completed an extensive extension / refurbishment of Pallasgreen Community Centre, where John Paul led from the front with conviction and dealt with engineers, architects and QS’s, reroofing and re-slabbing the building, completely overhauling the interior and even organising new speaker and lighting systems. At the time of writing, Behan Builders were in the final stages of a transformation of Broadford Community Hall, including extension, refurb and reroof.
Another turnkey project at Cappagh National School comprised of a three-classroom extension, new toilets and corridors, including everything from groundworks through to tarmacadam and landscaping. John Paul is currently working on four one-off new build houses, which are at various stages of completion – one is at ground level, one at roof level, the third is being plastered and another is being second-fixed.
“All the work is generally within a 30-mile radius and I never have to venture outside Limerick, which is handy,” he notes. “There are two more new builds ready to start as well as a large refurbishment in Croagh, so we have plenty of work ahead of us.
“Health & Safety is a very big thing with me. I always go above and beyond to make every site as safe as possible, as my number one concern is that all the lads who work for me are doing so in a safe environment. You can’t beat the peace of mind that brings.”
The success and growth of Behan Builders over the decades is proof positive that quality is key in construction. At this point, their reputation for excellence precedes them: “We’ve done a lot of work in Foynes, on the pier and the port and we also built offices down there for the port authority. We went in there for one job and ended up staying there for ten years!
“We have our name on the vans but we don’t advertise at all outside of that. All the work comes from repeat business and word of mouth. I had four calls this morning alone on recommendations from architects,” John Paul concludes. “It’s always nice to hear that somebody is recommending you on the strength of your previous projects. It’s very rewarding and you know that you must be doing something right.”
An understatement, if ever there was one!
Behan Builders Ltd.,
Kimehere,
Shanagolden,
County Limerick.
Tel: 086 0305263
Email: [email protected]
Web: behanbuilders.ie
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, October 2023, Vol 9 No 10
