With more than three decades of experience, Mountainlodge Mechanical Services is one of Ireland’s premier plumbing and heating contractors, delivering a full range of services to both commercial and residential projects in the Greater Dublin area. Building Ireland touched base with founder / commercial director Stephen Shanley to get an insight into this industry-leading family operation.

Since its inception in 2002, Mountainlodge Mechanical Services has delivered highest-quality plumbing, heating and mechanical solutions on a growing number of projects from large apartment developments, churches and hospitals to office blocks, hotels and private homes, including high-spec and period houses.

The directors boast over 30 years’ experience and the team at Mountainlodge pride themselves on working closely with design teams and main contractors to deliver full mechanical packages on time and within budget. All on-site staff are fully-qualified in gas and certified with RGI and attend regular training days on new products that are coming to the fore.

The on-site staff are backed up by a highly efficient office team which helps with both logistics and technical back up.

Services provided across the Greater Dublin area and surrounding counties include all mechanical works, ventilation, geothermal, air-to-water heat pumps, boiler servicing and replacement, SEAI heating upgrades and underfloor heating.

The success and popularity of this family business – which is fronted by Stephen Shanley alongside wife Lorraine (director) and brother Paul (contracts manager) – can be gauged from the fact that gainful employment is generated for a crew of 24.

The core of the key personnel has been on board since the company’s inception and the consistently outstanding workmanship that follows on from this continuity results in a high level of repeat business conducted with satisfied clients, including many reputable main contractors.

At the time of writing, Mountainlodge Mechanical Services were busy working on projects for regular client’s BM Durkan (Castleknock Tennis Club and a development at Pottery Road for Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council) and Cannon Kirk Group (a residential development at Waterside, Malahide) Mycete (Whitefields Manor Bettystown) as well as a trio of residential developments for Homeland Projects, namely Stanford Park, Foxrock; Churchtown village; and St Mary’s, Baldoyle.

Regarding the key to his company’s success down through the years, Stephen notes: “Having the know-how to deliver the work and the adaptability to work seamlessly with design teams. As well as having our own knowledge of what we are doing, we are also able to adapt in a pressurised environment and always remain open to suggestions. By being flexible and adaptable, we can provide services exactly as required.”

The focus is very much on providing quality services at all times: “We offer a very high-quality service and we deliver all projects on time and within budget,” Stephen confirms. “This is a given and you must have the right people, the right products and the right suppliers to achieve this. Being approachable and contactable and being able to work closely with design teams and main contractors is vitally important.”

Even though the vast majority of work is carried out within Leinster, Mountainlodge Mechanical Services have worked as far afield as Cork. “At the present time, the vast majority of our work is residential developments and high-end, one-off houses,” Stephen points out.

Of course, maintaining an in-depth knowledge and understanding of products, systems and legislation is vital to the development and viability of all mechanical services contractors. “You have to keep abreast of regulations that are coming in, stay up to speed and keep yourself informed on what’s current, and also be aware of what’s coming down the line. The plumbing industry has changed dramatically over the last 10 years and will continue to do so” says Stephen.

Compliance and Health & Safety are at the heart of everything Mountainlodge Mechanical Services do, be it installations or maintenance, and having an excellent team of plumbers, fitters and engineers – with low staff turnover – contributes to the company’s exceptional track record in this regard.

All personnel are highly-skilled and -motivated and a fresh fleet of service vans and customer support units ensures the fast and efficient delivery of all services.

Mountainlodge Mechanical Services has come a long way in its 16 years of existence. Surviving a recession that wreaked havoc with the construction sector was an achievement in itself and the steady organic growth that has been experienced since suggests that it’s onwards and upwards for this exemplary commercial and residential plumbing and heating specialist.

“Our objective going forward is to consolidate the business and keep going at the pace we have been going at,” Stephen concludes. “We’re aiming to maintain the market share we have and to keep our people in work. Finding labour is quite difficult at present and that could present an obstacle to growth but we kept going through the downturn and we held onto all of our key staff during those challenging times – something we’re very proud of.”

Mountainlodge Mechanical Services,

H2K House,

Dunshaughlin Industrial Estate,

Dunshaughlin,

County Meath.

Tel: 01 8240836

Email: [email protected]

Web: www.mountainlodge.ie

Taken from Building Ireland Magazine, October 2018, Vol 4 No 9

Mountainlodge Mechanical Services