Celebrating 10 years in business, Tracey Scaffolding is a leading scaffolding provider working on some of the biggest projects in Dublin and surrounding areas.
At the forefront of delivering scaffolding services to the residential sector, Tracey Scaffolding has earned an enviable reputation for service, professionalism and safety in what is a vital, but often undervalued sector within the construction industry. While the company was founded in 2015, its owner Paul Tracey has almost a quarter of a century’s experience in the trade.
“I’ve been at it since the age of 17. That’s 24 years ago so I know the business very well at this stage,” the affable Dubliner explains.
“I initially operated as a sole trader / subcontractor before setting up this company in 2015. We’ve grown to employ 25 people and many more on a subcontract basis. We’ve become a second-generation business since my 19-year-old son Ashley came on board. My younger son, Jack, is in Transition Year in secondary school, and hopefully he’ll join us in a few years too.
“We excel in delivering quick, efficient, innovative and safe solutions, no matter how large or small the project is.
“Above all else, we pride ourselves on our staff who are reliable, knowledgeable and hard-working, and undergo continuous training to keep them at the top of their game. We wouldn’t have got to where we are today without them.”
Based in Tallaght, Tracey Scaffolding always delivers for its clients and meets all safety requirements for every project it works on. All of the scaffolding firm’s equipment and fittings are continually tested to meet construction industry standards. With residential projects accounting for up to 90% of its overall business, Tracey Scaffolding is involved in a wide range of developments, including new builds, extensions, renovations, new construction sites, houses, apartments and private work.
The company has also managed scaffolding projects for film, TV, music festivals, power stations and pharmaceutical plants in the past.
“We do a small bit of commercial and industrial work, but it’s mostly residential. That’s what we know best and where we have found our niche,” Paul explains.
“We’re currently working on a number of large residential projects in and around Dublin. We also have two trucks on the road carrying out one-off jobs such as chimney, roof and gutter repairs and renovations. We launched a new website a few years ago and that has directed a lot of household repair jobs our way. We also work closely with FAIRCO Windows on an ongoing basis.”
Tracey Scaffolding has built up an impressive client-base which includes some of the country’s leading home builders and developers, including Glenveagh Homes, Cedarbridge Developments, Harcourt Developments and Principal Construction. Paul enjoys an excellent working relationship with his clients and provides a top-class service, regardless of the project size.
Tracey Scaffolding is currently collaborating with Glenveagh and Cedarbridge on 300-unit projects in Clonmagadden, Navan and Taylor Hill, Balbriggan respectively. In addition, it is engaged with Principal Construction in a development of 20-metre-high apartments in Granby Lane, Dublin 1 and is starting the next phase of a development in Citywest for Harcourt Developments. “We’ve finished work on 50 houses and are now moving on to six apartments in Citywest,” Paul reveals.
The scaffolder’s expert team are supported and supplemented by the same tried and trusted subcontractors. These include Robert Navan of Navan Scaffolding, Declan Grimes of Safe Touch Scaffolding and Joe Hudson of Twin Towers Scaffolding.
The scaffolding system used by Tracey Scaffolding is Kwikstage Scaffolding, which is one of the most popular types of scaffolding used in Ireland. Its popularity comes as no surprise considering its relative ease of use, robustness and durability.
Kwikstage is a modular scaffolding system widely used in the construction industry. It is a type of scaffolding designed to be quick and easy to assemble and dismantle, making it ideal for projects requiring frequent changes or adjustments. The Kwikstage system consists of prefabricated components that can be easily locked together without needing special tools or equipment. The essential elements of the Kwikstage system include vertical standards, horizontal ledgers, diagonal braces, and adjustable base jacks.
Furthermore, Kwikstage is known for its durability and strength and can support heavy loads. It is also versatile and can be used in various applications, including building construction, bridge construction and industrial maintenance.
“We’ve always used it and find it the best system to work with. We used Layher for a while, but found it to be expensive and that it depreciated very quickly. We use tube and fitting scaffolding as well,” Paul adds.
Whereas he once insisted on employing fully-trained scaffolders only, Paul now takes on apprentices and sends them to Boston Training in Allenwood, Co. Kildare for their training. Boston Training, or Boston Access Scaffold Supplies, is run by Larry Henry.
“There’s an onus on people like me to bring through the next generation of scaffolders,” he says.
“Scaffolding is an essential part of any construction job, but has only been recognised as a trade in recent years. You got a labourer’s wage rather than a tradesman’s wage. Thankfully, that has changed and being a scaffolder is now a well-paid job which is helping to attract more young people to the sector.”
As Tracey Scaffolding continues to go from strength to strength, Paul would like to take this opportunity to thank his clients and supporters for their unwavering support as well as his team for their dedication and skill.
Here’s to the next 10 years and many more!
Tracey Scaffolding Ltd
Cloonmore Avenue,
Jobstown,
Tallaght,
Dublin 24.
Telephone: 085 148 4483
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.traceyscaffoldingtallaght.ie
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, April 2025, Vol 11 No 4
