Welcome to Issue #23. This week we've a short notice on our new trading hours, a look at the fresh Q2 construction output figures and what they mean for the autumn book, plus a compliance reminder on periodic inspection reports that's caught a few lads out lately. Product spotlight this week is on wall lights, the fitting most under-quoted on hallway and stair rewires.
📢 Shop Notice: New Opening Hours at Shamrock
Please note our updated trading hours, effective immediately:
- Monday to Friday: 7am to 5pm (previously 5:30pm Mon-Thu, 5pm Fri)
- Saturday: 9am to 1:30pm (unchanged)
Plan your trade counter runs accordingly, particularly on Thursday evenings when we used to stay open the extra half hour. If you need something outside hours, call ahead on 01 401 9907 and we'll do what we can.
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📰 Industry News
Construction Output Figures Show Residential Still Under Pressure
The CSO's latest Production in Building and Construction Index continues to show residential construction lagging the rest of the sector. Following the AIB Construction PMI reading of 45.4 for June we covered a fortnight ago, industry commentary through July has confirmed the trend: residential is the weakest of the three sub-sectors, civils remains in prolonged contraction, and only commercial and industrial fit-out is holding up.
What's new since we last covered this: The mid-summer trade press is now flagging a clearer split between new-build and retrofit. New-build starts are down, but retrofit, extension and one-off rural work is where the volume is coming from, backed by the SEAI grant pipeline. That matches what most of you are telling us at the counter.
What it means for you: If your autumn book is looking thin on new-build, don't wait for it to come back. The work that is happening is retrofit, extension, attic conversion and heat pump connection. Get your name in front of the One Stop Shops, retrofit coordinators and local architects handling extension work now, not in October.
Safe Electric Reminder on Periodic Inspection Paperwork
Safe Electric has reissued its guidance on periodic inspection reporting following a rise in queries from landlords and letting agents preparing for the September rental turnover. The core message: a Periodic Inspection Report is not a Completion Cert, and confusing the two on paperwork is causing arguments at handover.
The key points to remember:
- A Completion Cert covers new installation or alteration work you carried out. It goes on the Safe Electric portal.
- A Periodic Inspection Report is a health check of an existing installation. It does not certify new work.
- If you find defects during a periodic inspection, the remedial work needs its own Completion Cert once done.
- Landlords increasingly want both documents before a new tenancy starts. Price accordingly.
What it means for you: August and early September are peak rental turnover months, especially around college towns. Expect landlord calls asking for "a cert for the electrics." Clarify upfront which document they need, and quote the periodic inspection as a separate line item from any remedial work. Do not bundle them.
⚖️ Compliance Update: BER Regulations Reminder for Non-Domestic Work
A quick reminder that the European Union (Energy Performance of Buildings) Regulations 2026 have been in force since 24 May. If you're doing commercial fit-out, office refurb or hospitality work this autumn, the revised BER thresholds for non-domestic buildings apply.
For electrical contractors the practical impact is on lighting specifications. Older 4000K T5 fluorescent layouts and legacy halogen downlight schemes will not hit the new thresholds. If a client is calling for a full lighting refresh, factor in:
- LED-only fittings with published lm/W efficacy on the datasheet
- Presence detection and daylight dimming where the room use allows
- Emergency lighting compliance to I.S. 3217 as a separate line, not folded into the general spec
Assessors are increasingly picking up on lighting control gaps. If you're being asked to fit-and-forget switches on a commercial job that also needs a new BER cert, flag it to the client in writing before you install.
🌿 August: Finishing Renovations Before the School Run
August is finishing month. The bathrooms started in June, the attic conversions started in May and the extensions started before Easter all need to be signed off, snagged and handed over before the school run resumes on 27-28 August. The lighting decisions that got parked in July suddenly need answers.
Two rooms consistently under-lit on domestic renovations:
- Hallways and landings. Often left on a single pendant. In a two-storey house that means a dark landing at the top of the stairs, which is both an insurance issue and a real trip hazard. Wall lights on the stair wall solve it properly.
- Ensuite bathrooms. Often finished with a single overhead downlight over the sink, casting shadow on the face. A pair of IP44-rated wall lights either side of the mirror is the fix.
Both are easy add-on lines to a nearly-finished job, and both are the sort of thing a homeowner will thank you for suggesting rather than resent as an upsell.
🔦 Product Spotlight: Wall Lights for Hallways, Stairs and Ensuites
Our wall lights range covers the interior side of the wall-mounted fitting market: reading lights beside beds, picture lights over stair walls, IP44 bathroom sconces for either side of vanity mirrors, and simple half-domes for landings.
Pair these with our ceiling lights for the primary light source, and LED downlights where a low-profile flush fitting is needed. Between the three ranges most domestic renovation lighting schedules are covered off the shelf.
Also worth flagging for August finishing work: LED strip and linear fittings for under-stair, cove and wardrobe applications. Cheap add-on lines, high perceived value at handover.
Trade pricing: The prices on the website are retail. Registered trade accounts get materially better rates, and on ceiling and wall light bulk orders the difference is worth a phone call every time. Ring the counter on 01 401 9907 or email sales@shamrockelectrical.ie with your list and we'll price it properly.
Consumer units, RCBOs, MCBs and switchgear for the boards behind these jobs remain available in-store at Greenogue. Call ahead if you want a full board made up ready for collection.
💡 Contractor Tip of the Week: Managing August Cashflow Before the Autumn Book
August is a strange month for the trade. Renovations are finishing, invoices are going out, but homeowners are on holiday and slow to pay. Meanwhile the autumn book is filling up and you need cash to buy in materials for September starts. Here's a five-step routine to get through August without a squeeze:
- Invoice within 48 hours of sign-off, not at month end. On a finished bathroom or attic, the homeowner is standing in the room with the new lights on and delighted. That is the moment to hand over the invoice, not three weeks later when the novelty has worn off and they're back at work.
- Ask for the final payment before you issue the Completion Cert. Perfectly reasonable, standard across the trade. Make it clear on your quote from the outset so nobody is surprised.
- Chase the June and July invoices this week. Anything over 30 days gets a polite phone call, not another email. Email chases are ignored in August.
- Book September materials now, pay on account. If you know you have three kitchen jobs starting the second week of September, price the fittings this week while suppliers are quieter and lead times are shorter. Trade account terms mean you're not out of pocket.
- Ring-fence one week for your own break. August is the only realistic window before Christmas. Block it out in the diary now, tell your regulars, and stick to it. Burnout in September helps nobody.
📅 Dates to Know
- Monday 3 August: August bank holiday, just passed. Rental turnover season now live.
- Late August: Schools reopen 27-28 August in most Dublin catchments. Domestic renovation deadline.
- September: Autumn commercial fit-out season begins, particularly retail and hospitality.
- Every Wednesday: The Spark lands in your inbox.
That's it for this week. Note the new hours, keep an eye on those August invoices, and if you need a hand pricing up an end-of-summer renovation lighting schedule, give us a shout. Trade counter is open Monday to Friday 7am to 5pm and Saturday 9am to 1:30pm.
The Shamrock Electrical Team
Greenogue Business Park, Rathcoole, Co. Dublin
01 401 9907 | sales@shamrockelectrical.ie
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📖 Previous Issues
- Issue 007: Irish fuel protests ended (ran 7-14 April), government survived no-confidence vo
- Issue 006: Iran ceasefire agreed (day 38), oil down 16% biggest single-day fall since 1991,
- Issue 005: Easter bank holiday opening hours, Iran war day 32 escalation, LED emergency bul
- Issue 004: Iran war week four alleged ceasefire signals, dynamic electricity tariffs launch
About Shamrock Electrical Supplies
Shamrock Electrical Supplies is an electrical wholesaler and retailer based in Greenogue Business Park, Rathcoole, Co. Dublin. We supply professional electrical contractors and homeowners across Ireland.
Contractors who open a trade account get competitive trade pricing, reliable stock availability, and a team that knows what they are talking about.
Find Us
Shamrock Electrical Supplies
Unit 22, Block 613, Jordanstown Road
Greenogue Business Park
Rathcoole, Co. Dublin, D24 TX98
Opening Hours
Monday to Friday: 7am to 5pm
Saturday: 9am to 1:30pm
Sunday: Closed
Get in Touch
📞 01 401 9907
✉️ sales@shamrockelectrical.ie
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