Choosing a steel fabricator in Dublin: ten questions to ask
Most people buy fabricated steel once or twice in their life, usually under time pressure. These are the questions that separate a quote you can rely on from one that will cost you later.
Certification and quality
Ask whether they are certified to EN 1090-1 and to which execution class, and ask for the certificate number and notified body. Ask whether the declaration of performance comes with the steel automatically. Ask whether they operate a quality system such as ISO 9001.
These are not bureaucratic questions. Structural steel without the documentation is a problem at building control sign off, and it cannot be fixed retrospectively.
Scope and price clarity
Ask what the quote includes: connections, drilling, finish, delivery, craneage, documentation. Ask how long the price is valid, because steel markets move. Ask what happens if the drawings change after the order.
Comparing two quotes only works when they cover the same scope. The cheaper one is often cheaper because it excludes delivery or the finish.
Programme and communication
Ask for a delivery date rather than a lead time, ask who you deal with during the job, and ask what happens if your site is not ready on the day. A fabricator who will hold finished steel for a week without drama is worth a lot on a live site.
Ask whether they produce shop drawings for approval. That approval step is where errors get caught cheaply.
Capability and evidence
Ask what they do in house. A workshop that cuts, drills, folds and welds under one roof controls its own programme; one that subcontracts every step is at the mercy of others. Ask to see comparable work.
Churchtown Steel is EN 1090-1 EXC3 and ISO 9001:2015 certified, fabricating in Dublin 22 since 2013, with cutting, drilling, folding and welding all in house.
Want this priced for your own job? Send us your drawings or a photo and we will come back with a fixed price, usually within one working day.
Common questions
Need this done properly? Talk to the workshop.
Send us drawings, a sketch or a site photo. We come back with a fixed price and a firm lead time, usually within one working day.