From Welding to Fabrication Onsite – How Extreme Balconies is Pivoting the Skills of Traditional Trades to Modular Assembly
With modular construction lending itself to repeatability and predictable production, Extreme Balconies has been able to improve operations with reduced inefficiencies and increased productivity. That has come with adapting metal fabrication skills to the reality of onsite modular assembly and installation.
As the national Government and construction sector look to build thousands of new homes for a growing population, all parties to this development will be looking up. Apartments, coupled with public infrastructure and transport links, are space-efficient way to house thousands of people on greenfield and brownfield sites across Ireland.
Building apartments can also offer repeatability and standardisation in design, assembly, and installation onsite. Modular construction lends itself well to this – and is a niche that Extreme Balconies, with locations in Co. Dublin and Co. Kildare, excels in.
Balconies were traditionally constructed onsite to specification by subcontractors for different parts of the superstructure. This meant measuring, cutting and welding to a range of dimensions, and installing customised cladding and fireproofing. All on a live site with other parts of the build going on at the same time, reducing space for works and increasing the chances of errors and inefficiencies in assembly and installation.
Manufacturing balconies offsite to standardised specifications offers numerous benefits. For designers, there is less design work. Metal Fabrication Technicians offsite have repeatable work in controlled indoor conditions. For site workers, it means faster and safer installation. And developers and main contractors are assured of a high-quality building product that can just be ‘plugged and played” on any development.
The key figure for Extreme Balconies across their projects is Graeme Boland, Site Installation Manager.
Graeme leads on module assembly and installation, ensuring quality and efficiency onsite while managing personnel safety and industry compliance. He also manages communications and resourcing for Extreme Balconies’ multiple projects to ensure all sites have the modules, equipment, and installers needed to finish works ‘just in time’.
“Everything we do is more coordinated—and easier to coordinate—than it used to be. With our project management tools, I can ensure modular balconies are ready to go in time to be dropped to site, with an area cleared to store them, and module installers and MMC Riggers have access to the buildings to begin work. I can also coordinate with the client’s foreman, as well as the project manager, on progress. It’s much more effective than linear way we used to do things.”
Site Installation Manager, Extreme Balconies
In combining Lean principles such as just in time and offsite manufacturing, Extreme Balconies can make major efficiency improvements. In manufacturing, repeatability of the design and build means production can be better planned out. With modular units produced at a dependable rate, Graeme can plan their transport to site as they are completed. And, once onsite, modules can be installed on a dependable timescale.
This level of coordination drives down the cost and increases the productivity of Extreme Balconies’ onsite operations. On an ongoing project at the major Seven Mills site being developed by Cairn Homes in Dublin 22, the company installed an incredible 52 balconies in on day. This wouldn’t be possible without Graeme’s management, or his metal fabrication experience and knowledge of the Extreme Balconies product.
“I started out with Extreme Steel as a Welder. After I completed my trade, I met Damien and joined the team. Back then, it was just the three of us and we were manufacturing balustrades, steel posts, and other metal components – mostly for Cairn Homes. As the years progressed, I became factory foreman to manage our welding team, and then moved into a site Construction Supervisor role.”
Site Installation Manager, Extreme Balconies
Graeme then explained how the company pivoted to Modern Methods of Construction:
“The executive team began to take note of modular prefabrication and decided to try it. It was around this time I became Site Installation Manager, where I have been for 4-5 years. My trade background has helped me understand how the modules are manufactured, while being onsite has helped me develop skills in problem solving and communications which I had wanted to expand anyway.”
Site Installation Manager, Extreme Balconies
When asked about the future, Graeme said he was “keen to continue growing with Extreme Balconies”, pointing to learning more about modular product development. He also wants to keep building communications skills, particularly with client architects and engineers, and get involved in mentoring younger steel fabricators and installers.
“Apprentices don’t really need the metal fabrication skills for work onsite like they used to. They now need to be more well-rounded, with technical skills in module assembly, material handling, and teamwork and communication. I want to help younger lads with that transition from the factory to the site.”
Site Installation Manager, Extreme Balconies
This willingness to share skills and develop talent is integral to how Extreme Balconies operates. Damien Donegan, Founder & Managing Director, says apprentice welders are paired with experienced modular assembly operatives “from day one”, first in the manufacturing facility in Co. Kildare to ensure best practices are passed on. These newer workers can then be deployed onsite where they will work “hands-on, side-by-side" with experienced installers to ensure they learn practically by doing the work.
Someone who has been in both positions before is Site Supervisor Daniel Smullen.
Approaching his fourth year with Extreme Balconies, Daniel joined as an apprentice welder after working as an Assistant Manager in SuperValu. He worked between the manufacturing facility and live sites for the first months of his apprenticeship, learning how the modular units are assembled and installed. After Phase Four of his trade, Daniel was recently promoted from his onsite installer role to Construction Supervisor.
“My role requires me to organise resources onsite and ensure the production elements are all in place for assembly and installation. It’s different skills you need beyond just being on the toolbox. You have a greater range of equipment you need to be able to use, and you need to coordinate with operatives, riggers, foremen – all sorts. But I have management experience from SuperValu, and I think I’m good at dealing with people and managing those relationships.”
Site Supervisor at Extreme Balconies
Daniel has spent more than two of his three years with Extreme Balconies onsite, specialising in implementing skills fabrication skills for assembly and installation. With his new supervisory role, Daniel now focuses on coordination, project planning and resourcing, and quality assurance – leadership qualities he would like to keep building.
“I have done short courses in leadership, one recent one through Cairn Homes to help their contractors excel onsite. I want to keep that development going.”
Site Supervisor at Extreme Balconies
Extreme Balconies are sharing the story behind their success with a facility tour in Clane, Co. Kildare, on Wednesday 24 June – with event registration still open. A part of the Skillnet MMC Accelerate’s Business Support Events, attendees will get the chance to see how Extreme Balconies manufacture and install their balcony systems.
“Hosting the event at our facility is a big deal for us. It's one thing telling people what we do, it's another showing them. The live demonstrations and facility tour do the selling better than any brochure could. We also see it as a genuine opportunity to give something back to the industry. We've learned a lot on our journey into modular construction and if we can help accelerate that shift for others by opening our doors and sharing what we know, we're proud to do it.”
Damien Donegan, Founder & Managing Director of Extreme Balconies
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