Michael McNeill — A Background in Construction, Property & Energy Performance

Together with his brother Sean, Michael co-developed and project-managed two substantial detached homes overlooking Loughshinny Harbour.

He was involved throughout: planning, selecting the architect, engaging contractors, monitoring construction, setting property specifications, arranging development finance and handling the sale of one of the homes. The project gave him a working knowledge of residential construction and of what it takes to deliver a home from site to sale.

Michael worked as Office Manager with Budapest Invest, an Irish-owned residential property investment and development company. His role covered identifying properties, assessing investments, redesigning apartments, and planning and managing refurbishments.

Working alongside architects and draughtsmen, he helped prepare reconfiguration proposals and CAD plans. He was also involved in a family-home construction project in Kismaros, Hungary.

In 2009 Michael set up BER Essential to specialise in domestic Building Energy Ratings, working with homeowners, landlords, estate agents and property professionals.

Years of assessments have made him familiar with the full range of Irish homes — from older solid-wall houses to modern builds — and with the construction methods, heating systems and energy-efficiency measures found in them.

For around two and a half years Michael worked with SSE Airtricity's One Stop Shop home retrofit service. He carried out residential surveys, advised homeowners on energy upgrades and prepared quotations for coordinated whole-home retrofit projects.

With KSN Energy, Michael carried out surveying and inspection work connected with the SEAI Warmer Homes Scheme, which provides free energy upgrades to eligible homeowners.

Michael's experience across residential construction, property development and home energy upgrades shapes how he approaches every assessment. That practical background means he understands what he is seeing in a property — the construction, the detailing and the systems behind the figures — and can set out the rating, its limitations and the most sensible next steps in plain language. For customers, it means a BER that is not only accurate, but genuinely useful.