What Does Sullivan Steel Build for Farmers?

Sullivan Steel designs, fabricates and erects agricultural steel buildings across Ireland — farm sheds, livestock buildings, hay and silage stores, dairy parlours, machinery storage, and bespoke agricultural structures. We work with farmers from the first site visit through to handover, including TAMS 3 grant applications and the new shed roof replacement scheme. Most of our agricultural work is across the South East, but we travel anywhere in Ireland for larger projects. Build times range from 6 weeks for an exempted shed up to 8 months for larger TAMS-funded projects.

Why Farmers Choose Sullivan Steel

Farmers don't have time for messed-up builds. The shed needs to be ready before silage. The calf shed has to be sorted before next spring. The machinery storage can't wait until autumn. Here's what makes Sullivan Steel different for agricultural buildings:

We're farmers' contractors. Most of our agricultural work comes from word of mouth between farmers. That's only sustained if we deliver — on time, to budget, and built properly. We protect that reputation.

Built around how you'll actually use the building. A working livestock shed isn't the same as a machinery store. A dry feed barn isn't the same as a slurry storage tank. We spec each build around what you're using it for — not from a standard template.

TAMS 3 grant expertise. We work with farmers going through TAMS 3 every week — including the new shed roof replacement grant launched December 2025. We quote against scheme specifications as standard and know what the Department will approve.

In-house fabrication. Standard kit sheds come in standard dimensions. If your site or operation needs custom — different span, unusual layout, integrated features — our Wexford workshop fabricates to spec. Pure erector contractors can't.

One team, start to finish. Same crew from the first site visit to the final flashing. No coordinating between separate fabricators, erectors and cladders.

Local accountability. Our yard is in Ballingly, Wellingtonbridge. Real address, real team. If you need an extension five years from now, you ring the same people who built it.

Agricultural Steel Buildings We Build in Ireland

Sullivan Steel builds every type of agricultural steel structure across Ireland:

Livestock buildings. Dairy parlours, cubicle sheds, calf housing, sheep sheds, pig and poultry units. Built to suit the animal welfare requirements, ventilation needs and cleaning protocols of the operation. Anti-condensation cladding standard on livestock-sensitive builds.

Hay and silage sheds. Round-roof or apex sheds for hay storage, walled silage clamps, fodder storage. Sized to match annual yield and machinery access.

Machinery and equipment storage. Tractor sheds, machinery barns, fertiliser stores, fuel storage compliant with regulations. Built around the kit you actually run.

Dairy parlours and milking sheds. Specialist agricultural builds requiring controlled environments — insulated cladding, proper drainage, regulatory compliance.

Slurry storage tanks and stores. Above-ground and below-ground slurry systems compliant with Nitrates Directive requirements.

Grain stores and dry feed barns. Controlled-environment storage for grain, dry feed and supplements — typically requires insulated panels and proper ventilation.

Multi-purpose farm sheds. Mixed-use buildings combining storage, machinery, and livestock under one roof. We design around the operational reality, not a one-size-fits-all template.

Re-roofing and re-cladding of existing buildings. Restoring older agricultural sheds rather than replacing them. See our re-roofing service page for full details.

Agricultural Buildings and the TAMS 3 Grant

If you're a working farmer planning a new build or re-roofing an existing shed, you should almost certainly be applying for TAMS 3. Between 40% and 60% of the cost can come back to you through grant funding — and on a €40,000 build, that's €16,000–€24,000 back in your pocket.

Key TAMS 3 figures for 2026:

• 40% standard rate for most farmers
• 60% rate for young farmers, women farmers, organic farmers, and Farm Safety applications
• €90,000 investment ceiling per holding (€160,000 for partnerships)
• New for 2026 — shed roof replacement grant at 60% rate

We work with farmers going through TAMS applications all the time. We provide quotes against scheme reference costs, coordinate with your agricultural adviser if needed, and never start work before written approval comes through.

For the full TAMS 3 application process, eligibility rules and common mistakes that lose farmers the grant, see our TAMS 3 grant for steel sheds guide.

Do I Need Planning Permission for a Farm Shed?

For most agricultural sheds on working farms in Ireland, the answer is no — but only if you're inside the exemption limits.

Headline rules:

• Up to 300 m² for livestock or slurry storage (cumulative over any 4-year period)
• Up to 900 m² for other agricultural use (cumulative over any 4-year period)
• Must be at least 10 metres from any public road
• Must be at least 100 metres from any neighbouring house (not your own)
• Must be for genuine agricultural use

You may still need a Section 5 declaration confirming the build is exempted development — a formal mechanism from your local authority for getting a binding answer.

If your project sits outside any of these limits, you'll need full planning permission, which adds 8–12 weeks (or longer) to the timeline.

For the full breakdown of the rules and where farmers most often get tripped up, see our guide to planning permission for steel sheds in Ireland.

Our Agricultural Building Process

Every agricultural project we take on follows the same approach:

1. Site visit and consultation. We come out, walk the site, talk through what you're trying to achieve — what the building's for, how you'll use it, what machinery or animals it needs to accommodate. No quotes off a phone call.

2. Detailed written quote. Steel spec, cladding type, doors, flashings, groundworks, exclusions, TAMS-aligned spec if applicable. All in writing before you commit.

3. Planning and TAMS coordination. If you need planning permission or a TAMS application, we work alongside that timeline. We never start work before approvals are in place.

4. Fabrication. Steel fabricated in our Wexford workshop to your spec — including any custom features.

5. Site preparation. Concrete base, drainage, service connections — coordinated as part of the scope.

6. Erection and cladding. Frame goes up, cladding goes on, doors and flashings finish the building. Typically 5–10 working days for a standard agricultural shed.

7. Final inspection and handover. Walkthrough, snag list addressed, sign-off. For TAMS projects, payment claim documentation provided.

For full information on realistic timelines, see our steel shed build time guide.

Agricultural Buildings Across Ireland

Based in Wexford, working primarily across the South East — Wexford, Waterford, Wicklow, Carlow, Kilkenny, South Tipperary. For larger agricultural projects we travel further across Ireland.

For smaller farm builds, we tend to stay closer to home because the economics work better when we're not driving five hours each way. But for substantial projects with the right timing, we'll travel.

If you're outside the South East and planning an agricultural build, ring us — we'll give you a straight answer on whether we can take it on.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do I need planning permission for a farm shed in Ireland? For most agricultural sheds on working farms, no — provided you're inside the size, setback and use restrictions. Up to 300m² for livestock or 900m² for other agricultural use, at least 10m from public roads and 100m from neighbouring houses. See our planning permission guide for full details.

Q: Can I get a TAMS 3 grant for a new farm shed? Yes — if you're a working farmer and the building is for agricultural use. Grant rates range from 40% (standard) to 60% (young farmers, women farmers, organic, Farm Safety). Investment ceiling €90,000 per holding. See our TAMS 3 guide.

Q: How long does it take to build a farm shed in Ireland? For an exempted agricultural shed without TAMS, 6–10 weeks from quote to completion. With a TAMS 3 grant application, plan for 5–8 months. The biggest variables are planning permission and TAMS approval timelines.

Q: What's the difference between single-skin and insulated cladding for farm sheds? Single-skin is one layer of steel sheeting — cheaper, used for unheated buildings like hay sheds and machinery storage. Insulated panels are two layers bonded to a foam core — required for controlled-environment livestock buildings like intensive pig and poultry units. See our cladding comparison guide for the full breakdown.

Q: Can you re-roof an existing farm shed instead of replacing it? Yes — re-roofing existing agricultural buildings is one of our most common jobs. The new TAMS 3 shed roof replacement grant launched December 2025 covers up to 60% of the cost. See our re-roofing service page.

Q: Do you build slurry storage tanks? Yes — including above-ground and below-ground slurry systems compliant with Nitrates Directive requirements.