If you’ve ever stood in a bathroom with a leaking pipe, half the fittings in a plastic bag from a hardware shop that turned out to have the wrong thread, you’ll understand why finding a proper plumbing merchant matters. Ireland has two major nationwide chains—Heat Merchants and Chadwicks—each with dozens of branches and ranges built for both trade professionals and DIYers. This guide cuts through the directory noise and gives you the verified details: which merchant to check first, where the Saturday openings actually are, and what a plumber on the job actually looks for in a supplier.

4 related posts

Top Supplier: Heat Merchants ·
Trusted Provider: Chadwicks Ireland-wide ·
Delivery Time: Screwfix 2-3 days ·
Key Brands: Chadwicks, Heat Merchants, Screwfix ·
Focus Areas: Plumbing, Heating, Bathroom

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
  • Heat Merchants operates 30 branches nationwide (Heat Merchants)
  • Chadwicks has over 30 branches across Ireland (Chadwicks)
2What’s unclear
  • Exact Saturday hours vary by Heat Merchants branch (Heat Merchants)
  • Not all Chadwicks branches confirm Saturday opening on every directory listing (Heat Merchants)
3Timeline signal
  • Both chains report 30+ branches as current status (Heat Merchants, Chadwicks)
  • Branch locators show ongoing expansion in Dublin region (Heat Merchants)
4What’s next
  • Check specific branch hours before visiting—Saturday windows differ by location
  • Both merchants offer phone-ahead ordering to confirm stock

The table below summarises the core attributes of Ireland’s main plumbing merchant networks.

Detail Value
Primary Hub Ireland merchants
Key Brands Chadwicks, Heat Merchants
Services Plumbing, Heating Supplies
Delivery 2-3 working days via Screwfix

Best plumbing merchants near me

When plumbers and experienced DIYers talk about where to buy fittings in Ireland, two names come up first: Heat Merchants and Chadwicks. Both operate nationwide networks of branches, though they take different angles on the market.

Heat Merchants has built its reputation serving the trade directly—its website positions the company as “Ireland’s leading supplier of Heating, Plumbing and Renewable Energy solutions to trade customers” (Heat Merchants official site). The company runs 30 branches, including seven in Dublin alone, according to its branch locator (Heat Merchants branch locator). For a plumber working on a new build or a heating upgrade, that trade focus means knowledgeable staff and a product range heavy on boilers, radiators, and renewable systems.

Chadwicks takes a broader approach. The company describes itself as “your one stop shop for building & plumbing supplies, power tool and bathroom products” with click and collect available (Chadwicks Walkinstown page). Chadwicks operates over 30 branches nationwide and serves both trade professionals and DIY enthusiasts (Chadwicks plumbing catalogue). Its Plumb Centres in areas like Stillorgan and Walkinstown carry focused ranges for bathroom and heating work, while the wider branch network covers building supplies, power tools, and garden.

Top rated options in Ireland

  • Heat Merchants — Specialises in heating, plumbing, and renewable energy. Known for trade-only focus and specialist advice. 30 branches nationwide including seven in Dublin (Heat Merchants branch locator).
  • Chadwicks — Ireland’s leading builders’ merchant with over 30 branches. Offers plumbing, bathroom supplies, boilers, radiators, and showers for both trade and DIY (Chadwicks store directory).
  • Screwfix — Online-first model with fast 2-3 day delivery. Good for standard fittings and trade tools, though limited in-branch expertise compared to specialist merchants.
  • Sligo Plumb Centre — Local independent serving Sligo Business Park. Full range with personalised service, useful if you’re outside the Dublin-Cork-Galway corridor.
  • MD O’Shea — Regional builders merchant with growing online presence. Covers home, garden, and building supplies.

Factors for best choice

Choosing between these comes down to what you’re buying and when you need it. For a heating system upgrade or renewable install, Heat Merchants has the specialist range and trade relationships. For a bathroom renovation where you want to see samples and get advice on complementary products, a Chadwicks Plumb Centre gives you that builder’s merchant breadth. For quick standard parts with fast delivery, Screwfix fills the gap.

Why this matters

Heat Merchants and Chadwicks each have 30+ branches across Ireland, but their product emphasis differs. Heat Merchants leads on heating and renewables; Chadwicks leads on breadth. Matching the merchant to your purchase type gets you better stock availability and more relevant advice from staff.

Bottom line: The implication: trade professionals who maintain accounts with both chains can match the supplier to each job type, while homeowners benefit from the broader, more accessible range at Chadwicks.

Cheap plumbing merchants near me

Price matters when you’re buying a full set of fittings for a bathroom or changing a stack of radiators in an older property. The cheapest option isn’t always the obvious one—stock availability, delivery speed, and minimum order requirements change the real cost.

Budget-friendly suppliers

Screwfix operates on an online-first model with delivery in 2-3 working days (Screwfix Ireland). For standard fittings—pipe connectors, isolation valves, and similar repeat parts—its pricing is competitive and the ability to click and collect from a nearby store keeps delivery costs down. The trade-off is a narrower specialist range: if you need a specific heat pump component or a non-standard shower tray, Screwfix may not carry it.

Chadwicks offers nationwide delivery and competitive pricing on its broader product range (Chadwicks plumbing range). For a homeowner doing a full bathroom, buying the fittings, the shower enclosure, and the tiling tools from one account can simplify reconciliation and occasionally unlocks trade-rate pricing if you ask.

Value comparisons

Heat Merchants typically prices at trade rates given its trade-customer focus. For a plumber buying in volume, those rates beat retail. For a DIYer buying one of each fitting, the unit price may be closer to what Screwfix charges online, but the advice and stock certainty at Heat Merchants often justifies the difference.

The catch

Screwfix’s 2-3 day delivery sounds cheap until you need a fitting today for an emergency repair. A €2 valve bought online with a 3-day wait costs you a flooded kitchen or a night without heating—that’s where a local merchant with stock on the shelf wins on real cost.

Upsides

  • Screwfix offers competitive online pricing on standard fittings
  • Chadwicks nationwide delivery and broad product range suit full-project buyers
  • Heat Merchants trade rates reward volume purchases
  • Local branches of Heat Merchants and Chadwicks carry stock for same-day pickup

Downsides

  • Screwfix limited specialist range for heating and renewable components
  • DIYers may not access Heat Merchants trade pricing without a trade account
  • Delivery costs and wait times add to online ordering real cost
  • Exact pricing varies by branch and is not always published online
Bottom line: The pattern: Screwfix works for predictable purchases where you can wait; local merchants win when urgency and specialist stock matter.

Plumbing merchants near me open today

If you’re reading this on a Saturday morning because a pipe burst Friday evening, you need to know which branches are actually open right now—not which ones were listed in a directory six months ago.

Current opening status

Saturday opening hours vary significantly by branch. Verified data shows Chadwicks Walkinstown in Dublin 12 opens Saturday 08:30-12:30 (Chadwicks Walkinstown). Chadwicks Blackrock at 62 Stillorgan Industrial Park in Co. Dublin opens Saturdays 09:30-17:00 (Golden Pages directory listing). Chadwicks Thomas Street at 66-68 Thomas St, Dublin 8 reportedly opens Saturdays 09:00-13:00, though this source carries lower verification confidence (Wheree directory).

For Heat Merchants, the company confirms regional branches open on Saturdays—for example, Athlone can be reached at (090) 649 1056 to confirm Saturday hours (Heat Merchants branch locator). However, Heat Merchants does not publish a single Saturday hours schedule on its website that covers all branches.

24/7 or emergency options

Neither Heat Merchants nor Chadwicks operates 24-hour branches. Sundays are typically closed across both chains. For genuine emergencies outside branch hours, your options narrow to trade accounts with 24-hour call-out services, emergency plumbers who hold their own stock, or specialist distributors who serve the trade around the clock.

The practical move: call ahead before you drive. Heat Merchants Sandyford can be reached at (01) 903 2100 (Heat Merchants branch locator) and Chadwicks Walkinstown at (01) 460 0166 (Chadwicks Walkinstown). A two-minute call confirms both stock and current opening status.

What to watch

Branch hours change. A listing that was accurate last month may not reflect reduced Saturday hours or temporary closures. Always verify directly by phone before visiting, especially on public holiday weekends when regular schedules often break.

Bottom line: The implication: a phone call before you drive saves a wasted trip that could cost you hours when a pipe is leaking.

Heat Merchants near me

Heat Merchants positions itself as a specialist in heating, plumbing, and renewable energy solutions for trade customers. If your project involves anything beyond standard pipework—a new boiler, underfloor heating, a heat pump, or solar thermal—this is the merchant built for that job.

Locations across Ireland

Heat Merchants operates 30 branches across Ireland with particularly dense coverage in Dublin (seven branches, according to the branch locator). Verified Dublin locations include Baldoyle (Unit 131, Baldoyle Industrial Estate, Dublin 13, D13 Y008), Sandyford (A94 W0D4), Cherry Orchard (D10 NH02), and Finglas (D11 C965) (Heat Merchants branch locator).

Nationwide, Heat Merchants has branches in Cork (Blackpool T23 DX37, Pouladuff T12 F624), Galway (H91 TK71), Limerick (V94 E36X), and regional centres including Athlone, Waterford, and Wexford (Heat Merchants branch locator). The central warehouse can be contacted at 090 6424000 for national stock queries (Heat Merchants branch locator).

Heating and plumbing range

Heat Merchants stocks boilers, radiators, towel rails, cylinders, renewable energy components (heat pumps, solar thermal), and the associated pipework, valves, and controls. The company offers specialist advice to the plumbing and heating industry, which means staff at trade-focused branches typically understand system design and compliance requirements (Heat Merchants official site).

Heat Merchants is Ireland’s leading supplier of Heating, Plumbing and Renewable Energy solutions to trade customers.

The implication: for anything involving a heating system or renewable energy installation, Heat Merchants should be your first call. The trade-only positioning means stock and expertise align with professional requirements rather than casual purchase patterns.

Chadwicks near me

Chadwicks is Ireland’s leading builders’ merchant, with over 30 branches serving both trade professionals and DIY enthusiasts. Its Plumb Centres focus on bathroom and heating products, while the broader branch network covers building supplies, power tools, and garden equipment.

Plumbing and bathroom supplies

Chadwicks offers plumbing, bathroom supplies, boilers, radiators, and showers across its product range (Chadwicks plumbing catalogue). The Plumb Centre format—seen in branches like Blackrock, Walkinstown, and Thomas Street—gives dedicated space for bathroom fittings, shower enclosures, and associated hardware that a general builder’s merchant might shelve in a corner.

Chadwicks Blackrock at 62 Stillorgan Industrial Park in Co. Dublin focuses on bathrooms, heating, home & garden products (Golden Pages directory listing). The Walkinstown Plumb Centre at Greenhills Road, Walkinstown, Dublin 12, D12 V298 offers a full range with click and collect available (Chadwicks Walkinstown).

Nationwide branches

Chadwicks operates branches including Ennis, Carlow, Mallow, Letterkenny, Tralee, and many more beyond the Dublin Plumb Centres (Chadwicks store directory). Most standard branches open Monday-Thursday 07:00-17:00 or 09:00-17:30 with Friday closing earlier, though specific Saturday hours depend on the branch.

Discover a complete range of plumbing and bathroom supplies at Chadwicks, trusted by trade professionals and DIY enthusiasts across Ireland.

What this means: if you’re renovating a bathroom or need a broader basket of building supplies alongside your plumbing fittings, Chadwicks gives you one account and one delivery for the lot. The trade-DIY dual positioning means you get the range of a trade merchant with accessibility that doesn’t require a trade account.

How to find and use a plumbing merchant

Finding the right plumbing merchant and getting the most from it comes down to a few practical steps. Here’s how to approach it methodically.

Step 1: Match the merchant to your purchase type

  • Heating system, heat pump, or renewable energy install → Start with Heat Merchants
  • Bathroom renovation with multiple product types → Try a Chadwicks Plumb Centre
  • Standard fittings quickly → Check Screwfix for online pricing and 2-3 day delivery
  • Local independent with personalised service → Look for regional specialists like Sligo Plumb Centre

Step 2: Use the branch locators to narrow by postcode

Both Heat Merchants and Chadwicks maintain branch locators online. Enter your Eircode or general area to see nearby branches. Heat Merchants shows 30 branches with specific addresses and postcodes; Chadwicks lists over 30 branches with service details. Note that not all branches carry the full product range—a Plumb Centre branch has dedicated bathroom and heating stock, while a general branch may have limited plumbing inventory.

Step 3: Verify current opening hours by phone

Before driving to a branch, call ahead. Saturday hours especially vary: Chadwicks Walkinstown opens at 08:30 on Saturdays while Chadwicks Blackrock doesn’t open until 09:30. Heat Merchants branches outside Dublin may not open on Saturdays at all. Phone numbers for reference include Heat Merchants Sandyford (01) 903 2100 and Chadwicks Walkinstown (01) 460 0166.

Step 4: Ask about trade accounts for pricing

Heat Merchants explicitly targets trade customers and offers trade-rate pricing for account holders. If you’re a plumber, heating engineer, or builder, opening an account with Heat Merchants or Chadwicks typically unlocks better pricing and sometimes preferential stock holds. For DIYers, Chadwicks remains accessible without an account; Screwfix online pricing gives a comparable benchmark.

Step 5: Consider click and collect for same-day needs

Chadwicks offers click and collect from its branches. Order online before noon and collect the same afternoon from your nearest Chadwicks branch. This works well for planned purchases where you’ve confirmed stock availability. For same-day urgent needs, phone the branch directly to check stock before visiting.

Bottom line: Heat Merchants and Chadwicks each operate 30+ branches across Ireland, but their strengths differ. Heat Merchants leads on heating, plumbing, and renewables for trade; Chadwicks leads on breadth across building, plumbing, and bathroom. Trade professionals benefit from accounts with both—matching the supplier to each project type gives you better stock access and more relevant technical advice. Homeowners save time by calling the nearest Chadwicks Plumb Centre before driving, because a fitting that isn’t on the shelf costs you hours you don’t have.

Related reading: B and Q Opening Times · Tongue and Groove Boards Installation Guide

Additional sources

chadwicks.ie, chadwicks.ie

Beyond Chadwicks and Screwfix, Ireland’s top plumbing supply stores profiles reliable trade outlets perfect for urgent plumbing needs across Ireland.

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Frequently asked questions

How do I locate plumbing merchants in my area?

Use the branch locators on Heat Merchants (Heat Merchants branch locator) and Chadwicks (Chadwicks store directory). Enter your area or Eircode to see nearby branches with addresses, postcodes, and phone numbers. Both sites show all locations, though specific product availability at each branch may require a call to confirm.

What products do typical plumbing merchants stock?

Heat Merchants stocks boilers, radiators, heat pumps, solar thermal components, cylinders, and associated pipework and valves (Heat Merchants official site). Chadwicks stocks plumbing fittings, bathroom suites, showers, boilers, radiators, and a broader range of building supplies (Chadwicks plumbing catalogue). Both carry standard fittings, though specialist heating components are more consistently stocked at Heat Merchants.

Are there nationwide plumbing suppliers in Ireland?

Yes. Heat Merchants operates 30 branches across Ireland including Dublin, Cork, Galway, and Limerick (Heat Merchants branch locator). Chadwicks operates over 30 branches nationwide including Ennis, Carlow, Mallow, Letterkenny, and Tralee (Chadwicks store directory). Screwfix has a growing Irish presence with online ordering and delivery.

Can I order plumbing supplies online for pickup?

Chadwicks offers click and collect from its branches (Chadwicks Walkinstown). Heat Merchants has an online presence but trade customers often order directly through account managers or by phone. Screwfix is primarily online with 2-3 day delivery or store collection. For same-day pickup, call the branch to confirm stock before ordering.

What to look for in a reliable plumbing merchant?

Key indicators: branch locators with verified addresses, phone contacts for each branch, clear product range descriptions on the website, and trade account options. Reliable merchants stock what they list, answer the phone, and have staff who understand system design—not just shelf fillers.

Do plumbing merchants serve both trade and DIY?

Heat Merchants primarily targets trade customers and pricing reflects this (Heat Merchants official site). Chadwicks explicitly serves both trade professionals and DIY enthusiasts, making it more accessible for homeowners without a trade account (Chadwicks plumbing catalogue). Screwfix serves both without requiring accounts, though staff expertise varies by store.

How to check if a plumbing merchant is open now?

Call the branch directly. Verified Saturday opening hours for Dublin branches show variation: Chadwicks Walkinstown opens 08:30-12:30 on Saturdays, Chadwicks Blackrock opens 09:30-17:00 (Chadwicks Walkinstown, Golden Pages directory listing). Heat Merchants Saturday hours vary by branch and are not published centrally. Always verify by phone before visiting, particularly on weekends or public holidays.

For anyone in Ireland who needs plumbing supplies, the choice between Heat Merchants and Chadwicks comes down to what you’re buying. A heat pump installation calls Heat Merchants; a full bathroom renovation calls Chadwicks. For trade professionals, having accounts with both means matching the merchant to each job. For homeowners, a call to the nearest Chadwicks Plumb Centre before you drive will save the wrong-turn frustration when the fitting you need isn’t on the shelf.