Astrid Madsen is the editor of the SelfBuild magazine. Email astrid.madsen@selfbuildextendrenovate.co.uk
Demand for energy grants is high, reports the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), but a survey suggests only one in five plan to upgrade their Building Energy Rating (BER). Data shared by the SEAI with Selfbuild shows individual grant applications rose from 1,344 in January 2022 to 3,418 in February 2022 and 3,234 in […] More
After a false start, Allison Cordner took charge of her renovation project and never looked back. In this article we cover: “When we moved back to Northern Ireland, we bought a 1970s house in a sought after neighbourhood as a renovation project,” says Allison. “The house, as many others in this area, had the living […] More
Alan and Ber Glass not only built their family home on a budget, they did it in such a way that regular bouts of respiratory attacks are now a distant memory. In this article we cover: “Our only option, if we wanted to get the family home we needed, was to self-build,” says Ber. “We […] More
Your window performance checklist if you’re building new or extending in Ireland today, from U-values to air leakage. In this article we cover: Windows have to tick a lot of boxes to make them fit for purpose. When comparing technical parameters, the basic point to remember is that there’s a big difference in performance […] More
How to apply for your grant to upgrade the energy efficiency of your home in Ireland today. And whether or not it’s worth it. In this article we cover: ROI grants have received a cash injection. Amounts for attic and cavity insulation almost triple and more people can apply for heat pump and solar grants. […] More
Whether you go with double or triple glazing windows will have an impact on costs, and even on your house construction. Another reason why you need to choose your windows early. In this article we cover: Double and triple glazing In a new build, you will need double or triple glazing. Double or IGU […] More
You will need to carefully select the type of frame to match the style of your house. In this article we cover: Window parts A typical window is made up of the following: Head and sill Top and bottom horizontal frames. The sill has a groove on the underside to ensure water drips away from […] More
A successful house design is impossible without the windows; here’s what’s involved to get the look you’re after. Positioning Your architectural designer will have strong opinions about how the windows will work in terms of the overall appearance of the building. And of course there’ll be structural considerations too. For instance, corner […] More
Matching the window to the house has a huge impact on the overall success of the design, both inside and out. Window design and operation has not changed much over the years. The style and manner in which windows operate is still very much in line with the traditional sash, sliding sash and casement […] More
How much tradesmen cost in both NI and ROI in 2022 and what to expect into 2023. In this article we cover: What do timber, insulation, steel, plastics, and now fuel, all have in common? They are the cause of many headaches in the construction industry. Every builder in the country at present has to […] More
This low cost energy efficient new build is the result of years of research, and of a clear idea of what to spend money on. In this article we cover: When you’re self-building, getting the design right is more than half the battle. And for William Richmond, the obvious place to start was what he’d […] More
On the backdrop of a buoyant property market, self-builders were busy building homes in 2021. In 2021 there were 5,301 commencement notices for one-off houses in ROI, statistics from the Building Control Management System show. Cork continues to be the most active county, followed by Galway. In 2020 the figure stood at 4,415 due to […] More
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