Heather is a journalist and deputy editor of Selfbuild Magazine. She’s previously edited construction trade publications in Ireland and the UK, along with expat living magazines in the Canary Islands and Tuscany. Now based in Co. Kilkenny, she and her partner are taking on their biggest project yet — turning a former residential outdoor pursuits centre into a family home!
After a fruitless search to buy a house, Brian and Karen Corry decided to build themselves their dream low energy home on a budget in Co Down. In this article we cover: “Karen – my fiancée at the time – and I couldn’t find anything on the market that resonated with us,” says Brian. “The […] More
Local authorities in ROI are offering homeowners a historic home repairs grant of up to €15k for small scale restoration works on heritage dwellings. In this article we cover: In an effort to protect Ireland’s historical buildings, the ROI government is renewing its budget allocations for the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS). The scheme provides […] More
Rebuild costs feel the squeeze in 2023 due to a rise in labour costs and material prices in both NI and ROI. In this article we cover: Rebuild costs in ROI have increased by an average of 12 per cent, says the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI), which revised its rebuild cost calculator for […] More
How quantity surveyor James Corrigan built his Co Laois home on a budget. In this article we cover: Overview House size: 295sqmBedrooms: 4Plot size: 1.3 acresSite cost: €35,000Build cost: Approx. €850/sqm or €250,000 total (not finished)House value: €495,000BER: A2 Heating system: air to water heat pump and wood burning stoveVentilation: demand controlled, not centralisedBuild method: […] More
How Catherine and Michael Southall changed the layout of their Co Down home to turn it into a bright open plan living space. In this article we cover: Overview Bedrooms: 4Renovation cost: £65kHeating system: gas boilerVentilation: natural The story starts with Catherine, who was pregnant at the time, Michael and their one-year-old son moving in […] More
Having lived in Australia, single level, open plan living was what Anne and Niall Jordan wanted from their Kilkenny renovation and extension project. In this article we cover: Anne and Niall had a clear idea of what they wanted for their first family home. Six years of apartment living in Australia had instilled a huge […] More
For Elaine and David Douglas, building this Co Down modern new build was a way to strike a healthy work life balance. In this article we cover: We were very happy living in our previous home on a housing development,” says Elaine. “We ran a successful business, had great neighbours, great friends and our two […] More
This developer built home gave Leigh-Ann Jackson and family all the perks of a tailored self-build without the self-builder’s pain. In this article we cover: “At the start of 2019, we were living in Newtownabbey and looking to buy a new build home in or around Greenisland, as my husband and I both work in […] More
How Denise and Fiachra Sinnott of Co Cork transformed their tired old 1980s chalet bungalow into a 21st century family home, carrying out the reno in just three weeks. In this article we cover: House size before: 190sqm plus attached garage 90sqmHouse size after: 250sqm plus attached garage 30sqmBedrooms: 4Plot size: 1 acrePurchase cost: €295kHome […] More
Planning consultant Sean McHenry spent years in a protracted battle to secure planning permission for his parents Colm and Nora’s new build. In this article we cover: The layout of my parents’ existing home was becoming challenging for my mother due to her mobility issues and its isolated location – albeit just one mile away […] More
This Co Wicklow steel frame new build came about from a gift of land nestled in the forest. In this article we cover: Lisa and I had been living and working in Amsterdam for a number of years, when we began seriously thinking about starting a family,” says David. “Lisa’s parents, Paul and Mellen, had […] More
This historical lookout for seafaring smugglers was renovated to meet the demands of a holiday home and retain period features. In this article we cover: The watchtower, perched on the coastline above Portnablagh, was built to aid the local coastguard in their efforts to keep a lookout for seafaring smugglers. “The earliest detailed record I […] More