Keith is a quantity surveyor with over 20 years' experience and is the founder of Kelliher & Associates Quantity Surveyors. quantitysurveyor.ie
How much your plumbing and electrics will cost when building new or renovating in Ireland today. In this article we cover: Systems that run the house, from keeping your home supplied with fresh air to those that you use to heat both hot and cold water and the spaces you live in, from heating to […] More
Figuring out how much your new build or renovation will cost can be confusing; here we look at where to start when costing your project. In this article we cover: In this series of articles I’ll be comparing two properties measuring 139sqm or roughly 1,500sqft. One is a bungalow, the other is two storey. The […] More
How window design affects cost and what you can do to trim your glazing budget so you still get the look, but don’t spend a fortune. In this article we cover: Your windows and glazed doors have a lot to do. They need to elevate your house design and make the most of the views, […] More
Even when carefully planned and managed, self-build projects tend to come under financial strain – not so much because of the builder but because of you, the client. There is no doubt that material costs, from steel to timber, have gone through the roof. And while this is a serious issue for anyone who wants […] More
As with many of the other elements of your self-build, there’s a lot that goes into a bathroom – all of which will have an impact on the final cost, and on construction. In this article we cover: At first glance, it doesn’t seem like there is much to consider when it comes to planning […] More
There is not a single cause for the sudden increase in the price of materials. The pandemic, Brexit, ROI tree licencing, high demand compounded by shortages of raw materials worldwide, have all contributed to the problem. The madness will subside on most fronts, but it’s likely that costs will continue to rise for certain products. […] More
Planning to extend your home and wondering how much does an extension cost? Here are the main budget elements to be aware of. In this article we cover: Over the past few years, I have spent a lot of time outlining the dangers of budgeting under an average cost per sqm/sqft basis. Nowhere does […] More
Often left to last, the outdoor space is probably the most neglected part of a self-build yet one of the costliest. For many self-builders, when the time comes to complete “the outside” it is usually more of a sign that the house project has reached completion than the start of a new phase in the […] More
Delays, cost over runs, variations, clashes of personalities, power struggles and now COVID-19 are some of the many issues that self-builders have to face. Where there are changes or unexpected issues, there will be a price to pay in time and money. Who pays, why, and how much it’s going to cost along with the […] More
To go to tender, or tendering, is the most common selection process to find a main building contractor. Most self-builders who choose to hire a main contractor to oversee all the work on their self-build project will go to tender, unless they are sure of who they will be hiring. A standard tender process should […] More
As a statement piece of furniture, the staircase can become one of the most expensive items to budget for, writes quantity surveyor Keith Kelliher. In many of the previous articles in this series, I have spoken about the way our grandparents built their homes to be as cost effective as possible. Back in the day, […] More
Whether you’re building new or renovating, you’ll need to determine early on how much your windows and doors will cost. Simply because they could drain the budget. What do we cover in this article? In the days when our grandparents were building their homes, they kept things simple and bar a few exceptions these methods […] More
English