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How do you know if you’re truly building an eco-house? There are the checklists to help you get there. In this article we cover: How can you prove you’ve built an eco home? Through environmental certification. For construction projects, certification tends to take into account the design and construction stages but occupancy can be evaluated […] More
You need a ventilation system to get fresh air into your home, so what are your options and how do they stack up? In this article we cover: I was first introduced to the passive house standard in 2013 and went on to become a certified passive house designer. Since then I’ve been involved with […] More
You guide to creating a build schedule, what information it should contain and when to change it. In this article we cover: The first articles in this series led up to this point of actually producing the programme. Here are the elements included in a construction programme or build schedule. Gantt Chart Unless you actually […] More
Are you looking for inspiration for your new set of attic stairs? We’ve all your options, from traditional folding ones to telescopic. In this article we cover: When choosing attic stairs you need to consider how much room you have available, how often you’re going to access the attic, the aesthetic appeal, and your budget. […] More
Francis Rilley of Unilin Insulation and Andrew Rennie of Energy Store chat about insulating your home in Ireland today. We caught up with them at Selfbuild Live Belfast 2023 to chat about: Favourite More
Find out what you need to know about roofing if you are building a timber frame house. In this article we cover: Prefabricated roof trusses, also known as trussed rafters, are the most common solution for the roofs of timber frame buildings. Many timber frame manufacturers will supply them as part of the timber frame […] More
If you’re building a timber frame house, your foundations will need to be built to suit. In this article we cover: Foundations for timber frame buildings should be designed to suit the site conditions and the loads that they are intended to support. Any of the usual concrete foundation options might be used, such as […] More
A stick build is the DIY way to build a timber frame house; it’s also the method that the late self-build architect Walter Segal favoured. In this article we cover: Stick build describes a method of creating structures that are built up on site from individual pieces of timber. The main architectural objective is to […] More
Internal door inspiration for your new build or renovation project, from slimline to panel doors. In this article we cover: Internal doors can cost as little or as much as you can imagine, with styles and materials, and assembly options, to suit all budgets. Don’t forget to add the cost of the ironmongery to the […] More
How to build DIY French drains, arguably the simplest and possibly the oldest drainage system around. In this article we cover: Water is essentially lazy. While capable of capillary action, it will always choose to travel the path of least resistance. The key to ensuring water does not travel upward through your structure is to […] More
Kitchen, bathroom, tiling, architraves/skirting and panelling costs for new build and renovation projects in Ireland today. In this article we cover: This is where costs start varying so much that they have absorbed any material price increases we’ve seen over the past three years. The key to rein these costs in is to be clear […] More
Substructure costs refer to everything below finished floor level; here we look at your foundations costs. In this article we cover: The cost of the substructure is influenced by various factors, including the type of soil (this determines if you need the simplest, cheapest foundation or a more expensive option), level of the water table […] More
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