The ROI levy on concrete will now be introduced in September 2023, as the Mica Action Group and CIF say it does nothing to deal with quality control issues. We cover: Concrete levy Concrete blocks and pouring concrete will incur the 5 per cent concrete levy, while precast products like hollowcore slabs will not. Budget […] More
Susan Andrews of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland chats about how to get a grant for your home energy upgrade, including: – The three types of grants available in ROI and how each of them work– One Stop Shop (OSS) vs individual grants: the extras you get with OSS– Cost of home energy upgrades […] More
Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien announced first time self-builders, and new start applicants, will be able to apply for the ROI First Home Scheme “by the end of the year”. In this article we cover: Minister O’Brien told the Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis in September that he would extend the First Home Scheme (FHS), the […] More
It’s now easier to get a mortgage in Ireland as new central bank rules allow more people to borrow to buy or build their home. We cover: Changes to mortgage rules in NI Changes to mortgage rules in ROI What it means for self-builders in Ireland today Central banks regulate the financial markets; in both […] More
New thresholds for stamp duty are being introduced in NI as the Executive calls for greater control over its budget. In this article we cover: The UK mini-budget increased the threshold at which you start paying stamp duty land tax (SDLT) on residential properties, from £125k to £250k. First time buyers only have to pay […] More
Selfbuild finds out what financial support is available to self-builders in Ireland today and what elected officials are suggesting the government should do to encourage people building their own home. In this article we cover: Self-builders in England are doing pretty well. The government has always supported self-building in one way or another, with a […] More
Find out how much the most common building materials are costing at the builder’s merchant with this price tracker. In this article we cover: Online builder’s merchant mybuildingsupplies.ie has started a building materials price tracker for the most common building materials used in Ireland today. They have used figures on a per square meter […] More
Matthew and Hannah Sterrett of @ourweecountryhome share their story of building what they call the tin house: how it started and the obstacles they came up against. In this article they talk about: Contents Part 1 – Avoiding the rent trap – Skip to Part 1 Part 2 – The tin roof – Skip to […] More
Local authorities are offering up to €50k for you to renovate a vacant property to live in. In this article we cover: In a bid to tackle dereliction and encourage people to move back to rural towns and villages, the ROI government is now offering renovators up to €50,000 to refurbish vacant buildings. Croí Cónaithe […] More
In this windows step by step guide, find out when and how to order your windows and what to expect at the end. In this article, we cover the stages of choosing and installing your windows including: Step 1: Design and shop around for your windows The planning stage is the best time to get […] More
Brian Corry of Selfbuild+ introduces self-builders to modern ways of building in Ireland today. In Part 2 he chats about: – Insulating Concrete Formwork (ICF) with Ballantine Building Solutions– Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) with FutureTek– Hemp block construction with Hempbuild Favourite More
Brian Corry of Selfbuild+ introduces self-builders to modern ways of building. In Part 1 he chats about: – Timber frame construction with Redwood Timber Frame in Dungannon– Structural polystyrene construction known as M3 with Passive Housing in Kildare– Steel frame and precast concrete with Future Cast in Leitrim For more about the building methods available […] More