A project designed by Wain Morehead Architects in Co Cork is the first self-build or one-off house in Ireland to the Home Performance Index (HPI) environmental certification, achieving a Gold label for environmental performance. The certification programme is run by the Irish Green Building Council and it rates buildings for not only energy efficiency and low running costs […] More
If you plan to build a house using an innovative design and materials, the chances are some things may not go as planned. Phil Byrne and Marie O’Kelly share what they learned from their Co Leitrim build. Overview Site cost: €60,000 Professional fees: €48,000 House and studio building cost: €287,000 Pod building cost: €40,000 Interiors: €90,000 Current value as renovation project: €385,000 Potential value post […] More
Even though Catherine and John Reilly’s design is a minimalist one, they managed to cram just about everything they ever wanted in a home. In this article Catherine and John explain how they built their own home, including: Overview House size: 3,000sqftPlot size: 1 acreBuild cost: £330,000EPC: B with SAP rating of 85. Architect’s note: […] More
Deirdre and Frank Spillane’s renovation project in Co Antrim saw many of the things they liked in their previous home replicated. “It all started four years ago. Even though we were living in a fabulous home at the time, it was too small – we had a third baby on the way and simply needed […] More
The former Tattykeeran Church originally dates back to 1814 and has been beautifully and sympathetically restored, converted and extended by the present owners over the last ten years to now provide what can only be described as a truly exceptional and unique family home. In this article, you will find: The main body of the original […] More
By knocking down an internal wall and reconfiguring her living space, Mary Johnston of Co L’Derry transformed her day-to-day life for the better. We renovated three years ago and I still enjoy walking into our new open plan kitchen, dining and den area. I’m so happy we took that leap of faith, and can’t believe […] More
How do you get your house to change direction, get it to move so that it’s angled towards the sun and views? Insert roller blades underneath? Glenna Woods and Gerry Warnock of Co Dublin found a way to design their way out of this structural problem. Whilst building your house to face the road has […] More
Architect Mark Stephens provides an overview of how to build underground and reflects on the subterranean house he built seven years ago for him and his family. Since we moved into our underground eco house, a lot has changed. There’s been the building regulations, the rise in popularity of the Passivhaus methodology (for which I’ve […] More
When going on holidays, rented accommodation can represent a big part of the budget; so instead of being out of pocket why not make the most of the home you’ve built or renovated? Irish home exchangers guide you through the process of swapping homes… When building your home, did you consider the possibility of home […] More
How Eilis and Liam Looney managed to hold down their full time jobs, raise their young children and undertake a well insulated self-build. In this article, Eilis and Liam share how they tackled their insulated self-build project including: House size: 3,000 sqftPlot size: 0.6 acresSite cost: €100,000Build cost: €358,000Landscaping including tarmac: €30,000Value: €600,000 Self-builders tend to have a knack for timing; […] More
First-time self-builders Amanda and Kevin Fullerton of Co Derry tackled their new build project like any novices would: by asking plenty of questions. In this article we cover: Getting advice from friends, family and anyone who’s gone through the maze of house building is the best way to get you started on your own project. […] More
Highly glazed, well proportioned, angular designs have some very exciting qualities, lending homes a truly contemporary feel. But living in a house like this can take some getting used to, as Craig and Clare Adair of Co Antrim found out. In this article we cover: House size: 206 sqmSite size: 512 sqmEPC: 82 (B) “We’d always dreamed of […] More
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