Stephen O’Hanlon shares how he built his insulating concrete formwork (ICF) home build on a budget in Co Tyrone for £250k, thanks to the help of his wife Lisa who’s an accountant. In this article we cover: How did the project get started? I’ve been in construction all my life. I am a multi […] More
How Anita and Brian Joyce built their insulating concrete formwork (ICF) upside down house in Co Mayo. In this article we cover: Tell us about your project. The site had two old stone buildings so we had those as inspiration for the design of our new home. The exterior is a mix of render and […] More
Ursula and Michael Kennan explain why and how they went about their insulating concrete formwork (ICF) new build in Co Tyrone. In this article we cover: Why did you choose ICF? The end product is a very airtight house with continuous insulation both inside and outside the house. That keeps energy bills to a minimum. […] 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
Building with insulating concrete formwork (ICF) was pretty new when Michael McKeon took on his new build project in Co Longford six years ago. In this article we cover: What other building methods did you consider? I also considered a conventional double leaf block with insulated cavity and timber frame construction. There were pros […] More
Jason Piper’s 3,800sqft modern new build family home was built with insulating concrete formwork (ICF) from foundations to roof. In this article we cover: What other building methods did you consider? We considered timber frame and traditional block cavity wall. Timber frame was more expensive but a key requirement was for the house to […] 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
How Alanna and James Connolly made the most of the sloping site they bought with planning approved for a split level home. In this article we cover: “Our family was growing and we needed somewhere to live, but at that time, there weren’t many houses for sale locally,” says Alanna. “However, there was a site […] More
How Ronan and Laura Campbell built their house in Ronan’s parents’ laneway in Dublin. In this article we cover: Overview House size: 147sqm Plot size: 281sqm Bedrooms: 3Site cost: €100kBuild cost: €305kHouse value: €650kBER: A ratedHeating and hot water system: air to water heat pump Ventilation: centralised mechanical with heat recoveryBuild method: steel frame When we lived in […] More
Self-builder Katie Fanneran, a Paediatric Nurse from Co Offaly, chats through how she worked with Grant Engineering to transform her new build into a cosy, sustainable, dream home which perfectly fits the heating needs of her family. Katie worked with Grant to transform her home with a combination of the most innovative and reliable heating […] More
For the Russells, creating a functional, modern home was all about delivering space, style and tech on a budget. In this article we cover: Overview House size: 325sqmPlot size: 1 acreBedrooms: 3Heating and hot water: oil boiler Ventilation: centralised mechanical with heat recovery Build method: blockwork (cavity wall)EPC (SAP): B (81) “We wanted to build a functional, modern […] More
How Tiffany and Matthew Rea built their on trend house, a sleek new build finished with charred timber, in just four and a half months. In this article, Tiffany covers: How did the sleek new build project get started? Matthew and I bought this plot together and got engaged just before we got planning permission. […] More