This quick and cost-effective method of construction is increasing in popularity among self-builders. Insulating Concrete Formwork (ICF) originated in Germany in the 1950s and has since proven its worth, especially in North America where, even after many years of development, severalmanufacturers still complete only a few thousand homes per year between them. In the UK […] More
Ronan McKee provides a bird’s eye view of the most common building methods available to self-builders in Ireland today. In this article, we cover: How self-builders are building homes in Ireland today Design considerations before choosing your build type How Building Control will be involved Building Regulations requirements Full chart comparing the most popular build […] More
An increasingly popular build route, timber frame is the method of choice for offsite construction and is often used as the structure upon which to layer other ecobuild materials such as straw bale, hempcrete (lime and hemp mix), and rammed earth. All images courtesy of tomraffield.com Most common are layering with boards, often OSB, and specifying […] More
Package suppliers aim to take some of the stress out of self-building; so what do you get when you sign up? Self-build kit homes may be a relatively recent phenomenon but they have their origins in the pattern book builders of the 18th Century. Pattern books allowed people in one country to copy the styles […] More
Steel frame construction is increasing in popularity in Ireland; we look at what this modern material has to offer and what you need to know about it. In this article we cover: Steel is widely used throughout the construction industry, as a structural support, yet many of us overlook the potential of steel frame as […] More
Building with earth isn’t just for hot countries; in fact in Ireland building with cob used to be commonplace and in eco-circles, it’s certainly made a comeback. But there are other earth building alternatives, including rammed earth… Earth when used as a building material is fireproof, contributes to the regulation of the indoor environment (temperature […] More
The most versatile of building materials, timber is eco friendly (if responsibly sourced) and usually a pleasure to work with. Here’s the story behind nature’s gift, starting with the tiny seed… Timber has a high strength to weight ratio – pine and spruce are 16 times lighter than steel, five to six times lighter than […] More
Building your walls out of hempcrete, or a mix of hemp stalks and a lime binder, is not only more environmentally friendly than building with many other materials, it’s also easy to do, thermally efficient (read lower fuel bills) and not any more expensive than a ‘traditional’ build. This material has been adopted by many […] More
When Mike Harris and Jo Lewis decided to renovate a traditional three-room cottage in County Leitrim, they knew it would be a challenge, especially considering that Mike had no prior experience and intended to do all the work himself, including building straw bale walls. What they didn’t expect was that it would take them six […] More
Xavier Dubuisson dispels the myth that an eco build is an expensive endeavour out of the reach of the average self-builder. He reviews a number of notable Irish projects where committed homeowners have realised their hopes of building sustainably on a very tight budget, and explores the issues they faced. This article covers: Reasons for […] More
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