Find out how to dress your windows when they’re tall and at an angle, with this guide to window dressing in Ireland. As we build our homes to bring in ever more light, blockwork at the gable end of the house has increasingly been making way for glass. One of our readers is now faced […] 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
Emmanuelle Quinlivan of Co Cork had to juggle tricky soil conditions with her desire to build a passive house. Overview House size: 360 sqmSite size: 1 acreBuild cost: €367,000House value: €420,000BER: A2Airtightness: 0.4 ACH @50Pa Four years ago Emmanuelle was looking for an antidote to the damp, draughty and hard to heat home she was living in. It was only when […] More
1. Open windows on alternate sides of the house to purge the air of pollutants and let fresh air in. Avoid drying clothes indoors as this can become a significant source of moisture. 2. Common houseplants such as Peace Lily, English ivy and Spider Plants. While some will argue plants can remove harmful chemicals from the air, their effectiveness […] More
Follow these 12 essential steps to make your house really feel like a home. Writing a design brief is the single most important thing you can do when remodelling, extending, building or renovating a home, as it provides the foundation from which all else follows; ultimately the blueprint to deliver a home that embodies the […] More
It may be the smallest room in the house but the bathroom is also the most important. Take the time to plan it out to make the experience of using it an enjoyable one. Today’s modern bathroom serves many purposes; it needs to be functional for all family members, (both the adults and the little […] More
Making sure the site is safe and the workers’ health isn’t affected will require constant awareness from you. There are also legal obligations to be aware of in this field. In ROI the first step entails carrying out a risk assessment; on that basis you will need to produce a safety statement, a copy of […] More
You can’t do any electrical work yourself but whether you’re renovating or building new, it’s good to get to know the basic requirements and regulations. Whether you’re building new or renovating, know that if you’re undertaking any kind of electrical work in ROI only a Registered Electrical Contractor (REC) is now allowed to carry it […] More
According to the UK automotive services company RAC, up to 50% of domestic garages are no longer used to park cars in. The other 50% are either a store for overspill from the house, Christmas decorations, bikes, DIY tools, gardening equipment and of course junk, or a makeshift utility, kids’ playroom or freezing cold gym! […] More
Planning permission: when do you need it and how can you obtain it? In this first article of a four part series, we look at self-builds and some of the issues to consider. In this article we cover: I’m shopping around for a site. Should I only consider ones that have already been granted planning […] More
Whether you’re building or improving your home it’s clear that insulation should be on top of your must-have list. Perhaps less obvious is the need for ventilation, which every house requires, especially those that are airtight and well insulated. In this article we cover: In not-so-well insulated homes, purpose-built vents in the windows and walls […] More
Architect Rod Maharg looks at the most common extension designs If you are thinking of extending your home, the possibilities, in theory, are endless. The location (front, side, or rear) could vary, so could the number of stories, the size, the massing, the roof type, the materials… The sky is the limit! However, the realities […] More