Episode 17: A question on every self-builder’s mind is “How am I going to build this thing?” It’s a key decision to make and one that will follow you throughout the design stage; in fact each method will require a tweaking of the plans to optimise how cost effective it is to build. This episode […] More
Episode 15: Two DIY self-builders have put pen to paper in the Summer 2020 edition of Selfbuild magazine and they’ve come back to share their stories on this podcast. First up is Michael Rauch of County Down who built a moveable tiny house on a trailer. Gordon Le Moignan, meanwhile, shares how he tackled a […] More
Episode 12: Arguably the two most important advisors to hire on your self-build are the architectural designer and the quantity surveyor. Edel Regan of Edel Regan Architects and Dermot Rasdale, quantity surveyor with DJ Build Estimations, help us shed more light on their respective roles. We cover: How architects and quantity surveyors contribute to self-build […] More
Episode 7: Jason Taylor of Co Down chats about how he designed and managed his new build project and how he kept a rein on the budget; follow him on Instagram @grafficar Here’s the excel sheet Jason refers to in the podcast: Favourite More
Episode 3: We have a chat with Belfast-based energy advisor Patrick Waterfield about how you will generate heat and hot water in the home. Some of the main points we cover are: Boilers vs heat pumps Underfloor heating vs radiators Fabric first approach How the building regulations affect system choice The situation in NI ROI […] More
Episode 2: We have a chat with building costs expert Keith Kelliher, a quantity surveyor based in Dublin. We discuss about where to start with the budget, how to deal with tenders (builders’ quotes) and methods to keep costs under control. Favourite More
Episode 1: We have a chat with Nicola Thorpe of Co Down whose house is on the front cover of the Spring 2019 issue of Selfbuild magazine. She shares her experience dealing with the planners, staying on top of the budget, and practical tips such as choosing self-cleaning windows for the hard to reach places. […] More
For John and Elaine Lawler, building themselves a new home in Co Kildare was all about moving back to their roots to build a vernacular house. They also made it a condition that it be completely finished when they moved in. In this article, John and Elaine discuss their vernacular new build project in Co […] More
It’s possible to build your own home doing almost everything yourself, as long as you have the necessary commitment, time, energy and knowledge. In this article Andrew Stanway covers what you need to know if you plan to go DIY on your build, including: How to save money with a DIY build How to determine […] More
MMC, or modern methods of construction, is a catch-all term to describe everything from innovative building solutions to cutting edge materials. Here’s a bird’s eye view. In this article we cover: Different types of MMC, from building methods like ICF and glulam to materials like graphite How to use modern methods of construction in your […] More
Gillian and Seamus Brennan injected personality into their Co Carlow new build thanks to a clever H-shaped design and repurposed furniture. This article about Gillian and Seamus’ H-shaped new build in Co Carlow covers: Overview Walls: Cavity walls 125mm PIR board full fillRoof: 150mm PIR board between rafters with insulated (50mm PIR) plasterboard on ceilingFloor: […] More
Dan and Jessica Tynan share what it’s been like to build their Co Tipperary home themselves, from designing the house to building it. In this article we cover: Overview House: 2,850sqftPlot: 1 acre Why did you decide to build your Co Tipperary home yourself? Dan: I always wanted to build my house on this site. It’s on […] More
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