Housing unaffordable for first time buyers
New homes for first time buyers now cost 25 per cent more than in 2016, according to a report commissioned by the Irish Home Builders Association. The Republic of Ireland…
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What can you afford to build?
The top five elements to affect the cost of building your home. As the enjoyable and engaging aspect of drawing your house begins, you will be tempted to ignore the…
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Build it for Andy
Atown in County Laois has come together tobuild a family home for a local rugby playerwith a life threatening illness. Andrea (Andy) Broughan, who used to play with the PortDara…
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July stimulus plans prop up real estate
Help to Buy threshold increase in ROI and stamp duty cut in NI, but no increase in grants or other direct supports for self-builders. Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien announced…
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Septic tank grants rolled out to high risk areas
The grant is now available in areas that are aiming to improve water quality under the national River Basin Management Plan. The move had been announced in 2018 and was…
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Skim or dryline?
When it comes to plasterboard, you have two main finishes to choose from, board and skim or taping and jointing. Signing off on the first fix is a significant landmark…
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Vernacular Build
For John and Elaine Lawler building themselves a new home was all about moving back to their roots and making sure the house would be finished when they moved in.…
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Affordable serviced sites to be made available to self-builders
Self-builders will get access to serviced sites, if the Programme for Government published June 15th 2020 is voted through on the 26th of June, but the shift in policy is…
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Stair Balustrades Explained
Staircases need a barrier to prevent you from falling from a height, here’s how to make it look not just functional but also pretty. Balusters are sticks or shafts, made…
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Cantilevered Staircases
There is no doubt that a cantilevered staircase is one way of making a major visual impact. To the casual observer a cantilevered staircase appears to be floating because it…
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How much will your windows and doors cost?
In the days when our grandparents were building their homes, they kept things simple and bar a few exceptions these methods continue to cost less to this day. Many would…
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What the new normal means for self-builders in Ireland
From virtual consultations to appointment-only showroom visits, here’s how the self-build industry in Ireland has adapted to deal with COVID-19. At the height of the coronavirus lockdown, the majority of…
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