Planning to build a new home or renovate your current one in County Donegal? You might be able to get help with the costs through local grants and support schemes.

In this article we cover:

  • 10+ grants for home renovations
  • Grants for self-builds

Below is a summary of the main grants on offer:

Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant:

  • Provides up to €50,000 to renovate vacant properties for use as a principal main private residence or for rental purposes.
  • If the property is classed as derelict, there’s an extra €20,000 available – that’s up to €70,000 in total.
  • The property must have been empty for at least two years and built before 2008.
  • The grant is run by Donegal County Council.
  • More information: Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant.

Conservation Advice Grant Scheme for Vacant Traditional Farmhouses:

Housing Adaptation Grants:

  • There are three grants available to help make homes safer and easier for older people and people with disabilities to live in.
  • They can cover things like ramps, mobility aids or essential repairs.
  • Administered by Donegal County Council.
  • Further details: Donegal Housing Adaptation Grants page.

Thatching Grant:

  • Helps with repairing or rethatching traditional thatched roofs to protect Donegal’s architectural heritage.
  • Covers full or partial rethatching, repairs, maintenance, and any related structural work.
  • You’ll need to hire a skilled thatcher to qualify.
  • The amount you get depends on how much the work costs – you’ll need to send in a quote from a qualified thatcher.
  • Open to anyone who owns a thatched property in County Donegal.
  • More information: Donegal Housing Thatching Grant page.

Lead Remediation Grant:

  • Covers the full cost of replacing lead pipes inside your home’s water system.
  • You’ll need proof that the pipes are lead – there’s up to €200 available to help cover lab tests or a professional check.
  • Homeowners and long-term tenants (with the owner’s permission) can apply. Holiday homes aren’t eligible.
  • Grants range from €750 up to €5,000 – if the work costs less than €750, you won’t qualify.
  • More information: Domestic Lead Remediation Grant Scheme.

Domestic Well Grant:

  • Helps cover the cost of fixing up an existing well (like deepening, relining, or clearing it) or drilling a new one if your water supply isn’t up to scratch.
  • Also covers water treatment systems like filters or UV units to improve water quality.
  • Homeowners and long-term tenants (with the owner’s permission) can apply. Holiday homes aren’t eligible.
  • You can get 85 per cent of approved costs – up to €3,000 for repairs or up to €5,000 for a new well (if that’s the best option).
  • For water treatment, you can get up to 100% of approved costs, up to €1,000.
  • The minimum spend to qualify is €750
  • More information: Domestic Well Grant.

Septic Tank Grant:

  • Helps cover the cost of fixing, upgrading or replacing your septic tank system.
  • Only applies if issues were flagged in an official inspection under the National Inspection Plan, or if your home is in a designated area (like a Prioritised Area for Action or a High Status Objective Catchment Area).
  • Doesn’t cover routine servicing or desludging.
  • You must have received an advisory notice or live in one of the specified areas to qualify. Holiday homes aren’t eligible.
  • Covers 85 per cent of approved works, up to a maximum of €12,000. Minimum spend to apply is €750.
  • More information: Domestic Waste Water Treatment System (Septic Tank) Grant.

Energy grants from the SEAI:

  • Warmer Homes Scheme (Free Upgrades for Eligible Households):
    • Free energy upgrades for homeowners on certain social welfare payments (like Fuel Allowance, Disability Allowance, or Working Family Payment).
    • Your home must have been built and lived in before 2006, with a BER of C or lower.
    • Upgrades can include insulation, energy-efficient lighting, and sometimes heating systems or new windows.
    • An SEAI surveyor will check if your home qualifies.
    • If you sell your home within five years, you might have to pay back some or all of the grant.
  • Individual Energy Upgrade Grants (Better Energy Homes):
    • Pick and choose the upgrades you want, one step at a time.
    • Grants available for insulation (e.g. €1,500 for attic, up to €8,000 for external wall), heat pumps (up to €6,500), and solar panels (up to €1,800).
    • No grants for windows, doors, or ventilation systems under this scheme.
    • Ideal if you want to manage the upgrades yourself and do them gradually.
  • One Stop Shop (National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme):
    • A full energy upgrade package, managed for you from start to finish.
    • Covers everything from insulation and ventilation to heating, windows, and doors.
    • You must do all the upgrades at once, but higher grant amounts are available.
    • Grants are taken off the cost up front by the provider.
    • Some One Stop Shops can also help you apply for a loan to cover any extra costs.
    • Applications are made online. More information: SEAI.

Electric vehicle home charger grant

  • Get up to €300 towards buying and installing an electric vehicle charger at home.
  • You’ll need to have off-street parking and the charger must be connected to your home’s electricity supply.
  • You can’t apply if the property has already received this grant or got a free ESB charger before 2018.
  • Important: You must apply before starting any work – if you start before receiving the Letter of Offer, you won’t qualify.
  • Once approved, you’ll have 6 months to get the charger installed and send in your paperwork.
  • For more information: Electric Vehicle home charger grant.

Protected Structures Grants

  • If your home is on (or being added to) Donegal County Council’s Record of Protected Structures (RPS), you may qualify for special grants:
  • Historic Structures Fund: Offers €50,000 to €200,000 for major renovation projects. You’ll need to cover at least half the cost yourself.
  • Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS): Offers between €2,500 and €50,000 for up to 80 per cent of the project cost – ideal for routine maintenance and smaller repair jobs.
  • For more information: Donegal’s Grant Schemes page.

Defective Blocks Grant

  • Helps homeowners in Donegal whose homes have been damaged by defective concrete blocks. Supports homeowners in Donegal whose dwellings have been damaged by defective concrete blocks.
  • The property must be your main home or a rented property with a registered tenancy before November 1, 2021. It must have been built before January 31, 2020 and be located in Donegal County. The property must be your main private residence or a rented dwelling with a registered tenancy on or before November 1, 2021. It must have been built before January 31, 2020 and be located in Donegal County.
  • You can get up to €462,000 per home to cover 100 per cent of eligible costs. This includes professional fees, building assessments, approved repairs, temporary accommodation, removal and storage costs, urgent repairs and VAT. You can get up to €462,000 per dwelling for 100 per cent of eligible remediation costs, subject to the overall cap. This includes professional fees, building condition assessments, approved remediation works, alternative accommodation costs, removal and storage costs, essential immediate repair work, and VAT.
  • For more information: Donegal’s Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme page.

For more details and to explore other schemes that might suit your project, visit the Donegal County Council website.