Selfbuild Journey
Let Selfbuild Guide be your mentor and help you through the important steps of building or renovating your home so that no nasty surprises occur, costs are kept within your budget and you are well informed on your project
Do I need planning permission?
Planning permission is the government’s written authorisation for you to build a house…
April 28, 2025
Snag Lists and Retention If Builder
However small the job, and whether or not you’ve tackled…
April 10, 2025
Extension Watchpoints
For an extension project, you’ll be following similar steps to…
April 10, 2025
Managing Direct Labour
Direct labour consists of hiring all of the individual tradesmen…
April 10, 2025
Electrics including Ventilation and Solar
When you’re planning a major renovation or extension, it’s worth…
April 10, 2025
Heating systems and heat emitters
If you’re modernising, extending or upgrading your home, your heating…
April 10, 2025
New Build
- Site Assessment
- Pre Design
- Design
- Getting started on site
- On site
- Signing off
Item 1
Site Assessment
Site Access
8-wheel lorries and other heavy vehicles need a large entrance that they can…
Buying land with an existing house on it
An existing house on a site can be the key to securing planning permission on…
Planning red flags
If you are looking to buy a site without Outline Planning Approval then…
Water and electricity
Water and electricity connections need to be investigated early on,…
Wastewater
Wastewater systems treat foul water from your home from the…
Road Openings
Any extensive works that require road openings are subject to…
Basic Site Checklist
To get planning permission, i.e. approval from the authorities to build a…
Item 1
Pre Design
Budget and financing
Deciding on a budget is very individual. It could be…
Building methods
The most common building methods in Ireland are blockwork and timber frame but…
Choosing an architectural designer
It is not an exaggeration to say that this is a pivotal…
Collating your ideas
Scrapbooks, online ideas or mood board such as Pinterest, Houzz or SB+ Inspiration, as well as pictures on your phone of designs, features,…
Direct labour vs main contractor
Unless you have direct experience at employing trades people and…
Energy efficiency, airtightness and the environment
This is especially a concern in ROI where, in simplified…
Other key structural decisions
The decision to make on the roof at this early stage is…
Working out your requirements
Before you put pencil to paper and start sketching out a design,…
Item 1
Design
Health & Safety: Appoint PSDS/PD
The legislation in ROI is called the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction)…
Construction drawings
Before work can start on site your architectural designer will need to produce…
Provisions for on-site electricity, water
Some items will need to be designed early on so that future…
Ventilation
Ventilation is the method by which fresh air enters the…
Heat emitters
Oftentimes the type of heating system you choose will pair up with…
Heating Systems
The drive to improve the energy efficiency of homes and reduce carbon emissions…
Securing planning permission
Planning permission is the government’s written authorisation for you to build a house…
Choosing windows and doors
Picking you windows and doors is often a matter of personal…
Choosing external finishes
Quite often your architectural designer will be able to advise you on any potential planning restriction with…
Designing the outside space
These, as well as planting schemes may require planning approval. It is one of…
Kitchen and bathroom designs
The kitchen is the room most people spend the majority of their time…
Getting the space right
Writing a design brief is the single most important thing you can…
Cost savers
However, as discussed in the budgeting section, you start by working…
Item 1
Getting started on site
Appointing a main contractor
In the context of project management, using a main contractor is attractive for a number…
Living arrangements
The choice of where to live while you build is an important…
Before you start to dig
In a first instance these will help the grounds works…
Direct labour tasks
Direct labour consists of hiring all of the individual tradesmen yourself. It is…
Insurance and warranty cover
It is a legal obligation for the homeowner (self-builder) to…
Health & Safety: Appoint PSCS/PC
Before you start on construction, you must appoint a Principal Contractor or…
Building control: Register your project
Some self-builders will clear the site before going through this…
Item 1
On site
Landscaping: Watchpoints
A good site plan as part of your construction drawings…
Choosing the Bathrooms
The bathroom design will have been considered at the design stage to…
Choosing the Kitchen
Earlier on in the design process your architectural designer will have given…
Choosing wall and floor finishes
When budgeting the build, the cost of a block will be fairly…
Choosing lighting
In most cases you will need to choose these early…
Second fix
At this stage the fitting out of all the bathrooms as well as kitchen and other…
First fix
Once the structure is erected and you have walls, a…
Joinery:Watchpoints
Your joiner will most likely be in charge of fitting out the kitchen, internal…
Roofing & External Finishes: Watchpoints
On site a carpenter will fit the roof and you or your…
Windows and doors: Watchpoints
Nearly all window suppliers and many door suppliers will insist on…
Ventilation and heating systems: Watchpoints
Your ventilation and heating strategy will have been determined at the design stage. A set…
Insulation and airtightness: Watchpoints
Your insulation and airtightness strategy will have been worked out at this…
Wastewater systems, wells: Watchpoints
The wastewater company will install the system, possibly under the…
Foundations, subfloors and screeds: Watchpoints
Your foundation type will have been chosen at this stage. The process for a…
Construction overview
If you have hired a main contractor you can be as hands-off as you…
Quality control: Inspection schedule
In NI, your local authority will arrange a set number of mandatory inspections for your build….
Item 1
Signing off
Conveyancing
The change of ownership process on property is called conveyancing; this applies…
Final stage payment for mortgage
In addition to a certificate or opinion of compliance the mortgage company will look…
Certificate of compliance
In NI, your local building control officer will do a…
Snag lists and retention if main contractor
Once the builders and tradesmen have packed up their tools…
Extending or Renovating
- Getting Started
- Pre Design
- Design
- Before you start the build
- On Site
- Signing Off
Item 1
Getting Started
House survey
To devise a plan, you need to know what you’re…
Do I need planning permission?
Planning permission is the government’s written authorisation for you to build a house…
Site Access
A significant cost to consider with a renovation or extension…
Item 1
Pre Design
Home Improvement Grants
If you’re planning a renovation or extension, especially one that…
Budgeting for a house extension or major renovation
Setting a budget for an extension or major renovation depends…
Energy Efficiency, Airtightness and the Environment
Energy efficiency should be thought about from the earliest stages…
Direct labour vs main contractor
If you don’t have hands-on experience hiring tradespeople — or…
Choosing an architectural designer for your extension or renovation
A good architectural designer will not only bring your ideas…
Working Out Your Requirements
Before you even think about getting plans drawn up or…
Item 1
Design
Electrics including Ventilation and Solar
When you’re planning a major renovation or extension, it’s worth…
Heating systems and heat emitters
If you’re modernising, extending or upgrading your home, your heating…
Securing planning permission
When extending, renovating or improving your home, one of the…
Choosing Windows And Doors
Design, performance and cost are the three variables to consider…
Designing the outside space
While it’s often one of the last things physically completed,…
Structural decisions
If you are extending, you are essentially building a new…
Key Internal Design Decisions
When you’re planning a major home extension or renovation your…
Getting The Space Right
Writing a clear design brief helps shape a home that…
Cost Savers
How do you put a price on something that hasn’t…
Item 1
Before you start the build
Living Arrangements
Because rented accommodation is a direct cost to your building…
Managing Direct Labour
Direct labour consists of hiring all of the individual tradesmen…
Appointing A Builder
If you’re building an extension to your home, it can…
Insurance And Warranty Cover
It is not a legal requirement to take out self-build…
Statutory requirements
The three sets of regulations to be aware of if…
Item 1
On Site
Renovation Watchpoints
An existing house poses its own set of problems; there…
Extension Watchpoints
For an extension project, you’ll be following similar steps to…
Managing the Build
For a renovation and extension project, you’ll need to set…
Item 1
Signing Off
Selling it?
If you’ve just renovated or extended your house, the last…
Certificates Of Compliance
In the case of a renovation project, you won’t need…
Snag Lists and Retention If Builder
However small the job, and whether or not you’ve tackled…