Self-builders in NI are facing delays and rising costs, but a shift in industry confidence hints at future growth.
In this article we cover:
- NI’s private housing workloads so far this year
- The growing optimism among surveyors for the year ahead
- Ongoing challenges: labour shortages, planning delays and infrastructure issues
- How rising material costs could impact your self-build budget
The private house building scene in Northern Ireland flatlined in the first quarter of 2025. While that might seem like a sign of stagnation for self-builders, there are some positive signs on the horizon.
The latest construction monitor report from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) reveals that private housing didn’t decline as much as other construction sectors, even though it didn’t see the growth many were hoping for.
However, surveyors are more optimistic than before, with 26 per cent expecting an increase in workloads over the next 12 months — up from just 10 per cent in the last survey. This suggests that, while progress is slow, things may pick up as the year goes on.
For self-builders, the news is mixed. On the one hand, the outlook isn’t as bleak as it could be, but on the other hand, there are still significant challenges to tackle.
Respondents to the study reports that labour shortages, especially in key roles like quantity surveyors, continue to impact project timelines and costs.
Self-builders might find themselves waiting longer or paying more than expected because of these shortages.
Also, common hurdles like planning delays, rising material costs and a shortage of wastewater infrastructure are still slowing things down. These issues can be especially tough for self-builders relying on a smooth process to stay on track with projects.
Jim Sammon, RICS NI Construction Spokesman, said: “Whilst the NI construction market continued to face challenges through the first quarter of the year, it is encouraging to see that surveyors appear more optimistic on outlook, albeit that anecdotally they highlight a range of risks locally and globally.”
“Whilst it’s positive to see that surveyors report increases in public works and infrastructure workloads, issues such as planning delays, a lack of wastewater infrastructure and increased cost of materials are continuing to impact the sector.”
“But whilst these challenges are expected to continue through the rest 2025, it is hoped that Northern Ireland’s construction industry will be on a path of positive momentum through the course of this year.”
