Our Experts

Advice articles written by experts based in Ireland about the cost of building, design and build tips, and garden and DIY.

Our Experts

Andrew Stanway
Project Manager
Anne Byrne
Garden Designer
Barry McCarron
Passive House Expert
Claire Savage
DJ Rasdale
Managing Director
Harrison Gardner
DIY self-build expert
Keith Kelliher
Quantity Surveyor
Leslie O'Donnell
Les O’Donnell is a Chartered Architectural Technologist and structural engineer with over 30 years’ experience designing and supervising the construction of new builds. His practice, Landmark Designs, is based in Co Tyrone. All of the information contained in the guide is for information purposes only; professional guidance must be sought for your own specific project.
Marion McGarry
Mark and Helen McCall

Item 1

Andrew Stanway

Project Manager

A family legacy
Renowned timber frame manufacturer, Kudos has undergone a generational transition.
Homes taking twice as long to build than a decade ago
From planning to completion it now takes four years to…
Garden room boom on back of new rules
Garden home notifications rise by at least 7 per cent…
Grants in Ireland and Northern Ireland
A list of grants available for self-builders and home improvers…
Top 5 design mistakes
How to avoid mistakes when building new, with tips on…
Kitchen lighting inspiration
Kitchen lighting is about much more than simply making the…
Will a better BER add value to your home?
New research from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland suggests…
First-time buyer salary gap widens across Ireland
The income needed to buy a typical first home now…
More than one in six Help to Buy claims were self-builds in 2025
Self-builds made up almost 18 per cent of approved Help…
Why Ireland leads the way in passive house
Seán McKenna explains why Ireland leads the way in passive…

Item 1

Anne Byrne

Garden Designer

A family legacy
Renowned timber frame manufacturer, Kudos has undergone a generational transition.
Homes taking twice as long to build than a decade ago
From planning to completion it now takes four years to…
Garden room boom on back of new rules
Garden home notifications rise by at least 7 per cent…
Grants in Ireland and Northern Ireland
A list of grants available for self-builders and home improvers…
Top 5 design mistakes
How to avoid mistakes when building new, with tips on…
Kitchen lighting inspiration
Kitchen lighting is about much more than simply making the…
Will a better BER add value to your home?
New research from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland suggests…
First-time buyer salary gap widens across Ireland
The income needed to buy a typical first home now…
More than one in six Help to Buy claims were self-builds in 2025
Self-builds made up almost 18 per cent of approved Help…
Why Ireland leads the way in passive house
Seán McKenna explains why Ireland leads the way in passive…

Item 1

Barry McCarron

Passive House Expert

A family legacy
Renowned timber frame manufacturer, Kudos has undergone a generational transition.
Homes taking twice as long to build than a decade ago
From planning to completion it now takes four years to…
Garden room boom on back of new rules
Garden home notifications rise by at least 7 per cent…
Grants in Ireland and Northern Ireland
A list of grants available for self-builders and home improvers…
Top 5 design mistakes
How to avoid mistakes when building new, with tips on…
Kitchen lighting inspiration
Kitchen lighting is about much more than simply making the…
Will a better BER add value to your home?
New research from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland suggests…
First-time buyer salary gap widens across Ireland
The income needed to buy a typical first home now…
More than one in six Help to Buy claims were self-builds in 2025
Self-builds made up almost 18 per cent of approved Help…
Why Ireland leads the way in passive house
Seán McKenna explains why Ireland leads the way in passive…

Item 1

Claire Savage

A family legacy
Renowned timber frame manufacturer, Kudos has undergone a generational transition.
Homes taking twice as long to build than a decade ago
From planning to completion it now takes four years to…
Garden room boom on back of new rules
Garden home notifications rise by at least 7 per cent…
Grants in Ireland and Northern Ireland
A list of grants available for self-builders and home improvers…
Top 5 design mistakes
How to avoid mistakes when building new, with tips on…
Kitchen lighting inspiration
Kitchen lighting is about much more than simply making the…
Will a better BER add value to your home?
New research from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland suggests…
First-time buyer salary gap widens across Ireland
The income needed to buy a typical first home now…
More than one in six Help to Buy claims were self-builds in 2025
Self-builds made up almost 18 per cent of approved Help…
Why Ireland leads the way in passive house
Seán McKenna explains why Ireland leads the way in passive…

Item 1

DJ Rasdale

Managing Director

A family legacy
Renowned timber frame manufacturer, Kudos has undergone a generational transition.
Homes taking twice as long to build than a decade ago
From planning to completion it now takes four years to…
Garden room boom on back of new rules
Garden home notifications rise by at least 7 per cent…
Grants in Ireland and Northern Ireland
A list of grants available for self-builders and home improvers…
Top 5 design mistakes
How to avoid mistakes when building new, with tips on…
Kitchen lighting inspiration
Kitchen lighting is about much more than simply making the…
Will a better BER add value to your home?
New research from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland suggests…
First-time buyer salary gap widens across Ireland
The income needed to buy a typical first home now…
More than one in six Help to Buy claims were self-builds in 2025
Self-builds made up almost 18 per cent of approved Help…
Why Ireland leads the way in passive house
Seán McKenna explains why Ireland leads the way in passive…

Item 1

Harrison Gardner

DIY self-build expert

A family legacy
Renowned timber frame manufacturer, Kudos has undergone a generational transition.
Homes taking twice as long to build than a decade ago
From planning to completion it now takes four years to…
Garden room boom on back of new rules
Garden home notifications rise by at least 7 per cent…
Grants in Ireland and Northern Ireland
A list of grants available for self-builders and home improvers…
Top 5 design mistakes
How to avoid mistakes when building new, with tips on…
Kitchen lighting inspiration
Kitchen lighting is about much more than simply making the…
Will a better BER add value to your home?
New research from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland suggests…
First-time buyer salary gap widens across Ireland
The income needed to buy a typical first home now…
More than one in six Help to Buy claims were self-builds in 2025
Self-builds made up almost 18 per cent of approved Help…
Why Ireland leads the way in passive house
Seán McKenna explains why Ireland leads the way in passive…

Item 1

Keith Kelliher

Quantity Surveyor

A family legacy
Renowned timber frame manufacturer, Kudos has undergone a generational transition.
Homes taking twice as long to build than a decade ago
From planning to completion it now takes four years to…
Garden room boom on back of new rules
Garden home notifications rise by at least 7 per cent…
Grants in Ireland and Northern Ireland
A list of grants available for self-builders and home improvers…
Top 5 design mistakes
How to avoid mistakes when building new, with tips on…
Kitchen lighting inspiration
Kitchen lighting is about much more than simply making the…
Will a better BER add value to your home?
New research from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland suggests…
First-time buyer salary gap widens across Ireland
The income needed to buy a typical first home now…
More than one in six Help to Buy claims were self-builds in 2025
Self-builds made up almost 18 per cent of approved Help…
Why Ireland leads the way in passive house
Seán McKenna explains why Ireland leads the way in passive…

Item 1

Leslie O'Donnell

Les O’Donnell is a Chartered Architectural Technologist and structural engineer with over 30 years’ experience designing and supervising the construction of new builds. His practice, Landmark Designs, is based in Co Tyrone. All of the information contained in the guide is for information purposes only; professional guidance must be sought for your own specific project.

A family legacy
Renowned timber frame manufacturer, Kudos has undergone a generational transition.
Homes taking twice as long to build than a decade ago
From planning to completion it now takes four years to…
Garden room boom on back of new rules
Garden home notifications rise by at least 7 per cent…
Grants in Ireland and Northern Ireland
A list of grants available for self-builders and home improvers…
Top 5 design mistakes
How to avoid mistakes when building new, with tips on…
Kitchen lighting inspiration
Kitchen lighting is about much more than simply making the…
Will a better BER add value to your home?
New research from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland suggests…
First-time buyer salary gap widens across Ireland
The income needed to buy a typical first home now…
More than one in six Help to Buy claims were self-builds in 2025
Self-builds made up almost 18 per cent of approved Help…
Why Ireland leads the way in passive house
Seán McKenna explains why Ireland leads the way in passive…

Item 1

Marion McGarry

A family legacy
Renowned timber frame manufacturer, Kudos has undergone a generational transition.
Homes taking twice as long to build than a decade ago
From planning to completion it now takes four years to…
Garden room boom on back of new rules
Garden home notifications rise by at least 7 per cent…
Grants in Ireland and Northern Ireland
A list of grants available for self-builders and home improvers…
Top 5 design mistakes
How to avoid mistakes when building new, with tips on…
Kitchen lighting inspiration
Kitchen lighting is about much more than simply making the…
Will a better BER add value to your home?
New research from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland suggests…
First-time buyer salary gap widens across Ireland
The income needed to buy a typical first home now…
More than one in six Help to Buy claims were self-builds in 2025
Self-builds made up almost 18 per cent of approved Help…
Why Ireland leads the way in passive house
Seán McKenna explains why Ireland leads the way in passive…

Item 1

Mark and Helen McCall

A family legacy
Renowned timber frame manufacturer, Kudos has undergone a generational transition.
Homes taking twice as long to build than a decade ago
From planning to completion it now takes four years to…
Garden room boom on back of new rules
Garden home notifications rise by at least 7 per cent…
Grants in Ireland and Northern Ireland
A list of grants available for self-builders and home improvers…
Top 5 design mistakes
How to avoid mistakes when building new, with tips on…
Kitchen lighting inspiration
Kitchen lighting is about much more than simply making the…
Will a better BER add value to your home?
New research from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland suggests…
First-time buyer salary gap widens across Ireland
The income needed to buy a typical first home now…
More than one in six Help to Buy claims were self-builds in 2025
Self-builds made up almost 18 per cent of approved Help…
Why Ireland leads the way in passive house
Seán McKenna explains why Ireland leads the way in passive…

Cottage garden design ideas
This project in Co Mayo is an example of how…
Pros and cons of vaulted ceilings
They look great, but double height ceilings create their own…
Cost update: War on materials
With a sense of déjà vu, DJ Rasdale evaluates how…
When to pay upfront
When should you pay for materials and labour upfront? Quantity…
Urban garden design in Tipp
This urban garden required site levelling at the back; garden…
How much does a driveway cost in 2026?
Quantity surveyor Keith Kelliher does the maths on driveway costs…
Pros and cons of solar panels
The pros and cons of photovoltaic (PV) solar panels, and…
Roof costs
How much could you expect to pay for your roof…
Foundation costs
How much could you expect to pay for your foundations…
Pros and cons of smart home systems
Are smart home systems worth the investment? We look at…