This new build family-friendly project was designed for modern living and built on a budget.
In this article we cover
- Westmeath bungalow costs on a budget
- Cost effective design choices
- Incorporating oak into the design
- Project management route and direct labour tips
- Changes midway through the build
- Dealing with a €10k curveball from Irish water
- Planning conditions
- Savings on kitchen and finishes
- Favourite features and changes they’d make
- Top tips for others building their own house
- Specifications
- Professional photographs
- Floor plans and timeline
- Suppliers
Laura and Peter’s decision to build their single storey home came down to a few key factors. “We wanted to stay near Athlone to be close to my family,” Laura explains. After months of searching and exploring various options, they finally stumbled upon a site that met their needs.
“The other reason was that building allowed us to create a home that fits our needs perfectly, rather than trying to make an existing property work,” she adds, reflecting on the flexibility and customisation that come with starting from scratch.
House size: 204 sqm
Bedrooms: 4
Plot size: 0.75 acres
Site cost: €80,000
Total build cost approx: €300,000
Cost of well drilling and associated equipment: €6,000
Kitchen and utility room (including quartz, appliances and boiling water tap): € 24,800
Heating system: Air to water heat pump
Ventilation: Centralised mechanical with heat recovery
Build method: Blockwork
Their new home is tucked away in a quiet rural spot, just a quick 10 minute drive from the town. With fields and forests all around, it’s the peaceful retreat they were hoping for, yet still close enough to town for convenience. The location gave them exactly the kind of calm, natural setting they had imagined, making it the perfect place to start turning their vision into reality.
Design choices
While they had some initial design ideas, they worked with a local architectural designer who was experienced with the Westmeath rural planning guidelines.
“This was a crucial step for us,” Laura says. “We felt confident choosing him because we knew he could successfully navigate the local requirements.”
“After he visited the site and talked through our ideas, he came back with a few design options and we picked the one that felt closest to what we had in mind for the house.”
“We knew we wanted an open plan layout for the main living area, plenty of natural light, four bedrooms, a utility room and a separate sitting room. Vaulted ceilings in the living area were high up on our wish list also.”
“We also wanted a bungalow layout since that’s what we both grew up in, but we definitely didn’t want the usual dark, windowless hallway that comes with it.”
“He came up with an H-shaped design to let in as much natural light as possible. The bedrooms are in one ‘wing’ facing north, and the main living area is in the other ‘wing,’ with a hallway connecting the two.”
“We were aiming for a blend of traditional and modern styles. Externally, we wanted the house to nod to the traditional Irish farmhouse style, especially with the small, cottage like windows at the front. But we also wanted large, modern windows at the back of the house to let in plenty of light.”
“Inside, we went for a modern farmhouse style, combining traditional materials like oak with contemporary touches, such as a shaker style kitchen.” “ We were inspired by other new builds we had seen, particularly the open plan living spaces. This was a key priority for us, we wanted that open, airy feel in the main living areas of the house.”
Building process
The couple opted to take the direct labour approach, with Peter project managing the build while still working full time. “This was challenging, but the pandemic helped in a way because Peter was able to be on site more often when he wasn’t working. He coordinated the tradespeople, many of whom were recommended by our family and friends.”
“He teaches construction at secondary school and is a trained carpenter, so he had the confidence and skills to be very hands-on with the build. He was able to handle carpentry work, ensure proper airtightness and fill in gaps between the different trades.”
“Being prepared to ‘roll up your sleeves’ and get involved is crucial when you’re taking on a self-build project. Peter’s father, who lives near to the house also helped a lot, especially with letting tradespeople in and handling smaller tasks when Peter couldn’t be there.”
“Using direct labour and having Peter manage the build allowed us to keep more control over the process and save on costs.”
After receiving a quote of about €10,000 for a connection fee from Irish Water, they decided to drill their own well. “Peter grew up in a rural area with a well, so this didn’t faze us at all,” Laura says.
One of the standout features of the house is the glazing and windows. The open plan living area has a large, 4m wide lift and slide door that opens up to the outdoors. The kitchen has a distinctive long, narrow window that was strategically placed to capture morning light which would otherwise be shaded by the east facing treeline of the adjacent forest. “We really wanted to maximise natural light throughout the house, and the window placement reflects that.”
A unique element in the design is the oak trusses in the vaulted ceilings. “These were made from trees felled on Peter’s family land in Co Galway. We had them crafted by a specialist in Galway, so it’s lovely to have a piece of Peter’s family history in the house.”
The couple decided to install laminate flooring throughout the home instead of tile or concrete. This choice was a smart way to save on costs since Peter could handle the installation himself.
They installed an air to water heat pump with underfloor heating and a mechanical heat recovery ventilation (MVHR) system, both of which have kept the house energy efficient and comfortable. “We also opted for LED lights throughout, which has also helped keep our energy bills reasonable,” adds Laura.
Finishing touches
“We spent a lot of time looking for style inspiration on social media during lockdown, especially for the kitchen,” says Laura.
They consulted with several different kitchen companies and had them provide kitchen designs. This allowed them to compare options and eventually settle on a design that they worked out with a local craftsman, who ended up building the kitchen for them.
“ We eventually worked with a local craftsman who built our shaker style kitchen. He combined solid wood exteriors with MDF interiors to keep the costs down.”
“Sourcing the bathroom fixtures and fittings was one of the most challenging parts of the build,” admits Laura. “I managed to get some bathroom layouts done cheaply by a local draughtsman which I found very helpful in visualising the spaces.”
“A relative helped us source the fixtures and fittings from a local supplier at a good price,” she adds.
One thing the couple wish they’d done differently is to hire a lighting consultant. “The open plan layout made it difficult to plan the lighting, and there are some areas where we would have liked things placed differently.”
“ The lighting design was a collaboration between the electrician and ourselves. We walked around the house with him one day and tried to figure out where things were going to go. Now, there are a few spots where I wish I had a socket or where a plug or light switch is in an inconvenient location. But these things happen; it’s tough to think of everything, especially when you have a hundred other things on your mind.”
“Still, we did incorporate energy efficient features, like LED lights and a motion sensor in the hallway, which our electrician suggested.”
“As for energy efficiency, we’ve wired the house for solar panels, but we haven’t installed them yet due to budget constraints. It’s something we might add down the line.”
During the construction process, the couple made a few changes to the original building plans.
“The architectural designer’s initial plans featured a different style of vaulted ceiling, but we decided to change this to incorporate the oak trusses.”
“Also, there was originally supposed to be a flat roof section connecting the open plan area to the bedroom section, but we changed this to a traditional pitched roof instead.”
Halfway through the internal construction, they realised they wanted to add a dressing room adjacent to the main bedroom, so they knocked down a half wall to create this additional space.
As for landscaping, it’s still a work in progress. “We’ve laid the lawns, but there’s no kerbing or tarmac yet. My father-in-law helped with some of the groundwork, but the landscaping is definitely on the ‘to do’ list. The area from the front door to the driveway entrance is still pretty bumpy.”
“We weren’t allowed to place the driveway entrance where we had initially planned. Instead, we had to position it in a less ideal parallel location because of a dodgy corner on the road.”
Overall they are delighted with how the house is working for them after living in it for a good number of years. “We love the open plan living area and would definitely do something similar if we were to build again,” says Laura. “The open layout is a fantastic feature which works really well for our lifestyle.”
“We haven’t encountered any major issues with the heating system, as we’ve kept up with all necessary maintenance and servicing. We feel we’ve been able to make the home our own by adding personal touches, which is often harder to achieve when buying an existing house.”
“We are very, very happy and very proud of the end result of our self-build project. It’s been a very rewarding experience to see our hard work come to life in our finished home,” says Laura. “All in all, while the build took longer than we originally anticipated—about two years instead of 1.5—we’re really pleased with how the house turned out. It’s been quite a journey, but the blend of traditional and modern elements, along with personal touches like the oak trusses, have made this house feel like home.”
Q&A with Laura
What is your favourite design feature?
My favourite part of the house is definitely the open plan living area. I love how much natural light floods the space through the large windows and skylights. It’s bright and welcoming no matter the season.
What would you change or do differently?
If I were to build again, I would make the bedrooms a bit bigger, especially the smaller guest rooms, as they feel a little tight. I’d also increase the size of the front facing windows, which are currently small, making the rooms a bit dark when the internal doors are closed. Additionally, I regret not consulting a lighting expert, as choosing where to locate the lights in the open plan layout with trusses and skylights was challenging.
What surprised you?
I was surprised by how long everything took. We initially thought the build would take about 1.5 years, but it ended up being closer to two years. Coordinating with tradespeople was also more challenging than expected.
What single piece of advice would you give a budding self-builder?
Spend a lot of time on detailed planning. Really take the time to think through every aspect of each room’s layout and how the furniture will fit before you finalise the plans. This kind of careful planning can make a huge difference, especially with practical details like the placement of electrical outlets. In short, planning is everything. It’s worth the extra effort upfront to avoid issues later on.
Would you do it again?
I wouldn’t say ‘definitely not’. Peter might be more hesitant, given the hard work and sacrifices involved, including living with family for five years in order to save up for it. We feel very lucky and rewarded by the end result, but we recognise it’s not something everyone can easily do.
Tips
Shop around. It’s so important to hire a high quality architectural designer who knows the local area well.
Consider getting 3D plans done of the house and rooms, as this can help identify potential layout issues before finalising the design.
Don’t rush the planning process just to get the initial plans submitted. Taking the time upfront to get the details right is crucial.
Suppliers for Westmeath bungalow on a budget
Architectural design
David Marshall, John Madden & Associates, Co Westmeath, tel. 044 9344347
Kitchen
David Conway Kitchens, Co Galway, mobile 087 221 0061
Electrician
Eamon Finlay Electrician, Co Westmeath, mobile 087 256 9868
Roofer
Richie Fallon, Co Westmeath, mobile 087 984 3009
Plasterer
David Rooney, Co Galway, mobile 087 412 4752
Blocklayers
David Kelly, Co Roscommon, mobile 086 736 8585
John Derwin, Co Roscommon, mobile 087 298 5822
Plumbing
Padraic Duignan Plumbing, Co Westmeath, mobile 086 087 7116
NI calling ROI prefix with 00353 and drop the first 0
Spec
Insulation: PIR for floor (150mm) and walls (120mm) and pitched roof on rafter (150mm). Spray foam insulation for apex roof with 150mm PIR on underside. Mineral woold insulation for intermediate floor.
Windows: Triple glazed uPVC argon filled windows, 4m aluclad slider double glazed argon filled, RAL colour 7016, overall U-value: 1.1W/sqmK.
