Selfbuild Autumn 2023 Preview

Rory Best – Flogas Brand Ambassador

If there ever was a time to build or renovate, it’s now. Not only are construction costs falling, banks are willing to lend.

Best of all, in ROI you no longer need to pay development levies. That’s the fee you pay your local council for building your new home. Until next April, the government is footing the bill, which can run in the high thousands. And the government is paying for the water connection charges, saving you thousands there too (p9).

Meanwhile, those looking to renovate a vacant property

Astrid Madsen - Editor astrid.madsen@selfbuild.ie

can avail of juicy handouts: €70k to do up the house if it’s derelict (€50k if it’s vacant) plus €7k to go towards professional fees – and over €30k in grants from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland to do up the energy efficiency of the home (p11). It may seem daunting to take on a large project but there’s a whole community of self-builders and experts out there happy to share their knowledge. That’s why we’re here. To gather that advice, in this magazine but also through our membership portal Selfbuild+. After all, information is power.

Til next time, happy building!

MARKETING

Calum Lennon calum.lennon@selfbuild.ie

Victoria Hunter victoria.hunter@selfbuild.ie

Rebecca Ferris rebecca.ferris@selfbuild.ie

Lizzie McCullough lizzie.mccullough@selfbuild.ie

SUBSCRIPTIONS/EVENTS

Maria Toland maria.toland@selfbuild.ie

Nicola Delacour-Dunne nicola.delacour.dunne@ selfbuild.ie

ACCOUNTS

Karen McLeigh karen.mcleigh@selfbuild.ie

Leanne Rodgers leanne.rodgers@selfbuild.ie

SALES DIRECTOR

EDITOR

Astrid Madsen astrid.madsen@selfbuild.ie

DESIGN

Myles McCann myles.mccann@selfbuild.ie

Shannon Quinn shannon.quinn@selfbuild.ie

Becca.Wilgar becca.wilgar@selfbuild.ie

SALES

ADVERTISING

Emma Phillips emma.phillips@selfbuild.ie

Joanna McConvey joanna.mcconvey@selfbuild.ie

Lisa Killen lisa.killen@selfbuild.ie

Mark Duffin mark.duffin@selfbuild.ie

MANAGING

Brian Corry brian.corry@selfbuild.ie CHAIRMAN

Projects

Learn from other self-builders all over the island of Ireland who have built new or renovated their home.

22 From quantity surveyor to selfbuilder

James and Jessica Corrigan pulled in all the favours they could to build their family home from scratch in Co Laois.

32 Savvy split level

living

How Stuart and Katie Eadie built themselves a family home on a budget in Co Antrim.

42 Staying put

Having lived in their Co Limerick home for years before embarking on their renovation and extension project, Aoife and Mark Ryan knew just what to do to suit their lifestyle.

52 Extension for modern living

Advice

79 Ask Keith

Will a modular build save you money? Quantity surveyor

Keith Kelliher has the answer.

81 Ask Andrew

Project manager Andrew

Stanway explains what to guard against if you decide to go direct labour.

82 Going the whole hog

Why it makes sense to invest fully in the passive house standard, instead of adopting a pick and choose approach.

84 Build checklist

What you need to have in place before you can start scheduling your build.

86 DIY French drains

How to build the most basic drainage system around.

90 Bucking the trend: ICF

The downsides to Insulating Concrete Formwork.

92 Internal doors

Check out what your options are, from bifold to pocket doors.

Emma and Jonathan Rhodes took their lead from their architect to transform the back of their home from a dark and cold space to a warm and light filled haven.

62 What makes a house a home

Paul Lawford explains how he built his tiny abode and why it’s a more sustainable option than building a larger house,

SELFBUILD: THE ALL-IRELAND

both financially and from a construction point of view.

66 Living the big life in a tiny home

Michael Rauch shares the pros of cons of inhabiting a small house, having lived in one for three years.

69 Awards season

Showcasing workmanship in NI with the Federation of Master Builders Awards.

72 Covid casualty

Why Shauna and Finbar

O’Harte had to abandon their dream build in Co Fermanagh.

74 Hillside garden with stunning views

With views of the Burren comes high winds; this Co Clare home garden design makes the most of its location.

All articles equally cover the 32 counties; when we refer to the Republic of Ireland the abbreviation is ROI. For Northern Ireland it’s NI.

INSULATES

FASTER HEATING RESPONSE SO ROOMS HEAT UP QUICKER WHEN THE HEATING IS TURNED ON

NI broadband coming to rural areas

Broadband infrastructure in remote rural areas depends on UK government funding, which the NI Department for the Economy (DfE) is working to secure.

Funds are coming from the UK government to roll out superfast (1,000 megabits per second) broadband to all parts of NI thanks to Project Gigabit, which the DfE expects will be rolled out within the next three to four years. Nigel Robbins, Broadband Project Director at the DfE, said this could mean NI would be the first part of the UK “with near ubiquitous access to gigabit-capable broadband”.

An open market review, which looked at the areas that weren’t getting broadband, shows that gigabit-capable broadband will reach close to 880,000 premises in NI. That leaves 85,504 premises without access to gigabit-capable broadband, as they are considered commercially unviable.

The majority of eligible premises likely to benefit from Project Gigabit are expected to be homes and businesses that may have access to superfast broadband (speeds of 30 Mbps or above), but which are reliant on technology solutions not capable of delivering gigabit broadband speeds (for example, copper line services).

Project Gigabit follows in the steps of the DfE’s Superfast broadband programme and the DfE’s broadband intervention programme Project Stratum.

Designs for changing weather

Recent modelling data from Met Éireann shows that overheating is “expected to become more severe in the future”.

Rainfall is expected to come in more heavy bursts in winter too, leading to drainage systems potentially being overwhelmed, as the meteorological agency predicts little rainfall in summer. The Met Éireann climate data is expected to feed into house building designs, to model for more extreme weather events; it’s freely available from housing.gov.ie and met.ie

Self-builds prop up housing stock

Completions and commencements are at record levels in ROI, and self-builds are propping up the mortgage market in rural regions, according to a new report.

The Banking & Payments Federation Ireland‘s Housing Market Monitor for the first quarter of 2023 shows the vast majority of mortgages in rural areas are drawn down for self-builds.

The self-build share in total housing output has declined over the past number of years, the report states, but self-builds still account for nearly 18 per cent of total completions, which include apartment and developer homes, in Q1 of 2023.

You can check if your house might get faster broadband on online.economy-ni. gov.uk/ProjectGigabit

Discover Easy Comfort with Pipelife Eco

Build cost report Development levy holiday in ROI

Construction costs account for about half of total delivery costs, according to the Department of the Taoiseach.

Self-builders won’t have to pay development levies to their local authority, saving on average €12,650, as long as they complete their house build by 31 December 2025. The holiday will apply for a 12-month period, until April 2024, in a bid to stimulate more house building.

The ROI cabinet introduced the measures to stimulate house building in April 2023, taking immediate effect. Your

2019.

Connections up to 10m from the mains now cost €2,272 for water and €3,929 for wastewater, representing a saving of over €6k for water charges alone.

“All residential developments (Apartments, Scheme Housing and one-off homes) will be exempt from Development levies and water connection fees,” a spokesperson for the ROI Department of Housing told Selfbuild. “The Exchequer

The Residential Construction Cost Study published late April shows that introducing standardised specifications for wall build ups and heating and ventilation systems can yield significant savings.

Labour costs and using “site-based heat generation”, i.e. installing boilers or heat pumps, as opposed to district heating also contributed to the high unit costs.

Most relevant to self-builders was the analysis done for the cost of building semi-detached homes in Dublin. A 123sqm five bedroom semi-detached house designed with five occupants in mind cost €180k to build, which was 15 per cent more than it cost to build a similar unit in Birmingham.

The report’s action plan includes rolling out standardised social housing plans and “simplified layouts”, although these will be “indicative only” and accompanied by performance and economic best practice guidance.

Updated RIAI guide

commencement notice must have been submitted to the local authority within the 28 day period prior to 25 April 2023 i.e. on or after 28 March 2023 to qualify.

Self-builders currently have to pay development levies to their local authority to pay for infrastructure costs such as roads. These can amount to tens of thousands of euros in certain areas.

Self-builders will continue to have to pay connections charges for electricity but won’t have to pay for water connection fees. The waiver does not apply to group water schemes; according to the Department of Housing it only applies to “houses connected to a water and wastewater supply provided by Irish Water/ Uisce Eireann”.

Water connection fees used to be done on a case by case basis, as is electricity at the moment, but a flat rate for water and wastewater connections was introduced in

will compensate Local Authorities and Irish Water for this loss of revenue.”

“This will cut the cost of building a home and apply for a limited time only to act as an incentive,” stated the press release dated April 2023.

For those at the site hunting stage, know that under the Ready to Build Scheme local authorities can provide serviced sites to self-builders.

Also know that self-builders are exempt from the new ROI rezoning tax on land as it will only apply to developments of more than four houses. The new Land Value Sharing (LVS) charge of 30 per cent will apply on the difference between existing use value and the market value on land that has been zoned for housing. The aim is prevent land speculation and land hoarding.

The Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) updated its guide to working with an architect for 2023.

The guide now includes the RIAI’s 2030 Climate Challenge, a voluntary pledge to design buildings to have as little impact as possible on the environment.

The document outlines your obligations, from planning, health and safety through to building regulations and building control. It also provides a bird’s eye view of the stages you can expect to go through during your building project.

Even if light on details, the guide is a great overview of the process. The first edition of Working with an Architect was published in 2017.

The ROI government axes development levies and water charges for new builds, footing the bill for self-builders to the local authorities and Irish Water.

Renovation grants jump to €70k

Island properties can get up to €84k plus a €7k grant for professional services.

The Croí Cónaithe Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant increased the grants on offer from €30,000 to €50,000 for vacant properties, and from €50,000 to €70,000 for derelict properties. Island homes can avail of an extra 20 per cent, bringing the grant amounts to €60,000 and €84,000 respectively.

The grants are for homes built up to 2007, and are now available for properties intended for rental as well as those that will be owner-occupied.

Applications are done through your local authority and are open to both rural and urban regions. You must own or be buying a vacant or derelict property to avail of the grant.

VAT is included in the grant amount, shaving 23 per cent off the face value of the grants unless you hire a contractor in which case the reduced VAT rate of 13.5 per cent will apply.

Those who have already applied for the grant won’t be eligible for a top up, unless they haven’t drawn down on their grant amount.

“Anyone not yet paid the grant can be considered for additional funding as part of the recent grant increase,” a Department of Housing spokesperson told Selfbuild. “This will be based on the refurbishment costs applied for as part of their grant application, the local authority’s assessment of those costs and proof of expenditure.”

Expert conservation advice grant

A top up grant of €7,500 is also available for expert conservation advice for those doing up a vernacular dwelling such as a farmhouse and availing of the vacant property grant.

The Conservation Advice Grant Scheme for Vacant Traditional Farmhouses provides grants of up to €7,500 (excluding VAT) to cover the cost of having a conservation expert with proven and appropriate expertise visit a property, conduct a survey, and compile tailored conservation advice for the property owner.

This expert advice will include a report

€5k lead pipe grant open to all

All homes built before the 1980s that contain lead pipes can avail of a grant to replace them, thanks to a grant scheme first introduced in 2016.

As of December 2022 the scheme is no longer means tested and the grant amount is higher.

You can now get a grant to replace lead pipes and related fittings for 100 per cent of the cost or €5,000, whichever is the lowest. Before the change, grants up to €4,000 were available to those earning up to €50,000 per year.

The new grant includes €200 for the provision of a certificate from a laboratory or notification from a registered building professional.

which outlines the condition of a building and suggests conservation repairs and improvements which would improve the building and enhance its character, energy efficiency, integrity, and amenity.

The aim of the scheme is to help owners of traditionally constructed buildings to understand the heritage value and potential of these structures and to prompt them to consider investments which could enhance that value.

All applicants must be willing to complete a short questionnaire to assist with the evaluation of the scheme and provide a selection of before and after photographs.

Note: Not all conservation professionals will have energy modelling skills so engagement of additional conservation expertise may form part of the report recommendations. The grant does not cover costs associated with the design and specification of new build additions.

Both of these grants can be used in conjunction with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) grants to help improve the energy efficiency of a home.

The minimum expenditure has been increased from €200 to €750. The scope of works is to replace old lead pipes and fittings with copper or plastic pipes.

Customers of Irish Water must apply through the Customer opt-in Lead Pipe Replacement Scheme. If you are not an Irish Water customer, contact your local authority to apply for the grant.

Planning still difficult to get in rural areas

Despite political pushback the update to the ROI Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines has yet to be published by the ROI Department of Housing.

The rural housing guidelines date back to 2005 and allow for so-called ‘locals only’ rules, whereby people from the local area may be given the right to build in the open countryside.

Each local authority can interpret what that means through its County Development Plan, leading to detractors saying the practice is unfair and arbitrary.

“Ireland’s rural young people are once again leaving in droves because it is so difficult for them to have a future and build a house in their communities,” said Elaine Houlihan, national president for Macra na Feirme, a voluntary organisation representing young people from rural Ireland.

Meanwhile RoscommonGalway TD Claire Kerrane told Agriland: “Local authorities are really being a law unto themselves. The rules are different in various parts of the country and in other parts of the country, it’s even more difficult than in other parts, to get that planning permission.”

An example of planning inconsistencies came up at a recent meeting of Galway County Council, according to breakingnews.ie, which heard of self-builders pretending to break up so they could build a

second house on their land to sell on for profit.

The Galway County Development Plan 2022 to 2028 excludes individuals from applying for planning permission for a one-off house, if they have previously been granted planning permission in the area.

Minister for Rural Affairs Heather Humphries indicated the government is favourable to building in the open countryside, as have previous ministers.

“None of us wants to see a return to the bad old days of ribbon development or houses being built on flood plains. However, there has to be a balance in this regard,” she told the Dáil in June.

“Our planning regulations need to support people to build on their own land. We have a golden, once-in-ageneration opportunity now to support the return of young people to our rural parishes. Government policy must support this, not get in the way of it.”

Case closed

The European Commission brought an infringement case against Ireland in 2007 regarding the 2005 Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines’ locals only rule.

The infringement case number INFR(2007)4011 was quietly closed in 2018. A spokesperson for the European Commission told Selfbuild correspondence with Member States is not published for infringement

cases, so there is no official reason why the case was closed.

“What this generally means is that the Irish authorities have notified their reviewed rules to the Commission, the Commission has assessed them and decided they are in line with the EU legislation and has closed the case,” the spokesperson said in an email.

According to a parliamentary question (PQ) dated April 2023, it’s had to do with changes to the planning system.

“Most notably, obligations under European Directives and international agreements relating to the management and protection of the environment and adapting to and mitigating climate change have become more central to the operation of the planning system,” said Minister for State Kieran O’Donnell in the PQ.

“While planning policy is a national, as opposed to an EU competence, due care is being taken to ensure the updated guidelines will not operate to conflict with fundamental EU freedoms, comply with EU environmental legislative requirements and have due regard to decisions of the European Court of Justice.”

“In this regard, the ‘Flemish Decree’ case was a successful challenge in the European Court of Justice to a March 2009 decree of the Belgian Flemish Region on land and real estate policy, which made the purchase or longterm lease of land (i.e. all

immovable property, that included existing homes, businesses and farms) in certain Flemish communes conditional upon there being a ‘sufficient connection’ between the prospective buyer or tenant and the relevant commune. The Flemish Decree therefore effectively restricted more than development rights in respect of new housing development.”

“The draft planning guidelines will address these complex environmental and legal issues, while also providing a framework for the sustainable management of housing in rural areas.”

Locals only saga: Why the delay?

The planning guidelines were ready to go, sources at the Department of Housing told Selfbuild in January 2023, but were awaiting cabinet approval.

However, the Department of Housing said in reply to the Parliamentary Question dated April 2023 that the reason for the delay was the need for an environmental assessment: “the guidelines are at an advanced stage of drafting and environmental assessments relating to the impact of the proposed guidelines on the environment are being finalised”.

The Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines, published in 2005, have been under review since 2007.

TDs, councillors and lobby groups are calling for the ROI government to publish Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines, 16 years in the making, to make it easier for people to build their own home in rural Ireland.

Pyrite scheme falls short

The ROI pyrite redress scheme is leaving homeowners significantly out of pocket as the grant available to rebuild pyrite affected homes works on a per sqm basis.

One homeowner speaking to Mayo Live said the subsidy for her 94sqm home didn’t come close to covering the cost of rebuilding, leaving her €102k out of pocket. Pyrite is a mineral that deteriorates concrete blocks over time, to the point that houses are crumbling. Affected property owners must apply to their local authority for the ‘Enhanced Grant Scheme for the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks in their Construction’. Currently only homes in counties Clare, Donegal, Limerick and Mayo are eligible but cases have emerged further afield, including in NI.

House price drop

In Q2 2023, house prices fell slightly in ROI, by 0.5 per cent according to daft.ie, but increased in NI by 0.7 per cent according to building society Nationwide.

According to those same sources, the national house price average in ROI was €309.6k and in NI £182.7k in June 2023. Mainland UK recorded price decreases, with some regions seeing house values drop by 4.7 per cent. This coincided with a record low number of house completions in the UK, according to S&P Global, at a 14 year low excluding the Covid period.

In ROI the Central Bank estimates there will be 27,500 houses built in 2023, 1,500 below the current 29,000 target.

NI long way from net zero

Two in three homes in NI need energy upgrades to meet the region’s 2030 net zero goal.

50,000 buildings a year or 60 per cent of homes in NI will need improving in order to meet NI’s 2030 net zero targets, according to a new report by the Forum for a Better Housing Market NI carried out by Ulster University.

The Northern Ireland Energy Strategy targets a 56 per cent reduction in energy related carbon emissions by 2030 relative to 1990 levels.

“Northern Ireland is lagging behind other UK regions and the Republic of Ireland in the decarbonisation of its housing stock,” said David Little, Chair of the Forum for a Better Housing Market NI.

“Homes here are recording the lowest

energy performance scores compared with our neighbouring countries so we need to act now. One of the main reasons for this is, undoubtedly, the lack of a clear and coordinated policy response.”

The main policy solution outlined in the report was to “incentivise” building owners to create more energy efficient homes, presumably in the form of grants. There are currently few grants available to homeowners in NI.

Lead researcher Professor Martin Haran added: “A series of failed initiatives allied with a non-sitting Stormont Executive has ensured that NI significantly lags behind other UK regions and ROI.”

Log homes could get green light

Cork County councillors are banding together to update the County Development Plan’s Rural Design Guide to allow log homes to be built not just at the outskirts of forested areas, as is currently the case.

Independent TDs also want to see log homes allowed across Ireland. In most rural areas, they are difficult to get planning permission for. Log homes can cost as little as €60-€80k to build, according to the newspaper.

Log cabins could become more common thanks to a possible relaxing of planning rules in Co Cork, reports the Irish Examiner.

1 in 3 can’t afford to retrofit

A third of homeowners can’t afford to make their properties more energy efficient, according to a survey by Savills Ireland, as the costs can run into the tens of thousands of euros, even with grants.

Planning to build in NI? Contact NI Water first

It doesn’t matter if your plans are large or small, you must talk to NI Water before you submit your planning application.

That is the advice from NI Water as it launches a campaign to highlight the steps small developers and individuals planning to build or extend must follow.

Engage with NI Water by filling in a PreDevelopment Enquiry Form. This helps NI Water identify any potential issues with your plans. The utility could help resolve these issues in advance of submitting your

planning application.

“If you apply for planning permission in an area where there are capacity issues, we will have to recommend the application is turned down until you engage with us,” Davy McGrath, Head of Developer Services, NI Water explained.

“This is to ensure we can continue to protect the environment. So please, engage with us early to avoid delays to your project and potential disappointment if your application is refused.”

Further information on how to engage with the Developers Services Team and the Pre-Development Enquiry Form can be found at niwater.com

€20k grant for self-builders mooted

Rural Independents Group TDs are calling for a new €20,000 grant-aid package for anyone who wants to build a permanent home on their lands, as the government drags its feet publishing the update to the rural housing guidelines.

Meanwhile the property advisor says that homes with a Building Energy Rating of A or B sell more quickly, as people know they won’t have to do work on their home.

“If you put in external insulation, it can be €10,000 to €15,000, or to put in a heat pump it can be a similar cost so it’s no surprise that people can’t afford to retrofit,” said Orla Coyle, Head of Energy & Sustainability at Savills Ireland.

She points out that government grants are available, including fully funded energy upgrades for those on certain welfare benefits. But she added that “many people can’t afford it so we do need to look at green financing and alternative options to help people”.

According to TD Mattie McGrath rural housing regulations are “overly zealous”, stating the coalition government has taken “an especially aggressive and unhelpful anti-rural stance on one-off housing”.

A feast for the eyes

The winners of the 2023 Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) Awards are….

he RIAI Awards placed a strong focus on sustainability this year with a passive house designed house in Co Down winning the Sustainability Award. Silver Bark House by Marshall McCann Architects is a contemporary timber clad new build with an oversized dormer window.

The Living category meanwhile rewarded two projects, an artisan cottage in Dublin’s north inner city designed by Scullion Architects and An Tuí by Karen Brownlee Architects. Winning the Workplace and Fit-Out Award is Clancy Moore Architects’ Writer’s Room, the envy of anyone who’s working from home.

Silver Bark House Marshall McCann Architects

Photo Keri Leigh Kearney

Charleville Scullion Architects

An Tuí Karen Brownlee Architects

u

Photo Aisling McCoy

Photo Fionn McCann

Photo Fionn McCann

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Growing family

Alpha Flow Screeds has acquired Cookstown concrete and cement manufacturing firm Milburn Concrete. Founded in the 1970s by the Thom family and operating out of Orritor Quarry, Milburn Concrete makes both ready mix concrete and different types of floor screed.

New Limerick branch Bring your plans to life

With a range of over 8,000 different

sig.ie

alphaflowscreeds.com

When you’re looking at your architect’s drawings, it can be difficult to visualise what it will be like to walk around your dream home. For that reason, John and Emma Foley are bringing new state-ofthe-art, patented technology to Ireland for the very first time.

Lifesize Plans Leinster will project your layout, to lifesize scale, onto the floor of its purpose built Dublin 10 premises, giving you the opportunity to walk through your plans before you start building.

The technology allows you to move walls and other elements around so you’re sure the house you’re building is one that’s fit for purpose – saving time and money by helping to prevent on-site changes during construction. Moveable furniture is part of the experience, to provide spatial awareness and gain a better understanding of the flow and function of the design.

The showroom also has an upper level observation deck, cutting edge meeting room technology and collaborative breakout spaces.

To book an appointment and for more information go to lifesizeplans.com or email leinster@lifesizeplans.com

SIG Ireland has opened its fifth branch in Limerick. With existing branches in Dublin, Cork, Belfast, and Omagh, the branch will supply Limerick city and the wider mid-west region.

building products, SIG is a leading supplier of specialist building products and technical expertise to main contractors and subcontractors. Its fleet of trucks and vans means that SIG can provide reliable next day delivery.

Alpha Flow Screeds plans to retain the current use of the business and expand it, as it will work to supply and fit material north and south of Ireland.

self-builder quantity From surveyor to

Overview

House size: 295sqm

Bedrooms: 4

Plot size: 1.3 acres

Site cost: €35,000

Build cost: Approx. €850/sqm or €250,000 total (not finished)

House value: €495,000

BER: A2

Heating system: air to water heat pump and wood burning stove

Ventilation: demand controlled, not centralised

Build method: Blockwork

Words: Heather Campbell

Photography: Damien Kelly

James and Jessica Corrigan took on the challenge of building their own home, trusting their own abilities and the power of strong connections within the construction industry. But did the gamble pay off? This is how they got on.

James is a quantity surveyor with a good understanding of construction and a keen eye for financial considerations. So when it came to building his own home, he saw the financial advantages of taking on the project himself. With a fair knowledge of construction and connections to trades and skilled labourers, he felt confident in his organisational abilities to manage a self-build.

“While I can see why a lot of people want to appoint a contractor to handle the hiring and organisation, I actually enjoyed taking on that responsibility,” says James. “It was a personal achievement for me, although I must admit it was not without its challenges.” The location of his new home held great importance to him. “I always dreamed of building a house in my home town, but finding the right site was not easy. Typically, you would have to approach a farmer and pay a hefty price for a suitable plot.”

However, fate worked in his favour. “One day, I was casually chatting with my father about the possibility of finding a site, and within a week, a plot went up for sale in our town. The site belonged to a local pub owner who had decided to sell it. Thankfully, I knew the owner well so I contacted him directly and secured the site at an agreed price.” James was only 25 when he bought the land.

When it came to the design of their new home, James and Jessica shared their preferences and considered various options. However, James believed that basing their design on an existing house

they both liked and found functional would be the best approach.

“As luck would have it, we came across a house nearby that we both fell in love with. One day, while admiring it from the outside, we noticed the owner in the garden. I took the opportunity to strike up a conversation and explained our desire to get an idea of the house’s plans to use as a basis for our own home.”

“The owner turned out to be a true gentleman and invited us to visit that evening and took us on a tour of his house. He generously provided us with the plans, which served as inspiration for our design. We didn’t copy the house exactly, we made a few tweaks here and there to personalise it. Our architect then polished up the plans for us, bringing our vision to life.”

James bought the original plot of land subject to planning permission. “A previous owner of the land had been refused permission because the site is located at a crossroads. Our entrance was carefully placed at the farthest point of the site, meeting the required distance of 100

meters from the crossroads. Planning took approximately two months to finalise.”

Key features

“Certain design features were particularly

important to me. I wanted the living area to be a spacious open space. As the heart of my childhood home was always the kitchen, I insisted on a large kitchen with a functional island where we could gather with friends and family to enjoy each

other’s company,” says James.

“I preferred to have the majority of the bedrooms on the ground floor, with three downstairs and two upstairs. Having grown up in a bungalow, I didn’t see the need for many rooms upstairs, so we built a dormer (although we haven’t finished it yet), to allow for future use.”

“A design consideration that stemmed from my mother’s input concerned the entry into the rear of the house from the garden. She suggested having quick access to a toilet from the back door to prevent muddy shoes from tracking through the kitchen. We made a late design change to accommodate her suggestion, adding a door from the back kitchen directly into the wc, effectively giving the toilet two entry points.”

The L-shaped living room area runs off the kitchen like a dog’s leg. “We opted for a double sided wood burning stove in the living room to provide warmth and a cosy atmosphere during the colder months. A neighbour of mine had the same brand of stove, and I always remember being in his house and looking at it and thinking wow, it really captures your eye. We’ve got a couple of additional features such as a roller glass door which is really nice.”

Q&A with James & Jessica

What was your biggest splurge?

The stove, it cost €12,000 (including installation). The kitchen was another expensive buy, but we were thinking of its long term use. When both our parents got their first homes they put in solid mahogany kitchens, which they still have today. So we’re hoping we get the same lifespan from ours.

What would you change or do differently?

Our bedroom walk-in wardrobe is quite small. Eventually we will move our bedroom upstairs where there is room for a bigger one. The downstairs bedroom can then become a guestroom.

What surprised you?

The amount of waste that’s generated during the build, between off cuts in insulation and waste timber from the roof. I’m not blaming the contractors because I know they worked as efficiently as they could.

What single piece of advice would you give a friend who’s looking to embark on a project similar to yours?

Since I built it myself I’ve been helping friends not only with the cost side of their build, but with the scheduling of the works. I’m always saying the same thing to them: stay one step ahead. Always be thinking ‘what comes next’, and if you don’t know, ask. I might be in the construction game but there were areas where I didn’t have clue either. I was asking the guy doing the foundations about when I’d need to get in a plumber. They were asking when we were going to finish the first fix to plumb the toilet because it had to go in at that stage.

Would you do it again?

We would definitely not do it again. You couldn’t be calling in the favours from friends and family like we did more than once. We’re proud to look back on it but I think, for us, the one self-build memory is enough.

“Having grown up in a bungalow, I didn’t see the need for many rooms upstairs, so we built a dormer... ”