Home improvement guides
Independent, plain-English guides to grants, costs, planning permission and choosing the right option for your home, with free quotes from vetted local contractors when you're ready.
Grants
How much you could get, who qualifies and how to apply.
Heat Pump Grant Ireland 2026The SEAI heat pump grant is worth up to €12,500 for most houses and up to €9,500 for apartments in 2026. Your home needs…Insulation Grants Ireland 2026SEAI insulation grants cover attic, cavity wall, internal wall (dry lining) and external wall insulation. For attic and …Solar Panel Grant Ireland 2026The SEAI solar PV grant is worth up to €1,800 in 2026. It's worked out on the size of your system: a higher rate for the…Windows and Doors Grant Ireland 2026SEAI grants for windows and external doors are available in 2026: up to €4,000 for a complete window upgrade in a detach…Heating Controls Grant Ireland 2026SEAI offers a €700 grant towards upgrading your heating controls, such as zoned heating, room thermostats and programmab…Solar Water Heating Grant (Solar Thermal)SEAI offers a grant towards solar water heating, also called solar thermal, which uses roof panels to heat your hot wate…Heat Pump Technical AssessmentBefore you can get the SEAI heat pump grant, a technical assessment must show your home is ready for a heat pump. A €200…One Stop Shop Deep RetrofitWith SEAI's One Stop Shop service, a registered provider manages a whole-house energy upgrade for you, from assessment a…Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a DisabilityThe Housing Adaptation Grant helps pay for changes that make a home suitable for someone with a disability, such as a gr…Vacant Property Refurbishment GrantThe Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant gives up to €50,000 to refurbish a vacant property, or up to €70,000 if it's der…Mobility Aids GrantThe Mobility Aids Grant helps older people and people with disabilities pay for basic works that make moving around the …Housing Aid for Older People GrantThe Housing Aid for Older People Grant helps people aged 66 and over carry out essential repairs and improvements so the…Lead Pipe Replacement GrantThe Domestic Lead Remediation Grant covers 100% of the cost of replacing lead drinking water pipes in your home, up to €…Septic Tank GrantThe septic tank grant covers 85% of the approved cost of repairing, upgrading or replacing a domestic waste water treatm…Private Well GrantIf your home relies on a private well, your council may give a grant to improve it: 85% of the cost up to €3,000 for reh…Solar Panel Grant for BusinessesSEAI offers a solar PV grant for businesses and other non-domestic buildings, covering systems up to 1,000 kWp, with gra…
Cost calculators
Realistic 2026 prices for your project.
House Extension Cost CalculatorA finished single-storey extension in Dublin typically costs around €2,500–€3,500 per square metre including VAT, before…Attic Conversion Cost CalculatorMost attic conversions in Dublin cost between €25,000 and €80,000, depending on the type. A simple Velux conversion is t…New Kitchen Cost CalculatorA new fitted kitchen in Dublin typically costs €15,000–€45,000 including appliances and all trades. Units, worktops and …Roof Replacement Cost CalculatorA full roof replacement on a typical Dublin house costs around €15,000–€35,000, while a flat roof replacement is usually…Window Replacement Cost CalculatorNew windows for a typical Dublin three-bed semi usually cost €6,000–€12,000 for uPVC, more for aluminium or timber. SEAI…Bathroom Renovation Cost CalculatorA full bathroom refit in Dublin typically costs €9,000–€20,000, depending on size, fittings and how much plumbing moves.…Heat Pump Cost CalculatorA heat pump for a typical Dublin house costs around €12,000–€20,000 before grants. The SEAI heat pump grant of up to €12…Boiler Replacement Cost CalculatorReplacing a gas boiler in Dublin typically costs €2,800–€4,500 installed. Changing the system type or adding a new hot w…House Rewiring Cost CalculatorRewiring a typical three-bed house in Dublin costs around €7,000–€14,000. Older homes, larger homes and extra sockets or…Solar Panel Cost CalculatorA home solar PV system in Dublin typically costs €6,000–€12,000 before the grant, depending on size and whether you add …Driveway and Patio Cost CalculatorBlock paving in Dublin typically costs €70–€130 per square metre, and porcelain patios €90–€160 per square metre. Enter …Garden Room Cost CalculatorA garden room in Dublin typically costs €20,000–€50,000, depending on size, insulation and finish. Rooms up to 25 square…House Painting Cost CalculatorInterior painting in Dublin typically costs €250–€450 per average room, and exterior painting of a typical semi-detached…Flooring Fitting Cost CalculatorFlooring fitting in Dublin typically costs €15–€30 per square metre for laminate, €20–€40 for LVT, €25–€45 for engineere…Plastering and Skimming Cost CalculatorSkimming a room in Dublin typically costs €350–€900, and replastering a ceiling €400–€1,500. Use the calculator for an e…
Planning permission
Whether your project needs permission.
Do I Need Planning Permission for an Extension?Many rear extensions in Ireland don't need planning permission, as long as they stay within set limits. Broadly, the tot…Do I Need Planning Permission for a Garden Room?Many garden rooms in Ireland don't need planning permission if they're no more than 25 square metres, stay behind the fr…Do I Need Planning Permission for a Porch?A small front porch is usually exempt from planning permission in Ireland if it's no more than 2 square metres, at least…Do I Need Planning Permission for Solar Panels?Most rooftop solar panels on homes in Ireland don't need planning permission, following rule changes in 2022 that remove…Do I Need Planning Permission for a Driveway?Creating a new entrance onto a public road, or widening an existing one, generally needs planning permission in Ireland,…
Compare your options
Side-by-side guides to help you decide.
Heat Pump vs Gas Boiler: Which Is Right for Your Home?A heat pump costs more upfront but can qualify for a grant of up to €12,500 and is usually far more efficient, while a g…uPVC vs Aluminium Windows: Which Is Better?uPVC windows are cheaper and insulate well, making them the most popular choice for Irish homes. Aluminium costs more bu…Attic Conversion vs Extension: Which Is Right for You?An attic conversion is usually cheaper and less disruptive, adding a bedroom or office upstairs. An extension costs more…Engineered vs Solid Wood FlooringEngineered wood is more stable, suits underfloor heating and concrete floors, and is the most popular choice in Irish ho…Internal vs External Wall InsulationExternal wall insulation wraps the outside of the house, doesn't reduce room sizes and deals with cold spots best, but c…
Tools and checkers
Quick answers before you call anyone.
Extension Planning Permission CheckerAnswer five quick questions to see whether your extension is likely to be exempt from planning permission, may need chec…Heat Pump Readiness CheckerHeat pumps work best in well-insulated homes, and the SEAI grant requires a technical assessment. Answer five questions …Roof Repair or Replace CheckerAnswer five quick questions about your roof to see whether a repair is likely to be enough, or whether it's time to thin…Landlord Compliance CheckerAnswer six quick questions to see whether your rental property is on track with the main safety and compliance requireme…Paint CalculatorEnter your room's size to work out how many litres of paint you need for the walls, allowing for doors, windows and two …Tile CalculatorEnter the area to tile and your box size to see how many square metres and boxes to buy, including extra for cuts and br…Flooring CalculatorEnter your room size and pack size to see how many packs of flooring to buy, including extra for cuts and waste.
Get free quotes from vetted contractors
Tell us what you're planning, where the property is and when you'd like to start. We'll match you with a vetted local contractor. For anything urgent, call 083 056 8710.