It’s fair to say that we’re a little obsessed with home improvements here in Ireland. Whether we’re sharing Daft.ie links, tuning into RTÉ’s “Room to Improve” faithfully every Sunday night or buying interior decoration magazines, we all love to see a home improvement journey play out.
With increasing property prices and limited housing availability, more and more Irish homeowners are choosing to renovate instead of relocating. There are also new incentives to work with what we already have, from vacant property grants to sustainable energy supports.
If you’re planning a renovation this year, here’s how to approach it smartly, with top tips for everyone, whether you’re adding an extension, converting an attic, bringing a derelict property back to life, upgrading your homes energy efficiency like adding solar panels or something else.
1. Budget for more than you think
The average cost of a home renovation in Ireland can vary significantly based on where you live, what you want to do, and how you plan to kit it out. As a guide, on average renovations are in the region of €1,500-€2,500 per sq m and new building costs for extensions are in the region of €2,500 to €3,500 per sq m, excluding VAT and professional fees.
Before you calculate your budget, it’s best to do your research and talk to qualified professionals like quantity surveyors. This will help you balance what you’d like and what you can afford. Once you’ve decided on a set sum, ensure you have at least 10-20% set aside as a contingency fund, to cover unexpected extras.
No matter how well prepared you are, construction projects regularly go over budget. The reasons for this are varied; sometimes its global supply issues affecting the cost of materials but often it’s something as simple as a newly discovered fault in the existing plumbing. It’s best to be prepared with a little buffer in your budget.
2. Check if you’re eligible for government grants
The good news is that there is a lot of support available if you want to renovate a house in Ireland.
You can also check for grants from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), which gives grants for insulation, solar panels, heat pumps, windows, and whole-home retrofits. While the exact figures change regularly, current supports include:
- Attic insulation grants of up to €2,500
- Wall insulation grants of up to €8,000
- Solar PV grants of up to €1,800
- Heat pump systems grants of up to €6,500
- Window grants of up €4,000
You can also apply for a Home Energy Upgrade Loan to help with the additional costs of a renovation. Visit the SEAI site for more information on renovation grants in Ireland.
Under the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, homeowners can receive up to €50,000 to renovate a vacant property. If the building is officially classified as derelict, an additional top-up grant is available, bringing the total figure to €70,000.
This scheme is becoming very popular among buyers looking for creative ways to get on the property ladder, by taking on abandoned buildings and turning them into residential properties. It’s a great way to breathe new life into old buildings.
- There is also a Mobility Aids Grant Scheme which helps pay for basic work to address any mobility issues experienced at home including stair lift, fixed track hoist etc. This scheme is available for older people and for people with disabilities.
- Housing Aid for Older People Scheme is aimed at helping improve home conditions of older individuals over 66 years of age. The maximum grant is €10,700 which may cover up to 100% of the approved costs of work such as Structural repairs, electrical re-wiring and heating improvements.
Note: all of the above-mentioned grants are correct information as of June 2026.
3. Choose your builder carefully
When it comes to home renovations in Ireland, good builders are often found through word-of-mouth. Ask for recommendations from family, friends, neighbours, or local social media pages. Then reach out to a small group of builders for an initial consultation. You should ask them for:
- References
- A list of previous projects
- Confirmation of their insurance and VAT registration status
- An outline of how they prefer to work
- An estimated timeline for your project
Once you have a good idea of how they work and what they can deliver, you can ask them to “tender” for the work, which means giving you an estimated cost that you can compare to other providers. This is a time-consuming process for builders, so you may find that this process takes longer than you might think.
For larger renovations, hiring an architect or quantity surveyor may be necessary, as they act as a professional buffer between you and the builder. Depending on what you need, they can handle design, construction drawings, tender, payment schedules, and more. While you will have to pay them fees, you may find they save you money in avoiding costly mistakes or unexpected delays.
4. Talk to your neighbours
If you’re planning to stay in your newly renovated home for any length of time, you will need to establish a good relationship with your neighbours. Construction can be noisy, disruptive, and messy so it’s important to let them know early what to expect.
A simple conversation before works begin can save huge tension later. Let them know the expected timeline, if parking will be affected, and whether skips or scaffolding will block access, no matter how temporarily. Take photographs of current boundaries, shared walls, or adjoining property so that you have a record if there is any dispute later.
Giving your neighbours your phone number will go a long way to comfort them, as that means they have someone to reach out to if they can’t get out of their driveway at 8am.
5. Check your home insurance before works begin
A common renovation mistake homeowners make is assuming their standard insurance policy covers renovations. In reality, structural works, scaffolding, and rebuilds can affect your cover. And if you’re moving out during the works, that means your home is unoccupied and unsecured, which may leave you without any protection at all.
Check your home insurance policy early to see if it covers renovation-related risks. It’s a good idea to contact your insurance company and review your policy with their customer service team. You may need to temporarily change your cover, but it’s better to be prepared than deal with unexpected problems later.
Don’t forget that renovations usually increase the value of your home, which means you will need to update your policy again when the works are completed. This step is very important as you don’t want to be underinsured, especially if you’ve just invested significant funds into improving your home. Remember, the cost of rebuilding your home is not the market value, nor is the purchase price plus the cost of the renovations, it’s the cost of rebuilding your home from scratch tomorrow. Check the Society of Chartered Surveyors’ House Rebuild Calculator for an accurate estimate.
6. Expect the unexpected during renovations
Very few renovation projects are smooth from start to finish. Most of them involve cost overruns, frustrating delays, and fraught conversations in hard hats. But, as we know from all those TV “before and after” programmes, the payoff is worth it in the end.
Warmer bedrooms for cosy nights. A bigger kitchen for a growing family. Better insulation for lower bills. A well-planned renovation can not only improve your day-to-day life but also add long-term value to your home.
The key to a relatively stress-free project is to approach it with realistic expectations. Take the time to understand your budget (and set up a contingency plan), explore available grants, choose reputable builders, speak to your neighbours, and review your insurance before you start.
If you can get those foundations right, you’ll be better able to enjoy the process and embrace the excitement of watching your vision come to life, one brick, one wall, and one room at a time.
Reach out to RedClick for more information about how renovations can change your home insurance policy. We’re here to help you during this exciting new phase of your homeownership.
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