The build
Where to start a self-build in Ireland: what to do first, second and third
No land, no mortgage and no plans yet? The order to work in: affordability, then site and planning prospects, then mortgage approval in principle.
Stage 1 of 7
Find and check a site
Find land, and check it can get planning, services and a sensible foundation before you pay for it.
What happens
- You search for a site and check whether the planning authority is likely to grant permission there.
- You check access, water, wastewater, electricity and ground conditions before committing.
- Your solicitor checks title, rights of way and any conditions on the land.
Typical time: Weeks to many months, depending on the market.
Your checklist
Stage complete
Put this stage into practice
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Build timeline planner
Enter how long each phase will take. We show your earliest move-in date, or the latest start date if you have a move-in deadline.
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Stage payment planner
See whether your own funds cover the gaps between mortgage stage payments.
Open calculator →Guides for this stage
Start with the first guide, or choose the part you need help with.
Planning permission
Rural housing and local need: do you qualify?
How rural housing policy and the local need test work for a one-off house in Ireland: the evidence councils ask for and occupancy conditions.
Planning permission
Will your site pass a wastewater assessment?
Test whether your site can treat wastewater before you buy. Check soil depth, percolation results and distances to wells under Ireland's 2021 Code.
Finance
Financing a site for a self-build in Ireland
Plan a site purchase alongside your build mortgage, upfront tax and fees, with a worked cash budget and questions to settle before committing.
Finance
Buying an unfinished house in Ireland
Check funding, planning, certification and insurance before buying a part-built house in Ireland, with a worked cost-to-finish comparison.
Costs and grants
Ready to Build: up to €30,000 off a serviced site
Get up to €30,000 off a serviced council site. Check who qualifies, planning and build deadlines, local conditions and when you must repay the discount.
The build
Septic tank or treatment system for a new house in Ireland
How a septic tank differs from a packaged treatment system, what the 2021 wastewater code requires for a new house, and who registers and maintains it.
Planning permission
Building a house on your parents' or family land
How to build on a site from your parents or family: the tax on the gift, getting the site into your name, what a lender asks for and the planning conditions.
Planning permission
Living on site while you build: mobile home, caravan or cabin
Can you live in a mobile home, caravan or cabin on your site while you build in Ireland? Planning, wastewater, insurance and the risk of building first.
Planning permission
Renovate, extend or knock down and rebuild an old house in Ireland
Inherited an old farmhouse or bungalow? Compare renovating, extending or rebuilding in Ireland: planning, VAT, grants, finance and insurance.
Finance
Help to Buy for self-builders in Ireland
Check your Help to Buy eligibility, refund limits and first-drawdown dates before counting the money in your Irish self-build budget.