Architect, architectural technologist or engineer: who do you need?
Choose a self-build designer and certifier in Ireland. Check registration and compare roles, inspections, fees and responsibilities before hiring.
The build
From site works to handover: the stages, the trades and who does what.
Building the walls up to roof level
Block, timber frame and insulated concrete formwork walls on an Irish self-build: what to check before work is covered, and who signs off.
Choosing a builder and the building contract for a self-build
How to shortlist and check a builder in Ireland, what a building contract should cover, and how to link payments, retention and insurance to it.
First fix: electrics, plumbing, heating and ventilation before the walls close
What first fix means in an Irish self-build, who does it, what to photograph and check before plasterboard covers it, and what goes wrong.
How long does it take to build a house in Ireland?
Realistic timescales for a self-build in Ireland, from site search and planning to moving in, and the things that most often add months.
If your builder goes bust or walks off the job
What to do when your builder stops work on your self-build in Ireland: secure the site, value the work, close the insurance gap, restart and recover money.
Insulation, airtightness and the air test: what to check before it is covered
How insulation and airtightness are installed and tested in an Irish self-build, what a blower-door test measures, and what to check before plasterboard.
Manage your self-build or hire a main contractor?
Hire trades or use a main contractor for your Irish self-build? Compare time, payment gaps, safety duties, certification and delay costs.
Modular homes: planning, building rules and your budget
How a modular home fits Irish planning and building regulations, what the July 2026 Class 3A rear-garden exemption covers, and what the supplier leaves to you.
Plastering, screed and drying out: how long to allow before the finishes
How plastering, screeding and drying out work on an Irish self-build, how long to allow, how to dry the house safely, and what goes wrong with floors.
Roof and weathertight shell: the milestone lenders and insurers watch
What happens when the roof goes on an Irish self-build, what weathertight means, what to check before it is covered, and why lenders and insurers care.
Second fix and finishes: from kitchen and bathrooms to snagging
The last stage of an Irish self-build: joinery, kitchen, bathrooms, fittings, painting and flooring, then commissioning, certificates and snagging.
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.
Site setup and foundations: what happens and what to check
What happens on site from setting out to the foundation pour in an Irish self-build, who signs off, what to photograph and what goes wrong.
Site works and connecting services to a self-build
Site preparation and service connections for an Irish self-build: access, water, electricity, wastewater and broadband, and what to apply for early.
Snagging your new house before final payment
How to snag a self-build in Ireland before final payment: what to check room by room, how to record defects, and retention and certificates.
Substructure and ground floor slab: damp, radon and insulation
What happens between the foundations and the first wall course in an Irish self-build: drainage, radon, damp-proofing, insulation and the slab pour.
The stages of building a house in Ireland
The order a self-build usually follows in Ireland, from site and planning through Building Control notices and drawdowns to the completion certificate.
Water supply for a one-off house: mains, group scheme or well
Compare an Uisce Éireann connection, a group water scheme and a private well for a rural self-build. Costs, testing and what lenders ask for.
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.