The Selfbuild Podcast

Chairperson of BÁNÚ Donncha Ó hÉallaithe chats about one-off housing in the Gaeltacht, including:Why young people in the Gaeltacht aren't able to build on their own landThe loss of the Irish language due to young people not being able to afford to live locallyReasons for planning permission refusals, from housing need to a lack of wastewater infrastructureSolutions to the housing problem in the Gaeltacht and what needs to change to make them happenReady to Build scheme: how to get serviced sites to the GaeltachtWhat needs to change to make it easier for people to live in the GaeltachtThe need for one-off housing and how to make it work in rural areasThe role that Údarás na Gaeltachta will need to play to make it all happen

Quantity surveyor (QS) Keith Kelliher chats about what a cost plan is and how a quantity surveyor can save you money:·      What is a cost plan and when do you need one, how much does it cost·      How a QS helps with the tender process·      What is a bill of quantities with examples, how much does it cost·      What does a QS do and how they save money·      Cost-design pendulum·      Different VAT rates: what to know about them·      How much does a QS cost to oversee a project?·      What to check for before hiring a QSThis episode was recorded at Selfbuild Extend & Renovate Live Leinster 2026

Keith Kelliher chats through the cost components of your driveway, gates and other groundwork you may forget about, including:Comparing different driveway finishes and how much they cost, from chippings to resinMix and match options, practical considerationsKerbing options, what to considerPaving and patio considerationsDrainage optionsGates: what to consider and costingsLighting considerationsLawns and other landscapingWhat the planning authority might requireBoundaries and wallsWhat's new and adding to the cost, from fire pits to outdoor kitchensRetaining walls and live wallsWhere do the bins go?This episode was recorded at Selfbuild Extend & Renovate Live Ulster 2025.

Where are material costs heading into 2026? Quantity surveyor Keith Kelliher takes stock of the overall material cost picture at the end of 2025:·      Reasons for higher costs in Ireland than rest of the world·      Are prices still increasing and where are they heading?·      Steel, concrete, timber, insulation outlook: how to factor prices into your design·      What’s the story with timber?·      Electrics and plumbing supplies ·      In which months can you expect price increases from suppliers every year·      Why are materials costing a quarter more on average than in 2021·      Overview of price and tender surveys·      Risks and concerns for 2026·      How to mitigate against high costs as a self-builderThis episode was recorded at Selfbuild Extend & Renovate Live Ulster 2025 in November.

Quantity surveyor Keith Kelliher’s step by step guide to extending or building a new home in Ireland today including percentage share for each element of building your house with top tips, including:Site costs, pre-constructionHouse survey for extensions/renovationsProfessionals you'll need to hireCosts relating to fees and taxesCurveball costs pre-constructionBenefits of hiring a QSCosts of appointing a builderPrelims: what they areHow the build is broken down in terms of cost elementsMost common finishes with examples of cost ranges and where to make savingsWhere the budget gets bustedIs it cheaper to get supplies from NI?Where you'll need to invest after the house is builtThis episode was recorded at Selfbuild Extend & Renovate Live Ulster 2025.

Cathal Keane of Graf and John Brennan of Molloy chat about on-site wastewater treatment system costs and rainwater harvesting tanks: ·      Retrofit of wastewater systems: upgrade cost examples·      What determines the cost of the system·      New build cost of systems, how much space you need·      What is a percolation test and what’s involved·      Wastewater tank installation process·      Tank types and pros and cons·      Rainwater harvesting tanks: benefits and system sizing·      Rainwater harvesting tank costs·      Maintenance on both wastewater and rainwater systems

In a podcast recorded at Selfbuild Extend & Renovate Live Leinster 2025, self-build expert John Corless shares what to look out for when assessing your floor plans, including:·      How to interrogate your floor plans·      Ensuring the different rooms and spaces work well together·      House size: typical sizes and how to evaluate what you need·      Corridors and door placement·      Width of stairs and hallways·      Quality of light and how far natural light will travel from a window·      Dealing with dark corridors·      Window placement·      The rule of thumb for window sizes ·      Plant rooms: where and how big ·      What to include in all floor plansThis podcast is a heavily edited excerpt from John’s floorplans chat at the show. John will be at the next Selfbuild Extend & Renovate Live events with his talk that walks you through real floor plan examples.There he will explain the above concepts and more, including dealing with light in open plan areas, utility rooms, solutions for natural light, as well as bedroom design including privacy, where to place the bed, proximity to other rooms, ensuites and dressing room sizes… And are balconies a good idea?

The passive house methodology has become the go-to standard for build a new home, a renovate one, to be energy efficient; Seán McKenna of the Passive House Association and South West College chats to construction expert John Corless about: ·      How much more passive houses cost than building regs compliant homes·      The five passive house principles·      What to do for ventilation in the case of a renovation project ·      What happens to ventilation in the case of power cuts·      Easy wins when retrofitting·      Upgrading with EnerPhit·      Dangers of insulating internal walls·      Period home renovation tips·      Double vs triple glazing, issues with roof windows·      Do you reduce window spec to reduce solar gain?·      New builds: how to distribute solar gains around the house·      How to cut costs without cutting corners: achieving space efficiency