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EDITOR'S LETTER

Astrid Madsen - Editor astrid.madsen@selfbuild.ie

hen we renovate our homes, we tend to rip everything out and replace it with new stuff. That’s partly because removing any one item is likely to cause irreparable damage. But mostly we do it because it’s quicker and more cost effective to buy new than repair. In the throwaway culture we live in, recycling may assuage our guilt to a certain extent but it’s not doing that much to save on resources. In the words of the Society of Chartered Surveyors of Ireland (see p14):

“Unfortunately, the reuse of building components is not yet a mainstream practice in Ireland or other jurisdictions generally.” And, sadly, no one seems that pushed to do anything about it. Yet as self-builders know, there are building systems out there that are eco friendly and reusable. But they are more expensive. For thing to change, the building regulations need to level the playing field by setting minimum standards for how materials are made, what they offgas, and if they can be reused or added onto. Here’s to hoping!

COVER PHOTO Paul Lindsay

EDITOR Astrid Madsen astrid.madsen@selfbuild.ie

MARKETING Calum Lennon calum.lennon@selfbuild.ie

ACCOUNTS Karen Kelly karen.kelly@selfbuild.ie

SUBSCRIPTIONS Becca Haslett becca.haslett@selfbuild.ie

SALES DIRECTOR Mark Duffin mark.duffin@selfbuild.ie

ADVERTISING SALES Joanna McConvey joanna.mcconvey@ selfbuild.ie

MANAGING DIRECTOR Brian Corry brian.corry@selfbuild.ie

Lisa Killen lisa.killen@selfbuild.ie

CHAIRMAN Clive Corry clive.corry@selfbuild.ie

Maria Toland maria.toland@selfbuild.ie

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DESIGN Myles McCann myles.mccann@selfbuild.ie

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Nicola Delacour-Dunne nicola.delacour@selfbuild.ie

The publishers cannot accept responsibility for errors or omissions nor for the accuracy of information reproduced. Where opinions may be given, these are personal and based upon the best information to hand. At all times readers are advised to seek the appropriate professional advice. Copyright: all rights reserved.

4 / SELFBUI L D / SUMMER 2 02 2

99 Selfbuild Guide Your guide to choosing the external windows for your home, for both new builds and renovations.

Windows Guide 100 Overview 102 Styles 106 Design 110 Frame types 113 Glazing 118 Performance 121 Window furniture

124 Sequence of works 128 PROJECT: Building the dream

CONTENTS

Projects

Learn from other self-builders all over the island of Ireland who have built new or renovated their home. 22 ‘This is the view I want’

This budget friendly eco house in Co Antrim is William Richmond’s retirement home. He designed and built it to get everything he wanted out of a home. An amazing view and garden to enjoy from both inside and out, a spacious bedroom with balcony, and a build cost he could live with.

34 Healthy living

Ber and Alan Glass built their family home in Co Laois to get more space and a design tailored to their needs. What they didn’t realise what that their bouts of hay fever and asthma attacks would soon abate thanks to their ventilation system.

Advice 83 Is it cheaper to build or buy?

Does it cost more to buy your home or build it from scratch? We find out how to weigh your options.

84 Labour price increases

You might have noticed it’s costing more to hire tradesmen nowadays. But how and why are labour costs increasing and where are they heading?

92 How to apply for your grant

The grant system in ROI received a cash injection in February; we find out how much, if you qualify and how to apply.

96 Summer garden parties

How to get your garden shipshape in time for those highly anticipated barbeques.

88 NI to introduce new regs

The NI Executive recently published its Path to Net Zero Carbon plan. Here’s what it means for those who will start on their build in the coming years.

46 Perseverance

Allison and John Cordner kept the upside down layout of the house they bought in Co Down but not much else. They gutted the house internally, put on a new roof and external finish, and created new window and door openings. Not to mention refurbish the elevated patio area.

58 Homecoming

Maria and Padraic Broughall moved back to Co Galway to be closer to Maria’s family –

22 the only hitch was finding somewhere to live. They eventually found the perfect cottage to renovate, which they did with the help of family and friends, guided by Maria’s stunning vision.

70 The great outdoors Graeme Taylor’s lockdown project in Co Antrim was ambitious – build a BBQ hut from scratch to square off the angular shape of his garden. With his engineering background and the help of family and friends, he managed to pull it off.

76 Hands on self-build When Tanya Fitzpatrick inherited a site in Co Meath, she and her husband Alan jumped at the chance to build their dream home. To make sure they would keep a rein on the budget and get the home of their dreams, they chose to hire all the tradesmen themselves. But going direct labour presented its own set of challenges…

SELFBUILD: THE ALL-IRELAND All articles equally cover the 32 counties; when we refer to the Republic of Ireland the abbreviation is ROI. For Northern Ireland it’s NI. S U M M ER 2 022 / SELFBUILD / 5

SELF-BUILDERS: USE THE CORRECT THERMAL BLOCKS OR RISK DURABILITY NON-COMPLIANCE More self-builders are enquiring about block durability and the suitability of Mannok Aircrete Thermal Blocks in certain locations. Mannok Aircrete Blocks are typically used to combat heat loss at key junctions where thermal bridging occurs. Increasingly, Mannok Aircrete blocks are being used in the full inner leaf of cavity walls as a simple and effective way to elevate the thermal performance of the entire home and reduce energy bills. When using thermal blocks in your build, there are two important considerations to avoid compliance issues around durability: 1. Block Substitution: Mannok Aircrete blocks, where specified on the plans, should never be substituted for an alternative block on site. BLOCK SUBSTITUTION It is essential to ensure that the thermal block used on site is the same as that specified on your construction drawings. Substituting for another block, such as a lightweight aggregate block, can cause both performance and compliance issues. Whilst the blocks may have the same compressive strength, Aircrete blocks have a far superior thermal performance, so a substitution of this kind will mean your home is not as thermally efficient as it designed, and could result in a lower SAP / BER rating. The rule of thumb is that if your home is not built to the specification, it won’t perform to the specification. Block suitability for use in the location where they’re specified may also differ. Using an alternative product to that which has been specified could lead to compliance issues and ultimately long-term durability issues.

AIRCRETE THERMAL BLOCKS

2. Compliant Specification: The thermal block specified and used on site must always comply with the relevant regulations. COMPLIANT SPECIFICATION Architects and specifiers also have a responsibility to ensure that the most appropriate thermal block is specified on the plans to avoid non-compliance due to durability. Durability compliance is of particular concern at or near ground level where blocks may be exposed to high levels of moisture and the risk of freezing. The ground floor to wall junction is also a key location for the use of thermal blocks to reduce heat loss through thermal bridging. Where the risk of saturation or freezing is present and a thermal block is required, it must meet certain criteria to comply with regulation. Mannok Aircrete Blocks are the only thermal block in Ireland which meet durability compliance standards for use in any ground conditions at or near ground level, from low risk of saturation and freezing, right up to high risk, so no other thermal block should be specified in such cases.

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Luckily for self-builders, our Technical by Mannok Team are here to help, so if you’re in any doubt about which thermal block is suitable for use, they are on hand to advise you and your Architect to avoid compliance issues and ensure your new build gets the most from Ireland’s best performing block for combined thermal, structural and fire performance.

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NEWS . ANALYSIS . PRODUCTS . REVIEWS

Ireland’s first community broadband project A community unable to benefit from the National Broadband Plan came together to deliver its own Fibre To The Home (FTTH) network. ver the years, communities across Ireland have built renewable energy farms to benefit from green electricity and lower energy bills. They’ve set up group water schemes, mini wastewater treatment plants that serve communities that aren’t on the wastewater network. And as of February, they’ve even clubbed together to build localised broadband networks. Piltown and Fiddown, representing a total of 750 homes and businesses in a 3.4 sqkm area, did not qualify for the national rural broadband rollout currently underway because the plan classified their area as already having adequate broadband. But in some cases speeds were as low as 1MB to 6MB, barely enough to send an email. They needed more – businesses started selling online, others needed to videoconference from home, and many wanted to stream content online.

‘Not rocket science’

The non profit Broadband 4 Our Community (B4OC) group spearheaded the project, alongside technical and planning assistance from the Kilkenny Leader Partnership (KLP) and its funding partner, the Tomar Trust. Through funding from the trust, the Piltown Community Enterprise started by establishing a committee to investigate the viability of a Fibre To The Premises (FTTP) project. Then with financial support from local businesses and the wider community a group of local volunteers did all of the work themselves, recently completing the first

phase of the project. “Installing FTTP networks is not rocket science, in many ways it’s easier than installing a group water scheme,” Declan Rice of KLP told agriland.ie. B4OC project manager Jim O’Brien said: “My own father-in-law is a retired fitter and he has been out in the trenches and up poles with me as we built the infrastructure – all of this has been built on private lands and sits into the landscape.” “This is a service by the community, for the community which is owned by the community and run in its interest,” B4OC chairman Brian Doyle said. “It is a much leaner development model.” Doyle said the project hopes to pay a community dividend, which would be used to finance other community projects.

Community service

According to its website, the B4OC fibre cable will run in a loop around Piltown and Fiddown through underground and overground ducting on a network of privately owned telecom poles on private lands. Terraced dwellings will have the cable run along fascias. The non profit is charging a flat monthly fee of no more than €39.99 for the first two years. Once the project has been paid for, the price will go down for everyone. Residents will have to pay upfront to allow connection to their home or business. The cost per house will be subsidised by B4OC and cost no more than €100. The subscription comes with a free voice over internet protocol telephone line, see betterbroadbandforpiltown.com

Inflation adds €15k to build costs The cost of materials added €15,000 to the cost of building a developer home last year, according to house builder Cairn Homes. Cairn Homes said another €10,000 would be added to build costs per unit in 2022. The “planning logjam” faced by developers and increased costs are likely to cap output after 2022, the company warned. The average price of its starter homes in “prime, sought-after suburban locations” stood at €350,000 in 2021, as compared to €348,000 in 2020. The company said the modest increase was thanks to having invested in construction efficiency to maintain its margins.

Stage payment scam A couple in their sixties who planned to retire in Co Kerry by self-building a home, was scammed out of the last stage payment on their house. The final invoice was intercepted by scammers who used a very similar email address to the legitimate builder’s one, in order to direct the final payment to a fraudulent bank account. Unsuspecting, the victims paid the €26,400 invoice. The bank spotted the suspicious payment and froze the account, managing to recover €16,580. This still left the couple out of pocket for €9,820. The mastermind(s) behind the scam are still unknown, and two young men were apprehended for their role as money mules.

SU MMER 2022 / S ELFBUILD / 7

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NEWS

NI energy grants slated for 2022

The NI roadmap to net zero energy was unveiled in January, paving the way for new buildings having to meet “net zero” standards by 2026/27. New energy grants for existing homes will also be introduced this year (2022).

one-stop shop for homeowners seeking energy advice, “a significant pilot domestic retrofit scheme in 2022”, and net zero building regulations for 2026 are all part of NI’s Path to Net Zero Energy, launched by Economy Minister Gordon Lyons. The Executive will “set new and ambitious minimum energy efficiency standards as soon as possible”, recognising the need for investment supports.

Existing homes

NI’s Energy Strategy – Path to Net Zero Energy document refers to a Building Research Establishment (BRE) report for costings. To achieve a C energy rating the estimated cost is around £6,200 per dwelling, to get to a B it’s £15,600. The document states: “We will launch a significant pilot domestic retrofit scheme in 2022, the findings of which will inform potential new business models for rampingup delivery. This will be aligned with other existing energy efficiency schemes and pilot projects and take account of specific requirements for heat pumps.” The retrofit pilot scheme, which will upgrade the energy efficiency of existing homes, will “identify the best approach to enhancing quality assurance and accreditation of works, building on best practice approaches elsewhere”.

New builds

For new builds, NI will follow England’s Future Homes and Future Building standard which aims to have all new buildings net zero ready from 2025. Proposals were published in NI in October, with a view to introducing low heating carbon requirements by 2023. The full implementation of net zero ready new build standards for NI is slated for 2026/27 “assuming England’s proposals remain on track”. The NI Energy Strategy – Path to Net Zero Energy document further states: “These later phases will also address standards for work to existing buildings and in related areas, such as ventilation, overheating and, potentially, electric vehicle charge-point provisions. We will remain alert to emerging developments in areas such as embodied carbon, fuel price assumptions and grid impacts.” In the section about decarbonising power and heat: “In the future, new builds will also be required to install low carbon heating technologies such as heat pumps, with timeframes determined through the phased approach to uplifting building regulations.” For more about what the new policy means for self-builders, see page 88.

NI gets VAT cut for green upgrades Energy saving materials, or ESMs, will no longer be applied value added tax in NI, thanks to measures introduced in Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Spring Statement. NI homeowners investing in renewables and energy saving measures could save thousands thanks to a new zero VAT rate taking effect this April. According to the UK government, the introduction of zero VAT on ESMs will mean a typical family having rooftop solar panels installed will save more than £1,000 in total on installation, and then £300 annually on their energy bills. According to the Spring Statement, the government is reversing a Court of Justice of the European Union ruling that restricted the application of VAT relief on the installation of ESMs. Wind and water turbines will be added to the list of ESMs and complex eligibility conditions removed. The Northern Ireland Executive will receive a Barnett share of the value of this relief until it can be introduced UKwide. The Federation of Master Builders welcomed the move, saying it would boost the drive for greener and more energy efficient homes. “Historically, consumers have not been properly incentivised to commission green upgrades to their homes,” said Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB. “This VAT cut will help householders insulate their home at a time when energy bills are escalating. It will also provide a much-needed boost to local builders operating in the retrofit market. The Government now needs to build on the VAT cut and implement a long term National Retrofit Strategy to provide business certainty.”

‘...the NI plan estimates the cost of an energy upgrade is around £15k...’ SU MMER 2022 / S ELFBUILD / 9

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NEWS

Contractors still not up to scratch rant aided contractors are still high risk, data from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) shows. Most grant aided contractors do not show “good performance”, as the ROI government plans to invest €8 billion to 2030 in home energy upgrades. A record number of contractors were removed from the SEAI contractors register in 2021, according to statistics supplied to Selfbuild by the SEAI. The SEAI said the 2021 deregistration figure was “higher than normal as no contractors were deregistered for long periods during the pandemic”.

The SEAI’s statistics refer to the number of inspections carried out in the previous six months. In September 2021 the SEAI had inspected and colour rated 792 contractors, 44 per cent of which showed poor levels of workmanship and were “high risk”. Less than half were “low risk”. To qualify for a Better Energy Homes grant, homeowners currently must choose a contractor from the SEAI’s list of registered contractors to carry out their home energy upgrades. For more about the grant system and how the SEAI tackles quality control, see page 92.

SEAI Contractor Scorecard 2021 357

Good performance/low risk

Medium performance/moderate risk

341

Poor performance/high risk Very poor performance/very high risk

Deregistrations

Cllrs consider rural housing pilot scheme Wexford Councillor Ger Carthy is proposing to build family homes for couples with access to a building site, the Irish Independent reports. It would cost between €230-270k to build a 97sqm house in rural Wexford excluding site costs, Wexford County Council estimates. “I believe if there’s a young couple who can supply us with a site, and we can build them a house for that price, I think it’s important they’re allowed to live in the area they were born and reared in,” he said. Councillor Jim Codd seconded his motion. Councillor Lisa McDonald said she supported building houses but suggested small housing estates in villages. “We have beautiful top class schools in the countryside which aren’t being used because of our policy and they won’t be used unless we change it, I don’t think this is a cost-benefit situation, this is about saving rural Ireland,” she said. Councillor Frank Staples supported the idea but said he felt efforts would be hampered by the lack of available utilities, citing difficulties in getting Irish Water connections to mains water and sewerage. “The County Development Plan wants houses to be built in villages, but there’s no sewerage to facilitate this,” he said.

291

One in five plan to improve their BER ore than half (54 per cent) of homeowners in ROI are not planning to undertake an energy upgrade, while 18 per cent are planning to invest in a retrofit project to improve their home’s Building Energy Rating (BER). That’s according to research carried out by An Post Green Hub in partnership with iReach. The survey was done right after the ROI government announced it would increase grant amounts for home energy upgrades. The ROI government’s National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme is aiming for 500,000 homes to be upgraded to a B2 energy rating by 2030. The government’s grant package has increased for deep retrofits up to 50 per cent of the overall cost. Grants used to be capped at 30 to 35 per cent; see page 92.

An Post Green Hub ambassador Patricia Power

For those respondents planning a retrofit, the average amount those surveyed were willing to spend was €8k. Government estimates show that it takes between €14k and €66k to retrofit a home to a B2 energy rating. Meanwhile, half of those surveyed said they didn’t know their home’s building energy rating. Among those who do know their energy rating, close to three in five believe they have a rating of C or worse. Just one in twenty homes in ROI have an A energy rating. Of the 28 per cent who had completed a retrofit project in the past, 80 percent had installed attic, cavity wall or external wall insultation and over half had replaced windows and doors. Almost half had their gas boiler replaced and 15 per cent installed solar panels. Less than 5 per cent had installed a heat pump. SU MMER 2022 / S ELFBUILD / 11

NEWS

NEW BOOK

Project planner for home renovations ringing together 25 years of experience project managing extensions and renovations, architect and interior designer Denise O’Connor recently published The Optimise Home Renovation Planner. The planner is a working guide to coach homeowners through the renovation process with tips and advice gathered from her experience working on hundreds of projects. “Always remember it’s a vicious circle. Improving or updating one area of your home will highlight other areas that need work,” says the architect. “Without a plan, you risk starting a snowball effect of work needing to be done and little satisfaction. Separate works are unlikely to complement each other, often resulting in you wasting money. All this will negatively affect your day-to-day life, and you’ll end up worse off than where you started.” The guide is a build companion that breaks down the task of renovating your home into much smaller, manageable daily tasks. It’s set up in sections for you to fill in, and is laid out as follows: 1. Start by writing your brief and getting crystal clear on your priorities. 2. Break the project up room by room. 3. Use the monthly calendar to plot the

timeline for your project, noting any critical dates or milestones. 4. Using the example as a guide, fill out your project program to keep track of the work on a week by week basis. 5. Use the weekly overview to track what’s happening at the start of each week. 6. List your top three priorities each week. 7. Break your top three weekly priorities into three daily tasks using the daily pages. 8. Use the daily notes section to track what happens each day. This section is also helpful for taking notes at meetings on site or with consultants or suppliers. 9. Use the address book pages to keep track of consultants, suppliers, contractors, tradespeople and other important names and addresses you need to remember. This will be a helpful reference long after the project is finished. 10. Use the Paint Specification section to

keep a list of all of your paint colours and finishes. 11. Keep track of quotes and spending with the help of the budgeting sheets. 12. Use the snag list to help you carry out a detailed snag of the project once the builder is finished. 13. Use the graph paper to sketch your ideas. The Optimise Home Renovation Planner by Denise O’Connor is published by Optimise Design, €25, optimise-home.com

Planning permissions skyrocket 2021 was a bumper year for self-builders in ROI, with 7,499 planning permissions granted for one off houses. That was up 41.7 per cent on the previous year and the highest since 2009, the Central Statistics Office reports. The total number of planning permission approvals granted for all developments in Q4 2021 was 7,222 compared with 7,017 in Q4 2020, an increase of 2.9 per cent. Of this, 32.6 per cent of permissions were for new dwellings, 27.1 per cent for other new constructions and 40.3 per cent for extensions, alterations & conversions. In NI, meanwhile, the latest statistics refer to the June-September 2021 and don’t show a major increase from the same

period last year. Single dwellings in rural areas (659) and alterations/extensions in urban areas (514) remained the most common types of residential applications received. However, detached new build home registrations reach highest level since 2003, according to the National House Building Council (NHBC). Some 52,190 detached homes were registered in 2021 – marking the highest total since 2003 when there were 52,534 detached home registrations. New registrations in NI and Isle of Man stood at 3,674, representing a 28 per cent increase. The trend for people wanting bigger houses which would help them work from home was reflected in the 47 per

cent increase in detached home registrations, said the NHBC. Homes are registered with the NHBC before being built – so its figures are an indicator of the housing stock in the pipeline. The body has a 70 to 80 per cent share of the UK warranty market, it says. Private sector registrations were a key driver behind the increase in last year’s new home registrations, rising by 42 per cent annually in 2021. The number of new homes being completed in 2021 was also up by 21 per cent compared with the previous year, the NHBC said.

SU MMER 2022 / S ELFBUILD / 13

NEWS

Can mica affected homeowners finally get closure? The Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI) published how much it thinks it will cost to rebuild mica affected homes. The Department of Housing will use these figures as the basis of its grant scheme. Here’s what we know. What’s the story with mica affected homes?

According to Mica Action Group (MAG), during the late 1990s through to 2011 and possibly beyond a significant number of houses in Donegal were built with concrete building blocks containing excessive amounts of mica. Today, MAG estimates 10,000 homes have been affected over the past decade. Mica is a naturally occurring mineral, with muscovite mica its most common form. High quantities of mica contained in the manufacture of concrete are detrimental to the blocks’ integrity. Even though the blocks may pass compression tests, over time they will break apart and crumble. An Expert Panel Investigation and Report was published in June 2017, on the back of which the government made available a redress scheme in 2020. After a series of protests in Dublin in 2021, the Defective Concrete Block Scheme was enhanced to increase the maximum grant amount from €247,500 to €420,000 among other changes, including a maximum amount of €20k for storage and alternative accommodation.

How much will the government give homeowners to rebuild their homes?

The final details of the upgraded Defective Concrete Block Scheme were still being worked out as Selfbuild went to print. What we know is that mica affected homeowners can rebuild their homes without seeking planning permission on a like for like basis – meaning they need to rebuild them to the same scale and appearance. If they choose to change the style or size, a fresh planning application needs to be made. The government is looking to fund the rebuilding of homes to the 2008 building regulations, not to current low energy standards. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland’s retrofit One Stop Shop grants for energy upgrades will, however, be made available to mica affected homeowners. This includes grants for windows, insulation and renewables. But, details of how much homeowners would get remained unclear at the time of going to print.

4 bed detached estate house (113sqm)

2 bed terrace estate house (88sqm)

3 bed semidetached estate house (98sqm)

4 bed semidetached estate house (113sqm)

€149,688

€165,620

€193,456

Average rebuild costs per square metre

€1,701

€1,690

€1,712

€1,776

Average rebuild costs per square foot

€158

€157

€159

€165

Approximate house size in square metres Estimate rebuild cost

Feb 2022 costs to 2008 Building Regulations

1 4 / S E LF B U IL D / S UMMER 2022

€200,688

Meanwhile, the Defective Concrete Block Scheme falls short of paying for the demolition and rebuild costs entirely with some mica affected homeowners reporting the scheme will leave them tens of thousands of euros out of pocket (see page opposite). The government grant calculation methodology will be based on the cost per sqft of rebuilding the existing home, as set by the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI). The government asked the SCSI for costings at 2022 material and labour rates to include demolition but not new foundations, and asked for the houses to be built to 2008 building regulations standards. Costs include concrete paths around the house, disconnection and reconnection of utilities, making good to driveway and garden, professional fees, and VAT. The costings exclude finishes, e.g. carpets, furniture, appliances, etc., as well as septic tank upgrades and any outbuildings, garages, boundary walls, etc. Based on these and other assumptions, the SCSI estimates are below. 4 bed single rural 2 storey (210sqm)

5+ bed single rural 2 storey (270sqm)

€308,685

€339,150

€421,470

€1,766

€1,583

€1,615

€1,561

€164

€147

€150

€145

4 bed single rural bungalow (180sqm)

€317,880

4 bed single rural dormer (195sqm)

NEWS

How about reuse?

The government had thought mica affected homeowners might be able to reuse some of the building components in their new builds. Ignoring the fact that after the ordeal of living in a structurally unsound house, no one wants to be reminded of what came with it. Thankfully, the SCSI petty much discarded the idea of reuse in this instance. The report states that there “could be an opportunity to promote the widespread reuse of building components (not impacted by defective concrete materials) to promote the circularity of materials in the building sector”. However, in the case of defective blocks: “it is clear that considerations for viability may differ from component to component and home to home.”

Why doesn’t the SCSI publish house building costs?

Granted, the SCSI is the lobbying group for quantity surveyors whose job it is to price building projects. But should they publish costs, for the wider public? The Society does publish house rebuilding costs for insurance purposes, which it (somewhat bizarrely) says aren’t representative of what it would cost to build a new house. Each and every house is quite unique so their analysis would only really be applicable to cookie-cutter homes built by developers, not anything self-builders could rely on as being particularly indicative of what they plan to build.

Two year planning limbo due to N24 upgrade Self-builders are being denied planning permission due to a proposal to add a new section of road between Cahir and Waterford, reports the Nationalist. A number of young people were told by the planners that the land they wanted to build on had been sterilised, according to Councillor Pat English. Caroline Conway, senior executive planner with Tipperary County Council, confirmed planning applications had either been refused or withdrawn because they were within the study area for the new road. She said the council would engage with Transport Infrastructure Ireland about the N24 upgrade and provide an update.

OPINION

Many homes will not last another winter The current remediation scheme is not 100 per cent redress for all real costs, writes Michael Doherty of the Mica Action Group.

The Enhanced Defective Concrete Block Scheme introduced on 30th November 2021 increased the maximum grant amount defective concrete block homeowners would be eligible for. But it also brought in a sliding scale which undid much of the benefit of increasing the cap. The sliding scale effectively became the primary cap at a cost per sqft rate, which was unworkable. The SCSI was then brought in to give estimates of what it would cost to rebuild the homes. And with that benchmark, homeowners may get close to the eligible costs. But in reality, homeowners will be out of pocket tens of thousands of euros. That’s because people will want better insulated homes. They will need wall and floor finishes. We are told the new enhanced grant scheme will be in place at the earliest this autumn. To avail of these benefits we will have to wait until then although it’s

suggested we will be back compensated for works undertaken in the meantime. We have nothing in writing though, leaving homeowners reluctant to move forward. There is also the massive issue of IS465, the governing standard, that only recognises the presence of mica or pyrite while in fact we have much more damaging deleterious materials like pyrrhotite that have been completely ignored in the standard. NSAI are being asked to review IS465 but we’re told it could take up to 12 months. What are we to do with our crumbling homes until then? Things are largely at a standstill. But our homes are not – I heard three individual cracks that popped at the time of writing this piece alone! Many homes will not last another winter but with the rate of progress or lack of, in administering the scheme, we must endure...

Fire hits self-built house A freak lightning strike during Storm Franklin set ablaze a West Limerick selfbuilt family home earlier this year, reports the Kerryman. “Our whole life was put into this house,” Tony O’ Shaughnessy told the paper. “We were in England for 15 years and we returned home to build what Mags called our ‘dream home’. To watch your dream house burn in front of you is devastating.” The local community has set up a GoFundMe page to help the family rebuild their dream home, see gofund.me/bd9653e4

Change to mortgage terms The Irish Independent reports on Ulster Bank’s change in policy regarding its selfbuild mortgages. Loans will no longer be extended, a common practice when the build schedule gets delayed. In a note to mortgage brokers, Ulster Bank said: “From March 21, 2022, Ulster Bank Ireland DAC will continue to facilitate new build mortgage applications, however the ability to have a six-month extension on the loan offer will no longer be available.” The change does not impact those who already had approval for a mortgage before that date.

SU MMER 2022 / S ELFBUILD / 15

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C O M PA N Y N E W S

Doesn’t cost the earth Building materials have to tick many boxes. Not only do they have to be durable, regulations compliant and aesthetically pleasing, they also need to be environmentally friendly. Enter Planum Clay Tiles by SIG Roofing, which offer all the benefits of a natural product at the competitive price point of fibre cement slates. Manufactured in Spain, the attractive SIGA Planum Blackstone and SIGA Planum Smooth come with a manufacturer backed

lifetime 100 year guarantee and can be used on roof pitches as low as 10 degrees. Planum tiles offer excellent flatness, low water absorption and a natural colour that won’t weather like painted products. With a coverage of 11 tiles per sqm on average, further savings may be made in labour against traditional 600 x 300mm slates which average 13.5 tiles per sqm. Visit sig.ie and email enquiries@sig.ie for further details.

Creative flair Bathroom design is tricky to get right – there are a lot of elements to fit into a relatively small space, not to mention the fact that there’s colour coordination to contend with. It’s a challenge students from TU Dublin took head on at the Sonas 2022 Bathroom Design of the Year Awards, a competition run with the Interiors Association. Third year student Christian Tamayo won the award and will now see his winning bathroom design featured at SONAS exhibitions in 2022, including Selfbuild Live. Runners up were Caoimhe Murphy and Ava Mulready. sonasbathrooms.com

First place

In the know

Self-builders have always been early adopters of new technologies, in a bid to futureproof their homes but also to lower their carbon footprint and achieve cost savings. This is especially true of energy efficient heating systems, which have become increasingly

complex over the years. Here to help you wade through the options is the new Knowledge Hub section on the Grant Engineering website. The Knowledge Hub features tips and advice, an education area, downloadable guides on how to heat a new build home or upgrade your current home heating system, real life case studies from Grant customers, an FAQ and glossary section to fill any knowledge gaps and a Virtual House which allows visitors to take a tour and view how Grant products work together seamlessly as part of a full integrated heating system. Visit the Knowledge Hub on grantengineering.ie and grantni.com

Second place

Third place

SU MMER 2 022 / S ELFBUILD / 17

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C O M PA N Y N E W S

Energy recovery ventilation

Rethinking floor insulation

Heat recovery ventilation, or HRV, is well known in the world of house building. It’s a mechanised centralised ventilation system that recovers waste heat from wet rooms to preheat fresh incoming air. It is energy efficient, but it doesn’t provide cooling. Even in Ireland, overheating is a real issue in new builds. That’s where the next generation of ventilation systems comes in. Energy recovery ventilation or ERV consists of an enthalpy heat exchanger, also known as a latent heat exchanger. ERV systems extract both heat and moisture from the air, to ensure adequate humidity levels indoors. An added bonus is that these systems can readily provide cooling. The Jablotron Futura is one such ERV unit that brings ventilation, heating and cooling all in the one package. Exclusively available in Ireland from ProAir, your Futura unit will be designed

Ground floors need to be well insulated. This is commonly done by laying PIR or EPS rigid insulation boards on top of the subfloor, and then applying a screed on top. But there is a more convenient alternative, and that’s the preinsulated screed. Enter ADM Floor Screed, a certified installer of a unique Thermal Lightweight Aggregate (TLA) poured floor insulation. TLA combines excellent thermal performance (thermal conductivity as low as 0.043W/mK), enhanced compressive strength and an A2 fire rating. Its free flowing and self levelling properties mean a faster and more efficient install. Thanks to its compressive strength, TLA can in fact replace your entire subfloor and insulation boards. Using its newly launched Mobile Screed Factory, ADM Floor Screed manufactures, supplies and installs poured floor insulation and liquid screed for both domestic and commercial projects. The mobile factory means dry materials can be batched on site and pumped into place by a computer controlled, fully automatic vehicle, eliminating storage and wastage on site.

for your specific house’s needs. Just send Pro Air your preliminary building energy rating report and floor plans to get started. proair.ie

Make a splash For a touch of luxury, freestanding baths are top of the bathroom wish list for many self-builders. As a centrepiece it’s hard to beat but if you plan to include one in your design, make sure you plan ahead. One way to do that is to get your research done well in advance by visiting showrooms such as Bathshack’s, which has recently introduced its new range of Viktor Benson Luxury freestanding baths. These baths have a strong, rigid construction combined with the contemporary finishes in both silver and copper and are a fraction of the price of similar baths on the market. They come with a 25 year guarantee and free delivery within

Ireland and the UK. Paired with a floor standing or wall hung tap, they are the perfect addition to any bathroom, be it modern, contemporary, or traditional. bathshack.com

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Projects SUMMER 2022

NEW BUILDS

RENOVATIONS . EXTENSIONS

34 46

Perseverance

Major renovation in Down

DIY build for family home

‘This is the view I want’

Budget friendly eco house

58 See your home featured in Selfbuild magazine by emailing info@selfbuild.ie More photos of these projects available on selfbuild.ie

Healthy living

70 The great outdoors

A garden pod lockdown project

Homecoming

Compact family friendly renovation

76 Hands on self-build

Direct labour in Co Meath the easy way SUMMER 2 0 2 2 / S E L FB UI L D / 2 1

NEW BUILD

‘This is

Words: Astrid Madsen Photography: Paul Lindsay

the view I want’

2 2 / SELFB UI L D / SUMMER 2 0 2 2

CO ANTRIM

When you’re self-building, getting the design right is more than half the battle. And for William Richmond, the obvious place to start was what he’d be looking at every day.

Overview House size: 160sqm Plot size: 0.82 acres Bedrooms: 3 Construction: blockwork (cavity wall) Heating: oil boiler Ventilation: mechanical with heat recovery EPC (SAP): B (87) Cost (builder’s finish): £153k Final cost (all inclusive): £200k

S U M M ER 2 0 22 / S E L F B U IL D / 23

NEW BUILD

y mum passed away in December 2015, and after that I settled back home,” says William. “I had lived and worked in England for a long while, and this move back to NI was the catalyst to building a home on land I had inherited from my uncle.” “I started by looking for an architectural practice, and local estate agent David McKinney suggested a company specialised in eco builds that was energetic and progressive.” “I wanted to build a low energy home because I knew it would save money in the long term. And now the house is so easy heated, I can say it does work.” “When I met the eco build designer Ronan on site, the first thing I showed him was the view I wanted.” “The original house on the property had been a 200 year old limewashed stone building which was originally home to three families. That was kept for sentimental value, as my granny had lived there, and for practical reasons. We kept it for storage now, and built the new part beside it so as to maximise the views.” “The inspiration, first and foremost, was the surrounding landscape. I knew I didn’t want a big two storey house, and

2 4 / S E LF B U IL D / S UMMER 2022

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NEW BUILD

that suited the planners too as the skyline isn’t disturbed. My initial suggestion was a storey and a half to blend it into the landscape.”

Process

“To be honest, I first thought we would be building a square with a conservatory at the end,” says William. “I didn’t have to be persuaded to switch to the glazed opening instead – I loved the idea of a modern south facing wing.” “My main concern was how much more it was going to cost and whether we could stick to that budget, and we were able to.” The house went through the planning process without a hitch, under PPS21 for a replacement dwelling. “Having had my finances in order, I then started clearing the site. There were some trees to clear in different parts, especially for the creation of a new entrance and for the visibility splays.” “At the beginning, because we’re on so much of a slope, a lot of the building work was underground which added to the cost,” says William. “Then there were some outbuildings that had to be removed. At the end of it all, I had a lorry load of scrap metal taken away. There were some bits of furniture and other waste I brought to the council amenity site on a trailer.” “In the spring of 2017 I was happy to use Ronan’s experience to project manage the build. I considered this to be a cost effective decision.” “I had a fair idea of costs but also priced it around, asked relations and friends as well as a few builders. But after considering all angles I felt it was worth

26 / SELFB UI L D / SUMMER 2 0 2 2

paying for Ronan’s expertise. I didn’t want to hold the build back for my lack of experience.” “Around Easter time we were discussing how much it would cost, and Ronan put out the drawings to tender to get prices back from builders. That’s when we knew what the actual costs would be. I then signed a contract with both Ronan and Gary the builder; Ronan took charge of overseeing the project and involved me in the decision making process throughout.” “For instance with the windows, Ronan sourced alternatives and gave me a choice of style, finish, then colour. I decided based on my budget and the look I was

“I loved the idea of a modern south facing wing...”

CO ANTRIM

William’s tips Spend time on your electrical plan. My only regret is the way I have the power points organised in my bedroom. The L space is actually perfect for a desk but there are no sockets so I have an extension cord. And if I had known better, I would have put in dimmer lights too, for the open plan area. There’s also a socket above the fireplace that’s not being used, the original point for the television. I had another power point in the corner for it too, next to the view, which is what I now use because I like sitting near the fire and be able to either watch the telly or admire the view. Design the house as if you were living in it, with all of the different furniture combinations you can think of. I ended up having to buy new furniture for the space, as and when I needed them. Starting with the bed.

S U M M ER 2 0 2 2 / S E L F B U IL D / 27

NEW BUILD after.” “Over the course of the build, there were additional costs, beyond the tender price we had agreed on. The first had to do with the groundworks, there was £5k in extra digger work for example, plus an extra 1,200 blocks needed to get the levels right.” “The kitchen and tiles were extra, as was the choice to go with precast insulated foundations and my decision to pave the path 1m50 instead of 1m for extra walking space. There was also an additional steel support that had to be added for the open plan area, for the big window.” “Plus the tiling, which I was going to do myself, and spray painting. I hadn’t included those in the original contract so came to an agreement directly with the builder on these extras.”

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“I was actually going to paint the walls and ceilings myself but it’s so much easier to have the painters do it professionally before second fix,” says William. “It’s more economical to do it then too. I just had to find the extra money for it.” “Oftentimes, by spending more now you save in the long run. For example, when I had the joiner here from the kitchen company I asked him to also put in a built-in wardrobe to fill out the empty space in the dressing room. It beat the basic clothes rack I had there for a while. And the joiner on site put in shelves in the hot press; it made sense to get it done while he was still here.” “Adding to the cost was the choice of the external silicone render as opposed to a traditional sand and cement finish. The only maintenance on the render is an algae treatment on the north side once a year to keep it looking fresh.” “It’s a constant readjustment process,” says William of the self-build process. “I was reprioritising things all the time. When the tiler was here, for maintenance and for a uniform finish I figured I might as well go from the front door to the south facing wing including the utility room. The extra cost was the labour but better to do it then than have to ask them to come back.” “When the electrician was here, I put extra lights in the south room and made sure the power plugs would have a chrome facing as opposed to white uPVC.” “To balance the budget, I didn’t go for a slate roof covering as originally intended. I also meant to have the garage built, but I figured it would only be used as storage anyway. And I had the original cottage for that.” “Day to day, I had all of the stage payments organised with Ronan. If I had a question I didn’t hesitate to raise it,”

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NEW BUILD

says William. “The entire build was done through Ronan but I had my ear to the ground as to what was going on. I was there most of the time anyway. If there were questions or the build had problems, Ronan contacted me. As and when required.”

Living the life

“The house is built in such a way that the ensuite is upstairs with the master bedroom,” says William. “I had a dressing room on top of the wish list, and I got that too.” “I also wanted to futureproof the house, in case I get in a situation where I am not able to go upstairs. That meant including a walk in shower downstairs with adjoining bedroom. I’m currently using that room as a gym.” “The back of the house is my living area and it’s what I now refer to as the front of the house. The amount of glazing we put in is fantastic. The house is so easy to heat in winter. And it’s just such a nice feature.” “I can’t believe how warm it gets,” he adds. “For the past couple of years I have grown tomatoes at the window, which keep me supplied from May to December. And I can use the space as a nursey type greenhouse, to get a head start on planting the vegetable garden.” “Then it does get very hot in summer 30 / SELFB UI L D / SUMMER 20 2 2

but I just open the patio doors for a draught and that’s enough to cool the house. The patio provides shelter from the high summer sun.” “Inside, the kitchen layout originally had a breakfast bar,” says Willian. “Ronan had left space for the kitchen with ideas of how to lay it out, but I approached a kitchen designer to help finalise those drawings.” “We put the island in the middle and that simplified the design and provided more drawers for storage. I preferred it being in the middle as opposed to having a peninsula. There’s an internal door, which is glazed but split into two half doors, to transition from the hall to the south facing open plan.” “After the house was built, I did have some work to finish,” says William. “The overflow drainage from the original cottage wasn’t connected to anything, coming out from a slope through the ground. I dug the drainage channel myself, and filled it in.” “And I still have to do more landscaping, but it’s all enjoyable. I’m now almost self-sufficient for vegetables. I brought in topsoil for the vegetable garden and for the area at the front of the house – between it and the meadow I’m now growing potatoes. I’m living the life.”

CO ANTRIM

Q&A with William What’s your favourite design feature?

The south facing room overlooking the Bann valley and Sperrin mountains, a view from Lough Beg to the Limavady Mountains. Even at night it’s nice looking out at all of the lights. I still have my granny’s oil lamp that still works; it’s nice and cosy with the fireplace. I went for a larger multifuel burner than I originally intended. It took up a few extra inches which impacted on building control and health and safety aspects but it didn’t cost more.

Would you do it again?

Seeing how expensive everything has gone, I’m not sure I could afford it now! Seriously though, now that I am all moved in, I don’t intend to move.

What would you change?

Apart from a couple socket positions, not a thing. Being so hands on when the house was built was a really enjoyable experience. Whenever plans were put to me, I had a clear vision of what I wanted and that’s how I ended up there. I’m delighted with the end result.

What’s your main piece of advice for self-builders?

Don’t be overambitious and live within your budget. Otherwise you won’t finish the house. Know what means you have, then allow for extra costs. Think about how you will manage the cash flow. Otherwise any extras could stall the project.

S U M M ER 2 0 2 2 / S E L F B U IL D / 31

NEW BUILD

More photographs available at selfbuild.ie

Project info Find out more about William’s project in Co Antrim...

Covered   veranda

 Dining

 Utility

Roof: pitched roof 150 mm mineral wool between rafters with 50mm PIR boards under rafters, flat ceilings 550mm mineral wool insulation, U-value 0.08W/sqmK, U-value 0.16W/sqmK. Both installations include airtightness membrane with a 50mm service void below

2008

 Porch

Inherited site

Lobby 

Lounge 

Walls: cavity walls with 175mm cavity pumped with graphite coated EPS beads, U-value 0.18 W/sqmK, airtightness paint on airtightness membranes and thermal door thresholds

Timeline

Kitchen 

 Logs

Floor: EPS preinsulated foundations, U-value 0.14W/sqmK

Windows: triple glazed, overall U-value 0.74W/sqmK

Living 

GROUND FLOOR

Spec

Apr 2016 Planning applied

Wet room Entrance  hall 

Jun 2016 Planning approved

Store  Study/  spare

Jul 2016-May 2017 Site clearance, tree removal

 Porch

Jul 2017 Signed contract Aug 2017 Demolition, new lane, build start Sep 2018 Build end

FIRST FLOOR

Oct 2018 Moved in

Balcony 

Nov 2018 Completion cert from building control

rooflight

 Master bed

rooflight

 Landing

 ENS rooflight

3 2 / SELFBUI L D / SU MMER 2 0 2 2

HP/ Store

 

Dressing  rooflight

rooflight

 Bed 3

 2 Bed

CO ANTRIM

Suppliers Estate agent

David McKinney, Ballymena, mckinneys.uk.com

Design and project management

Ronan McKee of FMK Architecture Ltd, fmkni.com

Airtightness and MVHR

Supplied through Eco Homes Store, ecohomesstore.co.uk. Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery: Vent Axia Kinetic Plus B, 90 per cent efficiency. Full airtightness system includes Blowerproof / Varafluid airtight paint on membrane and Compacfoam and Almatherm for thermal door thresholds.

Preinsulated foundations

Spantherm, creaghconcrete.co.uk

Builder

Gary Scullin – GP Scullin Construction

Windows

Electrical appliances

External plaster

External lights

Kitchen and wardrobes

Timber supplies (outdoors)

Patio

Furniture

Bathrooms

Fencing and posting

Multifuel stove

Photography

Tiles

ROI calling NI prefix with 048

Baskil Passive Certified windows, baskilwindowsystems.co.uk K-Rend, k-rend.co.uk James McCloy Joinery, Ballymoney, tel. 2588 1499 Tobermore, tobermore.co.uk Bassetts, bassettsonline.com Lamont fireplaces, Coleraine, lamontfireplaces.com Moss Tiles & Bathroom Centre, Magherafelt, tel. 7941 8478

Basil Knipe Electrics, Ballymoney, basilknipeelectrics.co.uk Yesss Electrical, Ballymena, tel. 2563 6758 Clady Timber, tel. 582512

Homestyle Ballymoney, homestyle-furniture.com Killyless Stores, tel. 5880233 Paul Lindsay, paullindsayphoto.co.uk

S U M M ER 2 0 2 2 / S E L F B U IL D / 33

NEW BUILD

Healthy

living

3 4 / SELFB UI L D / SUMMER 2 0 2 2

Words: Astrid Madsen Photography: Damien Kelly

CO LAOIS

Alan and Ber Glass not only built their dream home for their young and growing family, they did it in such a way that regular bouts of respiratory attacks are now a distant memory.

Overview Site size: 3/4 acre House size: 2,700 sqft Bedrooms: 4 Construction: blockwork (cavity wall) Heating and hot water: air to water heat pump Ventilation: mechanical with heat recovery BER: A2 Cost (build and finishes): €185k S U M M ER 2 0 22 / S E L F B U IL D / 35

NEW BUILD ur only option, if we wanted to get the family home we needed, was to self-build,” says Ber. “We had bought a two bedroom apartment, before we had children. Then when we started our family, we moved to my aunt’s house where we stayed for a while.” “With negative equity still in the apartment, and the need to have a 20 per cent deposit for a mortgage on an existing home, we knew we’d have to wait at least five years to buy a house. So we started looking for a site and found one fairly quickly.” “It was ideal in that it was a good site to get planning permission on. It wasn’t zoned in the County Development Plan as being in an area with a local needs provision attached.”

Design stage

“When we bought the site, we had three children and not a huge budget,” says Alan. “So we started the design process with what we wanted out of the house: something simple, open plan, bright and that would make it easy to keep an eye on the kids.” “I trained as a plumber and now work in the plumbing and heating side of things. I knew if we kept the rooms to the same size, and to standard measurements, that could save us quite a bit in construction costs,” he says. “I did want to have our living room a step down from the rest of the open plan but it would have added cost,

3 6 / SE LF B U IL D / SUMMER 2 022

adding complication to the build, so the compromise was to have a step up into our bath, and I love it,” says Ber. “We actually went all out on the bathrooms and could perhaps have used the space for more sleeping quarters – we only really use the family bathroom and with five children now, we could have used an extra bedroom.” Alan and Ber started the design process with a sketch pad. “I sketched out floor plans with measurements, in a compact layout with square rooms,” says Alan. “We got a draughtsman to put it in a software and he suggested a couple of changes – mostly in terms of fire safety. Escape routes, roof lights. He also

Turning up the heat with Grant’s Uflex underfloor heating Leading home heating solutions company Grant has sparked the interest of many self-builders throughout Ireland, with its Uflex underfloor heating, due to the system’s ability to work effectively with a heat pump to deliver highly efficient and consistent, evenly dispersed heat throughout the home. A versatile heat emitter, the Grant Uflex underfloor heating system works effectively with a low temperature main heat source, such as the Grant Aerona³ R32 air to water heat pump, to deliver high efficiencies. This pairing of technologies also enables long term savings on heating bills to be achieved as both technologies operate at low temperatures and so use less energy. The Uflex system offers flexibility to support the overall design and architecture of the space whilst also creating comfort for the homeowner. It is this flexibility coupled with the invisibility of this heat source, which makes it the heat emitter of choice for those who prefer a modern, minimalistic look as heat will not be blocked off by any pieces of furniture. In addition to bringing warmth and comfort to a home,installing underfloor heating results in reduced air circulation

and the subsequent transfer of dust particles, thereby increasing hygiene levels. The system is especially suited under tile and hardwood flooring in kitchens, bathrooms, and open plan areas and is embedded in the floor’s construction during the build. As part of Grant’s free of charge home heating design service, when underfloor heating is selected for a self-build project, the technical team develop bespoke plans for the Uflex system based on flow rates and heat loss calculations for each room. This provides invaluable support to the contractors on the project as it saves time and gives reassurance that the heating system has been professionally sized and specified to suit the requirements of the property. The service also ensures that the heating system is compliant in terms of Part L of the building regulations in the Republic of Ireland and helps to achieve NZEB standards when paired with a heat pump. Easily installed, the Grant Uflex underfloor heating system is one of the heating technologies included in Grant’s integrated heating packages for new builds. Offering optimal control with individual zone heating and comfort,

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Grant Uflex

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#ThinkHeatingThinkGrant

All Grant products are available from plumbing and heating merchants throughout Ireland. Contact the Grant Technical Team on 057 9126967 (Republic of Ireland) or 0800 0443264 (Northern Ireland) For further information visit www.grant.eu

Kitchen:. “We chose a simple and functional layout, and ordered the parts directly from a kitchen manufacturer,” says Alan. “We spent €3.5k on the carcases, doors and ironmongery, then the countertop set us back €1.5k.”

NEW BUILD

suggested splitting the upstairs layout. We had two bedrooms and he said it would add value to have an extra one.” “He then wanted to know where the chimney was, but we didn’t have one,” says Ber. “Every house I’d lived in before depended on lighting the fire first thing in the morning. We didn’t want that anymore, neither did we want to be cleaning out ashes.” For the windows, the original plan was to go with three horizontal ones at the front, 2.2m wide by 1.2m high. “We thought the planners might object so went with a square shape and a more traditional frontage,” says Alan. “For the same reason we decided not to add any windows in the gable, to prevent overlooking. I was probably overcautious as the sitting room side doesn’t overlook the neighbour.” “An extra window downstairs would have added another angle of light, and upstairs it would have given us more options. There’s only one fire escape rooflight in our eldest’s bedroom, which is 5.6m by 4.5m, and if we’d had a gable window we could have split the room in two.” They also went with south facing 38 UI LLD D //SUMMER 2 0 // SELFB S EL FBUI AUT UMN20 2 02220

glazing, at the back of the house. “To a certain extent, we bought into what we saw on television by installing the 6m long sliders,” says Ber. “I was adamant that in our house, everyone would use the front door, so we don’t have a back door. What ends up happening is everyone just comes in through these sliders. In summertime, they are great if it’s warm as they can be left open. But when it rains we keep them shut and it’s roasting!”

“In wintertime, we do appreciate that they have a greenhouse effect and magnify the sun. So if we were to do it again we would keep the sliders but just not as big as we have them now. Probably just half the size – we currently have four 1.5m long panels. It is a really nice feature.” “Perhaps the main thing we would do differently is not install the underfloor heating and the heat pump for space heating,” says Alan. “The only time we

CO LAOIS

Q&A with Alan & Ber What are your favourite features?

Ber: I love the house! The bathroom downstairs with the steps, the lights in the hallway. Pretty much everything. Alan: The hot press with all the pipes. Living in the house, I love our living space. The sitting, kitchen, dining open plan – it’s great that it’s all in the same area. We are there all the time and it’s very communal and comfortable.

What would you change?

Ber: A bigger utility room would be nice but realistically, we got everything we wanted for our budget. We have stacked shelves to the side and across which was perfect for when we had three children, at the time of designing the house, but now we have two more which means more clothes.

What surprised you?

How well the heat recovery ventilation system would work. There’s only the upkeep of changing filters when needed and that’s easy to do.

Would you do it again?

It’s our forever home so we can’t see us doing it again, but it was an enjoyable experience. So you never know!

S U M M ER 2 0 2 2 / S E L F B U IL D / 39

NEW BUILD have the heating on is to warm up the floor which isn’t really necessary. It’s on a time lock so it only uses night electricity rate, heating up the floor on a Monday which lasts until Thursday.” “I find that as long as the heat pump doesn’t have to work to below 5degC it’s fine but that’s when you need it, when it’s cold outside,” he adds. “If the outside temperature drops to zero the heat pump goes into defrost mode because it’s blowing cold air.”

Process

“Once planning permission was secured, we filed our commencement notice and registered the project on the Building Control Management System (BCMS), choosing the opt out route,” says Alan. “I put myself down as the builder and got an engineer down as the designer and to sign off on the stages of the build. We uploaded the documents on the BCMS together, as the authorities are pretty rigid in terms of what they need.” “We had to get our provisional building energy rating (BER), showing compliance to the energy requirements of the building regulations, so had to get a registered BER assessor to do that for us – we used someone who works for the engineer.” “That involved calculations for the

4 0 / S E LF B U IL D / S UMMER 2022

insulation and also took into account the choice of an air to water heat pump for our heating system. We decided to only have underfloor heating downstairs and no heat emitters upstairs, and we’re glad we did.” “The heat recovery ventilation system is good at distributing the heat evenly and keeping the house at a steady temperature throughout,” says Ber. “That really was the best thing we put in the house – in the bathrooms the sensors pick up when you’ve had a shower and automatically puts the fan on boost mode for 15 minutes to clear the air.” “The air quality is so much better too,” she adds. “One of the children has hay fever, and since moving in three years ago she hasn’t complained of symptoms nearly as much.” “I’ve seen a reduction in issues with my asthma, compared to being used to regular GP visits. I used to be on antibiotics every three weeks, and I would end up in hospital with asthma attacks pretty regularly. Thankfully that’s no longer the case.”

Hands on

“Ber and I project managed the build ourselves,” says Alan. “We organised everyone, and it wasn’t too bad lining them up. Our block layer is a friend, and I

CMY

NEW BUILD

Alan & Ber’s tips Stick to your guns. Alan says he got conflicting advice on the build itself, and he’s glad he didn’t listen to it all. “People told me I was mad not to insulate the walls internally with insulated plasterboard. But I wanted a sand/ cement plaster downstairs, to store heat in the inner leaf of the masonry walls, and it’s a strategy that has worked for us,” he says. “I think too much emphasis is put on the heat source of a new build, with people investing a lot in the equipment for the likes of ground source heat pumps. But if you look at it, in our case we not only have a low space heating demand we only need it for three or four months of the year. With the levels of insulation specified in the building regulations, and with the heat recovery system working 24/7, money spent on retaining heat is well worth it.” Limit the number of bathrooms. “They require cleaning so think about how many you really need. My mum said we wouldn’t need so many,” says Ber, “and she was probably right.”

42 / SELFB UI L D / SUMMER 2 0 2 2

did quite a bit of the other jobs. It was the concrete workers, for the poured floors and the paths outside that delayed us a bit. Trying to get someone reliable.” “In our area, a lot of the concrete guys mostly work in agribusiness and the summer is their busy time. Of course that was when we had to get our work done so the timing wasn’t great but worth waiting for.” “We were also lucky that Ber’s cousin had some free time, and a 13 tonne digger. He cleared the site for us, we then marked it out and had foundations poured within a week.” “We were lucky the soil was good,” adds Alan. “It’s a raised site, and there was no issue with percolation so we have a standard treatment tank. On the other side of the road, just 50m away from our house, the site is sloping and there are issues with septic tanks there. We were quite lucky to avoid that headache.”

CO LAOIS

“In the end we got the family home we wanted and the satisfaction that we had complete control over the process and the finishes. We love it...”

Insulation

“Before we started the build we were living in my aunt’s house, which was a nice size,” says Ber. “It was a small cottage that had been extended. The downside was the suspended floor construction. No insulation meant the house was cold in winter so insulation was important to us from the start on this build.” “We insulated as much as we could – we put in PIR in the walls, roof and floor,” says Alan. “I did the floor and rafter insulation, and the blocklayer did the walls. I made sure we kept the insulation layer continuous and wrapped membrane all around the building elements.” “For the floor I chose not to add a screed to cover the underfloor heating pipes. Instead, I put the underfloor pipes in the concrete slab. Usually you’d have the 150mm slab, then insulation then a 50mm to 70mm screed on top.” “We wanted the floor to be able to retain heat, as opposed to have it be more responsive. There’s a trade off between how long the floor will keep the heat and how quickly it responds to the heating coming on.” Alan also fitted out the kitchen himself, saving on the installation cost. “When I was a kid, every summer and after school I’d spend time doing carpentry with my dad, so I was happy enough to fit our kitchen,” says Alan. “I asked a friend from work to help me install it.” “For the upper storey, we didn’t have the budget stretch to a precast concrete slab, and even though I did put in ply above the joists we probably should have carpeted the upstairs instead of using laminate,” he adds. “It was a relatively quick build but it did mean working late nights to get it done and moving back in with mum for a couple of months as we were completing it,” says Ber. “In the end we got the family home we wanted and the satisfaction that we had complete control over the process and the finishes. We love it.”

S U M M ER 2 0 2 2 / S E L F B U IL D / 43

NEW BUILD

More photographs available at selfbuild.ie

Project info Find out more about Alan and Ber’s project in Co Laois...

Spec Walls: cavity wall construction full fill with 150mm PIR board, internal and external walls finished with sand/cement screed Roof: 100mm PIR between rafters, 50mm PIR boards underneath Floor: 150mm PIR below concrete slab

Suppliers Groundwork

GROUND FLOOR

Brendan Kelly Agricultural and Plant Hire, tel. 0579354605

Builder’s merchant

Dining

Bedroom 2

Fletcher’s Hardware Portarlington, fletchershardware.ie

Bathroom

Kitchen

Panelling Centre, panellingcentre.ie

Kitchen

Ensuite

Hall

Store

Bathrooms

Niko Bathrooms, nikobathrooms.ie

Heat Recovery System

Pantry

ML Vac & Vent Systems, mlvacandvent.ie

Photography

Damien Kelly, damienkellyphotography.com

Bedroom 1

Sitting room

Master Bedroom

NI calling ROI prefix with 00353 and drop the first 0

Timeline March 2018 Site purchase

Jul 2018 Commencement notice

FIRST FLOOR

Jul 2018 Build start Roof light with alcove seating

Services

Roof light with alcove seating

Storage

Bedroom 3

Bedroom 4 Landing

Late Nov 2018 Blocks and roof finished Mid Jan 2019 Percolation and groundworks Feb 2019 First fix finished Mar 2019 Plastered

Bathroom

April 2019 Second fix Ceiling void

44 / SELFBUI L D / SU MMER 20 2 2

Ceiling void Clear full height ceiling above stairs

Electricity connection Tiling/wood floors

May 2019 Moved in

R E N O VAT I O N

Overview Plot size: 0.5 acres House size: 3,000sqft Bedrooms: 5 Heating: gas combi boiler Ventilation: natural House purchase price: £440k Renovation cost: £250k House value: £850-900k

4 6 / SE LF B U IL D / SUMMER 2 022

CO DOWN

Words: Astrid Madsen Photography: Paul Lindsay

Perseverance

After a false start, Allison Cordner took charge of her renovation project and never looked back.

S UMMER 202 2 / SE LF BU I LD / 4 7

R E N O VAT I O N

Before

The front door was replaced with a bespoke oversized front door fitted in a modern front porch. Windows. “Many of the original windows were not symmetrical and therefore one of the main tasks for the builder was to adjust existing windows openings, some were reduced, some enlarged, to give the property the symmetry we were seeking,” says Allison.

hen we moved back to Northern Ireland, we bought a 1970s house in a sought after neighbourhood as a renovation project,” says Allison. “The house, as many others in this area, had the living space on the first floor and sleeping quarters on the ground floor.” “Our estate agent recommended an architect, and we invited him to view the house with us to get his thoughts. He suggested taking advantage of the south facing location, moving the living space to the ground floor in an open plan configuration with bifold doors. He included an extension over the existing concrete carport to the left of the property.”

Planning applications

“Our architect drew up the plans for our first planning application. It included a newt report and an arboretum tree report, which we later discovered we didn’t need. From this 48 / SELFB UI L D / SUMMER 20 2 2

starting point the planning process turned out to be a bit of a shock in comparison to our experience in England, where we’d dabbled in our fair share of renovations.” “We were bewildered by the lack of visits from planning officers and the lack of communication about any issues they might have with our plans. The architect was also not very participative in getting any action from the Planning Department.” “Having waited over a year, the frustration was indescribable. We arranged to meet our architect again and suggested we submit a second planning application where the original shell of the house would remain as is, i.e. no extension, and we would renovate the interior to keep the living space on the first floor. He agreed and new plans were submitted.” “A great level of detail went into the plans. The panoramic window along the kitchen worktop where the sink is, was positioned specifically to take in the view whilst not overlooking any neighbours.” “We were not originally planning to move in until all renovation works were completed, but the buyers of our other property wanted to complete the sale and what with the delay in planning we were forced to move into the house.” “On the back of the second application,

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R E N O VAT I O N

we got a visit from a planning officer who pointed out that we could have probably gone ahead with the internal renovations without their involvement. Remarkably, the original planning application probably still remains in someone’s in-tray to this 2 0 // SELFB S EL FBUI AUT UMN20 2 02220 50 UI LLD D //SUMMER

day, as we haven’t heard back on that initial request.”

Renovation plan

“The structure was poorly insulated and having lived in the property prior to starting

the renovations, we pretty soon realised many of the radiators were inefficient. This meant that the house would require a new heating system, which we had a fair idea would need to be done and was factored into the budget from the start. Rewiring the entire house came as more of a surprise but it allowed us to reconfigure where the electrical points would go.” “Both the original fireplaces, which were old gas fires that had to be decommissioned, were blocked up. We don’t miss the fires as the range of contemporary radiators that we used throughout not only offer enough heat but also act as great features in each room.” “We have natural ventilation coupled with fans in all of the bathrooms, and our kitchen cooker hood works off a remote control from a suspended housing in the ceiling.” “I’m happy to say that now, the house has been so well insulated that it is rare we have the heating on. And living on the second floor gives the advantage of enjoying any heat that naturally rises, coupled with the large amount of triple glazing which serves to warm the house very well.” “Internally, all walls on the first floor were removed and that’s when the open plan layout we had in mind became real. We made a couple of changes to the architect’s design: the downstairs bathroom is smaller than on the plans and we added a wc upstairs.”

CO DOWN

“...living on the second floor gives the advantage of enjoying any heat that naturally rises”

Q&A with Allison Would you do it again?

Yes, it was challenging but having a healthy renovation budget takes the pressure off which I’m sure is not a luxury many people have. We’ve just bought our retirement home, so another renovation beckons already!

What is your single piece of advice for a budding renovator? Whatever your builder tells you, be that time or money; double it. Also, in hindsight (a wonderful thing) my husband is now of the opinion that we should have knocked the original house down and built new. We would have saved a fortune on VAT because a zero rate VAT applies to new builds.

Favourite design feature?

The best thing we did from a design point of view was keep the living area upstairs. Because the property is in a dip, it’s darker downstairs than upstairs. One of my most favourite things in the house is the panoramic window in the kitchen. It gives a wonderful view of the front garden and long driveway. I can see the postman and other visitors coming. I understood from Jim it was a headache to get right, as he had to work with the kitchen fitters to ensure it was at worktop level but even he agrees the end result is a triumph. The windows and doors in general are fantastic. Every door is tilt and turn, including the doors in the master bedroom. The patio door at each Juliette balcony on the top floor opens inwards. Overall, it all feels light, airy and bright.

Kitchen island. The island/breakfast bar is 4m long and double width, containing all of the storage within it, plus one wall of cupboards. Kitchen lighting. The panel of switches in the open plan kitchen area has eight dimmers. “It can be quite comical as we are still getting used to which switches control which spotlights, but the zoning of the lights means that each area within this open plan space has its own lighting,” says Allison.

What would you change?

We installed a hot water tap, and to be honest I could do without. I’ve managed to burn myself on it a number of times. I’m just a regular cook, and even though it could help when reselling, I don’t really need it.

Floor finishes. The large floor tiles complement the large open plan living space. “The tiles on the ground floor and entrance hall have a gloss finish, whilst those in the open plan space are matt which is easier on the eye and easier to live with,” says Allison. “In contrast we chose an oak wooden floor for the main sitting room which offers a more earthy and warm cosy setting.”

What was your biggest splurge? The glazed balcony and rooftop decking above the garage; but it was so worth it.

6 S U M M ER 2 0 2 2 / S E L F B U IL D / 51

R E N O VAT I O N “The architect had suggested what materials to use and we followed those instructions. Inside, some of the doorways were blocked and new openings created. The original staircase was removed completely and part of the upstairs landing pulled back by a few feet to accommodate the newly designed open staircase.” “We also managed to bring in more daylight by adding a three-framed long window to the rear of the property where the new staircase would ultimately be positioned.” “We then replastered every other wall and we remodelled the top of the original garage to create a wonderfully large decking area using composite decking and a glazed balcony surrounding it. It’s now quite the south facing sun trap.”

Staircase. The staircase is a floating wrought iron frame with deep wooden treads; the joiners sent a mini model before manufacture to make sure Allison was happy with it. The large barn doors are made of two pieces of wood, stained to match the customed made treads on the staircase, invisibly joined together. With the touch of a finger, the doors glide smoothly and lightly along black wrought iron runners.

Managing the project

“Originally, we were hoping to have the architect manage the project, however, our confidence in him was shattered after his lack of communication with the planners. So John, who had work commitments, and I decided I should take the reins of the project,” says Allison. “We had builders submit tenders for the job which were over double the estimate the architect had given us. In the end we went with Jim, a local builder known to our family who said it was possible to work within our budget of £200k. So Jim managed the project with my input and direction.” “We had a verbal agreement, making sure costs and the sourcing of materials were clear from the start. He sourced the building materials, which he put on his account at the builder’s merchant. I sourced the bathroom fittings, the kitchen, barn doors and the staircase, mostly from companies and tradesmen Jim recommended.” “The work that we contracted out to Jim was carried out by tradesmen who were on site for around eight weeks. They were paid in a lump sum at the end through him.” “I was caring for my mother throughout but managed to pop in on pretty much a daily basis, meeting with the various tradesmen, discussing our requirements and making any necessary adjustments along the way, usually following advice of the various experts in Jim’s team,” says Allison. “We were very lucky that Jim has great access to trades, including tilers, electricians, plumbers, joiners, etc.” “I had the plans and comprehensive lists of images with me on site, to help describe what we needed. It really helped when communicating with each tradesman. I was very conscious of how we would live in the house, so everything from where light switches would go to height of cupboards were decisions I was making daily.” “For the kitchen design, I had been to a couple of outlets and worked off a software 2 8 // SELFB S E L F BUI ULI LD SP R IN G 22022 52 D / /SU MMER 022

CO DOWN

S U M M ER 2 0 22 / S E L F B U IL D / 53

R E N O VAT I O N that helped visualise the space,” says Allison. “Our kitchen designer was really helpful and guided us when picking the finish we wanted to achieve.” “In my previous kitchen I used to have a chest freezer and thought we would benefit from having an extra freezer here too. I ended up choosing an undercounter freezer in the kitchen and a double height larder freezer in the utility on the ground floor. The designer did the utility in the same style as the kitchen.” “But it was the bathrooms that took up a lot of my time as we had to redesign each of them. The main bathroom was quite large containing a 1970s style jacuzzi and multi jet shower. We decided to gut this room, reposition the window and cream off about a third of the square footage to create an ensuite to a rear bedroom.” “There was also a very large ensuite to the master bedroom – the square footage lent itself to a modern wetroom revamp with a

walk in dressing room.” “I was keen that the bathrooms look similar so chose the same tiles throughout,” adds Allison. “Most of my inspiration came from images I sourced online, mood boards, and also from visiting showrooms. I tried not to go too quirky and keep it neutral. I would walk around showrooms with a folder and measuring tape to make sure mirrors, sinks, etc. would fit.”

Delays

“The builder said it would take six to eight months to renovate the house but in reality it was a year,” says Allison. “This was

5 4 / S E LF B U IL D / S UMMER 2022

extended due to unforeseen problems such as the roof needing to be entirely redone. It was disappointing because at the very start we had paid to get the roof assessed, and we were assured it would not need to be replaced.” “But as it turned out the timbers were rotting underneath. Once it was clear the roof had to be removed and replaced, we had to vacate the building and ended up living elsewhere.” “This state of the roof was discovered by Jim when he started to peel back the exterior wood panelling to prep for the external silicone render. Thankfully Jim managed to

CO DOWN

Allison’s Tips Be on site daily. This is a must. I made decisions and alterations, during construction, usually following a brief consultation with either the builder or tradesman, which would not have been possible had I not been on site daily. Prepare for the unexpected. Once you begin to peel back the structure of an old building there are bound to be some things that come to light that require attention, and usually bring in additional costs.

source roofers who were able to act quickly and do the job in a short period of time, which was a blessing.” “On the plus side, once the old roof tiles were removed, we were able to see the light flooding into the right side of the property and, from this, we decided to add two rooflights which now offer brilliant daylight into the sunken living area adjacent to the kitchen.” “We also encountered weather related delays, particularly with regards to the silicone render which was a huge job as it covered the complete exterior. Although the final result gave the look we were hoping to achieve, in hindsight we may have gone another way but once we committed to it there was no turning back.” “Other aspects went like clockwork – the Juliette balconies were craned in and fixed all in one day. The window company had drilled holes at each side of the walls in preparation. The decking glass was also done in a day and finished really well with covered edges to hide any joins. The decking’s steel frame base came in two pieces, expertly manoeuvred into place by remote control.” The house is now performing even better than Allison or John expected, both inside and out. “We realised that once we removed the original steps that wrapped around the garage, we would be faced with a large amount (20x40ft) of displaced earth, which we repurposed to level the rear garden,” says Allison. “We ended up with a substantial rear garden that gets the sun in the early evening as it moves from the front, then to the side, then on to the rear of the property. Pure bliss.”

Listen to your builder/tradesman. One thing I used to say if an issue arose was “what would you do if it was your property?” and following their advice, acted accordingly. My husband always says “if you pay for expert advice you might as well listen and take it on board”.

Spotlights. “On the advice of the electrician we decided on a white uPVC finish as opposed to the currently popular chrome as they tend to stand out less when not in use,” says Allison.

Check prices online. I spotted the bath I wanted on the high street and was quoted £1,200, whilst the exact same bath online was £500 with £50 delivery to NI… a no brainer. If you are purchasing four sink taps, check the prices on reputable websites. The waterfall taps I wanted were £159 in a bathroom showroom locally but online the same tap was £59. When you are making multiple purchases of the same product, this matters to your bottom line.

S U M M ER 2 0 22 / S E L F B U IL D / 55

R E N O VAT I O N

More photographs available at selfbuild.ie

Suppliers

Project info

Stairs and barn doors

MD Manufacture, mobile 07518 028655

Kitchen

Creative Living, creativelivingni.co.uk, tel. 9031 2083

Windows and front door

Carrolls Glass, carrollsglass.co.uk, tel. 9048 1116

Find out more about Allison’s project in Co Down...

Builder and tradesmen

Builder; Jim Tipping. Tiling by Ollie and Martin, Electrics by Craig Tweedie, Plumbing and Heating by Noel McMasters Ensuite Utility Ensuite Utility

Bathroom Bathroom

Bedroom 3 Bedroom 3

Ensuite Bathroom Bathroom Ensuite

Entrance Entrance

Bedroom 3 Bedroom 3

Store Store

Bedroom 2 Bedroom 2

Bedroom Bedroom 1 1

Master Master Bedroom Bedroom Bedroom 4 Bedroom

Existing Ground Floor

Tiles

Wardrobe Ensuite Wardrobe Ensuite

Armatile, armatile.com, tel. 9068 2752

Bedroom Bedroom 4 4

Store Store

Garden room

Master Bedroom Master Bedroom

Posh Sheds NI, poshshedsni.com

Photography

Paul Lindsay, paullindsayphoto.co.uk

Store

Proposed Ground Floor

GROUND FLOOR BEFORE

Bedroom 1 Bedroom 1

Bedroom 2 Bedroom 2

Store Store

1 : 100

Entrance Entrance HP

Utility Utility UP

1 : 100

ROI calling NI prefix with 048, mobile prefix with 0044 and drop the first 0

GROUND FLOOR AFTER

Garage Garage

C60 Architects and Town Planners

37-39 Great Northern Street, Belfast. Northern Ireland. BT9 7FJ. T: +44 (0)2890 9921 60 E: info@c60design.co.uk W: www.c60design.co.uk

PROJECT Glen Road

DRAWING Existing Ground Floor

CLIENT Mr and Mrs Cordner

SCALE @ A3 1 : 100 JOB 1771

37-39 Great Northern Street, Belfast. Northern Ireland. BT9 7FJ. T: +44 (0)2890 9921 60 E: info@c60design.co.uk W: www.c60design.co.uk

DRAWN AD DWG No (P-)03

DATE 15/05/19

PROJECT Glen Road

DRAWING Proposed Ground Floor

CLIENT Mr and Mrs Cordner

SCALE @ A3 1 : 100

Rev

JOB 1771

WC WC

Hallway Hallway

Formal Formal Living Living

Formal Formal Dining Dining

Formal Living

Casual Living Casual Living

Dining Dining

Existing First Floor

1 : 100

Kitchen Kitchen

Sep 2017

First planning application Living Living Room Room

Aug 2018 Revisit plans Sep 2018 New planning application

1 : 100

Terrace Terrace

FIRST FLOOR BEFORE

Nov 2018 Planning granted

FIRST FLOOR AFTER

C60 Architects and Town Planners

37-39 Great Northern Street, Belfast. Northern Ireland. BT9 7FJ. T: +44 (0)2890 9921 60 E: info@c60design.co.uk W: www.c60design.co.uk

PROJECT Glen Road

DRAWING Existing First Floor

CLIENT Mr and Mrs Cordner

SCALE @ A3 1 : 100 JOB 1771

Jan 2019 Moved out and renovation start (house gutted) Jan 2020 Moved in

C60 Architects and Town Planners

37-39 Great Northern Street, Belfast. Northern Ireland. BT9 7FJ. T: +44 (0)2890 9921 60 E: info@c60design.co.uk W: www.c60design.co.uk

DRAWN AD DWG No (P-)04

DATE 15/05/19

PROJECT Glen Road

DRAWING Proposed First Floor Plan

CLIENT Mr and Mrs Cordner

SCALE @ A3 1 : 100

Rev

JOB 1771

DRAWN AD DWG No (P-)08

56 / SELFBUI L D / SUMMER 20 2 2

Timeline

Proposed First Floor

Terrace Terrace

DATE 15/05/19 Rev

WC WC Cloaks Cloaks Formal Living

Kitchen/Dining Kitchen/ Dining

DRAWN AD DWG No (P-)07

DATE 15/05/19 Rev

CO DOWN

Project Supplier

POSH SHEDS NI

We design, manufacture and install a comprehensive range of structures to fit perfectly into your garden.

56 carrickmannon Rd, Ballygowan BT23 6JH 07904119683 www.poshshedsni.com SU MMER 2022 / SEL FBUIL D / 57

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Overview House size before: 110sqm House size after (with porch and extension): 155sqft Bedrooms: 4 Site size: ¾ acre Renovation cost (incl purchase price): €185k House value (2019): €200k Construction method: blockwork (cavity wall) Heating and hot water: oil condensing boiler Ventilation: natural 5 8 / SELFB UI L D / SUMMER 2 0 2 2

C O G A L W AY

Home coming Sometimes you need a bit of luck to find the perfect site – or in Maria and Padraic Broughall’s case, the perfect house to renovate. Words: Astrid Madsen Photography: Mike O’Leary

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nd a perfect house to renovate meant it would be in the right location, affordable and could be extended without requiring planning permission (40sqm exempt if it’s never been extended before, among other requirements). “When we started looking, we were living in Kildare, where we had bought our starter home,” says Maria. “We had been in it for about eight or nine years, and it served us well as we were close to Dublin where I trained as a nurse.” “But it came to a point where we wanted to move closer to my family, mostly because at this stage we had four children. So we started looking for sites to build a house, but nothing that was for sale was within our budget.” “I was keen for the children to go to the school I’d gone to, so the area we were looking in was quite restricted. That’s when we gave up on the idea of building our home and started looking for houses to renovate.” “We ended up finding what we were looking for through word of mouth and managed to buy it privately. It was special to us as my father had been born in a house nearby.” “The house was a 1980s structure, yet we found it very hard to get any information about it,” says Padraic. “All we know is that it had been built as a two bedroom council house, block construction with a 100mm cavity.

Thankfully the sewage system was in order and didn’t need to be replaced but we had to sink a well for fresh water, for which we got a grant.” “At this stage we should have also looked into getting a grant to upgrade the energy efficiency of the house from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, but when we approached them we had already bought insulation and had started work on the house which meant we were not eligible. A major error on our part.”

Family friendly design

“We knew we’d be exempt from securing planning permission if we stuck to a 40sqm extension, and we were able to add

Flat roof extension. “We chose a flat roof for the extension, with an EPDM finish,” says Maria. “Half the reason for it is that we wanted roof lights. We found someone who would do it for us with a 15 year guarantee and we’ve had no complaints. I never thought we’d choose a flat roof but after many meetings we realised there was €1k in the difference with an A frame,” says Maria. “I can’t say I love it, but it has grown on me.”

6 0 / SELFB UI L D / SUMMER 2 0 2 2

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a porch too. Ruairí, a cousin of mine, is an engineer and his first impression was how good the site was and the location,” says Padraic. “We’re on a hill so there’s a nice feel to the place, and even though it’s a bit remote it’s close to everything we need.” “Thankfully the engineer’s report said the structure was sound. We did have a problem with the chimney but it was manageable and didn’t cost too much to fix. We were a bit afraid buying an old house, that there might be problems we didn’t see.” “The renovation itself turned out to be a true labour of love,” says Maria. “It had been rented for 10 years and nothing had been done to it during that time. Trees were growing at the front door when we bought it.” “We toyed with different layouts but what made the most sense was a simple extension at the back with four bedrooms, one with an ensuite and walk in wardrobe,” says Padraic. “We talked about several options with Ruairí. He gave us a lot of ideas – he had flipped the house at one stage. We also walked through the house with the children to see how the space would work for us.” “And it was clear we would need to have a playroom, so we sacrificed the size of one of the bedrooms to get it. Now the toys are still everywhere but at least we can close the door on them.” “To reorganise the space, we had to knock through a few walls in the existing house,” says Maria. “We changed a bedroom into the kitchen to give us more light. We also changed the existing bathroom into a laundry room, a bedroom into a family bathroom and the old electricity meter box is now an internal shelf in a bedroom.” “The ensuite in the fourth bedroom was changed into a walk in wardrobe, which is the best thing we did,” says Maria. “It gives us so much storage for clothes, shoes and bags.” “We then turned the old kitchen into our sitting room, and because the sun sets on the west side we added a window to get those views. We also added a new window for the bathroom at the end wall.”

Timing is everything

“Because we decided to make the move from Kildare, we had to find a place to stay while we were renovating. It’s so expensive to rent but we didn’t have much choice as there was a lot of work involved.” “We had a mortgage plan and our bank told us what we could afford, and how to manage the timeline as the quicker we’d 6 2 / SELFB UI L D / SUMMER 2 0 2 2

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Maria & Padraic’s tips Get over your fear of hardware stores. We rang up our local builder’s merchant to set up an account with them – they were so easy to speak to. It can feel intimidating not knowing what you’re talking about but they’re there to help. Bootroom. Ideal for coats and for most of the bulky storage needs.

Reuse what you can. We sanded down the old kitchen and repainted it to use in the laundry room and it looks brand new. It was real timber and good enough quality that it could be given a completely new lease of life. Plan the renovation in phases. The utility room was too expensive to do at the start – it ended up being a lockdown project. Plan the furniture layout. You can never plan early enough when it comes to where you will put furniture. Consider everything in a room: bed, plugs, window, radiator and what will go where best. Price around. We got the exact same windows for 10k cheaper than what we were quoted elsewhere.

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Floor finishes. “We went with new laminate flooring throughout with underlay,” says Maria. “We’ve had no problem with it, we got one that was rated AC4 for moderate traffic in a commercial setting. It’s hard wearing.”

“The renovation itself turned out to be a true labour of love...” 6 4 / SELFB UI L D / SUMMER 2 0 2 2

C O G A L W AY

be in the sooner we’d stop paying rent,” says Maria. “To get the work done, we were lucky to have my brother David who has building experience. He and Padraic kept things on track.” “David knew about timings, when to have what trades people lined up, what has to be on site. It’s so hard to get trades people, so we had to give them plenty of notice. He helped us a great deal by telling us what we had to do next, what equipment to hire.” “David even had a list of reliable contacts in the trade so we knew who to turn to for quality work,” says Maria. “The first thing we did was clear the site – David did most of that – as it was completely overgrown. We had to make sure it was safe for diggers and machinery to access. The council lane was well maintained, so we just really had to take down the gates – that was the easy part!” “Then, simply because I hated the pebbledash, the first job for David and Padraic was to take down the external render. It took them two weeks with a kango hammer and then the plasterers replastered with a nap finish.” “David stripped the house back to the bare walls and we hired skips for the waste – it was very expensive. We still have some of the old tiles and windows in the shed in the hope we might use them for another project.” “We had to take out the old windows because the seals were broken,” says Padraic. “We got in several quotes but couldn’t find exactly what we wanted. I didn’t want up and down sashes so we found a compromise with a sash effect model.” “We also got our door from the same place – it’s a stable door at the front of the house. It works to air the house out on a warm summer’s day. We have natural ventilation in the house, with vents in the windows themselves and mechanical extractors in the bathrooms.”

Electrics

“We were delayed starting the roof as we had to wait six weeks for ESB Networks to make the site safe and move a pole,” says Maria. “They had to move a pole underground and during that time the roof couldn’t be touched as it was too close to the live wires. We switched from a tile roof covering to slate but the wire came to the chimney so we had to wait before we could get started on that.” “We were lucky though that we didn’t have to rewire the house. We used the existing pendants at the centre of the rooms and relied on our electrician’s advice to decide where to put the

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additional lighting points.” “He advised us to use spotlights for the work spaces; he said to put some in the back hall too and now it’s so bright it really makes a difference. The laundry room also has spotlights as does the bathroom.” “Our electrician was brilliant. He did a walk through the house with us to check everything. You have to trust your tradesmen. I suppose the only thing I complain about is that there are never enough sockets. Most are in the right spot – I just need more of them.”

Kitchen and bathrooms

“Where we have our kitchen now was a bedroom and when we were traipsing through the house to decide what to do with it, I kept being drawn back to this room,” says Maria. “I just loved the height.” “We originally wanted a kitchen/dining area with two steps down but couldn’t do it because the room was too small. We had the chimney blocked up as it was prone to fires and we didn’t need it, especially now that we were to use the space as a kitchen.” “So we put in the electric cooker in the hearth and the alcove is perfect for the pantry press. In my head I could see what it would look like at the end, so I was clear on what I was doing with the space.” “We were told not to put in an island,

6 6 / SELFB UI L D / SUMMER 2 0 2 2

the way the fridge and sink were positioned but we had limited worktop space. I snuck one in and I’m so glad I did. I had to shop around for the right stools; it’s all very space efficient.” “For the bathrooms we wanted a wetroom to throw the kids into the shower, but also needed a bath,” says Padraic. “We needed a partition between the two to contain the water splashes.” “We had an issue with the door not closing because of the radiator so it had to be moved. And finding sanitaryware that didn’t cost a fortune was also a challenge, costs were in the order of €1.7k for the bath and toilet, everything double the amount we wanted to pay for it,” says Maria. “I had a budget to work to and shopping around really helped.” “Looking back, this was a great homecoming project. Everyone in the family got involved – my nieces even washed the windows for us before moving in. My brothers and nephews slabbed the ceilings – it was a horrible job, I still feel guilty about that!” “Then the woodwork, including doors and architraves, was done by my brotherin-law, Ray,” she adds. “He fitted all the laminate flooring for us too. It’s just great to be home and have everyone willing to help get us in. We couldn’t have done it without them.”

C O G A L W AY

Q&A with Maria What’s your favourite room/ design feature?

Wardrobes in the bedrooms are full height with out of season clothes stored at the very top.

The kitchen, I love how bright and practical it is. I also love how cosy the rooms are and the fact that we kept the cottage feel. The stable door tops it all off then.

What would you change?

We could have used a window in the laundry room, instead of just a vent. And in the bootroom the plugs are in the alcove which means they’re blocked off and I can’t use them for the hoover.

What was the biggest splurge?

It’s fair to say most of our money was spent on insulation. We also had to replumb the property. For heating and hot water, the old system really wasn’t up to scratch. David ripped out everything, and the plumber put in a whole new system. We went with a new oil boiler, new pipes and radiators. The house is so small and well insulated it warms up quickly and stays that way.

What surprised you?

The cost of everything. Before you even spend a penny on the house, you’ll have spent a small fortune on the site and groundworks. Also the delays on everything... I have no patience. Thankfully we had all the furniture we need, the only thing we had to get then were the wardrobes.

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More photographs available at selfbuild.ie

Project info Find out more about Maria and Padraic’s project in Co Galway...

Timeline Jul-Sep 2018

House purchase Oct 2018 Build start

Nov 2018 Raft foundations poured Bedroom 3

Dec 2018 Blockwork start Bedroom 4

Feb 2019 ESB Networks moved pole

Bedroom 2

Mar 2019 Roof work Apr 2019 Windows and doors installed

Wardrobe

First fix (electrics and plumbing)

Bedroom 1

Laundry room

May 2019 Pumped EPS insulation in cavity walls

Boot room

June 2019 Plastering (internal) Fascia and soffit fitted

Kitchen Lounge

Living/ Dining

July 2019 Floors poured Electricity on

Aug 2019 Timberwork (incl floors) Tiling

Kitchen fitted

Second fix plumbing

Sep 2019 Moved in

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C O G A L W AY

Spec Walls: Concrete block cavity wall pumped with bonded EPS beads Floor: poured concrete over 6” PIR insulation Roofs: covered with new slates to the existing roof, EPDM on new flat roof; existing attic insulated with 150mm rockwool rolls Windows: double glazed, overall U-value for windows and composite door 1.3W/sqmK

Suppliers Engineer

Ruairí Whelan Consulting Engineers

Roof

DKC Carpentry & Construction, dkcconstruction.ie

Kitchen

Cummins Kitchens & Bedrooms, cumminskitchens.ie

Bathrooms

Loughrea Tile & Bath, loughreatileandbath.ie

Windows

Costello Windows, Limerick, costellowindows.ie

Project Supplier

Builder’s merchant Duane’s, duanes.ie

Blocklayers

Niall Mahon & Damien O Leary

Plumber

David Murray

Electrician

Enda Tannian Electrical

At Loughrea Tile and Bath we have over 20 years experience in the tile and bathroom industry. We are a 1 stop shop for your new build or renovations.

Tiler

Brian Kilkenny

Photography

Mike O’Leary, greengrafphotography.com

www.loughreatileandbath.ie (091) 870 413 sales@loughreatileandbath.ie SU MMER 2022 / SEL FBUIL D / 69

GARDEN PROJECT

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The great

outdoors

Graeme Taylor’s lockdown project was to build a hang out area in the garden, for barbequing and entertaining. Photography: Paul Lindsay

Tell us about your house, did you buy or build it?

We got the house built through a small scale developer who builds a couple of houses a year and works with you to get what you want. There are around 20 houses here, each one different. The external finishes are fairly similar but with different brick, windows, doors, gardens, etc. There’s a sense of consistency yet a feel of individuality to the area. Basically, you have the shell of the house and he’s happy to move internal walls, staircases, outside spaces and so forth, to suit what you want. He has options for garages, sunrooms and roof space conversions.

One feature he worked with us to develop was a pantry off the kitchen which, as keen cooks, is something we love. We also have exposed brick walls internally in places rather than plastered.

How did the garden project get started?

We lived in the house for just over a year before doing anything with the garden. This allowed us to see how the sun’s position moved around during the year and gave us time to think how we wanted to use the whole garden, which is surrounded by mature trees and bushes making it feel very private. The back garden was quite a bit bigger than any garden we’d had before, at around 25m by 16m, but it didn’t contain much more than topsoil and a fence. We knew we wanted a preparation and BBQ cooking area and a living/dining snug section. We started looking at layouts during the spring 2020 lockdown, and quickly decided on the placement of the hut – close enough to the back door for carrying food, plates etc. back and forth but also in SU MMER 2022 / SEL FBUIL D / 71

GARDEN PROJECT

an area where we could see it from inside the house too. Our house is at the end of a cul de sac so the back garden is triangular with lots of different angles and we decided to use the front of the hut to square it up. While this looks great, it did cause some head scratching during the building process! We looked online at various styles such as the Nordic hexagon smoke houses/ saunas, outside bars, offices and garden rooms. The style we liked could best be described as chunky/robust looking structures. However, we also liked the cladding look on the outside of some huts. Our friends had built a shack that we liked and we took a lot of inspiration from that project. 2 0 // SELFB S EL FBUI AUT UMN20 2 02220 72 UI LLD D //SUMMER

How did you come up with the design?

I work as an engineer so I decided I would design the hut. No planning permission was required as the build fell within permitted development rules. I took into account the fact that the boundary behind the hut ran at an angle compared to the house. The front of the hut is parallel to the house and the back of the hut runs at an angle, corresponding to the fence. The structure is 6m long, 4m deep at one side and 3m deep at the other. This really added complexity to the design and build. I could have gone with a standard rectangle, but that would have resulted in quite a lot of dead space between the hut and fence. I decided this space would be

more beneficial inside. When designing it, I researched standard practices with regards to joist spacing, skylight windows, loads, roof run off angles, materials, etc. I researched various roofing materials, including a living roof which I have on some smaller structures I’ve built around the garden (log store and bike shed), but ultimately settled on an EPDM covering. We found a company that supplied the full kit including adhesives and trims and were extremely helpful with some technical queries I had. I had concerns the inside would be dark so I planned for two skylights to allow more light in. I also planned for a serving hatch from the side of the hut to the decked area and a large open front. I specifically designed this opening to allow for standard sized doors to be fitted in the future, if desired at any point, which, once the hut was up, was quickly decided was a requirement due to how far the rain came inside.

What building method did you choose?

I wanted to make it from wood for a few reasons. It meant I could build it, it would have a rustic look and it could be classified

CO ANTRIM

“The structure is 6m long, 4m deep at one side and 3m deep at the other. The resulting angles added complexity to the design and build...”

as a shed, relieving any possible planning issues related to a permanent structure. Even though I’ve built wooden structures in the past, I hadn’t done anything to this scale. A main fear was the potential fire hazard of having a wooden floor while using a charcoal BBQ, so we decided a concrete floor was the best option.

What were the build steps?

We had a company pour the concrete base when they were doing work on our paved areas, retaining walls and turf laying. All of the groundwork in the garden took around two to three months which allowed plenty of time for the concrete to set. I then built a decked area beside the concrete base and was finally able to start building the hut. I started by ordering the required timber, mostly from local building suppliers. With the help of my brother Philip, I started the build and had the roof finished, skylights installed and the first electric fix completed within a couple of months. I was constantly running in and out of the house during the build to check dimensions on the model to make sure I was going in the right direction. After that, I got on with the exterior

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GARDEN PROJECT horizontal cladding and interior walls to allow for the final electrical fix. Due to weather and less natural light at this time of year, it took another month to complete this part of the build. I also tiled the floor myself. Once the hut was up and we used it for a few months, we quickly decided doors were required on the front. I ordered double glazed bifold doors and a window. Once installed, the glazing really changed the look and feel of the hut to be more modern, which we liked. The accordion (bifold) style doors allow for the full opening of the front during the summer to give an open air feel. They are great during the colder, wetter months as the hut can still be enjoyed with them closed, shutting out the howling wind and rain, giving a comfy, snug, log cabin ambiance.

What did you do for water, heating and electricity? I considered insulating the structure to prevent heat from escaping but due to

Timeline 1

Jun 2020

Concrete floor poured Sep 2020 Timber build start Start of Nov 2020 Roof and first fix finished Mid-Nov 2020 Second fix Dec 2020 Build end Apr 2021 Bifold and windows installed

the original plan of having an open front I deemed it unnecessary. Plus it’s nice to cosy up inside under the crocheted blankets my wife Alyson makes, which she switches around to match the season, while also decorating the hut in summer flowers, autumn leaves and Christmas wreaths. To provide some spot heating, I planned for two heat lamps inside. During lockdown, it proved difficult to get them to the spec I wanted, but we eventually found two online. We knew electricity was a definite requirement for both inside and outside and so wired the hut with the various power sockets and lighting required. I also had an ethernet cable installed for wifi. A water source was considered but, due2 to the proximity of the house I decided not to proceed with this. This is probably my main regret as having running water would be useful. However, the utility room sink is only a few steps away and that’s where we do most of the food prep. If we want a supply of water to hand, we just bring out a basin. I considered a water butt to harvest the rain from the roof but I need to do some work behind the fence where the water runs off to. That’s my next project!

How did you plant around the hut?

There are two shallow troughs around the front of the hut. We’ve planted a range of herbs there including thyme, rosemary, parsley, sage, chives, and oregano. It’s great having fresh herbs readily available for cooking in the hut. Ideally I’d like to have some small ornamental hedges in these troughs but have concerns about the roots pushing the brick edging, and the herbs smell great during the summer. We often hang excess herbs to dry inside the hut, which makes the whole space smell very aromatic, getting the tastebuds going for even more BBQ, which we can now enjoy whatever the weather.

Do you use it as much as you thought you would?

Even though the hut was designed and built as an entertaining outdoor space to enjoy as a family, it has had the most use from our teenagers. They enjoy having their friends around without adults hearing every word they say. They do turn the music up too loud but thanks to our built-in, integrated comms, which have been extended into the hut, they don’t realise that we can turn the music down from inside the house, which we have had to do on a number of occasions… 74 / SELFB UI L D / SU MMER 2 0 2 2

CO ANTRIM

SUPPLIERS House build and design

AM Developments (Alastair McCaig)

Outdoor concrete floor, retaining wall and paving

Abbey Tiling and Cladding, mobile 07474 041320

EPDM roof covering

Haire Bros, tel. 7034 2696

Roof lights

Mardome fixed roof domes by Brett Martin

Heat lamps

2000W Goldbar Heat Lamps from Blumfeldt, blumfeldt.co.uk

Timber (builder’s merchant)

Haldane Fisher, haldane-fisher.com and MacBlair, macblair.com

Window and bifolds

Baskil Window Systems, tel. 90774885

Tiles

George from Creative Tiles, tel. 9083 3866

Photography

Paul Lindsay, paullindsayphoto.co.uk ROI calling NI prefix with 048, mobile prefix with 0044 and drop the first 0

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NEW BUILD

Hands on

self-build

76 / SELFBUI L D / SUMMER 2 0 2 2

C O M E AT H

Timeline Jun 2017

Planning applied Nov 2017 Planning approved May 2018 Site cleared

When Tanya Fitzpatrick was given land on the family farm, she and her husband Alan jumped at the opportunity to build their forever home. How did the project get started?

The plan was always to settle in the countryside, and having the opportunity to build where I grew up was very special. Our starting point for inspiration came from our time living in New Zealand and Australia. We were focused on bringing the outside in and making the most of the landscape and our surroundings – I love the fact that we have views of cows from all windows. When we started pulling ideas together, from our online research and attending Selfbuild Live events, we definitely saw a recurring theme: glass, outdoor features and a double height space. This guided us in preparing a design brief for our architect.

How did the planning process go?

We worked closely with our architect, who had a very good understanding of our local planning authority guidelines. Key issues for us to consider included the location of house on the site, i.e. distance in from the road, placement in the field, and entrance and access from the main road. We had no issues with local needs as I met the requirements. We received a Request for Further Information which included a number of items: the driveway (we originally had it curved but the planners asked for a straight run) and more information about our landscaping plans. They had minor comments on the overall design of the house, but it was a relatively straightforward process.

What did you do for water and wastewater?

We have a three chamber septic tank that is pumped into a raised percolation bed. This was recommended by the percolation test done at the start of the planning process. There was no mains connection available for water so we have our own well.

How about the heating and ventilation systems? We went with a heat pump for heating and hot water, as it’s an easy way to tick the renewables box in the building regulations, and underfloor heating upstairs and down. For ventilation we have a central extract system with extractors in all of the wet rooms. Natural vents are installed in all other areas to bring fresh air in, and these work on humidity sensors.

How was the project managed?

We engaged with an architect for the design and planning process, and for the construction phase we kept the same

Jun 2018 Foundations Aug 2018 Subfloor Sep 2018-Jan 2019 Steel, precast slabs, blockwork Feb-Mar 2019 Roof structure and slates Apr 2019 Windows in May 2019 Stonework Sep 2019 First fix Oct 2019 Plastering Feb 2020 Second fix Apr 2020 Moved in

Overview Plot size: 3 acres House size: 3,100 sqft excl void space, garage and outdoor roofed areas Bedrooms: 4 Heating and hot water: air to water heat pump Ventilation: central mechanised extract (demand controlled) Construction: blockwork (cavity wall) BER: A2

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NEW BUILD architect plus a structural engineer. We then went the direct labour route for the construction of the build. We did consider hiring a contractor directly, because we both work full time, however we opted against it largely because of cost and maintaining ownership and control of the build. Family support was a key reason we went direct labour and also Alan’s background as a quantity surveyor (QS) and his knowledge of the building trade. The design and specification weren’t straightforward and there was a considerable amount of time spent in agreeing aspects of the build with each trade. While we knew this decision would, in all likelihood, have an impact on our schedule there was no urgency as thankfully we were living with family and weren’t under any pressure to move out. This gave us much more flexibility during the build as we could take our time on decisions. We originally estimated the build to take 14 months, and it took 23. There were a number of factors at play: materials not arriving in time for the tradesmen, window delays as we couldn’t settle on the finish, personal factors also had an impact. The toll on Alan having to have each stage of the build ready for the next trade was another factor – he had a 40 minute commute each way to get to the house. Family members were a huge support through this, in particular my bother Paul who was fantastic. He was invaluable in granting access to workers, tractor and machinery, he did some digger driving, handled the logistics of moving materials, water supply, general labour. It’s fair to say we were able to save considerably by calling in some family favours; for instance we managed to complete the groundworks ourselves. Support during the entire project really was key – all of these aspects had to be taken care of because we didn’t have a contractor.

What does it take to go down the direct labour route?

It’s not a decision to take lightly. So much falls on you when you take ownership of the project. You need to factor in the time it will take; a lot of late nights and you can kiss your weekends goodbye. Consider if you can really take/make those calls during the day, schedule those deliveries, can you be at the site or organise someone to be there to chat with the trades? Trades might show up late, or the next day, or not at all! Above all, you need a calm approach and be at the end of the phone for queries. 7 8 / SELFB UI L D / SUMMER 20 2 2

C O M E AT H We constantly faced problems – it’s the nature of any build – and this is where Alan really excelled at managing them. Be it delays, rescheduling, running out of materials, etc. Even with all the setbacks and difficulties we are still 100 per cent happy we went direct labour.

How did you tackle the budget?

While Alan has lots of professional experience as a quantity surveyor, we had never previously built. This was our first home and we knew this was our forever home so we had a strong wish list, which at times tugged at the budget. Alan started by doing the initial budget at the design stage to ensure we could finish the house to our spec. Alan’s itemised budget for the build phase then led the whole process and every aspect of the house construction, down to the number of nails we would need. Alan maintained tight control over the build which ensured that we stayed within budget. Being a QS, he was realistic in setting costs. If we went over budget in one area, we had to claw it back elsewhere.

Tanya’s tips Don’t rush it. Not everything has to be complete for move in day. I found that as we had no furniture to bring to the new home I wanted to wait until I was in the house and figured out what I wanted before investing in pieces. That paid off as I kept changing my mind on a lot of things. At the same time, be aware that the minute you are in, you immediately take the foot off the pedal… there won’t be the same sense of urgency and procrastination can take over. Be realistic about your budget. Alan as a QS was really able to guide me on what we could afford. If I wanted something extra in the kitchen, I would have to sacrifice somewhere else. Don’t let the stress take over. I know easier said than done but it’s just a house and everything can be fixed. We had a very stressful period when our little boy arrived three months early, in the thick of the build, so we had to prioritise. He spent three months in hospital and there were days Alan would drive to the site, go to work, visit us in hospital and back to site that evening. The build didn’t stop and Alan on his own was pushing forward all the time. It was such a stressful time but we got through it. We moved in and it’s all become a distant memory.

SU MMER 2 022 / SEL FBUIL D / 79

NEW BUILD

Suppliers Architect

McKenna & Associates, Co Meath, mckennaarchitecture.com

Windows

Internorm supplied via Interlux Systems, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, interluxsystems.com

Slates

SIG Roofing, sig.ie

Stone

Natural slate building stone from Browne Bros Ltd, Co Meath, tel. 0469240550

Kitchen

Noel Dempsey Kitchens, Co Wicklow, noeldempsey.com

Wooden flooring and doors

Bearfoot Flooring, Dublin, bearfoot.ie

Insulation

Xtratherm, xtratherm.ie

Heating system

Mitsubishi heat pump, mitsubishielectric.ie NI calling ROI prefix with 00353 and drop the first 0

Spec Walls: 150mm block cavity walls. Full filled cavity PIR board insulation. U-value 0.13 W/sqmK. Roof: On main part of house, timber cut roof, Spanish natural slate. Flat roof has warm roof detail finished with fibreglass, U-value 0.16W/sqmK. Floor: Ground floor 150mm PIR insulation with 70mm sand cement screed, U-value 0.12W/sqmK. Upper floor 30mm PIR insulation with 65mm liquid screed over precast slab. Windows: tripled glazed aluclad, overall U-value 1W/sqmK.

8 0 / SELFB UI L D / SUMMER 20 2 2

Did you make any changes to the plans mid-build?

We decided to make the skirting flush with the wall with a shadow gap detail in the open plan living space. We were also undecided what to do above the front door, i.e. panel or window. We couldn’t find any glazing that would match, and it came to a point where we had to make a call so we went with a panel – the gamble paid off and we love the look. The only other changes were the bulkhead details in the kitchen on advice of our kitchen designer. In the sitting room we changed the ceiling to a dropped ceiling incorporating a hidden light. Then for the courtyard, we opted for a mix of paving and artificial grass (yet to be installed) instead of all paving.

What design features are you happiest you stuck with?

I’m so delighted we have a decently sized utility separate from the back door. I would highly recommend this set up if you have the space, as it allows you to close the utility off from the rest of the house. And I love our 22ft stone feature chimney breast with inset stove in our double height space. I also think our cantilever floating staircase is a really nice feature.

What would you change about the process?

Overall, I’m very happy but I think when it’s your first build there are always going to be aspects you might change. You never know until you live in your own home – we had nothing to compare it to. We are fortunate to have the space, but I would have loved to have sat down with

an interior designer before we went for planning permission. I don’t think it would have changed the build but it would have given me some direction and a framework or end goal to work to. I think in my head I thought ‘Oh I’ll figure out the interiors once it’s built’ but it’s something to think about at the design and build stage. I’m still working on how to best use the spaces, my walk in wardrobe design, type of storage units, hall units, study, and we still have a full living room to start on. This is where I can lack the confidence to make decisions as I find it hard to visualise the end space. It also doesn’t help that there’s an insane amount of choice and options out there.

C O M E AT H

What design features would you change?

We should have worked backwards with the design, thinking about each room. Including things like window dressing – I would have liked to have built in blinds but it’s too late now as we should have included a casing at first fix. And I think we probably should have opted for a sliding door for our ensuite; it impacts us getting the most use of space in our walk in wardrobe now. At the bedroom design, we should have considered furniture placement such as the bed, wardrobe and wiring for wall lights. Also the positioning of thermostats in rooms, alarm fittings, etc. Consider whether these will have any impact on your use of the wall or ceiling. For example, are you planning to hang pictures there? None of these things are deal breakers. Getting the basics right was key, so for us that meant ensuring we used the right materials/systems, underfloor heating, stone, slates, windows, roof details. These are the big ticket items you won’t be changing in a few years’ time.

Project Supplier

At Interlux Systems we will work with you to ensure that you achieve the ultimate solution to your architectural, technical and aesthetic demands for your windows and doors.

ROI: +353 (0) 863889712 | NI: +44 (0) 7762 524052 | Office: +44 (0) 2866 348186 info@interluxsystems.com | www.interluxsystems.com Unit 1 Kinawley Enterprise Park, Co. Fermanagh | Unit 7B Liosban Retail Park, Galway SU MMER 2 022 / SEL FBUIL D / 81

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lowdown OPINION . ADVICE . INSIGHT . KNOWLEDGE

Is it cheaper to build or buy? A recent Irish Independent Real Estate Alliance Average House Price Survey has shown that a second hand 95sqm three bedroomed, semi detached house is selling for roughly €270k on average. House prices in NI increased by almost 8 per cent in 2021, with the average standardised house price at £159,151 at the end of the year, NI Statistics and Research Agency figures show. How does that compare to building your own detached house, from scratch? Pretty well, as it turns out. For a start in NI, you get the VAT back on the costs of building your new home. Then there are some fixed costs you can’t circumvent. From buying the site (conveyancing plus stamp duty) to the cost of releasing equity (fees to sell your current home). After that, there’s the process of securing planning permission. Hopefully you won’t need a rake of expensive surveys done but you will need the help of an architectural designer, structural engineer and energy assessor to design the house and make sure the plans are building regulations compliant. Plus a quantity surveyor to know how much it’s all going to cost. And that’s the kicker – you do need to cost your plans for your specific design and location. There is no onesize-fits-all spreadsheet for one off houses. One reason is that there are many areas where unforeseen costs can crop up, from bringing in utilities (wastewater, water, a new electricity pole could come as a nasty shock!), to creating a safe means of access (entrance, long driveway, kerbing and hedges can cost a bundle), and local authority development fees (especially an issue in ROI). In most cases, these costs should be reasonable but quantify them

before you commit. The good news is, building the actual structure of the house and getting an engineer to oversee the build, depending on size, shouldn’t be overly expensive as well as easy to cost. It’s often the self-builder choosing a high spec fit out, from the kitchen to floor finishes, that tends to blow the budget. Usually because there wasn’t enough forward planning. Another common example of spending more than you should, due to lack of planning, is heating and ventilation systems. As with any type of project, for it to be successful you will need to do your research.

And the best place to get up to speed is at the Selfbuild Live events which feature a Bootcamp for newcomers and seminars for those who want to delve into the specifics. Then for a full overview of the Selfbuild Journey, and for the latest advice and information in relation to self-building in Ireland, join Selfbuild+. Book your free tickets on live.selfbuild.ie, and for year round coverage and guidance subscribe to Selfbuild+, cancel at any time. Go to selfbuild.ie and click on Subscribe at the top of the page.

Selfbuild Live Dublin was in Citywest this past March, for next event dates see live.selfbuild.ie

Selfbuild Bootcamp with John Corless

SU MMER 2022 / S ELFBUILD / 83

BUDGET

Labour price increases

Keith Kelliher quantitysurveyor.ie

How much tradesmen cost in ROI and why labour rates look like they will continue to rise, not just because of the statutory increase introduced in February. hat do timber, insulation, steel, plastics, and now fuel, all have in common? They are the cause of many headaches in the construction industry. Every builder in the country at present has to contend with the upward spiral of pricing. The reason for material price increases, as outlined in a previous article, include the pandemic, licencing issues, worldwide demand. And now, unfortunately, war. With so much of the focus on material prices increases, the news that the Irish construction industry has landed a labour price increase on the first of February 2022 may come as a surprise. So, what does this mean and how will it impact the self-build community?

How labour prices are set

To understand the impact on the self-build community, it’s important to understand labour costs in the Irish construction industry are controlled. In ROI since 2017, the minimum price that an employer must legally pay an employee in the construction industry has been set down by a ministerial order (known as the Sectoral Employment Order (Construction Sector), or SEO for short) from the Department of Enterprise. There is some legal argument currently underway in the court system in respect to the constitutionality of the orders but they

8 4 / SELFB U I L D / SU MMER 20 2 2

“

“With adversity will come innovation and there is no better time for the market to concentrate on product development, off site manufacturing and quicker and more efficient ways of building...”

remain in force until such time as the courts tell us otherwise. Prior to the 2017 order, the rate payable to those working in construction was governed by partnership agreements within

the industry. The last partnership agreement lapsed in 2011 and the process collapsed on the back of the recession and absence of work. When the agreement came to an end in 2011, the last rate that had been

BUDGET

Labour costs in NI The NI construction industry estimates it will need thousands more workers to 2025. So how much does it cost to hire a tradesman in NI now, and where are labour costs heading? In both NI and ROI, rates for construction labour are influenced by supply versus demand and the well reported scarcity of skilled labour is forcing many construction projects to factor in additional percentages for labour costs. There is plenty of anecdotal evidence that many of our skilled workers are actively seeking out more lucrative wages in Belfast and Dublin or on the UK mainland. To quote the words of one local contractor: “These days, I am having bother finding good workers, in fact I can’t even find a bad one!” In a recent discussion with a local quantity surveyor for a large construction firm in NI, it transpires that rates for skilled workers on general construction projects are currently being priced on average at between £22 to £25 per hour, which is £880 to £1,000 for a 40 hour week. A general basic or unskilled labourer would expect to be paid around £500 to £600 per week. Not all skilled labour is rated equal, for example an experienced block layer will currently receive £1.20 per block and should lay 200 blocks per day (depending on the complexity of the job). This equates to £1,200 per week. After contractor’s overheads and profits are factored in, current labour rates would cost a project about £800 per week for an unskilled labourer, up to around £1,600 for a skilled worker. Of course, this is not the whole story, as many NI construction workers will often put in longer working weeks than the standard 40 hours. Add in the increased costs of

materials and escalating fuel prices and it is perhaps no surprise to learn that some contractors are advising new clients to hold off building for a while if they can, with the general view being that things will maybe level out some time around the summer. Of course, this is crystal ball gazing and it all could well prove to be different than expected; no one really knows for sure. What we do know is that inflation continues to rise and that, regardless of the pandemic, the value of construction industry projects in NI, ROI and the rest of Europe and the UK continues to grow. Labour costs then, although part of the bigger picture, are just one indicator of the state of the construction industry. It should also be noted that the ups and downs of the statistics are subject to time lag effects. One example of this is that any trend of high (or low) demand at the construction phase tends to trail behind enquiries to architectural practices and the subsequent submission of planning applications, etc.; sometimes by a few months, but nowadays often longer.

Leslie O’Donnell landmarkdesigns.org.uk

agreed for a craftsman represented a drop in wages of 7.5 per cent (due to the downturn) from an hourly rate of €18.60 in January 2008 to a rate of €17.21 in February 2011. Jump forward to October 2017 when the first SEO was introduced into the industry through a new system administered by the labour court, and this increased to €18.93 per hour. It then further increased to €19.44 in October 2019 and then to €19.96 per hour in October 2021. The February 2022 increase has brought this rate to €20.52 per hour. If you take the period from the introduction of the first SEO to the latest increase, this equates to a jump of €1.59 per hour or approximately an 8 per cent increase, for every manhour worked by a craftsman. The rates for other trades and apprentices are based on a percentage of the craftsman rate so they move by a similar percentage. In addition to the base rate, the employer must also allow for payments for holiday pay, overtime, PRSI (11.05 per cent), travel time, pension contribution (€28.65 per week), death in service benefit (€1.14 per week) and sick pay (€1.27 per week) for every employee. This adds in the region of an additional €7.21 per hour to the base cost applicable from February 2022, which results in an hourly cost for an employer for a craftsman of €27.73 or €221.84 for an eight hour day and €1,109.20 for a five day week. This is before any profit or overhead is applied to the cost and is based on the minimum that a craftsperson must be paid, not what they may seek or what an employer might have to pay to keep good staff. It is not unusual in the current marketplace to see craftspeople earning in excess of €1,500 per week, and I have recently seen demands approaching €2,000 per week in Dublin for carpenters. Given the SEO is legally binding on the industry in Ireland, anyone employing a person within the industry which includes all tradesmen, apprentices and the likes are mandated to pay these rates as a minimum. On that basis it is easy to see how these changes will impact the selfbuilding community. It is inevitable that the rates a company must pay SU MMER 2 022 / S ELFBUILD / 85

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BUDGET

for a plasterer or a carpenter, painter, and so forth, that the increase will be passed on to consumers, including self-builders.

Labour shortages

In addition to the actual mandated cost of labour, the Irish construction industry is suffering from a substantial lack of availability of qualified staff. When the downturn kicked in in the middle of 2007 it heralded a mass exodus of Irish construction workers out of the country, many of whom have never returned. Reductions in the numbers of those signing up to apprentices quickly followed to a point where no new entrants to many trades were recorded for a number of years. This has hit the wet trades particularly hard with an absence of block layers, carpenters, plasterers, and tilers. Electricians and mechanical contractors have also been impacted. In a market that suffers from an absence of actual workers, the only guarantee is that the cost of wage demand rises from those in the marketplace, and with that comes increased costs to consumers.

Will labour costs continue to increase?

In ROI we know that a further rate increase will kick in from the first of February 2023, rising to €21.09 per hour for a craftsman. Coupled with an active market driven hard by the pent up demand of the pandemic shutdowns, most believe we are in for sustained labour cost increases. This in turn continues to drive many project costs to the point of becoming unviable. Unfortunately, there is no quick fix solution to this issue and when added to the current mix of material price increases it makes for a difficult period ahead for anyone thinking of building. With adversity will come innovation and there is no better time for the market to concentrate on product development, off site manufacturing and quicker and more efficient ways of building. This will make the building process more cost efficient and will bring to the construction sector more certainty and long term viability. SU MMER 2 022 / S ELFBUILD / 87

R E G U L AT I O N S

NI to introduce new regs

Patrick Waterfield Energy consultant based in Belfast

The NI Assembly’s Path to Net Zero Carbon is paving the way for a new set of building regulations that will inevitably make it more expensive to build your house. Here’s what you need to know. What’s the timeline for the new building regulations?

2050 is the target year for Net Zero but we can expect the building regulations to change much sooner than that. The proposed changes were published late last year as the Draft (Consultation) Technical Booklet F1. The consultation suggests that phasing in the new Technical Booklet F1, which establishes minimum requirements for the conservation of fuel and energy in buildings, can be done “early in 2022”. But that will depend on how quickly the government moves on it. The results from the Technical Booklet F1 (TBF1) public consultation were still under review by the Department of Finance at the time of going to print. There is usually a six month phase in period when regulations are updated and we may expect the same in this case. Also, the Energy Strategy for Northern Ireland makes reference to the Future Homes and Future Building standards in England, which suggest that new buildings aim to be “net zero ready” from 2025. The provisional programme in NI proposes similar phases some 18 months later. So the changes we are expecting in NI this year are an interim step. The second phase will gather evidence for a 2023 uplift, and full implementation of “net zero ready” is meant to happen no later than 2026-27 assuming the proposals for England remain on course. 88 / SELFB U I L D / SU MMER 2 0 2 2

Dwelling Emission Rate (DER) at least 40 per cent less than the target value (TER), whereas previously the requirement was for DER to not exceed TER. The draft TBF1 gives an indication of what that means for the energy efficiency of the floor, walls and roof with a table of the maximum U-values they are considering. The lower the U-value, the more energy efficient that part of the building is at retaining heat (see below).

What will it mean for the building fabric?

The draft document analysed various scenarios but favoured the most ambitious one, and those assumptions are the ones outlined in this article. The major uplift in the regulations comes from implementing the definition of a Nearly Zero Energy Building (NZEB). Technically, that means making the carbon dioxide

Element

AREA weighted average maximum at any point

Wall

0.18 (0.3)

0.6 (0.7)

Floor*

0.18 (0.25)

0.6 (0.7)

Roof

0.16 (0.2)

0.3 (0.35)

Party Wall

0.0 (0.2)

0.6 (0.7)

Windows/Doors etc

1.4 (2.0)

3.0 (3.3)

Limiting U-values (W/sqmK) from Draft (Consultation) TBF1 (current values shown in brackets) * Where the source of space heating is underfloor heating the maximum floor U-value should be 0.15W/sqmK

Patrick’s verdict: Frankly, these U-values are not challenging and do not require significant changes in normal practice, although we can expect these to be tightened up again in short order. I built a house fifteen years ago using industry standard (timber frame) components with wall, roof and floor U-values of 0.11 W/sqmK and windows (triple glazed in standard profiles) at 1.0 W/sqmK.

R E G U L AT I O N S

What does it mean for heating systems?

The Draft Regulatory Impact Assessment continues to allow for fossil fuels, but you will need to complement them with solar panels that generate electricity, known as photovoltaics or PV. The three scenarios the draft document analyses for compliance are: gas boiler + PV, oil boiler + PV, and a heat pump.

What are the changes for windows?

There is no real change to the current methodology – the difference now is that you will need to buy better performing windows. The figure of 1.4 W/sqmK for glazing still allows double glazing, albeit the best performing available. You will continue to have to limit the amount of external doors and glazed openings to no more than 25 per cent of the floor area of the dwelling. This still allows a higher glazing ratio than found in most dwellings, and you can go even higher if you use the calculated trade-off approach which in practice means that if you want more glazing, you’ll need a better performing building fabric (more insulation). Again, no change to current methodology.

What about airtightness and ventilation systems?

Air permeability measures how airtight the house is, i.e. how much air escapes in areas you don’t want it to. The draft document does not impose any new requirements, the maximum permissible value is still 10 m3/(h.sqm), but it states that “it is expected that dwellings will normally have an assessed air permeability of 5m3/(h.sqm) at 50Pa or less”. The implication being that if you do worse than that you will need to make up the difference elsewhere. The document adds that where you expect to achieve an air permeability of less than 3m3/(h.sqm) at 50Pa, you would need to consider alternatives

“

“2050 is the target year for Net Zero but we can expect the building regulations to change much sooner than that...” to natural ventilation such as a continuous mechanical extract ventilation system. Or you need to “seek specialist advice in order to ensure adequate indoor air quality”. This is not ground breaking – an air permeability of less than 2m3/ (h.sqm) at 50Pa is well within the grasp of self-builders and is needed to get good efficiency from a mechanical ventilation system. The draft document does, however, implicitly require that you measure your thermal bridging value, (Y-value), which refers to specific areas of the building where heat can escape due to an interruption in the insulation and airtightness layers. Thermal bridges can cause condensation and therefore need to be minimised as much as possible. You could still use a default Y-value (of 0.15W/sqmK) but by doing so your U-value calculations will be knocked back 15 per cent.

Will there be a renewables requirement?

Even though renewables are not going to be mandatory, I would suggest that some degree of renewable or low energy technology is going to be a de facto requirement for new dwellings. That’s because buildings will have to hit demanding carbon and energy targets, measured as an improvement on a

notional building (DER versus TER). Substantially bettering your building’s carbon emissions will not be easily met by building fabric measures (low U-values) and services (ventilation) alone. The draft document in fact expects “a greater use of renewable generation technologies” and recommends engagement “at an early stage with Northern Ireland Electricity Networks (NIE) to confirm that an export connection can be provided”. Where an export connection cannot be provided, the SAP software (which does the energy calculations to prove compliance with the building regulations) “will assume that the full generation capacity of any renewable generation technology is being used and the reduced performance due to the inability to export will not be taken into account”. However, it is noted that “future versions of software are being developed which may take into account any performance losses” and “designers should consider options such as... battery storage capacity or other diverter technologies”.

How much will it cost?

These changes will inevitably increase the cost of commissioning and constructing buildings – we have already seen a

SU MMER 2 022 / S ELFBUILD / 89

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R E G U L AT I O N S

rise in the cost of building materials and energy costs – which will impact significantly on self-builders. Additional costs will come from the additional insulation and airtightness measures required to achieve the stated U-values, and from installing a heat pump, or PV panels to complement a fossil fuel boiler. Plus the cost of improving the thermal performance of your windows; for uPVC windows the draft document says reducing the overall U-value by 0.1W/sqmK costs £10 per sqm of openings. Walls will cost £18/sqm more to achieve a U-value of 0.18W/sqmK, as the current average in new builds is 0.21W/sqmK. Floors and roofs will not cost any more than they do now, as the average new builds already exceed the minimum U-values in the new regs. In a detached house, you can save £1,400 by not installing a gas boiler but a 10kW monoblock air source heat pump for a 190sqm detached house will set you back £5,500 plus £1k for the unvented hot water cylinder. The draft document says your air source heat pump will on average need to be replaced every 20 years and need to be serviced as often as a gas boiler and at the same cost. In a detached house, if you don’t go with underfloor heating you will need 19 low temperature radiators which each cost £75 more than high temperature rads. PV panels, meanwhile, are expected to cost £1,100 per installation and £700 per kWp installed for systems below 4kWp, or £970 per kWp installed for larger systems. The draft document estimates you will have to replace your system every 30 years and your inverter every 12 years. With maintenance on the panels £100 every five years.

What are the changes for renovations?

There are no significant changes to existing dwellings in the draft document, apart from the advice to take up renewable technologies. The requirements to improve thermal elements if carrying out work to more than 25 per cent of the building envelope area or more than 50 per cent of an individual element have been in place for quite some time.

Will it make a difference to the environment?

We are gearing up for the end of combustion systems in new buildings and a shift towards electric heat pumps… how times change. It’s not that long ago that electric heating was a dirty word and mains gas was being promoted as the clean, environmentally friendly option! That aside, buildings account for almost two thirds of carbon emissions in NI – the remainder coming mainly from transport, industrial processes, agriculture and energy supply. So changes in building regulations should help, but they need to target existing

buildings too. And those of us who remember the energy targets set in the 1990s or, more recently, the targets for 2020 will know that time flies. We are now over halfway between 1990 and 2050 and have reduced energy related carbon emissions by only 25 per cent. There is also an intermediate target of 56 per cent reduction by 2030 – less than nine years away – itself a huge challenge. The 2030 target is comprised of two secondary targets: 25 per cent energy savings from buildings and industry and 70 per cent of electricity consumption from renewables. We have a long way to go, but the urgency of the climate crisis finally seems to have dawned on politicians which gives a reason to be hopeful.

Costings for a 190sqm detached house £7,000 £6,000 £5,000 £4,000 £3,000 £2,000 £1,000 £CO2

Additional capital cost

Annual running costs

Annual emissions (kgCO2eq)

Source: Based on UK SAP figures, analysis from the NI Department of Finance Draft Regulatory Impact Assessment for amendment of Technical Booklet Guidance to Part F (Conservation of Fuel and Power). The figures reflect the most ambitious Option 3 scenario. Additional capital costs refer to the additional costs incurred (not total costs) as compared to the current Technical Booklet F requirements.

SU MMER 2022 / S ELFBUILD / 91

GRANTS

How to apply for your grant ROI grants have received a cash injection. Amounts for attic and cavity insulation almost triple and more people can apply for heat pump and solar grants. Here’s what you need to know. Why should I apply?

The grants partly or wholly fund energy upgrades in the home. The benefits of a successful energy upgrade include making your home more comfortable and cheaper to heat but also increasing the indoor air quality with a ventilation strategy. A more energy efficient home should be easier to sell, possibly at a premium.

Where do I apply?

The government body responsible for administering the grants is the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). Details of the grant schemes, and a link to the online application portal are on their website, seai.ie. You can also apply by post.

What grants can I apply for and am I eligible?

There are three types of grants available in ROI through the SEAI. The Warmer Homes scheme whereby the exchequer pays for the full cost of the whole house energy upgrade. Since 2000, over 143,000 free upgrades have been supported by the

9 2 / SELFB U I L D / SU MMER 20 2 2

“

“Homes built before 2021 can now avail of grants to install renewable systems…” scheme. Most of these upgrades are for insulation but you may also qualify for a new heating system and new windows. The scheme has been given additional funding to reduce waiting times. The number of free home upgrades is expected to go from an average of 177 per month in 2021 to 400 per month this year (2022). To qualify, you must be in receipt of certain welfare payments, check seai.ie for the full list of requirements, the house must be built and occupied before 1993 (it used to be pre-2006), and your BER an E or worse. You can reapply even if you’ve previously received supports under the scheme. The One Stop Shop scheme used to be capped at 35 per cent of the renovation cost and will now fund half of the whole house energy upgrade costs. This includes window and external door upgrades, and a

centralised mechanical ventilation system, which are not available under the individual grants scheme (see below). The One Stop Shop model was rolled out on the back of the now defunct deep retrofit pilot scheme, and is for people who want to upgrade the energy efficiency of their entire home. To qualify, you cannot have applied for an SEAI grant in the past, your house must have been built before 2011 and your house must have a BER of B3 or less. You must also agree to bring your home up to a B2 BER (with a 100kWh/sqm/year or better improvement on the BER primary energy value). Whole house energy upgrades tend to cost in the tens of thousands depending on the house type. Unlike the individual grants scheme, the grant value is deducted upfront from the total cost of the works. Individual grants under the Better

GRANTS

INDIVIDUAL GRANT AMOUNTS FOR DETACHED HOMES OLD GRANT

CHANGE

NEW GRANT

Heat pump: air to air

€600

483%

€3,500

Heat pump: other types

€3,500

86%

€6,500

Solar hot water

€1,200

Photovoltaics (PV) per kWp up to 2kWp

€900

per kWp 2kWp to 4kWp

€300

Battery

€600

€0 For houses built before 2021

Electric Vehicle home charger

€600

All private owners who buy an EV are eligible OLD GRANT

CHANGE

NEW GRANT

Heating controls only

€700

Attic insulation

€400

275%

€1,500

Cavity insulation

€400

325%

€1,700

External wall insulation

€6,000

33%

€8,000

Internal wall insulation

€2,400

88%

€4,500

€700

For houses built before 2011 Source: Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland. Note that other grant amounts apply to semi-detached homes and apartments, see seai.ie

SU MMER 2 022 / S ELFBUILD / 93

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GRANTS

What are the terms and conditions?

For individual grants, you must have grant approval before starting the work. The first step is to get a BER assessment done and use the recommendations in its Advisory Report to choose which energy upgrades to undertake. You can then apply to the SEAI for your grant, either through an Energy Partner – a company that can do the paperwork and the building work on your behalf – or you can apply directly once you’ve selected a contractor from the SEAI’s registered list of contractors. The registered contractor cannot start work until the grant has been approved. Note that there is a time limit on the grant offer. When the work is done, to claim your grant you will need an updated BER and paperwork from your contractor. It usually takes four to six weeks to get your grant money. The One Stop Shop grants are organised by the one stop shop provider and they will organise the paperwork and the grant for you. The amount you pay to them will include the grant discount. The Warmer Homes Scheme grants

are managed by the SEAI so you don’t need to organise anything apart from applying for the scheme. The SEAI will carry out the energy survey and organise the work be done in your home.

Can I do the work myself?

No. To qualify for an individual Better Energy Homes grant, you must choose a contractor from the SEAI’s list of registered contractors. However, homeowners have no means to check contractors’ track records. And unfortunately, inspections of grant aided contractors show most are still not up to scratch. In September 2021 the SEAI had inspected and colour rated 792 contractors, 44 per cent of which showed poor levels of workmanship and were “high risk”. 291 contractors were deregistered in 2021 as compared to 113 in 2020 and 57 in 2019. The figure was 213 in 2017 and 220 in 2018. The ratings are part of the SEAI’s Quality Assurance and Disciplinary Procedures. On February 14, 2022, there was a total of 1,331 contractors on the online register. The SEAI says the registration of contractors is dynamic, and that typically there are more than 1,600 contractors at any one time on the register. If an SEAI inspection identifies defects requiring reworks, then the contractor and homeowner are both notified. However, the SEAI is not liable for any work that has to be redone.

What’s a BER? The building energy rating (BER) measures how energy efficient your home is on paper. Just like your washing machine, an A rated house will consume less than an E rated one. A1 is the highest rating, G the worst. All newly built homes must get a BER done prior to moving in, and a BER is required on all property transactions.

The SEAI recommends that homeowners have a written contract for the works. The SEAI have a model contract for this purpose available through their website, seai.ie “Where a homeowner is dissatisfied with the works then this is a matter solely for them to address with their contractor,” a spokesperson told Selfbuild. “The model contract includes terms to address such a scenario.”

Image: Erik Mclean

Energy Homes scheme allow you to pick and choose individual measures. These grants are only available for insulation upgrades and renewables. Renewables refer to heat pumps, solar thermal, and photovoltaics (PV) i.e. solar that generates electricity. However, the grant for installing a battery – to store electricity from your PV panels – has been axed. Grants amounts have been increased (see graphic on previous page) and homes built before 2021 can now avail of grants to install renewable systems. The previous cut-off point was 2011. From an administrative point of view, the PV and heat pump schemes have been lumped into the Better Energy Homes scheme. To qualify, your house must be built and occupied before 2011 for insulation and heating control grants, and before 2021 for renewables grants. There are no changes to the electrical car charging station grants, which are applied for separately. If you’ve applied for a grant previously, you will not qualify.

SU MMER 2 022 / S ELFBUILD / 95

GARDEN

Summer garden parties

Fiann Ó Nualláin theholisticgardener.com twitter @HolisticG

Summer is the best time to host a backyard party – here’s when and how to get your garden ready for the festivities. o host a fun outdoor party, you don’t need a total garden makeover. Preparation is more about placing your best foot forward. That way you won’t be noticing or fretting over things on the day.

ONE WEEK BEFORE

Photo by Randy Fath

Start with a spring cleaning of benches and tables – ideal to do a week before, especially if they need a bit of TLC. You want the paint to be fully dry, and/ or give time for the furniture polish fumes to dissipate. You will also need to consider the imponderable weather. Parasols and other temporary awnings are great for shade from the sun and cover from an

unexpected drizzle. They are also an opportunity to inject some colour or theme into the garden party. A chance to coordinate table arrangements or fabrics. Of course if you want to impress, you can boost the floral content. Your local garden centre is full of fabulous colourful blooms and many wonderful fragrant species at this time of year that can be planted in time for the day or evening of the party and be both a

96 / SELFB U I L D / SUMMER 2 0 2 2

talking point and an extra delight. Apart from a fine flourish of ornamentals in the borders or placed about in containers, other useful plants for summer parties include herbs and edible flowers to garnish the dishes (I recommend shredded nasturtium foliage in salad) and even the drinks (freeze edible flowers in ice cubes). There are even plants that can help alleviate the barbeque blistered thumb (aloe vera or evergreen succulents

GARDEN semperviviums and echeverias), the grazed knee (yarrow, lavender, cranesbill, bistort, or lady’s mantle) and some that might just repel those pesky insects (citronella but also tea tree, eucalyptus, lavender, bergamot, peppermint and germanium).

A FEW DAYS BEFORE

I find it best to tidy up the landscaping a few days before the event, to give it time to recover and look naturally impressive. Start by trimming the lawn lightly (no need to scalp it) – unkempt grass or cut to bone are not a good look. Cutting a few days before will give some chance of greening up nicely in time for the day.

“

“To host a fun outdoor party, you don’t need a total garden makeover. Preparation is more about placing your best foot forward...”

At this stage it is a good idea to tidy and clip or stake back any plants trailing over paths or patios, those that may be a trip hazard to guests. I know you have been successfully piloting around it for the past two years but auntie Joan, or Tom from the office, may just get caught or tumble over it. Likewise with pots and containers. You may need to reposition them temporarily for space, accessibility, or safety. So while you are making the garden pretty and auntie Joan friendly, you can consider the other guests. Are there young children requiring a run around corner? Are there items or prized plants in the garden that you need to keep them safe from, or keep safe from them? While you are at it, take the opportunity to trim hedges and also pay attention to sightlines; are there any fences or walls that need a lick of paint, any trellis or climbing plants that may need a bit of attention? Last but not least, consider if a view needs to be blocked off with a fence panel or a temporary screen.

THE BIG DAY

You can keep it all informal and open plan but designating a buffet area is always helpful – that easy going, help yourself, set up is easy to manage and the less fuss the more joy for host and guests. The aim is to amend the space to mirror a living room layout. People know how to move about that configuration and it is easier to elicit a relaxed, intimate atmosphere. Centring your garden or kitchen chairs around a long table lends familiarity, is an easy way to serve, move about, and clean up. Other chairs or seating dotted around means people can peel off into groups or find their space to be comfortable in as the event unfolds. Chairs or recliners, along with a throw spread on the actual grass makes everything look well placed. At this point you can choose where bunting, balloons or other decorations may be best placed. Also consider if extra lighting is required. If things will continue into the evening or only be commencing at night then candles or outdoor lanterns will set atmosphere and provide clarity for navigation. All that’s left is to enjoy. Invite in the post I hope. SU MMER 2022 / S ELFBUILD / 97

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Guide Selfbuild

THIS ISSUE: WINDOWS GUIDE

102 STYLES

106

DESIGN

113 Glazing

121

WINDOW FURNITURE

100 Overview / 110 Frame types 118 Performance / 124 Sequence of works / 128 Building the dream S UMMER 202 2 / SE LF BU I LD / 9 9

WINDOWS GUIDE / OVERVIEW

Eyes of the house Your windows and glazed doors have a lot to do. They need to elevate your house design and make the most of the views, comply with building regulations for energy efficiency, safety and security, and not cost the earth – financially but also environmentally.

Freepik.com 1 0 0 / S EL FBUI LD / S UMMER 2 0 2 2

Guide Selfbuild

our windows and doors could make a big dent in the budget, so research this area early, writes Keith Kelliher

the case for windows and doors, considering the number of units required for a new home and the vast range of specifications available. But on average, windows often

these high costs at the early design stage: the budget must match your design intent. The bottom line is that you must

represent 10 to 15 per cent of the cost of a new build. And just to add to the pressure, because the windows are made individually and are unique to your house, changing anything after placing the order is extremely difficult and will be very costly. Therefore make sure you factor in

“For many new builds and extensions, this will be one of, if not the biggest outlay of the whole project...”

Photography by Ros Kavanagh for PMAC, pmac.ie

In the days when our grandparents were building their homes, they kept things simple and bar a few exceptions these methods continue to cost less to this day. Many would have had a single main entrance door, with a similar rear or side door. They would have installed windows of a fairly standard size, manufactured in a locally sourced material. However today, architectural designs are specifying an ever increasing amount of glazing. This, combined with advances in technology have resulted in windows and doors taking up a significant proportion of a self-build’s overall budget. For many new builds and extensions, this will be one of, if not the biggest outlay of the whole project. Given that in most modern houses windows account for almost a quarter of the available wall space, and in an extension often half, making the right choice is critical for both the looks and energy performance of the resulting building. Average costs per sqm or sqft are at best misleading. This is especially

Keith Kelliher quantitysurveyor.ie

satisfy any requirements stipulated when receiving planning permission and secondly, satisfying Building Control Regulations. Thereafter the design will be governed by a range of considerations in order of importance with whatever you decide is the most critical factor at the top. Cost, style, weight, and performance.

S U M M ER 2 0 2 2 / S E L F B U IL D / 101

WINDOWS GUIDE / STYLES

Making an impact Matching the window to the house has a huge impact on the overall success of the design, both inside and out. Words by Keith Kelliher, Andrew Stanway, Gillian Corry, compiled by Astrid Madsen

Patio (French) door with fixed pane and casement window

Window design and operation has not changed much over the years. The style and manner in which windows operate is still very much in line with the traditional sash, sliding sash and casement designs with the notable addition of tilt and turn opening mechanisms. Doors by comparison have developed greatly. From the traditional single door system, to a door and screen, to a double door system (French doors), to a sliding door system, to bifolding and concertina arrangements, the selection here will greatly impact on the end cost, from less than a thousand for a single uPVC door to large five figure sums for bifold and large aluminium sliding screens.

Architectural styles

There are a number of different frame materials which will affect the overall look and feel of your house. If you are building 1 0 2 / SE LF BU IL D / S UMMER 2022

a replica Tudor cottage, then chunky solid oak frames are ideal. A cutting edge modern design, on the other hand, will call for very slim, almost minimal, frames that give the appearance of the glass being part of the wall. For a contemporary look, there are now also frameless windows on the market – the entire window exterior is made of glass. One aspect of this which may or may not be of importance to you is keeping a seamless line between the frames of windows that open and ones that don’t. Some companies are able to make these match (same thickness). For period properties, or the mock Georgian ones that are currently in fashion, sash windows come as standard. These can be timber or uPVC and the glazing bars going across the window can either be stuck onto a solid pane of glass,

Guide Selfbuild

also vital. Traditional property designs call for smaller windows in general, and certainly smaller panes, with mullions (dividers) to make large openings appear more broken up. Modern designs use large, plain sheets of glass with little or no evidence of how it is supported. Think carefully about portrait or landscape format designs and don’t mix architectural styles. And what looks great from the kerbside can be unpleasant to live in. Windows cover such a large surface area of a house you cannot afford to get this wrong. Take advice wherever you can. In general, horizontal windows give better light than vertical ones but each has its merits.

conversions. In some cases, along with sun tubes (which are pipes that reflect sunlight down to a room below in an opening the size of the pipe), they are the only way to add natural light. The simplest type is a single pane, flush, glazed structure that doesn’t open. It can be square, round or rectangular and is good over stairwells

itself. The sash can be opened electrically with an infrared remote, more sophisticated versions operate automatically if there’s a fire (to let smoke out). These will close when it’s raining and can even help ventilate the house when humidity levels are high. Roof windows have changed the nature of attic conversions and building

Rooflights

or actually serve their function in holding up small single panes. Usually the most energy efficient is the former. Choosing the correct type of window pattern and shape is

Rooflights, also referred to as skylights or roof windows, are a great way to add light from a different angle into a room. These, along with solar panels, will have a visual impact on the roofline, but it can be minimal depending on the type of rooflight and style of roof. They can work especially well in otherwise dark hallways, staircases and loft/attic Fixed corner windows with a tilt and turn window

Sliding patio doors (horizontal sliding sashes)

and similar places you want to bring light in but would never need to open. The most popular type however is one which opens, usually on a horizontal pivot. Designed for roof pitches of between 15 to 90 degrees, their frames are made of pine, uPVC or aluminium. It’s important to ensure that the U-values are really good because given that heat rises, the warmest part of your roof room will be at the window. There’s a huge range to choose from, most open from the top, but bottom opening ones are available. They spin around their horizontal pivot to make cleaning the outside easy. Some are designed to act as fire escapes. They can have an electrically operated blind so you can alter light levels even if you can’t reach the window

into roof spaces. Talk to your architectural designer about how best to use them; you could be surprised what’s possible. Also discuss the types of flashings as these windows look best if they are nearly flush to the roof rather than standing proud, but there are situations where this might not be advisable. Flashings enable you to fit several roof windows together side by side or even in clusters. Roof lanterns are especially popular at the moment. These are pitched rooflights, in any configuration you can think of, bringing natural light in from multiple angles. They usually complement a single storey extension with flat roof and can be built by a joiner in wood or more commonly bought uPVC (more

S UMMER 2022 / SE LF BU I LD / 1 0 3

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Guide Selfbuild

cost effective and can mimic the appearance of wood, but tend to be bulkier designs and more prone to UV light degradation, e.g. buckling) and aluminium (for contemporary look and longer glass span and strength, but more expensive and requires good thermal break detailing).

Vertical configurations

Fixed window or fixed light consists of a frame with a glazing unit or sheet of glass. See 1 in image below. Corner windows are two or more fixed windows placed at the junction of two external walls. See 2 in image below. Casement windows usually refer to vertically opening windows, (sash), that can be hung from hinges at the side, top, bottom, pivot vertically or horizontally, or open inwards as a tilt and turn. See main image on previous page. Double-hung sliding sash consists of a pair of sashes that slide, usually vertically, one on the other allowing air in at top and bottom of the opening at the same time. See 3 in image below.

French or patio doors usually refer to a double set of entirely glazed hinged doors; configurations vary depending on the style. Some are installed with fixed windows on either side to maximise light. See main image on previous page. Horizontally sliding sashes are sliding patio doors. See previous page. Bifold doors are hinged instead of sliding, also referred to as concertina. They open to either the inside or out, left or right, be top hung (with a steel lintel), or

bottom running (if the lintel is timber) with a rigid base. See 4 in image below. Bay windows are curved or angled windows that extend beyond the outer skin of a building to create a large area of glass and the feeling of an extension to the room. Example in the image above.

Opening mechanisms

The handing of windows refers to which side they are attached

2 1

to and how they will open. How you open your windows will have an effect on the overall look of the house – sash windows keep everything flush but have a distinct visual style which will mostly suit a period design. Tilt and turn will allow the window to jut out at an angle and also open from the inside; a good option for being able to naturally ventilate from the top without opening the entire window, and for cleaning. Aluclad windows often come as tilt and turn. Outward opening units used to be the most common in Ireland, whereas inward opening is more common in Europe which is where a lot of aluclad units are made. Imagine yourself in the house using them and think through any problems there might be or in which direction they are best to go when opening one way or the other. For example, you don’t want to have a door opening in such a way that it collides with a window if it is open at the same time. Sliding and bifold doors have runners which can become clogged with debris; also pay special attention to weather proofing and how good the warranty is, especially for bifolds. On exposed facades, especially in areas with high driving rain index, bifolds and sliding doors may not prove 100 per cent watertight. On the other hand, a conventional hinged door can be tricky in high winds. Note that there are minimum distances between floor and openable windows on the upper storeys, usually 800mm, for fall protection. You can of course also decide to have some windows that don’t open, to only allow light in. Windows on upper storeys also serve a function as escape routes in the case of a fire, so there are minimum requirements there as well (see p118). S UMMER 2022 / SE LF BU I LD / 1 0 5

WINDOWS GUIDE / DESIGN

Eyes of the house A successful house design is impossible without the windows; here’s what’s involved to get the look you’re after. Words: Andrew Stanway, Stephen Blakely, Gillian Corry, Patrick Waterfield, Ben Wilson, compiled by Astrid Madsen.

Next, it’s vital to consider privacy. Most of us have to trade off the desire for light with the need to retain at least some private life! If you have neighbours or passing public who could see in, think carefully about how large the windows are that overlook them and are overlooked by them; windows work both ways. Although, generally, light levels inside buildings are much lower than those outside which, together with reflection (especially multiple reflections from successive glazing layers), reduce the visual transparency from the outside in. The planners may also have something to say on this matter.

How many Positioning

Your architectural designer will have strong opinions about how the windows will work in terms of the overall appearance of the building. And of course there’ll be structural considerations too. For instance, corner windows look stunning but do add significantly to the cost. The most common way to reduce the hit on the budget is to include some form of solid structural support in the corner. From your point of view as the end user, windows will need to work at several levels. First, they must let enough light in to where you need it. Take your floor plans and place scaled cut outs of your furniture in the rooms. Line up the house plan North/South and imagine yourself living in each room, thinking about windows for how you actually live. It’s nice to have plenty of morning light in the kitchen area, for example, especially if it’s an eat-in one. Many people also say they like a good west light to enjoy when they get home in the evening. Place windows to 1 0 6 / S E LF BU IL D / S UMMER 2022

get the best view of your garden, to capture hills or water and avoid putting them where the outlook is poor. Remember to leave enough wall space as lots of glass could leave you making compromises over radiator positions or changing to underfloor heating. Or leave you stuck for wardrobe space.

Because most new home designs have so much of it, glazing is an important part of the building’s overall energy strategy. And if you’re considering a contemporary design, chances are you’re thinking of including a lot of windows. The thing to remember is

that windows are inherently a lot less efficient at retaining heat than your walls. The U-value measures how good the element, be it an insulated wall or a window, is at keeping the heat in. Walls will easily reach U-values of 0.18W/sqmK whereas triple glazed passive house windows achieve 0.8W/sqmK. So the more you add in windows, the more you need to compensate with the energy efficiency of the walls. And the more windows you have the more expensive they will become to make them achieve better U-values. High quality (low U-values) comes at high cost. This may in turn limit the size of windows openings you choose. That said, higher end products, which will cost significantly more than standard ones, will help you meet the building regulations’ energy efficiency requirements for pretty much any design. This explains why, on north elevations, (i.e. ones that don’t get much direct sunlight), there tends to be more wall area than glazing – to minimise heat loss in areas where you won’t get

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achieve single unobstructed glazed panels as they are best able to withstand the weight of large glass panels. In addition to height, the width of the units can similarly provide difficulty to many materials like uPVC and timber. Sliding door systems and large glazed screen panels, for example, are limited in width with materials like uPVC and timber, whereas aluminium again provides greater options for wider spans.

Home energy upgrades

much free heat from the sun (solar gain).

Size

If you plan to go with very large windows, especially if there’s a chance of them overlooking, it might be worthwhile to show your neighbours what you are planning at the design stage to avoid later objections. Traditionally, all windows and doors came at a standard maximum height of 2250mm which meant a number of rows of blockwork remaining between the top of the unit and the underside of a ceiling in a standard 2400mm floor to ceiling property. In recent years, partly driven by the upsurge in the use of architects on domestic properties, the height of these glazed units is very regularly the full floor-toceiling height of 2400mm or even 2700mm+. Many manufacturers are not in a position to produce units of this height due to their manufacturing processes or due to the weight

of the glass. It is therefore not unusual to see units combined to achieve the same effect, with, for example, a window panel installed directly above a door. But as this can result in visibly thick frame makeups, many architects and designers choose aluminium solutions which can

In an existing home, before you choose your windows you will need to look at the whole house insulation strategy so that any heat loss benefits that are achieved by using triple glazing are not lost due to poor insulation standards elsewhere in the home. Your choice of window frame and overall U-value and other performance indicators have to be carefully considered.

To make your final decision you will need to rely on the DEAP (ROI) / SAP (NI) analysis of the overall design of your home. This will accurately compare the difference that including either double or triple glazing will make to the final energy consumption of your specific house. Grants are available for window upgrades in ROI but only if you undertake a whole house deep retrofit renovation, meaning a full home energy upgrade including not only insulation but also heating and ventilation, under the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland’s One Stop Shop grant (see p92 for more on grants).

Renovations

Unless you live in a listed building, you do not require planning permission to create new doorways or windows internally. Similarly, small or singular external openings often do not either if they are to the rear or side of the property, but as every house

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WINDOWS GUIDE / DESIGN

is different and has differing relationships to boundaries, proximity to neighbours etc., the best advice is to contact your local planning department and query it with them directly. Larger openings or openings to the front elevation should always be discussed with an architectural designer or your local planning department. In NI you always require building control approval to create new window and door openings. Depending on their size, the department may request a structural calculation or certification for the lintel or steel beam over. This generally is only if beyond a standard 1-2m opening. A way around this is to use an approved off-the-shelf lintel from a supplier who can provide you with a calculation for building control. Always confirm the support you are using with building control in advance of carrying out any work. In ROI an external opening could require a planning application, and you would then need to notify the local authority with a commencement notice (without documentation). However the onus is always on the homeowner and builder to conform to current building

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control standards. If the opening is larger than 2m, then it is always recommended to involve a structural engineer regardless of location. A design professional will also consider what knock on effects might result from your actions, e.g. the fire escape may have been compromised by inadvertently blocking it up. In NI, the local building control office will give advice on this subject.

Window dressing

To create privacy with a large window, you can use blinds, films or curtains – these could have an impact on the aesthetic of the building when viewed from the outside. Integrated blinds, that are hidden inside the wall when not in use, will require advance planning, i.e. electrics brought to that point and the area boxed off at first fix. Very large windows will require some form of dressing to give them warmth. For example, if you plan to replace blockwork at the gable end, know that these will be especially tricky and expensive to dress from the inside.

Brise soleil blocking summer sun above sliding doors and large areas of glazing

The most expensive option, ranging from £300/€325 per sqm, are shutter blinds because there’s a lot of work involved in getting them to fit to your window shape and size – the slats of wood will be crafted and built into your specific window. They do, however, give a flawless finish and offer shading or complete privacy. They also keep the integrity of the architectural shape, usually come in neutral colours and work with all interior design concepts. Louvre blinds are cheaper – starting at roughly half the cost of shutter blinds depending on the choice of finish and dimensions of the window. They come with horizontal or vertical slats made to overlay the shape of the window and therefore do not fully close off the window; being made of a sheer fabric they will not completely block out light

either. The slats can be moved to alternate their position to an open, shaded or closed option, providing a level of privacy when closed. Curtains are probably the most popular option as they soften angles and offer privacy as well as light filtering options depending on the fabric. There are two means of hanging them, track or pole. Track systems are the most common as they can be fitted closely to the wall and, when correctly placed, are easy on the eye. While uPVC tracks are inexpensive and flexible they’re only suitable for light and medium weight curtains. Aluminium is more expensive but stronger and more durable; it can withstand heavier weight fabric and tugging by children. The pole option depends on how much space there is above

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‘...overheating needs to be tackled, combining design and ventilation...’

your window. They are bulkier and will add an extra aspect to the finish. There’s an endless range of poles and accessories, including wooden and metal designs with a myriad of finials, holdbacks and curtain rings to choose from.

Whether you go for track or pole, you can then choose a pencil pleat or a pinch pleat for the heading. Poles can also accommodate eyelet curtains, a simple option and increasingly popular. In the case of an apex window, the curtain must be attached to the track to allow you to hang it elegantly from the centre of the window at a 45 degree angle. Otherwise gravity will take control of that for you – not a good look. In terms of cost, tracks can range from £25/€30 per meter and a pole can range from £55/€60 per meter, all depending on the finishing length and design,

but it’s the choice of curtain fabric that will be the biggest factor in determining the overall price. Whether you choose voile, embroidered cotton, printed velvet or plains, prices can range from an affordable £20/€25 per metre right up to £235/€250 per metre.

Brise soleils

Advances in window technology, and compensating for energy losses through other methods, mean that it is possible to have a large amount of windows in the house. However, overheating is becoming a major issue with

these designs. It’s hard to believe that in Ireland and the UK self-builders have had to introduce cooling mechanisms in the house to make it comfortable in the summertime. But that’s exactly what’s happening. It is at the design stage that overheating needs to be tackled, combining design and ventilation. Ventilation, in the form of openable windows and cross ventilation, e.g. with roof lights, and in the form of mechanised systems, form part of the strategy to mitigate overheating, together with thermal mass (to soak up heat) and shading (to block it out). In fact, overheating calculations are now included in the ROI building regulations, but if you want to make sure the open plan living room won’t be roasting in the summer, you could have the design run through the passive house planning package (PHPP) by a certified passive house designer. If the south facing windows are very large, they may have to recommend reducing the glazed areas to reduce solar gain and/or introduce a brise soleil. A brise soleil is an external shading structure that prevents the high summer sun from hitting your windows but allows the low winter sun to reach them and add valuable solar gain. There are many different types of brise soleils. Some are slatted while others are solid and, if wide enough, can add value to your patio area in that it can still be used when it’s drizzling. These shading devices will have a significant visual impact on your house so consider how to aesthetically include them into the design. You can make provisions for one in the form of including brackets and install the actual brise soleil once you’re moved in and realise the need for one. S UMMER 2022 / SE LF BU I LD / 1 0 9

WINDOWS GUIDE / FRAMES

In the frame

Words by Keith Kelliher, Andrew Stanway, Gillian Corry, Patrick Waterfield, compiled by Astrid Madsen

Photo by Ste Murray for Architectural Farm, architecturalfarm.com

You will need to carefully select the type of frame to match the style of your house.

In general, good detailing and sealing is critical to performance. Are the windows best to open outwards or inwards? That is, does the seal form a part of the opening section or does the opening section close against the seal? You also need to look and see how any rain that might penetrate round the edge of the window can escape. All of this requires close inspection of an actual sample; diagrams are helpful but don’t tell the whole story. Something to bear in mind is that some materials expand and contract in relation to the atmosphere. When you are aiming to eliminate virtually all air leakage, quality detailing will be important to check.

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Window parts

A typical window is made up of the following: Head and sill Top and bottom horizontal frames. The sill has a groove on the underside to ensure water drips away from the wall. Jambs Two side vertical frames. Sashes The opening parts of the window that swing on hinges. Lights Fixed openings. Mullions Vertical frames between the sashes. Transoms Horizontal frames between the jambs.

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vents in windows are usually unnecessary.

Frame types

The specification of the actual frame makeup will impact on cost, from composite to timber to now frameless designs. Much of the cost impact will come from what basic material you choose for the frame. There are four main options: Unplasticised polyvinyl chloride more commonly known as uPVC, is a commonly used plastic widely available across the country. The material provides a high level of thermal comfort, is durable and long lasting. It is usually found to be more cost effective than alternative materials, although high end uPVC products do exist which are more durable and recyclable. Generally found to cost in the region of €250-300/£250 per sqm.

Glazing bars Very slim pieces of framing material dividing up the glazed areas (eg. Georgian windows with their multiple, small panes). Furniture hinges support the window and provide its actions (eg. tilt-and-turn), handles and stays and latches secure it in place. Vents Specially engineered small openings in the framework that allow air to trickle in and out of the room by opening or closing a small shutter. In bad weather, allows room ventilation without opening the window. Building inspectors (NI) take different views on their necessity, be guided by their advice. In homes with a centralised ventilation system,

Timber window and door products vary greatly across timber types and styles. At the high end of the scale, sliding sash type windows can cost into the thousands per window depending on the size

of the unit. Hardwood units tend to cost over €1,000 or £900 per sqm. More widely available are softwood, finger jointed units in a standard casement opening which generally run at about €600-700/ £650 per sqm. It should always be kept in mind that the cost of ongoing future maintenance on timber windows should also be factored into the overall selection and costing process. Aluclad units are a mixture of an aluminium exterior with the warmth and natural look of a timber finish internally, or a more cost effective uPVC finish. Once only available in the higher end of the market, aluclad is now a widely available and a competitive option. Costing in the region of €500 to €700/£450 to £600 per sqm, (prices seem to have increased in recent times, reflected in the higher cost estimate), they are generally maintenance free and offer the best of both worlds in terms of a timber finish without the need for future maintenance. Units that have an aluminium exterior and a uPVC interior are less expensive than those with a timber interior. Aluminium is a lightweight metal that is highly malleable and offers great strength to a window system. The material of choice for large scale fit outs including shopfronts and curtain walling, aluminium offers the ability to achieve architecturally clean lines and large unobstructed glazed sections. Aluminium will generally run at a cost in excess of €750/£700 per sqm and is less widely available. Frameless windows are a new addition to the market and consist of an all glass exterior with colour added to resemble a frame. It’s at the higher end of the cost scale.

I want to go for a Georgian style timber sash window – what are my options? The most cost effective would be to take a standard stormproof casement window as your base – a standard argon gas filled double glazed unit. To make it look Georgian, the window company can then add dummy horns to the end of the opening sashes. These windows are sometimes called mock sash. You can also add a 22mm or 28mm Astragal bar detail to the glazing. These are planted on internally and externally to give the impression of individual panes. The options are single line (two pane effect), cottage border (border effect), 4 Over 4 or a traditional 6 Over 6 detail and so on, depending on the overall size of the window. There is then the option of ordering a traditional sliding sash window which will come with traditional horns as standard. Again, you can also add a 22mm or 28mm bar detail to the glazing. For replacement windows, in historical buildings, it’s possible to match the existing ones with a replica with six individual panes of glass per sash. A krypton gas filled unit (12mm slimlite) double glazed panes to make them as energy efficient as possible. These can also be putty glazed externally. Seamus Harkin of Newbridge Joinery, newbridgejoinery.co.uk

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WINDOWS GUIDE / FRAMES

Pros and cons

All window frame types can perform well for thermal efficiency. Cost wise, the entry level uPVC options are the cheapest you will find on the market, offering a limited colour range. Higher end uPVC windows come in at a high price point but are sturdier (always check there are steel structural supports for rigidity and security) and can successfully copy the look of wood. uPVC generally can’t cover large spans, e.g. for large sliding

doors, and may not look as cutting edge as the alternatives. Until the 1980s, aluminium window frames were all the rage but they produced condensation problems and needed maintenance. uPVC frames, in comparison, are robust, need virtually no maintenance and cut out condensation problems. Their disadvantages include: chunky frame appearance (which does not suit small windows and opening sashes as well); yellowing with age (though it is now possible to get good paints

‘All window frame types can perform well for thermal efficiency...’

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to remedy this, should it occur); their manufacture and disposal pose issues for those who think ‘green’; and their appearance from indoors. Timber frames are also robust, if made from the correct timber; take paint or stain well; are less likely to create a cold bridge than (un-broken) steel or aluminium; and can last for thirty years if well cared for. The design combinations are endless, and because timber is a strong material, elegant small sections can be used. But they do cost more and require maintenance (painting at least every 10 years in a sheltered location) and are now not that common for this reason. You also need to be careful about sustainable sourcing, e.g. is the wood certified (common labels include FSC and PEFC). Timber frames do have an appearance that enhances the look of a room from the inside, which is why they are more

common supports for aluclad than uPVC. A word also about terminology. If, as many people do nowadays, choosing a composite such as aluminium on the exterior but within an interior timber frame, remember to specify that the inside of the window will be timber also so that you don’t end up with an aluminium window sitting inside an internal timber frame. Specialist perhaps, but all aluminium is a great choice for a modern design. Very small elegant profiles can be powder coated to any RAL colour. Aluminium is particularly good for sliding or bifold doors because of its stability, relative lightness, and elegant profiles. This, of course, comes at a price.

Colour

If the frames are to be painted, this is best done in the factory at the time of manufacture, as it should ensure that they arrive on site sealed and not susceptible to absorbing moisture. Check the paint specification and treat with caution any suppliers who do not offer this option. The industry uses a set of RAL colours. There are about 12 standard and 1,001 others! If you don’t choose a standard there will usually be an extra cost, but it depends on the supplier. The frame colour is quite a difficult thing to visualise, especially if you have a lot of windows, and you may find it helpful to have a colour visual of your house, as it will look once built on the site, put on screen and then try the various colour options. When the colour will be permanent, such as in aluclad or uPVC, it’s important to get it right, for the overall look of the house.

WINDOWS GUIDE / GLAZING

Choosing the glass

Whether you go with double or triple glazing will have an impact on costs, and even on your house construction. Another reason why you need to choose your windows early. Extracts from articles by Keith Kelliher, John Kiely, Nicola Jones, Mark Ramuz compiled by Astrid Madsen

Double and triple glazing In a new build, you will need double or triple glazing.

Double or IGU – insulated glazing unit. Two sheets of glass separated by a 12mm to 16mm

space and hermetically (heat fusion) sealed, is standard. The space may be filled with air or a gas (the most common being argon). The glass can be coated to improve insulation and control solar gain. Wider gaps improve thermal insulation and units are

more difficult to break, though they must be pre ordered and can be difficult to fit into existing frames used for double glazing. Having said that, in some cases you can use a thinner edge beading and accommodate a wider double (or even triple) glazed unit into a standard profile. Triple It’s like double glazing with an extra layer. The three panes of glass and gaps make the window more energy efficient. Because of this you will notice that the surface temperature of the inner pane of a triple glazed unit is significantly warmer than that of a double glazed one – it can even feel warm to the touch, which double glazing rarely does. They can be up to 60 per cent better at insulating than the best double glazing with improved thermal comfort resulting from reduced radiation heat transfer between the window surface and the room, up to 80 per cent over basic double glazing. This means that less heat will be lost from your skin to the glazing surface. Sometimes this radiative heat

loss, especially from the face, can give rise to discomfort even when the air temperature is sufficient. Triple glazing is also much heavier as well as thicker so may not suit all frame types, e.g. bifold or sliding doors. However, windows can be top hung (except escape windows) and hinges uprated to reduce the risk of the opening sash dropping. Triple glazed windows are also more effective for sound insulation. And you will get more multiple reflections (starburst effect) from the outside with triple glazing than with double, though optical transparency from the inside is barely affected. Curtain walling A glass wall spanning more than one floor that is not load bearing; usually double glazed. Gives a stunning visual effect, loads of light, panoramic views and solar gain which must be controlled. But it is difficult to maintain weather tightness, detailing is costly and breaks in thermal bridges and insulation can occur around adjoining materials. S UMMER 2022 / SE LF BU I LD / 1 1 3

WINDOWS GUIDE / GLAZING

‘Triple glazing is now cost effective as compared to double glazing, and their look is very similar...’

How much more does triple glazing cost?

Triple glazing is now very cost effective as compared to double glazing, and their look is very similar. Installation is the key to success, where the frame meets the wall, so make sure the quotation includes delivery and installation costs as well as any extras such as handles or child locks, and VAT. Double glazed glass units are still the most commonly specified at present but triple glazing is catching up quickly. Triple glazing could add up to 30 per cent to the glazing costs. That said, the cost difference between the two varies greatly across manufacturers.

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South versus north facing

It is currently common to have triple glazed units specified on certain elevations (most notably cold, north facing) and double glazing on others (most notably south facing which is where the sun shines = solar gains). This may be especially appropriate if increasing solar gains into your home is of interest and benefit to you in terms of your heating strategy, as double glazing allows more shortwave solar radiation (and thus heat) to pass through (whereas triple glazing blocks more longwave heat radiation from escaping). It follows that where heat loss is your primary concern in relation to your home, then triple glazing

should be selected instead of double glazing. These decisions form part of the energy rating calculation for the property. A mix of unit types helps balance costs. Note that while triple glazing will be slightly better at limiting the potential for overheating within the room, a real concern in contemporary designs that feature a lot of glass, it will also retain more heat within the space. To combat overheating, your strategy should be based on orientation and area of glazing, plus suitably dimensioned overhangs (or brise soleils), reflective blinds, thermal mass and high/low openings (or cross ventilation for wider spaces, e.g. with rooflights). See p109.

Weight

Double glazing is not as wide and heavy as triple and this may have a bearing on your house construction; this is why you need to address the question of a window supplier very early on, before the options become restricted. With triple glazing, the added weight means hinges and opening mechanisms need to be more complex, which contributes to their higher cost. Bifold doors in fact usually come double glazed due to weight.

If some of your windows are very large and wide they may have to be fixed rather than opening. One way around this is to section off a top light in order to reduce the height. You could also make the window slightly narrower or split it in two. Generally, though the lure of a picture window may be great, two or more narrower windows over the same overall width can be just as effective visually – the brain fills in the gaps – and will be better thermally (provided good detailing for thermal bridging) and probably less costly.

Single glazing

For many years, windows consisted of a single sheet (pane) of glass set in putty that bonded it to a metal or timber frame. A single sheet normally 6mm thick within the frame. Thicker glass reduces heat loss and helps with sound insulation; it can be coated for solar control, thermal insulation or it can provide fire protection, noise control, safety, security, self-cleaning or decoration. A benefit is that it can be cut to size on site. But security is poor because non safety versions break easily, and it’s also liable to have water condense on the surface causing dampness

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inside. Single glazing is not an option for new builds, due to current building regulations, because of its high energy loss. And, unless you have a listed property, or on the record of protected structures, it will be difficult to simply replace like with like. Replacing old windows that are currently single glazed now has to be done by an accredited contractor who can guarantee to match Part L (ROI) or Technical Booklet F1 (NI) of the building regulations. Both ROI and NI building regulations require that you upgrade the energy efficiency of the entire house when more than roughly a fifth of the building fabric gets an upgrade – and replacing the windows will trigger that requirement. Therefore these single glazed, often draughty, windows are now only common on period properties and on homes that either haven’t been renovated or that want to retain original frames.

If single glazing is a must, due to the thickness of your frames, replacements can be made with energy efficient single glazing but you won’t get near the performance levels that double or triple glazing will yield. If listing requirements are not the issue, you may be able to get double glazed units made up with a reduced gap (say 6mm) and rebate out wooden frames to accommodate the thicker unit. One answer is to install secondary glazing, which will also help with sound proofing. The best involves creating a whole new frame inside the existing one, with an air gap between the two. The new inner one will have proper, modern glass and draft excluding seals, making the combination very effective. Window films can help a bit. These thin sheet materials adhere to the indoor surface of window glass, mainly to cut out glare or heat. They can also provide partial privacy, in place of obscured glass. Mirror type effects are

available which make the window all but opaque from the outside (except if the light level inside the building is high), while allowing the occupants to see out. Remember that the more privacy you want, the less light and visibility you’ll get from inside. Films can also be used to give a colour to normal glass. The biggest advantage is that it’s temporary, and if you change your mind or someone else buys the house and doesn’t like it, you can remove it.

Stained glass

Historically, and when made by the best craftsmen today, a stained glass window is created piece by piece from individual units of coloured glass, cut by hand to a design, edged with lead strips, then finally cemented into place so the individual parts don’t rattle within the lead frames. Light passing through stained glass produces interesting patterns and colour effects. In contrast, modern decorative

glass is produced by colouring, using film or paints applied to the surface of the glass using materials that mimic the historic ones, but are cheaper and require less time and skill. The piece is finished with overlay lead effect applied around the colour. Some of this glass is now made entirely automatically. To create a double glazed unit, decorative glass is sandwiched inside a normal double glazed unit, fitting the edge of the leaded glass to the space bar of the glazing unit. By using a 10mm air gap (narrow by best modern glazing standards), the stained glass element is held in place with the lead overlay applied to both the outside and inside skin of the double glazing unit. You can find this technique used to preserve the visual impact (and internal colour effects) of stained glass when replacing single glazed windows that incorporated stained glass lights (usually at an upper level within the overall frame – such as in some 1930s properties). If you are using real stained or traditional leaded glass, then the minimum is a 12mm gap. In this case a protective unit is formed with the panel inside, thus you have three panes of glass with the stained one in the middle. Maintenance for both types is as with a normal window. This system can be used in aluminium, wooden and modern uPVC windows and doors. Decorative glass is off the shelf and bespoke stained and leaded glass pieces tend to be priced individually, depending on specification, although mass produced versions are available and cost much less.

How windows are made

Glazing units are fitted into the window frame in several ways. Most commonly they are held in place by a bead of the frame S UMMER 2022 / SE LF BU I LD / 1 1 5

WINDOWS GUIDE / GLAZING

material and then weather proofed by a gasket of rubber, plastic or a silicone bead fitted by the installer. Bonded systems fuse the glass to the frame, see p122. Internally glazed window units are installed from indoors, against a rebate on the frame. The beads are indoors and thus burglar proof, externally beaded windows have beads that can be removed from outside the house. This makes life a lot easier when replacing a unit, (especially if it’s large and upstairs), but also means it’s less secure; an intruder can easily remove a small glazing section and gain entry which is why this type is not as popular. However, if the house is in an exposed situation, it’s probably still best to go for externally applied beads as the rebate acts as an additional water barrier, whereas internally-glazed windows rely entirely on the surrounding gasket or silicone for water tightness. Also, if a window is likely to be subject to a severe wind loading, internal beads can be less reliable than external ones

because the pressure of the wind forces the unit onto the rebate of an externally glazed frame thus improving the weather tightness. Replacing fogged or broken double glazed units is a job for a professional unless the unit is small and you can be sure to install it properly with the correct gaskets and/or silicones.

Gas

In between the panes of glass there is a low emissivity gas – it’s a gas that prevents heat from travelling through it. The gas between the panes is mostly argon because although krypton is better performing in U-value terms, it’s about four times the price. Xenon gas is yet another step above on the cost and performance scale (not widely available). The other alternative is to use a silica aerogel instead of gas between the panes, which is meant to replace low e coatings and be highly insulative. It is standard practice in colder climates for all windows to have a 12mm gas filled cavity with sealed spacers to prevent the gas

from escaping. If for any reason the gas escapes, the efficiency of the window will be reduced. This may not be detectable unless moisture displaces the gas and the window unit fogs up. This can happen with any air or gas filled multiple glazing units and effectively represents a failure of the unit.

Thermal breaks

Indeed, the key to good window detailing are the thermal breaks. These are usually plastic based and flexible but can be rubber or other materials that do not transfer heat. They are often proprietary and placed where thermal bridging can happen – at the junctions where glass meets frame. An essential component that is often overlooked is the spacer bar, the material that separates the panes of glass – in triple 1 16 / SE LF BU IL D / SUMMER 2022

glazing there are two of them. All spacer bars have a sealant around the outside and are then, at their most basic, sheeted with aluminium, either a plain strip or a corrugated one. Some have an extra insulating layer between the sealant and the metal, typically in the form of hard polyurethane. Metal, whether it be aluminium or stainless steel is not great at keeping the heat in so a good quality spacer bar will avoid condensation problems and warping issues by reducing the amount of metal used. These are called warm or insulated spacer bars; the more upmarket products avoid metal altogether and are made of strong yet insulative materials such as desiccated silicone foam or silicone rubber, and also include a vapour barrier to further reduce the risk of condensation between the panes.

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Windows of the future

Looking into the future and the possibility of quadruple glazing is one option, but it does raise the issues of weight and the quality of light entering the house in return for U-values of around 0.4W/sqmK. Alternatives are to improve the external pane coating or replacing argon with other, more effective gasses such as krypton or xenon – similar to argon but with increased performance and cost. Phase change technology is one of the most interesting, especially from the point of view of preventing overheating. This is glazing that absorbs and stores heat from the sun during the day and releases it at night as the internal temperature falls. A salt melts when temperatures are high and recrystallises, releasing the heat energy, when it’s cooler.

Spectrally selective coatings are considered the next step in low e technology, filtering out 40 to 70 per cent of the heat normally transmitted through clear glass while allowing the full amount of light to pass through. The coatings can be adapted to local climatic conditions by customising what gets filtered out. Smart windows can switch from being see through to opaque at the flick of a switch. Glazing like this can remove the need for blinds or shades or even curtains, and when opaque, they block UV light too. The colour of the window can also change to block out heat and light. Some smart windows do not require an electrical input and vary their light transmission characteristics according to ambient temperature swings. Apart from the cost, which is why domestic versions are still quite rare, installation is more expensive, durability is untested and for small scale applications the speed of control may be an issue along with the ability to dim and the degree of transparency. However, there are now films you can buy that can be applied to the window for a similar effect. Manufacturers are also looking at harvesting energy from wind and rain to independently power smart windows. Photovoltaic (PV) windows double up as electricity generators but they are not, as of yet, fully see through. There is, however, a company that has placed PV collectors along the outer edge of the window, allowing for a regular see through window within. PV glass blocks are also entering the fray. Lastly, if you’re concerned about birds breaking their necks on your window panes, you could consider a feather friendly glass which looks clear to the human eye but shows up streaked to the unsuspecting avian.

Types of glass

Your window manufacturer will guide you on the best type of glass for your particular situation. Where safety is an issue they have to specify the correct safety glass. Here are the main types. Float glass is the simplest, is good for small areas, and cheap. It can form one or more of the double ‘walls’ (leaves) of double glazed units. Toughened glass is float glass that has been heated and cooled to make it much stronger so it can be used in areas where safety is important. It works well but in large panes it’s possible to see under some conditions distortion (waves) in glass which has resulted from the heating and cooling process. This can make a large area, (or several adjacent large panes), appear to give a ‘wobbly’ reflection. Laminated is a sandwich of two layers of glass as the ‘bread’ with a plastic sheet material as the ‘filling’. It doesn’t fragment into shards as normal float glass would on breaking, so is ideal for windows in high or overhead situations. Textured glass is ideal for when privacy is required, but not at the expense of a bit of light, five different levels of obscurity are available. Low e glass usually has a metal oxide coating applied to one of the pane surfaces facing the cavity of a double glazed unit. It allows most of the sunlight through but reduces the rate at which heat passes out (the ‘e’ stands for emissivity) and thus helps to minimise condensation. Low e glazing will slightly reduce solar heat gains but your overheating strategy should not rely on it. Soft low e coating is more effective than hard coating though less robust and toughening, if required, must be carried out precoating. Self cleaning The exterior pane is given a special coating. On exposure to daylight the chemicals break down organic deposits (e.g. bird droppings) and at the same time draw raindrops across the surface to wash away the loosened dirt. However, some periodic cleaning of the glass will still be required. Glass blocks come in two forms. Solid types are made from two pieces of glass fused, and hollow with an insulating chamber enclosed by the glass. They are reasonably good insulators for both heat and sound, used in waterproof enclosures inside and out and are architecturally decorative. They are not load bearing (though can be strengthened using rebars in between), but are heavy so check that your floor can support the planned structure. You will need special jointing compounds and an allowance made for expansion eg. in shower walls.

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WINDOWS GUIDE / PERFORMANCE

All rounder

Windows have to tick a lot of boxes to make them fit for purpose. Words by Patrick Waterfield, Mark Stephens, Andrew Stanway, Gillian Corry, compiled by Astrid Madsen When comparing technical parameters, the basic point to remember is that there’s a big difference in performance between the glass on its own and the overall window with frame. It’s usually the frame, especially where it meets the glass, that is the weak link. Most window companies now quote overall U-values for units in frames (not a mid-unit value, which is better). Always make sure you are comparing performance like with like.

Certification

The marketplace for windows is very varied and potential suppliers will naturally wish to demonstrate that their product is superior. Although it is quicker and easier to work with verbal assurances regarding ratings for U-values and so forth, prior to ordering, before you finally sign up, make sure to check the certification for the following: l U-values to EN 10077-2 l Air Permeability to EN 1026 l Water Tightness to EN1027 l Wind Resistance to EN 12211 l Where relevant, install security windows certified to BS PAS 24; existing glazing may be protected from being smashed with the addition of accredited adhesive window film. 1 1 8 / SE LF BU IL D / S UMMER 2022

These confirm that the product as described on the certificate has been tested to the standard given by an independent testing house. Nowadays, total window performance is compared using Window Energy Ratings. These compare the total benefit of a complete window and are ranked similar to electrical goods with a code letter from A to G. Reputable Window Energy Ratings are from the NSAI Window Energy Performance Scheme (ROI) and Kitemark, the British Fenestration Rating Council, and Certass (NI). In NI check for FENSA accreditation.

Warranties

Most suppliers buy in their profiles from manufacturers who provide a ten year guarantee which you should request and read through to check what it covers, normally the colour fastness of the profile amongst other things. It should be insurance backed so if the fabricator/ installer goes into liquidation the scheme will pick up any ongoing guarantees, a requirement of the FENSA scheme. However, if the frames are sold on a supply only basis, (quite often the case if

you’re building your home), then the guarantee will be for the unit and not the installation.

Regulations

There are ratios to consider and minimum overall U-value parameters you will have to adhere to, which your window retailer should be aware of. Check for yourself the technical guidance documents (ROI) and technical booklets (NI). The ratio of wall space to windows needs to be carefully checked and balanced to ensure you encapsulate the views and light but also balance this with energy efficiency as set out in the building regulations. Some other aspects to bear in mind include that all bedrooms must have an openable window of at least 500mm by 800mm for fire safety. This allows you to get out and firefighters to get in. Any window coming to lower

than 850mm from the ground (or upstairs floor) must be fitted with toughened or laminated safety glass. Bathrooms and shower rooms are required to have vented or, at least, openable, windows. In ROI, a good architectural designer won’t let you make a mistake on this. A building energy assessor will also be brought on board to do the pre-construction calculations to make sure the energy requirements of the building regulations are complied with. These calculations will form part of the documents you upload to file your commencement notice, onto the Building Control Management System alongside your construction drawings. In NI, when you submit your plans to Building Control they will highlight any issues in relation to the building regulations before they approve your plans. For instance in NI no more than the equivalent of 25 per cent of your

Guide Selfbuild

floor area can be occupied by windows. If you want more, you’ll have to trade off against energy conservation in your calculations and have these approved by building control.

Thermal performance

Thermal performance is measured by the U-value, which is the rate at which heat passes through the window, from inside to out or vice versa. Low e glass is now fitted to all new windows but in the case of a renovation, if you are replacing a single unit with low e the uncoated units next to it will make the low e glass come out a different colour and would look out of place. Low e glass can add 50 per cent to winter thermal performance. The lower the U-value, the better performing the window.

When you factor in the frame, and how the sealing and thermal breaks are achieved, this increases the U-value substantially, to generally 1.5 to 1.2W/sqmK for double glazed and 1 to 0.8W/sqmK for triple glazed. As buildings become super insulated, windows and doors are one of the weak links in the chain of heat loss. The windows alone can be responsible for losing more energy than the whole of the rest of the fabric (walls, floor, roof, doors). In fact, glass and double glazing technology is now so advanced that it is the frame that is the weakest link in really modern glazing systems. The minimum for a standard energy efficient house would be low e, argon filled cavity double glazing, but this should really be your starting point. This will provide a U-value of around 1.5W/sqmK for the pane only, depending upon cavity width. To comply with building regulation calculation requirements for energy, Part L as designed in the DEAP software in ROI and Technical Booklet F1 as designed in the SAP software in NI, whole window U-values must be used and these tend to be higher than pane values. For certified complete window U-values you should consult your supplier. The lowest or best U-value glazing insulation available at the moment is triple glazed, gas filled, soft, low e, but it’s not cheap. As with all insulation, it’s a matter of deciding how much you can afford to spend at the start compared with many years of higher heating bills. But triple glazing also reduces the amount of light coming into the room. The proper installation of windows, including best practice use of insulation around the window, is vital to ensure you get the benefits of the U-value. For

example, your window sills are also a weak link (see p124).

U-values broken down

There are three parts to measuring the U-value of your windows, and it is helpful to have these specified individually as that allows you to see what you are comparing between different manufacturers: The glass is the easiest one to achieve a low value and it will mostly be in the range of 0.5 to 0.8W/sqmK. The frame is where the big difference is made and the U-value will rise (lower = better performing). How much depends upon the material the frame is made of, the sealing and also the way the thermal breaks are achieved. The value for each window is made up of the different proportions of frame to glass, thus a window with relatively more glass to frame tends to have a better U-value. The overall U-value. Understandably, manufacturers will provide the optimum U-value for the style of window you are

considering. Whilst this is a useful guide, remember that your windows are unique because they are designed to suit your house and so the figures for each individual unit will be different. Bearing in mind the relationship between the glass and frame, every time you have a differently sized window the U-value will change also. You may find that whilst one window might be better and three the same, the other 20 might be worse and so the overall U-value will be higher than that quoted for the example window. Working out this overall U-value can only be done once you have completed your window schedule. Ensure therefore that you receive individual U-values for each window and door in advance of placing your order and assess these carefully.

Solar gain and overheating

Unlike other building materials, glass lets in heat and light. This free heat can be measured and used to offset heat losses. If S UMMER 2022 / SE LF BU I LD / 1 1 9

WINDOWS GUIDE / PERFORMANCE

you have materials in the home that can store this heat during the daytime, e.g. concrete or tiled floors, plastered walls, the sun will hit these surfaces and transfer heat to them. Acting as a thermal store, these materials then slowly release the heat when the room temperature cools. For this reason, solar gains are usually considered to be beneficial, introducing free heat to the home. But solar gain is also the cause of overheating in the summer months. With more daylight also comes more ultraviolet (UV) rays being admitted which will affect plants and will fade colour in fabrics and pictures. Triple glazing lets in 19.5 to 25 per cent UV light, double glazing much more. To minimise this effect a see through UV film can be applied to the glass, or you could alternatively specify high tech glazing (see Glazing section). Shading devices or overhangs (brise soleils) also considerably help reduce overheating (as can ventilation). These shading devices will be taken into account in your energy calculations which should include mitigation for overheating.

Other technical data

Air leakage should be Class 4 or better for a modern, well sealed house. The G factor refers to the amount of solar gain and is usually given as a percentage. You will use this to work out what percentage of your space heating requirement can be provided by the sun in cooler months whilst in the summer if there is likely to be overheating and the need for shading – or a

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‘With more daylight also comes more ultraviolet (UV) rays being admitted which will affect plants and will fade colour in fabrics and pictures...’ change in the overall design of the house. Consider too that double glazing will let more light in than triple. The G-value for the glass only will give you a figure of 70 per cent for triple glazing and 90 per cent for double. With the frame included, the G-value generally falls to 55 per cent and 80 per cent respectively. The light transmittance factor

tells you how much daylight the window will allow in; with triple glazing this is about 70 per cent, double nearer 90 per cent. However, note once again that this figure is for the glass only; once you add the frame you get the overall for the entire window opening and that brings it down to nearer 55 per cent in the case of triple, 80 per cent or less with double. Again, this may have

a bearing on the design of the house and arrangement of the rooms. Although this is almost universal now, make sure that the coating on your glass is soft low e.

Exposed areas

Corrosion will be a factor in coastal locations and aluminium should be anodised. It’s very much horses for courses as your choice will be a combination of looks, performance in relation to the type of house you are building and its location, and budget. Some materials have thicker profiles which may or may not be a consideration. You may also wish to look at the guarantees available in relation to maintaining colour density. Driving rain and other environmental parameters will also have to be factored in. Consider too that if one side of the house will be more affected by the elements than others, e.g. prevailing winds, it may make sense to invest more in the window specification for that particular elevation.

WINDOWS GUIDE / FURNITURE

Locks and hinges

Frames are an important part of making your windows and doors secure, but crucial too are their locks, latches, screws and hinges. Words by Andrew Stanway, Gillian Corry, compiled by Astrid Madsen When it comes to window and door furniture, you don’t have to settle for the factory standard, but remember that, unless you specify otherwise when placing your order, that’s exactly what you’ll get. The standard door handles are fine, but if you’re looking for an individual touch do it well before the order is placed. Sadly, by the time it comes

to choosing window and door furniture you’ll probably find that the budget has gotten quite tight. In this instance, spend the money where you need to have good security and for high traffic areas. For example on doors and windows in public places as the fittings will be the focus of attention every time you use them.

If replacing a window frame, make sure it has the CE markings for safety and fire standards. In new builds it is mandatory to have a door threshold which can be easily crossed by a wheelchair. The downside is the cost of rebated thresholds with special seals to allow this, but at the same time they do keep out rain and draughts.

Closing mechanisms Ball and roller catches are simply a case with a spring loaded ball or roller, which holds the door closed, but not locked, when it slots into a striking plate on the door frame. All you need to do to operate it is pull the door.

Image by Daria Shevtsova

Spring latches require a knob to turn or level handle to disengage the mechanism and are a more secure lock than the ball and roller type. For doors, whether you use a lever or a knob depends upon there being plenty of space for your hand to turn the knob or, if the door is being used mainly by children or the elderly, a lever operated by a weight placed on

it by any part of the body, e.g. elbow. Thumb latches are mostly found on cottage doors; they use a simple lever with a latch for it to drop into. In general, doors and windows are better to open outwards so that they close against a seal, for a tighter fit. Some windows are tilt and turn mechanism, others fully reversible, both make for easier cleaning.

Locks

If you live in a single storey house, all casement windows should be fitted with a lockable casement stays, especially if there are children, and using a simple thumb push mechanism (quicker than looking for keys and then trying to fit them), for opening in an emergency. This type is not recommended for use in a glass door where a burglar can easily smash the glass to reach and turn the lock. Instead, use two locks combining a deadlock with a night latch, high enough to be out of the reach of children, and possibly laminated safety glass as well. As with doors, windows can avail of the more comprehensive S UMMER 2022 / SE LF BU I LD / 1 2 1

WINDOWS GUIDE / FURNITURE

Bonded sliding systems VS lift and slide

Stephen Ryan of NRGI Bespoke Glazing, nrgi.ie

Hinges

The old storm proof window hinge has been largely discontinued in favour of the euro hinge. It enables the window to stay open at your chosen angle and, if hinged from the side, allows you to put your hand over the top of it as well. If you can, try to use a pin hinge which is rebated out over the frame and allows for a degree of swelling or shrinkage which the fixed butt hinge does not. The number of hinges you need depends upon the weight and size of the door or window, as well as the size of the hinge. Sliding sash windows, once synonymous with rattles and draughts, have also been adapted

Image by Ksenia Chernaya

Everyone wants the great slim looks of a bonded sliding door system. In these, the glass is structurally bonded into the frame during the manufacturing stage. As the beading elements are not required for bonded systems, the sightlines can be slimmer. However, the seals must be fully engaged at all times and yet allow the doors to slide along. This lack of friction means air and water can move around the system more freely than with lift and slide. On a lift and slide system, by turning the handle you are disengaging the seals to allow the door leaf to slide along and then re-engage the seals once the door is in position. This operation of engaging and disengaging the seals allows for a dramatic increase in the airtightness and water tightness which are key considerations in our Irish climate. The key take away is when considering windows, doors and lift and slide doors for your project, is to not only take into consideration the product’s U-Value but also pay close attention to the air and water tightness. Airtightness is rated on a Pascal scale. Class 0 means no test, Class 1 is the lowest performing and so forth.

system that is the espagnolette. It engages a three, four or five pin mechanism shooting bolts up and down in the rebate of the window so that it makes a very secure method of keeping out intruders or accidents happening from within. The system also enables the window to open wide, and a final plus point is that the whole system, being rebated into the windows, is hidden. Child locks are widely available and tend to work on a simple mechanism. But do check how easy they will be for an adult to operate in the case of an emergency.

for modern use. Although lead weights and pulleys (rope or chain) are still available, they have largely been replaced by, firstly, the spring balance, and more recently, block and tackle which now dominates the market. Being simple to fit, no adjustment or greasing needed, able to cope with weightier windows such as those with laminated/safety glass, safe to use by the sea (the springs are treated with anti-rust

preservatives), and a better locking shoe as well, quite a lot has changed since these windows first appeared using lead weights and cords, in London houses of the later 17th Century. Neither do you have to be a contortionist to clean them – modern sliding sashes have a built in tilting ability, so no more excuses about not being able to reach the window to wash it. Other things to consider when choosing the hinge type are: l the material (does it match the rest of the furniture?) l fire safety (e.g. nylon washers will melt at a low temperature so avoid in rooms where a fire might start, such as the kitchen) l width of opening (if a door needs to open up to 180° and clear a projection, e.g. an architrave around a door frame, then you will probably use either a projection or parliament hinge) l quality l price Always try to use screws of

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Guide Selfbuild

Few of us now have either the time or the ability to continually polish solid brass in order to remove the brown oxidisation, a process which starts the moment you stop! Most brass pieces nowadays come with a factory applied lacquer finish which should not be cleaned with anything other than hot soapy water, or wiped over with a soft cloth and beeswax, otherwise you will remove the lacquer. To get the look without ongoing effort, stainless brass (stainless steel with a brass finish known as PVD – Physical Vapour Deposition), needs no polishing and will last up to twenty years with a wipe the only cleaning needed; stubborn stains can be removed using white spirit. The manufacturing process results in

‘In general, doors and windows are better to open outwards so that they close against a seal...’ the same material as the hinge because two dissimilar metals coming into contact tend to result in corrosion (a small electric current passes from one metal to the other, causing a chemical reaction).

Materials

If you use brass furnishings on anything likely to get wet and you live near the coast, beware. Unfortunately, salt, like builder’s plaster, will cause pitting on the surface. Stainless steel or coated cast iron are better options, as is chrome.

a surface which is impervious to damage in normal use, including abrasion, wear and oxidisation. Chrome became very popular during the eighties and nineties, but it might not suit the style of your house or room. Deposits can sometimes occur on external fittings so clean regularly with a soft cloth and non abrasive wax polish. Stainless steel and nickel are also popular. Door or window furniture which is either hot stamped or extruded results in pieces which are strong and have high quality surface finish.

Security

French patio doors are often viewed by burglars as the easiest point of entry. Too often they are right if the door is only secured with two small catches and entry can be made within three minutes, a yardstick burglars use for success or failure.

The question is how to make an opening secure? Perhaps the best way to provide security is to rely on more than just a single lock, for example by combining a euro cylinder lock with an additional security bolt. Note that metal fastenings tend to be more durable than nylon or plastic. Also, bear in mind that a five lever lock offers about 1,000 possible key variations while a seven lever one offers 6,000. If security is uppermost you could even choose a door lock which can be programmed to recognise your fingerprints. French doors also tend to be difficult to hang and you often need to plane or draught strip to get them to fit. It is best to fit sliding and bolting locks to both doors as these will act as a brace against unwelcome intruders trying to force entry. In a more modern setting, sliding patio doors may be more appropriate, but they can be prised out of their fitting and so it might be worth investing in a wire mesh net which hangs behind the inside and provides a second line of defence. Wire glazed windows do give better protection but that depends upon the narrowness of the wire mesh; the wide Georgian type for example is easily cut. If light is really necessary and security equally important, another alternative is to use an acrylic sheet. It’s up to ten times stronger than glass and very light but it is expensive, shows scratches and will burn. Building regulations will require you to have some doors acting as fire barriers, particularly those on escape routes, and acrylic glazing will not be suitable in such situations.

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WINDOWS GUIDE / SEQUENCE OF WORKS

What happens when?

Find out when and how to order your windows and what to expect at the end.

Words: Andrew Stanway, Gillian Corry, Patrick Waterfield, compiled by Astrid Madsen.

Design and shop around

The planning stage is the best time to get a window specialist involved and to get to grips with the subject with your architectural designer. Most of us building our own place want to do something that little bit better. Get on the web, look through magazines, talk to friends, listen to professionals, keep your eyes open wherever you go and allow plenty of time for the buying process. Simplest and cheapest is to buy off the shelf from a builder’s merchant. The best offer a huge range of styles and sizes. Then there are companies that specialise in windows and doors; these tend to either import or make the units in Ireland, in a factory controlled environment. Factory finished windows and doors have become the norm, and for good reason. Making anything in a factory is quality controlled and the possibility 1 2 4 / SE LF BU IL D / SUMMER 2022

of damage through damp, which can include painting timber when wet. Cut ends may not be properly painted with preservative, timber can be left on site uncovered and suffer damage from UV light, coatings applied too thinly and perhaps only once which is not sufficient protection, non visible areas cannot be coated (especially important in windows to help prevent rot). Made to measure and installed by a specialist company or joiner may or may not be more expensive. You may go down this route with a local joiner for replacement windows, but if things go wrong, or anything arrives damaged they could take another two months to replace.

Get quotations

Most companies will look at your plans, talk to your architectural designer and then produce a schedule

Guide Selfbuild

(list) containing details of each window. The specification should include: format, glazing pattern, size, opening, price, cleaning, frame colours inside and out, safety issues, energy efficiency, lifetime, hardware, fire escape needs, etc. You can usually expect a quotation within a week. Price is a hotly contested issue because it is affected by so many factors and therefore might be misleading. For example, the hardware (handles, locks, etc.) may be solid brass and therefore expensive, or you may have chosen a design that is unusual which will also put up the cost. Make sure you know what the cost of the windows includes so you can compare like with like. When you receive the quotation, shut yourself away somewhere you won’t be disturbed and go through it with a fine toothed comb. There is always the possibility of mistakes. It could be a window marked as opening the wrong way, an incorrect measurement, windows missed out, etc. You may find it takes several revisions to get it correct. This task is hugely important as you are responsible for any errors, even if they originated with the supplier. Double check

what warranties and guarantees apply to frames, glazing units and furniture. To help you select your windows, when there are so many factors to take into account, draft a simple spreadsheet to score each manufacturer and quotation on the key points that matter to you. These points may be along the lines of; design, performance, quality, thermal value, installation methods, maintenance, value for money, warranties and manufacturer backup/service, material, overall sustainability, etc.

‘When you receive the quotation, shut yourself away somewhere you won’t be disturbed and go through it with a fine toothed comb. There is always the possibility of mistakes.’ 3

Place the order and pay deposit

Some suppliers like to see and measure the actual openings before they manufacture the windows, having learned from bitter experience

that what is shown on the drawings often doesn’t get built that way. This is a good route to go if you are planning to use a company that’ll not only supply but also install. They then take complete responsibility for getting it right. You will be required to make a substantial deposit with

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WINDOWS GUIDE / SEQUENCE OF WORKS

‘Installation is absolutely critical to the performance and longevity of both windows and dwelling...’

your order, often half the final amount, which makes doing your homework on your intended supplier all the more critical. Is your deposit protected? A useful process is to put your payment in escrow. When you put money in escrow it is held by a neutral third party, (called an escrow agent), who works for both you and your supplier, and is often a solicitor. Their role is to carry out the instructions agreed upon by both parties. The money is released when all the terms of the agreement are met. Remember that until the windows are literally secure on your site they can be repossessed.

Delivery

Windows are notorious for delaying build schedules. The rule of thumb is to allow up to 12 weeks for delivery from the date of order. The delivery date will be quoted at the point of order and given in weeks, but this doesn’t allow for holidays. Some 1 26 / SE LF BU IL D / SUMMER 2022

European manufacturers close for a month in the summer so check this.

Fitting

The final part of the whole process is naturally critical and often included in the contract with the supplier because, understandably, they do not wish to be accused of supplying faulty windows when in fact it is the fitting that is not exact. Installation is absolutely critical to the performance and longevity of both windows and dwelling. Having expended a great deal of time and effort in making the selection, it’s easy to slacken your attention just at the time when it’s most needed. Remember that buying windows that are manufactured to excellent standards does not guarantee that such standards will be met. Correct installation is the key; in particular, good taping is essential. It’s of little benefit having a window manufactured to achieve a thermal performance

of 0.8 W/sqm or less, if it is leaking air at its fixing points. As installation cannot be factory controlled in the way that production can, you are reliant on your installer to use the method best suited to the windows you have selected and the type of construction. For peace of mind, installation by your supplier is the route to go, but if you are a competent DIY builder and are willing to accept the responsibility, full instructions are given with each unit for self assembly. Beware that the majority of complaints regarding uPVC windows relate not to the materials, but to poor installation. Your windows will sit on a window sill and some windows come with an integrated one, or you may need to buy your sills separately. If you are building a cavity wall and have a concrete sill, the sill needs to be thermally separated from any interior concrete/plaster by a strip of insulation and proprietary insulated cavity closers can be used to support it. If you are using partial fill insulation batts then you need to ensure that the insulation is firmly secured against the inner leaf of the cavity wall. The sill must not cross the cavity and should not rest on the inner leaf. Similarly, all gaps between two

concrete lintels (supports above the window opening) needs to be tightly filled with insulation or better yet with a purpose made insulated cavity closer. In the case of steel lintels, the steel plates should be separated to create the thermal break and the area between should be filled with insulation. Proprietary insulated steel lintels are a best practice alternative. The days of ‘expanding foam and hope for the best’ should be long gone and as seen above, installation in cavity blockwork construction will not be the same as that for timber frame. In the case of a bespoke building method, e.g. offsite construction, check with the manufacturer.

Testing and pay the balance

Whoever is signing off on your build must be present for the installation. This is because you will have to pay the balance for your windows once the installation is complete and will have little recourse if your architectural designer, engineer, warranty provider or building control officer notices something wrong at a later date. The frame must fit the cavity without distorting, the sash

Guide Selfbuild

should run smoothly without friction, the windows should open smoothly. Reputable manufacturers will include correct installation and testing (water hose test and air test), for each element as part of the contract but do not assume this, include it in your order specification. Any windows failing these tests should be removed and reinstalled correctly. Above all, high performance seal design and attention to detail during installation will pay dividends. Once you’re satisfied all is in order and the installation is correct, you will have to pay the

balance, on the day the windows were fitted and signed off on.

Protection during the rest of the build

The windows and doors go in quite early on in the build process when there is still a lot of action and mess on site. It’s therefore a good idea to protect them with a polythene cover for as long as you possibly can, both inside and out. There are specialist services to do this for

you. Some windows come pre coated with a protective film and it should be left on until the external render has been applied. But don’t wait too long to remove them after that, to avoid sticky residues.

Maintenance

Good quality coatings are essential to achieve the wear from your doors and windows, simply staining with a base does not provide the necessary depth of film to ensure that the

timber is not damaged by sunlight and moisture ingress. Once you take the wrappers off, applying another finishing coat might be recommended; ask your supplier. Looking after your new windows and doors will help to keep them at peak performance. Don’t paint over seals, clean using recommended products and procedures and, if damage occurs, repair immediately so that it, and any cost, can be kept to a minimum.

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WINDOWS GUIDE / BUILDING THE DREAM

Let there be light

mechanisms. However, it does mean that the window will open inwards which is something we will need to get used to. On the upside at least I’ll be able to clean them without hanging over the window ledge or climbing up a ladder!

Where to start?

Quite truthfully we toured every window stand at the Selfbuild Live shows. We were able to whittle down the choices by checking which windows were Passive House Institute (PHI) certified which includes both thermal performance and airtightness. We were able to double check that the windows were indeed on the PHI database (you can check online on database.passivehouse.com) with all of the data we needed for

Image by João Jesus

The windows choice for us felt like a really important decision, seeing how it would massively affect the look of the house. Not to mention the fact that it was also key to the thermal performance of our passive home, writes self-builder Brian Corry who’s building an eco house.

Anyone building their home will have windows on top, or near the top, of their shopping list – it’s a core element of any home. My wife Karen and I were no exception. Considering the myriad of options and the fact that we knew glazing was going to be one of the biggest single item expenditures we were going to make, choosing the right style, let alone the right supplier, was a daunting task. Passive certified window hardware (hinge and locking mechanism) is normally different to the standard casement window in that they are tilt and turn. This means that when the window is closed it provides a much better seal for airtightness than can be achieved with standard casement window

1 2 8 / SE LF BU IL D / SUMMER 2022

Guide Selfbuild

‘Anyone who is selfbuilding will have windows on top, or near the top, of their shopping list – it’s a core element of any home. ..’

the energy assessment. because we’ve been brought This was not easy as it up to think that solar gain is meant that we had to pass over good – but actually it could be some lovely looking window a problem in a near passive systems but, as I said at the house. Too much solar gain can beginning of this series, once lead to overheating which many you decide to go down the route people find more difficult to deal of near passive, you need to be with than being slightly cool. committed in pretty much every Lead times were also an aspect otherwise you won’t important consideration. Our achieve your goal. build schedule is quite tight so And of course, previous a 10 to 12 week lead time from experience – good or bad – also measurement to install would counts for a lot. have been problematic. The About six years ago we company we chose said they replaced the windows and doors had a six week lead time. in our office and used one of the companies under consideration. And then there I have been able to see first hand were the sills… how well the doors and windows Finally, just when you think have operated over time and it you’ve everything covered gave me reassurance with their something else always crops product. up! Whilst we had spent lots of Path of solid slabs laid on a solid bed to form a flat surface time considering the various suitable for wheel chair access to the dwelling via level All windows in bed UP Store Shortlistthreshold checklist window options, we hadn’t Entrance Lobby En-Suite escape in the even under stair Study UP building. Once we were downtoto couple thought into Approach theadwelling is from theactually parking areaput via amuch ramped and step free approach on solid surface to the level accessible entry Sashes open to fac of companies, we got them to the windowsills. Cloaks Lobby point. an opening of at le Entryand to thewe dwelling is via a level threshol. All approach price our house also In our case,paths thetosills need dimension less tha Bedroom 2 exceed 900mm wide. nominally 900mm f checked that they were able to to project far enough to clear WC case never higher Flat entrance area with minimum 1 in slope approach provide the frame extensions a1560mm layerwith of flat insulation, area to access the rear low threshold access to the dwelling Windows and Doo that we needed. This aspect was required low glazin important because we had to LEVEL LOW THRESHOLD ACCESS Kitchen Dining Lounge Windows and Doo overlap the insulation onto the Utility security standard t window frames to prevent any PAS24:2012 Sitting Room Cloakroom access provided with outward opening door to allow use of WC with clear thermal bridges. Whole house mech access for frontal transfer. Centre of WC to It may not seem significant be 450mm from side wall and basin not to project in to access zone. Drawing provided but not all companies offer this Dwelling is to be fit to show zones inter-linked smoke option. In the end, figuring it all with battery backup All doorways to provide clearance of more than out actually saved us from a 800mm and corridor clear passage exceeding Main House: potentially expensive issue as 1200mm Structural Timber Construction from Solid Glualm Timber (HBE) by Timber Structure design will provide the following drawings and det we discovered that the width a. Soleplate layout drawings. b. Full Assembly drawings for all panels during construction to we had designed for our sliding c. Independent structural engineer's calculation as required by patio door was too wide for a d. All timber structural calculations required by local authority. e. Method Statement by construction team when on site. double section door. We didn’t want a triple section Shed Building: Timber Frame by specialist supplier or manufactured on site by exp so we actually reduced the width Timber Frame manufacturer will provide the following drawings and a. Soleplate layout drawings. by 600mm to bring it within the b. Full Assembly drawings for all panels during construction o manufacturer’s maximum width c. Independent structural engineer's certificate or calculations d. All timber frame structural calculations required by local au specification. e. Method Statement by construction team when on site. Finally, we also checked the performance of the triple glazing Where boundary proximity dictates, all shed walls and roof to be protected glass being used to ensure that to prevent the spread of fire by use of material able to be fire retardant for 30 minutes and approved per BS476 as noted in B4 Fire safety and it also performed badly from a appendices. Where boundary proximity dictates solar gain perspective. Proof of material and method to be documented for approval on site by If that sounds a bit odd, it’s building control. www.iafdesign.co.uk :: mail@iafdesign.co.uk

PROJECT

Ardmillan Road S UMMER 2022 / SE LF BU I LD / 1 2 9 SHEET

CLIENT

Date

3 Apr 20

GF Plan Detail

Drawn by

IAF

WINDOWS GUIDE / BUILDING THE DREAM

a 45mm batten and then the cladding plus the 30-40mm clearance beyond. This would require a projection of 160mm but as it turns out this is only possible in the timber aluclad frame – not the uPVC as it’s not strong quite as strong. This had implications on price as aluclad is more expensive and whilst we could have gotten someone else to manufacture a sill, it would have taken a fair bit of work including the colour matching and undoubtedly would have cost a fair amount.

Bottom line

In the end we made our final decision on a combination of all the factors above as well as our gut feeling as to which one we

liked the most. We also thought that the additional upfront cost of choosing aluclad over uPVC was worth it in order to save on having to get another company to make up colour matched sills separately. We are fortunate in Ireland to have had such as wide choice. At the time of writing we are still waiting on the window delivery and I have been keeping in touch with the company to make sure the delivery will be on schedule, and in case anything changes. So far so good. Read up on Brian’s Building The Dream series exclusively on Selfbuild+, subscribe on selfbuild.ie

Section through bottom of a passiv aluclad casement (round edge) window with aluminium sill with 145mm projection

Section through bottom of a passiv aluclad casement (round edge) window with aluminium sill with 170mm projection

Section through bottom of a passiv aluclad casement (round edge) window with aluminium sill with 230mm projection 1 30 / SE LF BU IL D / SUMMER 2022

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