For those of you who are contemplating adding an extension to your home, whether to add value to your property or to add extra space for a growing family, there are a number of factors you should first consider. The first of these factors is planning permission. In this article we are going to address a number of questions that we have heard from clients over the years, the first being ‘what kind of extension can we build without planning permission?’
In Ireland, the laws governing planning permission for extensions are quite lenient in comparison to the UK or other countries in mainland Europe.
Building an extension to your home in Dublin or Kildare without planning permission.
The following builds do not require planning permission:
- A rear extension less than 40 square metres, that lies within the existing height of the house. This of course only applies if it is the first extension to the rear of your home and is a single storey extension.
- As long as your extension does not reduce the size of the garden/patio/yard or open space to the rear of your property to less than 25 square metres, you will not require planning permission.
- The rear extension does not exceed the height of the original building.
- You are not overlooking or infringing upon the privacy, view or light of your surrounding neighbours.
- Extensions to the front of the house (porch extensions), which are less than 2 square metres floor size and are situated at least 2 metres from any public road or footpath.
In all instances, it is imperative that you first check with your local council office to confirm that no planning permission is required. You should also work with your builder and/or architect to ensure all plans are within the stipulations set out by the planning authority.
Another questions we hear a lot from clients is:
Are there any hidden extra costs associated with a house extension in Dublin?
When you have made a decision to extend your home, it is of course important that you have a budget to cover all costs associated with the build. In most cases a builder or construction company will provide you with a fixed price quote, however there are those that add on extra costs that you may not be prepared for. Always ask the builder or construction company for a fixed price, all-inclusive quote and ask about any extra costs that could become an issue.
Your request for quotation should include:
- Price per square metre
- Roof type
- Plumbing
- Heating
- Wiring and electrics
- Sockets
- Lighting
- Doors and windows
- Insulation
- Plastering
- Ceiling specifications
- Painting
- Flooring
- Skirting Boards
- Guttering and fascia
- Bathroom if required
- Kitchen fittings such as fans and vents
- Surrounding footpaths
Once you have received a fixed price quote for all of the above, you should also ask the vendors for a list of any extra costs that may be associated with the build.
If you have any questions about our all-inclusive home extensions prices, please feel free to get in touch with us here at any time. The SureHome team are always on hand to help in any way we can. You may also find some useful information on our special offers page where you can see a full list of the items included with every extension we build.