The Building Journal: notes from the yard.
Twenty years of restoring stone cottages, re-roofing farmhouses, and renovating homes across Munster — written down plainly. No jargon, no sales pitch, just what actually works on Irish houses.
.jpeg)
Home Renovation Costs in Limerick & Munster: What to Expect in 2026
Realistic price bands for kitchens, extensions, re-roofs and full renovations — and where the grant money changes the maths.
Read the article.jpeg)
Restoring an Irish Cottage: The Honest Order of Works
Buying a stone cottage to bring back to life? The order you tackle jobs in decides whether you stay dry, warm, and on budget. Here's the sequence we use.
Read the article.jpeg)
The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, Explained Plainly
Up to €70,000 toward doing up a vacant or derelict home. What qualifies, the common refusals, and how the money is actually paid out.
Read the article.jpeg)
Lime vs Cement: Why Old Walls Need to Breathe
The single most common mistake made on old Irish houses is trapping moisture with cement. Here's why lime is usually the right answer.
Read the article.jpeg)
Seven Signs Your Roof Needs More Than a Repair
Slipped slates you can live with. Sagging ridges and failed valleys you can't. How to tell a patch job from a re-roof before winter does it for you.
Read the article.jpeg)
Damp in an Old Cottage: Rising, Penetrating, or Just Condensation?
Three very different problems get called "damp." Diagnosing which one you actually have saves you thousands on the wrong fix.
Read the article.jpeg)
Extending a Home in Ireland: Planning, Exemptions & Budget
What you can build without planning permission, when you need it, and the costs people forget until the digger arrives.
Read the article