How much does it really cost to build or rebuild a home in Ireland? The answer might shock you. On today’s podcast, Ciara Doherty is joined by quantity surveyor Claire Irwin – a familiar face from RTÉ’s Room to Improve – to break down the numbers behind the country’s housing crisis. 

Claire explains why building a standard 150-square-metre home can now set you back at least €500,000, and why that figure doesn’t even include the price of a site, landscaping or furnishing. She looks at the soaring cost of labour, the often-overlooked expenses of servicing a site, and the challenges posed by delays in state funding. 

For families in the Defective Blocks Scheme, the problem is especially acute. According to Claire, many contractors won’t take on rebuilds unless homeowners can show they have €50,000–€60,000 in cash to keep projects moving while waiting for local authorities to release funds. And while there are state supports for building, retrofitting and renovation, navigating them is no easy task. 

This episode connects the personal struggles of homeowners with the wider economic reality of construction in Ireland today – and asks whether building your own front door is slipping further out of reach. 

For more information: 

🏠 Claire Irwin – irwinconsulting.ie 

📊 SCSI – scsi.ie 

🎧 Newstalk Daily: Cracks in the System – The Human and Financial Cost of Ireland’s Defective Block Crisis