The Selfbuild Podcast

Keith Kelliher chats through the cost components of your driveway, gates and other groundwork you may forget about, including:
Comparing different driveway finishes and how much they cost, from chippings to resin
Mix and match options, practical considerations
Kerbing options, what to consider
Paving and patio considerations
Drainage options
Gates: what to consider and costings
Lighting considerations
Lawns and other landscaping
What the planning authority might require
Boundaries and walls
What's new and adding to the cost, from fire pits to outdoor kitchens
Retaining walls and live walls
Where do the bins go?

This episode was recorded at Selfbuild Extend & Renovate Live Ulster 2025.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

Quantity surveyor Keith Kelliher’s step by step guide to extending or building a new home in Ireland today including percentage share for each element of building your house with top tips, including:
Site costs, pre-construction
House survey for extensions/renovations
Professionals you'll need to hire
Costs relating to fees and taxes
Curveball costs pre-construction
Benefits of hiring a QS
Costs of appointing a builder
Prelims: what they are
How the build is broken down in terms of cost elements
Most common finishes with examples of cost ranges and where to make savings
Where the budget gets busted
Is it cheaper to get supplies from NI?
Where you'll need to invest after the house is built

This episode was recorded at Selfbuild Extend & Renovate Live Ulster 2025.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

Modern methods of construction mass timber and ICF are two options for those looking for quick, good quality builds. Self-build expert John Corless chats to Danius Prakapavicius of iDomus Brian Duffy of Amvic about:
· What is mass timber construction? Layers and how it’s finished internally and externally, pros and cons.
· What is Insulating Concrete Formwork (ICF)? Layers and how it’s finished internally and externally, pros and cons.
· Design limitations and how to build with modern methods cost effectively.
· How quotes are put together, sequence of works for both.
· How much do they cost compared to traditional block build, materials and labour.
· Structural integrity of systems versus traditional block build.
· Impact resistance and power washing.
· Working with structural engineers.
· John’s thoughts on 3D printing houses.
· Major benefits to building the house off site.
· Time and labour savings compared with traditional methods.
This episode was recorded at Selfbuild Extend & Renovate Live Leinster 2025.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.