Thursday, 19th


October 2017 Winter Homes Ten Tips Before You Start Your Renovation Ten tips before you start


your renovation Enlisting professional help


will save you money in the long run and help keep you on budget


1. Take a holistic approach before jumping into a ren-


ovation project, think about what you want to achieve. For example, rather than deciding you need new win- dows, think about the prob- lem you need to solve. Do you want more light? More heat? Better garden access?


2. Enlist help “The more professionals


you employ to assist you, the better,” says quantity survey- or Patricia Power. “It saves you money in the long run and you know where you stand. The advantage of a quantity surveyor is that they will keep your bills on budget from day one. If you’re stuck on one aspect they will ad- vise you on where you can


save elsewhere.” She says an architect is a


must, and you will also need an engineer if you’re moving walls. Under the new build- ing regulations, a registered architect, building surveyor or chartered engineer is re- quired to act as a registered certifier for construction work that extends to more than 40sq m.


3. Take your time with design While it may be tempting


to skip on professional fees, Power recommends sitting down with an architect


to


help design your project. “They can bring in a whole new dimension and see stuff that you don’t see.” An architect will also be


able to give you a good esti- mate of cost so you can as- sess whether your plans are achievable with your budget before you apply for plan- ning permission. “A lot of people get excited and want to get started. I have known


people who have got plan- ning but then realise can’t afford it,” says Power.


they


4. Check planning permissions If your renovation pro-


ject includes an extension of more than 40sq m, you will need to apply for planning permission. Anything un- der that may qualify for an exemption, but you should double-check before you be- gin work. Undertaking work without the correct permis- sion could result in a fine or create problems when it comes to selling your house. If in doubt, talk to the plan- ning department of your lo- cal authority.


5. Secure financing Some


banks have an-


nounced funds to provide loans or mortgage top-ups to people who want to carry out renovation work. If you are taking out a bank loan to fund your project, make sure you include any extra repay-


ments in your budget.


6. Take advantage of incentives Homeowners may claim


up to €4,050 in tax relief on renovations thanks to the Government’s new Home Renovation Initiative. Un- der the scheme, you are en- titled to reclaim the VAT on projects that cost between €5,000 and €30,000 but you must use a builder who is tax compliant. Ask to see their Notification of Determina- tion showing a zero or 20 per cent Relevant Contracts Tax rate. The Better Energy Homes


scheme run by the Sustaina- ble Energy Authority of Ire- land, provides grants for roof insulation, wall insulation, boiler and heating control upgrades and solar panels. To avail of the


of your tax relief under the Home Renovation Initiative.


7. Include the detail Include as much detail as possible when you go to tender so you can easily compare


see people who have gone out to


veyor have worked together before then they get to know each other’s pricing,” says Power. Gathering recom- mendations


from different


sources will ensure a fair spread of quotes.


quotes. “I often tender on a draw-


ing and spec basis only and can’t compare builders,” says Power. “It’s very hard to get parity until you’ve done a detailed schedule of work. I put everything in, from floor finishing, painting walls and tiling. Then you can be sure that the cheapest is the cheapest.” A detailed tender will help


you control costs as the pro- ject progresses and means you can easily


adjust grant,


your house must be built before 2006, you must have the grant approved before work commences and the work must be carried out by one of the authority’s regis- tered contractors. Note that a grant will reduce the level


quote if it is over budget. 8. Approach a


selection of builders When sourcing builders,


get a mix of recommenda- tions: a couple from your architect, a couple from your surveyor and a couple from friends. “If a builder and a sur-


the


9. Make sure your builder is compliant Currently anyone can set up as a builder, so it can be difficult to know if they’re reputable. In order to ad- dress this, the Construction Industry Federation is in the process of compiling a register of builders, the Con- struction Industry Register Ireland. This will a searchable


database


C2 cert. Ask if they have in- surances in place, because a lot of them don’t. Ask about their health and safety qual- ifications.”


10. Be safe and be covered If you’re using an archi-


tect, surveyor or engineer, they should have their own professional indemnity in- surance. Builders should be covered for public liability, employer’s insurance


contractor’s all-risk insur- ance. People


carrying


provide of


builders who conform to cer- tain standards and, in theory, raise the quality of construc- tion projects. Jimmy Healy, a spokes-


person for the federation, says that while the register goes live this month, it will take some time to populate. In the meantime, you can ask a few questions to ensure your builder is legitimate. “You should see if they’re VAT registered or ask for a


and out


self-builds should consider taking out self-build insur- ance. If your project is going to


last more than 30 days then you must notify the Health and Safety Authority of the work. Where more than one contractor is on site, you must also appoint a com- petent project supervisor at both the design and the con- struction stage to carry out certain safety requirements and prepare a safety file, which you then pass on to anyone carrying out future works.


info@eastcorkjournal.ie


19


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