Best Renovations for Old & Derelict Homes in Ireland

Renovating a derelict house in Ireland can rescue an important building, create a highly individual home and bring a vacant property back into use. It can also expose hidden structural, moisture, drainage and service problems. The central rule is simple: make the building stable and dry before insulating, fitting or decorating it.

1. Begin with a Detailed Building Survey

Before buying materials or booking several trades, establish the condition of the property. A survey may need to examine the roof, chimneys, walls, floors, foundations, timber decay, water ingress, ventilation, services, septic tank or drainage, boundaries and signs of previous alterations.

The survey findings help turn an uncertain renovation into a scope of work. They also help you decide whether specialist engineering, conservation, asbestos or other investigations are needed.

2. Check Planning, Heritage and Building Requirements

Some alterations may need planning permission even when ordinary repair work does not. Protected Structures and buildings within Architectural Conservation Areas can have additional controls, including work to apparently minor features.

Confirm the position with the local planning authority and appropriate professionals. Read our Planning Permission Ireland 2026 guide and use the National Built Heritage Service guidance for traditional buildings.

3. Secure the Roof, Chimneys and Structure

Repairing decorative finishes before stopping rain is false economy. Roof coverings, flashings, gutters, valleys and chimney details should be checked alongside structural walls, floors, lintels and foundations. Stabilisation, masonry repair and necessary structural work normally come before new services and finishes.

Find potentially suitable roofing contractors, builders and restoration specialists.

4. Deal with Groundworks, Drainage and Waste Water

External ground levels, blocked or broken drains, poor rainwater disposal and failed septic systems can keep walls wet. Resolve site access, excavation, drainage and service routes early, before completed landscaping or internal finishes create additional cost.

The EPA provides guidance for domestic waste-water and septic-tank systems. Find groundworks contractors for project enquiries.

5. Identify the Cause of Damp

“Damp” is a symptom rather than a single diagnosis. Possible causes include leaking roofs, defective gutters, high ground levels, plumbing leaks, poor ventilation, damaged pointing, incompatible cement finishes or condensation.

Fix the source before adding insulation, plaster or fitted furniture. This protects both the building and the money spent on later stages.

6. Test for Radon and Plan Mitigation

Radon risk varies by location and building. The EPA says a radon test is the only way to know the level in a home. Testing and any recommended mitigation should be considered alongside floor, ventilation and service work so later disruption is minimised.

See the EPA's current radon testing guidance.

7. Renew Electrical Services Safely

Old wiring, boards, earthing and circuits may be unsuitable for a modern renovation. Agree the layout for kitchens, heating controls, bathrooms, lighting, data and future equipment before first-fix wiring.

Restricted electrical work must be carried out and certified as required by a Safe Electric Registered Electrical Contractor. Find electricians through Trade Source IRE and verify current registration independently.

8. Upgrade Plumbing, Heating and Water Services

Old pipes, tanks, cylinders, drains and heating systems should be assessed before walls and floors are closed. Coordinate plumbing with insulation, ventilation, kitchen, bathroom and renewable-energy decisions. Domestic gas work must be completed by a current Registered Gas Installer where required.

Find plumbers and heating professionals and check the current RGI register for gas work.

9. Insulate, Make Airtight and Ventilate as One Plan

Energy upgrades work best as a coordinated design. Roof, wall and floor insulation, draught reduction and high-performance windows can reduce heat loss, but tighter buildings also need properly designed ventilation to manage moisture and indoor air quality.

Traditional solid walls may need vapour-open materials and conservation-aware detailing. Seek building-specific advice rather than applying a standard system without investigation. Explore insulation contractors and current SEAI grant guidance.

10. Upgrade Windows and Doors Carefully

Repair may be appropriate for significant historic joinery; replacement may be suitable elsewhere. Consider weather resistance, ventilation, airtightness, thermal performance, security and the character of the house together.

Do not order openings from approximate measurements before structural repairs and the final specification are agreed. Find window and door specialists.

11. Improve the Internal Layout

Old rooms can often work better through a carefully planned kitchen, utility, bathroom, storage or circulation layout. Structural openings, stair changes and material alterations may need engineering, planning or Building Regulations input.

Agree the layout before first-fix plumbing and electrical work so sockets, lighting, drainage, heating and ventilation land in the correct positions.

12. Fit the Kitchen and Bathroom at the Right Stage

Kitchens and bathrooms rely on completed structural work, a dry building, coordinated services, suitable ventilation and stable floors and walls. Installing them too early exposes expensive finishes to damage and often creates rework.

At this stage you may need carpenters, plumbers, electricians, plasterers and tilers.

13. Retain Original Features Where Practical

Stonework, lime plaster, timber floors, doors, stairs, fireplaces and other surviving details can give an old house its identity. Record important features before work and obtain conservation advice where appropriate. Repair can sometimes preserve more character and embodied material than replacement.

14. Leave Decoration and Final Finishes Until Last

Painting, joinery finishes, flooring and final decoration should follow dusty structural work, service installation, plaster drying and major moisture correction. Rushing this stage can trap moisture or damage completed surfaces.

Find painters and decorators once the building is ready.

The Correct Order of Work

Every project is different, but a sensible sequence often looks like this:

1. Survey, investigations and measured information
2. Design, budget, planning and grant applications
3. Site setup and temporary protection
4. Structural stabilisation, roof and chimney work
5. Groundworks, drainage and service routes
6. Damp, radon and building-fabric measures
7. First-fix electrical, plumbing, heating and ventilation
8. Insulation, airtightness and windows or doors
9. Plastering and drying
10. Second-fix services, carpentry, kitchens and bathrooms
11. Flooring, decoration, external works and commissioning

Your surveyor, engineer, architect, contractor and grant requirements may change that sequence. A written programme should identify dependencies so one trade does not undo another's work.

Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant

The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant can support eligible vacant and derelict properties, subject to current rules, evidence and local-authority approval. Published headline support has included up to €50,000 for a qualifying vacant property, with a possible derelict-property top-up bringing the maximum to €70,000.

Eligibility, qualifying costs and conditions matter. The property must meet the applicable age and vacancy criteria, and approval should be obtained before grant-funded work begins. Confirm the current terms directly with your local authority and Citizens Information.

SEAI Home-Energy Grants

Depending on the property, owner and proposed measures, SEAI supports may be available for insulation, heating controls, heat pumps, solar PV and broader energy upgrades. Technical standards, registered contractors and approval timing apply.

Check the latest SEAI home-energy grant information before contracting work. Grant programmes and amounts can change.

How Trade Source IRE Can Help

A derelict-home renovation may need many trades in a planned sequence. Send us the location, property condition, work required, timeframe, approximate budget and any survey, drawings or photographs available.

Where available, Trade Source IRE can help identify potentially suitable builders, roofers, groundworkers, electricians, plumbers, insulation specialists, carpenters, plasterers, tilers, window installers, restoration specialists and decorators.