Homeowner guide
Buying, Renovating & Upgrading a Home
A clear overview of the principal national supports available to Irish buyers and homeowners in 2026.
Buying a home in Ireland can involve much more than saving a deposit. You may also need to budget for legal fees, surveys, repairs, insulation, heating, windows, electrical work and renovation costs.
Several Government grants, loans, tax refunds and shared-equity schemes may help you buy, renovate or upgrade a home. Local authorities may also offer limited or area-specific schemes, so always check what is available where the property is located.
Important
Not every support is a grant
Help to Buy is a tax refund, the First Home Scheme is shared equity, and Local Authority Home Loans must be repaid. Check the current terms directly with the relevant provider before committing to a purchase or contract.
Help with buying or building a home
1. Help to Buy Scheme
The Help to Buy Scheme supports eligible first-time buyers purchasing a newly built home or building their own home. Eligible applicants can claim the lowest of €30,000, 10% of the purchase price or approved self-build valuation, or the Income Tax and DIRT paid during the four years before applying.
The property must be valued at €500,000 or less, the qualifying mortgage must generally cover at least 70% of its value, and the home must be your main residence. Help to Buy does not normally apply to second-hand homes, even where they need major renovation.
2. First Home Scheme
The First Home Scheme is a shared-equity scheme designed to bridge the gap between your deposit, mortgage and the price of a qualifying home. It can provide up to 30% of the purchase price or self-build cost, or up to 20% where Help to Buy is also used.
The scheme takes an equity share in your home. There is no service charge for the first five years, but charges can begin from year six if the equity share has not been bought back. Property price ceilings apply and vary by local authority area.
3. Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme
Qualifying buyers can purchase certain new homes at a reduced price under this scheme. The local authority takes an equity share covering the difference between market value and the price paid; the share can generally range from 5% to 40% depending on the development and the buyer’s purchasing capacity.
4. Local Authority Home Loan
This Government-backed mortgage is for eligible first-time buyers and Fresh Start applicants who cannot get sufficient finance from commercial lenders. It can be used to buy a new or second-hand home, build a home on your own site, or purchase certain affordable or tenant-purchase homes. Applicants normally need at least a 10% deposit and evidence of insufficient mortgage offers from two regulated lenders.
5. Ready to Build Scheme
Local authorities can make serviced sites available at a reduced price to people who want to build their own home. The discount is based on the cost of servicing the site and can be worth up to €30,000, subject to local availability.
6. Tenant Purchase Schemes
Qualifying local-authority tenants may be able to buy the home they currently rent under the Incremental Tenant Purchase Scheme. Depending on household income and eligibility, the purchase-price discount can range from 40% to 60%.
Grants for vacant and derelict homes
7. Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant
You may receive up to €50,000 to refurbish a qualifying vacant property, with an additional derelict-property top-up of up to €20,000—a potential total of €70,000. The property must generally have been vacant for at least two years and built before 2008. Apply through the local authority and receive approval before starting grant-supported work.
Eligible work can include structural repairs, roofing, demolition and clearance, windows and doors, plumbing, electrical work, kitchens, bathrooms, internal finishes and certain professional fees. Read our Derelict Property Grant guide for the full process.
8. Vacant Above the Shop Grant
This support helps convert vacant space over commercial premises into homes. The maximum standard support currently listed is up to €95,000 for one home, €115,000 for two homes and €135,000 for three or more homes, subject to scheme conditions.
9. Local Authority Purchase and Renovation Loan
This can help eligible buyers purchase and renovate vacant, derelict or non-habitable homes. It combines a Government-backed mortgage, renovation finance and a bridging loan based on the approved vacant-property grant.
Grants for upgrading your home
10. SEAI home energy grants
Once you buy a home, SEAI support may help make it warmer, more comfortable and less expensive to run. Headline maximum amounts include attic insulation up to €2,000 (or €2,500 for qualifying first-time buyers), wall insulation up to €8,000, windows up to €4,000, external doors up to €1,600, heat-pump systems up to €12,500, heating controls up to €700, solar PV up to €1,800 and solar water heating up to €1,200.
Approval must be in place before work begins, and an appropriately registered contractor must be used where required. See our SEAI grants guide and BER rating guide for practical next steps.
11. Warmer Homes Scheme
The Warmer Homes Scheme provides fully funded energy upgrades to eligible homeowners receiving certain social welfare payments. Work may include attic or wall insulation and other appropriate measures after a survey.
12. Housing Adaptation and Mobility Grants
Local authorities provide means-tested grants to help older people and people with disabilities remain safely and independently in their homes. The main supports include the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability, Mobility Aids Grant and Housing Aid for Older People Grant.
13. Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme
This is not a grant, but it can help finance the portion of an energy upgrade remaining after SEAI support. Eligible homeowners can borrow between €5,000 and €75,000 for up to ten years through participating lenders, subject to the scheme rules.
Can you combine different supports?
- Help to Buy and First Home Scheme: potentially, but First Home support is generally capped at 20% when Help to Buy is used.
- First Home Scheme and Local Authority Affordable Purchase: cannot be combined.
- Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant and SEAI grants: potentially, but the same work cannot be funded twice.
- Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant and Purchase and Renovation Loan: potentially, subject to meeting both schemes’ conditions.
Always get written confirmation from the relevant scheme provider before relying on more than one support for the same project.
How Trade Source IRE can help
Grant approval is only the beginning. You still need suitable tradesmen, detailed quotations and a clear plan for the work. A project may need builders, groundworks contractors, roofers, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, insulation contractors, window and door installers, plasterers, tilers and decorators.
Tell Trade Source IRE where the property is, what work is required, your approximate budget and preferred timeframe. Where suitable professionals are available, we aim to provide three to five potential trade options near you, allowing you to compare pricing, availability and suitability before choosing who to appoint.
Before starting your project
- Confirm eligibility directly with the scheme provider.
- Arrange an independent survey for an older, vacant or derelict property.
- Check planning and building-control requirements.
- Secure written grant approval before beginning supported work.
- Get detailed written quotations and confirm insurance, registrations and certificates.
- Keep invoices, contracts and proof of payment.
Important: Scheme information is a general guide checked on 27 August 2026. Grant amounts, property limits, eligibility requirements and application rules can change. Always confirm the current terms directly with the relevant official body before making a purchase, beginning work or entering a contract.