Cost of living: Grant worth up to €50,000 available to…

Cost of living: Grant worth up to €50,000 available to people for house renovation

People throughout Ireland are entitled to a grant worth up to a staggering €50,000 which can be used to renovate a vacant house to turn it into a home.

The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant is a payment you can get if you are turning a vacant house or building into your permanent home.

Those eligible can receive up to €30,000 to renovate a vacant property and an additional top-up grant of up to €20,000 if the property is derelict.

However, there are certain criteria that must be met to be considered eligible for the grant, such as living in the home when the renovations are completed or only using the grant for a house that has been vacant for two years or more.

Here is everything you need to know about the grant:

How to qualify for the grant?

To qualify, you must fit within these criteria:

Your home must have been vacant for two years or more.
Your home must have been built before 1993.
You must own the home, or be in the process of buying it.
You must live in the property as your principal private residence when the work is completed.
You must have tax clearance from Revenue and your tax affairs must be in order.
You must have paid your local property tax, if applicable.
You must not have already got funding under the grant

What does the grant cover?

The grant covers the following:

Demolition work and site clearances including the removal of hazardous materials
Substructure works including work to foundations, rising walls, floor slabs, damp-proofing and underpinning
Structural works to superstructure including walls, party walls, chimneys, suspended timber floors, structural timbers
Works to internal walls, stairs, and landings, as well as internal wall completions including doors, windows, and applied finishes
External walls completions including doors, windows, sills, and applied finishes
Roof completions, including flashings, fascias, soffits, gutters, downpipes
Building services including plumbing, heating, ventilation, electrical services, telecommunications
Painting and decoration needed because of the work
Extensions in accordance with planning regulations and as part of a wider refurbishment
Necessary external works and site development works carried out within the area of the site
Professional services associated with works