Bringing an empty house back to life — and doing the fabric properly while it is open.
Administered by local authorities, aimed at the whole refurbishment.
There are more empty houses in Ireland than there are people looking for a first home in many towns. Vacant and derelict property grants exist to close that gap — funding the refurbishment of long-empty homes so they can be lived in again.
Unlike SEAI energy grants, these are administered by local authorities rather than centrally, and they’re aimed at the whole refurbishment, not just the energy element. A derelict property attracts a higher level of support than one that is simply vacant, reflecting the extra work involved.
Grant values, vacancy period requirements and property age conditions are set by government and revised periodically. Your local authority is the authority on what currently applies — we’ll tell you what the works are likely to involve and what they’ll cost.
An empty house is rarely just an empty house.
An empty house is rarely just an empty house. What we typically find:
The good news is that a property being stripped back is the cheapest possible moment to do a deep retrofit properly. Floors are up, walls are open, and services are being replaced regardless. Insulation, airtightness and a heat pump specified now cost a fraction of what they cost as a later retrofit.
From insulation to heat pumps, ventilation and more. Improve comfort, lower bills and increase your BER rating.
New builds, extensions and deep retrofits, fully managed from design and planning through to construction and completion.
High-quality solar panel systems for homes, farms and businesses. Lower energy costs and gain energy independence.
Energy upgrades and construction solutions for commercial, agricultural and public sector projects.
Refurbishment grants and energy grants are not mutually exclusive, and the sequencing matters. A vacant property grant supports bringing the house back into use; SEAI supports the energy upgrades within it. Planned together, one project can draw on both.
Planned separately, you end up insulating a house you plastered last year, or installing a heat pump into a building whose fabric was never upgraded. We plan these projects as one programme from the outset.
ENCON handles vacant and derelict refurbishments end to end — survey, design, planning where required, structural works, fabric upgrade, services and finishes. For a property that needs this much work, a single contractor carrying the whole scope is worth more than the sum of competitive quotes for individual trades.
There’s a minimum vacancy period and it’s set nationally. Your local authority confirms whether a specific property qualifies.
The schemes serve different purposes and can often work alongside each other. We’ll plan the project so both are used properly rather than one cancelling the other.
Conditions apply around occupancy and rental, and they’ve changed over time. Check the current rules with your local authority.
Sometimes, clearly. Sometimes not. The honest answer depends on the structure, and that’s what a survey is for — before you bid, ideally.
Call 051 850722. Get it surveyed before you bid — it changes what the property is worth to you.
