House wrap questions

SEAI pays €8,000 for a detached house, €6,000 for a semi-D or end of terrace, €3,500 for a mid-terrace and €3,000 for an apartment (checked 28 October 2026). The home must be built and occupied before 31 December 2010, and every external wall must be fully insulated.

SEAI's median installed cost in the first half of 2025 was €13,500 for a mid-terrace, €23,333 for a semi-D or end of terrace and €24,000 for a detached house, VAT included. After the grant, that's about €10,000, €17,333 and €16,000.

Homes built and occupied before 31 December 2010, with an MPRN, using an SEAI-registered contractor, with a grant offer before work starts, and every external wall fully insulated.

Yes. After a cavity grant you can apply for internal or external insulation as a second wall measure. After internal: external only. After external: none.

Usually not, since 27 July 2026. External wall insulation to a house is exempted development (Class 63, S.I. No. 341 of 2026) if it's no more than 150 mm thick on the front, rear or gable, doesn't encroach on a public road, and doesn't materially change how the house looks against its neighbours. If unsure, ask your council for a Section 5 declaration.

Weeks rather than days, with scaffold up. HomePros.ie says most house jobs take around 2 to 3 weeks, weather permitting.

Usually yes. The work is outside, though there's scaffold, noise and some disruption.

The wall gets thicker, so the windows sit deeper. New, longer sills and neat reveals keep it tidy.

Maybe. SEAI says you may need one for external wall insulation, depending on how the cable reaches the house. Check with your contractor and ESB Networks before work starts.

It usually improves it, because the walls lose less heat. A post-works BER is part of the grant process.

Not under Better Energy Homes. SEAI directs traditional solid-wall homes to its Traditional Homes Pilot Scheme.

The building-trade "house wrap": a weather membrane for timber frames. It's not insulation. See our explainer.

We pass your request to one SEAI-registered external insulation contractor who covers your area. They ring you, look at the house and give you a price. Nothing is booked until you say yes.

No. housewrap.ie is not SEAI or a government body and does not award grants. We pass your request to a contractor. You apply to SEAI for the grant, or a One Stop Shop applies for you.

No. The grant check and the callback are free to you.