Grants, loans and what to ask
Granny flat grants in Ireland: what applies, and how to pay
There is no grant for building a garden home or granny flat. A granny flat (or garden home) is paid for from savings or by borrowing. Here is the one grant worth asking your council about, the ones that don't apply, and the loan options. We don't publish interest rates or recommend lenders; your lender sets those.
Start with a fixed price
What you are paying for
- 1 Bed Granny Flat · 33 m²€93,900 + VAT @ 13.5%
- 1 or 2 Bed Granny Flat · 45 m²€126,500 + VAT @ 13.5%
- 2 Bed Granny Flat · 48 m²€134,500 + VAT @ 13.5%
- Garden Studio · 25 m² · garden room, not a home€69,000 + VAT @ 13.5%
Including design, build and full project management. Site works, connections and professional fees are quoted after your free site visit.
Payment stages
Confirmed in your quote
Your payment stages are set out in your fixed-price quote, so you see them before you commit to anything.
Your fixed-price quote sets out the structural warranty.
Borrowing
Ways to borrow for one
Mortgage top-up or equity release
Your own lender may lend against your home, whether you have a mortgage or own it outright. It is secured on your home, so ask about the rate, the term, and how they treat a garden home that cannot be sold separately from the main house.
Credit union loan
Many credit unions lend to members for home improvements. Rates, limits and terms vary from one credit union to the next, so ask yours directly.
Personal loan
An unsecured personal loan from a bank or other lender, usually over a shorter term. Compare the APR and the total cost of credit before you sign.
Whichever you choose, ask
- the APR and the total cost of credit;
- the term and the monthly repayment;
- whether it is secured on your home;
- any fees or early-repayment charges.
Grants
What exists, and what doesn't apply
You may hear talk of a "granny flat grant". There isn't one — knowing that up front saves you a wasted application.
No grant for building one
Does not existThere is no grant for building a garden home or granny flat.
SEAI home energy grants
Does not applySEAI home energy grants are for upgrading existing homes — the solar PV and heat pump grants need a home built and occupied before 2021 — so a new garden home does not qualify.
Home Energy Upgrade Loan
Does not applyThe SBCI Home Energy Upgrade Loan only funds SEAI-grant-aided upgrade works that lift an existing home’s BER by at least 20%, so it does not apply to building a new garden home.
Housing Adaptation Grants
Ask your councilHousing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability up to €40,000; Housing Aid for Older People up to €10,700; Mobility Aids Grant up to €8,000. These are means-tested grants run by your local council for adapting a home. The council decides whether a new detached garden home qualifies, and no grant is paid for works that start before approval — ask your council before you sign anything.
If it will be let
Rent-a-Room relief
Budget 2027 (6 October 2026) extended Rent-a-Room relief to new detached garden homes of 32–45 m² built under Class 3A, backdated to 27 July 2026. The tax-free annual limit rises from €14,000 to €16,000 from 1 January 2027. Announced in Budget 2027 — subject to the Finance Act and Revenue guidance.
Rent-a-Room relief explained →Good to know
Paying for it: common questions
Is there a grant for building a granny flat?+
There is no grant for building a garden home or granny flat. The Housing Adaptation Grants are the ones worth asking your council about. These are means-tested grants run by your local council for adapting a home. The council decides whether a new detached garden home qualifies, and no grant is paid for works that start before approval — ask your council before you sign anything.
Can I get an SEAI grant for a new garden home?+
SEAI home energy grants are for upgrading existing homes — the solar PV and heat pump grants need a home built and occupied before 2021 — so a new garden home does not qualify.
Does the Home Energy Upgrade Loan cover a garden home?+
The SBCI Home Energy Upgrade Loan only funds SEAI-grant-aided upgrade works that lift an existing home’s BER by at least 20%, so it does not apply to building a new garden home.
Could the Housing Adaptation Grant help?+
Possibly — ask your council. Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability up to €40,000; Housing Aid for Older People up to €10,700; Mobility Aids Grant up to €8,000. These are means-tested grants run by your local council for adapting a home. The council decides whether a new detached garden home qualifies, and no grant is paid for works that start before approval — ask your council before you sign anything.
How do payments to Nua Living work?+
Your payment stages are set out in your fixed-price quote, so you see them before you commit to anything. Prices are fixed per size; site works, connections and professional fees are quoted after your free site visit.
Do you recommend a lender?+
No. We don’t publish interest rates or recommend lenders. Talk to your own bank, credit union or an independent financial adviser, and compare the APR and total cost of credit.
Sources
- SBCI — Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme
- PTSB — SBCI Home Energy Upgrade Loan
- SEAI — Solar Electricity Grant
- SEAI — Heat Pump Systems grant
- Revised Housing Adaptation Grants of up to €40,000 (Erin McGreehan TD)
- Citizens Information — Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability
General information, not financial advice. Grant amounts are the maximums in force from 1 December 2024; your council confirms eligibility and the amount.