Co. Meath · Meath County Council area
Granny Flats & Garden Homes in Dunboyne, Co. Meath
Nua Living designs and builds ICF granny flats and garden homes in Dunboyne, in south-east Meath, and in nearby Ratoath, Dunshaughlin and Maynooth. A garden home gives a parent or a grown-up child a place of their own, close by. Every size has a fixed price, and the on-site structural build takes 5–10 days once your foundations are ready.
- Granny flats from
- €93,900 + VAT
- On-site build
- 5–10 days
- Exempt home sizes
- 32–45 m²
- Council to notify
- Meath County Council
S.I. No. 340/2026 · Class 3A
Planning in Dunboyne
The national Class 3A exemption applies in Dunboyne as it does across Ireland. A garden home of 32–45 m² can go ahead without planning permission when all of these hold:
- It is a detached home of 32–45 m², measured on the external footprint, in the rear garden of your main house — counted together with any earlier Class 3 garden structures.
- At least 25 m² of private garden remains for the main house.
- It sits at least 0.6 m from every boundary, and its windows are at least 0.6 m from the boundary they face.
- It has its own pedestrian access within the garden, with no new entrance onto the road.
- It is no higher than 3 m (4 m with a tiled or slated pitched roof).
- You live in the main house as your sole or main residence, and the garden home is never sold separately or let short-term.
- Meath County Council is notified at least 14 days before work starts, with the location and Eircode of the property.
- Work starts and finishes by 31 December 2030.
We check your site against every condition at the free site visit. Sizes above 45 m² need standard planning permission from Meath County Council, which we apply for on your behalf.
How the S.I. No. 340/2026 exemption works →Fixed prices nationwide
Granny flat sizes & fixed prices in Dunboyne
A build in Dunboyne costs the same as anywhere we work: one fixed price per size, including design, build and full project management. Prices exclude site works, connections and professional fees. We quote those after your free site visit.
| Size & model | Fixed price | Bedrooms / use | Planning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 33 m²1 Bed Granny Flat | €106,577incl. 13.5% VAT€93,900 + VAT | 1 bedroom | Can be exempt* |
| 45 m²1 or 2 Bed Granny Flat | €143,578incl. 13.5% VAT€126,500 + VAT | 1 bed (2 bed possible) | Can be exempt* |
| 48 m²2 Bed Granny Flat | €152,658incl. 13.5% VAT€134,500 + VAT | 2 bedroom | Standard permission |
| 25 m²Garden Studio | €78,315incl. 13.5% VAT€69,000 + VAT | Garden room · not for sleeping in | Exempt as garden room† |
The 25 m² Garden Studio is a Class 3 garden room, not a home. It is for use with your home — an office, studio, gym or hobby room — and cannot be lived in or slept in without planning permission.
*Subject to site eligibility under S.I. No. 340/2026, Class 3A (32–45 m² in the rear garden, owner living in the main house, at least 25 m² of garden remaining, own access within the garden, 14-day notice to the council) — confirmed at your free site visit. Build time refers to the on-site structural build once foundations are ready; excludes design, planning and connections lead-time. Prices exclude site works, connections and professional fees. †Garden Studio: Class 3, Part 1, Schedule 2, Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as substituted by S.I. No. 338/2026. Not forward of the front wall; finishes to match the house if built to the side; not for human habitation. May not apply where planning conditions restrict exempt development. Counts towards the 45 m² Class 3A limit if you later add a garden home. Confirmed at your free site visit.
Full price list & what each price includes →Concept floor plans
Layouts for Dunboyne gardens
Our 10 concept floor plans run from 32 to 45 m², each drawn to scale so you can print it and mark it out in your garden. Every home is custom designed, so a plan is a starting point, not a limit.
For a long, narrow garden
Dunboyne FAQ
Garden homes in Dunboyne: your questions
Do I need planning permission for a granny flat in Dunboyne?+
In most cases, not for a garden home of 32–45 m². Dunboyne follows the same national rules as everywhere else: under S.I. No. 340/2026 (Class 3A), a detached home of 32–45 m² in the rear garden of your main house is exempt from planning permission if at least 25 m² of garden remains, it sits 0.6 m from every boundary, it has its own access within the garden, you live in the main house, and Meath County Council is notified 14 days before work starts. The 33 m² 1 Bed Granny Flat and the 45 m² 1 or 2 Bed Granny Flat fit the band; the 48 m² 2 Bed Granny Flat needs standard permission, which we handle. The exemption runs until 31 December 2030, and we check your site free of charge.
Which council do I notify for a garden home in Dunboyne?+
Dunboyne is in the Meath County Council area, so that is the planning authority you notify. The Class 3A notification must reach the council at least 14 days before work starts, giving the location and Eircode of your property. Email penquiries@meathcoco.ie (confirm the address by phone first). Meath County Council publishes its own notification form, linked on this page, and we prepare and file it for you as part of every exempt build. It is separate from the building control Commencement Notice, which goes on BCMS because a garden home is a new dwelling.
How much does a garden home cost in Dunboyne?+
Our prices are fixed nationwide, so a build in Dunboyne costs the same as anywhere else: €93,900 (€106,577 incl. 13.5% VAT) for the 33 m² 1 Bed Granny Flat, €126,500 (€143,578 incl. 13.5% VAT) for the 45 m² 1 or 2 Bed Granny Flat and €134,500 (€152,658 incl. 13.5% VAT) for the 48 m² 2 Bed Granny Flat (+ VAT @ 13.5%), including design, build and full project management. The 25 m² Garden Studio, a garden room rather than a home, is €69,000 + VAT @ 13.5% (€78,315 incl. 13.5% VAT). Prices exclude site works, connections and professional fees. We quote those after your free site visit in Dunboyne.
How long does a garden home build take in Dunboyne?+
Once your foundations are ready, the on-site structural build takes 5–10 days. Primestructures’ own crew builds every home, with 10 years of ICF construction behind them. Design, planning and connections come before that: for an exempt size, the 14-day notification to Meath County Council and the building control Commencement Notice have to go in before work starts, and a larger size needs planning permission first. We give you a full timeline at your free site visit.
Around Dunboyne
Guides & nearby areas
Garden home guides
- Granny flat side access: what to measure before a site visitPrepare a simple access sketch, useful photographs and a list of restrictions before a garden-home site visit. Keep site suitability for assessment.
- Section 5 declaration or Class 3A notification?Understand the different purposes of a Section 5 declaration and a Class 3A notification, and prepare the right questions before garden-home work starts.
- Mobile homes in gardens: what Class 3A excludesCheck the distinction between a temporary mobile home and a permanent garden dwelling before buying, arranging site work or relying on Class 3A.
- Questions to ask a granny flat builder before you commitUse a meeting checklist to record scope, responsibilities, specification and unresolved questions before choosing a garden-home builder.
Nearby areas we cover
Free, no-obligation quote
Get a fixed price for your site
Start with your name and number so we can get back to you. Then check your garden and add any site details you know for your quote — the extra questions are optional. You deal with Nua Living throughout: one point of contact from your first call to handover. Primestructures’ own crew builds every home, with 10 years of ICF construction behind them.
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