Surveyors expect house rebuilding costs to rise

The cost of rebuilding a house will increase by an average of 4% this year.

The Society of Chartered Surveyors says the rise varies from 3% in Dublin to 6% in Galway and Waterford.

The increase is mainly due to rising construction costs.

For a three-bed semi-detached house, the group says the cost per square foot ranges from €115 in the north-west, to €143 in the north-east and €174 per square foot in Dublin.

The SCSI publishes an annual guide to rebuilding costs for homeowners, for insurance purposes.