How to get that grant when retrofitting your home

Applying for individual SEAI grant aid is straightforward, but there are a few things to watch out for so it's not snagged — or denied

Whether you're putting in heat controls or placing solar-PV panels on the roof, there’s no means test involved in applying for SEAI grant aid unless you are applying for the Warmer Homes Scheme, aimed at homeowners on certain social welfare benefits. File pictures

Government energy retrofit grants managed through the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) are intended to make our journey towards a more energy-efficient home just a bit less financially onerous. Valued between €700 for help towards heating controls up to €8,000 for external insulation, if you (rather than your project manager) are handling these grant applications they come under the banner of individual grant aid. 

These awards are made retroactively on completion and commissioning of your works, so you will have to fund the job with your own savings or through something like the recently introduced low-interest IBEC green loan scheme available through many lenders and starting at €5,000.