Renovating an 1980s Irish bungalow? Expert advice on septic tanks, wells and renovation pitfalls

Property advice on the steps you need to take

A 1980s-built bungalow will need some modernisation and spending: worth it if going to be a ‘forever’ home. Picture: iStock

Hi Brigid,

My husband and I are renting in Limerick city at the moment but looking to buy our own place and hopefully start a family. Because of the shortage and price of new and secondhand properties in the city we are looking at older properties near where my parents are living in Co Waterford. We have spotted one property which is a pretty basic, four-bedroom bungalow of 140sq m which was built in the early 1980s. It is in a rural — some would say isolated area — and has a septic tank and a private well. It’s on 0.8 of an acre so there is plenty of room for extending and for a garden. They are looking for €230K for it and my husband reckons it will take another €200/ €250K to redesign and modernise.
We don’t have skills in construction but would be willing to do as much of the basic work as we could. And we’d have to do it in stages. I work in project management so I think that would be useful. We have many questions, but I guess the main one is what are the main challenges people face in taking on this type of property or something like it? Are there many supports we could avail of? Is doing it in stages feasible? Does it make financial sense? Is taking on an older property in the country more difficult than taking on one in the city? Lots of questions I know but I feel we are approaching a crossroads and need to decide soon. Any advice would be great.
Thanks,
Roisin (and Enda)

Hi Roisin (and Enda),

I love to hear the word, basic. To me, basic means it has all the necessary rooms, but the décor, fixings and fittings are dated, so there is opportunity to stamp it with your own personality. A four-bedroom bungalow on 0.8 of an acre for €230,000 sounds like a solid base, especially considering the potential for space, privacy, and a more peaceful pace of life.

Being near family is a huge bonus, particularly if you’re planning for children.

Let’s look at each of your questions. What are the main challenges? You make it very clear that the property is rural or even isolated, so I believe you need to probe this a bit more as it’s on your mind. Depending on your lifestyle and social needs, rural living can feel quite lonely, more so if you’re used to the city. If your parents are nearby, then it might be assumed that this is not a problem for you, but you will need to ensure Enda is fully aware. Where does he hail from? If a ‘townie’ or city dweller, it will be a huge challenge for him.

Map out the location of key services such as shops, GPs, schools, and childcare. Options may be limited in the country and may also be that bit further away, so I’d get a handle on this as early as possible. Don’t forget to look at broadband and mobile coverage.

With a young family, you will spend more time working from home and, as a project manager (PM), you will be heavily relied upon, so it will be essential that you are able to send and receive emails and take phone calls without them dropping at critical moments.

Site services will have to be fully understood. A septic tank has specific requirements and as the property is a 1980s-build it will need to be scrutinised. The use of water has increased exponentially with washing machines, dishwashers, cooking hygiene, and our need to have a shower every day. Older septic tanks were not designed for this kind of volume. As a basic requirement you will need to have this serviced, but it is more than likely that you’ll have to upgrade the system. This will require an EPA test and planning permission. The EPA test is carried out by a Site Suitability Assessor (usually a chartered surveyor or engineer) and a digger will be required to dig test holes.

The private well also has very specific needs. It will require a pump, or perhaps two, and therefore an electrical supply. The water will have to be filtered and cleaned, and this may mean that associated plant will have to be installed, and you must consider storing the cleaning products. A yearly maintenance check will be necessary. When looking for a Site Suitability Assessor, ensure that they can include inspection and advice on well management. Connecting to the public water supply may be a safer and less costly option, albeit an infamously long-winded process.

Houses built in this period may have components with asbestos containing materials (ACMs). These might be in the concrete roof slates or tiles, floor tiles, or associated with the heating system. Lack of insulation or damp proofing may be an issue. Rewiring and replumbing is also a likelihood. So, it would be best practice to secure a chartered building surveyor to do a survey on the dwelling and follow the recommendations in their report, prior to purchase.

On supports, funding is available through the ‘Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant’ which is up to €50,000 (plus €20,000 top-up if the property is derelict) if the house was unoccupied for two years. The SEAI (Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland) continue to offer funding for heating upgrades, insulation, solar panels, and windows.

The ‘Help to Buy’ (HTB) scheme doesn’t apply to secondhand properties but if both of you are first-time buyers and instead of renovating you decide to self-build a new home on the site you may qualify for tax refunds of up to €30,000.

You may have no choice but to do the work in stages. This is most common and being a PM is a massive advantage. On finance, you may have read in my previous articles where I state that a good practitioner will ask if it’s your forever home? Based on your figures you’ll be spending between €430,000 and €480,000, all-in. If this is your forever home, this isn’t unreasonable. If it’s a stepping stone home, it may be too costly.

On country versus city construction, both have advantages and disadvantages and few of these are shared. City sites may be cramped, tight to access with limited construction compounds and neighbours might be impacted on, but access to tradespeople is higher. Rural sites have more room, fewer neighbours to impact on, but transport costs are higher.

This is not supposed to be negative or sugar coated. You’re a PM and its best you know the pitfalls so you can make a viable plan. This is an exciting time but go in with eyes fully open and the very best of luck.

Brigid Browne is a chartered building surveyor and chair of the Southern Region of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland. She is the owner/ managing director of Cashel-based Fortress Planning which offers a range of services including assigned certifier, design certifier, building surveyor, and conservation consultancy to clients all over the country — www.fortressplanning.ie

If you have a property related query or issue you would like to raise with Brigid, please email
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