New regulations always raise more questions than a single page can answer. Here are the ones we hear most often:

• What’s the smallest and largest I can build?

  32m² is the floor and 45m² is the ceiling. Below 32m² the unit doesn’t qualify as a dwelling; above 45m² you’re back into the planning process.

• Can somebody live there permanently?

  Yes, that’s what an auxiliary dwelling is for. It’s a full home with its own kitchen, bathroom and entrance — not a garden room or an office.

• Can I rent it out?

  This depends on the conditions attached to the exemption, which is worth getting clear advice on before you build if letting is your main reason for doing it. We’ll flag what applies to your situation, but you should take your own legal advice on tenancy and tax.

• How long does it take?

  Typically a couple of weeks on site once foundations are in, with design and preparation before that. Groundworks and service connections are the usual cause of variation, which is why we survey before quoting.

• Does it need its own ESB connection?

  It can have one, or it can run off the main house supply. A separate meter makes sense if someone else is paying the bills; a shared supply is cheaper to install. We’ll price both.

• What about water and drainage?

  Both connect to the existing services on your property. The cost depends on the distance from the main house and the ground you’re digging through. If the unit sits below the level of the existing foul run, a pumped system may be needed.

• Will it affect my property tax or my insurance?

  It will change your Local Property Tax valuation, and you’ll need to tell your insurer. Neither is a reason not to build, but both should be sorted before anyone moves in.

• Can it be made wheelchair accessible?

  Yes, and it costs far less to design in than to retrofit. Level thresholds, wider doors, a wet room and a lower kitchen worktop are all straightforward at drawing stage.

• Can I add to it later?

  Not beyond 45m² without planning permission. What you can do is future-proof the inside. 

• What’s included in the price?

  Design, compliance documentation, foundations, the building itself, and connection of services of the dwelling. Site works beyond that are quoted separately after we’ve seen the ground.

• What if my garden is awkward to get machinery into?

  Access is the first thing we look at. Narrow side passages, overhead lines and soft ground all affect the method and the cost, and it’s better to know on day one than halfway through