Spending on home improvements is on the rise and is set to grow further, according to the Construction Industry Federation. We spent a total of €4.5 billion in 2006 repairing, maintaining and improving our homes and this figure is set to rise by 4 per cent year-on-year for the foreseeable future. This compares with the €24 billion that is spent on new residential construction as a whole. Many people are opting for extensions so that they can stay where they are while improving and increasing their living space. If you want a bespoke extension with excellent finishes you can expect to pay around €3,500- €4,000 a sq m but something simpler could cost about half that. The RIAI (Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland) suggests around €2,000 to €2,850 per sq m for a basic extension in traditional materials rising to €2,700 to €3,300 per sq m for an extension which requires renovation to an existing house.
