The windows grant with solid or hollow block walls
A solid, stone or hollow block wall has no cavity to fill, so it needs internal insulation (dry lining) or external insulation (the wrap) before the home can pass the heat loss test. For a semi-D the grants are €3,500 internal and €6,000 external. Plan the windows and the wall work together, so the insulation meets the new frames.
No cavity to fill: the two ways to insulate, their grants, and how the windows fit in.
Free, no obligation. One registered contractor prices it, not five.
- €3,500internal wall grant, semi-D
- €6,000external wall grant, semi-D
- 25%of the outside surface: the B2 rule kicks in above it
- Before 1940ask about conservation first
Internal or external
| Home type | Internal (dry lining) | External (the wrap) |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | €4,500 | €8,000 |
| Semi-D or end of terrace | €3,500 | €6,000 |
| Mid-terrace | €2,000 | €3,500 |
| Apartment | €1,500 | €3,000 |
Internal lines the inside of the outside walls, room by room. External wraps the outside of the house in insulation and a new render. Which suits your house: which wall insulation.
The windows and the walls
Both kinds of wall insulation change the window openings. Internal insulation brings the inside face of the wall in; external insulation brings the outside face out, and the insulation has to meet the window frame. Plan the two jobs together: put the windows in with or before the wall insulation, and apply for both before either starts. External insulation and the windows on one plan: the external insulation grant.
Is your home ready for the windows grant?
Four quick taps. You see where your home stands, what has to come first and every grant on the way. Your number is only asked for at the end, if you want a price.
A semi-D with the attic done and cavity walls never filled: 1 step first, the €1,300 cavity grant, then €3,000 for the windows and up to €1,600 for two doors.
How this is worked out
SEAI's windows and doors grant needs a Good or Very Good Heat Loss Indicator on the BER Advisory Report after the work, which SEAI says an HLI below 2.3 meets. Attic and wall insulation rated Good or Very Good on your report means you meet the standard. The grants are SEAI's fixed amounts for your home type, and the doors grant is shown for two doors. The check is a guide: a BER assessor and SEAI decide.
The 25% rule
If the work changes more than 25% of the home's outside surface, the building regulations ask the home to reach a B2 BER, or to have a heating system and attic insulation that meet the regulations. External insulation on a whole house is well over 25%.
Older houses
Homes built before 1940 may need a conservation professional's advice before any wall insulation, because modern methods may not suit them. More on old, solid and stone walls.
Questions people ask
Can I get the windows grant if my walls are solid?
Yes, once the walls are insulated (internal or external) and the home reaches a Good or Very Good heat loss figure after the work.
Should the windows go in before external insulation?
Plan them together. The insulation has to meet the window frames, so the windows go in with or before the wrap, and both grants are approved before either starts.
Is there a grant for a hollow block wall?
Yes: internal or external wall insulation. For a semi-D, €3,500 or €6,000.
Check your home in four taps
Where you stand, what comes first and every grant on the way. Then, if you want, one SEAI-registered contractor who covers your county rings with a price.