{"id":352344,"date":"2026-03-18T09:38:08","date_gmt":"2026-03-18T09:38:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/352344\/"},"modified":"2026-03-18T09:38:08","modified_gmt":"2026-03-18T09:38:08","slug":"everything-you-need-to-know-about-new-grants-for-replacing-windows-and-doors-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/352344\/","title":{"rendered":"Everything you need to know about new grants for replacing windows and doors \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

Winter might finally be on its way out, as the promise of spring heralds warmer and brighter days. But improving the energy efficiency and comfort of our homes<\/a> remains a priority for many. <\/p>\n

Grants aimed at achieving just this have been around for a long time, but last month, the Government<\/a> announced a range of new incentives<\/a>, offering money back on windows and doors for the first time.<\/p>\n

But just what\u2019s on offer? How much will you get? And how do you get it?<\/p>\n

I want new windows \u2013 how much will I get?<\/p>\n

A big change is that, under the new scheme, money is now available for new windows and doors \u2013 previously, getting money back on such items was only possible as part of a full retrofit of a property. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe weak link in the chain was essentially windows,\u201d says Brian McIntyre, programme manager at the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI<\/a>), noting that many houses have improved their attic and wall insulation, which means that replacing windows is the \u201clast part of the puzzle\u201d.<\/p>\n

Now, you will be able to apply separately for a windows grant without having to commit to a full retrofit \u2013 but watch out for the small print. <\/p>\n

The maximum grant you can get is \u20ac4,000 for a detached property, falling to \u20ac3,000 for semidetached and end-terrace homes, \u20ac1,800 for midterrace homes and \u20ac1,500 for apartments.<\/p>\n

McIntyre says the grants are pitched at covering about 30 per cent of the costs of new windows\/doors, so you could expect to pay upwards of about \u20ac12,000 for new windows for a detached property.<\/p>\n

[\u00a0Are the new grants of up to \u20ac5,600 for windows and doors available for all Irish homeowners?Opens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n

But bear in mind that not everyone might benefit.<\/p>\n

The first caveat is that you may need to do all the windows \u2013 and you must be replacing existing single- or double-glazed windows with high-performing windows. \u201cThe principle is that people need to upgrade all of their windows,\u201d says McIntyre, although he adds that in practice, the SEAI won\u2019t be forcing people to do so. Rather, the average heat loss through your windows after the upgrade should indicate an average U value of 1.4 \u2013 and you may be able to achieve this without changing all your windows. <\/p>\n

The second is that the scheme is aimed at boosting your energy efficiency \u2013 so you will need to have adequate attic and wall insulation in order to qualify for a windows grant.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s \u2018adequate\u2019 insulation?<\/p>\n

Well, if you received SEAI grants for attic and wall insulation, then this will be sufficient; if you got a Ber \u2013 that is, building energy rating \u2013 advisory report, then check to see if your attic and wall insulation is \u201cgood\u201d or \u201cvery good\u201d; and, finally, if you don\u2019t have either of these, McIntyre says you should get advice from a Ber assessor who can analyse older Bers or perform a pre-works Ber assessment. <\/p>\n

This will cost, he says, about \u20ac200-\u20ac300, adding that the \u201ctypical house\u201d, built from about 2000, should qualify, or at most, might just need some improvement to the roof insulation.<\/p>\n

If you don\u2019t have adequate insulation, there are also grants available for doing this work \u2013 see below.<\/p>\n

If you need to improve your insulation, you can do so at the same time as you get your windows and\/or doors.<\/p>\n

Will window suppliers just increase prices?<\/p>\n

As with all grants, there can be a fear that market prices just factor in the increase in the grant. <\/p>\n

\u201cShop around \u2013 and get different quotes from different suppliers,\u201d advises McIntyre.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope that window companies who see value in increased interest don\u2019t see the need to increase prices,\u201d he says, \u201cI\u2019d hate to see it being abused by suppliers.\u201d<\/p>\n

I ordered my windows last month \u2013 can I still qualify?<\/p>\n

Yes \u2013 provided you did so after the Government announcement on January 27th, you meet the requirements of the scheme, and you\u2019re using a registered supplier. <\/p>\n

What about new doors?<\/p>\n

You can also now apply for a grant for new doors. This is offered at up to \u20ac800 per door, and is available for two doors \u2013 so a maximum of \u20ac1,600.<\/p>\n

You can apply for this at the same time as getting your new windows, or separately.<\/p>\n

[\u00a0Going fossil fuel-free at home: what will it cost and can it save you money?Opens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n

You can claim the grant for upgrades done on the original part of the house or for any extensions built before January 1st 2011. Extensions built after this date are not eligible. <\/p>\n

What about my walls?<\/p>\n

The latest expansion of the scheme follows a move to increase cavity-wall insulation back in February. As of February 3rd, homeowners can now avail of grants to boost the cosiness of their walls from \u20ac700 for an apartment, \u20ac1,300 for a semidetached home or \u20ac1,800 for a detached property. <\/p>\n

McIntyre says this is pitched at about 80 per cent of market costs for undertaking this work. <\/p>\n

And attic?<\/p>\n

Grants have also been increased for attic insulation. You can now get from \u20ac1,100 back on an apartment, \u20ac1,500 for a semi-d and \u20ac2,000 for a detached home. Again, this is pitched at about 80 per cent of market costs.<\/p>\n

Is there anything in it for first-time buyers?<\/p>\n

Yes \u2013 provided the home you buy was built before 2011. Under the most recent enhancement, FTBs can apply for \u20ac2,500 back on the cost of attic insulation. According to McIntyre, this is aimed at covering 100 per cent of the costs of this work. <\/p>\n

[\u00a0A home heating expert retrofits his own home: \u2018There are many affordable measures you can take\u2019Opens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first area worth improving insulation in is the attic,\u201d he says, of the thinking behind this grant, noting that some homes might have attic insulation which isn\u2019t up to current standards. \u201cIt\u2019s a bit of a no-brainer to do first thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

I\u2019m looking at a new boiler \u2013 should I go for a heat pump?<\/p>\n

While there is a goal that 400,000 homes would have heat pumps by 2030, take-up has been slower than expected. According to McIntyre, only about 50,000 homes currently have these heat generators.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of myths persist, and it has been difficult to overcome those myths,\u201d he says, citing beliefs that heat pumps don\u2019t work in the winter \u2013 not true \u2013 or that you have to dig up the floor for underfloor heating \u2013 also not true, as you can run them off radiators.<\/p>\n

So, to boost take-up, as of February 3rd, this grant increased significantly, from \u20ac6,500 to \u20ac12,500. This covers a grant of up to \u20ac6,500 for a heat pump system; up to \u20ac2,000 for upgrade works such as new radiators\/underfloor heating; and a \u20ac4,000 Renewable Heat Bonus grant, for those who are swapping out their existing oil\/gas boiler, solid fuel heating system or electric storage heating system.<\/p>\n

McIntyre says the median cost for installing a heat pump is about \u20ac16,000-\u20ac17,000, so this grant covers a significant chunk of the costs. It leaves a net cost of about \u20ac3,500-\u20ac4,000, which McIntyre says \u201cis what you\u2019d pay for a fossil-fuel boiler\u201d.<\/p>\n

The SEAI is also currently running a pilot scheme for a high-temperature heat pump, the next-generation product, and further incentives might arise out of this in due course. <\/p>\n

Is there anything extra for people on social welfare?<\/p>\n

Yes, the SEAI is now offering fully funded attic and cavity-wall insulation for those on qualifying payments who own and live in their own home. It must have been built before 2006. Qualifying payments include fuel allowance; job seeker\u2019s allowance with a child under seven years of age; one-parent family payment; and domiciliary care allowance. <\/p>\n

It means that the grant for attic insulation has increased to \u20ac1,800 for a mid-terrace\/\u20ac2,500 for a detached house, while grants for cavity-wall insulation have increased to up to \u20ac2,500.<\/p>\n

[\u00a0What tax credit am I due for my solar panels and how do I claim it?Opens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n

This also applies to people waiting on the warmer homes scheme \u2013 as McIntyre notes, you can get the work done now with this grant and it won\u2019t affect your position on the warmer homes waiting list. <\/p>\n

Grant first or pay first?<\/p>\n

This will depend on how you proceed; if you appoint your own registered contractor, then you will pay for the works and get the grant once they\u2019re completed. If you opt for a one-stop shop, the grant is deducted from your bill, as they will apply for it on your behalf.<\/p>\n

Can I borrow for my new windows?<\/p>\n

Yes, via a normal personal loan, but if you\u2019re hoping to avail of the SBCI Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme, which offers loans from rates of as low as about 3 per cent, on borrowings of between \u20ac5,000-\u20ac75,000, that might be a bit trickier.<\/p>\n

This is because the loan, which is offered by PTSB, AIB, Bank of Ireland and Avant Money (in partnership with An Post Money), as well as some credit unions, requires that the upgrades must be projected to result in a Ber improvement of a minimum of 20 per cent. <\/p>\n

\u201cIf upgrading the windows on their own achieves that, then they could avail of the Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme,\u201d says McIntyre, but adds that it\u2019s likely that only a few window replacements \u2013 maybe for early 1990s houses \u2013 would result in that level of improvement.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s next?<\/p>\n

As the schemes continue to evolve, homeowners can expect further incentives over time. McIntyre suggests ventilation could be one area of focus, while the SEAI currently has a pilot scheme looking to improve energy efficiency of homes of traditional construction, built before 1940.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Winter might finally be on its way out, as the promise of spring heralds warmer and brighter days.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":352345,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[1153,40894,72,61,60,4310,53921],"class_list":["post-352344","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-business","tag-sustainability","tag-ber-rating","tag-business","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-property","tag-sustainable-energy-authority-of-ireland-seai"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/352344","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=352344"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/352344\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/352345"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=352344"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=352344"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=352344"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}