Self-build guide · Ireland
Building your own home is funded differently to buying one — the money comes in stages as the build progresses. Here's how stage payments, deposits, planning and lender choice work.
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A self-build mortgage is a stage-payment mortgage — it funds the construction of your own home rather than the purchase of a finished property. Unlike a standard mortgage paid as a single lump sum, the funds are released in tranches as your build reaches each agreed milestone.
A self-build is typically drawn down across four to five stages, for example:
A surveyor signs off each stage, and the lender releases that tranche of funds once the work is certified. The exact split and number of stages vary by lender and by your build programme.
Expect a minimum 20% deposit, and some lenders ask for more on a self-build. Importantly, the value of land you already own can count toward your deposit — so an existing site (bought or gifted) reduces the cash you personally need to put in.
You need full planning permission — not just outline permission — in place before a lender will approve your self-build mortgage. Lenders rely on the approved drawings, costings and conditions to assess the project, so full planning is a hard prerequisite, not a formality to tidy up later.
Self-build isn't offered by every lender. Haven and Bank of Ireland are among those that most commonly support it; others may consider a self-build case by case. Because stage-payment terms and criteria differ, matching your project to the right lender is central to getting it funded — we compare across the panel for you.
A realistic contingency is the single most important line — self-builds that run into trouble usually do so because the budget had no slack.
Yes. A self-build mortgage funds the construction of your own home rather than the purchase of a finished one. Instead of a single lump sum, the money is released in stages as the build progresses and is signed off. The core lending limits (4× income for first-time buyers, 3.5× for movers) still apply — it's the way the money is released and the property assessed that differs.
The mortgage is drawn down in tranches tied to construction milestones — typically four to five stages such as foundations, wall plate, roof complete and completion. Before each release, a surveyor or valuer inspects the work and signs off on the stage; the lender then releases that tranche. You fund each stage, it's certified, and the next tranche follows.
Typically a minimum of 20%, and some lenders require more for a self-build given the additional risk. The good news is that the value of a site you already own can usually count toward your deposit — so if you've bought or been gifted the land, that equity reduces the cash you need to find.
Yes — you'll need full planning permission, not just outline permission, before a lender will approve a self-build mortgage. Lenders also want to see detailed costings, drawings and a build programme. Getting your planning and professional documentation in order first is what makes the mortgage process straightforward.
Not every lender offers self-build, and terms vary. Haven and Bank of Ireland are among those that most commonly support self-build, and others may consider it case by case. Because criteria and stage-payment rules differ, choosing the right lender for a self-build matters even more than for a standard purchase — which is exactly what a broker on our lender panel is for.
See which lenders would support your self-build and on what terms — run the free eligibility check in about 60 seconds, then plan the stages with Francis.
Warning: If you do not keep up your repayments you may lose your home.
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