Planned
Choosing between Gas Safe and Oftec: heating system basics
A plain-English comparison of gas vs oil heating systems in NI, including running cost, installation cost and maintenance.
Guides for homeowners
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NI-specific, plainly written, checked against the cited sources.
What home improvements cost
8 min read
Boiler service cost in Northern Ireland: 2026 prices for oil and gas
A gas boiler service in NI costs £55-£85 in 2026, an oil boiler service £70-£130 because the nozzle and oil filter are replaced. What must be included, when to book, and who is legally allowed to do it.
Read the guide →10 min read
Single-storey extension costs in NI: 2026 price benchmarks
What a single-storey rear extension really costs in NI, by size, trade and spec, plus the ground-condition and council factors that move the price.
Read the guide →9 min read
Oil boiler replacement cost in NI: 2026 price guide
Budgeting an oil boiler replacement in NI: prices by job scope and tank work, and the OFTEC sign-off you cannot skip.
Read the guide →9 min read
House rewire cost in NI: 2026 price guide
Full and partial rewire prices in NI by property size, with the NICEIC or NAPIT certification and the extras that catch people out.
Read the guide →10 min read
Kitchen renovation cost in NI: 2026 price guide
Budget, mid-range and premium kitchen prices in NI, split by trade, worktop and appliances, so you can see where the money goes.
Read the guide →10 min read
Bathroom renovation cost in NI: 2026 price guide
From a quick refresh to a full premium suite, what a bathroom costs in NI by trade, tiling and fittings.
Read the guide →10 min read
Windows and doors cost in NI: 2026 price guide
Replacement window and door prices in NI, per unit and whole-house, and the NI compliance twist: there is no FENSA here.
Read the guide →10 min read
Roof replacement and repair cost in NI: 2026 price guide
Re-roof and roof-repair prices in NI by material, plus the weather and Building Control factors that change the bill.
Read the guide →Planning, regulations & certificates
9 min read
Building Regulations in Northern Ireland: a homeowner's overview
How NI Building Regulations differ from the rest of the UK, when you need approval, and how to apply through your local council.
Read the guide →11 min read
Planning permission in Northern Ireland: a homeowner's guide
When you need planning permission in NI and when permitted development covers you, what it costs, how long it takes, and the NI rules UK-wide guides get wrong.
Read the guide →10 min read
Gas safety certificate in Northern Ireland: 2026 cost, process and by-town guide
Everything NI homeowners and landlords need to know about gas safety certificates in 2026: cost, who can legally issue one, what gets inspected, and by-town notes for Cookstown, Magherafelt, Downpatrick, Armagh, Antrim, Dungannon, Omagh and Banbridge.
Read the guide →Grants & funding
12 min read
Home improvement and energy grants in Northern Ireland: the 2026 guide
The NI home, energy and repair grants available in 2026, who qualifies, how much you can get, how to apply, and what is changing under the Warm Healthy Homes Strategy.
Read the guide →9 min read
Insulation grants in Northern Ireland: the 2026 guide
Loft, cavity and solid wall insulation grants in NI: which schemes are open in 2026, income and benefit criteria, window replacement funding, and how to apply without losing the grant.
Read the guide →8 min read
The Warm Homes Scheme in Northern Ireland: 2026 status and what replaced it
Searching for the Warm Home or Warm Homes Scheme NI? What the scheme was, what is open right now, the Warm Healthy Homes Fund timeline, and how to get help this year.
Read the guide →Hiring safely & avoiding scams
9 min read
The Northern Ireland home calendar: what to check and book, month by month
What NI weather does to your house through the year, and what to book before you need it: boiler servicing before the cold, roof and gutters before the storms, big builds before trades fill up.
Read the guide →10 min read
Hiring a builder safely in Northern Ireland: payment schedules, contracts and red flags
How to vet a builder, structure stage payments, what to put in writing, and the patterns that almost always end in a dispute.
Read the guide →8 min read
How to verify your tradesperson's credentials in Northern Ireland
A practical checklist for verifying Gas Safe, NICEIC, NAPIT, FENSA, OFTEC and more, directly on the public registers, on the day of hire.
Read the guide →9 min read
Rogue traders and doorstep scams in NI: how to spot them and where to report
Recognise the patterns Trading Standards NI keeps warning about, what your rights are, and exactly how to report an incident to Consumerline and the PSNI.
Read the guide →What's next
Coming soon
Guides we are researching now. Drop us a line if there's another you want covered.
Planned
Damp in older NI homes: causes, fixes, and what to ask a tradesperson
How to tell rising damp from condensation, what genuinely fixes each, and how to spot dodgy "damp-proofing" sales.
Planned
Solid fuel and biomass installations in NI: what HETAS means for you
Why HETAS-registered installers matter for NI households running stoves, and how to verify a registration.
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