Choose the scope of your upgrade first, then decide who will manage it. Individual grants can support work in stages; the full One Stop Shop scheme is for a more extensive upgrade with an energy-performance target. A One Stop Shop can also manage individual upgrades, so the provider’s name alone does not identify the scheme.
Separate the scheme from the service
SEAI’s individual-grants overview allows one or several measures, managed yourself or through a One Stop Shop. Get grant approval before starting the upgrades and check the conditions for each measure.
| Route to discuss | When to consider it and what to ask |
|---|---|
| Individual grant | One part of the home needs work now. Who organises the application, installer and completion documents? |
| Managed individual upgrades | You want to phase work with help managing it. Which services and grant measures are included? |
| Full One Stop Shop scheme | You plan a substantial upgrade together. What work is needed to meet the scheme’s energy target? |
Avoid choosing by a fixed number of measures. Two proposals containing the same number of upgrades can have very different scope and disruption. Use our grant guide to explore the options, then obtain a property-specific proposal.
What the full-upgrade scheme requires
SEAI’s multiple-energy-upgrades page states that the home must have been built and occupied before 2011. The completed project must reach at least a B BER, plus either install a heat pump or achieve a primary-energy uplift of 100 kWh/m²/year. Ask the provider to show how its proposed works meet those conditions.
This route includes wider supports such as floor insulation, ventilation and project management. It does not mean every listed measure suits every home. Disclose earlier grants and energy-supplier support: previous funding for the same work can affect eligibility. Have the provider confirm this before agreeing the scope.
Who handles the work and payment?
SEAI describes its One Stop Shop service as managing assessment, application, contractors and the follow-up BER, with grants deducted from the cost upfront. You still need to review and agree the proposal and contract; managed work does not remove your decisions about scope, access or payment.
For a self-managed application, SEAI’s application support explains that payment follows completed works and correctly submitted documents. Payment can go to the applicant or contractor; some contractors offer a price net of the grant. Confirm the arrangement in writing rather than assuming you must always fund the full bill first.
Check the contractor’s registration for the particular work, references and written terms. Registration is not an SEAI warranty of workmanship. Ask who handles defects and missing completion documents, especially where several contractors are involved.
Start with an assessment, without committing to the build
The listed home energy assessment grant is €350 (manual, 2026-10-01). It is a contribution to the assessment, not a standard assessment price.
Source: SEAI, source date 1 October 2026 (manually researched)SEAI’s assessment guidance says the support is available once per property. The report covers energy performance, recommended upgrades and estimated costs. You can decide against proceeding, take the report to another registered One Stop Shop, or consider individual upgrades instead.
Before booking, ask what you will receive, the fee after grant support and when it is payable. If a heat pump is proposed, our BER and heat-pump guide explains the separate assessment and design questions.
Compare quotes on the same basis
Put each proposal beside the same checklist:
- Exact measures, materials, quantities and performance assumptions.
- Assessment, BER, ventilation, electrical work and making-good included or excluded.
- Gross price, each proposed grant deduction, VAT treatment and final amount payable.
- Deposit and staged payments, and who carries the cost if a grant condition is not met.
- Schedule, access requirements, disruption, warranties and defect reporting.
Do not compare a complete package against an installation-only quote. Ask for missing items to be priced before deciding. Keep alternative grants separate rather than adding every possible support into one budget.
Windows and doors are not restricted to the full-upgrade route
SEAI now lists individual windows and doors grants, including insulation and post-works BER conditions. Confirm those requirements before ordering; access to an individual grant does not mean every replacement qualifies.
Your next step
Write down your immediate problem, budget constraints and the work you expect to do later. Gather your BER, construction date and previous grant records. Ask providers to name the scheme, explain eligibility and quote the same scope.
Our eligibility guide and grant checker can help you prepare questions; neither replaces a grant offer. Browse the grants hub for the relevant measure before committing.