Applicant/Homeowner FAQs

You will find a guide to some initial checks you can make here.

Jan 2020 was the original cut off point for eligible applicants, all property ownership after that date will be excluded from applying for the Enhanced Defective Block Grant Scheme.

The original IS465 Defective Block Grant Scheme (June 2020 – June 2022) was an Engineer Lead Scheme, this meant that owners of Defective Block Homes should contact an Engineer on the IS465 Register, who would schedule a visual inspection, write a brief report to confirm if the property met the threshold / had structural defects / cracks.

Today the “New Scheme” will operate differently, and the Engineer will not be your original point of contact, you will contact a building professional which you can find a list for here

You can contact the Donegal Defective Block Administrate office on Tuesdays and Thursday between 9:30 and 12:30pm. You can contact the appointed Defective Block Liaison Officer, Michelle Coyle at IDP (Inishowen Region) michelle@inishowen.ie or phone on 0749362218. For more information on this click here

We are awaiting an accurate answer and will add this when we recieve it

Building Regulations are somewhat different from the time the majority of homes were constructed 25+ years ago. Building materials / performance have improved massively across a range of areas. Insulation is very significant, wooden windows and doors are now in the majority of cases UPVC, and even UPVC has improved significantly in the past 10 years.

Concrete materials / products & standards have increased since the original EU Legislation of 2013. Back in the early 2000’s homes in Donegal were constructed using Concrete Blocks that only had a compressive strength of 5 Newtons (N/mm2), the blocks being used to remediate the homes will be a minimum of 13Nmm2.

Types of Heating can vary today, where back in the day homes would have perhaps have had Oil boilers and solid fuel fires or ranges (dual systems), under the Defective Blocks Remediation Schemes, these systems can be replaced with highly efficient / modern Condensing Boiler/oil or gas Heating, also homes that have open fires or closed Log Burners, can retain these heating systems.

We will add an accurate answer when we get it

We will add the answer when we find it

We will add an accurate answer when we find it

Insurance on a home with Defective Concrete Blocks, appears to vary from Insurer to Insurer, however a house that has been remediated will have had a before and after survey highlighting all structural shortcomings etc, the majority of insurers will accept the engineers undertaking, that the work was carried out in accordance with the work schedule, and on this basis that there will be third party indemnity cover in place (provided by The State) they will cover the property for all the usual aspects of cover.

Answer coming soon

We will add an accurate answer when we get it

We will add an accurate answer when we get it

An accurate answer will be added asap

Apply to Mayo here: https://www.mayo.ie/housing/defective-concrete-blocks-grant-scheme
Apply to Limerick here : https://www.limerick.ie/council/services/housing/grant-schemes-for-housing/defective-concrete-blocks-grant-scheme
Apply to Clare here: https://www.clarecoco.ie/services/housing/dcb-scheme/

We will add an accurate answer as soon as we get it

We will add an accurate answer as soon as we get it

We will add an accurate answer as soon as we get it

We will add an accurate answer as soon as we get it

You will find a list of building professionals here

You will find a list here