Attic Insulation Cork

SEAI grant guidance

Attic Insulation Grants in Cork

SEAI may help pay for attic insulation in an eligible Cork home. First choose the route that fits the job: Better Energy Homes or a One Stop Shop. Each route has its own rules, forms and grant amounts. Check your home type on seai.ie. Get the required offer before work starts or you buy materials.

Start with the official checks

SEAI support depends on the current scheme, the home, the measure, the order you apply in, and who carries out the grant-aided work. This guide sets out those checks so you know where you stand before you commit to anything.

Choose the grant route that matches the job

Manage individual upgrades yourself

Under Better Energy Homes, the homeowner selects the measure and registered contractor, makes the application and manages the grant paperwork. This can suit one or more individual upgrades.

Use a participating One Stop Shop

A participating One Stop Shop manages assessment, design, application, contractors, quality checks and final BER (Building Energy Rating) as a coordinated retrofit route. Confirm that the organisation is currently participating in the relevant scheme.

Check these starting conditions before you rely on support

The current SEAI application guide lists these as starting conditions for individual insulation grants. They are not a complete eligibility decision.

  • You own the home that is the subject of the application.
  • For insulation support, the home was built and occupied before 2011.
  • The same home has not already received SEAI support for the chosen attic-insulation measure.
  • Grant-aided work and material purchase have not started before the required application and approval steps.

Follow the application sequence before work starts

  1. Choose the energy upgrade and decide whether the individual Better Energy Homes route or a participating One Stop Shop fits the wider job.
  2. Check an existing BER and advisory report where available, or ask whether a registered BER assessor or other suitable adviser is needed.
  3. Choose a contractor registered for the relevant measure, or a participating One Stop Shop, and agree a written scope and contract.
  4. Create the SEAI application using the property owner details, MPRN, build year and registered-provider details required for the chosen route.
  5. Receive and accept the grant offer before grant-aided works begin; follow the dates and conditions in your own offer.
  6. Complete the agreed work and arrange the required post-works BER assessment and signed declarations.
  7. Submit the compliant payment paperwork to SEAI. Payment remains subject to SEAI review and the scheme terms.

Current attic-insulation amounts in the SEAI guide

These fixed amounts were checked in the SEAI Homeowner Application Guide on . The higher column is the amount currently listed for qualifying welfare-payment recipients and first-time buyers; each route has its own conditions.

Property type Standard amount Higher listed amount
Detached Standard amount€2,000 Higher listed amount€2,500
Semi-detached / end terrace Standard amount€1,500 Higher listed amount€1,900
Mid terrace Standard amount€1,400 Higher listed amount€1,800
Apartment Standard amount€1,100 Higher listed amount€1,400

Grants are fixed by dwelling type, but where the eligible spend is lower, payment is limited to the lower of the eligible spend and the listed grant. The higher amounts have separate qualifying welfare-payment or first-time-buyer conditions. SEAI decides eligibility and approval.

Before you request work

  • Keep the MPRN, build year and any existing BER/advisory report available.
  • Note existing insulation, access, boarding/storage, tanks, pipes, walkways, downlights and ventilation observations for the survey.
  • Check the provider on the current SEAI register for the exact measure; do not rely on a logo or verbal claim alone.
  • Compare written scope, exclusions, timing, payment terms, documentation and warranties before signing.
  • Do not purchase materials or start grant-aided work until the current SEAI route permits it and the required offer is accepted.
  • Keep the grant offer, contract, invoices, declarations, BER records and contractor safety-file documents together.

Questions for a registered contractor or One Stop Shop

Registration is required for grant-aided work, but SEAI says registration is not its endorsement, guarantee or warranty of a company or its work. Check the current register yourself and compare written scope.

  • Which SEAI measure are you currently registered or participating to deliver, and where can I verify it?
  • What did the attic assessment find, and why is the proposed product and specification suitable?
  • How will eaves ventilation, storage, tanks, pipes, walkways and downlights be handled?
  • What preparation, removal, disposal, making-good and documentation are included or excluded?
  • Who manages the application, BER, declarations and payment request under this route?
  • What does the written contract say about price, timing, payment, changes and any warranty actually offered?

Common mistakes and points to confirm

  • Starting work or purchasing materials before completing the required application and offer steps.
  • Treating a provider's SEAI registration as an endorsement, quality guarantee or promise that the application will succeed.
  • Subtracting a listed grant from a quote as if the net cost or payment were automatic.
  • Assuming an old grant amount, deadline, provider listing or application route is still current without checking SEAI.
  • Choosing insulation scope without addressing access, existing material, ventilation and safety details together.

Official SEAI sources

Use these official sources for the current decision. The scheme can change after this page's checked date. Scheme rules change. Always check SEAI directly before relying on figures.

Compare the grant route with the written quote

The grant and the quote are two separate figures. Compare the measured attic area, planned depth and work included. Check if removal, waste, airflow, boarding or access costs extra. Do not take a listed grant off the total as if payment were certain. SEAI decides if your home and the work qualify. Check the amount for your house type and follow the steps for your chosen route. Use the cost guide to compare the written scope before you commit.

Ask a grant question

Call for a chat about your attic, or send the details and get a call back.

FAQs

Grant-related questions

Can you tell me if I am eligible?

Only SEAI can confirm if your home and the work qualify. Use the starting checks to prepare, then read the live rules for your route on seai.ie. Do not rely on a grant when comparing costs until SEAI approves your application.

Can work start before the grant offer is accepted?

No. For grant-aided work, apply and get the required offer before the job begins. Buying materials or starting too soon can affect your application. Follow the dates and terms in your own offer and the latest SEAI guide.

Does SEAI registration mean a contractor is endorsed?

No. Registration lets a contractor carry out grant work for the listed measure. It does not mean SEAI recommends the firm or guarantees the job. Check the live register, ask for references and read the written scope, contract and payment terms.

Where should I check the current grant amount?

Check the SEAI attic-insulation page and the current Homeowner Application Guide. The figures here were checked on 15 August 2026 and had a review date of 15 September 2026. Grant amounts can change, so use the live SEAI details before you make a decision.

Ask a grant question

Share your area in Cork, the grant route you are looking at, and any timing questions.

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01 263 3450

What to mention

  • • Your area or town in Cork
  • • What you need help with
  • • Any grant, timing, photos or access questions
  • • Best times for a callback

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