Design, Cost & Planning
BuildTech’s cost and technical design service ensures your project is designed around your budget — not the other way around. We carry out a measured survey, produce technical drawings, and provide a detailed fixed-price cost plan before any construction work is committed.
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All enquiries are reviewed by our team before a consultation is confirmed.
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The traditional design process in Dublin produces drawings that look great but cannot be built within the client’s budget. By the time the design is finished and contractor quotes come in, the budget has already been exceeded — and the drawings need to be redesigned.
BuildTech’s cost and technical design service keeps the budget and the design in step at every stage. We carry out a detailed measured survey, produce technical drawings, and cost the design as we go — so the finished drawing set always reflects what can actually be built within your budget.
Rated 5★ across Google, Houzz, and OnlineTradesmen by Dublin homeowners.
At the end of the cost and technical design stage, you receive a detailed, line-by-line fixed-price cost plan — covering every element of the construction from groundworks to finishes. This is the basis for the construction contract. There are no open tenders, no hidden costs, and no surprises.
If the cost plan aligns with your budget, the construction contract is prepared and works can begin. If any element exceeds expectations, it is addressed at this stage — before a single brick has been laid.
BuildTech follows a clear four-step pathway, from initial feasibility through to completed construction, designed to protect your budget and keep your project on track.
BuildTech is a design and build contractor — not a standalone architectural practice. We produce technical drawings because we build the projects ourselves. Every drawing we produce reflects what the build will actually cost — because we price it directly.
We do not produce designs that cannot be built within your budget. If your expectations and your budget do not align, we will tell you at the feasibility stage — before any design fees are committed.
BuildTech manages the full planning permission process from initial feasibility through to decision. Every stage is handled internally — there are no third-party handoffs that cause delays or miscommunication.
We confirm whether your project requires planning permission or qualifies as Exempted Development. Many single-storey rear extensions in Dublin do not need planning — we establish this clearly at the outset, saving you time and fees.
Where planning is required, we develop a pre-planning strategy aligned with the relevant local authority's development policies. Where appropriate, we engage with the planning authority informally before submission to identify potential issues early and reduce the risk of refusal.
Our in-house architectural design team prepares all required drawings — site location map, site plan, floor plans, elevations, and sections — along with any supporting reports and compliance documentation. Accurate, complete documentation reduces the risk of requests for further information from the council.
We prepare and submit the full application to the relevant local authority — Dublin City Council, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal, or South Dublin County Council. We manage all correspondence and respond to any requests for further information within the statutory timeframes.
We monitor the application through to decision — typically 8–12 weeks from submission. On receipt of planning permission, we advise on any conditions attached and prepare the project for the next stage: cost and technical design, or construction if design is already complete.
Delays and refusals in planning applications are almost always avoidable with proper preparation. The most common causes in Dublin are:
Missing drawings, incorrect scale, or absent site information trigger requests for further information — adding weeks to the process.
Designs that don't align with the local development plan — on height, scale, overlooking, or amenity — attract objections or conditions.
Submitting without checking with the planning authority first misses an opportunity to identify issues before they become formal refusal reasons.
Applying for full permission when the works are Exempted Development — or vice versa — wastes time & money. We confirm the correct route at feasibility stage.
Many home extensions and improvements in Dublin qualify as Exempted Development under the Planning and Development Regulations — meaning no planning application is required. However, exemptions are subject to specific conditions and can be lost if previous unauthorised works exist on the property.
Common Exempted Development for residential properties includes:
BuildTech confirms planning status as part of every feasibility consultation — before any design fees are committed. If your project is Exempted Development, we will tell you clearly and save you the cost of an application.
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We review your enquiry before confirming a consultation — ensuring only suitable projects proceed.
What's Included
Related Services
Not sure where to start?
A feasibility consultation (€200 call · €500 home visit) confirms your planning position before you spend anything on drawings.
BuildTech is a specialist design and build contractor. We take on a focused range of projects — and we do not progress any project without a clear, agreed budget.
The most common home project in Dublin. Open-plan kitchen and living, utility room, or additional family space — from feasibility through to a certified, compliant build.
Whole-home renovations and structural alterations for Dublin homeowners. Internal reconfigurations, layout redesign, and full refurbishment — all budget-led from day one.
€200 call or €500 home visit. We establish what is realistically achievable within your budget before any design work begins — saving you time, money, and stress.
Full application management — pre-planning strategy, drawings, submission, and decision monitoring. Many extensions are planning exempt; we confirm this first.
Cost Planning & Construction Review from €2,500 + VAT. We provide a full cost breakdown of your existing drawings — gap identification, budget alignment, and value engineering.
Measured survey, technical layout, and a detailed cost plan — all aligned to your budget before construction begins. No over-specified designs that cannot be built within your means.
Each project below started with a feasibility consultation and a clear budget. Here is what we delivered.
Extension + Renovation
Location : Dublin
Scope : Ground floor knock-through, rear extension, open-plan kitchen and living
Status : Planning exempt
✓ Delivered on time and on budget
Extension + Renovation
Scope : Full home renovation of period seafront property
Status : Planning exempt
✓ Full project management, completed on programme
Extension + Renovation
Location : Dublin 14
Scope : Single-storey rear extension and partial ground-floor renovation
Status : Planning exempt
✓ On budget, handover on schedule
Extension + Renovation
Location : Mount Merrion, South Dublin
Scope : 20 sqm flat-roof rear extension, open-plan kitchen and dining
Status : Planning exempt
✓ Completed on time and on budget
Extension + Renovation
Location : Dublin
Scope : Structural reconfiguration, split-level open-plan kitchen and lounge
Status : Planning exempt
✓ Full project management included
BuildTech produces technical drawings and a detailed fixed-price cost plan — ensuring your design is always aligned with your budget before construction begins.
No obligation. No pressure. Just honest advice.
