The Society of Chartered Surveyors (SCSI) has published its report on the revised Mica Redress Scheme, recommending a new model of costs for rebuilding homes.
The controversial sliding scale announced by the Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien last year is set to be replaced with a new grant calculation methodology.
The report finds that the average cost of demolishing and rebuilding a home on the Defective Blocks Scheme would range between €150,000 to €421,000. This equates to around €145-164 per square foot based on February 2022 prices.
The rates are detailed in the table below:
SCSI REPORT ON CONSTRUCTION COSTS FOR THE DEFECTIVE CONCRETE BLOCKS GRANT SCHEME
The CEO of the SCSI, Shirley Coulter, said the report reflects up to date construction costs for the North West and that these will be reviewed on an annual basis. “We understand the Department’s Expert Group will now consider how to operationalise our findings. The SCSI has no role in setting the parameters of the scheme and has no role in the setting of the grant.”
Minister Darragh O’Brien said he has now requested that the Expert Working Group on the implementation of the Defective Concrete Block Scheme chaired by independent engineer Paul Forde to analyse the report and make recommendations on how to operationalise its findings.
He said: “In addition I have formally appointed John O’Connor as liaison to the Homeowners Forum to ensure Homeowners views are represented throughout the practical progression of the scheme. John is the Chairperson of the Housing Commission and a member of the Expert Group and this will build on his extensive engagement with homeowners to date on this issue.
“Today is an important step forward in getting an enhanced scheme up and running. Arising from this I intend to bring the final details of the scheme and the required primary legislation to Cabinet in April. I hope that all members of the Oireachtas will facilitate a speedy passage of the Bill to allow the scheme to get started as soon as possible,” he concluded.
The report is available at: http://scsi.ie/DCB-Construction-Costs
