39 apartments 2 blocks built dublin 4 1970s, upgrade at request of fire chief, asbestos located so we needed special contractors. How much should this cost? Is there any grant from govt

Thoughts

No government grants are available for this specific situation.

citizensinformation.ie The main Irish schemes for apartment/duplex fire safety remediation (the Interim Remediation Scheme and the forthcoming statutory Apartment and Duplex Defects Remediation Scheme) apply only to buildings constructed between 1991 and 2013. These fund emergency or full remediation of fire safety (and sometimes structural/water ingress) defects linked to construction issues from that era. Your 1970s blocks fall outside this window, so they do not qualify.

gov.ie There is no dedicated national grant for fire safety upgrades in pre-1991 apartment blocks. Asbestos removal also has no specific standalone grant for occupied residential properties or apartment common areas. Limited indirect options exist in other schemes (e.g., Croí Cónaithe vacant property grants can cover hazardous material removal as part of broader refurbishment of vacant/derelict homes, or certain local authority Housing Aid for Older People/Disabled Persons Grants for individual qualifying homes), but these are unlikely to apply to a multi-unit block upgrade or common-area works.

asbestos.ie You (or the Owners’ Management Company/OMC) will almost certainly bear the full cost. Check with Dublin City Council or the Housing Agency for any very localised or discretionary supports, but none are standard for this scenario.

Cost Estimate. Precise costing is impossible without details such as:

• Number of storeys/floors per block
• Exact scope of works required by the fire chief (e.g., fire doors, compartmentation/fire stopping, alarms, emergency lighting, escape routes, signage)
• Extent, type, and location of asbestos (common areas like ceilings, pipes, floors vs. individual apartments; whether it is bonded or friable)
• Access, phasing, and any need for temporary relocation or out-of-hours work

Rough ballpark for a 39-apartment, 2-block complex in Dublin (2026 prices, including VAT, fees, and contingencies):
€300,000 – €1,000,000+ total (roughly €8,000 – €25,000+ per apartment on average, though costs are often front-loaded on common areas).

rte.ie Breakdown of typical components

• Fire safety upgrade works (compartmentation, fire doors/closers/seals, fire stopping, alarms/detection, emergency lighting, etc.): €5,000–€20,000+ per apartment equivalent.
• Real-world examples include ~€11,000 per unit in one 41-unit tender for fire remediation and averages of €9,000–€25,000 per unit (indexed) in broader defect remediation reports for comparable-scale works. ted.europa.eu
• Asbestos survey + licensed removal/encapsulation + disposal + clearance testing: Highly variable. Surveys €300–€550. Removal can range from hundreds of euros for small localised jobs to tens of thousands (or more) for common areas across two blocks (e.g., ceilings/pipe lagging per room or linear metre). Licensed HSA-permitted contractors are mandatory for notifiable work; expect premiums for containment, air monitoring, and hazardous waste handling. kollect.ie
• Professional fees (fire safety engineer/competent professional, project management, asbestos surveyor, QS, etc.): 10–20%+ of works cost.
• Other: VAT (typically 13.5% or 23%), contingencies, possible temporary works or resident disruption costs.

These are indicative ranges based on published tenders, defect remediation reports, and contractor guidance for similar Irish apartment work. High-profile cases have seen much higher per-unit costs (€15m+ for larger complexes or outliers near €68k/unit), while simpler upgrades can be lower. Your project will likely sit somewhere in the middle but will be inflated by the asbestos requirement (specialist contractors, safe working methods, possible phased or contained works).

irishtimes.com Next Steps

1. Confirm exact requirements — Contact the fire chief/Dublin Fire Brigade in writing for a clear list of required works (they may issue a formal notice under the Fire Services Acts).
2. Appoint professionals:
   • A competent fire safety professional/engineer (to produce a Fire Safety Risk Assessment and specification).
   • A licensed asbestos surveyor for a Refurbishment/Demolition Asbestos Survey (RDAS) before any intrusive works.
3. Get competitive quotes from HSA-licensed asbestos removal contractors and specialist fire protection firms. Coordinate them carefully (asbestos must be safely managed before or alongside fire works).
4. If an OMC exists — It typically manages common areas and can organise levies, procurement, and applications. Individual owners usually share costs via service charges/sinking fund.
5. Budget and timeline — Factor in potential disruption, possible need for alternative accommodation in affected areas, and compliance/certification costs.
6. Seek advice — Consult a solicitor or property management expert familiar with multi-unit developments, and consider a quantity surveyor for accurate costing.

Important safety note: Do not disturb suspected asbestos. Stop works if needed and engage licensed specialists immediately. Non-compliant handling is illegal and dangerous.Costs can vary significantly by exact scope and site conditions—the only reliable figure comes from site-specific surveys and multiple detailed quotes. Start with the professionals and fire authority to narrow it down. If you provide more details (e.g., number of floors, photos of affected areas, or the exact works requested), I can help refine this further.

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