Planning change sparks huge interest in back garden pads

Expert on these units in step by step guide to getting one

- BY CIARA O'LOUGHLIN

PLANNING on building a pad out the back? As the Government is set to relax planning rules to ease the housing crisis, contractors are now inundated with queries about modular homes.

Ireland's biggest annual home expo, the Ideal Homes Show, is back this weekend in Dublin's RDS and there's a whole area dedicated to modular homes.

Ciaran Kerr, Head Engineer for Sprout Pod, will be there to share his knowledge on these versatile back garden units, which he describes as "the new conservatory".

One reason they are growing in popularity is many young people are trying to save money on rent with the hope of getting on the property ladder.

Ciaran said: "These units are new, they are built to spec, they are very easy to run. People are very comfortable in them, it's a good option.

"Maybe they don't want it long term but definitely a few years in one can get them on the property ladder, and there's a lot of unused land in people's back gardens."

VERSATILE

Whether its use is a stepping stone to eventually get on the property ladder, an office space, or a kid's playroom, these little huts are fairly versatile.

But where to start? Here's a step-by-step guide on how to get your modular home...

1. Ciaran says the first thing anyone looking to get a modular home needs to decide is how big they want it to be.