Leave the tools at home and join us for an in-depth weekend retreat designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills to confidently oversee your own self-build project.
Who is this course for?
This course is ideal for anyone planning a self-build project, whether you’re starting from scratch or refining your plans. It’s particularly suited to those new to self-building in Ireland and looking for comprehensive guidance to make informed decisions. You can also purchase this course as a gift here.
What will you learn?
Over four days. Cian Corcoran and Ebanie Powell will guide you through the essential elements of planning your self-build. Through practical sessions and expert-led workshops, you'll learn:
How to analyse and understand your site.
How to prioritise your needs and translate them into a design brief.
The steps and documentation required for planning approval in Ireland.
How to create and manage a realistic budget.
How to use tools like Google Sheets and basic 3D modelling to plan and visualise your project.
What will you take away?
By the end of this four-day course, you’ll be equipped to turn your self-build dreams into reality with clarity, confidence, and a plan that reflects your unique vision. You’ll walk away with:
A detailed project plan tailored to your vision and priorities.
Practical tools to manage your budget, timeline, and resources.
Confidence in reading and understanding architectural plans.
A deeper understanding of the planning process and how to navigate it successfully.
How is the course structured?
Saturday Morning
We’ll begin with an overview of the course objectives and a focus on effective project management for self-builds. You’ll introduce your project, identify its key elements, and outline the questions that need answering. The morning also includes a workshop to prioritise the many factors that transform a house into a home.Saturday Afternoon
Explore the essentials of timeline creation, materials tracking, and budget management using Google Sheets. You’ll also learn about free and paid project management tools to help keep your self-build organised and on track.Sunday
In our SketchUp workshop, you’ll learn how to survey a building and model it using SketchUp Free. We’ll show you how to use 3D models to communicate your vision and create exportable drawings. You’ll also gain confidence in reading detailed architectural plans and relating them to 3D visualisations.Monday
The focus will shift to the planning approval process in Ireland. By examining case studies of successful applications including rural, town, extension, and new builds, you’ll understand the documentation required, common challenges, and practical solutions. Together, we’ll roadmap the steps needed to take a project from a site survey to planning submission.Tuesday
The final day centres on design. Through an interactive workshop, you’ll map out your needs, desires, constraints, and opportunities, developing these into a cohesive brief. With feedback from instructors and peers, you’ll refine your plans, create sketches or models, and leave with a clear and confident vision for your self-build.The course concludes with a feedback session to ensure you’re fully prepared for the next steps in your self-build journey.
What’s included?
Your course fee covers 4 days of tuition, the use of materials to develop your plan, a wholesome and nutritious breakfast and lunch created by our on-site chef, as well as tea, coffee and cake when it is most needed.
Staying with us at The Common Knowledge Centre
At The Common Knowledge Centre we now have a range of accommodation options on site to suit all budgets and needs. When you stay with us, you’ll be supporting our newly established guesthouse and be close to the action. We recommend arriving the evening before your course. You can view available accommodation on our booking page.
More information
-
The main tools required for this build school will be a laptop and mouse. We will provide further information closer to the course date.
-
For more information about booking a course, accommodation options, and preparing for your course at Common Knowledge, see our
.
Course Instructors
