Property Economics & Valuations: Analysis of Proposed Development in Dundalk

This report presents an analysis of the proposed property development in Dundalk, County Louth in Leinster province, Ireland. The analysis is done by considering several factors including site cost (the cost of land) and both hard and soft building costs. The report then examines if the project is economically viable by comparing the total cost of the proposed development with that of another property that is located within a radius of 1.8 kilometers to the proposed property.

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PROPERTY ECONOMICS & VALUATIONS
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Table of Contents
1. Introduction.......................................................................................................................................2
2. Site Description..................................................................................................................................2
3. Cost Calculations...............................................................................................................................4
4. Economic Viability of Proposed Development................................................................................5
5. Suitability of Data Sourced...............................................................................................................8
6. Summary and Conclusions...............................................................................................................9
Appendix 1: Map view of the site (Draft Media Limited, 2018a)...........................................................10
Appendix 2: Satellite map of the site (Draft Media Limited, 2018a)......................................................10
Appendix 3: Cost Calculations...............................................................................................................11
Appendix 4: Adjustment Factor.............................................................................................................13
Appendix 5: Views of 8 Tudor Grove, Mullagharlin Road, Dundalk, Louth house...........................14
References................................................................................................................................................16

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1. Introduction
This report presents an analysis of the proposed property development in Dundalk, County
Louth in Leinster province, Ireland. The analysis is done by considering several factors including
site cost (the cost of land) and both hard and soft building costs. The report then examines if the
project is economically viable by comparing the total cost of the proposed development with that
of another property that is located within a radius of 1.8 kilometers to the proposed property. The
property being compared is similar to the proposed property in location, design, size and use.
Calculations in this report have been done by following the cost guidelines in the Society of
Chartered Surveyors Ireland’s (SCSI) “The Real Cost of New House Delivery 2016” report for
constructing a three-bedroom semi-detached house in greater Dublin area in 2016 (Society of
Chartered Surveyors Ireland, 2017). Since the cost of construction is different in Dublin and
Dundalk, the total cost of construction of the proposed property in Dundalk has been reduced
because elemental cost of construction in Dublin is higher than that in Dundalk.
The report has also identified several properties sold in Dundalk for the period starting
January 2017 to December 2017. The average price of these properties has been determined and
used to establish the proposed development’s economic viability. Additionally, suitability of the
data gathered has been examined to establish if the data is comparable.
2. Site Description
Site Address: Avenue Road, Dundalk, Co. Louth
Geographical location: Located off Avenue Road
Nearby features and amenities: Sloanes, Conlon’s Food Hall, Dundalk Institute of Technology,
Marshes Lower, Marches Shopping Centre, Louth County Museum, Emerald Casino, Dundalk
Windmill, Ice House Hill Park, St. Mary’s College Grounds, etc.

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Setting: urban
Site area: 0.08 acres (hectares)
Floor area: 162m2
Front orientation: West
Rear orientation: East
Topography: Level site
House type: Detached
Number of bedrooms: 4
Site features: great central location, full planning permission, all services and town centre
amenities nearby, and off road parking.
Water: municipal supply
Selling Agent: Property Partners Laurence Gunne
PRS License Number: 001699 (Draft Media Limited, 2018a)
Contact Name: Stephen Gunne
Asking price: €70,000
More details about the map view and satellite view of the site are provided in Appendix 1 and 2.
3. Cost Calculations
Full planning permission has already been issued for the construction of a four-bedroom
house at Avenue Road, Dundalk, Co. Louth. SCSI publishes annual report on the construction

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cost of different types of houses in different parts of Ireland. As stated before, the report used is
entitled, “The Real Cost of New House Delivery 2016”, which was published by SCSI in May
2016. Elemental costs in this report have been reviewed and used to estimate construction cost of
the proposed property. These elemental costs have also been adjusted so as reflect the difference
in construction cost in greater Dublin area and Dundalk. Dublin being a more developed area,
cost of construction is generally higher than that in Dundalk.
The total cost of construction of the proposed property in Dundalk is €300,000. Breakdown
of this cost is provided in Appendix 3. This cost includes hard costs and soft costs. Hard costs
comprise of the actual cost of construction, such as cost of materials, labour and plant/equipment
(Boova, 2018), while soft costs include value added tax (VAT), fees (design fees, legal fees,
management fees, financing costs and insurance), levies (administrative expenses) and profit
margins (Sherman, 2018). The construction cost in SCSI report is based on a three-bedroom
semi-detached house with a total floor area of 113m2 while the floor area of the proposed four-
bedroom house is 162m2. T is quite challenging to compare the construction cost of these two
houses considering that one is a three-bedroom semi-detached house (i.e. one with three exposed
sides) while the other is a four-bedroom single house (i.e. one with four exposed sides). The
exposed perimeter of the later is definitely larger than that of the former. The size of the
proposed site is 0.08 acres (323.75 m2). This means that the cost of boundaries and landscaping
for the proposed house will be higher than that of the property in Dublin.
As mentioned earlier, construction cost in Dublin is higher than that in all other parts of the
country. This is because Dublin is the capital city of Ireland hence the cost of living and property
prices are high, resulting to high site costs, material costs, labor costs, finance costs and
development costs (McGrath, 2016). All these costs raise the cost of constructing a house in

Property Economics & Valuations 6
Dublin. For this difference to be reflected, the elemental costs were adjusted for each square
meter. Generally, it was estimated that the rebuilding cost in Dublin is 21.62% higher than that in
Dundalk, which is in northeastern Ireland (The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2013). This
is shown in Appendix 3.
The average minimum costs of rebuilding a standard three-bedroom semi-detached house in
different parts of the country are as shown in the table below (Society of Chartered Surveyors
Ireland, 2016).
Area Total cost Cost/sq. ft.
Dublin €181,071 177
North East €146,289 143
Cork €142,197 139
Galway €140,151 137
Limerick €138,105 135
Waterford €135,036 132
North West €117,645 115
4. Economic Viability of Proposed Development
To determine the economic viability of the proposed residential development property and if
the property will be sold at a profit, a similar property that was recently listed or sold in close
proximity to the proposed site was reviewed. Details of the property are as follows:
Site Address: 8 Tudor Grove, Mullagharlin Road, Dundalk, Co. Louth
Geographical location: Located off Mullagharlin Road
Nearby features and amenities: Windsor Bar and Restaurant, Jade Garden, The Pirates Den,
Kingfisher Restaurant, Dundalk Institute of Technology, The Market Bar, Gourmet Palace
Dundalk, Crowne Plaza Dundalk, The Jockeys Bar, Th Century Bar and Restaurant, Ice House
Hill Park, Finnibair Industrial Park, etc.

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Setting: urban
Site area: N/A
Floor area: 159.33m2
Front orientation: West
Rear orientation: East
Topography: Level site
House type: Detached
Number of bedrooms: 4
Site features: great central location, full planning permission, tranquil surroundings, all services
and town centre amenities nearby, and off road parking.
Water: municipal supply
Selling Agent: DNG Duffy
PRS License Number: 002108
Contact Name: Jim Duffy
Asking price: €335,000
The property is almost ready for occupation and it was last updated online on April 19, 2018.
The house is energy efficient and is 2 minutes’ drive away from M1 motorway. Views of the
house are provided in Appendix 5 (DNG Duffy, 2018a).

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The two properties are within a radius of 1.8km, as shown in Figure 1 below. They have
several similar features such as location (Dundalk), internal floor area (162m2 and 159.33m2),
number of bedrooms (4), number of bathrooms (2), and estimated price (€321,660.03 and
€335,000). Therefore it is reasonable to compare these two properties.
Figure 1: Location of the two properties
According to the latest report by SCSI, values of four-bedroom detached houses are
expected to rise by 7% in all regions across Ireland during 2018 (Society of Chartered Surveyors
Ireland, 2018). The demand for residential properties is also rising, which is evidenced by the
increasing number of planning permissions that have already been issued in the region. Supply
for new 4/5 bedroom detached houses is projected to be 45% less than demand in 2018. Dundalk
boasts of numerous enviable shopping facilities, sporting facilities and clubs, restaurants, pubs,
cafes, cinemas and theatres, etc. It is also known as an industrious town and a technology hub
with multinational offices such as EBay and Paypal (DNG Duffy, 2018b). All these make the
proposed project economically viable.

Property Economics & Valuations 9
The proposed house is suited for both young and mature couples. A couple with a
combined salary of and €66,000 can afford this property. The median house price in Leister in
2017 was €199,783. The cost of the proposed dwelling is €321,660.03, which 1.61 times more
than the median house price. There are several other similar properties in the region that have
been either listed or sold. A 4 bedroom detached house with a floor area of 171m2 off Blackrock
Cove in Dundalk is going at €365,000 (DNG Duffy, 2018c), another 4 bedroom detached house
with a floor area of 158.12m2-167.13m2 off Carrick Road in Dundalk is going at €345,000 (DNG
Duffy, 2018d), and another 4 bedroom detached house off Point Road in Dundalk is going at
€365,000 (Draft Media Limited, 2018b).
The price of the proposed house (€321,660.03) is less than that of the two similar houses
that have been compared with (€365,000, €345,000 and €365,000). Therefore the project is
viable and it is likely to be sold faster because it is relatively cheaper than similar projects in the
region.
5. Suitability of Data Sourced
The data that has been used to estimate the price of the proposed house at Avenue Road,
Dundalk, Co. Louth was adequate. For instance, the price of land is the one provided by a
licensed property agent in the area. The total cost of the house was calculated using the data and
guidelines provided by SCSI when computing the cost of a three-bedroom semi-detached house
in Dublin. Since construction cost is higher in Dublin than in Dundalk, it was important to apply
an adjustment factor of 21.6%.
Nevertheless, it is not easy to compare the price of detached and demi-detached houses. The
site size and specific features of the two houses were also different. This property was also
compared with anther similar listed property within a radius of 1.8km. The property has an

Property Economics & Valuations 10
internal floor area of 159.33m2 and its asking price is €365,000, while internal floor area of the
proposed house is 162m2 and its cost is estimated to be at €321,660.03. It is not very precise to
compare the two properties because they have different gross internal floor area and other
features such as garage, internal finishes, kitchen appliances, etc. For this reason, it is
recommended to have an adjustment factor so as to come up with a more precise estimating of
the proposed house.
6. Summary and Conclusions
The median house price in Leister province in 2017 was €199,783 while the cost of the
proposed house is at €321,660.03, which is 1.61 times more than the average house price in the
region. However, the €199,783 includes the prices of different sizes of houses including 1, 2, 3, 4
and 5 bedroom houses.
A similar property in Dundalk within a radius of 1.8km but with a larger gross internal floor
area by 2.67m2 was compared with the proposed property. The asking price of the other property
is at €365,000, which is 11.9% higher than the price of the proposed development. Statistics
show that prices of 4 bedroom houses in the region are rising progressively and supply of these
houses is 45% less than demand. Dundalk is experiencing a steady economic growth and the
property should be affordable to any young or mature working couple. Considering all these
factors, the proposed project is economically viable and it is expected to attract more buyers and
be sold faster.

Property Economics & Valuations 11
Appendix 1: Map view of the site (Draft Media Limited, 2018a)
Appendix 2: Satellite map of the site (Draft Media Limited, 2018a)

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Appendix 3: Cost Calculations
Dublin Dundalk Notes
Size (floor area) 112.78 m2 162 m2
Fixed
cost
€ psm Total € Fixed
cost
€ psm Total €
HARD COST
HOUSE
Substructure 118.40 13,354.00 92.83 15,038.46
Superstructure 430.60 48,563.07 337.5
9
54,689.58
Completion 161.50 18,213.97 126.6
2
20,512.44
Finishes 107.60 12,135.13 84.36 13,666.32
Fittings 45.20 5,097.66 35.44 5,741.28
Services 220.70 24,890.55 173.0
3
28,030.86
SUB TOTAL 1,084.0
0
122,253.5
2
849.8
7
137,678.9
3
SITE WORKS
WITHIN THE
CURTILAGE
Demolitions
Ground works
Underground
drainage and
services
Landscaping,
paving and
fencing
SUB TOTAL 88.70 10,003.59 69.54 11,265.61
SITE
DEVELOPMEN
T
Demolitions
Ground works
Underground
drainage and
services
Landscaping,
paving and
fencing
SUB TOTAL 159.50 17,988.41 124.0
5
20,257.78
TOTAL HARD
COST
1,332.2
0
150,245.5
2
169,202.3
2

Property Economics & Valuations 13
SOFT COST
Professional fees 48.80 5,503.66 0 0 Planning
permissio
n already
issued
Development
levies
75.40 8,503.61 1,615 1,615
Electricity
connection levy
500 500 500
Gas connection
levy
250 0 0 No gas
connectio
n
Water 2,500 28.80 3,248.06 22.58 3,657.83
SUB TOTAL 5,772.83
LAND &
DEVELOPMEN
T COST
Land cost 50,00
0
70,000 70,000
Stamp duty 1,000 1,000 1,000
Legal fees 1,500 1,500 1,500
Part V cost 5,000 0 0 N/A
SUB TOTAL 57,50
0
509.80 57,495.24 72,500 447.5
3
72,500
SALES AND
MARKETING
COST
Show house 500 0
Marketing 1,500 0 N/A
Sales agent fees 3,100 3,690 3,690 €3,000 +
23%
VAT
Sales legal fees 3,100 3,075 3,075 €2,500 +
23%
VAT
SUB TOTAL 8,200 72.70 8,199.11 6,765
FINANCE
COST
Finance cost on
land purchased
12,25
0
700 10% p.a.
on 20%
of land
cost for
half a
year
Finance cost in
construction
1,952 3,384.05 10% p.a.
on 40%

Property Economics & Valuations 14
build cost
for half a
year
Finance on post
build
6,000 4,084.05 10% p.a.
on 20%
of land
cost and
40% of
build cost
for half a
year
SUB TOTAL 20,20
2
177.30 19,995.89 8,168.10
Margin 336.75 37,978.67 21,718.4
3
20,992.66 8% on
total of
hard and
soft costs
VAT 40,83
2
348.54 39,308.34 34,141.3
4
38,259.12 13.5%
TOTAL SOFT
COST
1,598.0
9
180,232.5
9
152,457.7
1
TOTAL HOUSE
COST
2,930.2
9
330,478.1
1
321,660.0
3
If standard stamp duty and VAT are not provided, stamp duty and VAT is taken as 1% and
13.5% of the property’s selling price (Clancy, 2015).
Appendix 4: Adjustment Factor
The cost of constructing a house in greater Dublin area is more than in Dundalk. To
determine the difference, SCSI house rebuilding calculator (available online) was used to
determine the minimum base cost of a 162m2 (1,743.75 sq. ft.) detached property in Dublin and
Dundalk, which is located in North East area of Ireland. The cost was done without including
garage(s), kitchen fittings, built-in wardrobes, special finishes, fences/walls, outbuildings,
disabled access ramps and alarm systems (Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland, 2018). The

Property Economics & Valuations 15
minimum base cost in these two areas and the percentage difference are as shown in the table
below
Dublin Dundalk
Minimum base cost €312,498.00 €244,944.00
Percentage difference 312498−244944
312498 x 100 %=21.6 %
Since the calculation in this report is based on construction of a three-bedroom house in Dublin,
all elemental costs have been reduced by 21.6% when calculating the construction cost of the
proposed property development in Dundalk.
Appendix 5: Views of 8 Tudor Grove, Mullagharlin Road, Dundalk, Louth house

Property Economics & Valuations 16
References

Property Economics & Valuations 17
Boova, K., 2018. Costs to Consider: Hard Costs vs Soft Costs. [Online]
Available at: http://watchdogpm.com/blog/costs-to-consider-hard-costs-vs-soft-costs/
[Accessed 23 April 2018].
Clancy, M., 2015. Stamp Duty Explained. [Online]
Available at: https://www.daft.ie/blog/stamp-duty/
[Accessed 23 April 2018].
DNG Duffy, 2018a. 8 Tudor Grove, Mullagharlin Road, Dundalk, Louth. [Online]
Available at: http://www.duffyproperty.ie/residential/brochure/4221503
[Accessed 24 April 2018].
DNG Duffy, 2018b. Mount Hamilton (Type J3), Carrick Road, Dundalk, Louth. [Online]
Available at: http://www.duffyproperty.ie/residential/brochure/3821909
[Accessed 23 April 2018].
DNG Duffy, 2018c. 1 Marine Avenue, Blackrock Cove, Blackrock, Louth. [Online]
Available at: http://www.dngduffy.ie/residential/brochure/4107371
[Accessed 24 April 2018].
DNG Duffy, 2018d. Mount Hamilton (Type K), Carrick Road, Dundalk, Louth. [Online]
Available at: http://www.dngduffy.ie/residential/brochure/4104793
[Accessed 24 April 2018].
Draft Media Limited, 2018a. Avenue Road, Dundalk, Co. Louth. [Online]
Available at: http://www.daft.ie/louth/sites-for-sale/dundalk/avenue-road-dundalk-louth-
1527212/
[Accessed 23 April 2018].
Draft Media Limited, 2018b. 8 Waterview, Point Road, Dundalk, Co. Louth. [Online]
Available at: https://www.daft.ie/louth/houses-for-sale/dundalk/8-waterview-point-road-dundalk-
louth-1683055/
[Accessed 24 April 2018].
McGrath, M., 2016. Surveyors Break Down the Cost of Building a Three-Bed Semi D in Dublin.
[Online]
Available at: https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/surveyors-break-down-the-cost-of-building-
a-threebed-semi-d-in-dublin-34726020.html
[Accessed 23 April 2018].
Sherman, F., 2018. What Are Hard & Soft Costs in Constructon?. [Online]
Available at: https://bizfluent.com/info-8124694-construction-hard-costs-soft-costs.html
[Accessed 23 April 2018].
Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland, 2016. New Guide to House Rebuilding Costs Published.
[Online]
Available at: https://www.scsi.ie/news/view?id=78
[Accessed 23 April 2018].

Property Economics & Valuations 18
Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland, 2017. The Real Cost of New House Delivery 2016,
Dublin: Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland.
Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland, 2018. Annual Residential Property Review & Outlook
2018, Dublin: SCSI.
Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland, 2018. House Rebuilding Calculator. [Online]
Available at: https://www.scsi.ie/advice/house_rebuilding_calculator
[Accessed 23 April 2018].
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2013. Dundalk. [Online]
Available at: https://www.britannica.com/place/Dundalk
[Accessed 23 April 2018].