Sir, – Attempts to determine the cost of rebuilding mica-affected houses are unravelling in slow motion. Anyone with working experience of construction knows that such reconstruction cannot be managed on a mythical “cost per square foot” (CSF) basis. There is no table or recognised index for rural one-off housing CFS other than some which offer an impractically broad range of costs.
The reason is simple, there are just too many variables to determine “standard” costs. The variables include, but are not confined to, house size and shape, single or multiple storey, construction type and of course all the external and internal specification items which vary widely.
No builder will agree to build anything solely on a defined CSF basis unless he or she can write the accompanying specification to suit the price, and presumably no homeowner could or should agree to this approach.
The mica fiasco is a disaster which does not reflect well on our construction industry. However, I think the industry does collectively have the appropriate skills to help. Industry leaders should come out from the shadows and start co-operating to devise and implement a customised pragmatic professional costing and project management system to help bring an end to this nightmare for the homeowners and allow families return to their homes.
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– Yours, etc,
TONY RYAN,
Leamlara,
Co Cork.