Guide
One Stop Shop or apply yourself?
Same grant, two routes. One pays you after, the other takes it off the price at the start. Here's how to choose.
windowgrants.ie is not SEAI or a government body and does not award grants.
Figures checked against seai.ie on 28 October 2026. How we check
There are two routes. Apply yourself and SEAI pays you the grant after the work. Or go through a One Stop Shop, which handles the application and takes the grant off your price at the start (seai.ie).
The grant amounts are the same. The difference is who does the paperwork and when the money comes off.
The two routes side by side
| Apply yourself | One Stop Shop | |
|---|---|---|
| Who applies | You, online | The One Stop Shop, for you |
| When the grant comes off | SEAI pays you after the work | Deducted from the price up front |
| Cash you need up front | The full price, until SEAI pays | The price less the grant |
| Who you deal with | Your contractor, the BER assessor and SEAI | The One Stop Shop manages it |
| Windows only, doors only, or both | Yes | Yes |
Source: seai.ie and SEAI, 20 Feb 2026.
Apply yourself
You pick an SEAI-registered contractor, apply online, get the grant approved, have the work done and the post-works BER, then claim. SEAI pays the grant to you after the work. You need to be able to pay the full price first.
Suits you if you're only doing windows or doors, you're happy with a few online forms, and you can cover the cost until the grant comes through.
One Stop Shop
A One Stop Shop is an SEAI-registered company that manages the whole job for you, including the grant application. SEAI says that with a One Stop Shop, the shop handles your application (SEAI, 20 Feb 2026). The grant is deducted from your price at the start, so you never pay it out yourself.
Suits you if you'd rather not deal with the paperwork, or paying the full amount up front would be hard.
What changed in 2026
Before March 2026, window and door grants were only available through a One Stop Shop, and only as part of an upgrade to at least a B2 BER (SEAI, 20 Feb 2026). Now the windows and doors grant is a standalone individual grant too, so most people have the choice. The 2026 timeline has the dates.
Things to check either way
- Get grant approval before work starts. Work done before approval isn't funded, apart from the 27 January 2026 exception.
- Check your BER heat loss rating first. Without it, neither route can pay.
- Ask for the window U-values in writing (1.4 W/m²K or better).
- Ask who books and pays for the post-works BER.
- Ask for a written price that states the VAT.
Questions to ask a One Stop Shop
- Which works will you do, and which grants will you apply for on my behalf?
- How much comes off the price up front, item by item?
- Who does the BER before and after?
- What happens if SEAI doesn't approve part of the job?
Which route to pick
If cash flow matters, the One Stop Shop route means you never pay the grant amount yourself. If you want to choose your own window company and you're happy to wait for the grant, applying yourself gives you more say. When the contractor rings, ask which route they work with.
Questions people ask
What is a One Stop Shop?
An SEAI-registered company that manages the whole job, including your grant application. The grant comes off your price up front.
Is the grant bigger through a One Stop Shop?
No. The windows and doors grant amounts are the same. What changes is who applies and when the grant comes off.
When does SEAI pay if I apply myself?
After the work is done, the post-works BER is in and you've claimed.
Can a One Stop Shop do just windows?
Ask the One Stop Shop. Since March 2026 you can claim for windows only, doors only or both, but each company decides what jobs it takes on.
Can I still apply myself in 2026?
Yes. Since March 2026 the windows and doors grant is a standalone individual grant as well as being available through One Stop Shops.
See your window grant, then get a price
Four taps show the SEAI grant for your home. Or call 087 162 1846 between 8am and 8pm and we pass you to one SEAI-registered contractor who covers your area.