Cairn Homes
Cairn Homes plc is Ireland's largest homebuilder, developing new houses and apartments for private buyers and government housing schemes across Dublin, Cork, Galway, and other Irish markets. The vertically integrated Developer/Contractor platform controls all stages from land acquisition through construction and aftercare.
- Company typePublic
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersDublin, Ireland
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Cairn Homes does
Cairn Homes plc is Ireland's largest residential homebuilder and the country's largest self-build apartment developer, founded in 2015 by CEO Michael Stanley and listed on Euronext Dublin and the London Stock Exchange (ticker CNHHY). The company delivers houses and apartments across Dublin, Cork, Galway, Wicklow, Meath, and Kildare, serving private buyers (first-time buyers, families, and downsizers), government bodies (Housing Agency, Dublin City Council) under schemes including Crói Cónaithe and the First Home Scheme, and commercial tenants within mixed-use developments. Its flagship project, Seven Mills in Dublin 22, is a master-planned new town designed for over 5,500 homes and a population of roughly 15,000.
The operating platform is a vertically integrated Developer/Contractor model with full in-house control spanning land acquisition, planning, design, technical, construction, and aftercare. Supporting assets include the Cairn Design Library shared with supply chain partners, Passive House energy efficiency standards across the portfolio, Biodiversity Net Gain commitments (approximately 110,000 trees planted), and SBTi-validated 46.2% Scope 1 and 2 emissions reduction targets by 2030. A Health & Safety team of nearly 20 specialists supports the 22+ active construction sites employing over 3,000 people.
Cairn generates revenue primarily through one-time unit sales of new homes and apartments, with pricing varying by development, unit type, and government scheme eligibility (Housing Agency apartments priced €225,000-€350,000; Dublin City Council units at approximately €560,000). The go-to-market combines direct sales through the cairnhomes.com website and on-site offices, third-party selling agents (Gavigan, Coonan New Homes), and listings on property portals (Daft.ie, MyHome.ie). FY2025 revenue of €944.6 million grew 10% year-over-year with a 17.85% operating margin, supported by a record €1.32 billion forward order book covering 3,452 units; management has guided FY2026 revenue to €1.05-1.08 billion and a 2027 target of 3,200 annual unit deliveries.
Cairn Homes firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cairn Homes
- Legal name
- Cairn Homes plc
- Website
- https://cairnhomes.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Cairn Homes plc is Ireland's largest homebuilder, developing new houses and apartments for private buyers and government housing schemes across Dublin, Cork, Galway, and other Irish markets. The vertically integrated Developer/Contractor platform controls all stages from land acquisition through construction and aftercare.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cairn Homes industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Residential Property Development
- NAICS
- New Housing For-Sale Builders (236117), New Multifamily Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders) (236116), Land Subdivision (23721), Residential Building Construction (23611)
- SIC
- Land Subdividers & Developers (No Cemeteries) (6552), Real Estate Dealers (For Their Own Account) (6532), Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Spec Home / Production Homebuilding (Tract & Volume Builders) (IMAFABAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Multi-Family Residential Construction (Apartments, Condos, Townhomes) (IMAFABAB), Residential Land Development & Subdivision Homebuilding (Build-to-Sell Communities) (IMAFABAL), New Construction & Builder Sales (BPAJAAAB)
Keywords
Where Cairn Homes is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dublin
- HQ country
- Ireland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Cairn Homes business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Residential Property Sales: Cairn generates the majority of its revenue from the sale of new homes and apartments to private buyers. This includes houses (2, 3, and 4 bedroom) and apartments across developments in Dublin, Cork, Galway, and other locations across Ireland. FY 2025 revenue was €944.6 million.
- Social and Affordable Housing Contracts: Cairn delivers apartments and homes to government bodies including the Housing Agency and Dublin City Council under social housing initiatives. In 2025, Cairn delivered 332 apartments to the Housing Agency in Seven Mills, Clonburris, priced between €225,000 and €350,000 per unit. Also offered 51 apartments to Dublin City Council for €28.58 million.
- Commercial and Retail Property: Cairn develops and sells or lets commercial and retail space including crèches, gyms, and retail units as part of mixed-use developments. The company has approximately 1,000,000 sq. ft. of potential commercial land nationwide.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Housing Agency social/affordable apartments at Seven Mills, Clonburris |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Dublin City Council social housing units at RTÉ Montrose, Donnybrook |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Private market residential sales at various developments |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Cairn Homes product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cairn Homes is Ireland's largest residential developer and self-build apartment developer. It designs, builds, and sells new houses and apartments to private buyers, government housing bodies, and institutional customers, and develops integrated commercial and retail space within its mixed-use communities.
Product overview
Cairn Homes is Ireland's largest residential developer and self-build apartment developer, offering a vertically integrated platform for designing, constructing, and delivering new homes and communities at scale. The core offering comprises New Homes (houses and apartments across Ireland), Building in Partnership (large-scale mixed-tenure schemes with government, local authority, and institutional partners), and Commercial & Retail (integrated commercial and childcare space within residential communities). The flagship project is Seven Mills — a new town in Dublin 22 planned for over 5,500 homes. Supporting the core product are the Operating Platform (an end-to-end in-house model from acquisition through aftercare), Customer Care Portal (post-sale homeowner support), Knowledge Hub (consumer guides and educational content), and sustainability initiatives under the 'Our Impact' programme (Passive House, decarbonisation, biodiversity, community programmes). The company also operates Cairn Community Games as a community engagement initiative, and Graduate & Intern Programmes as a talent pipeline. The portfolio spans Dublin, Cork, Galway, Wicklow, Meath, and Kildare, with 22 active construction sites supporting over 3,000 people in employment.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Seven Mills: A new town development being built beside the Grand Canal between Clondalkin and Lucan in Dublin 22; designed to accommodate over 5,500 homes with a population of approximately 15,000.
Products and services
- New Homes Cairn's primary residential housing product, comprising new houses (2, 3, and 4 bedroom) and apartments across Ireland in locations including Dublin, Cork, Galway, Wicklow, Meath, and Kildare. The portfolio ranges from starter homes to luxury apartments for private buyers, families, first-time buyers, and downsizers.
- Building in Partnership Delivery of large-scale apartment and housing schemes in partnership with government bodies, local authorities, housing agencies, and institutional customers, including social housing, state-backed schemes, and mixed-tenure developments.
- Commercial & Retail Development and delivery of commercial and retail space integrated within residential communities, including creches, office space, gyms, and retail units. Cairn has approximately 1,000,000 sq. ft. of potential commercial land nationwide, offered for sale or letting to businesses and operators.
- Seven Mills A major new town development beside the Grand Canal between Clondalkin and Lucan in Dublin 22. Once complete, Seven Mills will comprise over 5,500 homes and a population of approximately 15,000, featuring 12 parks, 2.4km of canal frontage, 12.5km of cycleways and walkways, and 225 acres of green space.
- Customer Care Portal An online portal providing homeowners with access to operating manuals, warranties, maintenance information, FAQs, and an online customer support service for queries during the first year of moving into a new home.
Quantifiable outcome
- 2,365 new homes delivered in FY 2025 (up 6%), with a target of 3,200 homes in 2027 (35% increase)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Cairn Homes
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Cairn Homes technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Cairn Homes partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- Housing Agency (Ireland)coreCairn Homes entered into a contract with Ireland's Housing Agency to deliver 332 apartments in Seven Mills, Clonburris, as part of the Croí Cónaithe government scheme to improve housing affordability with a €450 million fund targeting 5,000 apartments through 2027.
- Dublin City CouncilcoreCairn Homes offered 51 apartments at its RTÉ Montrose site in Donnybrook, Dublin to Dublin City Council for €28.58 million as part of a social housing initiative, in a revised scheme reducing total units from 608 to 510.
- Passive House Association of IrelandcoreCairn is a member of the Passive House Association of Ireland and a signatory of the Low Carbon Pledge, aligning its decarbonisation strategy with industry best practices and regulatory standards.
- Supply Chain Sustainability SchoolsupportingCairn is a member of the Supply Chain Sustainability School, working with its supply chain partners on sustainability objectives including carbon management, responsible sourcing, biodiversity, and health and safety. Fergus McMahon, Director of Commercial & Procurement, is a board member.
- Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)coreCairn has validated science-based targets for reducing Scope 1, 2, and 3 GHG emissions by 2030 from a 2019 baseline, validated by the SBTi as consistent with a 1.5°C warming trajectory.
- Children's Books IrelandsupportingCairn has partnered with Children's Books Ireland to curate a library of books encouraging creativity and environmental stewardship, donating books to schools and libraries through the 'Building Communities' reading initiative.
- The Lighthouse Construction Industry CharitysupportingCairn has partnered with The Lighthouse Club to provide emotional, physical, and financial wellbeing support to construction workers and their families, accessible confidentially 24 hours a day for all Cairn team members and subcontractors.
Scale indicators15 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Cairn Homes competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Glenveagh Properties plc: Ireland's second-largest listed homebuilder, focused on Dublin commuter belt and major urban centers with both private and partnership housing schemes. Closest direct comparable to Cairn in geography, scale, and business model.
- Persimmon plc: One of the UK's largest volume homebuilders with national geographic coverage and a focus on first-time buyers and family housing. Comparable to Cairn in production builder economics, scale efficiencies, and government-backed housing demand (Help to Buy equivalent).
- Taylor Wimpey plc: UK national homebuilder with broad geographic footprint across regions including strong urban/commuter belt exposure. Comparable to Cairn in volume production economics, government-supported buyer schemes, and public-market disclosure.
- Bellway plc: UK volume homebuilder with diversified regional operations and strong order book discipline. Comparable to Cairn on production builder model, order book visibility, and focus on first-time/family housing segments.
- Berkeley Group plc: UK London-focused homebuilder with substantial apartment and mixed-tenure developments including partnership schemes with public sector bodies. Comparable to Cairn on large-scale urban regeneration, apartment development expertise, and institutional/affordable housing partnerships.
- Barratt Developments plc: UK's largest volume homebuilder with national operations and a strong partnership housing division (Vistry-style). Comparable to Cairn on scale economics, government scheme participation, and integrated developer model.
- Vistry Group plc: UK homebuilder with a particularly large Partnerships division delivering mixed-tenure and affordable housing for housing associations and local authorities. Comparable to Cairn's Building in Partnership arm and government scheme revenue stream.
- Redrow plc: UK premium-volume homebuilder focused on family housing in regional UK markets. Comparable to Cairn on production builder operating model, forward order book economics, and growth trajectory.
- Crest Nicholson Holdings plc: UK homebuilder with a focus on southern England and mixed-tenure developments including affordable housing partnerships. Comparable to Cairn on geographic concentration, mixed-tenure model, and government-backed housing exposure.
Emerging players
- Watkin Jones plc: UK developer focused on purpose-built student accommodation, build-to-rent, and residential for sale. Comparable to Cairn on apartment development expertise and institutional customer base, though smaller and more specialized.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Cairn Homes social profiles
Digital presenceCairn Homes compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Cairn Homes financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cairn Homes leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles15 records
Cairn Homes funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cairn Homes M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cairn Homes
What does Cairn Homes do?
Cairn Homes is Ireland's largest residential developer and self-build apartment developer. It designs, builds, and sells new houses and apartments to private buyers, government housing bodies, and institutional customers, and develops integrated commercial and retail space within its mixed-use communities.
Is Cairn Homes a public or private company?
Cairn Homes is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Cairn Homes founded?
Cairn Homes was founded in 2015. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Cairn Homes based?
Cairn Homes is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, in the Europe region.
How does Cairn Homes make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Residential Property Sales are the primary driver. The others are social and Affordable Housing Contracts and commercial and Retail Property.
Who are Cairn Homes's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Glenveagh Properties plc, Persimmon plc, Taylor Wimpey plc, Bellway plc, Berkeley Group plc, Barratt Developments plc, Vistry Group plc, Redrow plc and Crest Nicholson Holdings plc. Watkin Jones plc is listed as an emerging player.
Does Cairn Homes have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cairn Homes.
What industry is Cairn Homes in?
Cairn Homes's product category is Residential Property Development. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAFABAD, Spec Home / Production Homebuilding (Tract & Volume Builders), with a secondary code of IMAFABAB, Multi-Family Residential Construction (Apartments, Condos, Townhomes). Its NAICS code is 236117 and its SIC code is 6552.