The Society of Chartered Surveyors has issued its annual guide to house rebuilding costs for insurance purposes. The chief executive of the society, Mr Tony Smith, said there was confusion among home owners about the value for which they should insure their houses. He emphasised that it was important to distinguish between market value and reinstatement value. Market value currently bears little relation to reinstatement value, which is what a house should be insured for. The guide shows that in Dublin a two-bedroom 70 square metre terraced house should be insured for a minimum of £1,129 per square metre. The same house in Cork should be insured for £1,106 per square metre and in Galway for £960 per square metre. A three-bedroom semi in Dublin should be insured for at least £1,090 per square metre. The equivalent figure for Cork is £973 and £913 for Galway.

Free copies of the guide are available by sending a stamped addressed envelope to the Society of Chartered Surveyors at 5 Wilton Place, Dublin 2.