Dan and Jessica Tynan share what it’s been like to build their Co Tipperary home themselves, from designing the house to building it. In this article we cover: Overview House: 2,850sqftPlot: 1 acre Why did you decide to build your Co Tipperary home yourself? Dan: I always wanted to build my house on this site. It’s on […] More
How Claire and Robert Watts turned this well-located but cold Dublin home into a functional and cosy nest for their family. In this article we cover: Overview Site size: 830 sqmHouse size before: 200 sqmHouse size after: 250 sqmNew walls and upgraded existing walls U-value 0.12W/sqmK, roof U-value 0.16W/sqmK, ground floor U-value 0.15W/sqmK “Built in the 1940s after WWII […] More
Pauline Millar’s downsizing project in Belfast shows what can be done with a small property and a limited budget. In this article estate agent Pauline explains how she went about renovating her 1960s semi-detached house in Belfast, including: “We bought our family home 19 years ago, but with the children grown up and away we […] More
When Denis McNamara of Co Meath inherited his grandparents’ farmhouse, he was living in London and had a stark choice to make. In this article, Denis shares the story behind his Co Meath two storey new build including: “The house was two storey with low ceilings, and we originally wanted to renovate it. We spent […] More
For Alan and Karen Campbell renovating a century old farmhouse in Co Derry – and building their very own family home next to it – meant they could care for elderly parents. This new build, built next to the family farmhouse, was a labour of love for Alan and Karen. Here they chat about: “When […] More
This Dublin suburban house, a semi detached from the 1950s, was restored to its former glory with a budget-friendly makeover. We bought the house 10 years ago; the same person had lived in it since it was built in the early 1950s. It was a three-bed semi detached end of terrace house,” explains Emma Blain […] More
This County Down renovation and extension project consisted of upgrading a semi derelict house sitting on a site with amazing views. In this article we cover: Finding the perfect site with dream views is everything, especially for an avid gardener like Rhona Irvine of Co Down. The trick in this case was to give the […] More
Self-build mortgages can be hard to get if you plan to build a holiday home but for Helen and Daniel Smyth the lure of the sea proved too strong to resist. In this article, we cover: “Eight years ago we bought a holiday home in Wexford,” says Daniel. “It was an old farmhouse, that had […] More
Burning timber is harder than it looks, as Gareth Boyd learned the hard way when he charred cedar shingles to envelop his self-build. Did you consider alternatives to charred timber cladding, such as slate? We had initially considered a couple of different options including corrugated metal sheets and fibre cement slates, but as the design […] More
Taking the time to plan your self-build pays incredible dividends as Sean and Eloise Duffy learned after spending four years designing their Co Cavan home that embraces architectural forms – it really is a new build with a difference. In this article we cover: How did this project come about? Sean: We had been talking about […] More
To get the most out of a renovation or extension project you need to have lived in the house for at least a couple of years to see what changes will work best for you, working from the inside out, as Gayle and Graeme Doyle of Co Down found out. In this article we cover: […] More
How Cora Marshall and Philip Clarke converted their compact 1950s two-up-two-down house into a bright and spacious family home. In this article Cora and Philip take us through their Dublin extension project, including: “My sister originally owned this house and I always loved it,” says Cora. “The garden is great. She bought it in 2005 […] More
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