Summer 2019
More stories
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in Bungalow, Extension/Renovation Projects, Extensions & Renovations, Leinster, Projects, Timber FrameCounty Westmeath Lakeside Renovation
For Egon Walesch, this lakeside renovation was a balancing act between modernising the place and conserving childhood memories. In this article Egon covers: What’s the story behind this lakeside renovation project? It was a house built in the 1960s as a holiday home for an English couple. Guessing from the fact that the wall and […] More
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in AdviceGrow your own herbal tea
Thankfully the majority of herbal tea plants are a cinch to grow. Fiann Ó Nualláin shows you how. In this article we cover: The original tea plant is Camellia sinensis and even though it’s a cousin of garden camellias, it is not as easy to maintain. But most herbal tea plants are thankfully much easier […] More
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in Choosing wall and floor finishes, Extension/Renovation Projects, Extensions & Renovations, Leinster, On site, Projects, Two StoreyCounty Dublin Renovation
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
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in Advice, Energy Efficiency, Airtightness & The Environment, Extension/Renovation Advice, Interior Advice, Pre designThe overheating problem
How to design and retrofit homes to avoid overheating and maintain a comfortable temperature. In this article we cover: Architectural designers prioritise heat retention when building new homes and renovating existing ones yet overheating in homes is becoming a real problem. Stricter energy efficiency measures and external temperature rises caused by climate change and growing […] More
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How much will your walls cost?
When building your forever house, you must factor in costs for each and every item, none more so than your external walls cost. For cost purposes, external walls refer to the structure of the main external envelope of the property. In most cases it’s the main structural element and also the area that’s most visible […] More
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Amazing County Down Renovation
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
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Low cost energy efficient rectangular design
Ken Gill’s rectangular self-built home in Co Down is low cost and energy efficient. In this article Ken talks about: In the coldest two weeks of January 2019 Ken only had to turn on the heat in the house for an hour. “Any bit of sun that gets into the house through the windows keeps […] More
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in Block, Buying land with an existing house on it, Cost 300+, Leinster, New Build, Projects, Self-build Projects, Two StoreyCounty Wexford holiday home
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
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Galway Community Re-build
The story of a community coming together to rebuild a family home following the same principles upon which houses were built in Ireland centuries ago – with the help of neighbours and local materials. When Jeremy Zanni and partner Melanie moved to Ireland and stumbled upon a traditional Irish cottage, it was love at first […] More
English