Ballinteer in south Dublin boasts fine, well-built semis that mostly date from the 1940s through to the 1960s. They’re solid and lend themselves really well to being remodelled for modern life. You can extend out front to give a roomy entrance porch, convert the garage and above it as well as push the house out to the back. You can also go up into the attic.
The owners of number 76 have done all of the above to deliver a great family home with space for every member of the family to have their friends round without territorial rows taking place.
They added more than 75sq m to its original footprint to give a 173sq m/1,862sq ft home as well as another 25sq m of attic space. Upgrades, including an external insulation job that they collaborated on with their neighbours and zoned heating, contribute to the cosy B2 Ber. All of which goes a long way to explaining the €795,000 asking price through agents Sherry FitzGerald.
Across the road is a three-bed 110sq m house with a huge, west-facing back garden, but in original condition which came to market asking €595,000 and recently sold, through the same agents, for €575,000. The price difference is the cost of getting builders and architects in and then getting them to deliver a similar level of finish.
Number 76 is an impressively turned out home. The property has two interconnecting reception rooms that step down into the dining room which steps up to the kitchen, a slick space with airforce blue coloured units from Ikea luxed up by the use of quartz countertops. Concertina doors lead from the dining room out to a deck painted a lilac blue and out to an artificially grassed lawn and a cool timber–frame garden room that the family uses from April onwards. Here there is seating for a gang to gather, a gas-fired barbecue, outdoor plugs and recessed spot lighting. There’s also a putting green for anyone looking to sharpen their game.
Upstairs there are now four bedrooms, two decent singles and two doubles, one of which is the master at the back of the house with an en suite with a P-shaped bath. The family bathroom is fitted with a shower.
The attic space is divided into two separate spaces and there is also a separate study in what was originally a shed to the side.
