case study
they wanted to increase the floor area and reconfigure the house to make it flow better. They also required a large space to entertain guests and so a complete redesign became the only option. “All that remained was the roof, front wall and gable end, the rest was knocked down and built from scratch. We could have tried working with the existing building but there was nothing of great value to retain and in terms of upgrading the energy efficiency it would have been quite expensive anyway.” The new build allowed them to bring the porch forward, fit new energy efficient windows, rewire and replumb the whole house, put thermostats in each room and install underfloor heating downstairs. The ground floor was originally suspended timber and that was changed to concrete. “What we mostly added in floor area is the space above the garage, in terms of useable space we benefited from our choice to convert the attic into a bedroom with en suite,” he adds. “In practical terms what we gained was a family www.SelfBuild.ie
The North West facing side of the house is illuminated by two rectangular rooflights
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