Tulach Rua blazes new homes trail

Courtbrack scheme has six of 12 properties booked, Rose Martin reports

Colman O’Leary (left) and Michael O’Sullivan Greene (right), directors, O’Leary & O’Sullivan Developers, and Donal Cronin, sales manager, at the Tulach Rua development. Picture: Denis Minihane

ARE they mad? Building a new scheme in the teeth of a recession? Appears not. Construction firm O’Leary and O’Sullivan Ltd has been tipping away throughout the dark days of the downturn and this month, officially launch a new scheme at Courtbrack, Blarney.

The development of predominantly detached houses is close to Blarney, Tower and Ballincollig with good schools locally, and is less than 30 minutes to Cork city.

And Coleman O’Leary and Michael O’Sullivan’s hunch on market demands, (no focus groups here), has been on the money so far — literally. The newly-named Tulach Rua scheme has six of its 12 houses booked, but sales manager, Donal Cronin of O’Leary & O’Sullivan admits it’s not that easy now: he puts the firm’s success down to a number of things, not least “careful management and quick reaction to customers’ demands on pricing”.

The company has completed projects in Kilworth, Ladysbridge, Midleton and Ballincollig, and are now building what they say are market-directed homes.

There are three house types available, designed by Eamonn Gahan of Deady Gahan Architects, and they range from a 1,723 sq ft, four bed semi, to a 2,265 sq ft four bed and finally, a 2,885 sq ft five bed.

All of the houses are block built, will be finished with grey stone, grey windows and the odd touch of cedar and all will include sunrooms, but more importantly, they will be insulated and air-tight to 2011 standards.

While Tulach Rua houses are pitched to a B1 energy efficiency levels, many will achieve A3, says Coleman O’Leary, because of the level of finish and the orientation.

Prices start at €234,950 for the semis, €269,950 for the four-bed detached and €299,950 for the five bed detached.

The four-bed semis, because they’re viewed as starter homes, will come with a complete fit-out, down to white goods, and the remaining houses will have a choice of kitchens, bathrooms and other fittings, with good PC sums, says Michael O’Sullivan.

The internal layout of each type is good with an enlightened choice of living space.

The four bed, for instance, includes a ground floor study, as well as the standard offering and the four and five beds are designed to tick all the boxes for buyers trading up.

Either way, OLOS will bend over backwards for their clients, says Donal Cronin and the company is prepared to hand-hold potential buyers through the mortgage application process and will, in some cases provide a rent-to-buy option, or delayed closing for clients.

VERDICT: The marketing office will be open this Saturday and Sunday from 2pm to 4pm.