Who needs an extension? Cork's €595k South Lodge home is good to go as-is

Full overhaul of classic mid 1900s semi-d within the past five years

No 22 South Lodge/Elsinore has been fully upgraded inside and brought to a  B2 BER, says David Donovan of Savills who has had a swift uptake of calls to view

South Lodge, Ballinlough,  Cork
€595,000
Size	106 sqm (1,140 sq ft)
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	2
BER	B2

NOT every home needs a costly extension - many are right-sized as they are.

That seems to have been the approach of the owners of Elsinore, aka No 22 South Lodge, when they bought this classic three-bed semi-d back five years ago: the fact is, they did just about everything else bar extend to update their well-set suburban Cork suburban Ballinlough  buy.

No 22 South Lodge is on a corner site near a two acre green

The c 1960s built corner-sited semi is next to a two acre greenspace in deepest Ballinlough, and last went for sale five years ago with a €360,000 AMV and an advisory note from the then selling agents that it would benefit from some modernisation.

It got that, and more, after selling by early 2022 for a recorded €405,000, while still retaining its original c 1,140 sq ft overall floor area, albeit made more open plan to the back where a reception room now flows into an original lean-to kitchen section.

Then, just about everything else is newly done, as fresh as anything, in walk in order after major ‘modernising’ work as per the previous sale’s prescriptions.

It included underpinning/drains remediation, all new electrics, all new plumbing, external insulation wrap, new internal doors and other joinery including paneling in the hall and stairs where there’s a tucked away guest WC.

It’s resulted in a shift from an E2 Brrr of old to a B2 BER now, meaning the next occupants can benefit from the advantage of a lower ‘green’ rate mortgage, as well as more guaranteed cosy comforts and much lower heating and running costs.

There’s also a new kitchen and appliances, new sanitary ware, new rads, two wood burning stoves in place of the old tiled fireplaces in the front and back living area, new flooring pretty much throughout, and a bank of built-ins in one of the two double bedrooms, with original ‘mid-century’ look ones kept in the front main bed with bay window, while the single/third bedroom is presented as a home office.

Fresh and modern in feel

No 22/Elsinore is just listed this week with agent David Donovan of Savills who guides at €595,000, a gear shift up the price scale from its January 2022 sale at €405,000, but indicative of the spend that went into it since to get to its current B2 solid and smart state, as well as the rate of house price inflation over the five year time span, likely to have been 35% to 40%.

The Price Register shows c 14 various South Lodge Ballinlough resales since 2021, with the last five solidly in the €400/€475k range, with Elsinore then the lowest of the five at €405k: now, it’s going to raise the bar, to the high €500ks and likely into the €600k range.

VERDICT: Elsinore/22 South Lodge has had all the work done, and may suit next owners right down to the ground, while the shape of its corner site means that others may well be tempted to see some future extension scope to the side, if ever needed…..