House of the Week: A dream home in Rylane for €570,000

A self-build on a 1.38-acre site in Dooneens, Rylane

Dooneens, Rylane

Rylane, Co. Cork
€570,000
Size	265sq m (2852sq ft)
Bedrooms	5
Bathrooms	4
BER	A3

THE 2008 global financial crash that shattered consumer confidence had one small upside: the twin virtues of patience and prudence were back in vogue.

This worked in favour of the couple who built the house featured here: they had years to do research while waiting for the market to recover before selling one property to fund another.

After 23 years working in Dublin, they were ready to move closer to their Cork and Kerry roots but, to finance the move, they would need to sell their home in Co Meath. As the market was at rock bottom, they decided to rent in Cork for the first few years. They used their time wisely to explore sites, properties, and the many components that go into building a home; talking to experts, observing the work, and banking the knowledge helped inform their future plans.

When they first saw the 1.38-acre site in Dooneens, Rylane, they had yet to decide whether to buy a house outright or to buy a site and build their own.

“I remember we were looking at a house that we couldn’t afford and the estate agent asked if we would like to see a site. The first time I stood in the field that our house is now in, I looked down at the view — and that was the benchmark for everything we looked at after that,” the Kerry man says.

“We always gravitated back to it and we decided to build there, and I’m delighted we did.”

He had always liked the idea of a self-build and all their research came into play when he eventually did. Work got underway in 2012, and the house took two years to finish. The outcome is a testament to the benefits of careful planning.

They got the insulation spot-on — refusing to have the Sky dish attached to the house in case it compromised the thermal envelope — and secured a first-class A3 energy rating, underpinned by underfloor heating, air-to-water heating, and heat recovery ventilation. Potential buyers can avail of green mortgage rates.

No expense was spared on the quality of the finish or the many bespoke features, from the 3.8m mulberry-toned island unit in the Nicholas Moody kitchen and the wraparound corner window in the triple-aspect, open-plan kitchen/dining/living room to the double-height entrance hall with vaulted ceiling, huge picture window framing the garden, and walnut staircase with glass balustrade.

They did some future proofing too: a downstairs bedroom with en suite bathroom is wheelchair accessible. There’s a touch of luxury to the main upstairs bedroom: en suite, walk-in wardrobe, feature apex window. Of four upstairs bedrooms, one is big enough to sleep an entire family of visitors. A large landing/mezzanine gets good use, as does a cosy den off the open-plan area. There’s also a pantry, a laundry room, and a utility.

Outside, a large deck faces south and can be accessed from the open-plan area.

A smart-looking garage — with plumbing and electrics — is a versatile space.

Sherry FitzGerald agent Tirza Hourihan, who is selling the 2,852sq ft home, says early viewings are dominated by families looking to relocate from Cork City and by local families seeking to trade up.

“It’s an exceptional home, thoughtfully designed, with top-quality finishes,” she says, adding that Coachford, Macroom, and four national schools are all within a 10-minute spin. The distance to Cork City is 40km. The guide price is €570,000.

VERDICT: An exemplar for the rewards of doing your homework. Super family home.