House of the Week: Resident architect transformed this nicely-priced €445k Ballinlough home

7 Knockrea Gardens, Ballinlough Road, Cork. Pictures: H-Pix

Ballinlough, Cork city
€445,000
Size	107 sq m
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	2
BER	B3

Six years, a series of architect-directedrenovations and two babies later, the busy and growing household at No 7 Knockrea Gardens is relocating to a destination that should make the daily juggle of life and work a little less stressful.

In other words, they’re moving closer to that vital support network known as ‘family’, which anyone who’s been through the parenting wringer will recognise as crucial to (a) keeping the show on the road and (b) retaining your sanity.

They leave behind a contemporary-looking, prettily renovated, home with a robust B3 energy rating — a substantial improvement on the dated property they acquired in 2019.

“It was structurally sound when we bought it, but it needed a refresh and so we renovated the interior, re-modelled the ground floor and added a new extension to the rear,” says one half of the couple who, as an architect, had the nous to redesign the house himself.

The remodel — which included the demolition of an earlier rear extension that contained a shower room — resulted in a good run of downstairs living space, with walls replaced by open arches.

Closest to the front of the house is the living room area, an inviting space with a wood-burning stove as a focal point and built-in shelving either side of the fireplace. Beyond it is the dining area and deeper in again is the kitchen-cum-lounge extension, with an adjoining utility. Stylish, full-height glazed double doors give the option to close this area off from living/dining.

A sleek-looking kitchen, with oxidised iron-effect worktops is well lit by overhead skylights and sliding glass doors along the rear wall.

A picture window overlooks the tiered garden where a tiled patio area creates a BBQ terrace next to the house. Tiled steps lead down to a well-enclosed children’s play area with artificial lawn. A raised planter is the dividing line between patio and garden.

Views up towards the city’s northern hills are at a premium from the rear terrace.

Out front has been landscaped too, with bright gravel chips and paving leading up to a smart new front door.

Knockrea Gardens, at the top of Wallace’s Avenue and directly across the road from Our Lady of Lourdes (girls) National School, gets its name from the market gardens that once dominated Ballinlough, before it became a maze of housing estates.

Now it’s part of a well-resourced suburb, stocked with greens and sporting facilities, from nearby Ballinlough Tennis Club, to Gus Healy swimming pool, to pitch-and-putt, rugby and GAA grounds, all within walking distance.

Schools abound too, both primary and secondary while one of the city’s latest, greatest resources — Marina Park and Promenade — is on the doorstep. 

Cork city centre is a 10-minute walk away and there’s a good choice of public transport. Douglas village is easily accessed too, as is the south link road network.

Karl O’Reilly of Savills says “the location is second to none” and he has a point.

Of the 107 sq m three-bed house, he says it’s been finished to “an impressively high standard” — including external insulation. The B3 energy rating qualifies the buyer for green mortgage rates and Mr O’Reilly expects to see lots of interest, from first-time buyers and traders down in particular.

“It’s a turnkey home and it’s basically in town, it’s a super option,” he says.

The agent is guiding No 7 at €445,000. Parking is on-street.

VERDICT: The Ballinlough location is a byword for convenience. A tastefully renovated, turnkey home.

View this property on MyHome.ie