Fix it up: A tired 1930s part red-brick home in Cabra, D7

What is it? No169 New Cabra Road in D7 looks like it has had little done with it since the 1970s. Big families with a larger budget might well be interested in taking it on as a project for a number of reasons.

Tell me more about the place…
Thought to have been built in the 1930s, this is a fascinating combination of earlier Edwardian architecture (stained glass, pagoda porch, ornate iron fireplaces upstairs) and later 1940s design (garage, porthole window, ‘cream cracker’ tile fireplaces downstairs). Three interlinking reception rooms, a large traditional kitchen, a long garden room, a downstairs wc, three upstairs bedrooms and a family bathroom.

The bad news?

It has two extensions with a shorter one likely from the 1940s and a longer home office added in the 1960s. Both are useless for a modern- use home and will have to be demolished. This house will need stripping back and heating, rewiring, and insulation along with the construction of a modern kitchen and living extension plus new bathrooms.

The good news?
When its done, three big receptions and a decent sized living/dining/kitchen will make this a very big family home indeed. The roof seems fine and there’s no damp. There’s also potential for a fourth bedroom over the garage. Some of the period detailing is beautiful and the garden is super long. It’s equidistant between St Peter’s Church in Phibsboro and the Navan Road, within reach of the Luas, the Phoenix Park and you could walk to town.

How much to buy it?
The asking price is €725k.

And to fix it up?
€200,000 without the bedroom extension.

What will I end up with?
A top period home for a larger family near the city centre for €925k.

Who do I talk to?
Isabel O’Neill of DNG (01) 830 0989 will walk you between the design ages here.