Extended Ranelagh house is a draw for homeworkers

Thirteen years ago a builder bought 25 Park Drive in Ranelagh, and in the interim he has done considerable work in renovating and extending the prewar semi-detached house. Now scheduled for auction through Jackson-Stops on April 12th, it is expected to fetch £700,000 (€889,000).

This house is likely to appeal to a family where one or even both of the partners works from home, as part of the renovation included converting the garage into a spacious home office.

The builder also added a separate building in the back garden, which is currently used as a laundry room but could easily become another home office or studio.

There are now three reception rooms at one side of the house. The livingroom and diningroom interconnect and beyond that is another large family room. Off that again is a new conservatory. The dining area connects the kitchen with the family room.

In the spacious kitchen there are fitted wooden units which have been stained a dark green colour and topped with granite. Handmade tiles line the splashback. The appliances are integrated and extras include a built-in deep fat dryer and a range. Most of the downstairs area is floored in maple.

On the other side of the hall is a home office which is really two rooms - a formal office area at the front and a room at the back with a glazed pitched roof and glazed double doors which open on to the patio at the side of the house.

At the other end of this patio is the detached building, which is fitted out as a laundry room, but which could convert to a variety of uses.

Upstairs there are four bedrooms, each with an en suite. There is also a large, fully-tiled family bathroom.

The house features typical 1930s details such as a spacious hall and decorative stained glass in the doorway.

Extending so far out the back means that the garden is very small - although there is a patio at the side of the house.

Parking is a major problem on most of Ranelagh's roads, but not here. At the end of a cul-de-sac, beside an ESB sub-station, the house has on-street parking. There are also two off-street parking spaces at the front.