Hi tech everything in Harold's Cross house

This house has everything you could need from zoned heating to central vacuuming. - and it took just over a year to do. But then, the young owner got his architect dad to do all the work. Bernice Harrison reports

This unusual house at 424 Harold's Cross Road, Dublin 6W at the Terenure end of the road last changed hands just over a year ago.

It was bought by Michael Doy le, a young internet café owner who originally intended to refurbish it for himself.

However soon after the purchase, sense kicked in and he realised that as a young single man he didn't exactly need the 223 sq m (2,400 sq ft) of space that the five- bedroom house has.

So he commisioned his father, an architect also called Michael Doyle, who has a great deal of experience working on period houses, to take on the job of overseeing the renovation of the Victorian redbrick for resale.

The result is a high specification renovation in answer to Doyle Jr's brief that the house should have everything a buyer should need, from marble flooring with underfloor heating in the en suites to a power shower in the covered side passageway should new owners have a big dog that needs a wash.

424 Harold's Cross Road is now back on the market and is expected to make around €900,000 at auction through Douglas Newman Good on November 4th.

The major physical addition was a striking contemporary single storey extension at the back which is a large marble-floored eat-in kitchen with underfloor heating.

It's mostly glazed from floor-to-ceiling at one end, with a well-designed Alno fitted kitchen at the other, complete with black marble worktops, and stainless steel Neff and Miele appliances.

Other than that, this semi -detached house's unusual design means that it is laid out over four levels, including a basement level at the back.

At hall level there are two interconnecting reception rooms with red marble fireplaces, restored to their glory by marble expert Paddy Roe.

The kitchen and separate utility room is down two steps and down a couple more steps is a basement room which would make an ideal playroom but could also be another bedroom as there is a full shower room adjacent to it.

There are five bedrooms (four doubles and a single), two with en suites, and a family bathroom.

A notable feature of the bathrooms is just how high spec they are.

"When we were choosing the fittings we went for Villeroy and Boch sanitary ware with Philippe Starck fittings and Hans Grohe power showers," says Doyle Sr, adding that going for the highest specification bathroom fittings seemed to fit in with his overall approach to the job.

"I wanted the house to be serviced to death," said Doyle the client, and his father duly complied.

The technical specifications are very high, and include computer network outlets in every room connected to a digital hub, zoned heating, a sophisticated fire and security alarm system and a central vacuum system.

Other high spec details range from chrome switches and powerpoints to the restoration of the original sash windows.

The front garden has been landscaped as has the west-facing back where remote controlled gates give access to two parking spaces.