Builder’s labour of love on Waltham Terrace for €1.95m

The first house on Waltham Terrace is something of a landmark even on what is one of the more historical and handsome roads in Blackrock.

Waltham Terrace was built in 1836, in the early Victorian days when the use of Portland stone in such villa-style houses was in vogue. Number 1 Waltham Terrace was almost 160 years old and in need of work when builder/developer Noel Rhatigan bought in 1994. It was, according to his son Andrew, who grew up there,  "the kind of property only a builder would have taken on".

Noel Rhatigan set about carefully rebuilding half the house and refurbishing the whole of it. He worked slowly, conscious of getting things right, updating the house without, Andrew says, “destroying its character” .

He replaced a side stone wall with a wraparound wall of glass, successfully bringing the garden “into the house”, all the while retaining the integrity and footprint of the original.

The three-storey house now on the market through agent Janet Carroll has a floor area of 201sq m (2,163sq ft) and an asking price of €1.95million.

Large site

One of only a few detached houses on Waltham Terrace, it has four en suite bedrooms, four reception rooms and a kitchen/breakfastroom. On a large site (with development potential subject to planning permission) there are gardens to the front, side and rear; the particularly large side garden measures 65ft x 45ft. It has a detached garage, laundry room and garden toilet.

Most rooms take advantage of the gardens with either views or direct access. The garden and music rooms have glass-panelled doors to the secluded side garden, while the drawing and dining rooms have floor to ceiling and bay windows giving full-on garden views.

Original coving, doors, picture rails, fireplaces and sash windows have all been refurbished.

The first floor, main bedroom has an en suite and dressing area, a second bedroom on this floor overlooks the side garden. The remaining bedrooms are on the second floor.

There is plenty off-street parking to the front.