Cowper Road

Deaton Lysaght Architects were appointed to upgrade and modernise this house. The premises consisted of a two-storey five-bed semi-detached house located at Cowper Road, Dublin 6. Although the dwelling is not a protected structure, its integrity is of considerable value and any removal or alteration to the existing fabric was set out under strict architect’s instructions.

To bring the dwelling up to current living standards, the project involved refurbishment of the building and erecting a single-storey extension to the rear of the property. The works included external upgrading including new double-glazed windows, internal layout changes, redecoration and landscaping. Internally new services were introduced throughout including re-wiring. Floors and roofs were insulated. The house received damp treatment and it was draft-proofed throughout. The gas and ESB meters were re-located, chimney pots were replaced and original fireplaces were put back on the ground floor. The existing floor joists in the living room and dining room were found to be undersized so additional supports have been provided beneath them. There are several areas where floor joists have been replaced due to woodworm. The works extended to the attic where plaster debris in the existing insulation was found and was removed. The existing extension to the rear of the house was unusable. It consisted of a small kitchen-cum-dining room and a small utility room together with a boiler room which could be accessed from the outside. The location of the utility and the boiler room separated the kitchen and dining from the garden. This extension was demolished, and a new extension incorporating a spacious kitchen-cum- dining room was built. It has connected the back of the house to the outside and the vast glazed screen with sliding doors has allowed the owners to bring the garden closer to the house. All of the works were completed at the start of 2014.