Perfect Fit

Ruth was looking for a house neither too big nor too small but it was proving difficult to find, until she stumbled upon the right fit in Dublin.

- Barbara Egan

In 2006, returning home from 18 years spent living and working in continental Europe, Ruth had bought a small townhouse in Dublin’s Stoneybatter, but spiralling house costs meant that adult children were staying at home longer and she now realised it was too small to accommodate three adults. On the other hand, she didn’t want to buy a large home where she would be left ‘rattling around’ when her sons moved out.

‘I was definitely looking to the future and I had a clear idea of what I wanted’, says Ruth. ‘The townhouse we were living in was 70m2, I estimated that 100-110m2 would be perfect. I wanted only one stair in the house; Georgian and Victorian homes frequently have many half-levels and having sprained my ankle at one stage, I realised how difficult that can be to manage; I wanted a downstairs bathroom so that it would be possible if necessary to live on one level.’

For two years, Ruth spent most Saturdays making a list of homes to view, but they were all either unsuitable or too expensive. ‘As soon as I got out of the car in front of this house, I liked it,’ she says. ‘I loved the little cul de sac, and although the building was in two flats and very neglected, it had good bones. I was prepared to take on a renovation and as an extra bonus, there was rear-access parking, which I knew would facilitate a renovation and help trim cost.’