Kenny-built home in Mount Merrion ready for a makeover

The enclave of solid family homes in Mount Merrion, built by John Kenny and John du Moulin from the 1930s to the 1950s to meet a growing demand for upscale modern suburban houses, are as sought after as ever.

Now though, they typically come up for sale needing some modernisation – and such is the changing age profile of the neighbourhood that for every 10 houses in the area that come on the market, nine are executors’ sales.

Buyers are typically young families trading up who know they’ll have to do some work. What they might not know – and there is no indication looking at the fine, wide exteriors and the generous plots – is that inside, at ground-floor level, many of the Kenny-built houses are just one room deep.

Number 7 Chestnut Road – a small cul-de-sac off The Rise – is a well-maintained double-fronted four-bed semi-detached home that looks from the exterior to have more than its 122sq m (1,313sq ft).

Downstairs is one-room deep, a room on either side of the hall; the one on the left houses the pine-fitted kitchen and dining area, the one on the right a livingroom with access out to the sloping rear garden. Upstairs there is a tiny WC, a modernised shower room, and four double bedrooms.

Viewers will spend more time in the 21m-long back garden than they will in the house because their renovation ideas will likely involve extending to the rear and to the side where there is a garage.

The pitch of the roof offers scope to put a couple of additional bedrooms in the attic. Rising into the roof space will give rooms with lovely views out to Dublin Bay. The BER is a chilly F. A renovation budget, that includes an extension, of about €400,000 is likely to be realistic.

Potential buyers will probably also look over the garden wall to get ideas – number 7’s neighbour has recently completed a very striking-looking extension and renovation.

Number 7 Chestnut Road is on the market through Lisney seeking €825,000. The same agent is also selling two more houses in the area – also executor sales and in different styles: 23 Callary Road for €925,000 and 3 Sycamore Road for €975,000 – so buyers with the budget currently looking in this desirable south Dublin neighbourhood have choice.