These days, many homeowners are realising they have hidden treasure not in their dusty attics but in their gardens. The cost and scarcity of urban and suburban land means the domestic garden is becoming the new fully serviced site. More and more home owners are seeing the potential in their own back yard. They can build a second house on the grounds for their own or their family's use, and sell the original house to finance the building work and give them a lump sum to retire on.
Building a home in the garden is an option increasingly being taken by older couples living in large houses. It seems to offer the best of both worlds - a purpose-built home in the same, familiar, location, and avoidance of capital gains tax because the house they build is for their own use. Robin Palmer of Gunne Residential has noted this activity in areas such as Ballsbridge and Foxrock, where mature trees and spacious lawns hide a new house in an old setting. "Large, old houses can use the drive for a separate entrance and build a house on at the back. Also, a new draught-proof house with state-of-the-art kitchen can give you a new lease of life."
The high cost of land has contributed to the trend. "We used to say that in places like Dublin 4 and similar, the value of the land was 25 per cent the value of the property," says Robin Palmer. "Now, it's 50-50 land and property, so it's important to build well and not put up something rubbishy which would devalue the land."
The sequence of events is important too - borrow to build, then sell and recoup. "Don't wait to build until you are selling your old home. People are happy to come in to a fait accompli; selling a home where another house will be built in the garden may not be so acceptable."
"Builders are on the look out for possible garden sites and knocking on people's doors," remarks Mary Dillon, Sherry FitzGerald's regional director for Dublin, adding that much garden development is taking place in suburbia. "Many semi-detached homes from the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s were built on generous proportions on an eighth of an acre and lend themselves well to such development. I can think of one mature road in Templeogue where there is only one corner house which has not been built on. When people are selling we will tell them when there is development potential, and they are often surprised and delighted".
Potential for development can add £80,000 to £120,000 to a house with a guide price of £220,000, she says. The two homes need to be a minimum six feet apart, and in, in theory, an available area measuring 30 ft in width could give the green light to building.
What about planning permission? The consensus is it tends not to be a problem where you respect established building lines, where neighbours' privacy is not disturbed, and where acceptable population density levels are maintained.
For architects, it can be a challenge to build a new house on a rather tight site. Architect Fionnuala Rogerson advises householders to consult the Local Authority Development Plan in relation to zoning and other policy matters.
"You must also be aware of the existing architecture. The planning authority will consider the impact of your proposal on the adjoining homes, how the design integrates in terms of scale and quality, the effect on open space, privacy, traffic, and even tree preservation," she says.
Frank Nolan used to be known to local children as "the man who cuts the grass". His suburban home in Rathfarnham built on a corner site had a long front, back and side garden, which began taking him more and more time to look after. As the family grew up and left home, the five-bedroom, three reception room house built in 1962 became too large for Frank and his wife, Maureen.
They wanted a smaller house in the same area and near the golf club. In September, 1997, they applied for planning permission to build at the rear of their own garden. "It's important to get a good architect" says Frank. "We went to Louis Bourke of Templeogue. He said you want a nice compact house, warm, with minimum maintenance. He got it in one." "We also went and had a look at some of his other work," says Maureen.
South Dublin County Council turned down their first plans, and looked for changes in roof design, vetoing a front bay window, as well as a rear window which could have compromised a neighbour's privacy. There were also some local objections, all of which caused a 12-month delay. In September, 1998, planning permission came through. "Basically the house had to be in keeping with others in the area," says Maureen. "Most people say now it looks as if it has always been here."
Building began in March. They got a loan from the Bank of Ireland, drawing on it in phases as needed. "I was too near when the work was going on," says Frank, "I would be looking at what they were doing and wondering was it good enough. Then one of the brickies told me I was getting a Rolls-Royce of a house. That helped!". In September when the new house was almost ready, they put their old house on the market. "We had the wall up between the two houses and people could see exactly what they were getting," says Maureen.
Their original home sold before auction for in excess of £310,000 to a local family. In November last year, Frank and Maureen moved in to their new home. it has a traditional sittingroom, a smart maple fitted kitchen with breakfast bar, and a large conservatory/diningroom. Upstairs there are three bedrooms, one en suite and a bathroom. The cobblelocked front drive has space for three cars, the rear garden is mainly set in patio with a small pocket of grass. There is also a covered-in side passage for their golf gear, and a smart garden workshop. They estimate the cost of building and furnishing their new home at £150,000.
Sitting with the couple in the October sunshine in their back garden, it's obvious they are delighted with themselves. "Within a few days it was as if we had never lived anywhere else but this house," says Frank. "We didn't do this to make money, but obviously we didn't want to lose money either. It has worked out really well and we feel we have the best of both worlds."
