Episode 1: Julie & Patrick Ellwood and architect Denis Byrne
Monday 30th March 2009
After 15 years living in the UK Julie and Patrick Ellwood want to settle down and bring up their young family in Julie's native Sligo. Julie who is an osteopath and Patrick, a psychiatric nurse, wanted a rural lifestyle for their three children Scarlett 7, MacKenzie 5 and baby Kiefer.
They found a stunning site near Strandhill with outline planning permission already on it. They were keen to build something a little out of the ordinary that would suit the needs of their growing family. They were hoping to keep a house in Sligo town which they bought when they first moved back as a rental investment and didn't want to spend more than €350,000 on the build.
They were matched with architect Denis Byrne who had a track record of designing houses for stunning rural locations.
He took their brief for an open-plan, family-friendly house with a bit of a rustic twist and three weeks later he came back with a design that really blew them away - a cluster of buildings with a large contemporary barn-inspired building at the centre. Denis was worried their budget was tight. But he'd built this concern into his design. The idea was flexible enough that they could start with a small version and build onto it in the future.
But they had fallen for the design and wanted to go big from the beginning. And they were faced with the decision of upping their budget.
It was full steam ahead to planning. The site already had outline planning but Denis's design was very contemporary and not without risk and the process was not straightforward.
Planning came eventually came through. There was more good news when Julie and Patrick announced they were expecting another child but the pressure was on as they moved into rented accommodation and now had double their monthly outgoing of rent and mortgage.
As their 21st century barn went up Julie became more and more committed to the project and worked closely with her architect to achieve the finish she wanted.
But the costs inevitably crept upwards as the Ellwood's decided to that there could be no making do on this project, they wanted the best for their dream house.
Suppliers List - Ellwoods House, Co.Sligo
Architects
Denis Byrne Architects
26 North Great George's Street, Dublin 1
01 878 8535
info@architects-dba.com
www.architects-dba.com
Structural Engineer
Duggan & Associates
Knockaderry House, Stephen Street, Sligo
071 917 1512
Main Contractor
McPadden Construction Ltd.
(Incl. all carpentry) Tully, Dromahair, Co.Sligo
071 9164285
e-mail: mcpaddenconst@eircom.net
Timber Frame
Kingspan Century
Clones Road, Monaghan
Tel: +353 (0)47 81270
Fax: +353 (0)47 84397
Email: sales@century.ie
www.century.ie
Electrical Subcontractor
S. Dolan Electrical Contractor,
Gubavenney, Blacklion, Co.Cavan.
Contact Seamus: 0719853263 or 0872416692
Mechanical Subcontractor
F & J Walsh heating and plumbing,
204 Cartron Point, Sligo.
Contract Francie: 0719169758 or 0872237347.
Heating system supplier
Solar Energy Ireland
Knockminna, Ballymote, Co. Sligo
071 91 83219
www.solarenergyireland.com
Tiling Subcontractor
K-H Tiling
(granite and mosaic) Damien Kelly 087 634 9683
Tom Halton 087 6850286
Zinc Roof
Let It Rain
Unit D, Oldenway Industrial Estate, Ballybrit, Galway
091 773 388
Light fittings (kitchen/living)
Bushell Interiors
12 Heaney Avenue, Parkwest, Dublin 12
Tel: +353 1 4749224
Fax: +353 1 6710194
www.bushellinteriors.com
Lights other than 2 main lights Castle Interiors, Sligo, 071 9160990
Mosaic Supplier
Gilroy Tiles
Unit 5S, Robinhood Industrial Est., Dub.22
01 450 0050
www.gilroy-tiling.ie
Granite Supplier
Caproc Stone
Units 47-48 Broomhill Close, Tallaght, Dublin 24
t: 01 462 0706
Email: enquiries@caproc.ie
www.caproc.ie
Cedar Supplier (Façade)
Adanack Ltd
Maple Ridge, Knockanish, The Spa, Tralee, Co. Kerry
Phone: +353 (0)66 7136802
Fax: +353 (0)66 7136803
E-Mail: info@adanack.com
www.adanack.com
Fibre Cement Cladding and Slates
Tegral Building Products Ltd.
Athy, Co. Kildare
Tel: +353 (0) 59 863 1316
Fax: +353 (0) 59 863 8637
email: sales@tegral.com
www.tegral.ie
Windows
Dansk Window Systems Ltd.
G1Calmount Park, Ballymount, Dublin 12
Tel. +353 1 489 6000
Fax +353 1 489 6001
Email: info@dansk.ie
www.dansk.ie
Timber floor supplier
Urlar Design Flooring, Unit 2B, Kilcar, Co. Donegal
Tel: 00 353 (0) 7497 25623
Fax: 00 353 (0) 7497 25623
Email: enquiries@urlar.com
www.urlar.ie
Carpet supplier
The Natural Interior
The Mill, Mill Street, Dublin 8
Tel: +353 1 4737444
Fax: +353 1 4737450
info@naturalinterior.com
www.naturalinterior.com
Concrete Worktop
P.J. Ryan Terrazzo and Mosaic Specialists Ltd.
1 Colberts Fort, Belgard Road, Dublin 24
tel. 01 4598522
fax. 01 4598523
info@ryanterrazzo.ie
www.ryanterrazzo.ie
Bathroom Appliances
Heiton Buckley, Mullingar
Lough Shever, Corporate Park, Mullingar
Tel: 044 935 3100
Fax: 044 935 3120
mullingar@heitonbuckley.ie
Kitchen Appliances
Mc Donagh Electrical, Sligo
Collooney Business Park, Sligo
Tel: 071 9115400
Kitchen Units
Trevor Henry, Sligo
Tel: 087 6975156
Landscaping
Colin Breheny, Supreme Landscapes
Tel: 086 8203684
