Architect / Design / Extension / Kitchen / Landscape / Management / Projects / Renovation

Design and Detail

It’s a privilege to work with clients to realise the dreams they have for their homes. This project was extra special as it was architect-designed by the homeowners themselves. The finish is superb and beautifully landscaped to truly show off the craftsmanship involved. The owner/architect had a complete vision of the finish and all the details were well thought out making for a smooth working relationship. This semi-d has fully realised it’s potential with a ground floor wrap-around extension comprising open plan kitchen/dining/living plus utility, hall and office space in the hard working back ground. The front sitting room is now all grown up and a warm, peaceful place to relax. While once again we were met with wet, soft ground and a steep drop to the rear, we were able to work with the solution of a reinforced raft foundation and the balau deck and landscaping are inspired. Glazing is an important feature in most modern projects but here it is impressive. Our clients engaged Rationel to include an alu-clad 2 panel slider and picture window. Custom rooflight is by Cubo highlighting the new kitchen by Kitchen World and Consetina stone worktop. A special touch was using birch ply for the hall walls but with the purpose of displaying the homeowner’s hand-made collection of bespoke instruments. Some further design elements to mention include: cedar cladding; window seat and railing to tie-in cladding & decking; recessed, plaster-in down lights; exposed, painted steel beam; under-floor heating to the extension; engineered oak flooring throughout; sunken, open-plan living; an inset, corner, bio-fuel stove.

Architect / Design / Extension / Kitchen / Management / Projects / Renovation

Changing needs & evolving homes

Here is a fine example of how to open up space and introduce light. The complete back wall of sliding glass and custom made roof light allow the lovely leafy aspect in reward. Sycamore completed this rear extension to alter our clients’ home as their family evolved from school going children to adults. Their home now has space for gathering as a family or entertaining friends or simply relaxing. Eva Byrne of Houseology helped with their layout & kitchen design. The challenge here for us was the wet ground with inadequate drainage. We had to allow for substantial foundations, well below standard levels to make sound. Worth it though for peace of mind.
Keen to modernise with a flat fibreglass roof and to ensure the glazing was maximised as high as possible. Our clients decided on triple glazed, alu-clad 2 part sliders with a Turn-Tilt Window to allow easy access for pets, it sits at 2.4m high x 4m wide. We added our signature custom made rooflight and pocket doors to the adjoining living room.

Bathroom / Design / Extension / Kitchen / Management / Projects / Renovation / Upgrade

Back To Life

There’s nothing better than bringing an older property back to life. This home has years of family history in its fabric and is sure to gain many more years thanks to some T.L.C. from our clients. Sycamore started the restoration top down. We replaced the roof and pump-insulated the attic rafters. To really breathe new life into the house a rear extension was added for a modern new kitchen and dining area with custom rooflight which transforms the light and use of space. The old house was re-wired and re-plumbed throughout including new radiators, a gas condensing boiler & pumped tank in the attic. Finishing off with two new shower rooms which are bang up to date with a lot of thought and personal touches. We wish our clients many more years to put their own mark on this slice of history.

Extension / Kitchen / Management / Projects / Renovation

External Insulation Remodel

External insulation wraps the whole house and makes the transition seamless, energy efficient and future proofed.
Reimagining the layout created new spaces and brought to life older rooms. The highlight is the beautiful, custom built apex glazing, demonstrating Sycamore’s expertise in fine finish, quality carpentry and craftsmanship.

Attic Conversion / Extension / Management / Projects / Renovation

Attic Conversion and Extra Space

Extra space made special, upstairs and down in this project for an attic conversion and a garden room extension.
Bringing the outside in, we created a room for all seasons, a new living space for relaxing and making the most of the sunny aspect. The feature of this year round room is a high, long window bringing in plenty of light.
Making double use of extra space we converted the attic for a spare bedroom come hideaway. Incorporating spray foam insulation in the roof rafters for sound proofing and energy saving, this space is now warm and very quiet. The beautiful and imaginative glass balustrade connects the original and new upstairs rooms while adding yet more light and a sense of space and openness.

Extension / Kitchen / Management / Projects / Renovation

Creating an Open Plan

When a young family bought their new home they engaged us to open things up for a new kitchen and reimagine the space for their needs. Updating the glazing and upgrading the heating was also a priority.
To the rear we built a small lean-to extension with low pitch roof tiles and a custom made rooflight. By using steel we could take out the existing wall creating an open plan layout for cooking, dining and relaxing as a family. The French patio doors and larger kitchen window are by Munster Joinery, new kitchen by Kitchen World and floor tiles by House of Tiles.

News

Perfect Storm: Builders hands are tied & homeowners are left in limbo

Labour shortages + Material shortages = Unmanageable delays & price hikes industry-wide. Even where the home-owner is willing and able to pay more, the builder is unable to secure the labour and materials required. It’s a quandary and the frustration across the industry is beyond palpable. The situation is unmanageable due to the lack of commitment on all sides and the outlook is not favourable. “Some contractors simply can’t stand over the prices they gave three months ago. They would go out of business if they tried to.” (CIF) This is a summary of some key points in recent articles across various publications including The Irish Times, The Examiner & The Sun. Read the articles in full via the relevant links.

Design / Extension / Kitchen / Management / Projects / Renovation

Do you have a drawing for us to price?

Each enquiry is different but 9 times out of 10, the first question we ask is: Do you have a drawing & some details of the works for us to price? In the absence of drawings & specifications it is difficult to give you an idea of price. Worse still, when comparing between builders, prices can differ greatly if not priced off the same plan/spec. Better to have a clear plan in place and something to present to builders for pricing, to ensure you are comparing like with like. For clarity and to set you in the right direction, we would suggest you start with getting scaled drawings prepared by an architect or designer and working through ideas. Our experience has shown, this gives clients greater confidence in the whole process, not just at the pricing stage.

News

Before asking for a builder’s price, what do you need?

In our experience at Sycamore, there are a few preparatory steps which save our clients a lot of hassle in the long run: A scaled drawing, a firm idea of what you would like priced and your own budget expectations. “You don’t want a design for something you can’t afford…” Hiring a professional like an architect or quantity surveyor is about “spending money to save money.” Before you speak to a bulder, an architect (or designer) should be the first port of call.