Apartment blocks in Limerick

coolio iglesias · 24-08-2016 05:26PM #1

Hi all,
just looking for some advice on apartments in Limerick, would be most appreciated.

Currently considering a move to Limerick for work and torn between renting and buying. I already have a good idea of the pros/cons of Limerick city center versus little further out (castletroy etc).

So, just looking at city center, what are the good apartment complexes? For renting, it seems like the strand is okay. But for buying, it seems seriously overpriced at the moment.

Tbh I'm leaning toward buying, and like everyone else, on the lookout for good value. Have been looking at Old Windmill Court, Jutland Hall, Harveys quay and the likes. So in relation to these apartment complexes, I would really appreciate feedback/opinion. Renters and owners, I'm all ears!

To simplify, heres a few questions...
a) Sound insulation? (can hear through walls?)
b) General noise/trouble from common areas?
c) Opinions on management company? (helpful/useless?)
d) Opinion on immediate area? (are the quays dodgy at night?)
e) anything else worth knowing?

It would be very handy for people (not just me!) to be able to get some unbiased opinions on places around the city center. There are a couple of similar threads, but from a little research it seems out of date. For the sake of usefulness, comments like "limerick is no good!" or "wouldn't touch city center!" are practically useless. Validated opinion would be great ("I like that place BECAUSE....etc). The more info the better!

Thanks!

zulutango · 24-08-2016 05:44PM

I have lived or spent considerable amount of time in The Strand, Harvey's Quay, Lansdowne Hall, Steamboat Quay, Carlton apartments and Riverpoint. It's fairly easy to rate them from best to worst.

The Strand is just way out in front of anything else in the city centre. It's difficult to fault it as a place to live and is probably the only example in Limerick of an apartment complex that was built to a decent standard. Next best is probably the Carlton apartments but there are issues around noise, heating and general fit-out. I don't think you can buy these anyway, as they are all owned by a company. Lansdowne Hall apartments are ok, all things considered, and I can't think of obvious faults with them. Riverpoint would be next on my list, but I wouldn't consider them well designed or well built by any means. They are quite poky and the common areas are not good.

Harvey's Quay (where Dunnes is) are pretty poorly designed, but there might be value in the price. Don't consider buying anything on the top floor. It's an ice-box, even in summer. Don't touch Steamboat Quay. It's a ghetto.

coolio iglesias · 24-08-2016 05:59PM

zulutango wrote: »

I have lived or spent considerable amount of time in The Strand, Harvey's Quay, Lansdowne Hall, Steamboat Quay, Carlton apartments and Riverpoint. It's fairly easy to rate them from best to worst.

The Strand is just way out in front of anything else in the city centre. It's difficult to fault it as a place to live and is probably the only example in Limerick of an apartment complex that was built to a decent standard. Next best is probably the Carlton apartments but there are issues around noise, heating and general fit-out. I don't think you can buy these anyway, as they are all owned by a company. Lansdowne Hall apartments are ok, all things considered, and I can't think of obvious faults with them. Riverpoint would be next on my list, but I wouldn't consider them well designed or well built by any means. They are quite poky and the common areas are not good.

Harvey's Quay (where Dunnes is) are pretty poorly designed, but there might be value in the price. Don't consider buying anything on the top floor. It's an ice-box, even in summer. Don't touch Steamboat Quay. It's a ghetto.

Thanks for the info, some good stuff there!

The last place I was looking around just so happens to be steamboat quay...and a top floor apartment!

My impression was that it was a bit pokey, but the apartment overall seemed decent. The actual quay outside seemed fairly nice with that clarion (?) hotel beside it. So I'll just suck a bit more info from you if you don't mind...

Are the top floors really that bad for insulation/cold? Seems like it would be a seriously poor oversight in the design!

And steamboat quay...you say its like a ghetto, but could you expand on that a bit? I mean is it a case of people hanging around the outside of the buildings/inside the complexes....is that the worst of it or is it more serious? General feeling of being unsafe? Break-ins etc? Dodgy car parks?

Irish_rat · 25-08-2016 04:16AM

I'd agree with zulutango on steamboat quay, avoid like the plague. I stayed one night as a mate lives there. It was freezing and it's still a dodgy area.

I can see why you would go down the buying route, rent is ridiculous now.

zulutango · 25-08-2016 09:31AM

So, I was referring to Harvey's Quay when I said the top floor was an ice box. Friends of mine (one who regularly works in the North Sea / Arctic, i.e. a hardy soul) rented there and left after a few months. Just couldn't heat the place. They even bought their own insulation and fitted it, but it was a lost cause. There's a double-height ceiling in the main kitchen/living area and the west facing wall is full-height glazing (poor quality glazing too) so it was always going to be nigh on impossible to heat. But the fact that it was electric storage heating meant that it was incredibly expensive to even to try. I don't know what BER it would have but I'd say it must be worse than the worst of the old dilapidated, crumbling Georgian buildings.

I don't think Steamboat Quay (which predates Harvey's Quay by 10 - 15 years) was as badly built. I don't remember it being particularly cold, but the apartments are odd shapes. The area has been undermined by other bad developments nearby (Mount Kenneth particularly) and that whole part of the city is quickly becoming a mess. I remember going to a party next door to my girlfriend's place and the guys there were living in their own filth. It was like something out of Trainspotting. They played hard techno all night long and were generally off their heads.

fredo1664 · 25-08-2016 11:02AM

There is only one thing that I really don't like with the Strand Apartments, it's their sh*ty internet provider, IMS. The best they offered me was 7Mb for 50€/month, and at peak time it's often less than that, so forget about Netflix on a Saturday night. I think you can go with Eir as well, but according to the management company, it's not very fast there (never tried). You cannot go with Virgin for lack of cabling.
I ended up using my mobile data (Three mobile, 4G) with my smartphone as a hub. I'm getting around 20Mb, which is enough for my needs.

If you don't care for a fast internet connection, the Strand apartments are grand.

zulutango · 25-08-2016 11:43AM

That's a good point. When I was in the Carlton apartments their internet was similarly ****e. As was their tv/cable service.

testicles · 25-08-2016 11:58AM

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mitresize5 · 25-08-2016 12:59PM

Echo to avoid Steamboat Key like the plague ...

apartments can be any of the below

-brothels
-heroin dealers
-heroin users
-emigrants packed in like sardines
-ordinary decent folk

Hopeful2016 · 25-08-2016 05:23PM

zulutango wrote: »

The Strand is just way out in front of anything else in the city centre. It's difficult to fault it as a place to live and is probably the only example in Limerick of an apartment complex that was built to a decent standard. .

I can tell you from personal experience that Larchfield and Thornfield on SCR are built to a high standard also. Excellent insulation, good quality doors and windows, no noise issues, ample parking and fast Virgin broadband. Well maintained also, building, grounds and common areas. Regularly see the cleaning ladies and gardener around the place. Management company are fine, we've had no issues with them in the 5 years we were there. There was a break-in in the underground car park last year but that was the only issue for us in 5 years and there had been cctv installed since that incident. There are a lot of students in the area during term time as Mary I is close by but they generally don't cause much noise. There are families and elderly people in the building as well as young professionals. Location is very handy, can be in town in less than 10 minutes even during the morning rush hour.

zulutango · 25-08-2016 05:25PM

Hopeful2016 wrote: »

I can tell you from personal experience that Larchfield and Thornfield on SCR are built to a high standard also.

Not quite in the city centre, to be fair. I'll make it my business to check them out though.

Hopeful2016 · 25-08-2016 05:37PM

zulutango wrote: »

Not quite in the city centre, to be fair. I'll make it my business to check them out though.

It's a stones throw down the road

zulutango · 25-08-2016 05:40PM

Hopeful2016 wrote: »

It's a stones throw down the road

I wouldn't consider that area the city centre. It is close though.

Irish_rat · 25-08-2016 06:10PM

Larchfield was only okay for me, noise insulation poor especially at the front door. Build quality doesn't feel super on a windy day. It does stay warm all year round though.

Alandale Orchard was a great little spot I thought. Lived there for 4 years no problems. Nice to have your front door and the build quality is really good. I think high Rents there could price students out of the area so worth considering. Only issue is none for sale up on daft. Its one of the best apartments in the city IMO.

Clonmacken another option for the OP. Also no mention of city central apartments on Bedford Row, none for sale. Basically OP you're limited at the minute with no decent apartments for sale

Hopeful2016 · 25-08-2016 07:26PM

Irish_rat wrote: »

Larchfield was only okay for me, noise insulation poor especially at the front door. Build quality doesn't feel super on a windy day. It does stay warm all year round though.

That hasn't been our experience at all and we've had many a windy day there, usually it's difficult to tell what the weather is like unless you look out the window as can't hear the wind or rain.

The front door faces the back of the building so I can't speak to that as we face the front, but the back of the build seems to have a lot of shelter. There are a lot of long term residents in the building which I think says a lot.

dave 27 · 27-08-2016 03:07PM

An option that you could go down too op is the cathedral place area of the city, there's a few blocks up that way that are built to a good standard and are going for quite a reasonable price too, most people think apartments by the Shannon river but the area I mentioned isn't too bad and in the heart of town too.
Furthermore I think the space in the chapel court complex is quite good too

monaghanlass · 24-02-2017 03:34PM

Hi
Apologies for messaging on an old thread and off topic but can anyone that lived in the Strand apts advise on heating controls please? Landlord and caretaker dont know :-/

zulutango · 24-02-2017 03:35PM

monaghanlass wrote: »

Hi
Apologies for messaging on an old thread and off topic but can anyone that lived in the Strand apts advise on heating controls please? Landlord and caretaker dont know :-/

Can you post a pic of the controller?

monaghanlass · 24-02-2017 03:43PM

I dont have a pic but its a Honeywell CM67

zulutango · 24-02-2017 03:45PM

Shouldn't be too hard to figure that out. Is the boiler actually working? Or what exactly is the problem?

monaghanlass · 24-02-2017 03:49PM

we dont know if the timer is for heat and water or heat only. there is 2 spare thermostats in hall and bedroom allegedly for underfloor heating but im doubtful. You currently have to turn pump on manually to heat water and radiators at one time you cant choose either

fredo1664 · 28-02-2017 06:25AM

Did you get it to work eventually? The boiler is for hot water & heat, but the thermostat only controls the radiators. When I lived in the Strand Apts I would always use the Honeywell thing on manual mode. With the arrow keys you can select the temperature you like. There was no need to do anything on the boiler itself, it was set to heat both water & radiators. As for the two switches for the underfloor heating, that's what they are, or are supposed to be, but I have never used them.

That the landlord and caretaker don't have a clue how the heating system works goes to show which direction the Strand Complex is heading... When I moved in a decade ago, the caretaker could operate the systems in the apt, as well as fix stuff and take care of the mail.

panda100 · 28-02-2017 07:01PM

fredo1664 wrote:

That the landlord and caretaker don't have a clue how the heating system works goes to show which direction the Strand Complex is heading... When I moved in a decade ago, the caretaker could operate the systems in the apt, as well as fix stuff and take care of the mail.

Mike, the current caretaker, is great. He is always super helpful and does a great job. It's not part of his remit to fix problems for people within their apartments. Thats up to the individual owner/landlord. Though i am sure if you asked him he would help you out.

testicles · 01-03-2017 01:57PM

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testicles · 09-03-2017 11:12PM

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panda100 · 09-03-2017 11:42PM

testicles wrote:

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Nope

testicles · 10-03-2017 01:05PM

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panda100 · 10-03-2017 02:24PM

testicles wrote:

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I'm in a two bed.My apartment is always roasting though. I haven't switched the heating on once since I moved in 8 months ago.

zulutango · 10-03-2017 03:18PM

panda100 wrote: »

I'm in a two bed.My apartment is always roasting though. I haven't switched the heating on once since I moved in 8 months ago.

Is it possible there's an underfloor heating system that's on all the time? The OP was told there was underfloor heating in his/her place so maybe it's in yours too.

testicles · 10-03-2017 06:50PM

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testicles · 26-04-2017 03:23PM

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Apartment blocks in Limerick

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