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Child Item

Would you like to live in a mansion?

Thelonious Monk

Every week I see the kinds of properties below listed on the Journal, and commenters below praising how wonderful they are, and I just can't get my head around why anyone would want to live in such an enormous abomination, unless you're a character in Dallas?

https://www.thejournal.ie/the-paddocks-east-cork-5234066-Oct2020/

What are the advantages of living in a massive house like this? It must be a nightmare to keep clean! And why would you want a lawn that big? It's a bit pointless really, surely a few trees wouldn't go amiss.
You also have to drive to get anywhere. These are all over Ireland, including not too far from me in North County Dublin there are loads. I understand you might like the peace of being in the middle of nowhere, but why would a house ever need to be that big?

I just don't get the appeal, is it just me?

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Frankie Machine

Wolftown wrote: »

The spite, jealously and begrudgery is surprising in this thread! Going by the majority of replies we should all be living in sheds, driving the cheapest/crappiest cars and wearing rags. Coming from a semi-d owner, I would love to have the space offered in that house. Anyone running it down is just downright jealous, it's kind of laughable and sad at the same time. Sure why would you want space for more than 2 chairs in your garden? Why would you ever want space for more than 2 cars in the driveway? Why have more than 1 bathroom? Because it's nice to have, that's why!

You should move. You're not happy where you are.

bb1234567

Wolftown wrote: »

The spite, jealously and begrudgery is surprising in this thread! Going by the majority of replies we should all be living in sheds, driving the cheapest/crappiest cars and wearing rags. Coming from a semi-d owner, I would love to have the space offered in that house. Anyone running it down is just downright jealous, it's kind of laughable and sad at the same time. Sure why would you want space for more than 2 chairs in your garden? Why would you ever want space for more than 2 cars in the driveway? Why have more than 1 bathroom? Because it's nice to have, that's why!

Hah, don't get these aggressive replies. If we were jealous of the size of homes why would we be critcising these god awful country piles and not the actually geuinely attractive mansions of say donnybrook or ranelagh? I know a nice big house when I see it, the irish rural mcmansions only fit the latter half of the description unfortunately. Bigger isnt better

Well designed spaces > big spaces

Thisrandom little micro garden I found when looking up small dublin homes has magnitudes more charm and usability than the sterile car runway out side the 'mansion' in the OP despite being probably over a hundred times smaller. It may be verging into overly small territory and the size limits any home modifications or extensions but at least it's a garden space I could envision spending some time there or having guests there. What does one do in the featureless mansion green - sprints?

But yeh different strokes I suppose

3d4life

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

Why do people have this belief that everyone in Dublin and other cities wants to live in a house this big?!

That is your assumption TM

Some will, some wont.

You really must look up that Fingal planning ref :eek:

( have you managed to figure out what someone might do with a couple of acres of garden ? )

Thelonious Monk

3d4life wrote: »

That is your assumption TM

Some will, some wont.

You really must look up that Fingal planning ref :eek:

( have you managed to figure out what someone might do with a couple of acres of garden ? )

I'm not sure I want to see the planning ref, but just up the road from me there are loads of really enormous houses, this is in Dublin. Up around where Charlie used to live.
If I ever found myself with a garden that size I'd plant a few unusual trees probably and just leave the rest for woodland critters!

kingstevii

Jaysus Christ. wrote: »

Bigger the house.
Smaller your willy.

And here's me sitting in a tiny one bed apartment!

saabsaab

It's not that big or that bad. Typical large country home of the last 20 years really. Fair few houses that size in parts of Dublin too.

Wouldn't be for me too hard/expensive to heat.

3d4life

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

I'm not sure I want to see the planning ref, but just up the road from me there are loads of really enormous houses, this is in Dublin. Up around where Charlie used to live.
If I ever found myself with a garden that size I'd plant a few unusual trees probably and just leave the rest for woodland critters!

Would you not be bothered to start an orchard, grow your own veggies and soft fruit ?

This is all long term stuff. Things will take at least 10 years before they take shape...

Those houses near Charlie's old place are nothing ... there is a house up off the Old Carrickbrack Road that has been under construction for more than five years now :P

Thelonious Monk

3d4life wrote: »

Would you not be bothered to start an orchard, grow your own veggies and soft fruit ?

This is all long term stuff. Things will take at least 10 years before they take shape...

Those houses near Charlie's old place are nothing ... there is a house up off the Old Carrickbrack Road that has been under construction for more than five years now :P

No I don't want a garden that size I'm not willing to put the work in! If you want to put your own allotment there or something you're welcome to it. We can work something out, just give me a few turnips or whatever and I'll be happy.

sbsquarepants

pgj2015 wrote: »

I know a guy who is as tight as you can get, he built a house like this one though, apparently he built it so big because his in laws have a big house, so he had to build a bigger one. very sad to be like that in fairness. he doesn't seem to have any money now because the house cost him so much to build, he is literally living on bread and water now it seems.

Serves him right for being such a twat!

Jaysus Christ. wrote: »

Bigger the house.
Smaller your willy.

Possibly, but i still reckon you'll pull a supermodel easier having a 1 inch dick and a 10 bed mansion, than you would with a 10 inch dick and 1 bed apartment!

Call me cynical if you must:D

3d4life

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

No I don't want a garden that size I'm not willing to put the work in! If you want to put your own allotment there or something you're welcome to it. We can work something out, just give me a few turnips or whatever and I'll be happy.

OK, you dont want the garden nor the house.

I'll take the garden and I suppose ( under protest mind ) the house too.

Rent payable to yourself as landlord : 6 No. turnips and 6 No. Bramley apples per year.

sbsquarepants

3d4life wrote: »

If you want to see something that approaches a modern day mansion look up Fingal planning ref F17A/0182

What is it - all i can find is a a load of text about it, just says permission to demolish one house and build another - no plans or artists impression or anything i can get a picture of what's proposed?

Was it ever built, permission was granted 3 years ago?

iamwhoiam

I would love it right now this minute . Bring my family all together as one household , room for us all and the kids would be all minded and play together .
I wouldn’t have to stress about bubbles or essential care or anything else . Heaven

3d4life

sbsquarepants wrote: »

What is it - all i can find is a a load of text about it, just says permission to demolish one house and build another - no plans or artists impression or anything i can get a picture of what's proposed?

Was it ever built, permission was granted 3 years ago?

You need to

"Click here to view the documents related to this application in a new page" ( that hyperlink may not work - navigate to the application if it does not )

when you look it up on the Fingalcoco site. Plans, and much more available.

The build is taking place at the present

3d4life

iamwhoiam wrote: »

I would love it right now this minute . Bring my family all together as one household , room for us all and the kids would be all minded and play together .
I wouldn’t have to stress about bubbles or essential care or anything else . Heaven

I'd say there are lots of families that would like to do same.

Different strokes etc etc

( At least you wont be bidding against TM )

The Nal

Was eyeing up this place

https://www.daft.ie/dublin/houses-for-sale/donabate/seafield-house-ballymadrough-donabate-dublin-2462867/

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NDhjYjNjNDAwOWI1M2RmNmNkZWNiOWNhOWYwMWJjODUOBgCQ3I7GxTgVD6X8BV4IaHR0cDovL3MzLWV1LXdlc3QtMS5hbWF6b25hd3MuY29tL21lZGlhbWFzdGVyLXMzZXUvMC8xLzAxYzFkMzkyMDY5NWY1NTdjNjgwNTBkNzA3ZDRlNzM3LmpwZ3x8fHx8fDEwNDV4NjAwfHx8fA==.jpg

Donabate is a bit far out though and my grass catcher on the lawn mower is too small.

If I won the euromillions Id move into a place like that in the morning though yeah.

Thelonious Monk

See the old stately manors have some class and can be turned into museums or hotels, that one above is only gorge

The Nal

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

See the old stately manors have some class and can be turned into museums or hotels, that one above is only gorge

Assuming you'd won the Euromillions to live in a place like that theres loads you could do. Charity fundraisers, have loads of animals, big parties, weddings, small gigs, summer regattas, food festivals, water...errr.....sports, posh B&B.

Also I assume it has a Batcave somewhere.....

Looks like Ill be doing the Euromillions this week so. Worth the few quid for the fantasy before the inevitable disappointment of not a single number.

Thelonious Monk

The Nal wrote: »

Assuming you'd won the Euromillions to live in a place like that theres loads you could do. Charity fundraisers, have loads of animals, big parties, weddings, small gigs, summer regattas, food festivals, water...errr.....sports, posh B&B.

Also I assume it has a Batcave somewhere.....

Looks like Ill be doing the Euromillions this week so. Worth the few quid for the fantasy before the inevitable disappointment of not a single number.

The Nal isn't just a town in North County Dublin...

gourcuff

we burned alot of them down during the war of independence, a bit of a shame, should have just kicked the brits out, took back the land and squatted in the houses.

Realtine

I would definitely live in a mansion the one in donabate would be just grand, thank you for asking, are you offering?
Once I didn't have to clean any part of it, yea I'd be grand and could socially distance from himself as well.
I'd change the decor though, IKEA is nearby.
ho hum, may start doing the euromillions. :rolleyes:

bocaman

Imagine the upkeep. Not necessarily to be honest. A medium sized house on its own land would suit me. Away from people and with no next door neighbours.

sbsquarepants

3d4life wrote: »

You need to

"Click here to view the documents related to this application in a new page" ( that hyperlink may not work - navigate to the application if it does not )

when you look it up on the Fingalcoco site. Plans, and much more available.

The build is taking place at the present

That's some house alright!

.anon.

pgj2015 wrote: »

Not a tree or shrub plated on this huge site, shows you the kind of muck savage that lives there. no appreciation for nature.

Not a single bookshelf inside the house either. Plenty of televisions around the place and a few Rachel Allen books decorating the kitchen. Who lives in a house like this? Someone who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing, that's who. Built in 2008 too. Ouch.

I'd've no interest in living in a mansion. Currently saving like a bastard, in the hope of being able to afford to get a mortgage on a two-up-two-down ex-council house in a non-leafy and hopefully not-too-stabby area of Dublin in a couple of years. As long as it's comfortable and there's room to plant a maple tree in the garden, I'll be happy.

bb1234567

gourcuff wrote: »

we burned alot of them down during the war of independence, a bit of a shame, should have just kicked the brits out, took back the land and squatted in the houses.

Sad but most of them would still just be rotting ruins today even if they werent destroyed. So many at risk mansions on the verge of collapse across the country that groups like An Taisce regularly report are in urgent need of saviour. It's expensive and the market for luxury rural hotels has a limit

rustynutz

I live out the country, in a relatively big house (not as big as in op, but not far off) with a large lawn, with no next door neighbours, 15 minute walk to nearest shop in small town, and 15 minute drive from nearest big town. I have a tiny mortgage as I built the house myself.

I wouldn't swap it for a detached house in a housing estate in the middle of Dublin (I have lived in Dublin) under any conditions. Nevermind having to take out a 350-400k mortgage to do so.

I really dont get the majority of the people on this thread, are you really telling me you would not like more space, both inside and out given the option?

Kids have loads of room to play, bring their friends over
I have room to build a massive shed with workshop and gym for motorbikes and other hobbies
No fear of the council buying a house in the estate and moving in neighbour's from hell
Can play music as loud as I want at all times of day and night without neighbour's complaining
Still within walking distance of shop and pub
And all for a fraction of the price of a semi-D half the size of my shed in an estate in a city?

To me it's a no brainer

Jenneke87

**** me, but I'd go for it and redesign it to my own taste. Maybe I'm to simplistic, but I don't see the issue...

[Deleted User]

It's a fine house if you can afford to maintain and heat it.

.anon.

rustynutz wrote: »

I wouldn't swap it for a detached house in a housing estate in the middle of Dublin (I have lived in Dublin) under any conditions. Nevermind having to take out a 350-400k mortgage to do so.

I really dont get the majority of the people on this thread, are you really telling me you would not like more space, both inside and out given the option?

It's a small enough country that I can go to the countryside and enjoy wide open spaces whenever I want. I've lived in the middle of nowhere, no neighbours, no traffic, no shops, no public transport. I didn't dislike it, but I prefer urban/suburban life.

ShatterAlan

theteal wrote: »

How can a house that big only have 4 bedrooms??? My 4 bed house is probably less than half the size.

I have this possibly weird, dislike for wasted space. If a room is way bigger than it needs to be I feel uncomfortable. I hate large bedrooms (possibly a consequence of growing up in a 1950s box room) like the one pictured. That kitchen isn't a bad size but the styling wouldn't be to my taste.

I agree. My friend Leslie has a lovely house in Stockton Heath in Cheshire. It's not big, 2 bedrooms, redbrick and beautifully laid out. But the bathroom is fcuking massive. Bigger than each of the bedrooms. You've got a a shower unit, a free standing bath, sink vanity by the window and of course the jacks-bowl. And there's still about 9 sq metres of wooden floor space. Many a time I've sat on the pot in that bathroom and felt like I was taking a pony and trap in a public lobby.

saabsaab

gourcuff wrote: »

we burned alot of them down during the war of independence, a bit of a shame, should have just kicked the brits out, took back the land and squatted in the houses.

They were worried that they might return (not totally unfounded until the fifties)