RTE The Great House Revival viewers were completely blown away as a couple “radically” transformed their “filthy” farmhouse into a “fab” pad.
Renowned architect Hugh Wallace returned on air to transform derelict and unloved properties into stunning dream homes.
John and Grace transformed their Cork farmhouse into a fabulous pad[/caption]
Hugh was very impressed with the renovations[/caption]
John and Grace bought the farmhouse for €240,000[/caption]
In this series Hugh guides viewers through a diverse range of restoration projects in the Irish countryside, from Cork to Clare.
For the fifth episode of the new season, Hugh headed to Cork to meet secondary school teacher Grace Cotter and her landscape gardener husband John.
The couple wanted to restore what they thought was a modest Georgian farmhouse in the hills of Kilmacsimon for them and their children in West Cork.
When John and Grace purchased their home, which was priced at €240,000, it was hard to see past the dire condition the house was in.
Sitting high in the hills of West Cork, Rockhouse had been left neglected and unloved and had become a shelter for nearby farming cows, as well as the odd rodent or two.
They had a budget of €300,000 for the works.
John did most of the work himself, and when he wasn’t working for his own business, he spent every spare moment at the house.
He sacrificed his weekends and family holidays, to make a home for his growing family.
Tackling delays in securing their mortgage as well as facing grief in the midst of their renovation, Rockhouse’s revival was far from straightforward.
The family moved into a mobile home, that costed €7,500, in Grace’s parents’ back garden.
Grace was due to give birth to their third baby in January 2024 and so the pressure was on to finish the renovations.
The sun room was never built correctly so they had to demolish it and sold the scraps for €950.
They were approved for the derelict home grant and the well grant, which meant due to deadlines they had to finish the build even faster.
Hugh advised the couple to render the outside of their home, as well as giving some help on the many window choices.
And after some bumps in the road and a lot of hard work, the “radical makeover” cost €187,000 minus the grants.
‘MY GOODNESS’
Hugh had first visited the property in January 2023 and when he returned in September 2024, he was so impressed with the renovation.
He said: “What a transformation. It’s like the house on the hill. I feel like I’m in a little bit of France.
“My goodness. It’s really like walking into a new house, isn’t it? I remember this and it was filthy. The place was falling asunder.”
Hugh loved the “quirky” staircase, that peeled off into four different directions and their new “super” utility room.
He praised the couple of creating their own sitting room for grown-ups, which they could sit back and watch the soothing views across in fields in.
HOUSE THAT?
The family sitting room, with its exposed stone wall celebrating the Rock House’s name, opened into the dining room and kitchen.
And the back of the house showcased John’s spectacular vision of a garden.
Hugh praised them saying: “The pair of you have created a very happy home. The finish is amazing. It looks like professional interior decorators were in here.
“You’ve just got the delicate balance of respecting the old house, but having just a complete new, fresh feel to it.
“The home is magnificent. Look at that view. It’s exceptional.
They’ve achieved a miracle. You truly get a sense that John and Grace love this home, and this home loves them.”
‘ABSOLUTE MACHINE’
And the family are planning to move straight on from completing the house to converting the barn, which Hugh had told them to put on hold on his first visit.
RTE viewers also all loved the superb build and raced to X to praise John on his hard work.
Olivia wrote: “Fabulous finished project!!! It would be impossible without John and Grace’s contributions though! Well done and best of luck to a fab family!”
Philip said: “John is an absolute machine. You’d have to be awed by his commitment to the project.”
Patrick tweeted: “This must be one of the best houses on the series so far.”
Orla added: “What a beautiful home that unfolded tonight on this episode. It is truly a credit to them both… John’s tremendous work ethic and his wife with her wonderful taste in the interiors.
“They should be very proud of themselves. Wishing all the family the best.”
RTE viewers were blown away by the end result of the home[/caption]
