A bespoke, eighteenth century mansion house seeks a strong minded buyer with definite ideas on interior design.

It seems fitting that East Dunbartonshire's only grade A-listed building, the Factor's House at Dougalston in Milngavie, is being restored to its former glory by one of Scotland's oldest construction companies.

John Dickie Homes has applied for planning permission to restore and extend the 10-room mansion to incorporate an indoor heated swimming pool, gym, conservatory and garages.

Now all it needs is a buyer with a desire to input the internal design and specifications.

Asking price? A cool #1.75m.

John Houston, managing director of John Dickie Homes explains: ''At this premium price, we anticipate the buyer will be looking to stamp his or her own personality on the house and so we are hoping to attract interest at this stage in order to tailor the final internal design to the buyer's needs.''

Built in 1770 by Glasgow tobacco lord, John Glassford, the Factor's House sits in twenty acres of secluded gardens and woodlands off the main Dougalston Road in Milngavie.

Originally intended as a banqueting hall, it enjoyed a louche reputation as John Glassford's gaming house, where he entertained friends in lavish style. The house is believed to have been linked via a 300 metre tunnel to the Dougalston Estate Mansion which was demolished in the nineteenth century.

Damaged by fire in 1830, the

Factor's House rose from the ashes in 1870.

The last long-term owners were the Connell shipbuilding family who

lived in the house for most of the past century.

The house was still occupied as recently as 1992, but lay empty for four years until it was bought by John Dickie Homes in 1997.

Since then, the company has repaired and upgraded the external fabric of the building, completely replacing the existing roof with new slates, leadwork and gutters.

Extensive stonework repairs have also been carried out. Plans also include the building of an extension to the main building and a new stable block, as well as upgrading the 500ft driveway and access road off the main Auchenhowie Road.

When completed, the house and garages will cover 8,500 sq ft and the stable block, 3,500 sq ft.

Restoring the Factor's House is a new departure for John Dickie Homes, a privately owned company, specialising in designing and building quality homes at the premium end of the

market.

Established 120 years ago, the company builds just 75 homes every year, selling from #380,000 up to #500,000

Although this restoration of a private mansion is a first for the company, it was instrumental in the refurbishment of the listed former Mearns Kirk Hospital in Newton Mearns.

The John Dickie Construction

Company has worked on a number of listed buildings, including St Francis Friary in New Gorbals, the Bank of Scotland head office in Glasgow and a residential development in Bath Street, Glasgow.

Architects GD Lodge has many years experience of restoring and upgrading listed buildings and was involved in the part restoration of House for an Art Lover at Bellahouston Park, Glasgow.

Period properties in romantic woodland settings are not unique but add an interior expressly tailored to the owner's specification, close proximity to Milngavie and Glasgow city centre, and the Factor's House is ready for its 21st century renaissance.