Room to Improve.

Mr E

"Search for and publish private or identifying information about (a particular individual) on the Internet, typically with malicious intent."

There may have been no malice intended with the earlier posts, but it's the start of a rabbit hole that we don't want to go down.

athlone99

My two cents, Dermot Bannon is a condescending arse who makes architects look arrogant and who ignore clients constantly. I'm not surprised to hear that there have been some court cases over the show. Why more people dont stand up to him i dont know.

athlone99

athlone99 wrote: »

My two cents, Dermot Bannon is a condescending arse who makes architects look arrogant and who ignore clients constantly. I'm not surprised to hear that there have been some court cases over the show. Why more people dont stand up to him i dont know.

well I like Dermot Bannon and I certainly wouldn't say no to him renovating my home. I don't get the haters and name callers here. Don't forget this is a show made for television and as such there has to be some friction and some angle - it makes for better viewing!

He doesn't come across as any more arrogant than a lot of professionals at the top of their fields : hospital consultants, solicitors, barristers, accountants, engineers. I guess you don't get to the top and don't get a reputation without believing in yourself and in what you create. If you don't want to go on the show don't go.

iamwhoiam

[Deleted User] wrote: »

well I like Dermot Bannon and I certainly wouldn't say no to him renovating my home. I don't get the haters and name callers here. Don't forget this is a show made for television and as such there has to be some friction and some angle - it makes for better viewing!

He doesn't come across as any more arrogant than a lot of professionals at the top of their fields : hospital consultants, solicitors, barristers, accountants, engineers. I guess you don't get to the top and don't get a reputation without believing in yourself and in what you create. If you don't want to go on the show don't go.

Why should arrogance be accepted in any field ? In my opinion hospital consultant or architects or anyone else does not need to be arrogant ? I met a consultant lately who is truly the top in his field and he was courteous, listened with intent and showed no hint of arrogance at all . I would imagine he most definitely believed in himself but he needed no arrogance to be that man

iamwhoiam

iamwhoiam wrote: »

Why should arrogance be accepted in any field ? In my opinion hospital consultant or architects or anyone else needs to be arrogant ? I met a consultant lately who is truly the top in his field and he was courteous, listened with intent and showed no hint of arrogance at all . I would imagine he most definitely believed in himself but he needed no arrogance to be that man

I didn't say it was right or acceptable but its quite common. Dermot Bannon is no more arrogant than anyone else and gets away with it because he is very charming and personable. I am a fan.

I have also dealt with consultants in a few hospitals with a very sick child so I am speaking from experience on that one. Some consultants are brilliant doctors but don't have the best bedside manner. If they do its a huge plus and its far preferable. But in all these things you're dealing with different personalities.
As I said , this is TV and most people here seem to forget that. It has to be controversial in some way. Like everything its best to shop around - unless you have the chance to go on TV - then Dermot Bannon is part of the deal!

iamwhoiam

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I didn't say it was right or acceptable but its quite common. Dermot Bannon is no more arrogant than anyone else and gets away with it because he is very charming and personable. I am a fan.

I have also dealt with consultants in a few hospitals with a very sick child so I am speaking from experience on that one. Some consultants are brilliant doctors but don't have the best bedside manner. If they do its a huge plus and its far preferable. But in all these things you're dealing with different personalities.
As I said , this is TV and most people here seem to forget that. It has to be controversial in some way. If you want one of them and not to be on national TV then you should go with them. Like everything its best to shop around - unless you have the chance to go on TV - then its probably part of the deal!

Oh I agree , my opinion is this show is heavily scripted !

iamwhoiam

iamwhoiam wrote: »

Oh I agree , my opinion is this show is heavily scripted !

Penn

The issue with Dermot isn't that he's arrogant etc, it's that a) he's putting his name and reputation to the finished product which means rather than simply acquiesce to the clients as often as an architect likely would in normal practice, since it's on TV and going to be showcased as an example of his design, he needs it to be as good as possible, and b) since it's a TV show he needs to have something different or unusual in each episode, hence why he has to push so hard for things like exposed concrete walls etc.

Water John

In fairness, some of the onsite cock ups, wouldn't be my idea of showing off, my best talents. Incorrect levels etc, come to mind.
And yes, he is arrogant, but just tries to carry it off, with a smile on his face.

Sebastian Dangerfield

iamwhoiam wrote: »

Oh I agree , my opinion is this show is heavily scripted !

Im not sure about scripted, but for sure certain things are staged for the sake of TV. I spoke to a former participant on the show and they were encouraged to be off doing something with a camera crew present at a particular time. When the show went on air, everyone is on site waiting for them, and they look daft off partaking in a hobby like they havent a clue.

iamwhoiam

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I mean things like the clients wanting one thing and Dermot another and the conflict is probably scripted more or less or at least staged and edited

LirW

I see the big problem in his unprofessional behaviour towards the client. If I'm hiring an Architect and he's not respecting my budget from the beginning on, this is where we stop working together. When I want a red brick wall yet he insists on how I spend my money, we have a problem. If he orders my kitchen cabinet in a colour that he finds better, he can go home and doesn't need to bother coming back.
If someone tells me that their architect did any of that stuff I'm not going to hire him. Simple really.

LirW

LirW wrote: »

I see the big problem in his unprofessional behaviour towards the client. If I'm hiring an Architect and he's not respecting my budget from the beginning on, this is where we stop working together. When I want a red brick wall yet he insists on how I spend my money, we have a problem. If he orders my kitchen cabinet in a colour that he finds better, he can go home and doesn't need to bother coming back.
If someone tells me that their architect did any of that stuff I'm not going to hire him. Simple really.

It helps if you have a budget in the first place ! The client on Sunday did not . She was completely unrealistic in her expectations of what her money would buy . She hadn’t done her homework .

In Daniel O Donnell’s case and indeed almost more so in the case of the Cork couple and their “mansion/hotel” makeover , budget was NOT an issue . He knows this !

Again I will say this is a TV programme . It’s entertainment , unless you’re a twit you will have watched previous episodes, know Dermot’s form and expect things to go over budget !

Grand Designs go ridiculously over budget most of the time.

Thisn is TV .....not the real world . If you want to stay on budget don’t go on a TV programme that is first and foremost for entertainment .

LirW

I'm sorry but this is not entirely true.
The client had a budget, her expectations were very unrealistic, she knew what she wanted but haven't had an idea about costs whatsoever. For once Dermot was sticking to the budget, in a lot of cases he doesn't.
The problem with him is he has a running business, he's not solely an entertainer but he's a real architect doing project off-screen too. If the couple calls 450k their budget it is absolutely Dermot's and the QS job to stick to that. There is no expectation of things to go overboard because it's on TV. Every RL project needs to have a certain percentage as money aside for unforeseen issues but going overboard is unprofessional and simply, if someone can't stick to the most important factor in the game, I'm not going to hire them.
That said, Yes, I would never hire DB, simply because he comes across as a disrespectful and pretentious prick who thinks money grows on a money tree. He doesn't seem to take the client's wishes into account and this is not acceptable.
I give him that most outcomes are quite nice.

The comparison with Grand Design is way off because McCloud is an observer and not their architect. His job is a different one and if the people on the show go 50% over budget that's their own problem. But I'm not working with an architect who can't respect my numbers, I don't have a magic money tree in the garden after all.

bilbot79

Is the deal not that the drawings are free but Dermot gets a say?

the_pen_turner

when you hire dermot you arnt buyign a set of plans like you would from most architects. you are hiring him to design your home. that includes all the decorative stuff. he is usually right about the issues he 'forces' on the clients.
if you dont want him to design your home then dont hire him or dont go on the show

James 007

the_pen_turner wrote: »

when you hire dermot you arnt buyign a set of plans like you would from most architects. you are hiring him to design your home. that includes all the decorative stuff. he is usually right about the issues he 'forces' on the clients.
if you dont want him to design your home then dont hire him or dont go on the show

This is not correct, you are hiring the architect to design your home to suit YOUR needs, not what the architect would prefer. He is not always right either.

the_pen_turner

James 007 wrote: »

This is not correct, you are hiring the architect to design your home to suit YOUR needs, not what the architect would prefer. He is not always right either.

not always right but usually is.

when you hire dermot you are buying into the whole home design. thats the way the programme works and the way he works.
if you dont want a whole house design then hire a normal architect that only designs a house

James 007

James 007 wrote: »

This is not correct, you are hiring the architect to design your home to suit YOUR needs, not what the architect would prefer. He is not always right either.

Why are posters here complaining , have you actually been on “Room to Improve”? It’s a TV show . Dermot has to have some say in it . It’s not your usual client relationship . You really need to grasp that concept .

If you want an architect that follows your wishes and budget to a “T” then don’t go on “Room to Improve”. Simple as.

Addle

An architect can advise and direct, but shouldn't bully and disrespect.
And shouldn't make decisions without discussing them with his/her clients.
That's just basic manners.

Water John

'Franc' wouldn't do anything that wouldn't make a couple's day better and without fully including them in the decision. Client must be happy with the process and result.
That's a key part of being, a professional, TV or no TV.

Reati

Addle wrote: »

An architect can advise and direct, but shouldn't bully and disrespect.
And shouldn't make decisions without discussing them with his/her clients.
That's just basic manners.

Absolutely. This has nothing to do with if she knew how much things cost or not. She knew exactly what she wanted and the architects job is to figure out how to get the dream into a affordable design. The underhanded trick with the bricks had nothing to do with cost. The changing of the colours in kitchen had nothing to do with cost. He simply looked down his nose at her because she had ideas (notions as he called it) of what she wanted but of course he knew better.

As someone who just went through a massive build myself, no one and I mean no one does anything without someone having given the nod that the client is OK with this. No one is willing to take the risk of having to pay out for doing th wrong thing. He used underhanded techniques to get his way. If my architect pulled the crap DB did last night I'd have made him reorder the kitchen and pay the difference then fired him.

This its for TV or that's what you are buying into isn't really the way to justify it. You don't go on a TV show about doing a improvement to be bullied and disrespected when you are paying 100k plus. If they covered the build cost sure, DB can do what he likes. But they don't cover build cost AFAIK. The problem is the show has now moved that way and will get worse for it in future.

In fact that's how this episode was pushed on Twitter by the team behind the show. All about how the client was wrong and conflict between Dermot.

ted1

Aravo wrote: »

Addle wrote:

Munster Joinery provided the windows.

Munster Joinery usually provide the windows & doors on these room to improve builds. Not hand crafted like what was the preference last nite, but they do the job to meet the spec required. I think each build should specify the BER rating achieved at the end.

A programme showing renovations focusing on energy systems, window types, plumbing, electrics, kitchens & landscaping would do well.

They use Rationale a lot too

Aravo

ted1 wrote:

They use Rationale a lot too

Yes, probably generally between the two. There was a time a few years back when the couple would be shown at a MJ promo lorry with all the samples. Always about the colours with DB and never about the u-values.

Rossi IRL

This was the delayed project from last season. (confirmed)

Thought the lighter wall was the best choice. Red would of probably been too dark.

Didn't like him changing the colour of the cabinets without consulting with her first.

Anyway, the programme is edited in a certain way, I doubt she is as painful as she was portrayed on the show.

Wouldnt mind seeing a sub 150k project in a rural location in the next episode.

James 007

Deleted User wrote: »

Why are posters here complaining , have you actually been on “Room to Improve”? It’s a TV show . Dermot has to have some say in it . It’s not your usual client relationship . You really need to grasp that concept .

If you want an architect that follows your wishes and budget to a “T” then don’t go on “Room to Improve”. Simple as.

No ones complaining here. I don't have to be on RTI to substantiate my views, I've worked with many architects/QS's/builders.

The architects role is to provide a design and work within a clients brief. He can give the client options along the way as to the decorative finishes etc. but the last call needs to be made by the Client and the Client only.

I don't know what you mean by 'its not your usual client relationship'. This is very real big spend by a client, for her forever home. The TV bit is a snippet/time frame that will be well forgotten about at this stage. The client is the one that's left with the house and needs to live with the changes.

The two last posters, following your post are correct regarding same (Addle/Reati). Ive never worked with an architect before that behaved in this manner. It says a lot about DB. I guess that's why he will always be classed as a domestic extension architect, he is definitely not up there with some of the architects that I have worked with.

Well I stand over what I say .

I like Dermot Bannon and I like Room to Improve . I’d be delighted if he did my house. . While I know what I like and have owned 5 different houses over the years that all needed work , I’d welcome new and creative ideas that take me out of my comfort zone. But if an architect put in a white wall instead of red, or a wooden floor instead of wood tiles I’d make him take them out . The client has to live in the house. Simple as.


My budget would be non negotiable and if that meant cutting back drastically on what I wanted I’d do it . I’ve never gone over budget and that’s because I know where I stand financially.

Guessing many people on the show can get their hands on extra cash if pushed (All 3 clients so far have ) , I couldn’t .

PARlance

mad m wrote: »

Outhaus supplied bricks.

I think Lego supplied the red ones Dermot used in the demo.

the_pen_turner

PARlance wrote: »

I think Lego supplied the red ones Dermot used in the demo.

they were terrible. bad move from dermot

Penn

the_pen_turner wrote: »

they were terrible. bad move from dermot

I think that was him trying to purposefully put her off going with red bricks. Picking the worst kind of red bricks he could. She'd even said before she wanted a lighter, faded red brick.