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Room to Improve.

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Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,607 ✭✭✭prunudo


    But surely this is the life or an architect? Working on multiple projects is his bread and butter, it's what he is paid to do.....whether he is on TV or not.

    Oh without a doubt, but if you've got a row a tricky clients it wouldn't be long about waring you down.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,980 ✭✭✭minikin


    heldel00 wrote: »
    Yawn.... this has been well covered at this stage. You're late to the party.

    Apologies, I was busy having a life outside of entertaining you in a timely manner.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 258 ✭✭cranefly


    Just as an aside, the scene where dermot was watching the cows come out of a trailer i think it was, and yer man told him to stand behind the gate, dermot then decided to move the gate closer to the trailer to channel the cows out, now, the first cow came out and nearly slipped on the concrete, if that cow had skated into the gate dermot would have gone flying through the air, now that would have made for good television, although yer mans insurance premiums would have gone through the roof.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,980 ✭✭✭minikin


    And that is a typical example of BPS. (Boards.ie Poster Syndrome)

    Generalising thousands and thousands of a particular profession with an insult


    Jesus wept indeed.

    I said she was a typical example of someone with S.T.S. - I didn’t say all teachers are the same (are suffering with S.T.S.) but I must have touched a nerve... apologies if you recognise the honesty of the statement... if you’re a teacher, a partner of one or a relation of one you’re proving my point about them feeling any criticism is an attack on their very being... touchy? :)

    Anyway, back to the topic...


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,923 ✭✭✭Reati


    But surely this is the life or an architect? Working on multiple projects is his bread and butter, it's what he is paid to do.....whether he is on TV or not.

    People seem to be having problems separating the two. He is on TV as RTI is meant to be a fly on the wall into home improvements but it's become a circus around Dermot's personality and the "conflicts" that happen on site.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 18,050 ✭✭✭✭The Talking Bread


    minikin wrote: »
    I said she was a typical example of someone with S.T.S. - I didn’t say all teachers are the same (are suffering with S.T.S.) but I must have touched a nerve... apologies if you recognise the honesty of the statement... if you’re a teacher, a partner of one or a relation of one you’re proving my point about them feeling any criticism is an attack on their very being... touchy? :)

    Anyway, back to the topic...

    I am neither nor. I just am someone who picked up on the point that you just made a stupid comment. I am also someone who spent about a decade and a half of my life in school with teachers, all with different manners, personality, discipline and teaching methods that I wouldn't be so ignorant to make such a generalised insult!

    Call that touchy, if you will


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,980 ✭✭✭minikin


    I am neither nor. I just am someone who picked up on the point that you just made a stupid comment. Call that touchy, if you will

    If the quality of your argument rests on you denigrating mine then I’ve nothing to worry about!

    Back on topic... her arrogance ruined a potentially great project.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,812 ✭✭✭Addle


    Yes totally agree. Do we really need to see the home owner getting her nails done (Clontarf house) or Dermot watching the cows going in for milking (while decked out in overalls). It's all very staged by the producers and adds nothing to the show imo
    And they didn't even have the jets on in the jacuzzi...

    I may be mistaken, but I think a downstairs bedroom is a requirement to obtain planning permission in one off houses nowadays. It's not an uncommon request.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,070 ✭✭✭Franz Von Peppercorn


    I just watched it. The house was a compromise and worked pretty well.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,812 ✭✭✭Addle


    I re-watched the end.
    Love the pops of colour.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,804 ✭✭✭recipio


    His book ' Love your Home ' is worth a read. He actually says he hates tiles and advises wooden floors entirely on the ground floor.:rolleyes:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,682 ✭✭✭✭Muahahaha


    She never once insulted him, she just spoke her mind. That "S" word comes to mind when I see people getting all riled up about it.

    In fairness she insulted him several times. The worse one for me was when they were in her mothers house and the mother said something along the lines of "Dermot is working hard" to which Katies response was "But is he?". I thought that was an awful thing to say to someone working on your behalf and I dont know how he didnt walk off the job there and then, I know I would have.
    Mam of 4 wrote: »
    Can I ask a question here ?

    Surely to God ,Budda , whoever , when people apply to go on the show , there are some meetings , discussions about exactly what they want done to their house , BEFORE the producers pick who gets to be filmed ?

    It can't be as simple as Mr and Mrs Whoever applied , lets go with them ?

    Or am I completely out of the loop here..

    I might have some insight here as last year I emailed a number of architects to get ball park quotes. I included a Daft link to the property in the emails so they had a starting point. One of the emails was to Dermot Bannons firm. The lady who rang me back the next day gave me a run down on his fees. She also told me not to expect Dermot himself to be my architect as he had taken on some commercial work lately (which he normally didnt do she said) and that he was tied up for the next 6 months. I said I wasnt expecting to get him as my architect anyway as I had already looked on his website and it is far from a one man show -he has numerous architects & technicians working in his firm.

    Anyway the lady did say that if I did really want Dermot himself to design it there would an opportunity to do it via Room to Improve and she was asking if I would consider it. She said she was the person in the firm who dealt with all the RTI stuff, etc. The main reason she was interested in me was because of the property itself, it was quite unique. It was not a concrete offer or anything and she said we would have to meet, etc (which I presume meant meeting the production company too, etc. ) I said I would think about it but also joked with her that "I have more of a face for radio than tv". Anyway I thought about it for all of 10 minutes but had known immediately that I didnt want to be anywhere near a tv camera dont mind on national tv. So I emailed back to say thanks but its not for me.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 368 ✭✭keoclassic


    spurious wrote: »
    I don't understand the negativity towards her. She knew what she wanted, she was the customer. She was paying. I'd be raging if he tried to push his open plan stuff on me too.

    Is there not a point where a professional says 'I'm not the designer for you' and puts the person in touch with someone who does more traditional stuff?

    If someone comes to me for History grinds and half way through decide they want Geography, I'm not going to continue ramming History into them, I'll put them on to a Geography colleague. If Dermot wasn't up to it he should have said it's not his bag, not blame her for knowing what she wanted.

    You really can't understand the negativity towards her......seriously? Do you understand the difference between professional experience and uninformed opinion spurious? Do you think passive aggression is ok?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,648 ✭✭✭✭Alf Veedersane


    Dermot got over it by the end of the programme.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,337 ✭✭✭Wombatman


    She knows what she wants and how to get it. Fair play to her. Dermot's 'professional opinion' is not the word of God FFS. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,046 ✭✭✭Daisy78


    Wombatman wrote: »
    She knows what she wants and how to get it. Fair play to her. Dermot's 'professional opinion' is not the word of God FFS. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that.

    Then why did she bother hiring an architect! Her ideas were fairly pedestrian to be fair, it was a straight forward renovation, she didn't need to hire an architect to do that just a decent builder. She had very fixed ideas about what she wanted so why bother hiring someone who is not going to tell you what you want to hear?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,337 ✭✭✭Wombatman


    Daisy78 wrote: »
    Then why did she bother hiring an architect! Her ideas were fairly pedestrian to be fair, it was a straight forward renovation, she didn't need to hire an architect to do that just a decent builder. She had very fixed ideas about what she wanted so why bother hiring someone who is not going to tell you what you want to hear?

    You hire an architect to produce a design based on your requirements. The upstairs was mostly his ideas, the downstairs hers. Did you really expect them to look at the first draft and go..... sure that's grand, you're the pro, go ahead and build it?

    It's like some people would be afraid to express what they want for fear of upsetting the authority figure.


  • Registered Users Posts: 11,053 ✭✭✭✭martingriff


    Daisy78 wrote: »
    Then why did she bother hiring an architect! Her ideas were fairly pedestrian to be fair, it was a straight forward renovation, she didn't need to hire an architect to do that just a decent builder. She had very fixed ideas about what she wanted so why bother hiring someone who is not going to tell you what you want to hear?

    So what you are saying is if you hire an architect your giving them carte blanche?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,046 ✭✭✭✭Quazzie


    So what you are saying is if you hire an architect your giving them carte blanche?

    No. You research an architect who's style matches the style in which you are looking for. Simple


  • Registered Users Posts: 11,053 ✭✭✭✭martingriff


    recipio wrote: »
    Some of Katie's requests were unreasonable - who needs a downstairs bedroom at their age ? I think however Dermot was seriously stung by the '0 out of 10' remark . He clearly came close to quitting the whole project.
    Did we ever hear who won the tiles or timber floor argument ? Lastly, the room off the kitchen had a TV so open plan would probably not be a good idea ?

    My brother if I ever come as I am in a wheelchair plus as someone else has posted I think its in the reg's now. Imagine if a parent had to be cared for and needed a bedroom downstairs for ease


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,070 ✭✭✭Franz Von Peppercorn


    Quazzie wrote: »
    No. You research an architect who's style matches the style in which you are looking for. Simple

    You keep saying that. Makes no sense. There aren’t styles of architects.


  • Registered Users Posts: 11,053 ✭✭✭✭martingriff


    Quazzie wrote: »
    No. You research an architect who's style matches the style in which you are looking for. Simple

    Really and here is me thinking I am the customer employing them. If they can't follow a couple of parameters such as a down stairs bedroom or not open plan and listening to the customer then they are in my opinion bad at there job.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,171 ✭✭✭screamer


    Wombatman wrote: »
    Daisy78 wrote: »
    Then why did she bother hiring an architect! Her ideas were fairly pedestrian to be fair, it was a straight forward renovation, she didn't need to hire an architect to do that just a decent builder. She had very fixed ideas about what she wanted so why bother hiring someone who is not going to tell you what you want to hear?

    You hire an architect to produce a design based on your requirements. The upstairs was mostly his ideas, the downstairs hers. Did you really expect them to look at the first draft and go..... sure that's grand, you're the pro, go ahead and build it?

    It's like some people would be afraid to express what they want for fear of upsetting the authority figure.

    Not any architect.... Dermot Bannon who has a big TV series too. Oh, being on de telly is so important......
    Now for the billionth time no one has a problem with her getting what she wanted, it's the way she went about it that was all wrong. Manners cost nothing as dear old departed nan used to say.


  • Registered Users Posts: 11,053 ✭✭✭✭martingriff


    screamer wrote: »
    Not any architect.... Dermot Bannon who has a big TV series too. Oh, being on de telly is so important......
    Now for the billionth time no one has a problem with her getting what she wanted, it's the way she went about it that was all wrong. Manners cost nothing as dear old departed nan used to say.

    I would re read the thread there are a few on here who have a problem with it Quazzie for 1


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,155 ✭✭✭mrsdewinter


    You keep saying that. Makes no sense. There aren’t styles of architects.

    But in Ireland, anybody who is familiar with Room To Improve is by now well aware that Dermot has a signature style. So if she didn't want large, open-plan spaces, the couple made a mis-step in approaching an architect like Bannon.
    Oh.
    Unless all Katie wanted was to get on TV... But that couldn't be right, could it?


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,257 ✭✭✭BettePorter


    The fact she's a teacher means nothing . As in any profession you get nice people / difficult people.
    Nothing hides the fact that she was just pure ignorant to the guy.
    Now I understand that things of course go on behind the scenes that we don't see. But the fact is we all have a so called 'telephone voice ' in certain situations. Being on TV is surely one of them. And if that is her putting her best self forward then I'd hate to see what she was holding back.

    There have been annoyed clients before but they still all managed to maintain a semblance of humour /banter in putting across their views /disdain for his ideas.

    She was just utterly condescending and disrespectful. And THAT was her 'telephone voice'!


  • Subscribers Posts: 41,793 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    You keep saying that. Makes no sense. There aren’t styles of architects.

    There ABSOLUTELY are different styles of architects.
    Its essentially an art form, so there are a myriad of different architects who work to their own styles.


  • Subscribers Posts: 41,793 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    Wombatman wrote: »

    It's like some people would be afraid to express what they want for fear of upsetting the authority figure.

    And you see, this is the big issue.

    You can only "want" what you know..... You cannot want what you do not know.

    Its an architects job to challenge the clients brief to enhance the final product. Dermot, as an architect, has over 25 years experience in designing and fitting out build projects. He has already seen where the mistakes happen, what aspects work well etc. Most clients are first timers so wouldn't have a clue about these things.

    Really, if you have a singular 'non for changing' idea of the design you want then you don't hire an architect.... Because an architect is a "design" professional. Not allowing them to design is completely counter productive.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,700 ✭✭✭Mountainsandh


    I rewatched it last night, as I thought maybe the people assassinating her character on here were right, and she insulted him.
    I take on board people's views, and so I checked it out. I even took down snippets of dialogues just to have an objective view, you know, when it's written down.

    - She absolutely 100% does not insult Dermot.
    - There is great banter between the two for most of the program, and in the end they both say they got on well in spite of the disagreements.
    - she is tongue in cheek most of the time, and Dermot gets that.
    - Dermot plays the "hurt feelings" "why is she giving out to me" little boy card a lot, I think it's obviously directions from productions.
    - she plays the "I'm a tough, demanding cookie" card. In fact, after the zero out of ten dialogue, she concludes "back to the drawing board D", and she checks/looks at whoever (production) is at the back of camera for reassurance. That's how that interaction ends, her checking with producers if she was bitchy enough with a goofy laugh.

    - she does get narky towards the end, in particular in 3 instances :

    ~ colour of window frames, it's the same colour says D, but it isn't, she says, but it is, says D, little back and forward, and D gets the last word.

    ~ she's a bit abrupt when, after trying to convince her for the umptiethst time about the open plan, D is going on and on about it and the floor.
    They have 3 tiles on the floor, she asked him to pick one, he must have gone on about his gripes a while (edited), and she says :
    "D you're waffling, pick a tile".
    and she tells him she likes the opposite one.

    ~ the stairs discussion is where she is the narkiest. He's rubbishing their choice, apparently said in an email it was excessive, and is now saying :

    "Look, all the things going inside the house, they're not farmhousey.

    She says : I know, maybe you need to share your vision of this farmhouse you're trying to create.

    D: I told you, dark tiles, dark tiles in the kitchen timber...

    her : are you going to bring in some hens and throw them around the place as well ?"

    That's it.
    That's the extent of her "bullying".
    Meanwhile, D is pushing the open plan thing about 5 or 6 times on camera, and every time she says "this is not what we want", "I don't like open plan", and various explanations of why she does not like it, and how "personally", for herself, she just does not want it, there was open plan in her own house growing up and it's noisy, they want privacy, etc...
    Every time she makes her point she makes it clearly and firmly, and I think this gives the perception to people on here that she's rude or bullying.

    I'm a sad case but I do have a lot of that dialogue scripted if anyone would like to see, it would just take a lot of space here, while you can just re-watch the thing for yourself. Really other than what's up there it's all just stating her preferences in a respectful way.



    Also this myth about Padraic being meek and having no say in this, "poor guy hasn't a hope with her", that's wrong.

    He's well able and willing to speak his mind throughout, and she is listening and respectful every time he does so, like in the instance of the size of the window going to the front of the house, the types of cabinets for the kitchen, the colour of the kitchen...

    There is characterization going on on the part of production, with many off camera contributions setting them up in their parts :
    - she's the tough cookie, very demanding, confrontational, "war" suggestion.
    - D is the poor guy who really wants to help but whose feelings get hurt.
    (even though he's the one pushing his agenda intensely on 5 or 6 occasions throughout to very patient rebuttal)
    - Padraic is the bumbling idiot who talks to his cows.

    There are no insults, she does not treat him like rubbish.
    By the time she gets a bit narkier as in, above, they know each other well and a lot of banter has already gone on, D has pushed his agenda numerous times, and she has patiently explained her point numerous times.
    It is simply not fair and it is disingenuous or knee-jerk to paint her as a thundering B.


This discussion has been closed.
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