Room to Improve.

HeidiHeidi

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Awful staircase - those open risers are lethal for people tripping up the stairs and no handrail on the wall to steady themselves. Does Dermot know that people get old?

Maybe fit a stairlift while they're at it, just to properly future proof it? :rolleyes:

They're in their early fifties, at a guess!

jaffa20

Lots of $$$ on such a small site where the garden now makes up about less than 10% of the site. The garden was nice at the start but now just looks like a strip of lawn. This was very clear when comparing to neighbors during the aerial shot.

meeeeh

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Awful staircase - those open risers are lethal for people tripping up the stairs and no handrail on the wall to steady themselves. Does Dermot know that people get old?

There is handrail. I noticed it because I thought I would prefer it in white and not stainless they went for. Anyway when they get old they can move in downstairs bedroom.

AndrewJRenko

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

Maybe fit a stairlift while they're at it, just to properly future proof it? :rolleyes:

They're in their early fifties, at a guess!

You think a staircase that isn't designed to trip you up is optional?

AndrewJRenko

siblers wrote: »

Absolutely miles ahead of the house from last week considering the similarities in budget.

Those timber frames are horrible though.

Miles away from it too - the location would account for the different outcomes on similar budget

meeeeh

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

You think a staircase that isn't designed to trip you up is optional?

Actually when we were buying our staircase open staircase was deemed safe for the space we had. It means the step can be wider and stairs not as steep which helps in older age. If they had closed staircase it would have to be longer or steeper/narrower. Open staircase is not just a design feature.

freshpopcorn

To be fair I think this couple would want a lift or something and not a stair lift!

seannash

meeeeh wrote: »

That's personal preference l just don't agree there is anything pretentious about it. As for buying a new sofa, I don't think replacing something just because you can it's the way to go. Isn't it better to buy something that you will like for a long time, mind it and keep it?

Well surely that what were here to discuss. Whether we liked the end result or not.
In terms of isnt it better to buy something you love, well you kinda said it yourself. Irish people love those massive large leather sofas. I find them horrible looking and in my opinion a lot of irish people buy them because they think leather equals quality. And dont get me started on leather beds which are also bought for the same reasons.
I agree buy what you like, i simply cant see how people like those large leather sofas.
But I'm begining to see certain posters dont ever say they dislike anything about the houses on RTI so I feel my points are probably falling on deaf ears.

Hulk Hands

IrishHomer wrote: »

Such a waste of money.

The family are mature in another few years the kids will have flown the nest.

More money than brains

Not really getting that it's mad money or a waste. They don't have a mortgage and are obviously on good money. 375k isnt crazy in those circumstances.

It's not as if the value disappears in any case. I'd say they've added 300k to the value of the house easy, if in future they ever did need or want to sell.

Some of the extras were probably extravagant spending alright

Muahahaha

gmisk wrote: »

That wasn't the big stone bath at the end they bought the other one

The other one looked like a pestle and mortar...

The pestle and mortar bath was in Tilestyle showrooms in Ballymount about two weeks ago when I was in there so no-one has shelled €15k on it yet, thats presuming it is a one off which you'd expect for a €15k bath

smelly sock wrote: »

Genuine question , is it a narcissistic thing with some of these couples. They could easily afford a decent Architect.

Was wondering the same myself though this couple didnt come across as narcissistic compared to a few others. I can understand someone with a tight budget giving up their privacy and going on national tv so they can save the €20 or €30k fees from Dermot. But with these large budgets they could easily afford to hire him privately.

meeeeh

seannash wrote: »

Well surely that what were here to discuss. Whether we liked the end result or not.
In terms of isnt it better to buy something you love, well you kinda said it yourself. Irish people love those massive large leather sofas. I find them horrible looking and in my opinion a lot of irish people buy them because they think leather equals quality. And dont get me started on leather beds which are also bought for the same reasons.
I agree buy what you like, i simply cant see how people like those large leather sofas.
But I'm begining to see certain posters dont ever say they dislike anything about the houses on RTI so I feel my points are probably falling on deaf ears.

You need large sofa in a large room. They also have a gaggle of kids and while they won't always be around they did have two sofas next to each other and a corner unit just to accommodate everyone before.

I think everyone is perfectly entitled to criticize whatever they want. For me there are houses I'd love to live in, those that I like but are not for me and the ones I don't like. This one is in the second category for me. But I'm not going to tear into every detail, I know people have different preferences than me. And excluding bath the house isn't hugely ostentatious. Plus I love it when people actually put in the art they love, not some prints which are bought because they colour match cushions and candles in the sitting room.

Btw we have globo chair in the garden and it is one of the most comfortable seats to sit in. It makes perfect sense as a meditation chair (I think it's in her yoga studio).

Sheep breeder

The builders are from cork and no wonder the builder was in a rush and no local worked on site, only one sister lives on the road and runs a tile business, the house is in no way of keeping with any thing in the area and one wonders how planning was got in Wicklow for such a house looking in over the neighbours.

seannash

Sheep breeder wrote: »

such a house looking in over the neighbours.

I think the neighbours are all family

meeeeh

Muahahaha wrote: »

Was wondering the same myself though this couple didnt come across as narcissistic compared to a few others. I can understand someone with a tight budget giving up their privacy and going on national tv so they can save the €20 or €30k fees from Dermot. But with these large budgets they could easily afford to hire him privately.

I think some people want to be on TV (that Cork horror last year) and some just want architect whose designs they like. It's just as plausible they approached his studio to design them a house and were asked to be on tv because their build was potentially interesting.

Sheep breeder

seannash wrote: »

I think the neighbours are all family

Read the full post, only two of the family live on the road beside daddy’s house.

seannash

meeeeh wrote: »

You need large sofa in a large room.

I never said you dont. Room proportions shoukd be fairly obvious to most people at this stage. I said i hate large leather sofas in a room (any size)

I still think the house was beautiful from the outside and the layout was good (apart from the yoga area) but the owners had terrible style which was reflected in the items they were drawn to.
Besides the kitchen, it wasn't anything like the image she showed Dermot

Vicarious Function

The husband's job took him away a lot and he enjoyed the comfort and luxury, even quirkiness, of 5-star hotels, when away. This is what he wished to recreate in his own house. He obviously had skill negotiating deals, as shown when he assumed that if they bought the two sculptures they could probably get two for the price of one.

ted1

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Awful staircase - those open risers are lethal for people tripping up the stairs and no handrail on the wall to steady themselves. Does Dermot know that people get old?

Very few people have handrails on the wall, they are also awful.

Sleepy

Have to say I loved it. Dermot was in his element here: a couple with a massive budget who let him focus on good architecture: the space he created for them was every bit the wow factor they wanted. TBH, with a few tweaks (polished copper instead of gold on the island) and some tweaks to the furnishings I'd happily live in it.

The couple were in a fortunate position and the budget didn't seem too wild for their means tbh.

LirW

Sleepy wrote: »

Have to say I loved it. Dermot was in his element here: a couple with a massive budget who let him focus on good architecture: the space he created for them was every bit the wow factor they wanted. TBH, with a few tweaks (polished copper instead of gold on the island) and some tweaks to the furnishings I'd happily live in it.

The couple were in a fortunate position and the budget didn't seem too wild for their means tbh.

I have to say it again, what they got for the money they spent was brilliant. They didn't have a mortgage on the house and apparently never had, they built the modest house they could afford back in the 90s, love where they are and are now in the position to turn it into something they never had the money for previously. You'll be hard pressed to find a house like that for 575 in such a proximity to Dublin.

I think this episode was a poster example that Dermot is capable of what he does. I hate to admit but for once he seemed absolutely professional. He wasn't a pushy bastard, the build came in on budget - if the couple decides to add finishes, landscape etc for an additional 200k, that's none of his business really. The design worked, it was a spectacular house and I'd move in there in a whim.
I think this was a really good episode, one of the most interesting ones in a good while because everything was right in my opinion.

Citroen2cv

Sheep breeder wrote: »

The builders are from cork and no wonder the builder was in a rush and no local worked on site, only one sister lives on the road and runs a tile business, the house is in no way of keeping with any thing in the area and one wonders how planning was got in Wicklow for such a house looking in over the neighbours.

They are from Mullingar actually .

Ottoman_1000

What a lovely house in last nights episode. Would not be entirely my thing but it was very impressive none the less. I do find this forum gas however, what is with Irish people telling others on how they should spend their money without knowing the first thing about them. There is a post a few pages back stating that they would have been better of buying a house in the south of Spain with that money!!! WTF...

the_pen_turner

Ottoman_1000 wrote: »

What a lovely house in last nights episode. Would not be entirely my thing but it was very impressive none the less. I do find this forum gas however, what is with Irish people telling others on how they should spend their money without knowing the first thing about them. There is a post a few pages back stating that they would have been better of buying a house in the south of Spain with that money!!! WTF...

come on now . it was 2 houses in spain

Vicarious Function

I don't think the builder was trying to get in and get out fast in order to move on to another job, as suggested by some here - hence not paying attention to quality. The feeling I got was that he wanted to hurry up the suppliers such as joinery and windows so that he would not be waiting with nothing to do. Example: he fitted in the famous "bicycle shed" during one gap in time.

Penn

Vicarious Function wrote: »

I don't think the builder was trying to get in and get out fast in order to move on to another job, as suggested by some here - hence not paying attention to quality. The feeling I got was that he wanted to hurry up the suppliers such as joinery and windows so that he would not be waiting with nothing to do. Example: he fitted in the famous "bicycle shed" during one gap in time.

To be honest I got more from it that he was essentially trying to advertise his company as being one who'd get the job done quicker than anyone else. I often find with some contractors on it that they set it out like that from the start so that if there is any delay, it's also down to them not being given the information on time (which is fair enough).

I've no issue with either, but I just think the contractor in this instance came across as overly pushy and needlessly aggressive with it

Muahahaha

meeeeh wrote: »

I think some people want to be on TV (that Cork horror last year) and some just want architect whose designs they like. It's just as plausible they approached his studio to design them a house and were asked to be on tv because their build was potentially interesting.

yeah thats pretty much how it works, people enquire to Bannons practice about getting work on a house done and if the project is interesting you might end up on Room to Improve. Happened me a couple of years back when trying to buy an old stone cottage on top of a mountain with a spectacular view in Wicklow. I enquired about buying design drawings only and in the process they asked if Id be interested in going on RTI, I ran a mile :pac: I'm not one of those people who wants to be on tv as my privacy is worth more than a free architects fee. Its obviously different for others, the wife who hopped in the jacuzzi with Dermot was definitely someone who wanted to be on tv and for her the free architects fee was just an added bonus.

Penn wrote: »

To be honest I got more from it that he was essentially trying to advertise his company as being one who'd get the job done quicker than anyone else.

Thats exactly it except his cock up was he gave the impression he was rushing the job to get on to the next one. What he should have been saying to camera was that the project was 21 weeks but we are going to try our best to get it done in 15 because we want to get the family back into their home and out of rented accomodation. Then the builder looks like a hero rather than someone rushing to get to the next job.

Muahahaha

Muahahaha wrote: »

yeah thats pretty much how it works, people enquire to Bannons practice about getting work on a house done and if the project is interesting you might end up on Room to Improve. Happened me a couple of years back when trying to buy an old stone cottage on top of a mountain with a spectacular view in Wicklow. I enquired about buying design drawings only and in the process they asked if Id be interested in going on RTI, I ran a mile :pac: I'm not one of those people who wants to be on tv as my privacy is worth more than a free architects fee. Its obviously different for others, the wife who hopped in the jacuzzi with Dermot was definitely someone who wanted to be on tv and for her the free architects fee was just an added bonus.



Thats exactly it except his cock up was he gave the impression he was rushing the job to get on to the next one. What he should have been saying to camera was that the project was 21 weeks but we are going to try our best to get it done in 15 because we want to get the family back into their home and out of rented accomodation. Then the builder looks like a hero rather than someone rushing to get to the next job.

love the sound of your cottage in the Wicklow hills -hope it worked out well

Muahahaha

Deleted User wrote: »

love the sound of your cottage in the Wicklow hills -hope it worked out well

It didnt sadly and the sale eventually fell through. Between septic tanks, new water and ESB connections, the need for an entire new roof and having to build a new road over difficult terrain to the top of a mountain it was out of budget. Someone did eventually take it on but it likely cost them over €100k just to rectify all of the above and before the proper renovation got under way.

Akabusi

I agree with others that the builder didn't come across great, he just tried too hard to impress, all he had to do was keep his mouth shut and get the job done thus putting pressure on Bannon for decisions. Bannon would surely have mentioned how fast the build pace was going anyhow. That was one thing but the site office would be more in place on a large construction site in Dublin.


Although I have to say the job did look really well in the end and the couple came across great. It is still a pity that more of the building work isn't showed and with regards the budgets at this stage they should just say there isn't one, last week and again last night the budget was totally ignored.

redbuck

I actually thought it was the ugliest house of the current series so far, a horrible game roof extension built on to the side of the house, those timber slats at the front of the house do nothing for me either.