Room to Improve (v2)

gmisk

Only watched tonight, lovely house in the end.

meeeeh

appledrop wrote: »

Well whoever it was that decided in every episode this series to show 90% of house unfinished until last 5 minutes than bam done!

I think that's one of the main problems. Yes it would be repetitive if they were explaining every time what underfloor heating is about but it would be actually interesting to find out insulation spec and similar to renovate houses up to certain energy rating and how to get grants. I usually record the show, start watching about half an hour later, fast forward through the drama and see what the end result is like.

Spanish Eyes

Bannon bought his house just off Griffith Avenue near Corpus Christi Church.

How anyone doesn't know this by now is a mystery. But I am obviously going to leave the sleuthing to others.

Anyway if you are going to put your house on the Telly you can forget about anyone NOT finding out where it is! It is that simple.

The bones of 1.4mill for a refurbished house in Drumcondra to me is mad. But go on.... tell me I am mad jealous. No, I love my home where it is. Never had a a jell bone in my body. Why would you? Moving might not work, refurb on a budget in a place you love just might though.

FFVII

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Bannon bought his house just off Griffith Avenue near Corpus Christi Church.

How anyone doesn't know this by now is a mystery. But I am obviously going to leave the sleuthing to others.

Anyway if you are going to put your house on the Telly you can forget about anyone NOT finding out where it is! It is that simple.

The bones of 1.4mill for a refurbished house in Drumcondra to me is mad. But go on.... tell me I am mad jealous. No, I love my home where it is. Never had a a jell bone in my body. Why would you? Moving might not work, refurb on a budget in a place you love just might though.

???

Just go and watch the other house shows as as been said over and over.

Who said anyone was jealous?

Spanish Eyes

FFVII wrote: »

???

Just go and watch the other house shows as as been said over and over.

Who said anyone was jealous?

I did.

Spanish Eyes

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

..the odd peasant with 50k to spend.. I know it couldn't involve massive extensions, Glass walls, garden design and so on

I did an extension with a small builder. Here's a photo where you can see the old kitchen, and the floor (out to the sliding door) of the extension. It extends out 10ft to the rear of the house:





Here's a photo from another angle, and a drone shot giving a rough idea of the footprint (extension goes the whole way down the side, stopping about 6ft shy of the front of the house)












Also, the garden was down around the same time:







and the kitchen was included in the price:









I won't bother with more photos as you get the idea, but the scope of work was fairly in-depth.


The price I will quote at the end of this post included the following (I've spoiler tagged the price, so you can take a guess).


- Extension (10ft extending to rear, and 5ft out to the side, L shape)
- Side extension includes a bathroom (shower, sink, toilet) and utility (plumbed for washing machine, boiler, new fuse box etc.)
- Plumber: supplying 4 new radiators, new combi boiler, all new fittings/fixings for sinks/bathroom
- Plastering of old kitchen and new extension
- Sliding door (2nd hand admittedly, was never fitted, but I'll acknowledge this cost approx €2k as it's a lower price than would be anticipated).
- Kitchen, appliances, sofa, a few bits of storage/tv stand etc. from ikea
- Electrician: New light fittings (Ikea), wiring for extra lights, new outdoor light, additional fusebox, upgrade of existing fusebox in house, installation of two 4 gang/2way switches and 9 double sockets
- Laminate flooring, tiling, supplied and fitted
- Painting done
- Back garden wall destroyed for access, rebuilt taller
- New paving installed in back garden
- Roof on extension is flat, torch-on felt
- Gutters and downpipes installed
- etc. etc.


You get the general idea. The only thing that wasn't done (well, it was, but needs to be re-done) was the skirting/architrave.




Total cost, all in:

I'm actually unsure of the exact cost, but between €47k-50k

Naturally, it involved cutting corners wherever I felt I could, and researching every decision that was to be made, but you get the general idea.


EDIT: Also, for clarity, I'm in Louth and this was about 2.5 years ago.

Sorry, just incase people think I'm just posting for the sake of it, the purpose of my post up there is to demonstrate that people don't need to have a million euro to get something done. I actually think my extension effort would have made a better TV show episode than a typical RTI.

kerryjack

46500

No Bills

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Bannon bought his house just off Griffith Avenue near Corpus Christi Church.

How anyone doesn't know this by now is a mystery. But I am obviously going to leave the sleuthing to others.

Anyway if you are going to put your house on the Telly you can forget about anyone NOT finding out where it is! It is that simple...

I believe it is Diarmuid Gavin's house in County Wicklow that the sleuthing is about.
It has already been mentioned in this thread that Diarmuid Gavin's house is in Kilmacanogue. I found the red tin roof on the terrace pretty easy to find once I had that information.

Spanish Eyes

Deleted User wrote: »

I did an extension with a small builder. Here's a photo where you can see the old kitchen, and the floor (out to the sliding door) of the extension. It extends out 10ft to the rear of the house:





Here's a photo from another angle, and a drone shot giving a rough idea of the footprint (extension goes the whole way down the side, stopping about 6ft shy of the front of the house)












Also, the garden was down around the same time:







and the kitchen was included in the price:









I won't bother with more photos as you get the idea, but the scope of work was fairly in-depth.


The price I will quote at the end of this post included the following (I've spoiler tagged the price, so you can take a guess).


- Extension (10ft extending to rear, and 5ft out to the side, L shape)
- Side extension includes a bathroom (shower, sink, toilet) and utility (plumbed for washing machine, boiler, new fuse box etc.)
- Plumber: supplying 4 new radiators, new combi boiler, all new fittings/fixings for sinks/bathroom
- Plastering of old kitchen and new extension
- Sliding door (2nd hand admittedly, was never fitted, but I'll acknowledge this cost approx €2k as it's a lower price than would be anticipated).
- Kitchen, appliances, sofa, a few bits of storage/tv stand etc. from ikea
- Electrician: New light fittings (Ikea), wiring for extra lights, new outdoor light, additional fusebox, upgrade of existing fusebox in house, installation of two 4 gang/2way switches and 9 double sockets
- Laminate flooring, tiling, supplied and fitted
- Painting done
- Back garden wall destroyed for access, rebuilt taller
- New paving installed in back garden
- Roof on extension is flat, torch-on felt
- Gutters and downpipes installed
- etc. etc.


You get the general idea. The only thing that wasn't done (well, it was, but needs to be re-done) was the skirting/architrave.




Total cost, all in:

I'm actually unsure of the exact cost, but between €47k-50k

Naturally, it involved cutting corners wherever I felt I could, and researching every decision that was to be made, but you get the general idea.


EDIT: Also, for clarity, I'm in Louth and this was about 2.5 years ago.

Looks great, fair play to you. We need more of this! I don't know how to show the spoilers. OMG!

I am in Dublin and it is impossible to find a builder/tradesperson at the moment.

But onwards and upwards. I can live with it for now. Don't know where to start with a 50k budget to do a kitchen, take down a load bearing wall (RSJ), downstairs loo. Should that cost 50k?

Fair play to you. Hope you are very happy with your NON Bannon refurb. We need to see more of this!

Spanish Eyes

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Looks great, fair play to you. We need more of this! I don't know how to show the spoilers. OMG!

It worked out between 47-50k.




But I used a small builder. Didn't spend needlessly, watched every penny and googled every decision until i was happy (thankfully I enjoyed the process!).

NSAman

Deleted User wrote: »

It worked out between 47-50k.




But I used a small builder. Didn't spend needlessly, watched every penny and googled every decision until i was happy (thankfully I enjoyed the process!).

Nice job KKV... this is more impressive for me than the swanky house builds ...

kerryjack

kerryjack wrote: »

46500

Closer than Patricia would have guessed, I'm sure! :P

NSAman

NSAman wrote: »

Nice job KKV... this is more impressive for me than the swanky house builds ...

You mean... mine's not a swanky house build...? But.. but..








:pac:

Millionaire only not

If I had patrica power to call around to inspect I’d do it all myself and drag it out for a year!

NSAman

Millionaire only not wrote: »

If I had patrica power to call around to inspect I’d do it all myself and drag it out for a year!

Didn't know you were into wearing ladies apparel while building, thats a first..;)

Deleted User wrote: »

You mean... mine's not a swanky house build...? But.. but..

Sorry but there is no ply wood kitchen and gold sinks with Swan shaped kitchen faucets ..... tutt tutt..;)

HildaOgdenx

Deleted User wrote: »

It worked out between 47-50k.




But I used a small builder. Didn't spend needlessly, watched every penny and googled every decision until i was happy (thankfully I enjoyed the process!).

Looks fantastic, KKV!

prunudo

This will go against the grain here, while I have been surprised at how expensive some of the builds have been, I'm equally surprised its still possible to get a wrap around kitchen extension and garden for 50k. When you factor in the additional costs in running a business these days, increasing labour, material and waste costs. Regulations regarding insulation, health & safety and professional fees for signing off projects. And thats before you take vat into the equation, there isn't much leeway there for a profit.

Mantis Toboggan

No Bills wrote: »

I believe it is Diarmuid Gavin's house in County Wicklow that the sleuthing is about.
It has already been mentioned in this thread that Diarmuid Gavin's house is in Kilmacanogue. I found the red tin roof on the terrace pretty easy to find once I had that information.

Nice one just found it on google maps. Lovely house in fairness, great views.

Addle

Yours is a great job KKV, but you’re kidding yourself if you think it compares with anything in the latest series of room to improve.
I like the show for its entertainment and escapism factors. I certainly can’t afford the likes of what appears on it.
There are plenty who can and do.
People just need to watch a different show if they’re looking for more efficient and practical renovations.

meeeeh

Personally if I want to see standard Ikea kitchen I'd go to IKEA showroom. There are projects that are done well by competent builders without architect but if you are doing a show led by an architect then you expect a bit more. (Our house was designed by OH and rubber stamped by local architectural technician. I love it but I'm under no illusion good architect would improve certain aspects significantly).

Just to add I'm coming from a perspective of someone who build their house and was fairly involved in the process. Watching someone else doing similar isn't really something that would interest me. That kind of show would interest me only if they tackled heritage buildings.

tommythecat

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Bannon bought his house just off Griffith Avenue near Corpus Christi Church.

How anyone doesn't know this by now is a mystery. But I am obviously going to leave the sleuthing to others.

Anyway if you are going to put your house on the Telly you can forget about anyone NOT finding out where it is! It is that simple.

The bones of 1.4mill for a refurbished house in Drumcondra to me is mad. But go on.... tell me I am mad jealous. No, I love my home where it is. Never had a a jell bone in my body. Why would you? Moving might not work, refurb on a budget in a place you love just might though.

His neighbours house is up for 1.75m so it seems pretty standard for that particular area and style of house with a pretty hefty garden.

Creamy Goodness

Does anyone know where Buster works or is he a sole prop with a website? He does need his own show to be fair, he was great!

Addle

Addle wrote: »

Yours is a great job KKV, but you’re kidding yourself if you think it compares with anything in the latest series of room to improve.

But that's kind of my point - the show has wandered very much into dreamland territory that makes it seem like the only way to do anything to your house is to spend a quarter of a million, which really isn't the case.


I've no issue with Room to Improve being a show about millionaire's lifestyles. 'It is what it is', as they say. However, it's not realistic to assume you can't get something decent for smaller money.


My extension is an example of how you can do something on a tighter budget, and it doesn't have to be a non-job (ie; if you were to watch RTI, you'd think a €50k budget would get your spare room renovated and maybe a coat of paint in the hallway, which isn't real life).


I'm not saying the market in dublin hasn't gone silly altogether, of course it has, but the vast majority of people aren't in a position to drop 1.5 million on a house. Although there are many millionaires out there, they are not the general public in Ireland, and i think the frustration in this thread is that 'real people' aren't necessarily being represented in the show anymore (compared to it's earlier days).

Mantis Toboggan

How big was your extension kkv?

Penn

Deleted User wrote: »

But that's kind of my point - the show has wandered very much into dreamland territory that makes it seem like the only way to do anything to your house is to spend a quarter of a million, which really isn't the case.


I've no issue with Room to Improve being a show about millionaire's lifestyles. 'It is what it is', as they say. However, it's not realistic to assume you can't get something decent for smaller money.


My extension is an example of how you can do something on a tighter budget, and it doesn't have to be a non-job (ie; if you were to watch RTI, you'd think a €50k budget would get your spare room renovated and maybe a coat of paint in the hallway, which isn't real life).


I'm not saying the market in dublin hasn't gone silly altogether, of course it has, but the vast majority of people aren't in a position to drop 1.5 million on a house. Although there are many millionaires out there, they are not the general public in Ireland, and i think the frustration in this thread is that 'real people' aren't necessarily being represented in the show anymore (compared to it's earlier days).

Completely agree, and it seems par for the course now that even when they give their budget to Dermot, they have at least an extra 50% up their sleeves for when he purposefully goes over budget, whether it's a big project or not.

As someone who works in the industry, when the client gives you their budget, that's the budget you work to. In fact most of the time we're having to convince clients that things they want aren't within their budget rather than doing a Dermot and trying to convince them to spend extra money on something they don't need.

It's an entertainment show at this stage, nothing more.

LirW

A reminder that the economy is doing pretty well overall and people are in the position of having and making good money again. Naturally everyone who had to wait 10 years to be in the position to do work to their home is doing it now while they can. Why wouldn't they?
I have to admit I'm hugely jealous of people being able to make substantial changes. We're living off one income since I'm back in college and our house badly needs work done but we can't afford it. Also we came to the realisation that we are going to trade up once we are in the position to do so, so we're putting up with the inconveniences our house has for another few years.
But once I know I'll stay for a long time, I'll pour everything I have and my left kidney into my home. Some decisions don't need to make sense to others if you'll look at them for the next 25 years.

Also builders have been expensive in recent years and Drumcondra has been a pretty up-market area for a really long time. A good few houses beyond the Million mark there and many still need work in order to be as energy efficient as Dermot's.

kerryjack

Dublin city is a good place to have a house and will always be a good investment, with zero interest rates for your money you are as well off putting the money in to your house than keeping it in the bank. That house is a very liquid asset and would sell fast especially designed by dermot himself so it's a very sound investment in my opinion.

funkey_monkey

KKV - 3rd photo - were you getting your access through your neighbours garden?

Casati

His house is great overall, the location is really good, the garden is super and offers great privacy. The finished look super but I wonder did he focus too much on the massive L shaped kitchen room at the expense of the rest of the house?

Front room (good room!) is left as is but it’s a tiny room so he has no decent sitting room despite the size of the house

Utility room is land-locked - so no window out and more importantly no door to go outside with the washing, boots for the gardening etc

Main bathroom has only a roof window - that’s bleak. I think both en suites also are missing a window you can see out too

The neighbours must hate him too - the only bit of south facing sun they had is gone.

I’ve no idea with such a long garden why he didn’t go with a courtyard, something he used in other similar sites to great effect - it could have created a lovely south facing room