Room to Improve (v2)

They are a lovely couple and obviously adore their child who they had later in life, I think that's part of reason why family and been near them means everything to them.

on your last point I'd say if you're waiting for your surgeon to turn up and operate on a tumour in your colon you'd prefer if they weren't waiting on Dublin Bus!

I'd be very surprised if that bike didn't fit into the storage unit. The go kart may need to be put on its side or something.

He also works from home so I'd say it's only a Sunday bike,so taking out the bicycle and go kart each time , wouldn't be a massive pain in the hole.

I do agree with you about traffic but I'd say her hours are long and stressful, last thing you need is relying on public transport which would probably be full to capacity at santry and Drumcondra during rush hours (yeah I know the rest of us mere mortals do it)

I can see why they did what they did.

-The loved the area, have a massive green at the front, have relations and cousins nearby.

-They didn't want to move.

-They have plenty money.

-Didnt make a big green garden at the back because of the green area that the son plays with his cousins in at the front.

-Put the "room" down the back of the garden for future use - if thats a room for the kid to bring mates to in their teens or a gym or other reasons. It gives them options and is cheaper put in when building that 5 or 10 years down the line.

-The bikes storage/storage area was practical.

-No idea how they managed to get planing for the font portion of how things turned out - totally ruined the look of the house and unless there's other houses in the vicinity that look the same, defo totally ruins the look of the neighbourhood.

-No mention of SEAI grants althought I thought I spotted the names on the paperwork Bannon was going through with the initial costs on it. Assume there were grants involved just not mentioned around the insulation.

-Think they made a decent job throughout, notwith standing some of the items above without going flashy.

-The price tag is the price tag, they could have saved a bit here and there but tbf from the get go, budget wasn't a priority. I don't personally have an issue with that - two hardworking people in good jobs who just wanted to make their house work for them.

Was there any reason given why the cost of the garden room and landscaping was not included in the final cost given by the QS?

Seems strange as it looked like the builder built it

The extractor was clearly built inTo the hob

Don't think you'd want to to be waiting on your surgeon stuck in this

-No mention of SEAI grants

Yes, there was, 26k worth of grants

She works 9-17.30.

She's home every day around 18.15-18.30, they went into that in some detail. She's not being called in to do surgery in the middle of the night after a car accident or stabbing.

From having lived in Swords and Drumcondra, she'd be a lot faster on an e-bike. It's not a dig at her, more about the state of transport in Dublin.

Must have missed it, happy to be corrected.

The mother's potential bedroom was upstairs, no need for a shower downstairs.

Plus you don't want to be walking into the hall from the shower.

As someone who has spent 5 years of traipsing from the shower, through the kitchen , past the hall door, up the stairs and finally into the bedroom with a towel wrapped around themselves ....nope..... showers as close to the bedroom as possible. Especially when there's a few generations living in the house.

Obviously if you work in a manky job a "boot room shower" might be a requirement but day to day living...as close to the bedroom as possible.

Plus the mother looked as fit as a fiddle...I doubt she'll be joining them anytime soon.

Interesting that the garden and gym room were not included. Those palm trees are expensive for that size a couple of hundred euro a piece.

I thought they were a lovely couple. Good luck to them, they like the neighbours and the area.

The price, I’m still in shock, and I am not paying for it 😀

No it was to be potentially downstairs.

In any case I thought anything requiring planning must include a wheelchair accessible downstairs shower and toilet.

A high spec attic conversion is about 40/50k, even if you allow for 200k for a modest extension there's about 750 unaccounted for there..

Stripping a house back is all labour and removals.. that's not subject to supply chain fluctuations..

Even allowing for 100k for stripping back.. which I think is generous.

The other 650k on windows, insulation, stud walls and plastering??

Wtf

Ok bit more than just bringing internal house up to scratch.

Based on those costs, only the rich and famous will be positioned to engage in one off housing projects.

Build costs are just not sustainable.

In fairness, moving the stairs and replacing the roof isn’t “bringing it up to modern standards”, that’s a massive job

I'm fairly sure they said the dad had passed away. I'm 100% certain they said a downstairs bedroom was to in the plans at the wishlist / early stages, Dermot also mentioned it in the final walk-through (that the small downstairs living room would easily become a bedroom if/when required).

yep I know what you're saying, and its what I'd be doing if I worked in the city centre.

.She's not an ER doctor and all her surgery is probably elective but still a lot of that could be urgent cancers. Its still crucial surgery and I know if I was waiting to get a tumour removed I wouldn't want my operation cancelled or delayed because the bus was full and went flying past her bus stop or didn't turn up at all. I doubt she wants to take that risk!

There are hundreds of other sectors of workers I would target when it comes to cycling to work, surgeons would be way down on my list.

I liked end result, front of house not so much and still can’t understand how planing permission is given for such stand out front elevation.. I know the council here are dead against anything that’s different or not in keeping with surrounding houses .. only a few weeks back it was reported people were needing and not getting planning for bicycle storage.. so I don’t understand how planning works at times ..

while I like it I don’t think it’s a million euro house and I know it’s there forever home so won’t be selling but it’s hard pressed to see where the money went.

it’s still going to be fairly cramped when mammy moves in and they are then down a room . For me I would have liked the extra 4th bedroom and a bit of a garden. But definitely one of the best and the extra money shows .

Because it’s no eco eye. It’s my the purpose of the show, and they don’t get sponsored by the company to promote their heat pumps

I do think that they should do a second program that goes into the technical side.

I 100% get why they wanted to stay in that house - next door to sister ( handy for babysitting and their only child can play with his cousins ), near her parents, know the area etc. They have a nice life with support close by which is important. Budget was never going to be an issue so fair play to them and they ended up with a house thats perfect for their small family and her mum should she move in down the line.

I did like the finished house - its a good functional comfortable house. It did lack a certain cosiness and homeliness though but they will make it there own in time. I hated the front of the house - totally ruined the look of the house. The store/garage thing is not really of much use and could have been done without as they had enough room for the 3 of them upstairs as was without needing the front extension- once he puts his 2 motorbikes in there its full. The motorbikes sat safe outside the old house with no problems! If I was a neighbour of theirs I would not be happy with that front extension at all.

Overall they came across as a really happy family and their new home meant so much to them. It was nice to see a couple get a finished house that they can afford aswell. Sometimes with RTI I do worry about peoples ability to repay the debt and affordability to continue living there - some must be under huge pressure - not so at all with last nights couple.

As regards the Drumcondra house - that was a lovely period house ruined by an architect. Literally no old features left. I cannot understand why people buy a lovely old house and want to make it look totally modern inside. Both old and new styles can be married together very well but in that house it was done badly.

They said at the start her father was unwell at the moment, in the end shot there was an older man with overcoat and scarf on in what must have been a warm room full of people, I wondered was that him maybe but pure speculation on my part!

Nice layout in the finish, loved the garden too but if they thought the initial extension was a carbuncle on the house I don't know what you'd call this one! Planning decisions would puzzle sometimes alright!

Did you watch it at all? House fronts onto a big green and all his cousins live on the road. More options than most teenagers for kicking ball!

& I'm sure if the bathroom isnt big enough he can park his motorbike outside again as the bike shed is converted into a wet room/disabled bathroom

Fair enough but when yer woman introduced the idea of the gym, she mumbled something about it being for him and the importance of kids getting exercise.

And if there's one thing nine-year old boys like, it's cross-trainers and rowing machines. Nailed it.