Viewers shocked by Dermot Bannon's comment on Tipperary couple's budget

On the latest episode of Dermot Bannon's Room to Improve last Sunday, the well-known architect travelled to Thurles in Tipperary, to transform the home of lovely couple Jim and Mary Moloney. 

Jim and Mary wanted to bring their home up to the 21st century and do a deep retrofit of their property, as well as make their home meet the outside for these passionate outdoor people. 

At first, as herbalist Mary and project engineer Jim show the architect around on Room to Improve, they seem to differ very slightly on precisely why they want to revamp the house they built in 1990, the year before they were married.

The Thurles-based pair built their home 30 years ago and had not really changed it in any way since. Both their adult children have flown the nest and they wanted to make the house ready for the next chapter in their lives. 

“When you are were building your house then you didn’t know what your future was going to be, it was just a house for possibly a family, and then we were lucky enough to have a family, but it was just something you didn’t think about much, it was just a home, a shelter,” says Mary on episode four of the RTÉ One series.

The empty-nesters have raised their two children want to upgrade their home's insulation and “futureproof the house”.

“We moving into the second stage of our life,” says Jim.

The pair sat with Dermot and described their dream home, wanting to connect their kitchen with the outdoor space and garden. They also wanted a deep retrofit to bring their bungalow into the 21st century.

The couple started with a max spend of between €140,00 to €150,000, however Dermot said the "tiny" budget would not cover the couple's requirements.

Jim and Mary were quoted €130,000 for the basic upgrading of the house, however they would need a lot more cash to create an open plan living area that would connect with their garden.

After being given some options from Dermot, the budget was increased to €210,000.

However, viewers were shocked that €150,000 wasn't enough money to do up the old bungalow, especially as there was no extension required.

Construction is delayed by lockdown and starts in early May at the reset budget, with extra outlay for the garden.

Contractor Paul O’Brien notes how the huge shortage of materials is bumping up costs and causing delays. 

“And the suppliers are putting up the prices, since February, they've gone up over 25%,” he says.

The architect, quantity surveyor, contractor and landscaper are all ultimately pleased with the end result and team effort, with contractor Paul declaring he is “immensely proud” of the project.

A bank of photovoltaic panels follows and then the enclosed courtyard — the critical element that unites the interiors with the exteriors, completes the project.

Eight months after the start, the organic synthesis is complete.

This house, its former outbuilding and garden are all unified in natural materials and reinsulated for warmth.

As Dermot points out, the design is quite simple. 

“There was a clatter of rooms at the back of the house, it was basically about clearing away all that, giving them one long room that addressed the garden but the most essential part was the garden itself — once you open the doors you step into an outdoor room." 

The kitchen delights the couple.

“The kitchen is my happy place and it has to be right,” says Mary.

Quantity surveyor Claire Irwin gives an overview of the figures: "They started out with a contract value of €210,000," she says. 

“They actually made €30,000 of savings by shopping wisely and using their PC sums, spending them really carefully."

Their contract value at final account stage was €200,000.

“They saved €10,000 overall,” she says.

Included in those figures is €25,000 that they obtained as a result of an SEAI grant.

This involved the “upgrade of their insultation to floor walls, changing out the windows, heating system, and PV panels to the roof”, adds Claire.