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Room to Improve (v2)

Mr E

Mod: My new RTI v2 thread was highjacked by Grand Designs chat, so I renamed it and started this thread.

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Mantis Toboggan

Casati wrote: »

Neither did Dermot, his total house is 240 sqm

Exactly! Someone saying you can easily do an extension for 50k isn't comparing apples with apples.

PARlance

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Of course you would. :rolleyes:

You'd get a decent kitchen anywhere for €5k. You'd get the toilet suite bought for €500. People on this thread really do show that they haven't a notion on pricing at all.

Insulation is grand in it and was properly researched and invested in, so you're wrong there. There is obviously an extractor fan in the kitchen, so you're wrong there. Major structural work in the sense of what? It required all new plumbing and electrics (and re-routing of existing), 2 new fuse boxes, and foundations/walls etc. had to be built, walls knocked, etc.

It does have a flat roof, yes. That was cheaper than a pitched roof, but I wanted a flat roof as i think they look better. So the only real 'cheapness' about that decision was opting for felt over fibreglass, and again, that was a fairly thoroughly researched decision, and not one i made willy-nilly.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not overly defensive about my house/extension, at the end of the day, all a house is is a pile of bricks in a funny shape.

But it irks me when people are so misleading to others about the costs of things, spouting exaggerated and nonsense pricing about the cost of doing things when it's not the case in reality at all.

Tradesmen are busier than ever, and they are charging more accordingly, but it's not like I lucked out and got a builder that was desperate and worked for a pittance. My electrician, plumber, locksmith, roofer, cabinet maker, etc. all cost a fraction of the kind of money that was being talked up on boards.

I was replying to Spanish Eyes post. They refer to knocking down a load bearing wall in their extension and that they couldn't do it for 50k... I agreed with them.

If anyones looking for a half decent extension with structural work, they'll be paying more than 50k Fair play for doing it cheap, but it is a cheap extension with "grand" insulation.

Sunny Dayz

Only catching up now. Wasn't a fan of the two-parter. It was very much the "Dermot Bannon & Friends" show rather than Room To Improve. And that's the way the show has been leaning the past few series. I felt I know little or nothing about the renovation - what kind of heating did they put in, bathroom and kitchen fit out, what he did with the original doors he wanted to save, did they keep the original stairs, put in a new one or move it.

When the next series starts up I will be in two minds about watching it - there are better home improvement tv programs out there, it just would be nice to be watching Irish one's that my tv licence is funding.

mgn

The first few series where okay but it then started to be more about Dermot and a few attention seekers with more money than sense, than it was about renovating a house.
What really stood out for me was the builders, standing around waiting for Demot to give them the information the needed, any builder i know would be straight out the gate and when the came back you wouldn't leave them waiting again.

Addle

Sunny Dayz wrote: »

Only catching up now. Wasn't a fan of the two-parter. It was very much the "Dermot Bannon & Friends" show rather than Room To Improve. And that's the way the show has been leaning the past few series. I felt I know little or nothing about the renovation - what kind of heating did they put in, bathroom and kitchen fit out, what he did with the original doors he wanted to save, did they keep the original stairs, put in a new one or move it.

I def saw 1 door reused anyways.

meeeeh

[Deleted User] wrote: »

But it irks me when people are so misleading to others about the costs of things, spouting exaggerated and nonsense pricing about the cost of doing things when it's not the case in reality at all.

Tradesmen are busier than ever, and they are charging more accordingly, but it's not like I lucked out and got a builder that was desperate and worked for a pittance. My electrician, plumber, locksmith, roofer, cabinet maker, etc. all cost a fraction of the kind of money that was being talked up on boards.

Yes things can be done cheaper but it also depends what you want. The layout you went for wouldn't work for me. I would want kitchen configured differently with more natural light. If at all possible I would also want a window in the bathroom, I'm not sure there is one. If you ad to that underfloor heating which is something a lot of people opt for nowadays, your numbers quickly start going up. All renovations (or almost all) in last season also went for high energy rating standard so they qualified for a grant.

You don't need an architect for what you did. At the same time it is fairly obvious you didn't use an architect. I'm not being a snob because we didn't use architect either. The timber frame company we went with had one on the team but he didn't deal with the design and room layout. House building is like anything else, you can always waste money but you won't get above average finish on the cheap. You should be also able to tell when good architect was involved in the build.

Addle

I can buy a coat in pennys and I can buy a coat in BTs.
Cut your cloth and all that.

chooseusername

twirlagig wrote: »

I haven’t seen it yet but thanks to the poster/posters who mentioned George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces. It’s brilliant! Ended up watching it til 3am this morning! And I’m only on Season 1 of 8 I think! Perfect viewing, just hate all the ads on All4

If you don't fancy paying for ad-free, you can do what I do;
A bit of forward planning needed,
start program in player ,no volume , have shower,dinner, whatever,
just before it finishes return slider to start and off you go-no ads.

Creamy Goodness

Addle wrote: »

I can buy a coat in pennys and I can buy a coat in BTs.
Cut your cloth and all that.

Analogy doesn’t really work. When the coat is wrecked you just buy a new one, but when your Penney’s extension is wrecked due to shoddy work what do you do?

(Not stating that anyone’s work described here was done by a cowboy).

Muahahaha

Only just saw the episode last night and have to agree about how it felt like it turned into a gardening show at one stage. Couldnt understand that giant picture window at the front, like I presume the view across the road is basically of someone elses house? If you sit in that staring out it for the evening the neighbours will be telling the Gardai that you're stalking them !

Finally did anyone notice the Eileen Gray chair in what looked like a very small spare bedroom? If thats an original and not a fake then those things are super expensive. I was only just over in London at the weekend and popped into the Aram store in Covent Garden, they have exclusive rights to reproduce Eileen Grey furniture. That chair he has in the bedroom would have cost almost £2,400
https://www.aram.co.uk/non-conformist-chair.html

HeidiHeidi

The house overlooks the church grounds, so no other house to spy into / be spied into from.

Re the chair - I'm torn between wondering how much of the finished product was hired/borrowed for the filming, and thinking that he'd have a keen eye and probably has a few (or a lot of!) decent pieces collected over the years.

[Deleted User]

Muahahaha wrote: »

Finally did anyone notice the Eileen Gray chair in what looked like a very small spare bedroom? If thats an original and not a fake then those things are super expensive. I was only just over in London at the weekend and popped into the Aram store in Covent Garden, they have exclusive rights to reproduce Eileen Grey furniture. That chair he has in the bedroom would have cost almost £2,400
https://www.aram.co.uk/non-conformist-chair.html

Blimey, for a chair with only one arm? I love some of Eileen Gray’s stuff, but not this particular one. Each to his (or her) own, I guesss

twirlagig

chooseusername wrote: »

If you don't fancy paying for ad-free, you can do what I do;
A bit of forward planning needed,
start program in player ,no volume , have shower,dinner, whatever,
just before it finishes return slider to start and off you go-no ads.

Must try that! Thanks!

Muahahaha

Deleted User wrote: »

Blimey, for a chair with only one arm? I love some of Eileen Gray’s stuff, but not this particular one. Each to his (or her) own, I guesss

Yeah Im not a fan of it either. I sat in her Bibbendum chair in the shop in London and while its gorgeous to look at its not that comfortable to sit in as your shoulders arent supported. More so a chair for a reception or waiting room than something to sit in reading a book for an hour. Came with a hefty price tag too, £3,500+ and more for it in leather.

NSAman

Muahahaha wrote: »

Yeah Im not a fan of it either. I sat in her Bibbendum chair in the shop in London and while its gorgeous to look at its not that comfortable to sit in as your shoulders arent supported. More so a chair for a reception or waiting room than something to sit in reading a book for an hour. Came with a hefty price tag too, £3,500+ and more for it in leather.

The more unique the chair the pricier, especially if an original. I know we have a few pieces here by Eames and Rashid and a few others. Most of it (especially one chair was given to me by the designer which I hate ... the chair not the designer). Cannot get rid of it as it is too valuable and a present is still a present. ... Furniture can be a good investment.

[Deleted User]

meeeeh wrote: »

Yes things can be done cheaper but it also depends what you want. The layout you went for wouldn't work for me. I would want kitchen configured differently with more natural light. If at all possible I would also want a window in the bathroom, I'm not sure there is one. If you ad to that underfloor heating which is something a lot of people opt for nowadays, your numbers quickly start going up. All renovations (or almost all) in last season also went for high energy rating standard so they qualified for a grant.

You don't need an architect for what you did. At the same time it is fairly obvious you didn't use an architect. I'm not being a snob because we didn't use architect either. The timber frame company we went with had one on the team but he didn't deal with the design and room layout. House building is like anything else, you can always waste money but you won't get above average finish on the cheap. You should be also able to tell when good architect was involved in the build.

I didn't use an architect, no, but I never would have, considering I fairly well knew what I wanted before I started. Had I been doing an extension 'for the sake of it' or just hadn't any idea what design id like, etc. id have strongly considered an architect. My extension, like most, is effectively just a box on the back of the house, so an architect would have been overkill in my little project.

Again, though, I appreciate you can spend an unlimited amount of money on a house. I can buy an armchair in Ikea for €10, or I can buy a chair with one arm for a couple of grand, as posted above. There's never a limit on how much you can voluntarily spend.

However, my point is that there are floors on the cost of things. A sheet of 8x4 plasterboard is a tenner. Less if you've an account with them. That won't change much in the course of a house build. You can get a bathroom suite for less than €500.

I bought steel beams for above the sliding door. They're about 12ft long, and there are two of them. I spent €100 in Cisco. People need to stop pretending like this stuff costs in the thousands, when it simply doesn't.

Someone said above €50k wouldn't knock a supporting wall? Your cost would closer to €5k.

prunudo

Where are you getting plasterslab for a tenner?

MrMusician18

Deleted User wrote: »

I didn't use an architect, no, but I never would have, considering I fairly well knew what I wanted before I started. Had I been doing an extension 'for the sake of it' or just hadn't any idea what design id like, etc. id have strongly considered an architect. My extension, like most, is effectively just a box on the back of the house, so an architect would have been overkill in my little project.

Again, though, I appreciate you can spend an unlimited amount of money on a house. I can buy an armchair in Ikea for €10, or I can buy a chair with one arm for a couple of grand, as posted above. There's never a limit on how much you can voluntarily spend.

However, my point is that there are floors on the cost of things. A sheet of 8x4 plasterboard is a tenner. Less if you've an account with them. That won't change much in the course of a house build. You can get a bathroom suite for less than €500.

I bought steel beams for above the sliding door. They're about 12ft long, and there are two of them. I spent €100 in Cisco. People need to stop pretending like this stuff costs in the thousands, when it simply doesn't.

Someone said above €50k wouldn't knock a supporting wall? Your cost would closer to €5k.

It does cost thousands when you want an almost turnkey design. If I'm going to forego a certified build and procure materials myself, I'll absolutely be wanting it to come in significantly cheaper than if I didn't.

If be interested to know how you sized the steel beams over the door. Did you just eyeball it?

[Deleted User]

prunudo wrote: »

Where are you getting plasterslab for a tenner?

Flanagan's in Duleek. DPL in Drogheda are the same, too, I believe. It's the same on Build4Less' site. It's the going rate.

MrMusician18 wrote: »

be interested to know how you sized the steel beams over the door. Did you just eyeball it?

I've actually no idea how that was decided on. We knew the door was 10ft, and the beam is wider (probably wider than 12ft now that I think of it) but I wasn't involved in that, the builder just went off and came back with it, and a receipt.

Addle

Those recommending alternative tv shows, have you any Netflix recommendations?

Muahahaha

NSAman wrote: »

The more unique the chair the pricier, especially if an original. I know we have a few pieces here by Eames and Rashid and a few others. Most of it (especially one chair was given to me by the designer which I hate ... the chair not the designer). Cannot get rid of it as it is too valuable and a present is still a present. ... Furniture can be a good investment.

Yeah original furniture by celebrated designers like Eileen Grey, Charles and Ray Eames, Le Courbusier etc can go for huge money. Eileen Grey currently holds the record for most money ever paid for a piece of furniture- 22 million euro for an original of her Dragon chair. Not bad for a young lass from Wexford. Its not even one of her better designs and I dont like it personally but it has the provenance of her owning and using it so its a very rare piece which drives up the price. There are a few of her originals on permanent display in Collins Barracks which would be worth a fair wedge too.
https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/22m-irish-designers-chair-sells-for-an-arm-and-a-leg--26516759.html

[Deleted User]

I am extraordinarily lucky to have a (recent copy of) a Mies Van Der Rohe MR Chaise Lounge which is a stunning piece and is also extremely comfortable. A perfect blend of style and substance

Apologies for indulging myself and showing off a bit!

Banana Republic.

I'm jumping in late but the show was more about Dermot then it was about the construction of the house, before we knew it Dermot was showing ppl the house as the finished product. Would of loved to see Dermot Gavin planting the back garden and a bit more of the fitting of the tv and stove. Loved the episodes though.

FFVII

Muahahaha wrote: »

Yeah original furniture by celebrated designers like Eileen Grey, Charles and Ray Eames, Le Courbusier etc can go for huge money. Eileen Grey currently holds the record for most money ever paid for a piece of furniture- 22 million euro for an original of her Dragon chair. Not bad for a young lass from Wexford. Its not even one of her better designs and I dont like it personally but it has the provenance of her owning and using it so its a very rare piece which drives up the price. There are a few of her originals on permanent display in Collins Barracks which would be worth a fair wedge too.
https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/22m-irish-designers-chair-sells-for-an-arm-and-a-leg--26516759.html

The highest amount ever paid for a piece of furniture was €27.5m -- paid for an 18th century Badmington cabinet in 2004.

Nearly feel sorry for rich people, trying to find a hole for their millions.

A fecking chair.

HeidiHeidi

Banana Republic. wrote: »

I'm jumping in late but the show was more about Dermot then it was about the construction of the house, before we knew it Dermot was showing ppl the house as the finished product. Would of loved to see Dermot Gavin planting the back garden and a bit more of the fitting of the tv and stove. Loved the episodes though.

I'd be willing to bet a fairly large amount that Diarmuid Gavin had absolutely nothing to do with the planting of that garden! And not a whole lot of involvement with the eventual design of it either.

NSAman

Deleted User wrote: »

I am extraordinarily lucky to have a (recent copy of) a Mies Van Der Rohe MR Chaise Lounge which is a stunning piece and is also extremely comfortable. A perfect blend of style and substance

Apologies for indulging myself and showing off a bit!

Shame he was a Nazi sympathiser..;)

Not really a fan of Ludwig personally..I am lucky in that I have a few other designers and architects originals in the house. I have an eclectic style so people like Mendini (God rest him a lovely man) fit in perfectly.

If you are looking for modern and have the budget, there is an Irish designer who I LOVE Joseph Walsh who does amazing sculpture and furniture. https://www.josephwalshstudio.com/

Muahahaha

FFVII wrote: »

The highest amount ever paid for a piece of furniture was €27.5m -- paid for an 18th century Badmington cabinet in 2004.

Nearly feel sorry for rich people, trying to find a hole for their millions.

A fecking chair.

Its mad stuff. Art world has gone crazy in the last 10 years too, paintings selling for more than 200 million at auction are now common. Huge influx of Chinese and Russian billionaires that werent around 10 years ago now driving prices up like crazy. Art is also a great store of wealth, once the artist is dead they aint producing anymore of it so it can only go up in price.

[Deleted User]

NSAman wrote: »

Shame he was a Nazi sympathiser..;)

Not really a fan of Ludwig personally..I am lucky in that I have a few other designers and architects originals in the house. I have an eclectic style so people like Mendini (God rest him a lovely man) fit in perfectly.

If you are looking for modern and have the budget, there is an Irish designer who I LOVE Joseph Walsh who does amazing sculpture and furniture. https://www.josephwalshstudio.com/

Thanks NSAman; I didn’t know that. But I still like the piece nonetheless

The Eileen Gray piece I really like is the little side table that used to be in the Aer Lingus lounge at the airport way back when. http://www.eileengray.co.uk/products/e1027/

meeeeh

Muahahaha wrote: »

Its mad stuff. Art world has gone crazy in the last 10 years too, paintings selling for more than 200 million at auction are now common. Huge influx of Chinese and Russian billionaires that werent around 10 years ago now driving prices up like crazy. Art is also a great store of wealth, once the artist is dead they aint producing anymore of it so it can only go up in price.

Is that true though? You don't hear much about record amounts Irish artists go for like they did during Celtic Tiger years. I wouldn't be surprised if value of some fell in subsequent years.

FFVII

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Thanks NSAman; I didn’t know that. But I still like the piece nonetheless

The Eileen Gray piece I really like is the little side table that used to be in the Aer Lingus lounge at the airport way back when. http://www.eileengray.co.uk/products/e1027/

Ah now lookit, this is tat.

If you went in to home store & more tomorrow you'd struggle to give 30 euro for that.

Mass produced AliExpress piece if ever I saw it!!

Stick a massive price on it and suddenly "ohh la la"