Maybe in different parts of the country but I’ve certainly never heard of anything remotely close to that for a house especially one the size last nights one. Highest I’ve heard of around here was €13.5k that included planning, construction drawings and sign off for stage payments. Anyway
The only essential item one needs when applying for a grant, to write a ‘grovelling letter’ etc, etc, etc, etc is a good OXFORD dictionary and an individual who has a ‘way with words”. This combo significantly increases tone chances of a successful outcome
Architects fees can easily be 30K an a private house? That's just mental.......I would have thought 10 at a push and generally lower.
……
If you know what you want get an architectural draughts-person. Why torture yourself and Bannon.
I think a lot of the participants do it for that reason.
I was disappointed with the inset dormer window up stairs. I thought that more could have been made of it the window itself was only half of the with of the structure housing it and it was nearly A yard back room the front of the structure ‘housing it. I do not know what its purpose was apart from letting light in . It sticks out like a ‘ sore thumb’ when seen from the outside.
the stairs servicing upstairs looked quiet narrow I was disappointed also that there was no mention of the heading system used eg radiators , underfloor heating, air to water, , gas,celectricity or oil, external wall insulation or slabbed inside. The house was very suited to outside insulation because the external walls probably were of mass concrete and the new roof re overhang could allow for the external insulation system.
Wouldn’t be common to be honest and I spent must of my life working in or around the construction trade.
The modern home is vastly preferable to the homes my parents generation built. They simply had no need or time for outdoor leisure living. I’m a fan of loads of daylight and easy access to the outside.
I thought the dormer was very clumsy and the front facade treatment didn’t work. Liked the kitchen living area
You justify being horrible to complete strangers any way you want 👍
Nah Dermots first plan was over by 30k,
They then said they wanted a bigger extension, an extra en-suite, and to move the master bedroom downstairs. That ballooned it to the 320k figure.
They did the same with the extra 20k they got from him being promoted to Prinicipal, Clare said the comically large list they gave her for landscaping cost 46k of the 20k they had for it.
They had no concept of money.
Sorry but I am a fan of large windows. My current home abroad has massive glass windows. It lets the outside in. It makes the space feel expansive and linked. I know it’s a personal choice.
I have it on good authority that DB's fee is calculated as a % of the final construction cost. If that is true, not only is he incentivised to have the build go over budget, he is also benefitting from the couple getting grants to further spend on the property. And he is at no loss, as if the grant doesn't materialise the build is still complete, and the couple have to find a way to pay the builder.
There's no way you could justify paying someone directly involved in the build fee a percentage of the build fee as a client. It's totally uneconomical and makes zero sense.
Bannons builds almost always end up over budget - sometimes tbf as a result of the extras the client wants after the initial discussions but mostly its a general thing as was the case here when his initial costs were over 30K above budget.
Nothing unusual with the fee structure there, Architects fees can range from 7%-10%, usually decreasing as the construction build increases. All depends what client agrees at start of discussion with Architect.
I'd argue its a very strange fee structure where the architect gets a higher fee because costs of materials increased during the build. That makes no sense. Same design, no changes to drawings, but architect gets more because of something completely outside of his and the clients control.
DB's fees are free for the people who appear on RTI, so the structure is irrelevant.
Most architects will fixed price the work; if costs rack up as the clients want a new en-suite or a bigger extension then its fair enough if the architect looks for more money.
From experience its almost impossible to not go over budget on a house renovation, the estimates included in the tender are for the cheapest fittings and fixtures; e.g. white plasic sockets and if the Home Owners want to upgrade to chrome sockets it costs extra. The quote we received for the splashback in the kitchen was a joke - there were literally no splashbacks for that price.
You might want to question the source of your 'good authority'. As has been mentioned the client's get free architectural services from DB.
Whether RTE pays him for fronting the show is a different matter. Having his name publicised every sunday night should be enough I'd imagine.
If you go on RTI his fee is paid by the production company. If you book him yourself, you pay.
That's more or less what I said.
Can you send me RTE link for his fee I don't see it.
I'm an Engineer involved in house building and a client recently told me he was quoted 12 percent of project cost by an architect to cover design, planning and construction stage which included Engineers fee as well.
This was on a 450k build. So 54k..... and they wonder why only a tiny portion of house builders actually use an architect.
Another common theme is that they are often teachers - on both programmes this year and on the previous one in Wicklow etc.
My brother got a house built and he said the architect (not Dermot Bannon) charged so much for initial design, then another few % for developed drawings and getting planning, then more for technical design and preparing specifications for builders to tender and then so much for inspecting during the build and ensuring compliance etc. And finally snagging I suppose. You said the architect you heard of charges 12% : I assume that is inc vat, so 9.75% ex vat? As an engineer involved in house building, do you see engineers providing those services for less? I know on Room to Improve Dermots fees are paid by the tv company, but just curious.
Do not forget mortgage lending rules : mortgage lenders can step outside the usual rules to assign 15% of mortgages up to 4.5 times the applicant's income. In general though, since January 2023, borrowers can avail of mortgages at four times their salary.
Teachers ( like in the last two episodes ) get increments every year and being a government job it is a very secure career, so they are more suitable than most for the 4.5 times salary rate. Some teachers also suppliment their income through summer jobs, grinds etc.
any idea what in particular they had questions about?
I’m an Engineer as well but haven’t worked in housing for a while, Time to go back into it if that’s the case. That is absolutely insane. I’d actually have to see it to believe it to be honest.
They should investigate this grant and ask them to see the bills. That will prove that someone has been living there and that it was fraud.
Didn't hear the whole promo piece but Liveline is covering something about the show today. Not sure what.
…….
it wasn’t vacant for 2 years anyway.
So it seems all they had to do to qualify was get an affidavit signed by a solicitor or commissioner of Oath and say on telly that they are not living there!
If I was someone who was refused grants under either scheme I would refer the authorities to this episode of RTI and ask them to explain how this house qualified.
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