Room to Improve, Episode 6 of 7*, RTÉ One, Sunday, March 5th at 9.30pm
In the three years since newlyweds Rosie and Keith bought their five-bed house in Templeogue, Dublin 6, they haven’t changed a thing. From the dark, cold interiors to the cavity block, flat roofed extension, this house is a relic of 1970s design, with décor to match.
Keen to create a unique take on the rather unimaginative suburban semi, Dermot designs a radical, steep-roofed extension to the rear of the house, much to the concern of the neighbours who worry it will overshadow their garden.
Reducing the height of the extension delays the build and increases the budget, leaving QS Lisa O’Brien struggling to find savings and builder Peter Doyle puzzling over the multiple levels of a complex layout.
With Rosie, Keith, their dog Kent and all their belongings relocated to Keith’s parent’s house up the road, the build is stalled as Keith insists on the reinstatement of a porch that Dermot has factored out of the build.
A porch-spotting tour of the local neighbourhood ensues, but it’s the least of Dermot’s concerns as new additions cause the budget to rise again.
Can Dermot rescue this house from the decade that style forgot?
*Episode 7 of this series of Room to Improve will be screened later this year.