Architect Dermot Bannon, who heads up hit RTE show Room to Improve, joined Damien for a chat on Déise Today. 

The series is back on our television screens, with episodes so far reflecting the realities of rising material costs, supply chain issues and construction grinding to a halt during lockdowns.

Dermot Bannon told Damien that the show has evolved to take into account the need to retrofit, "the big push is to get people in older houses to get an energy upgrade, I'd rather people didn't do extensions if they could just make the house warm," he said.

Dermot went on to talk about how the global pandemic has changed how we view our houses, making people less conscious of what others think, and more aware of our homes being a place to enjoy.

He adding that part of the reason for the housing crisis is that we started to see our homes as assets and commodities. However he said that pressure has eased since the pandemic and people are now more concerned with what works for their family.

Addressing budgeting and costings on this new series of Room to Improve, Dermot alluded to the fact that people can't keep going back to the bank for money, especially as material costs have soared in recent times. He outlined how he's gone back to the drawing board more in this series, rather than adding to prices.

Speaking on the fact that materials cannot be always gotten nowadays due to supply chain issues, Dermot said "design has become about getting an overall idea then being very flexible in how you go about it, it's a good challenge."

Damien asked Dermot if some of the arguments on Room to Improve are staged? "I wish they were," he replied, laughing.

You can listen to the full interview between Damien and Dermot Bannon through the link in this podcast.

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