Room to Improve

Robbie and Julie from Darndale in North Dublin have saved for over 20 years to buy the house of their dreams - a 1940s cottage in the picturesque north Dublin suburb of Malahide. With a budget of 180K, Dermot's clients plan to gut the cottage, doubling its size with a spacious new two-storey extension to the rear, but the remediation costs are high.

Moate in County Westmeath, is a place where football is part sport, part religion. On an overgrown plot on the outskirts of town lies the abandoned future home of county GAA All Star Dessie Dolan, his wife Kelly and their 3-year-old son Nathan. They have bought themselves a dilapidated cottage on a hopelessly exposed site in the village.

At Sutton in North Dublin, Dermot extends a 1960s suburban house, changing a beloved childhood home into a sumptuous new one for Hannah, James and their twin sons. To give the couple the 'wow factor' they've asked for, Dermot designs a large L-shaped extension at the rear of the house with a soaring mezzanine level.

Having rented a house in Navan for the last two years, teacher Celine and sound engineer Dave are excited at the prospect of moving to a farmhouse once owned by her grandparents at Kildalkey village in County Meath where Celine grew up. The couple will be the fourth generation to live there and retaining the charm and character of the old place is a major concern for the whole family.

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 decor to match. Keen to create a unique take on the rather unimaginative suburban semi, Dermot designs a radical, steep-roofed extension...