“It’s the most frustrating thing about the show.”
Room to Improve viewers all had similar complaints towards host Dermot Bannon after the most recent episode aired on RTÉ on Sunday evening.
In the third episode of the series, Dermot and co-host Claire Irwin met Sandra and Daniel Davey in Knocklyon, Dublin, who were looking to improve on their €500,000 dream home they bought over four years ago.
The couple’s main aim was to make their home warmer and more energy efficient as their leaky conservatory left the back of the house near unlivable for the couple and their two children. While the budget seemed extremely strict from the start, Dermot had different ideas.
Room to Improve viewers not happy with Dermot Bannon after last night’s episode
The Davey’s renovation budget was €130,000, with half kept for retrofitting. Early on in the episode, Daniel said: “It is absolutely key that Dermot recognises we have gone to our maximum with this budget.”
However, Dermot was adamant that some luxuries were needed for the renovation, with particular focus on a €2,000 planter for the garden.
The couple looked to be coming under budget, however some structural issues and the extra garden expenses jacked up the prices as the episode went on.
Saunas are in! ? Walk-in wardrobes are out! ? ?
We asked Room To Improve stars Dermot Bannon and Claire Irwin what home renovation trends we can expect to see in 2024 ?#Irish #RoomToImprove #DermotBannon pic.twitter.com/SiaCtXmszh— JOE.ie (@JOEdotie) January 16, 2024
Viewers were not happy with Bannon’s obsession with adding to the couple’s budget, despite them implementing a strict one from the start.
One person on Twitter said: “Dermot Bannon frustrates me something serious, if they don’t have the money they don’t have the effing money. They didn’t want to do the outside as priority, let them wait until they have the funds aggghhh.”
Another added, “It’s the most frustrating thing about the show.. Most episodes see magic money appearing towards the end, which I imagine is not representative of the majority. It would be great to see a show where they stick to budget.”
A third added, “The whole show is silly now, Dermot our budget is €20, we can’t go a cent above it, an hour later and it’s ‘we went slightly over budget by €3 million’ but the windows open all the way back…”
The finished home, Sandra and Daniel’s little bit of magic ✨#RoomToImprove pic.twitter.com/Yh2Gz4Oftp
— RTÉ One (@RTEOne) January 21, 2024
However, after successfully pushing back on Bannon’s planter, the final reveal of the Davey’s house was stunning and looked to be the exact A-rated home that the couple were after.
As the episode ended, Bannon had his defenders, with one saying, “Slag off Room to Improve all you like, but I bet there’s not even one person here who’d say no if Dermot Bannon offered to snoop around your house and make it better.”
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