Room to Improve review: How Cashel couple turned derelict bungalow into dream home
Top left, Kate Molony, Dermot Bannon, Brian Carrigg and Claire Irwin, below left, the interiors before, and right, the interiors after. Pictures: RTÉ
Two years after they bought it and four-and-a-half months after work began, Kate Molony and Brian Carrigg moved into their dormer dream home with their young sons.
Once a freezing cold 1970s bungalow, it was completely rebuilt to embrace one of Ireland’s best views — the Rock of Cashel.
The rotten joists and a condemned roof in the former building are forgotten about as the couple explore their snazzy new living space with architect Dermot Bannon in episode two of .
“It’s hard to believe that this was once a cold, cramped bungalow starved of light — and with a spectacular vista on its doorstep,” says Dermot.
Now it’s a “house reborn” featuring a series of cosy spaces seamlessly connected to a flowing open-plan layout.
The colour choice for the poured concrete floor is one of many decisions hailed as “brave” by the architect.
“You keep saying the word brave which was why I was nervous about it!” says Kate during the “reveal”.
Another hit with the couple is the birch-ply stairs with maple steps. “This is so clever because this is not an expensive stairs,” says Dermot.
The original cramped kitchen is expanded into a kitchen-living area, by going down three steps and with a double-height ceiling.
Brian is delighted with the outdoor terrace which turns out to be larger than they had hoped.
“Concrete is everywhere; it’s the skin over the entire round floor and allows us to bring it out into the terrace outside,” adds Dermot.
The room suggested by Dermot at the outset upstairs is the “bonus room” and the couple will use it until their sons Oscar and Sam are older.
Kate, a native of the Co Tipperary town, and Brian, from Ballyea, Co Clare, met on holiday in Marbella seven years ago and married during the pandemic.
Kate had dreamt of owning this particular bungalow since childhood.
They sold their first house and bought the Cashel property for €303,000.
“I’ve a huge passion for the Rock of Cashel,” says Kate at the outset of the build.
“For our first date Brian came down to Cashel and I brought him up to the Rock of Cashel.
“Mum passed away during covid and any time we passed she’d say, 'That house has the best view in Cashel'.”
The property has been vacant for years and needs a total overhaul, including replumbing and rewiring. “Do you think she sold you a bit of a lemon?” teases Dermot.
But he has a point. After Kate and Brian moved their furniture in, they quickly realised the house was cold, damp and uninhabitable, especially with two young children. “The site is fantastic but it’s freezing, the wind is howling, it’s damp and it doesn’t comply with any building regulations,” says Dermot.
They have been living with Kate’s sister Ruth and her family, so the pressure is on for them to move into their own home before they overstay their welcome.
As for the view? Dermot is disgusted when he arrives onsite to discover it is visible only through a bathroom window. “Is that the window? Seriously? But it’s frosted. You can’t see anything out of it!” he says.
Kate and Brian have plunged their life savings into the project and would like an A-rated home. Their budget of €220,000 is, say Dermot and Claire, tight — their wish list includes a large rear extension, along with adding a fourth bedroom upstairs. They also want to convert an exterior building into a gym for Brian.
The couple receive €98,000 between the vacant homes grant, the derelict houses grant and the SEAI grant.
But there are many bills to pay.
During the build period, Brian is promoted to school principal which helps.
The cash flow is averted when five months into the project, with their money totally spent, builder Paul O’Brien agrees to cover the shortfall until the grants come in.
But cash-flow concerns pale into insignificance as Kate and Brian come to terms with an unexpected tragedy during the final phase of the build.
“We’ve had a fairly tough time of late. Kate was 21 weeks pregnant and unfortunately, we lost our little girl,” says Brian. “Obviously, we’re devastated.”
But the couple look ahead also to building “our family home and our future”, he adds.
And it’s clear the crew, as Kate says, “has their backs”.
“They’d a really difficult time in the last couple of months and I think it trumped everything and it put everything into perspective,” says Dermot.
Kate praises "the whole team, Dermot, Paul, Claire everybody". "It’s a time we’ll never forget. We had a tough time but you know who has your back and they all did, so much. God, you’d be forever grateful to them for it.”
Dermot says it’s a job that’s been “full of ups and downs”: “I’m going to get emotional. It’s nice to see them today with a smile on their face.”
Addressing the homeowners he adds: “Even in tough times you know it’s been great fun. I hope you guys have a very long and happy life in this wonderful house.”
Initially, Kate and Brian needed €240,000 to bring the project to contract value, says quantity surveyor Claire Irwin.
“We got €98,000 worth of grants, and the contract value went to site at €338,000. Along the way, we had small additions throughout so we ended up with €25,000 of extras.”
The final account value came to €363,00. “It’s extremely good value for what they have,” adds Claire. “It’s essentially a brand-new build here for €1972 per square metre.”
At one stage Kate and Brian are considering moving an electricity pole.
They are keen to facilitate car parking in their future driveway, explains Kate.
“Why?” asks Dermot.
“For the privacy,” says Kate.
Dermot looks perplexed: “For the cars? Are they embarrassed?”
- is on RTÉ One on Sundays at 9.30pm and on RTÉ Player
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
