There will be a strong Donegal presence on the new series of the popular Room to Improve on RTÉ.
Architect Dermot Bannon is back and building again, returning on Sunday 7th January at 9.30pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.
He will be joined once again by Buncrana businesswoman and quantity surveyor, Claire Irwin. However, Buncrana building contractor, Inish Contracts, will also feature in episode one.
First stop for Dermot and Claire in the new series is Urlingford, Kilkenny, where Gráinne Murphy and Ivan Williams have been dreaming about renovating Ivan’s forefather’s old farmhouse for many years. With the help of the vacant homes grant and the SEAI grant, Ivan and Gráinne aim to bring the personality and character of this old house back to its former glory. Their total budget is particularly tight for this ambitious project.
![](https://www.donegaldaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Room-to-Improve_Claire-Irwin.jpg)
Claire Irwin on the new series of Room to Improve. Pic: Andres Poveda.
Series 15 will feature builds of all different shapes and sizes, with varying budgets, grants and tight deadlines. There will be some heartbreak, and some incredibly compelling personal stories of the challenges of building in a cost-of-living crisis along the way.
Some of the homeowners are struggling with the increased costs of construction, from the cost of materials skyrocketing to rising labour costs. This series also features homes that are eligible for various home improvement grants including the vacant homes grant, the derelict homes grant and the SEAI grant, which will help to educate viewers on the opportunities that are available to prospective homeowners.
Room to Improve returns for the first of four episodes on Sunday 7th January, 9.30pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player
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