Room to Improve

Quenton McGrath and Jennifer Burke bought their 3 bed semi in Artane a year ago, they paid nearly half a million for it. Since then the couple have invested a lot of time turning a run down shell into a cosy family home. But despite their best efforts, and a spend of .70,000, there's one room that they've never quite managed to get right.

Childhood sweethearts are up against the clock to revamp their 70s bungalow in Enniskerry before their first baby arrives.

Tommy and Ann Breen have lived in the same house in Killiney, South County Dublin, for the last 39 years. They raised six children in their small 3-bed semi-detached home. The children have all grown up and moved on but most of them still live locally, a reassuring fact, given that following Tommy's early retirement he was diagnosed with MS only two years ago.

Dermot brings his expertise to a designer and gardener living in a Whitehall semi who know exactly what they want Siobhan and Greg Fitzsimmons considered themselves very lucky when they eventually found a house in Whitehall to buy. It had been owned by the same family since it was built in 1925.

Mary Moore has one of the most challenging problems probably ever presented on Room to Improve. She has lived in Rathcoole, south Dublin, in the same house for over 20 years. In that time Mary's surroundings have changed completely. Today her 3 bed semi is right beside one of the busiest roads in the country, the N7. To say it is noisy is to understate it.

Bridget and Michael Kirwan bought their ex-council cottage in Knocktopher, Co Kilkenny 24 years ago. Built in the 1940's it consisted of four basic rooms, no bathroom or running water. Before they moved in they added a basic extension to the full length of the back of their cottage to accommodate an extra bedroom, a kitchen and a bathroom.

Dermot turns a Stoneybatter cottage back to front in order to realise its full potential. Susan McGrath is 36. She has lived in the same cottage in Stoneybatter all her life, her parents died when she was young and when her brother got married recently she decided to buy his half of the house from him.

Dermot has a challenge on his hands as he sets out to revamp a Tipperary family home. Standing in his kitchen surrounded by his family, Sean Cleere recognises the need to change his home but he knows it will be difficult. 'I've lived here all my life, it's all I've known but I know it no longer meets our needs".