Welcome back to another episode of The Interiors Podcast. Today, host Tanya Neufeld Flanagan had the pleasure of interviewing Shay Lally, QS and founder of Houses To Restore. Shay and Tanya got to discuss renovations and how to work around the challenges of the budgeting when you're considering buying a property. He also gives us an insight of how is Instagram came about, and where his passion for renovation began.

Houses To Restore originally started as an Instagram account that highlighted properties on the market and gave ideas on how a QS would restore each property, sharing budget and ideas. With the success of the account since the pandemic and property boom, Shay moved into consulting services and now offers a full design and build model with the company working with architects, engineers, interior designers and sub-contractors.

Shay and Tanya discuss how tricky Dublin renovations can be to estimate when you're considering a property or have already bought. Shay and Tanya walk through his entire process in helping a client with a renovation from seeing a property that's on a market to initial costing plans all the way through to project managing an extension or refurb.

Shay discusses the range of costs homeowners can expect depending on the type of property and access and whether kitchens, bathrooms or windows are being updated. They also dive into the cost of an extension and some other "hidden" costs like VAT and professional fees people may not consider until it is too late in the process.

There are a lot of issues that can pop up when purchasing and renovating a home, and Shay emphasizes the importance of seeking out guidance and having a good architect and team working on a space, as well as having a QS to evaluate all aspects of the renovation process. Shay goes into detail about cost plans and how the owner can tweak their renovation and budget to suit their lifestyle needs.

Join us next time for more insights and stories from the world of renovation and interior design. Don’t forget to subscribe and share this episode. Until then, keep creating spaces that reflect you and your lifestyle.

Resources

You can learn more about Shay Lally and Houses To Restore on their website: https://www.housestorestore.ie/

Follow Shay on Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/houses_to_restore