Flooring is one of the biggest design decisions in a renovation - but it’s also structural, thermal, and incredibly hard to change later. In this episode, we cover everything from timber, tile and LVT to polished concrete, terrazzo, carpets, subfloors and underfloor heating compatibility.

What we cover

•  Engineered timber vs solid timber - and why engineered wood is so popular these days 
•  Stone, porcelain and the maintenance requirements
•  LVT, glue-down vs click, why levelling is everything
•  Polished concrete - is it right for Irish homes? 
•  Terrazzo tiles vs poured terrazzo 
•  Carpet, acoustics and the role of good underlay 
•  The real hero: subfloor preparation, moisture control and levelling
•  Which flooring types work best with underfloor heating
•  Floor build-ups, levels and how to avoid awkward transitions 

Key takeaways

•  Choose flooring based on use, comfort and maintenance, not just aesthetics 
•  Every flooring failure usually comes back to poor prep
•  Underfloor heating should influence your flooring choices early 
•  Mixed materials need finished floor levels planned at design stage

This episode is packed with the practical decisions that help flooring feel seamless, durable and right for how you actually live.

Follow the podcast on Instagram @ripitup_podcast_official, or follow us - Jenny is @workerscottage and Kate is @victorianrathmines

Windows and doors might seem like simple decisions - but they affect heat, light, ventilation, security and how your home feels every day. In this episode, we break down the key decisions to get right early when planning your external windows and doors.

What we cover:

•  Why windows and doors must be decided early in a renovation 
•  Different window types - fixed, casement, tilt & turn, sliding and bi-fold 
•  Choosing the right frame materials (uPVC, aluminium, timber, alu-clad) 
•  Double vs triple glazing - and when each is worth it
•  Designing for light, privacy and ventilation 
•  Front doors vs secondary doors - function, security and everyday use 
•  Sliding, bi-fold, and French doors - pros, cons and real-life trade-offs 
•  Thresholds, flow and how doors actually feel to use day-to-day 

Key considerations

•  Start with use, not style - how will you actually live with these openings? 
•  Opening direction, clearance and furniture placement matter more than you think 
•  Bigger isn’t always better - especially with large, heavy doors 
•  Plan for privacy without losing light 

Items mentioned

• Fineo slim double glazing
• Spring sash windows

This episode focuses on the early planning decisions - helping you avoid costly mistakes and choose windows and doors that work for your home long-term. 

Follow the podcast on Instagram @ripitup_podcast_official, or follow us - Jenny is @workerscottage and Kate is @victorianrathmines

To celebrate Paddy’s Day, we’re doing something a little different this week - an A–Z of our favourite Irish home, renovation and interiors suppliers.

From big renovation essentials to smaller finds, these are the brands, makers and shops we come back to again and again - whether we’re working on our own homes or recommending to others.

If you’re renovating, decorating or just love discovering great Irish suppliers, this is a brilliant place to start.

What this episode is about:

• Our go-to Irish suppliers across home, interiors and renovation
• A mix of well-known names and hidden gems
• Brands we’ve used ourselves or consistently recommend
• Ideas and inspiration for sourcing locally in Ireland

🔤 The A–Z List

A - April and the Bear
B - Browsers
C - CA Design 
D - Des Kelly
E - EZ Living Furniture
F - Finline Furniture
G - Grove Home
H - Havwoods
I - Industry & Co
J - Jam Art Factory
K - Kilkenny Architectural Salvage
L - LoftStyle 
M - Mullan Lighting
N - Newbridge Fabric Outlet
O - Oriana B
P - POD Furniture 
Q - Quirkes Homevalue 
R - Rosalin’s
S - Savvy Kitchens
T - Tiles and Terrazzo 
U - Ulster Carpets
V - Vintage Dublin
W - Woo Design
X - XO Tile
Y - Yeats Country Antiques
Z - Zozimus Gallery

🎧 Who this episode is for

• Homeowners planning a renovation
• Anyone sourcing furniture, finishes or homewares in Ireland
• Listeners looking to shop more locally
• People who love discovering new brands and suppliers

💡 Save this episode! It’s one you’ll come back to when you’re shopping for your own home or for gifts.

Follow the podcast on Instagram @ripitup_podcast_official, or follow us - Jenny is @workerscottage and Kate is @victorianrathmines

Bathroom design starts long before you choose tiles or taps. In this episode, we break down the layout and planning decisions that make a bathroom comfortable, functional and easy to live with.

What we cover

• Why bathroom layouts should be decided early in a renovation
• Planning clearances - it's recommended to have a space 800mm wide and 700mm deep for your toilet
• Keeping the toilet out of the main sightline where possible
• Wall-mounted taps, channelled walls, and other early plumbing decisions
• Shower planning, including tileable shower trays (only when the area is properly tanked)
• Lighting and electrics - we love wall lights and demister pads
• Storage solutions - alcove shelves

Items mentioned

• IKEA FAXÄLVEN mirror with integrated light
• Roberto Tiranti concrete sink (Etsy)
• Naka shower shelves

This episode focuses on the planning stage of bathroom design - getting the layout right before plumbing, electrics and finishes are locked in.

Follow the podcast on Instagram @ripitup_podcast_official, or follow us - Jenny is @workerscottage and Kate is @victorianrathmines

Before you choose cabinet colours, you need to lock down layout, flow, storage, and how the room actually works day to day. In this episode we break down the early decisions that will make your kitchen renovation successful.

What we cover

• Why kitchens are usually the first major design decision in a renovation
• The layout choices that affect plumbing, electrics and budget
• Why the classic “kitchen triangle” is outdated
• Designing kitchens in practical zones: storage, prep, cooking and cleaning
• Storage strategies that make kitchens easier to live with
• Floor-to-ceiling units, drawers vs cupboards and corner solutions
• Planning sockets, appliances and everyday countertop clutter

We also share the biggest kitchen regrets - from narrow islands to nowhere to hide clutter.

This is part 1 of a two-part kitchen episode - in the next episode we’ll cover appliances, materials and kitchen lighting.

Follow the podcast on Instagram @ripitup_podcast_official, or follow us - Jenny is @workerscottage and Kate is @victorianrathmines

Designing your electrical plan isn’t just about picking lights - it’s about how your home actually works every day. In this episode (our fiftieth!), we break down the lighting, sockets, switches and electrical decisions that happen during the first fix and second fix stages of your renovation. This is the second of a two-part episode on creating your M&E plan - we covered the mechanical plan in our previous episode.

💡 What we cover in this episode:

• Lighting basics: lumens, kelvins and how to create a plan
• Creating layered lighting - general, task and soft mood lighting
• Choosing adjustable spotlights, LED strips, and avoiding mixed light tones
• Where to place sockets, switches and other controls
• Planning for charging points, vacuum routes and future flexibility
• Data points, Wi-Fi planning and avoiding dead zones (especially in older Irish homes)
• First fix vs second fix - when you need to make your key electrical decisions

👉 If you’re planning a renovation, this episode will help you avoid harsh lighting, missing sockets and costly changes later.

Follow the podcast on Instagram @ripitup_podcast_official, or follow us - Jenny is @workerscottage and Kate is @victorianrathmines

Early in your renovation, you need to lock down your M&E plan - mechanical and electrical. In this we deep dive into the dirty business of mechanical plans - waste pipes, connection points, pumps, heating, toilets, showers, drainage, and more. The decisions you make here will have a big impact later in your renovation, and there are some important things you should know.

We will be covering electrical plans (including Jenny's favourite topic - lighting!) next week.

Key Topics in This Episode:

• Why plumbing, drainage and heating plans must be decided early in a renovation.
• Toilets, waste pipes and the impact of pipe routes on layout and design.
• Boxing off waste pipes.
• Hidden vs visible toilet cisterns.
• Macerators (e.g. Saniflo).
• Common bathroom planning mistakes.
• Boilers, water tanks, combi-boilers, and other hot water systems.
• How gravity affects water flow.
• Radiators, zoning and smart heating decisions to be aware of.
• Pumps, drainage challenges and avoiding costly issues later.
• BTU calculator for checking radiator requirements.
• Pipe to pipe distance between radiators.
• Temperature knobs on radiators.
• Sump pump if your drain pipes are low compared to the water table.

Follow the podcast on Instagram @ripitup_podcast_official, or follow us - Jenny is @workerscottage and Kate is @victorianrathmines

Planning permission in Ireland is a minefield, and we have had a different experience with each renovation we have done. It's not a straightforward process with guaranteed outcomes, but in this episode we give your our best tips plus lessons learned from our own encounters (positive and less positive!) with local planning authorities.

Who this episode is for:

• Homeowners planning a renovation or extension
• Anyone unsure if they need planning permission
• Renovators who want fewer delays and surprises

As a rule of thumb, assume planning permission is required unless you know your project is exempt. Permission is usually needed in Ireland if your renovation:

• Is new or over 40m²
• Changes the use of a building
• Materially alters the exterior
• Is in a protected or sensitive area

We unpack what “material change” actually means - and where homeowners most often go wrong.

How the planning process works

We walk through the full planning journey, including:

• Pre-planning (when it’s worth doing)
• Preparing and submitting an application
• Public consultation and submissions
• Planner assessment and Further Information requests
• Decisions, appeals, and what happens after permission is granted

How long does it really take?

Typical timelines discussed:

• Straightforward application: ~3–4 months
• With Further Information: ~5–8 months
• With appeal: ~9–15+ months

Follow the podcast on Instagram @ripitup_podcast_official, or follow us - Jenny is @workerscottage and Kate is @victorianrathmines

Welcome back to a brand new season of Rip It Up! Every renovation teaches you something, but it's only after you've lived through the dust, the delays, and the decisions - and then done it all again! - that the real lessons appear. This season, we're revisiting our biggest renovation topics, with the benefit of more hard-earned hindsight. Process, planning, lighting, kitchens, bathroom, windows, what worked, what didn't, and what we'd never do the same way again. This is what we wish we knew then.

This first episode of our new series, we're going back to the start and discussing the renovation process. What are the phases? What's the sequence of events? What's happening and what the hell is coming next?!

Follow the podcast on Instagram @ripitup_podcast_official, or follow us - Jenny is @workerscottage and Kate is @victorianrathmines

Today we're joined by Dr Laura Lenihan (@drlauragp), the skincare guru who somehow bought AND renovated her home in Galway, grew a skincare business, and built a clinic on-site, all while raising three small children with her husband - basically superhuman right?! She joins us to tell us about her home renovation, working from home, and to share some brilliant skincare tips too.

Check out Dr Laura’s range of top skincare at https://phare.store/

Skincare items mentioned:

• AlphaRet Overnight Cream.
• Metacell Renewal B3 by Skinceuticals.
• Alto Defence Serum by Skinbetter Science.
• Nail brand newly available at Phare - Manucurist.
• Dr Laura’s “Core Four” - an antioxidant and an SPF in the morning; a retinoid and an exfoliating acid at night.

Follow the podcast on Instagram @ripitup_podcast_official, or follow us - Jenny is @workerscottage and Kate is @victorianrathmines