Rip It Up: The Renovations Podcast

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

Sorted for Christmas - you're welcome! 
Thomas Lynham Ceramics
Orla Walsh Artist
Ciara O’Neill Art
Martina’s Palette
Tina Reid Art
Luke Reidy Art
Button Studio
Intelligent Tea
Jimmy Lawlor
Wrapped in Kindness
Aoife McLaughlin
Ardmore Pottery
Jerpoint Glass
Motly Designs
George Casey Catering (also does cooking classes)
Kids Books - Tales for Tadpoles
Seven Oak
Steele
Snugi Knitwear
Little Rolla Kids Suitcase
Adare Grocer - Hampers
Gosson & Gartla kids clothes
Cowshed Design
Andrew Caslin Photography
Beneath the Ash
Hardpressed Xmas Cards
Gaiety School of Acting Vouchers
Lir 
Pale Yellow Palette - decorations
Slated
Primrose and Fern Earrings
Sayers Studio Art
Catriona Curtin Art
Irish Hide Designs
Foxford
Amurelle
Somas
Cloonkeen
La Bougie
Treaty City Brewery
Mortons Supermarket
Rosalins
April and the Bear
Industry & Co
The Designist
Jaqi
Fallon & Byrne (great hampers)
Sheridans Galway (also do a cheese club)
Bow Baby
Cogs
Barn
Follow the podcast on Instagram @ripitup_podcast_official, or follow us - Jenny is @workerscottage and Kate is @victorianrathmines