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00:00On streets up and down the country you can find houses that look like this typically the worst house on the street
00:09When I got the builders in my heart dropped
00:14In an unpredictable market more and more people are purchasing project properties in order to bag a bargain
00:20I wanted to keep that
00:23Creating their dream homes on a limited budget is no easy task. We're juggling too much basically
00:30And that's where we come in
00:32holy
00:34Moly as seasoned developers. We've been renovating property together for 15 years
00:40Nothing is salvageable here. Stewart's my older brother now when it comes to property
00:44He knows exactly what he's doing and he loves having the best ideas
00:48Especially when they're mine this house is the ugly sibling this house is you and then this house is me
00:54Scarlet is my little sister, but don't let that fool you. Her negotiation skills are next level
00:59Well one below me days
01:01You know do it all the time
01:04Sibling rivalry aside will be using all of our experience and knowledge of the market
01:09You could be saving up to 90% to help turn these worst houses around on the tightest of budgets
01:15That is a great profit stop it and can we help them turn the worst house on the street into one of the best?
01:22Oh
01:33Today Stewart and I are in the northwest just a few miles from the city of Chester
01:40Hello there you go. I was basking in that sunlight because it is green. Yeah, it's very cold
01:45But we are in West Cheshire and we will be going to Little Sutton. Little Sutton. Yep
01:49Despite its rural surroundings the village of Little Sutton remains in striking distance of Chester, Liverpool and Manchester
01:57Thanks to its prime location on the Wirral Peninsula
02:00You can see here. This is an old railway line. This is the Wirral way back in the day. There would have been steam trains
02:06Steam trains? Yes, so a lot of hot air. Yeah
02:09You're full of hot air actually. Oh, really? Yeah. Shocked. But no, we do not have time to talk about the past and reminisce
02:16Okay, because the property market here is moving so quickly
02:20In the last year the average detached house in Cheshire fetched four hundred and thirty five thousand pounds
02:25But with prices down two percent in twelve months making money in property isn't guaranteed
02:31The property market yeah, it's unpredictable. It is very uncertain here. So it'll be interesting to see what they've got
02:37It could be a horrendous house. Yes, it most probably will be they need our help. Yes, that's why we are here
02:43And we have to make sure that they spend their money wisely exactly that we can do this sure we can as always
02:53This is the banged-up bungalow in need of our help years of neglect have caused nature to take over
02:59Covering the grubby walls and rickety roofing weeds and making it the eyesore of the street
03:04I definitely say that it's letting the side down because it is so dilapidated and overgrown
03:13Oh my goodness me. It's been run down for years and it's a heck of a project
03:19I am a little bit embarrassed to live next door to it
03:22Taking on this colossal challenge
03:29Heel is 27 year old engineer Ben and 23 year old nurse Millie
03:35We met five years ago on a night out and then started going on a few dates and really enjoyed it
03:40And then we've got engaged a year ago and then decided to get married quite quickly
03:45Eight months on creating their dream home is the next big milestone
03:48At the moment, it's just a house that needs a lot of work
03:55But we still feel so lucky to even have the opportunity
03:59It's a nice place isn't it a nice street and you like the area. Yeah mainly for the Chinese takeaway. Definitely. Yeah
04:07Despite getting the keys ten months ago and starting to knock down walls and clear trees
04:12Moving in is a long way off loads of potential here quite exciting as an extravagant wish list on suite
04:19Dressing room open up to the back garden put some nice dormer windows in means they're planning some pretty significant extensions
04:27We put planning application in six months ago
04:30We're still waiting for planning officer to be assigned to us
04:33So we're hoping to be in in about four and a half months. We can have our anniversary here. That would be a dream
04:38You can see just how thick the car webs are
04:41But at this point it's looking like it'll be a garden party with a port-a-loo, but we'll see where we go
04:46Oh, is that you again?
04:48No, it wasn't me
04:51To fund the build as well as a mortgage and a bridging loan they've sold their previous house
04:56It's gonna be a long road ahead. I think and made back to Ben's childhood home with his parents just four doors down
05:04Well, obviously gonna miss you here, but we can always pop down for the coffee. It's only two minutes
05:10Moving home was not just about saving money. They wanted to support Ben's parents through a difficult time
05:17One of the main reasons why we moved back to my parents house was because my dad unfortunately is terminally ill
05:22He had his diagnosis 18 months ago now
05:26Which is quite a long time considering they said he might only have weeks to live
05:29Do you think we can actually achieve it think we can make our dream home here definitely faith definitely
05:35Be lovely to see the end result won't it you know when it's all done because we haven't been involved in design
05:40They don't share a lot with us to try and protect us I suppose
05:45Dad can't actually help with doing a lot of the work which which previously he would have been here knocking walls through and probably urging us on even more
05:53Very proud of him though. Yeah, I don't know how he does it such a young age and doing all that
05:58I wouldn't have done it at his age with so much on their plate. We want to give Ben and Millie all the help we can
06:11This is actually a really nice road there are some stunning houses on this road gorgeous
06:19That one has got to be the best house on the street. Yeah, I'd agree with you. That is
06:24Ben's parents house. That's where they're saying at the moment that yeah, so they are going to try and emulate that a hundred percent
06:31They've got a lot to look to yeah, exactly. Should we go and look at their place? Yep
06:34The couple bought their five-bed dormer bungalow for just under three hundred and forty two thousand pounds
06:42But just a few doors down a larger five-bed detached property recently sold for eight hundred and thirty thousand pounds
06:48So there is potential to make money if they ever come to sell
06:53Oh my gosh
06:57Stuart look
06:59I don't want to look at it. No you need to look at the state of this no doubt about it
07:05This is the worst house on the street the positive is it's a good-sized plot
07:09While you're going through the positive things just look at the negatives look at the windows
07:12Okay, look at the moss on the roof look at the fact. There's no guttering
07:17Alarm bells are ringing this already looks like a project which could stretch long past their anniversary deadline just four months away
07:25Hello, hi, I mean
07:28this house
07:33It needs a lot of TLC doesn't it a lot when did you first buy the house?
07:38We got the keys 10 months ago from the outside looks like you've done no work on it
07:43We have started with with bits that we can do ourselves. So we've knocked the non-supporting walls down bathrooms gone
07:48Applied for planning six months ago and have been waiting since then to get the plans approved
07:54Okay, so have you been chasing them up? Yeah a lot a lot. Yeah
07:58Every day first name basis now. What are your plans for the house?
08:01So we'll be converting the lounge that's behind us into the hallway and entrance room
08:05All right, so this will be a hallway does that mean you're thinking of moving the front door here?
08:09Yeah, you like symmetry don't you so you wanted the house to look like symmetrical with the front door in the middle
08:14And then we want to get a ground floor extension instead of the garage to make the house wider
08:18And then this three-quarter gable will be going into a full height gable which is fully glazed the whole way up
08:25Ben and minnie's extension plans are fast resulting in a property that engulfs the existing one
08:32What is your budget then to do the house up?
08:35200 000 yeah, hopefully
08:38To do everything 200 grand is what we've got. Yeah, should we get in? Let's have a look. All right. We'll see in a minute. Thank you
08:48Holy moly
08:50There is a lot to do yeah, just for the cost
08:57I don't see why the front door needs to be moved. No, there's already a porch. Yeah, there's a staircase in situ
09:04They'll change it, but you couldn't keep it in the same position
09:08It may not need to move. Yeah, absolutely
09:10That is going to be a big cost
09:12Ben and Millie's ambitious plans could easily cost double their 200 grand budget
09:16So where possible they should work with the layout they've got
09:20So around here then what's that bathroom bedroom?
09:24Bedroom another bedroom. Shit, where are you?
09:29Hello
09:31Such an idiot. I'm just going through the non-existent walls. Yeah, which is obviously what they've knocked down themselves
09:37That was the bathroom right? Yes, you can see all the pipe works there. So it's unlikely that there's one upstairs
09:42Correct. So without a doubt. We've got to make sure there's a bathroom that goes upstairs. That's imperative
09:48No upstairs bathroom puts off over 40% of buyers. Are you okay?
09:53I'm scared in this house. So adding one is crucial
09:57Bedroom in there. Okay, and then another one here
10:00It's crazy. You've got a house this size with only two bedrooms upstairs. Yeah
10:05A large extension will create more bedrooms, but they will need to be clever with the layout to keep it feeling spacious
10:11200 grand it is looking smaller and smaller every room we go into
10:18Ambition needs to be teamed with reality
10:22And I'm not sure if they've had a reality check yet
10:30What are your plans for here where we are now basically is just going to be the main event kitchen diner living room
10:37So basically where we'll be all the time. So that's going to be the extension. You're extending out. Yeah
10:41We're going three meters. Yeah, and then it goes to the other side of what essentially halfway through the garage as well
10:47This plan will see the building's footprint increase by over 700 square feet
10:52Creating a brilliant open plan living area
10:54But how they configure the rest of the house will be crucial
10:58We're trying to work out where things are going to go like how many bedrooms how many bathrooms?
11:01Where do you want everything we're going to have four upstairs and then downstairs will be the last two bedrooms
11:07So it'll be six bed six bath house six bathrooms
11:11Yeah, why so many bathrooms on suites?
11:15All my years of the building
11:17I have never put six bathrooms in a house won't happen. Why?
11:22Because it's not needed bathrooms cost money at least five grand
11:27So you're looking at 30 grand worth of bathroom. You need a main bathroom. Yeah
11:32And ensuite and a toilet downstairs and possibly another ensuite. That's all that you need
11:39If we are struggling then yeah, we could always remove a bathroom right in the middle
11:44So that could be a way of saving some money as well
11:47Six bathrooms and bedrooms could make the house feel cramped
11:51Cutting back on both will allow for more spacious rooms
11:54What about just going to five bedrooms even as a five bedroom? This is still a great house. It'd be a fantastic size
12:01Definitely have a think about that. Yeah, definitely sounds good
12:05Well, let's have a look next door and then we can go from there sound good. Yeah
12:11The idea here is that the front door is going to go there in place of the bay window
12:15And then you'll come into this section where you're stood is going to be the staircase have you had any ideas for the staircase?
12:21Yeah, we've got a few we've got some if you want to see them. Oh, yes, please
12:26It's always good to see a good idea for what's in mind. Oh, right. So these are very nice
12:32Open staircases make a dramatic statement and introduce natural light
12:37Glass and metal are great choices for that ultra modern look but cost the most whereas similar effects can be achieved for less with full length timber balustrades
12:46Do you have any designs where the staircase stays where it is not from the architect or anything?
12:55Obviously, we'd be completely open to that idea
12:58The only reason why I say that is because these single staircases won't be as costly as the double staircase
13:04And I think will still give you that wow factor without actually moving the front door
13:10Opting for this style and keeping the hallway where it is will still give a great view of the living room beyond without the need for such drastic reconfiguration
13:19The secret in developing is to create that look create that wow factor without spending the money
13:26These ideas are brilliant, but we need to really focus on the budget
13:31Ben and Millie bought for just under three hundred and forty two thousand pounds and have a budget of two hundred thousand
13:36Taking them to just under five hundred and forty two thousand pounds all in the ceiling price on the street is around nine hundred thousand
13:43So if they decide to sell in the future, they could make a huge profit if the renovation sticks to budget
13:48We really want you to think about exactly what it is
13:50That you're doing here and where your money could be well spent and where maybe you don't need to be spending as much as you are
13:55Yeah, no, we appreciate it. Thanks for the advice. All right and chase up that council or give us a number
14:02Obviously call us if you need anything we're always on the phone and we'll see you next time. Thank you. All right
14:07Thanks for coming
14:09We need our little thing don't we?
14:11I think the main thing is making the most of what we've already got
14:14Yeah using the existing walls don't necessarily extend where you don't need to and less bathrooms
14:20Unless bathrooms is a key one from there from Stuart today. Yeah
14:25Well, one thing is for sure that house has heaps of potential it does
14:28But we have to rein them in because they have a lot of grand ideas. Yeah, but grand ideas cost a lot of money
14:36On the outskirts of Chester newlyweds Ben and Millie are taking on the biggest renovation we've seen to date
14:56A full six weeks after Stuart and I first met them planning permission is granted and builder Wayne finally gets the go ahead
15:04Today we're demolishing the garage to make way for the new extension and then we'll be starting to dig out the ground ready for new footings
15:11Although they had a big 200 grand budget
15:14We advised men and Millie to rein in their plans and consider a less ambitious build
15:19I quite like the stairs here to be fair. It's a lot less building and
15:23We're basically gonna have the same amount of space anyway. Yeah, I think we're gonna have to look to scale it back
15:28But despite coming around to compromises finishing in two months in time to throw a party for their wedding anniversary
15:35Looks impossible
15:37No, not a chance the police is gonna be a building site and unless everyone's gonna wear high-vis and safety hats. It isn't being held here
15:44A few days off the building began I'm returning to find out what the holdup has been
15:54There's a lot of work to be done. I really thought they were done more work by now
15:59Hello, Ben. Hi, how are you?
16:01Yeah, not too bad. You all right, Millie? Hello, you okay?
16:04So
16:05You started but if I'm brutally honest, I thought that more would be done. The builders are here, but how long have they been working?
16:12Three days
16:13Three days?
16:14This is their fourth day, yeah
16:15So for the last five and a half weeks, what's been happening?
16:18We've just been doing whatever we can do basically
16:20Taking out all the roof linings, etc. Waiting for the planning permission. We finally got that through
16:25Right, okay
16:26So we're ready and raring three days in and they've done a good chunk, so we're pretty impressed
16:30For three days, they have done a lot. Now the garage is down and I can see like the footprint of the extension
16:36What's been done inside? Can I have a look? Yeah, absolutely. Come in
16:41Inside little has changed so before work gets up to speed
16:45I want to check they've improved their cramped designs and compromised on the six bedrooms and bathrooms they wanted
16:52I'm pleased that you've taken on board my idea of the hallway. Can you show me your plans? Yeah, absolutely. So this is where we are now
16:59Okay, this is a better plan than what I saw before so testimony to your hard work graph
17:05However, the downstairs bathroom that is one of five bathrooms
17:11Losing the bathroom is a little victory and a potential saving of around five grand, but I was hoping for more
17:19We have five bathrooms three baths two people live in the house
17:23Do you want to explain that to me? Well, we're thinking longevity aren't we?
17:27Um, yeah
17:27Obviously, uh kids ourselves having a bathroom that's kind of a bit more accessible is a good idea
17:33In older age whether it be ourselves or parents for example
17:36That still sounds like a lot of bathrooms. I would take out one of the baths and
17:42Have a nice like shower room wet room
17:45But I understand if that's what you want then so be it
17:49To me their current design still looks too cramped
17:52Considering 40% of buyers are easily put off by small rooms
17:56They should consider freeing up space by losing a bedroom
18:00I very much doubt unless it's a party that every room is going to be used at the same time
18:05By losing the small box room they can reconfigure the upstairs giving them two larger bedrooms and a functional family bathroom
18:13But one thing they can't have is both
18:15Yeah, it's something maybe to consider, but we definitely like the idea didn't we of having an upstairs bathroom
18:21Okay
18:22Ben and Millie are slowly coming around to my ideas, but I can't help worry that the budget is tight for a project that big
18:31All this is the kitchen
18:33Yes, so it starts over there you can just see the footings
18:36And then this back wall is going to be where our tall cabinets are and then there's going to be a big island
18:42There in the center, this is big to fill this and to to get this finished
18:47It's going to cost money from what I can see
18:51Strikes me is maybe more than what you expected remind me again. What's the budget for this build?
18:56So 200,000 is what we've set our max spenders and
19:00What's the budget for the kitchen?
19:02So we haven't actually divvied up
19:04So we've had these conversations about should we set prices and structures for each room?
19:08But we haven't set like an actual price on each one my heart is starting to race not to
19:14Prioritize each room for me
19:16That worries me because if you get carried away in here, which can easily be done. This is a big room
19:22You might leave yourself short to finish the other rooms
19:25With 17 rooms they really need to designate a separate pot of money for each by hoping for the best
19:32They risk blowing the budget or having to lower the quality of the finish in the wrong areas
19:37How I normally do things I'd say right?
19:39I have x amount of budget in this case
19:42200,000 pounds the most important room in my mind is the kitchen
19:46So I'm going to say that off that budget. I will
19:49Put 20% of that budget to the kitchen then you can say right what else have we got left in the pot?
19:55What other rooms need to be done so that at least you've got a clearer idea
19:58Yeah, sounds good with the topic of money ringing loudly in their ears across town. I want to tackle another big cost
20:06bathroom showroom to start getting some bathroom bargains and show Ben and Millie how to haggle a discount through buying in bulk
20:15All right, Paul. Okay, so I've brought you to this showroom which Paul owns because you have five bathrooms in your house
20:23Five five five now some people think that is cheaper to buy online
20:28Yes, it can be but when you've got so many bathrooms in your house
20:31It can be cost-effective to come to a one-stop shop like this
20:35So let Paul show you around have a good look and then we can do some negotiating that sounds good sounds good to me
20:43Okay, I'll leave it to you
20:45It's great to support local businesses and visiting a showroom can not only provide inspiration
20:52Oh, this one's nice, isn't it but also lets you try before you buy. That's nice indeed
20:58Yeah, I could see myself sleeping here. All that's missing now is a glass of red wine and a scented candle
21:03This is especially important when opting for more premium products something like this would be so lovely for a
21:10A feature wall large format tiles have served in popularity often measuring over one meter square
21:17They make rooms appear bigger whilst creating a luxury spa-like feel
21:21porcelain versions typically cost between 50 and 100 pounds per square meter
21:27But your local showroom may be able to help you achieve a similar look for less
21:32So if you're looking for a cheaper alternative to tiles consider shower wall panels 100% waterproof easy to clean
21:39easier to maintain and cheaper to install yeah easy to clean I like the sound of that
21:45And up to six times quicker to fit than tiles they could help get the build back on schedule now over to me to negotiate
21:54I'm going to reiterate they have five bathrooms
21:57This is a big order and I have to help them come in under budget so look in their eyes
22:04What can you do for them and for me this sounds like a hard sell
22:11It really does you know five bathrooms is a substantial order for us normally we'd be getting a discount of 15%
22:18And in this case looking at the volume of business they can give us we're probably looking around about 20% discount
22:23We've started at 20% I think that we can go better I think paul's a nice guy
22:29I think we can get some more would you still retry okay my clients have said they would like to try
22:36For a little bit more they've got five bathrooms right three baths right four showers
22:41perhaps we could go to
22:4327 and a half we have topped out I think at 27 and a half percent discount
22:50How does that sound I think we need to push to 30 and then we'll have a deal maybe
22:54Do you know what paul seriously paul seriously I didn't expect that I was about to walk out and say we've got a deal there
23:00Perhaps my holiday this year can be a bit closer to home we'll call it 30% really yeah
23:07Well done ben
23:09Yeah if you don't ask you don't get eh and I will see you next time make sure there's movement and there's progress
23:15And hopefully you can show me the bathrooms in situ yeah take care guys thanks a lot
23:24Ben and milly have taken 12 months to get this far however work has started which is great
23:29There's still a lot to do there's still decisions that need to be made
23:32And I really do hope they get in before their second anniversary we'll see
23:41Over the next few weeks wayne makes swift progress
23:45Once we're done there then mate we'll pecker all this out and then start on the slab
23:49Removing the old roof and demolishing the rear wall to make way for the extension
23:56It's been fast-paced and it's good to see half it down and ready to start building
24:01But as the build progresses and new walls start to be built the scale of the build really does start to take its toll
24:09It's been really busy hasn't it trying to manage everything with work and the house a lot of decisions to be made quite quickly
24:14Sometimes as well that you don't expect to be making at this point
24:18Four months after we first met them it seems very premature to be popping fears at this house
24:23Ben and milly's plans to celebrate their first wedding anniversary in the house go up in smoke
24:28happy anniversary
24:29In cheshire ben and milly had the gigantic challenge of converting their decrepit dormer bungalow
24:45so it'll be six bed six bath house six bathrooms yeah why so many bathrooms on suites
24:52Nearly six months since we first met them progress steps up a gear and the scale of the project becomes apparent
24:59i'm feeling very stressed we're there trying to get them to work so yeah it's been fun a few sleepless nights
25:06Following delays having to source custom super-sized steels all the way from germany the upstairs finally starts to take shape
25:15So that's the final steel that's gone in so absolutely made up it looks brilliant
25:19And to our delight they're contemplating our more spacious five-bed layout instead of the six bedrooms they initially wanted
25:26I think if they ever do decide to come and sell it where it was before the stairs
25:31I think it just made all the rooms that little bit too small that I think they would have put a lot of buyers off
25:36Agreed but despite coming around to our ideas and the recent progress the house still isn't watertight
25:43Obviously there is some frustrations both for ourselves and obviously the builder as well
25:46But it'll be absolutely all systems go now there's no real excuses anymore the steels are in so the roof can really get started
25:54And wayne's gonna be busy for sure
26:01Three months on and i'm returning to see where they're up to
26:04oh my goodness
26:09this is
26:10a transformation i can't even see what part of the house is the original house
26:16they've got a long way to go huge progress has been made with the roof completed and all the windows fitted
26:22hello
26:24are you okay but the project still looks so far off completion
26:27Ben and millie your house looks unbelievable nowhere near finish and you wanted to be in for your anniversary what four months ago
26:36yeah yeah yes and you're not actually in yet no not quite we had some bad weather to contend with
26:41it's not been a very sunny summer has it so
26:44um but yeah we're getting there aren't we yeah it's been stressful there's been
26:48a lot of decisions to make very recently very fast do you think you'll be in quite soon we're not a million miles
26:52away the only thing that we've got to contend with is the fact that millie's now pregnant
27:01so we've got to make sure that we're done by february at the very latest okay six months six months
27:06yeah we better pack on then hey let's get in and have a look around yeah great it's amazing news
27:11before the extension the inside was cramped now it's far from it and where upstairs was just two rooms
27:20it's now eight big ones these are amazing changes but with no staircase no front door and most of the
27:29internal walls still to build there's a mammoth amount of work to complete this space is so big
27:36it's huge is this all dining room kitchen area it's gonna be amazing and a little lounge area as well
27:44really nice so let's talk about the layout then i know stuart had said bathroom wise maybe try and
27:50scale down on those and bedrooms i think is a bit worried that you were still thinking of having six
27:55but he suggested maybe five so we scaled back on bathrooms and bedrooms so we made two bedrooms bigger
28:00so we've lost the sixth bedroom okay and we took one bathroom out as well so it's now five bedrooms
28:06five bathrooms yep ben and milly now have a far more spacious layout upstairs and have saved thousands
28:13on a bathroom but despite this i can't help worry about the finances where are you at with the budget
28:20do you think we are over budget we're also talking about adding in driveway costs to make sure that
28:25that's usable and so that's currently uh with wayne to to give us a price that i'm nervous to
28:30to hear but the delays have been really helpful in a way because they've helped us save up if we'd
28:36have finished as we originally planned we would have obviously been sort of four or five um paychecks
28:40shorter so obviously that would have been a big difference wouldn't it how much do you reckon you
28:45would have gone over by altogether by the time you get to the end of it got a meeting to sit down
28:48with wade anyway to talk about exactly where we are and then assess but it will be probably in the
28:53thousands their reliance on paychecks and the potential addition of a paved driveway typically costing at least
28:5920 grand for one this size tells me their 200 grand budget is blown my advice would be get that
29:06meeting in real quick and start working out how much is left to pay how much is left to do and try
29:11and get here as soon as possible to motivate ben and milly to push on to the end i'm taking them to
29:17a nearby property for some design inspiration with a house as big as yours you want to make sure it feels
29:24cozy homely and intimate so there is a house i want to show you and i think you're really going to
29:28like how they've zoned their dining kitchen living area amazing at this recently renovated five bed
29:35home on the wirral i want to give ben and milly a master class in how to make open plan spaces feel
29:40warm and welcoming come in and have a look at this wow that's lovely isn't it nice and spacious amazing
29:51very beautiful it's so bright and light isn't it what do you think about the colors of this one in here
29:55all the off whites we were thinking of sort of white walls weren't we anyway to keep it really
30:00neutral and sort of calming if that makes sense yeah i love this color it's not quite white is it
30:06it's just off this home is a prime example of how to achieve a modern all-white look without it feeling
30:13too clinical by using warmer undertones and introducing soft textures with natural materials
30:20white interiors can still be homely it's warm it feels good but it also feels clean and fresh at
30:26the same time it's just got the little features that bring in a little bit extra color like the
30:30green on the plants and like the black on the agar really nice as you see as well on the floor we've
30:35got all the different rugs which again you don't just need to have them in a bedroom anymore or in a
30:40living room you can have them in a kitchen have them in a dining room it's these rugs which help to
30:45define the different zones of this multi-functional space a tactic which has also been deployed in
30:50the living room i think the rugs help massively with making it look homely and also separating
30:57the two areas i think we'll probably do that in our house especially in the lounge area and you've
31:02got all of those nice soft off whites layers texture it just creates a really nice cozy living
31:08room i can feel my cogs turning in my brain now thinking oh what can we sort of do to make that same
31:13effect well look take all the inspiration from here obviously take it over to your house
31:20now that i've got ben and millie thinking ahead i want to show them another way to inject some warmth
31:25into their house now the good thing about the house that we've just seen even though the rooms
31:30were big there was a really good use of texture and color to make it feel homely and cozy it's
31:35something we have thought about isn't it uh in particular for the kitchen with it being such a big
31:39space so there are loads of different ways you can do that but i absolutely love acoustic
31:43paneling there are a few different samples here they are so easy to use and they just add a layer
31:49to any room originally designed to dampen noise acoustic panels are an increasingly popular way to
31:56add texture to home interiors whether it's for a full wall half a wall or even just a small area
32:04i think this one is quite nice because it gives some warmth to the room which which would be a nice
32:09feature made from mdf strips attached to a felt backing they're available in multiple different
32:14finishes from oak to walnut as you can see they're quite tall i've got three of them so you can see
32:21how they would sit against the wall how amazing that's really nice isn't it yeah absolutely full-length
32:27panels start at around 100 pounds each but as ben and millie can fit these themselves with just a few
32:33screws it's kind of like tongue and grooves they could save around 300 pounds a day on carpenter costs
32:39it does make it more homely because it's a bit more warmth and color has there been a moment
32:44throughout this where you've just thought what have we done it's been really difficult to actually
32:48just keep going and stay motivated i've said to ben since day one can we not just buy a house and
32:53just live in the house yeah um but this is like what you wanted to do and i'm glad we've done it
32:58and how is your dad doing he's not too bad there there's good days and there's bad days i still
33:03remember when we uh first bought the house he said didn't he well i'll never see it finished so it's
33:09kind of like um against all odds that he'll be able to enjoy the finished product and stuff and be proud
33:14of what we've achieved he'll be in here helping you put the panelling up i know it oh yeah yeah for around
33:21300 pounds all in and no labor cost ben and millie will have a statement wall in a matter of hours
33:27bringing much needed coziness to their vast home super quick super simple and that kind of wow
33:34factor in here so definitely perfect yeah nice we'll leave these for you and good luck with the
33:40rest of it and hopefully once i'm back it'll be done absolutely thank you do it ben and really have
33:47got a lot on their plate now they're already nine months deep they have got a long way to go
33:52hopefully i've given them a bit of inspiration how to get that wow factor but they have to be quick
33:56because there's a lot to do seven weeks on and progress is being made plaster boarding is nearly
34:05complete floors are being laid and painting is underway overall it has been stressful recently
34:12hasn't it yeah i think the last week or two yeah i think it's just the the really late nights painting
34:18on top of work so you were doing 12 hour day and then coming down here and trying to paint but
34:23we can't afford to pay people so we've got it we've got to keep going we've got to keep doing it
34:28but despite spiraling costs ben's gone ahead with his plans to build a fully landscaped driveway
34:34at this point in time i thought we'd be sort of finishing up with rendering and final touches of
34:40inside ben's pulled us from inside and asked us to concentrate on our side and i think that it'll
34:45have added quite significant amount of time and with no kitchen no bathrooms and a lot of work to
34:51complete finishing before the baby arrives will be down to the wire
35:04it's been a long 18 months since we first met ben and millie at their worst house on the street near
35:09chester yeah loads of potential here quite exciting with a 200 000 pound budget they had grand plans for
35:16their dream home but spiraling costs lengthy delays and news that a baby was on the way had them
35:22thinking they'd bitten off a little bit more than they could chew it's now two years after ben and
35:29millie first applied for their planning permission it's a big risk what we've done um it's been such a
35:35challenge and we're back to discover if they've pulled off the biggest build we've ever seen and added
35:42value in the process can you believe it's been 18 months since we first met ben and millie i know so
35:47long and when i first came that dormer bungalow was an absolute wreck it was probably one of the biggest
35:54challenges i've seen big dreams big aspirations but i'm hoping they have pulled it off in fact i forgot
36:00to tell you last time i was here found out that they were expecting a little baby really so we could
36:04see a new house and a new baby should go and check yeah when they got the keys this dilapidated bungalow
36:12was overgrown with weeds covered in grime and crumbling from top to bottom now it's undergone a
36:20transformation of epic proportions having been extended in nearly every direction with crisp white render
36:28contrasting windows and a paved driveway this modern renovation is brimming with curb appeal
36:37oh my goodness this is unrecognizable i know that if i was one of those neighbors looking onto this
36:47house i would be so jealous i love the driveway as you come in and then you look up to the house you've got
36:54the rendering the windows okay it took a long time but i'd happily wait that long this is an
37:02unbelievable start it really is and we are wowed by the outside but we have got to have a look on the
37:06inside let's have a look a ramshackle ruin bought for nearly 342 000 pounds has been totally transformed
37:15to the best house on the street hello hello ah and baby too before we start what's her name eliza eliza
37:23eliza okay okay fast asleep has it been hard work for this renovation yeah very hard work we walked
37:29around the corner and oh my goodness we did not recognize the house at all it's a complete
37:34transformation i am mesmerized amazed flabbergasted yeah we've had lots of people talking about it and
37:42people going oh they were talking about your house in the pub the other day you're like
37:45celebrities now yeah lovely big house yeah beautiful well luckily for us we can actually
37:50go inside and have a luxury you don't have to peek yeah sure can we come in and have a nose of course
37:54yeah come and have a nosey oh stuart look at this at the start of the project this decaying bungalow
38:01was a series of small and dingy rooms with threadbare carpets cobwebs and piles of rubble
38:07now it's totally transformed a wraparound extension has made way for a monumental living area perfect
38:16for a growing family with seven meters of glass connecting inside to out and a stunning oak staircase
38:24takes center stage in the hallway in the kitchen shaker style cabinets fill an entire wall whilst an
38:31impressive island over three meters long is flooded by light from above oh my goodness this is a
38:43completely different house this is stunning you have nailed absolutely nailed the zoning in here
38:52clearly this is the kitchen with the skylight over it into the dining room into the living area
38:58i am in awe i know it's taking a long time but has it all been worth it the night when the house
39:05was pretty much completely demolished and milly was going really how much debt and where and is this
39:12genuinely something that we can achieve and months into it when we still didn't have a roof it was really
39:18stressful but yeah we're in and we're happy now aren't we yeah you guys had some really big plans you
39:25wanted six bedrooms and six bathrooms have you gone with that or have you reigned it in a little bit
39:33a little bit we've got five bed and five bathrooms if you ever want to move out
39:39i'll or go on holiday or i will happily come and house it for you this is your first renovation right
39:44this is the first one yeah it might not be your last so be prepared to be covered in a bit more dust
39:51yeah don't tell me that i am totally in awe of down here so do you mind if we keep looking around
39:59the house yeah absolutely see you in a bit 18 months ago upstairs was claustrophobic and the main bedroom
40:06was a pokey space with little light and drab decor now a spacious central landing leads to a deluxe main
40:14suite with vaulted ceilings and full-length windows now this is a main bedroom if i've ever seen one
40:25i love just imagine waking up in the morning seeing that incredible view your chandelier the
40:32vaulted ceilings the light that comes in here the bed head i'm so glad they have incorporated this
40:39in the house because it gives it so much texture the negative is that it's not my bedroom
40:45it's been a millie's this isn't mine okay but they have taken our advice and because they've only
40:50gone for five bedrooms they are now very big yeah it is an impressive main bedroom isn't it it is indeed
40:58and next door the bathroom stewart helped negotiate a 30 discount on is equally as impressive double
41:05showerhead oh wow great bath really good sized ensuite and i think if they were to have had six
41:12bedrooms they wouldn't have got anything of this magnitude i agree this is very very impressive wow
41:19before the only other space upstairs was a cramped attic bedroom complete with boiler no space to raise a
41:26baby now eliza has the nursery dreams are made of and there's plenty of space to grow up in
41:34a beautiful nursery this is bigger than my bedroom honestly this is great and the good thing is as eliza
41:43grows it's the perfect room to just kind of change as she gets older yeah it's an amazing transformation
41:50it really is from the dormer bungalow to this it's unbelievable however you and i both know that
41:56this finish has definitely come at a price yeah what that price tag is we need to go and find out
42:05throughout the house the stunning bedrooms bathrooms and living spaces continue
42:10with sheer determination ben and millie have transformed a shabby bungalow into a vibrant family
42:16home with enough space to last a lifetime oh gosh it's a complete transformation you couldn't even
42:22tell there was a house there before it was just so overgrown with trees and now we've got a beautiful
42:27house there it's fantastic they've done a really good job with it they've obviously done it to a high
42:32standard as well and it shows the finish is is lovely as well i mean it's all so fresh the rendering
42:39there as neighbors we appreciate what they've done
42:45hi guys oh well we've seen everything and it is just a beautiful home it really is thank you
42:51i'm amazed at this being your first renovation it turned out even better than we we hoped i just can't
42:57wait to to start making memories in this house really obviously it was stressful house renovations
43:02are stressful we've just taken it one step at a time and i think i felt a bit bad that i couldn't
43:07do more when i was pregnant because i saw how hard you and your parents were working you guys have
43:13made it so lovely haven't you every crazy idea i come up with millie just goes i'm there what we're
43:19doing this weekend and you support it don't you so um much as i can yeah what do your mom and dad
43:25think of the place ben oh they're amazed my dad said when we bought this property is that he didn't
43:30think he'd necessarily see the end and the fact that he's here now seeing it and we've now got eliza in
43:35our lives it's just absolutely amazing um to have him still with us who are very happy when you
43:40think about it that way this house has brought so much it's priceless really isn't it yeah it really
43:47has well i mean let's go on to profit then and how much equity you do have in the property you bought
43:54this property quite a while ago now for 342 000 pounds yeah how much did you spend would you say
44:00doing it all up so we think it's around 350 000 it takes you all in at 692 000 pounds we did get
44:09three estate agents in to give us an average price of how much they believe the property is now worth
44:14well the average was 850 000 pounds i'm speechless yeah you have a profit of 158 000 pounds that's brilliant
44:26just under 23 in value increase that's a good amount great numbers we've got a massive amount
44:33of equity in this property now that it will set us up for life if we made that profit on our very
44:40first renovation i'd run down the street naked i'm not sure if you're going to do that hopefully hope
44:46you don't i really hope you don't but i would what you've got here is incredible so congratulations thank
44:51thank you thank you very much hey with a stunning home to raise a family in and the comfort of
45:01financial security ben and millie have set themselves up for life i would like to toast a beautiful house
45:09and a beautiful new addition to the family we've already got fantastic memories of the family here
45:14and we're going to be happy for many years to come as parents we're super proud to see what this
45:19place started off at and where it is now it's absolutely incredible congratulations cheers cheers
45:26everyone cheers it really is lovely and and the home that we've made is exactly what we want
45:38i just don't even know what to say or where to start with that house
45:41i was actually quite worried at first because they were like children in a sweet shop yeah they really
45:46were but we had to reign them in yes thankfully they listened yeah and they've produced that amazing
45:52by the way we never produced that when we first started no chance we've got competition scarlett
45:58you've got no we have i'd rather partner with ben than with you lies
46:04next time we're in south london helping a mother and son duo you said to me that you had started work
46:10up here i have renovate their inherited family home i grew up here my children spent a lot of time
46:17here so it has a lot of memories it's a big house there is so much space in here it's vast with big
46:25problems the kitchen looks worse now than it did before
46:41so
46:55so
46:59so
47:01so
47:03so
47:05so
47:07so
47:09so
47:13so