Category
😹
FunTranscript
00:00On streets, up and down the country, you can find houses that look like this.
00:05Typically, the worst house on the street.
00:09When I got the builders in, my heart dropped.
00:13It's gone for words.
00:15In an unpredictable market, more and more people are purchasing project properties in order to bag a bargain.
00:21I wanted to keep that.
00:23Creating their dream homes on a limited budget is no easy task.
00:28We're juggling too much, basically.
00:30And that's where we come in.
00:32Holy moly.
00:35As seasoned developers, we've been renovating property together for 15 years.
00:40Nothing is salvageable here.
00:42Stuart's my older brother.
00:43Now, when it comes to property, he knows exactly what he's doing.
00:46And he loves having the best ideas, especially when they're mine.
00:49This house is the ugly sibling.
00:51This house is you, and then this house is me.
00:54Scarlet is my little sister, but don't let that fool you.
00:57Her negotiation skills are next level.
01:00Well, one below me, that is.
01:02Do it all the time.
01:04Sibling rivalry aside, we'll be using all of our experience and knowledge of the market.
01:10You could be saving up to 90%.
01:12To help turn these worst houses around on the tightest of budgets.
01:16That is a great profit.
01:18Stop it!
01:19And can we help them turn the worst house on the street into one of the best?
01:23Ooh!
01:25Yeah!
01:26Cheers to that!
01:28This week, Scarlet and I are in South London.
01:37There you go.
01:38Thank you very much.
01:39So today...
01:40Yes.
01:41We're in Balham.
01:42I love Balham.
01:43It's a little bit of me.
01:44It is a bit of you, because there's a lot going on here.
01:45Yes, yes.
01:46It's very trendy.
01:47Very, yeah.
01:48And it's an affluent part of South London.
01:51Great links.
01:52Yep.
01:53And property prices continue to rise.
01:57Balham is a popular area for families and young professionals, due to its vibrancy and close proximity to green spaces, which has led to high property values.
02:06For example, a house worth £450,000 12 years ago could now be worth in the region of £1.6 million.
02:15And it's still on the up.
02:17Over the last 12 months, they've gone up by 4%.
02:19Yeah.
02:20An average property price here is around £900,000.
02:23That's a lot of money, isn't it?
02:24A lot of money.
02:25You can see why.
02:26You can see why.
02:27It's a lovely part of London.
02:28And in the heart of Balham, in a very popular affluent street, sits this tired Victorian five-fed property.
02:38It can't help but stand out for being past its prime.
02:42It's ready for a revamp with a little help from us.
02:45It looked like the house hasn't had much work done on it.
02:50It needs a bit of smartening up.
02:52The brickwork looks run down and it stands out for all the wrong reasons.
02:57I would say it was the worst house on the street, yeah.
03:03This tired old house belongs to Audrey and her extended family, who inherited their late mother Sheila's home one year ago.
03:12Now valued at £1.2 million, she bought the house 60 years ago for £15,500.
03:19Mum has lived in the house for going on 60 years until she passed.
03:25And then looking all glam.
03:28Initially not sure whether to keep or sell the property, they have now decided to refurbish the house and bring it into the 21st century.
03:36The last time I could probably recall any sort of renovation was probably about 15 years ago.
03:4174-year-old daughter Audrey and 46-year-old grandson Colin are taking the reins.
03:48We need to fix it up so that it's liveable again.
03:52Both of them have an emotional attachment to the house.
03:56We have the memory of living here as youngsters, visiting mum.
04:02I have so many family memories growing up in this house.
04:06She taught me to bake and created a love for cooking and baking.
04:11Together, they have a plan to do the old family home proud, with Colin, project managing, and Audrey in charge of that budget.
04:19My mum has good strong attention to detail, although in some areas may need a little bit of fine tuning.
04:27Yes.
04:31Colin, he's the go-to man for information.
04:35He has contacts here and there and everywhere.
04:38I'm also looking for a wife for him.
04:40Are we now?
04:47In the last 60 years, most of the improvements in the house have been done by the family, including Sheila herself.
04:54Her creation is everywhere in little ways.
04:59This is the fireplace that mum painted and created this marble effect.
05:04And she was really proud of it when she did it.
05:07The only place I've seen one like that is here.
05:10Mum also did this design on the glass as part of her DIY project.
05:17After decades of DIY, modernising the property is no small task.
05:22It will be an emotional time when it comes to the finish and the end of, you know, bringing it up to spec.
05:30This is a really nice road. I love the different types of properties, all the different brick colours.
05:36It's an affluent street, you can see that.
05:39You can see that. In fact, so much so, the average house price on this particular road is just over £2 million.
05:45That's a lot of money.
05:46It's a huge amount of money.
05:47Yeah.
05:48Colin and Audrey inherited their house, which was recently valued at £1.2 million.
05:53But with the ceiling price on this street at just over £2 million, the right kind of renovation with the right square footage could stand to make them a big profit.
06:05This could be the best house on the street.
06:09It's ironic that the best house on the street is next door to the worst house on the street.
06:14Yes.
06:15It feels tired, it feels dated, it feels like it needs to be dragged into the 21st century.
06:21This is probably one of the most expensive properties that we've worked with to date.
06:25We'll see what it's like inside.
06:27Harnessing our knowledge and experience, we're going to make sure Audrey and Colin can maximise the equity in this property.
06:34Hello.
06:35Hello.
06:36Hi, Audrey.
06:37Hi, Colin.
06:38How are you, babe?
06:39Yeah, very well, thank you.
06:40You've inherited an unbelievable property.
06:43I grew up here and my children spent a lot of time here, so it has a lot of memories.
06:49So I guess it's going to be a very different redevelopment because a lot of the times people that we see, they've just bought a house and they want to rip everything out because they have no connection to it.
06:57So what is the plan?
06:58You want to do it up?
06:59Do you want to sell it?
07:00Do you want to keep it?
07:01Do you want to rent it?
07:02What are you thinking?
07:03Do you want to rent it up?
07:04What we're going to do with it at the end of it is undecided currently.
07:06What rooms do you want to focus on?
07:08Well, to be perfectly honest, we've viewed the whole house.
07:11OK.
07:12What is your budget to have it all done?
07:14Mum controls the finances.
07:15OK.
07:16What is it?
07:17OK.
07:18We've budgeted for, say, £100,000.
07:21Now, on this road, that £100,000 might get eaten up quickly because buyers expect an extremely high standard of finish.
07:30And we'll catch you later on.
07:32Unsure whether they are going to put the house on the market or rent it out, we're going to have to work hard with this budget to leave them with a property that appeals to both buyers and renters alike.
07:43Oh, talk about nostalgic.
07:46Oh, look at this.
07:49There is so much space in here.
07:52It's vast.
07:53Decor needs to go straight away.
07:55Yeah.
07:56Maybe even reinstate a fireplace.
07:58Those ceiling tiles.
07:59The less we speak about them, probably the better.
08:01Through to the kitchen, then.
08:05I'm a bit underwhelmed in this room, if I'm honest.
08:08Yeah.
08:09This needs a major transformation.
08:11Kitchens in Victorian London homes are typically renovated to have a view over the garden.
08:18But this still has an outdated layout with a lean-to utility and downstairs loo, which blocks the view.
08:25Knocking through and extending the square footage of their property is a sure-fire way to add value.
08:32You could spend the £100,000 budget on just this room alone.
08:37Let's have a look upstairs.
08:40Oh, bedroom through there.
08:44Yep.
08:46Tiny bathroom.
08:48If that's the only bathroom in the house, it's way too small.
08:51Yeah, that's tiny.
08:52For how many bedrooms?
08:53Five?
08:54Yeah, five-bedroom house.
08:57The house is in good nick structurally, but there's lots of cosmetic work to do.
09:03The first floor currently has three bedrooms and the only bathroom in the house,
09:07while the second floor houses bedroom four and bedroom five.
09:11The layout isn't in keeping with a house of this size that would typically attract a big family.
09:17The rooms are a great size, but the kitchen isn't.
09:22No.
09:23The bathroom isn't.
09:24Yeah.
09:25We have five bedrooms.
09:26We may have to sacrifice a room and use that room for a main bathroom.
09:32Now, you and I both know removing a bedroom devalues a property, but having a full-size,
09:38good-size family bathroom increases value.
09:41There's a lot to think about, and this is going to be all about spend versus value.
09:46There's so much that you could do to this house.
09:49What we know is that we have to be very clever and very innovative with the money that you have.
09:54Do you think it's possible?
09:55Absolutely.
09:56You have a great-sized living room and a good-sized dining room as well.
10:01The space in the side return is not really being used.
10:05By removing the kitchen wall and lean-to, then adding bifolding doors,
10:09a stream of natural light will pour through the kitchen and dining room.
10:13Simultaneously, a thoughtfully designed side return extension will expand the kitchen space.
10:19But we will have to think carefully whether their £100,000 budget would stretch to this kind of work.
10:26So we'll go up, follow us.
10:30Now, you've got five bedrooms in this house and a small bathroom, which isn't adequate.
10:35The current bathroom is too small.
10:37Right.
10:38But it can be used for the ensuite to the room next to it.
10:42Room next door is another good-sized room.
10:45Yes.
10:46That room, we make the bathroom.
10:49But not just the bathroom.
10:51We separate it and we make it the ensuite for this room.
10:57With the original bathroom also acting as an ensuite,
11:00this plan makes for a four-bed, three-bath property.
11:03The family bathroom will be bigger and by keeping it all in one area,
11:07the plumbing work and therefore cost will be kept to a minimum.
11:10Do you think it would be a disadvantage losing a bedroom?
11:16You'll still have four bedrooms here
11:19and potentially any families that would want to come and purchase this house
11:23have the option of going up into the loft if they wanted to reinstate a fifth bedroom.
11:27Regardless of the decision that you finally make,
11:29you're going to have to change that current bathroom.
11:32Speaking of changes, have you got any ideas of what you'd like to change it to?
11:36Yeah, I've got some ideas on the mood board over here.
11:39Yes.
11:40This is very nice.
11:41Nice.
11:42Very clean.
11:43This is very balanced.
11:44Good decor can add up to 5% to a property's value.
11:48Audrey and Colin have gone for a modern design with open spaces and neutral colours.
11:53This offers buyers and renters a versatile foundation for their own tastes.
11:58But I can't help but wonder if there is a way to elevate the design further.
12:02Have you thought about potentially adding some colour to this?
12:06I'm thinking, what was your mum's favourite colour?
12:09She liked, she liked bright colours.
12:11Yeah, vibrant.
12:12I think it's important that we still inject some of your mum into this house.
12:15Keep the base colours of the black or the anthracite as the tone.
12:18You can bring in some of the greens or the brighter colours that your mum like.
12:21It's adding some vibrancy.
12:23Well, I'd say now is the time to get builders in, get some quotes done.
12:27Right.
12:28Obviously come up with the exact idea you want to go with.
12:30Yes.
12:31But I know over the last year and a bit you have been moving things out.
12:34Yes.
12:35I think if you can start getting everything else out now.
12:37Yeah.
12:38And then start getting moving with it.
12:39Remember, we're by your side.
12:40We're here to advise and we want to make this a special renovation.
12:45I'll be giving you both a call.
12:49What scares me most is going over budget.
12:52Finding things in the house that we hadn't expected that needed to be done.
12:57This is very different to any sort of renovation we've done before.
13:01Mainly because there's just so much emotion in this one.
13:05So much emotion, Scarlett.
13:06There's so much square footage.
13:08That is a big house.
13:09And normally, £100,000 is a healthy budget for renovation.
13:13On this house, that might not be the case.
13:16Who would have thought a million pound house would be such a conundrum?
13:20But I'm willing to take this on.
13:21In South London, mother and son Audrey and Colin are one third of the way into their renovation
13:38project.
13:39My mum's moving items into one room that then allows us to keep moving on with the project.
13:46They have a budget of £100,000 to turn their memory-filled inherited home into a remarkable
13:53new space.
13:55It's getting done, but there's just so much in it.
13:59So, it's been, what, four weeks since we used to it all last here?
14:12The outside pretty much looks exactly the same.
14:14There's no skip.
14:15So that means that nothing's been taken out from the inside.
14:18Hello.
14:19Hi.
14:20How are you?
14:21Nice to see the two of you.
14:22I have been looking at the house on the outside.
14:23It doesn't look like you've done anything at all.
14:24No, nothing.
14:25No.
14:26No.
14:27No.
14:28Does that mean that you've been doing quite a bit of the work on the inside?
14:29Yeah.
14:30Come in and have a look.
14:31Yes, please.
14:32I'd love to get out of this horrible weather as well.
14:33That's right.
14:34I mean, not much has been done inside either, Colin and Audrey.
14:37What is going on?
14:38I'm going to get out of this horrible weather as well.
14:40That's right.
14:41We're starting from the top of the property.
14:42Ah, right.
14:43And then working down.
14:44OK.
14:45Extension, are you going to go out sideways like Stuart and I suggested when we first came?
14:58So we're going to go lengthways.
15:00Well, we felt it would be better to go through the extension bit.
15:05Audrey and Colin plan to make the kitchen longer by knocking through into the lean-to,
15:10but will leave the side return as it is.
15:13Only thing I worry about is that this is still going to be a very narrow kitchen.
15:17Have you got a building team in that's had a look at the drawings and has given you quotes
15:20and is potentially starting the work?
15:22Yeah, we've had several quotes in.
15:24The first one came in at 164.
15:26And your budget is 100,000, is that correct?
15:28Yep.
15:29Most recent one had come in at 100,000.
15:32This leaves no budget for any remaining work.
15:35That makes me nervous.
15:37But not as nervous as the lack of progress I'm seeing here.
15:41You've got quotes, but you haven't picked a building team yet and they haven't started yet.
15:46Correct.
15:47Right, I am going to be Stuart today.
15:49Four weeks ago I was here and you haven't even decided on the builder that you're going to get in.
15:54You've got to crack on because again, time is money.
15:59With the project moving forward at a snail's pace inside, I want to show them how they can improve the exterior.
16:04Because after all, first impressions do count.
16:07I want you to meet Cosmin.
16:08Hi there.
16:09Hello.
16:10How are you?
16:11Many of the houses on this street have been built with London stock brick, which when cleaned up has a lovely yellow tone.
16:19This house has been here for over 100 years, so it's got all the grime and grit of dirt of London literally collected on all of the bricks here.
16:26Exactly, yeah.
16:27So it's about cleaning these up and making it look sparkling and as new as possible.
16:31Yeah.
16:32Sandblasting works by propelling sand under high pressure onto a surface, stripping away dirt, grime or even paint.
16:40It's similar to using sandpaper, but is much faster and provides a more even finish.
16:47Did you know that your bricks are that colour?
16:49No.
16:50My gosh.
16:51Look at that.
16:52It looks beautiful.
16:53I wish Mum was here to see it.
16:55I'm sure she would love that.
16:56So how much would it cost to do the front of the house?
16:591,300.
17:00Cosmin, I always like to ask for a good deal.
17:03So I know you said 1,300, which isn't a huge amount of money, but we could be spending some of that money somewhere else as well.
17:09So what is the best deal that you could do for us?
17:11For you, I can leave it to 900.
17:14900?
17:15Yeah.
17:16Yeah, that's wonderful.
17:17Thank you very much Cosmin.
17:18We're going to head off now.
17:19I've got something that I think is going to excite the two of you.
17:21Right.
17:22At a neighbour's house down the road, so come with me and we're going to have a look.
17:24Okay.
17:25I'm not quite ready to let go of the kitchen extension just yet.
17:29This neighbouring house has added a side return extension similar to the style that Stuart and I suggested.
17:35So I'm hoping it may inspire Colin and Audrey.
17:38You come in to this huge open-plan kitchen dining area.
17:45Wonderful.
17:46This is a space that, with a house like this, you want to see, you expect to see when you walk in.
17:51Very bright, yeah.
17:53It still feels warm and cosy.
17:55The house would have stopped here, which is where yours stops currently.
17:59Yes.
18:00So they've extended out, which we could easily do in your garden, which is what Stuart and I suggested.
18:04You've got your skylights, you've got the doors, the windows, letting all that light through.
18:08Yes.
18:09Colin, what are you thinking coming in here?
18:10Good space all round.
18:11I like the large doors, the large window.
18:14Has this potentially put a spanner in the works, or are you still thinking...?
18:18I'm hovering, I'm hovering.
18:20I'm thinking of the time that it takes.
18:22But if you were to get these plans drawn up now, submitted now, you haven't really started on much anyway, so you can just get cracking with that now.
18:30I like the designer right there.
18:31Yeah, yes.
18:32I like how it's been put together.
18:33Mm-hm.
18:34Definitely a consideration.
18:36Well, Colin seems sold, but not so sure about Audrey.
18:40Well, I'm just thinking of the cost. I don't know what it would cost to do something like this.
18:46OK.
18:47Because it looks quite plush.
18:49With a house like what you both have, you've got to spend the right amount of money to get that well that people expect.
18:54Yeah, you've got to invest.
18:56Colin and Audrey have a budget to stick to, but making the wrong decisions could put off potential buyers.
19:03Back at the house, it's time for me to see how the renovations are progressing upstairs.
19:08I was promised big changes.
19:11Colin, you said to me that you had started work up here.
19:15I have.
19:16Where have you started work?
19:17Well, it's Clara from where it was.
19:20OK.
19:21As project manager, Colin, you have got to get on it straight away.
19:25Get your builders in and make sure you give them a schedule of work.
19:30I'm concerned now.
19:32Nothing has changed since my last visit and their three-month timescale is looking impossible.
19:37Now, when Stuart and I were last here, we suggested making that bedroom next door a bigger family bathroom and then splitting that as part of an ensuite for this room as well.
19:47Have you thought a bit more about that or have you decided what you want to do?
19:50Well, what we're going to look to do is have the ensuite within the room because it's a very big room and we're going to make some adjustments with shower and bathroom using one of the spare rooms as we go up to the next floor.
20:02On the first floor, the plan is to have an ensuite in the main bedroom and make the current family bathroom larger by moving a wall.
20:09On the second floor, the smaller of the two rooms will be converted into a shower room.
20:14So you'll still have three bathrooms in the house and a downstairs toilet?
20:18Yes.
20:19This is a great compromise from Audrey and Colin.
20:21Not quite the grand bathroom that Stuart was gunning for, but three bathrooms will still be more appealing to buyers and renters.
20:28So the most important thing that you have to do, because bathrooms really do add value to a property, is make sure that they are high-end bathrooms.
20:36Yes, yes.
20:37It doesn't mean high-end you have to get the most expensive tiles, the most expensive bar suites. It doesn't mean that at all.
20:42But it means that when you walk into them, you genuinely get that feeling, that spa feeling, walking into a bathroom.
20:49We can get advice from you about that.
20:51We can definitely do that. I love a good spa room.
20:54Simple, uncluttered spaces with sleek fixtures, neutral colours and minimalist design are a popular choice for modern bathrooms.
21:03A spa-like feel can be achieved by adding features such as free-standing soaking tubs, rainfall shower heads and steam showers for the ultimate relaxing experience.
21:14Well then that's clear. So that's the plan with this. Now you just need to get cracking with it.
21:19And what better time than now?
21:21Right, come on, let's do it. I'm taking this off. I'm going to use this scraper. You can get on that, Colin.
21:27Let's give it a bit of a steam.
21:30Look at this, easy.
21:32That's it, because I pre-prepped it for you.
21:34You can really see 60 years worth of DIY here.
21:38Ben had split a living area downstairs where my auntie lived and she lived at the top there.
21:45Oh!
21:46So next door was a kitchen.
21:49And in that kitchen, that's where I learned to cook, to make cakes.
21:53It's clear that each room is full of memories for Colin and Audrey and that this refurbishment is an emotional journey.
22:00Let's hope they can continue this momentum and get the house to where they want it to be.
22:05I think you need to stay with us.
22:09We will decide by next week who the builders will be and move forward in that respect.
22:17In the meantime, plenty of wallpapers keep scraping off.
22:20I'm wondering if the budget will be enough, but I'm hoping that it will be.
22:25No fair amount?
22:26Yeah, I know.
22:29Oh my goodness, they've got so much to do.
22:32And yes, it's a difficult juggling act between expectations of what people are going to want from a house like that,
22:37and obviously a very limited budget, but they have to marry them in the middle and they have to get started.
22:50In Balham, it's been over two months since Audrey and Colin started renovating their £1.2 million house.
23:02And they are finally making some progress.
23:05They're removing all of the old plaster, as you can see.
23:10They have builders on board and the kitchen and bathroom are on the way out.
23:14I'm hoping that when it's finished, it looks as sparkly as the others I've been seeing.
23:26Two months later, and four months into their build, I'm here to see how things have progressed.
23:33They were hoping to finish within three months, so their slow start has already taken a toll on the schedule.
23:39The pair have been working with a £100,000 budget, which isn't a lot, given that complete refurbs in this area, on average, cost around four times that much.
23:51Oh my word.
23:53OK, so this isn't what I expected.
23:56Hopefully this mess outside means that there's progress inside.
24:01Let's check it out.
24:06Hello.
24:07How you doing, Colin?
24:08You OK?
24:09Yeah, very well.
24:10So I'm hoping that this is a reflection of what's happening inside.
24:14It has totally been demolished.
24:16Can you show me?
24:17Yes, come on in.
24:21Colin, Audrey, I really like what I see.
24:28Not only have you maintained and managed to keep all the traditional features, which I think are great, you've plastered everywhere.
24:36Yeah.
24:37The front room's plastered.
24:38All these walls are plastered.
24:39So is all the house like this?
24:41Well...
24:42Yes, most of it.
24:43Except for...
24:44Whoa, whoa, hold on.
24:45Yes, no, no, yes.
24:46Except for the kitchen.
24:47Would you like to come and see?
24:48I don't know if I want to.
24:50Let's go.
24:54Oh, OK, so...
24:57You look surprised.
24:58No, you know what?
24:59The kitchen looks worse now than it did before.
25:03From worst house on the street to worst kitchen on the street.
25:08So how have we gone from talking about extensions to this?
25:12We got the plans that were approved.
25:14However, when we sort of did a reconciliation of the actual budget, it would have taken us over if we knocked through.
25:22Their approved planning application for a side extension cost just £462.
25:28A bargain.
25:29And having it in place could be hugely appealing to future buyers.
25:32You had a budget of around £100,000, right?
25:34Yes.
25:35How much would this have cost?
25:36£100,000.
25:37That's not...
25:38On top of...
25:39Yes, yes.
25:40Correct.
25:41As we initially feared, £100,000 doesn't go far on a big house in London.
25:47It has gone over into the contingency.
25:49OK.
25:50So we now really have to be very careful.
25:53A contingency of how much?
25:5440.
25:55And that's gone as well?
25:56Not completely.
25:57Alarm bells are ringing that the budget and most of the contingency have already been spent.
26:03So we need to help find ways Colling and Audrey can save money now.
26:07Because this kitchen isn't extended, it's in the same footprint as before.
26:13Rather than go for a high-end kitchen, go for a basic kitchen that looks the part.
26:18Yes.
26:19I know that you've got plans made up for the extension.
26:21Yes.
26:22If I came in to buy this house and I saw this kitchen, I might try and offer you a little bit less money.
26:26Which is why, for you to fit a kitchen, try and do it at as low a cost as you can,
26:31so that if anybody does try to knock you on the price...
26:34Yes.
26:35..you haven't lost out.
26:36That's right.
26:37Now, I can see that door behind you and I can see the stained glass in there,
26:42which reminds me of your mum.
26:45Now, you said before you want to try and keep as much...
26:48Yes.
26:49..of your mum's and your nan's memory in this house as possible.
26:52And I think I have just the thing to help you do that.
26:57Sheila's love of stained glass inspired her to paint her own.
27:01And I've got another DIY idea that will add some personality.
27:05And like you said, your mum stuck something on that door previously.
27:09Yes.
27:10So, out of these, which colour do you like?
27:14That one?
27:15Yeah.
27:16That one matches your top.
27:17This is very simple.
27:19It's a print of stained glass.
27:21Right.
27:22I've never seen this before.
27:23Well, I'm going to demonstrate how you do this.
27:26A solution of washing up liquid and water is applied to both surfaces.
27:31Stained glass prints like this can be ordered to the exact size of your window,
27:35so they are ready to go.
27:37This, for two of these, is just under £45.
27:42So, it gives you privacy, it gives you colour,
27:45and it gives you a traditional period feature at a fraction of the cost.
27:51If you have the budget for it, real stained glass can cost around £350 per unit
27:57and it's a great addition to a period property.
28:01It's an attractive way to create privacy in a home
28:04while still allowing light to flow through the property.
28:07Incorporating them can pay homage to history
28:10and they can be seamlessly installed in doors, windows or even skylights,
28:15adding a touch of beauty and uniqueness to the overall decor.
28:20I'm keen to see what they've done about the extra bathroom situation.
28:24I've suggested that the room that I just looked in
28:28could be split into an en-suite stroke bathroom.
28:31Yeah.
28:32But there is no en-suite or bathroom in there.
28:34No. Yeah.
28:35So, I've come into this room and I see cupboards.
28:37But I'm hoping you've got a surprise for me,
28:39because if there's no en-suite in there,
28:41please tell me there's something in here.
28:44Have a look. Take a look.
28:46Ah!
28:48Right.
28:49Ah!
28:51Oh, no, no. I love that.
28:54Yeah.
28:55You've totally ignored my advice.
28:56No.
28:57But...
28:58We've provided.
28:59You've provided and you've almost trumped me.
29:01Yeah.
29:02Because it's like a hidden entrance.
29:04I love that.
29:05Yeah.
29:06Well, it doesn't end there.
29:07Does it not?
29:08So, what? You've got a bigger bathroom?
29:09We've extended it.
29:10Even better.
29:12In addition to the en-suite, Audrey and Colin have made the original bathroom bigger,
29:17and they will make the small second-floor bedroom into a shower room.
29:22This plan still means that they will go from a five-bed property to a four-bed,
29:27but they have cleverly managed to keep four good-sized bedrooms and added two bathrooms.
29:32I think that what I've seen so far, as long as you continue in this vein, if you choose
29:39to sell it, if you choose to stay here, you will have created a great house.
29:45But there's still a lot to do with this ever-diminishing budget.
29:49Yeah.
29:50So, you're currently at £125,000 spend.
29:52Mm-hm.
29:53You've got £15,000 left.
29:56Yep.
29:57To do everything.
29:58OK, can I ask how you plan on doing that?
30:01So, one of my cousins, he's an actual painter and decorator.
30:04So, the three of you are going to paint this house.
30:08Well, it's not possible when it becomes impossible.
30:11This is a mammoth undertaking for three people.
30:15But with painter and decorators costing on average £175 per day, it's a good saving.
30:21In all seriousness, what you've achieved so far, you've done very well.
30:26I love the hidden en suite.
30:28I love the fact that you've kept all the period features.
30:31I'm actually really pleased that you've made difficult decisions regarding the extension,
30:35but you've made them to make sure that the budget stays in control.
30:39Go really hard, get this finished.
30:41Yeah.
30:42Because it's crunch time.
30:43Stuart coming today has left me feeling quite motivated, actually.
30:52Within approximately six weeks, we're looking to have everything nicely complete.
30:57It's nice to put the touches of Nan throughout the property in different ways.
31:02She'd be saying, I can't say what she would be saying.
31:07But she'd be overjoyed.
31:09Yeah.
31:10This is a big old house.
31:13And I think that Colin and Audrey have underestimated the amount of time, effort and money it takes
31:18to renovate a property of this size and age.
31:21Decisions have been made, great.
31:23And they're keeping the period features even better.
31:25But when Scarlett and I come back, I want to see this house brought back to life.
31:38In Balaam, mother and son Audrey and Colin have been renovating the five bed house they inherited.
31:44It was a slow start.
31:46But over the past six months, they've tackled a revamp of the entire three story home.
31:52I think the most difficult part was discovering new things that needed to be done as we progressed.
31:59They've stretched their £100,000 budget and additional contingency to the limit.
32:07It's a good feeling because it's been long days, tiring days.
32:11I've enjoyed the project, I've enjoyed working with mum.
32:14It's been all hands on deck for the finishing straight.
32:17And now we're back to see what they've managed to achieve and find out if they've added value.
32:24It's been six months since we first came to see Colin and Audrey.
32:29Close. It's actually been six months and two days.
32:32OK, to be fair, they needed those two days because it was a mammoth job.
32:35It was a mammoth job. A very big house. Huge, in fact.
32:38Yes. It was a house that Audrey had inherited from her mum.
32:41Yes. Obviously, Colin's grandma.
32:43So, a lot of memories.
32:45But their budget, as much as £100,000 sounds like a lot,
32:48actually, for a house that size, not a lot at all.
32:50When we came at the beginning, they didn't know what to do and how to do it.
32:55No. We gave them our advice.
32:56I don't know if they even took it.
32:58I'd like to think that they've taken some of it, at least.
33:00Yeah. I think we should go and have a look at it and see how it is.
33:02Yep. Let's go.
33:04Audrey and Colin's inherited home stood out on this high-end street
33:09for all the wrong reasons.
33:12The exterior neglected and unloved.
33:15The brickwork had gathered decades of grime and filth
33:19and the PVC front door was letting the street down.
33:26Now, the house rivals its sophisticated neighbours.
33:30The bricks have been transformed back to their original glory.
33:35The outer door has been removed and original door revamped.
33:40Ooh. This looks impressive.
33:44This is basically the original colour of the brick and it looks so good.
33:47Who would have thought that it was yellow?
33:49I know.
33:50They've painted the wall.
33:51Yes.
33:52That's nice, clean, fresh.
33:53No longer an eye saw, is it?
33:54Not at all.
33:55Shall we go and knock for him?
33:56Yeah.
33:57Oh, I like the colour of the front door, Stuart.
34:04Hello.
34:05Hello.
34:06How's it going?
34:07Yeah, all right.
34:08Nice to see you again.
34:09Nice to see you.
34:10How are you doing, you OK?
34:11Nice to see you.
34:12How has it been?
34:13Challenging in different ways, but enjoyable at the same time.
34:16They were sort of emotional moments, but, you know, we got through it.
34:20Coming here and seeing what you've done from the outside, it's a good start.
34:23What I love about this house now is that you walk up to it, it's clean, it looks pristine.
34:28This house did not look like it belonged on this road.
34:31No.
34:32Now it does.
34:33Yes.
34:34And what do you think your mum and Sheila would have thought about it?
34:36Oh, she would have been really chuffed.
34:38Yes.
34:39And in fact, today is actually the day now that she passed.
34:43Oh, is it?
34:44Yeah.
34:45Yeah.
34:46So, just kind of amazing how everything coincides with today as well.
34:51Oh, well, look, we've got to go in and have a look around and obviously pay homage to Sheila.
34:55Oh, yes.
34:56Yeah, certainly.
34:57Yeah.
34:58Come on through.
34:59When we first saw this house six months ago, the interior hadn't been decorated for years.
35:09The downstairs was dreary and uninviting, with old fashioned wallpaper and outdated fixtures
35:16and fittings.
35:19Not to mention the ceiling tiles.
35:22And the lacklustre kitchen felt cluttered and joyless.
35:27Now the space is bright, welcoming and chic.
35:32Decorated to a high spec which fits in perfectly with the high-end nature of the street.
35:38And the kitchen has been transformed into an inviting and practical space without the need for a costly extension.
35:49I was not expecting this.
35:52This really is brilliant.
35:55When I first came here, this was rubble.
35:58Yes.
35:59And I was worried.
36:01Coming back today and seeing this kitchen in the same space, it is impressive.
36:08The white walls, the light grey cabinets, the light worktop which reflects light and bounce off a bit, makes this room feel bigger.
36:16We have had to make adaptations.
36:18Yeah.
36:19That's it.
36:20So, working within our budget.
36:21Yes.
36:22But then at a later stage, if we want to extend, we've already got the plans in place that we can actually do that.
36:27Somebody can come in here, see the plans that you've got, knowing full well that they can do that if they want.
36:33That's right, yes.
36:34But if they don't...
36:35This is still brilliant.
36:36It's still a lovely, lovely kitchen.
36:38Yes.
36:39And it looks very high-end.
36:40It looks expensive.
36:41Yes.
36:42How much did this kitchen cost you?
36:44Well, I had to phone a few friends and family.
36:47Thankfully, my nephew's best friend, his dad...
36:51Oh, hold on.
36:52Your nephew's best friend's dad has a kitchen manufacturing company.
36:57Ah, OK.
36:58So, it's bespoke.
36:59Yes.
37:00Oh, really?
37:01Wow!
37:02And how much did it cost?
37:039,000 in total, including the worktops.
37:06And the fitting?
37:07And the fitting.
37:08So, it's bespoke kitchen for nine grand.
37:10Yeah.
37:11This looks like it would be a lot more expensive.
37:14Colin has really put his contacts to use there, and what a great result.
37:20And it's smart not to spend too much in a space which could potentially be changed again by them or by new owners in the future.
37:27Do you know what else I've seen?
37:30That.
37:31Yes.
37:32Grandma.
37:33Oh, yeah, Sheila.
37:34Oh, she likes stained glass windows.
37:35Yeah.
37:36Yes.
37:37So, this is our take.
37:38I really like that.
37:39It just adds a little bit of character to the house.
37:41Yes, yes.
37:42A bit of colour, a bit of texture.
37:43And it's in keeping with the style of the house as well.
37:45Exactly.
37:46Do you know what I think?
37:47That piece that I put up, that's what will get this house on.
37:49Oh, my goodness.
37:50Really?
37:51I mean, obviously, downstairs, so far, what we've seen has been great, but we want to see what's going on upstairs.
37:56Yes.
37:57Yes.
37:58That's definitely a change of scarlet.
37:59It has.
38:00I remember the look you gave me the last time.
38:02If you get that look, yes, then you know it's that time, right?
38:06Good luck.
38:07I'm sure you know.
38:08I'm going to shout down if I'm not happy with it, OK?
38:10OK.
38:11All right.
38:12See you soon.
38:13Upstairs, not only was the decor outdated, but the one small bathroom did not properly serve this huge five-bedroom house.
38:26Now, the bedrooms have been transformed to match the elegance and charm of the rest of the house.
38:33And the property now boasts three bathrooms with a hidden en suite to boot.
38:39Oh, this is so much bigger.
38:43It is so much better.
38:45It really is.
38:46They have just take some space out of that room to make a bigger family bathroom, and they have nailed it.
38:52They've gone for the stained glass window effect.
38:54Oh, yeah.
38:55Here it is up here.
38:56I'm taking credit for that.
38:57Of course you are.
38:58I like that they've gone for the bigger tiles, so it gives it that illusion of a more spacious bathroom.
39:07Oh, look at the bed!
39:09Oh, wow!
39:13They have kept a lot of the traditional features, but they've added little modern twists here and there.
39:18I can't get anywhere near the ceiling.
39:20It's a high ceiling.
39:21So here they put storage in.
39:23They put storage, and they've put something else.
39:27What?
39:28Can I show you the en suite?
39:32You're joking me.
39:36That I was not expecting.
39:39Wow!
39:42So they've got this en suite here, main bathroom, and then there was another room upstairs that was tiny.
39:47Shall we see if they've done that?
39:48Let's check.
39:51On the top floor, there were two small bedrooms, the smallest of which is now a shower room.
39:57This makes so much sense because now there are three bathrooms in this house.
40:01And for a family house of this size, that's what you need.
40:08It's been an emotional journey for Audrey and Colin, but after a slow start, they have pulled out all the stops to transform their dated, memory-filled home into a smart, high-end property worthy of the rest of the street.
40:20It's a big improvement from the condition it was before.
40:26Audrey and Colin must have worked so hard to get the house back to its former glory.
40:31It is breathtaking. I absolutely love it.
40:34I think it looks fantastic. It all looks so fresh and light and airy and new. Yeah, it looks great.
40:44Now it's time to talk about the all-important finances.
40:47Oh, your house is absolutely beautiful.
40:51I'm very impressed with what you've done.
40:53More importantly, how has it been for you?
40:56Well, it's been an interesting journey, you know, and we've learnt a lot on the way.
41:02I always think about property as being an investment.
41:05Yeah. So this was a family home.
41:07Yeah.
41:08You have now modernised this family home. Yeah.
41:10So whatever you choose to do with it, whether you sell it, whether you rent it,
41:14you have got a great investment in this property.
41:18Yes.
41:19One which all the family and nan, grandma, can be happy with.
41:23Yes.
41:24And I know that she would have been proud of what we've done.
41:27Yeah.
41:28Now you're in quite a difficult position because you've got a lot of options.
41:31Decided what we'll do is just complete the project.
41:34Yeah.
41:35And then we'll sort of take some time to discuss it collectively as a family.
41:40Yeah.
41:41Well, to help you discuss it with your family members,
41:43I think it is good to go over the figures.
41:45And I would love to know exactly how much you spent on turning this house
41:49into the beautiful home that it is now.
41:51Well, that was 150,000.
41:54150,000.
41:55Yeah.
41:56So you did use up that contingency of 50,000 pounds.
41:58Yes.
41:59So we did speak to some estate agents.
42:01We spoke to three.
42:02Okay.
42:03And they gave us an average of what this property is now worth.
42:05We know when you first had it, it was valued around, what?
42:081.2 million, would you say?
42:09Correct, yeah.
42:10Halfly?
42:11Yeah.
42:12So it's now worth, on average, do you want to have a guess?
42:17Hmm.
42:18Go on, Mum.
42:191.5, 1.6.
42:21Okay.
42:22I would say 1.7.
42:25Oh, okay.
42:27So I'm going to be honest with you, the valuation was, on average, 1.5 million pounds.
42:32Okay.
42:33So I guess that's disappointing for you.
42:35Yeah.
42:36Yeah.
42:37We'll see how it goes.
42:38Yeah.
42:39Yeah.
42:40You first had this valued at around 1.2 million.
42:42You spent 150,000 doing it out.
42:44That takes you to 1.35.
42:46You've technically made 150 grand, in a way, if you look at it that way.
42:50But overall, you inherited the property.
42:52Yeah.
42:53So actually, you've made a lot more than that.
42:56Colin and Audrey have doubled their investment.
42:58And with no initial purchase cost, you could say they're potentially 1.35 million pounds
43:05better off.
43:06It's definitely something to smile about.
43:07Yeah.
43:08If you're not ready to sell it right now, when we did speak to the estate agents about the
43:12rental figures, you can command around 4.5 thousand pounds a month for this place.
43:16Right.
43:17The good thing is here, you have options.
43:19Either way, you're winning overall.
43:21So there's a big congratulations deserved to the two of you there.
43:24Yeah.
43:25And we've done this, you know, for the memory of mum.
43:28Yeah.
43:29Exactly.
43:30Rather than she's passed away and we just want to get rid of her house.
43:33Yes.
43:34It was a journey of love, really.
43:36Yeah.
43:37And something that I feel that, you know, we can all be proud of.
43:41Yeah.
43:42This is a sensitive, sympathetic and personal renovation.
43:46Yes.
43:47Right.
43:48And you've come in on budget.
43:49Yeah.
43:50Yeah.
43:51Let's put some smiles on people's faces.
43:52Yes.
43:53Yeah.
43:54It's a good day.
43:55Colin and Audrey and their extended family have worked hard.
44:00And whatever's next, they can be proud that they've honoured their mum and Nan's legacy
44:05and created a home that will combine past memories with new ones.
44:09The house now stands as equally as good.
44:13Yes.
44:14Or in some cases better than many of the houses on the street.
44:17Yes.
44:18To the point I even drove past it the other day.
44:20Oh.
44:21Yeah.
44:22We celebrate with Prosecco.
44:24I've got some Guyanese rum.
44:26Really?
44:27Yeah.
44:28In memory of Nan.
44:29Oh.
44:30Oh.
44:31Oh, yes.
44:32Okay.
44:33So in that case, put the bubbles down, Stuart.
44:34Bubbles down?
44:35Yeah.
44:36Bubbles down.
44:37Do your grant to your mum with the traditional Guyanese rum.
44:40Yes.
44:41In celebration of her.
44:42Yes.
44:43And of the two of you.
44:44Oh.
44:45Congratulations again on what you've achieved here.
44:47It's a beautiful home.
44:48Your mum will be super proud.
44:49Yeah.
44:50And I'm sure when all of your family come as well, they're going to absolutely love it.
44:53Yes.
44:54And it's been a pleasure having you.
44:55Can we always come back for more cake and rum?
44:57Yes, you can.
44:59We know where you live now.
45:00We'll be here.
45:01Okay?
45:02I can definitely get used to rum and cake.
45:06100%.
45:07So good.
45:08Now, they spent £150,000 to renovate the entire house.
45:12Yeah.
45:13Which could be the cost of a kitchen loan.
45:15Yeah.
45:16You're right.
45:17£1.5 million inherited now over the whole family.
45:19Yeah.
45:20Yeah.
45:21Definitely something to cheers to.
45:22I feel privileged and proud to be part of that journey.
45:24Yeah.
45:25On another note, are you going to eat that?
45:26Of course I'm eating it.
45:27No, it's actually really good.
45:28What are you doing?
45:29Give me my cake back!
45:30Next time, we're in Coventry.
45:39Helping best friends, Brad and Billy, settle some differences.
45:44Hands up to get rid of the fireplace.
45:46And transform this disaster property.
45:48I mean, look at it.
45:50Oh, now I've made it worse!
45:52It just turned into a nightmare straight away.
45:54Into the ultimate bachelor pad.
45:56Can't really go wrong with demolition, can you?
45:58This is so good!
46:04From humble beginnings come great big swimming pools.
46:07Continuing the massive build tonight.
46:09Digging ditches and building Britain's superhomes.
46:11That's 10.
46:12Next up, by the time I reach my 80s, I want to be taking it easy.
46:17This lady's building a house.
46:19Grand Designs on the way.
46:21And for little ones.
46:22You're with a mix of new work.
46:34It's your games.
46:36You're toAustralian field and I'm wondering how you would come up this station.
46:40We'll be back your 80s in the way.
46:41The president of the master is really so excited.