Chateau DIY Season 10 Episode 14
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00:01Across France, there are thousands of breathtaking chateaux.
00:06Many forgotten and abandoned.
00:09It is, at the moment, a major disaster zone.
00:13Now being bought by adventurous new owners.
00:17And the gates are opened.
00:19Welcome to the chateau.
00:21They're taking on the challenge...
00:23OK, you can get me down.
00:25...to transform these historic buildings...
00:28Well, I'm definitely not qualified.
00:30...to do this.
00:31...into stunning homes.
00:34It was worth the effort.
00:36Superb.
00:37...and unique businesses.
00:41There'll be successes.
00:43Oh, darling, I'm thrilled to bits.
00:45...and setbacks.
00:47I've started scraping, and this is not going to be as easy as I hoped.
00:51But however hard the going gets...
00:54Where did we start this, Terry?
00:56...the rewards can be great.
00:59Oh, it's delightful.
01:02...as they get to live the dream...
01:05Glad you moved to France.
01:06Definitely.
01:07Cheers.
01:08Cheers, honey.
01:09...as custodians of their very own castle.
01:13Today.
01:16For one couple, it's an expensive balancing act.
01:23Oh, it's a lot of money sat on here.
01:27Another question if a mammoth project has got out of control.
01:31It's way bigger than what I expected it to be.
01:35It's a shadow, isn't it?
01:36You have to scale it up.
01:38And a third race to get their garden wedding ready.
01:42It needs to be a bit more manicured than it is at the moment.
01:46It needs to be pictured perfectly, actually.
01:48Not just manicured.
01:49It needs to be perfect.
01:50OK.
01:51In the idyllic Dardogne département, near the Vézère River,
02:05is Château Domaine de la Barde.
02:08With 18 stately rooms, 10 acres, a large swimming pool and numerous outbuildings,
02:24it's home to Tim, Chris, Owen and baby Ollie.
02:31I fell for all the stones.
02:34I fell for all the beams.
02:36Just, it's really solid.
02:38It's just magnificent.
02:41It's like, it stood for hundreds and hundreds of years,
02:45and I'm looking at history, and I love that.
02:48It's very symmetrical as well, isn't it?
02:49I like symmetry.
02:51I like six windows.
02:52I don't like five.
02:53I like six.
02:56Located 100 miles east of Bordeaux,
03:00near the small market town of Le Bugue,
03:03Tim and Chris bought the abandoned building in 2020.
03:10These should be our best rental suites, or bedrooms, and then the same with the ones on the next floor.
03:20It's a very, very handsome house.
03:23Whenever I talk to my friends about the Mendelbart, I always say it's a he,
03:29because we've always felt it's a man.
03:32It's a beautiful, handsome man.
03:34Since then, they've not only restored the chateau,
03:39but also converted two of the outbuildings...
03:45How's it going at the bottom?
03:46This is actually applying quite nicely.
03:50...into guest accommodation.
03:52Last time we were here, Tim was building a bespoke barbecue.
04:01Yes, get in there, get in there.
04:04Positioned just outside the guest houses...
04:06..and large enough for four families to gather around.
04:13I'm really happy with that.
04:15If you were to try and buy this barbecue,
04:18I don't think any amount of money could get this.
04:20It's priceless, absolutely priceless.
04:26Today, Tim's decided to do a little bit of landscaping.
04:32The plan is to have a whole new sunken terrace off the swimming pool,
04:36which provides a little bit of privacy to people that want to sunbathe,
04:40and also just to enlarge the area.
04:43It's quite a big job.
04:44The season begins at Easter, so things like this,
04:48we have to get out of the way in the winter before the guests arrive.
04:52Helping him out is local builder, Steve.
04:56One more down there.
04:58One more down there.
04:59Steps.
05:00First spade is in the ground.
05:02The new pool terrace will consist of two sets of stairs
05:06and a 50-square-metre platform.
05:10Enough room for up to ten sunbeds.
05:15So one of the staircases is going here,
05:17so we need to move all of this dirt out of the way
05:20so we can put all the blocks in.
05:22All this hard work isn't just for paying guests.
05:26Everything we're doing, it's for the kids, really, you know.
05:32It's building them a future.
05:34But this is a fun way to spend your life.
05:41There's quite a lot of clay in here, actually, isn't there?
05:44With so much to do,
05:47Tim could be digging himself into a hole.
05:51Further north in Brittany,
06:00the abandoned Moulin du Coenon
06:05stands proudly between two ancient bridges.
06:09The former flour mill is spread across five huge floors
06:14and comes with a gite attached to the side.
06:21Today, it's owners are husband and wife team, Donna,
06:26a former property consultant,
06:28and Paul, who ran his own construction firm.
06:32I think it closed its doors about 45 years ago
06:35and all the equipment, machinery was left in that.
06:39During that time, it has seen no repair or maintenance,
06:42so it has clearly deteriorated.
06:46It's also seen a lot of ingress during that time.
06:49It's had a lot of vandalism.
06:51Most of the windows have gone.
06:53Anything kind of movable has gone.
06:56But, gosh, it's going to make the most fabulous house.
07:00I mean, look, what's not to like?
07:01I know!
07:04Located half an hour's drive from the Brittany coast,
07:08Donna and Paul bought the mill in early 2024
07:13for less than £100,000.
07:16Since then, they've gutted the inside,
07:22removed old machinery
07:23and demolished walls,
07:27overseen the construction of a new roof
07:30and torn up two metal silos.
07:35That's quite shocking, isn't it?
07:38Hoping to live on site in a few weeks' time,
07:41they've also started renovating the jeet,
07:44installing new windows...
07:46That's a good-type fit, that, isn't it?
07:48It's good.
07:49Yeah.
07:51..and a boiler.
07:52Give it slack!
07:54What?
07:54Give it slack!
07:55Take the slack!
07:56But a delay in deliveries
08:00has forced them to pause work inside,
08:03so they've decided to tackle a major installation outside.
08:09Today, we've got a large window
08:11that's about 2.6 metres by 2.5 metres
08:13that's going on the front elevation.
08:16It will, in fact, allow visual lines of sight
08:18into the equipment there
08:19and also provide light
08:20to what will be the back of house and the kitchen.
08:26It's challenging to that
08:28because the window we got,
08:30a slight error on my part,
08:32it's about 30 millimetres too wide
08:34and 50 millimetres too high, so...
08:36Not to mention, it's, what, nearly 300 kilos?
08:39No, it's about 250 kilos,
08:40so it's a heavy beast.
08:46Timber!
08:49Paul is loving all of this.
08:50You know what it's like with demolition?
08:53Yeah.
08:56I think this is the...
09:02Well, it is the first time
09:04we've actually been able to see the big turbine properly.
09:06This is the grand turbine.
09:09This is the one that created all of the power.
09:13It's huge, absolutely huge.
09:14The plan is to light the equipment up,
09:17obviously clean it down,
09:19but you'll be able to see it through the window,
09:21which...
09:22It's just keeping some of the history of the mill alive, really, isn't it?
09:26A room with a view now.
09:32That's the last two blocks coming out,
09:33which we'll just move and get out of the way.
09:35Look at the mess you've made!
09:37I'm in my element making mess, huh?
09:39It was just starting to look nice at the front, wasn't it?
09:42It'll look nice when there's a window in.
09:44It looks like someone's drove into it.
09:46How are we going to get that window in?
09:48It's got a solid steel thing,
09:51so the idea of pushing it in is out the window.
09:54You're here all week.
10:01So I think we'll have a 60mm reveal,
10:03and we'll try and chop the rest out so we can get the window in.
10:06But you're going to have to do that deeper, aren't you?
10:08Yes.
10:09I'll cut the window in two and take a section out the middle.
10:14Pulling her face, that's the options we've got, hon.
10:16But with Paul getting his measurements wrong
10:21and the surround made of solid granite,
10:25the couple have got a hard job ahead.
10:32Coming up...
10:34A chatelan's put in his place.
10:37There's still far too much work to do, so no slacking.
10:40It was worth a try.
10:42Paul faces a big problem
10:44due to his small mistake.
10:47It's starting to annoy me because it's taken too long.
10:49It's just so solid.
10:51And has Tim taken on more than he can handle?
10:56We want it to be opulent.
10:57We want it to be grand.
10:58It's fast.
11:08In the Vienne département of central France
11:11stands the 15th century Chateau Marailles,
11:16which boasts a medieval donjon,
11:20a swimming pool,
11:22as well as accommodation for over 20 guests.
11:27And it's where former catering manager Belinda
11:30and her husband Lee have called home since 2015.
11:36I'm really proud that I'm the co-owner
11:40of this beautiful set of buildings.
11:42If I'm being really honest, yeah,
11:43I mean, that sounds a bit egotistical, doesn't it, really?
11:46But no, it's, yeah, I've got a lot of pride, actually.
11:49No, I think this place is magical,
11:51not because of just the fact
11:54that it's got a lovely turret
11:55and there's nice stonework.
11:58But there's a feeling.
12:00It's got soul.
12:01This place has got soul
12:03and a heart that beats.
12:06Located just over an hour's drive from Poitiers,
12:11Belinda and Lee bought the Chateau
12:13for £378,000
12:16and today run it as a B&B and events business.
12:22Last time we saw them,
12:25they'd started making preparations
12:27for the first wedding of the season,
12:30repairing their Don John roof.
12:33I'm 100% confident
12:35we'd be wedding fit by the end of the day.
12:38And replacing a broken fence.
12:42If I didn't own a chateau,
12:43I certainly wouldn't be doing this.
12:46As 24 guests are due,
12:52it's time to attend to the gardens.
12:56And as both the ceremony
12:58and photos are happening outside,
13:01all of the chateau's green spaces
13:03need to look their best.
13:06We're at the Sky Garden.
13:08This is a beautiful place.
13:10Well, it can be a beautiful place.
13:13It's not at the moment
13:13and it looks a right mess.
13:15It's just it needs to be
13:17a bit more manicured
13:18than it is at the moment.
13:20It needs to be picture perfectly,
13:21actually,
13:22not just manicured.
13:23It needs to be perfect.
13:25It's looking a bit insurmountable,
13:27but we will surmount it.
13:29We always do, don't we?
13:30We're going to surmount it.
13:34Lee, though,
13:35has injured his foot,
13:36so the job will be doubly difficult.
13:39But the beautiful surroundings
13:42more than make up for it.
13:49I think this is a really lovely spot.
13:53We call it the Sky Garden
13:54because it's only sky above us.
13:56It's like a little jewel
13:58set high
14:00amongst the trees
14:01and the birds
14:02overlooking the river.
14:10Well, Belinda,
14:11what do you reckon?
14:13It's looking a lot better, isn't it?
14:14Yeah, it's getting there.
14:14Immediately better.
14:16Yeah.
14:16But actually,
14:17my foot's beginning to ache a bit.
14:20You need to take a rest, Lee.
14:21Why don't you sit down a minute?
14:23Go and sit.
14:24Take it easy.
14:25You have a rest.
14:26I'm going to carry on.
14:27Oh, that's better.
14:29That's much better.
14:30What would go down the tree now, Belinda,
14:32to help my foot
14:33is a nice, long, cold beer.
14:36Really?
14:37Yes.
14:38There's still far too much work to do,
14:39so no slacking.
14:40He can sit there for five minutes,
14:42just rest his foot,
14:43but that's the extent of the relaxation.
14:45It was worth a try,
14:47and I'm glad she's not my boss all the time.
14:50The gardens may be taking shape,
14:53but with the wedding
14:55in just a couple of weeks' time,
14:57there's a lot more work to do
15:00before the guests arrive.
15:08One hundred and twenty miles away,
15:11in the Dordogne,
15:13Tim and Steve
15:14are building
15:15an enormous
15:1650-square-metre sun terrace.
15:19And as it will be below the pool,
15:23a new set of steps is needed.
15:26We're just going to put these blocks in
15:28to form the...
15:29I think it's going to be four steps,
15:30and then when we finish it in sandstone,
15:32we can then bring the levels up and down
15:34and sort of play with it a bit.
15:35Do you want a full block on...?
15:42Yeah, you want a full block.
15:44To build the foundations for the steps,
15:47Tim uses hollow breeze blocks,
15:49which, once he's happy with the shape,
15:53he'll fill with concrete
15:54to create a strong structure.
15:56We're making good progress,
16:02but it's all going sort of relatively smoothly.
16:05It's just the, er...
16:06It's always the way.
16:08Preparation takes longer than the actual work.
16:09After laying the framework,
16:18Tim and Steve thread the blocks with metal rods.
16:24The steel is important just to tie it all together.
16:26It just stops any movement in the concrete,
16:29in the blocks, anything.
16:2965...
16:32What, 65?
16:34The size needs to come up.
16:36We can fit four 15cm high steps in here,
16:39which is nice, 30cm deep,
16:41so that kind of is a real nice, comfortable set of stairs.
16:45The steps are just a small part of Tim's big plan.
16:51We want it to be opulent,
16:52and we want it to be grand,
16:54and we want it to have some prestige,
16:57and, you know, lots of grandeur about it,
16:59but that all comes with the size of it.
17:00You know, it's going to be a big space.
17:02It's a huge amount of work.
17:03There's going to be tons and tons of concrete in this.
17:07You know, it's going to be...
17:08You know, it's vast.
17:10While Tim comes to terms with the scale of the project,
17:14Chris also has her hands full.
17:21Hello.
17:21Hello.
17:22Hello, Daddy.
17:26Shall I hand this over to you?
17:28Do you want some coffee?
17:30Well, if I take Ollie, you can go up and have a look.
17:32All right, sure.
17:34Wow, you've been busy, the two of you.
17:37This is good.
17:39Do you like it, Ollie?
17:41You a big fan?
17:42He loves being outside, Oliver.
17:45All right, well, if I give you Ollie,
17:47and I'll take the coffees...
17:49Enjoy the coffee.
17:50Thanks for coming to visit.
17:51You're doing well, guys.
17:54Yeah, it's getting there.
17:56And your coffee's been made with love.
18:00I'm just mind-blown, you know,
18:01how big the project actually is.
18:03I have got a drawing of his plans,
18:06but standing there looking at it,
18:08it's way bigger than what I expected it to be.
18:11I think Chris might be slightly surprised
18:17by the size of the job,
18:20but it is to be a pretty big terrace.
18:22You've got to get a load of sun loungers on.
18:24So, yeah, it's purposefully massive,
18:27but it's a shadow, isn't it?
18:29You have to scale it up.
18:32If Tim's not careful, though,
18:34the pool terrace could turn into a money pit.
18:48Further north in Brittany,
18:51Paul's come up with a clear plan
18:52for installing the enormous
18:54six-and-a-half-square-metre window.
18:57So, we've got the bricks out now,
18:59so what we need to do is cut a reveal
19:00so we can push the window in past the granite.
19:03It's all a result of being 15mm over on each side,
19:07so we'll try this, see if it works.
19:10Paul's hoping that by carving out some of the granite,
19:14he'll have enough room to wedge the window in.
19:17Well, I've cut a couple of channels,
19:19so I need to try and take the centre section out
19:21without busting the front.
19:23It's going to be tricky, isn't it?
19:25Yes.
19:26You can only do what you can do, Boves.
19:27Yeah.
19:29But if you make a mess, I won't be happy.
19:31Thanks for the vote of confidence, honey.
19:38Well, it's granite, so it's pretty hard,
19:40but we'll persevere.
19:44As Paul creates a mess outside,
19:48Donna tidies up inside.
19:50This is the leftovers of the roof repair.
19:57Oh, oh, total alteration.
20:00It's really just sifting out what we can use, what we can't.
20:04Every neighbour within probably a mile radius
20:08has had some wood so far.
20:09Slow and steady, but emphasis on slow.
20:14But it's coming out, it's just taken a long time,
20:17so to be expected for granite, I suppose.
20:19So just need to keep on keeping on.
20:27This is what we chose to do, you know.
20:29We chose to move and start a whole new renovation project.
20:34But it's surprising the number of people who've said,
20:37you seem to be enjoying every day.
20:39And we are.
20:39We're really enjoying every day.
20:44It's starting to annoy me because it's taken so long.
20:46It's just so solid.
20:48After a few hours with no solid progress,
20:52Donna and Paul decide to have a rethink.
20:57It may be best just to literally cut right down
21:01those granite things,
21:02because one of them is damaged anyway.
21:04I'm thinking that anyway.
21:05We straighten that up and get rid of most of the damage.
21:07Yeah.
21:08And then just cut the right-hand side off.
21:11Well, we've got to remember that window is extremely big.
21:15Yeah.
21:15Extremely heavy.
21:17It's not the easiest to manoeuvre at all
21:19without killing us.
21:20Um, so if we did trim that side,
21:25there are a lot of pluses for that,
21:27in that the chances are we could push it straight in instead.
21:30There is, yeah.
21:31So it might be the better option, actually.
21:34Have a think about it overnight
21:35and see where we are tomorrow.
21:37Regroup and come back refreshed and tackle it tomorrow.
21:41For now, though, progress on the window has hit a wall.
21:47And unfortunately for Donna and Paul,
21:49it's made of solid granite.
21:52Still to come.
21:58A chateau owner learns the true meaning of DIY.
22:03This is where I need four hands at once.
22:06Will Lee and Belinda be ready?
22:10We're catering for 24 people,
22:12and there certainly is some pressure.
22:14Oh, it's wobbling.
22:15And a super-sized window tests everyone's nerves.
22:21We're still at the terrifying stage.
22:30All over France,
22:33chateau owners have come up with inventive solutions
22:36to upcycle furniture and decorate their vast living spaces.
22:44Ready?
22:45Yeah.
22:46Without breaking the bank.
22:48That looks pretty cool.
22:49You've got to admit that, haven't you?
22:50In the south of France,
22:56at Chateau du Puy-et-Prin,
22:58one, two, three, four.
23:02Find out.
23:02Couples don't come much more creative
23:05than professional photographer Tim...
23:08Come in close to your mum, can you?
23:10That's lovely.
23:11And fashion designer and artist,
23:16Sasha.
23:18Today, it's Tim's turn to get arty.
23:22These are two of three stainless panels that we have.
23:27So if I hold it up,
23:28this is where I'm planning to put this one.
23:30They are extremely heavy,
23:32so I've got to make sure that the structure I build
23:34to hold them in place will take the weight
23:37without everything falling down on our guests.
23:41Tim's first challenge
23:45is to make a metal framework
23:46for the precious panels to sit in.
23:50It needs something really firm and solid,
23:52like steel,
23:53to hold it all in place.
23:59OK.
24:00Cutting finished.
24:11To have built something out of wood
24:18would have lowered the headroom.
24:24So I've used metal,
24:26and then I'll face off the metal with oak trim.
24:30OK, so there we have it.
24:40The frames are in position.
24:42And now I'm going to cut
24:45the Phillips.
24:4925 euros a strip,
24:51so I've got to be quite economical with it.
24:54See how this fits.
25:04And this will just slot over there.
25:08That should work quite well.
25:10Yep.
25:10This is where I need four hands at once.
25:20Or, if you're a photographer,
25:23some handy photographic clamps.
25:26I'll try and do it without getting glue anywhere
25:29other than where it's supposed to be.
25:32Do you need help?
25:33No, I'm coping.
25:36My magic arms have come into play.
25:38What an amazing clamp is that.
25:41These are my old friendliest studio.
25:43Wow.
25:44They're wonderful.
25:45It's my third and fourth hand.
25:48Is this your fifth?
25:49Oh, yes.
25:51That goes without saying.
25:54I can see a gap between...
25:55Don't worry.
25:56OK.
25:56Let me just concentrate.
25:59It's called backseat driving.
26:00It's just about finding the sweet spot.
26:03And I haven't found that yet.
26:04Except for you, my darling.
26:08It says anything, you know.
26:11Got all the lines.
26:13Right.
26:14That should be dry in half an hour.
26:25Oh, isn't that lovely?
26:27Eh?
26:28Yay.
26:29Look at the light coming through.
26:31It really is beautiful.
26:34With Tim's creativity, the panels now have pride of place.
26:41Yeah?
26:41Should we have an apparel?
26:43Come and sit there.
26:43OK.
26:45Look at that.
26:46The daylight's coming through.
26:49Hello, precious.
26:50Come on.
26:53Come on.
26:53There you go, madam.
26:56Chin-chin, sweetheart.
26:58Chin-chin.
26:59Chin-chin.
26:59Wow.
27:00Well done.
27:02Cheers.
27:02It's wonderful to get to the end of the day and to the end of a project.
27:08And a project so well done.
27:10The stained glass panels may be a new addition to the chateau, but already they blend in beautifully.
27:20Up at Chateau Mareuil, it's the day before the wedding.
27:31And with the bride and groom arriving in just a few hours...
27:36Some of these cobwebs go back hundreds of years.
27:40...Lee's busy preparing the Don John.
27:43That's it.
27:44Good.
27:44The tables, chairs, benches are left because we don't know what the bride and groom want.
27:50The wedding couple are doing all the decorations, but the room still needs to be prepared.
27:59So while Lee works in the Don John, Belinda's busy with the all-important food prep.
28:07We're catering for 24 people, and there certainly is some pressure on.
28:11I've got quite a lot to do now in a short space of time.
28:14This bride and groom have specifically requested a roast dinner, and that means that it's all got to be done pretty much at the last minute.
28:26And to go with the very British wedding meal, Belinda's making a dessert to match.
28:33People really like crumble, don't they?
28:36Think they like the crumble more than they like the fruit sometimes.
28:39This chateau is ours and it's our home, but, you know, we love welcoming people in, and we feel, we feel, in fact, we feel at our happiest, actually, when we've got this place full of people.
28:56I think there's eight very sturdy portions there.
29:00Out in the Don John, Lee's already feeling the love.
29:12What a nice way to spend some time and helping a couple get married.
29:20Like, it's a charming thing to do.
29:25Hello!
29:26No!
29:27Everything's ready, just in time, for the arrival of the bride and groom, Liz and Carl.
29:34Hello!
29:35Welcome to Chateau Marais!
29:37Hello!
29:38Mwah!
29:39Mwah!
29:40Lovely to see you again!
29:41Good.
29:41Nice to see you again.
29:42Welcome, welcome.
29:45Lovely to see you.
29:46Yeah, you too.
29:47Please, I've got a little drink for you.
29:48Oh, definitely.
29:49After the journey, yeah, big drive, yeah.
29:51Soon, the wedding party is settled in and decorating the Don John.
29:58Lee and Belinda have been a massive help.
30:00They're just lovely people, welcoming, smiles, and help you where you can, and that's the main thing.
30:06We want them to be a part of our wedding, our special day, and they're doing that by letting us use their beautiful home.
30:12What an honour to actually be part of someone's very, very special day, don't you think?
30:19And to actually, I mean, look at the transformation in this place.
30:22It's a fairytale, isn't it?
30:24Absolutely beautiful.
30:25It's a fairytale wedding in a fairytale castle.
30:28Honestly, it's honestly reduced me to tears.
30:29It's so lovely.
30:30The Don John looks spectacular, but with 24 guests to feed and a wedding to stage, tomorrow is going to be a very big day.
30:45Just over 200 miles northwest, the installation of an extra-large picture window is proving tricky.
31:02This is our plan B, so we're going to just make this opening wider, and so we're going to cut this here.
31:08It should allow us just to present the window straight in.
31:10As Paul prepares to trim off some of the stone facade, Donna starts working on the logistics.
31:20The window is just over 2.6 metres square, and the weight is something like 270 kilos.
31:32You know, I remember when we tried to get it in here first, when it was first delivered.
31:36We had to manhandle it into here, and there was, I think, six of us, and it kind of nearly killed us all.
31:45Outside, Paul's battle with the granite is far from over.
31:50This is the second saw that I fired, and I got this one two days ago.
31:54It's literally just out the box, so that's extremely annoying.
31:58We literally are going to rope in everyone on site today, the roofers and everyone,
32:04so get as many bodies around it as possible to try and move it,
32:09and hopefully we can kind of get it across the road,
32:14because it's like you've got about 100 metres to get there,
32:19with cars coming down as well.
32:22So it's, yeah, it's not going to be easy.
32:25I've changed the carburetor on it, so I just need to put the pole cord back on
32:31and try it and see if I've put it back together correctly.
32:35After some minor mechanical surgery...
32:38..Paul gets straight back to work.
32:46I think I thought the granite had me beaten for a while,
32:48but hopefully we're getting the better of it now.
32:52Certainly making progress.
32:53Once sufficient granite has been removed and the frame is big enough,
32:59the huge quarter-tonne window can begin its journey.
33:08Do you want to get it on its wheels?
33:11Mind it doesn't topple.
33:12Un, deux, trois.
33:18It's mind it doesn't fall over.
33:20We're going to have to pull the front round.
33:23Oh!
33:25We'll get the pallet truck and I'll put some timbers on it.
33:28It's a lot of money sat on here.
33:34Oh, it's wobbling.
33:41We're still at the terrifying stage.
33:43All right, let me get my head out.
33:54It's nearly there.
33:55Just tiny bits jiggling.
34:00Just needs gentle persuasion now.
34:02It's taken two days of hard graft,
34:11but the window is finally in.
34:16That was easy, that one, eh?
34:21Wow.
34:23Wow.
34:24Looks great.
34:25It looks fantastic.
34:26Wow, how much light, kind of...
34:30Oh, that looks brilliant, doesn't it?
34:31Yeah.
34:33What was once an unremarkable stone facade...
34:37..now allows the sunlight to pour in...
34:43..and a chance to appreciate the mill's extraordinary past.
34:47It's been a whirlwind, like, rollercoaster two days,
34:51but it's done.
34:54Bloody hard work, darling.
34:55I'm knackered.
34:56I know.
34:58But as they need to move into their jeet
35:00in just a few weeks' time,
35:03Donna and Paul have their work cut out
35:06for the foreseeable future.
35:09Coming up...
35:15Have Tim's chateau-scale ambitions
35:17got the better of him?
35:19We haven't got a huge amount of time,
35:23but, er, oh, well, we just work harder.
35:26The main course is over there, the starter's there.
35:29And will Belinda and Lee
35:31manage to pull off the first wedding of the year?
35:39At Chateau Domaine de la Barde,
35:47the concrete foundations for the new terrace steps are in.
35:52So, Tim and his mate Steve are going shopping.
35:57We're going to go to the quarry.
35:59We really need lots and lots and lots of slabs
36:02for the pool terrace.
36:03We're going to need them for the stone steps.
36:05We're going to need them for around the swimming pool
36:07for capping stone walls.
36:09So, we're going to get as many pallets of stone
36:11as we can get our hands on.
36:13This area of the Dockdoyne
36:15is renowned for its golden sandstone.
36:20And just ten miles away
36:21is a 60,000-square-metre quarry.
36:27It's like a kid in a sweetie shop, though,
36:29and I'm coming here.
36:30Oh, I love it.
36:32Here we are.
36:34Time to go shopping.
36:35La Carrière Vez, the Vez family quarry,
36:42was established over 50 years ago.
36:48I love it here.
36:49It's just big boys' toys.
36:51There's diggers and machinery, and it's noisy.
36:54I'd love to work here if I could.
36:55Most of the work today
36:58takes place underground,
37:00in tunnels two miles long,
37:03where massive 12-ton blocks
37:05are carved from the mountain.
37:08Now, this is absolutely brilliant, Nicola,
37:10but have you got anything smaller?
37:13Ah!
37:14Yeah, it's big for now,
37:17but with the machine,
37:18if you see on the surface,
37:21we make them smaller.
37:23Well, let's go look.
37:27Helping Tim and Steve
37:29find the perfect shape and size of stone
37:31is quarry manager Valerie.
37:35Quelque chose comme ça?
37:37Oui, c'est quoi, 6...
37:38Ça c'est 6? 6 centimètres?
37:41Oui.
37:4240, 40.
37:44That'll do it for us, won't it?
37:45Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's perfect.
37:46OK, oui, parfait.
37:47Nous, nous, nous prenons ça?
37:49Valerie is quite amazing, really.
37:52She runs all of this operation
37:53and family business as well.
37:56Um, it's great.
37:58OK.
37:58C'est bon pour nous, c'est marge.
38:00OK.
38:04We're trying to do
38:06the most sympathetic restoration
38:07we can to the property,
38:09and we want to use
38:09local, traditional materials.
38:11So if we can come in
38:13and do that
38:14and build a relationship
38:16with our local quarry,
38:18you know, this is all kind of part
38:19of living the sort of French dream, really.
38:21And, yeah,
38:21this is a really fun place to do it.
38:26As soon as the pallet's loaded,
38:28it's time to head home.
38:31I'll put this.
38:33It's probably about 800 kilos worth of stone,
38:35so it's quite a lot.
38:43À bientôt.
38:44Merci.
38:45Bonne fin de journée.
38:45Au revoir.
38:46Back at the chateau,
38:52Tim and Steve
38:54get straight down to work.
38:58We've formed all the steps up.
38:59The concrete's all set.
39:00It's gone nice and hard,
39:01so we can start building on this now.
39:09Won't be level now.
39:10No, it's good.
39:14Sandstone's lovely,
39:15but it's quite fragile.
39:17If it has a crack,
39:18you don't know that,
39:20and when you're trying to level it
39:21and hit it with a hammer,
39:22it can break in half.
39:24They're lovely and heavy,
39:25these ones, aren't they?
39:26Yes.
39:35Perfect left to do.
39:36Yes, perfect.
39:38We'll need to make sure
39:39they measure up
39:40exactly the same.
39:41Otherwise,
39:42when we put the whole staircase together,
39:44it will start to look a bit out of kilter a bit.
39:47Yeah, no, that's great.
39:48Happy with that.
39:50That's good.
39:51We can now get the walls in, built.
39:54Yep.
39:55And then,
39:57we can start dressing the stairs.
40:00Very happy.
40:02But as there are just the two of them,
40:05progress is quite slow.
40:07loads to do still.
40:10The stairs themselves
40:11are going to take an awful lot of work.
40:13Then we've got the terrace to complete,
40:15railings to put up.
40:18You know,
40:18there's a long way to go,
40:20and, you know,
40:21we need to have it finished
40:22and looking good when we open,
40:24sort of Easter time.
40:26So,
40:26yeah,
40:27we haven't got,
40:28sort of,
40:28a huge amount of time.
40:30but,
40:31uh,
40:32oh well,
40:32we just work harder.
40:34The pool terrace
40:36is an enormous project.
40:39But Tim's now in
40:40too deep
40:41to abandon it.
40:43Three hours north
40:53at Chateau Mareuil,
40:54it's the day of the wedding,
40:57and the final touches
40:58are being made
40:59to the Don John.
41:01Bride,
41:02Mrs Lewis,
41:04groom,
41:06Mr Lewis.
41:07My plate service
41:11is complete.
41:13I'm really pleased about that.
41:14That's good.
41:15And the,
41:15the room's looking good,
41:16actually.
41:17I think I might just adjust
41:18the candles
41:19because they're crooked.
41:22I'm taking some photographs
41:24of this beautiful space.
41:30Lee actually asked me out
41:32on email,
41:32which,
41:33back in those days,
41:34was actually something
41:35quite exceptional.
41:36And very exciting.
41:37I remember leaping up
41:38from my desk
41:39and telling my colleague,
41:40oh,
41:41I've been asked out
41:41on a date.
41:42Then quite coincidentally,
41:44in a local paper,
41:45there was these
41:46ten tips
41:47from mature daters
41:49and I thought,
41:49this is for me.
41:51And I read what the tips were
41:52and followed them
41:54to the letter of the law.
41:55It worked like a dream.
41:56And it worked like a dream.
41:57And here I am,
41:58happily married
42:00for the last...
42:0116 years.
42:03Yeah.
42:04No,
42:0418 years.
42:05Oh,
42:05you got it right.
42:06I was going to say 18
42:08and I thought,
42:08I better not.
42:09I better not say 18
42:10because I'll get it wrong
42:11and then I'll get admonished.
42:12You can't even remember
42:14when we got married.
42:1518 years ago.
42:16God dear.
42:18Once everything's in place,
42:21the bride
42:22makes her appearance.
42:24You've made some very important promises
42:28and vows with each other
42:30in the presence of your family
42:31and friends today
42:32and it therefore gives me
42:34the greatest pleasure
42:35to tell you that you are
42:36now husband and wife.
42:38Hooray!
42:39Hooray!
42:39Hooray!
42:42As soon as the celebrations start,
42:47Lee and Belinda's work begins.
42:50The main course is over there,
42:51the starter's there,
42:53the dessert's in the fridge.
42:55We're good to go.
42:56It's going really well so far.
43:04We've had fantastic feedback
43:06on the ambience of the room,
43:08good feedback on the food
43:09and even the sun's out
43:11and there's a blue sky
43:12so it's all looking,
43:15dare I say,
43:16fairly good
43:17and it's going well at the moment.
43:24Ooh!
43:26We're on the dessert course now.
43:30This is looking amazing.
43:31Look at this.
43:33Right, service?
43:35OK, come in.
43:39Belinda and Lee have been
43:40absolutely amazing hosts
43:42and I have married my soulmate.
43:47Yeah.
43:48There's no other way to describe it.
43:52This is a fairy tale setting.
43:54It's been a fairy tale day
43:56so we're really happy
43:57to have helped them
43:58on their life's journey.
44:01We've helped them
44:02create a really significant memory
44:05in their life
44:06and I think
44:06you can't ask for more than that,
44:09can you really?
44:11Not really, no.
44:12The wedding has been a huge success
44:15and Belinda and Lee
44:17can relax
44:19knowing everything
44:20went perfectly
44:21to plan.
44:25Next time,
44:27Tim starts to feel the pressure.
44:30We want to be a bit careful.
44:31That's 100 euros
44:32a square metre.
44:34One chateau couple clash
44:36over an ambitious
44:38kitchen project.
44:39That's an Abdel A type
44:40cupboard, isn't it?
44:41It's pretty gross.
44:44And this pair
44:45get floored
44:46with their biggest
44:47guest suite challenge yet.
44:50Why did we start this, Terry?
44:52Why are we doing this today?
44:53Why are we doing this at all?
44:55Why are we doing this at all?
45:26doing this at all?
45:27Thank you, level four.