Episode 15 Money for Nothing

You haven't got anything I can recycle, have you?

How do you make money for nothing?

Wow, look at that.

The answer could be hiding in over 20 million tonnes of household waste

thrown out by us every year.

Well, don't get rid of it too quickly.

This stuff looks amazing.

That's why entrepreneur Sarah Moore

wants to get her hands on things

before they hit the skip.

I'm a passionate maker,

buyer and user of old stuff,

and I've turned that passion into a money-making business.

I make new stuff out of old stuff, and I sell it for a profit.

And with some of the country's elite designers and makers...

-Don't know what to say.

-Did you drag it here behind a truck?

..she can transform her finds into desirable...

It's enormous.

..valuable...

Isn't that fantastic?

..and, hopefully, saleable items.

It's just given me goose bumps.

If Sarah is successful, then she can hand the profits back

to the very people who had no idea

there was cash to be made from their trash.

Thank you very much.

Marvellous.

Today, Sarah is in Surrey

at the Witley Recycling Centre

where she's on the hunt

for three items she can transform from trash to cash.

It's a tough task, but she's done it before,

and I'm sure she'll do it again.

So, how do you like them apples?

Well, I'm not too keen on the bushes and the grass trimmings,

but I know fabulous things will come in here today.

All I've got to do is get them from there before they get in there.

She's been given special permission to roam the recycling centre,

and, for her, a day at the dump is like a trip to a chic boutique.

There's nothing that could make her happier.

She's got a smile like a crocodile.

Get down here with your rubbish.

Make it snappy!

Will the junk in James's trunk keep Sarah grinning?

Stop, stop, stop.

They're all beautifully cut up.

-What's going on?

-Well, it wouldn't go in the boot in random lengths,

so I did actually cut it up all the same length.

It's new floor time, is it?

Indeed, it's going down as we speak.

How old is it? Do you know what age the house is?

1926, the house was built.

-Right.

-I've lived there 30 years.

And thought we'd have a bit of a change.

Fantastic. Well, it's my lucky day that you've done it today.

Would you mind if I took it, rather than it goes in there?

No. Where would you like me to put it?

I'll go and grab a trolley and get it loaded up.

I've had things like this before,

and I know it's just limitless. It's lovely timber.

-It's dry.

-The old stuff is normally grown longer and slower,

and it's not quite like the modern timber, so it's quality stuff.

Even though it looks like this...

-Yeah.

-It's going to be lovely.

-Super.

Sarah's not the only one smiling now.

James is happy the wood's not going to waste.

When you've finished it, I shall go, "Why didn't I think of that?"

OK, well, I'm taking that as a challenge.

-OK.

-Thanks so much.

-Lovely to meet you.

-And you.

-Bye-bye.

What does James think Sarah could make?

You could make a raft.

But I'm sure it will be more exotic than that.

I'm full of hope for it.

It will be really nice.

Well, every day, I hope that something turns up like this.

A whole trolley full of fantastic raw materials

with just heaps of potential.

I reckon there's something lovely to be made out of this lot.

Sarah knows just the fellows to help her turn potential into profit.

This is Josh, and this is his best mate Ollie.

Together, they've forged a name for themselves

as designer-makers with an eye for quirky cool.

When Sarah turns up with whatever she's managed to find at the tip,

it's like problem-solving.

So you're just faced with a problem,

and you've got to then turn that into a product,

and it's really good.

It's difficult and challenging, but it's a good process, isn't it?

Yeah. Makes us think of new ideas

that we wouldn't have otherwise thought of.

Better get your thinking caps at the ready, boys.

Sarah's got a treat for you.

Sarah's first item is in the bag, but there's still two to find.

At the tip, the trash ranges from the hefty to the humble.

Look at these in the passenger seat up here.

And it's not just the trash.

You meet all kinds of creatures here, both great and small.

Here's hoping Claire's got something great for Sarah.

Hello, hello.

-Hi, there.

-Hello.

-Is that going in there?

Well, it's going in the wooden one.

I think it's really cool. May I have a look at it?

-Is it a trolley?

-It's...

Well, it's just an old...

Yeah, it's just an old trolley...

..which I haven't got any use for any more, sadly.

It's really quite cool.

Have you had it a long time?

Golly, I grew up with it.

I remember it well, it was in the TV room when I was a child.

So, yeah, Mum and Dad have downsized,

so I've got quite a big job of sort of clearing all the clutter.

I hear that story a lot.

I hear it. Yeah. Well, I definitely like the cut of their jib.

That is such a great retro style.

Right.

This little drinks trolley is in the Danish modern style

which was very popular in the '60s and '70s.

Danish modern furniture is known for its crisp,

clean lines and quality craftsmanship.

About five years ago, people weren't quite ready

for this kind of retro look,

but now they are gathering it up as fast as they can.

I would love to take this and see if I can find a new home for it.

-Would that be OK?

-Yeah. Yeah, sooner than put it in the skip.

I would be interested to see what you could do with it, but, yeah.

Brilliant. Well, that's fantastic.

I shall, yeah, gather that up.

Thank you very much.

OK.

Is Claire happy to see Sarah toddle off with her trolley?

Well, I'm delighted that she thinks she CAN do something with it.

Glad that it won't go to waste, and it's not gone in the skip.

I was rather fond of it. I grew up with it,

so if she CAN do something with it, I would be delighted.

I think that this could be updated.

Could be painted. We can pretty much do what we like to this,

but there is money to be made here

because this retro styling is just what people are after.

Let's meet the maker Sarah's chosen for this item.

Daniel Heath has a passion for all things salvaged and sustainable.

He's an award-winning fabric and wallpaper designer

who loves adding artistic flair to bespoke furniture pieces.

I like the challenge of working with salvaged material.

You've got a material that you can give a second life to,

and it's got a history that is built into that.

And you're making it have some new character

and then putting it back out there again,

so that's extremely satisfying.

Let's hope Daniel doesn't think Sarah's off her trolley

when she shows him this.

Sarah's got dump discoveries for Josh and Ollie and Dan,

but now she needs to find an item she can work on.

Is there potential loot in Barry's boot?

Hi there. Are you dropping off anything exciting?

Well, I don't know about that. My brother used to do photo developing

years ago and dumped it in my house.

I was about to dump it here.

-Can I have a look?

-Sure.

Looks quite cool, doesn't it?

Or is it just me?

-It's just me, is it?

-For you, maybe. Not for me.

It's junk, as far as I'm concerned.

So that was nice of him to leave it with you.

How long have you had it?

-Found it in the loft.

-Right.

This is a light projector, used for enlarging photos.

It was made by Zenit,

a Russian manufacturer, who, throughout the Soviet era,

exported cameras and equipment to the UK.

They were popular due to their quality and durability.

Is that something that is, rather than throwing it away,

I could take away and have a little play with,

and see if I can develop anything with it?

You can do whatever you want.

-Really?

-And if it's no use, you can throw it away for me.

Fantastic. Well, it would be great to come back

and find you and show you if I can do something with it.

-Would that be all right?

-That would be fine, yeah.

-Thank you so much.

-Don't drop it.

Precious cargo. Have a lovely day.

Bye-bye.

Any ideas, Barry,

as to what Sarah might transform your trash into?

I have no idea.

HE LAUGHS

OK. Well, answer me this, what do you think attracted Sarah to it?

I have no idea why she would want it,

and what she's going to do with it.

All right, OK.

What about making some money?

Will Sarah be able to turn a profit from it?

I have no idea. Haven't got a clue.

Yeah, all right, let's just move on.

I love it when a little box of tricks like this turns up.

I mean, there's so many pieces in here,

and it's got some lovely industrial-looking detail to it.

Loads of different bits and pieces.

Got to be able to come up with a bright idea

about what to do with it.

Just have to see what develops.

Sarah has saved three items from the skip.

Josh and Ollie will take on the floorboards.

Daniel will work his makeover magic on the trolley.

And the photography equipment is for Sarah to transform.

Well, we've had a top day here,

and I reckon I've got some real gems out of the rubbish,

but now I've got my work cut out.

I've got to turn all of that lot into a load of hard cash.

This is Chichester in West Sussex.

It's known for its quiet country charm

and grand imposing architecture.

It's also got a vibrant music, film and arts scene.

It's home to my favourite bearded boy wonders, Josh and Ollie.

Hold on a minute. Ollie's here, but where's Josh?

Oh, right. Now, stop your showing off and get back to...

Whoa!

Did you see that?

He's so cool.

Yay!

I wonder what this dynamic duo's reaction will be

to Sarah's latest tip treasure.

Sarah always brings us something a bit random,

but we like kind of working out

how we can turn it into something desirable.

Good luck with this one.

Hi, guys.

I've been shopping at the tip.

-What do you reckon?

-Yeah.

-Looks cool.

-Yeah?

So, obviously,

you know what they are, but you've got a slight problem on the back.

-Oh...

-Isn't that horrible?

If you've been shopping, Sarah,

I hope you've kept the receipt, as these may have to go back.

On closer inspection,

the floorboards are more damaged than Sarah first thought.

And the majority are covered in tar.

The tar on the back might be a bit of an issue.

It will take a lot of time and...

Just take a bit of time to scrape off.

They are pretty smashed up,

but I think once we get past that, you know,

they've got so much character from all this black

and plaster and paint on there,

I think they'll be really nice boards

when they're finished up.

Ah, Josh, that's the positive can-do attitude that keeps us coming back.

So, what are we going to do with all of these?

I reckon maybe a dining table, or something like that.

OK.

Yeah, I can see why. I mean, there's so much material here.

There's heaps of it.

We'll make, like,

a really nice top out of it or a kind of like mosaic-y...

Yeah, kind of like a herringbone, diamond pattern kind of thing.

Yeah, some kind of, like...

-Geometric?

-..geometric parquet kind of pattern on the top.

Sounds bang-on, doesn't it?

I mean, I can see immediately

this sort of lovely chevron-y thing going on.

Yeah, to do the top, we would cut a plywood top and then...

Then arrange all of this however we want to do it and then put, like,

a lip around it so it could be as long as a board of ply.

OK, so that's a full sheet of it, that one?

2.4 metres, yeah.

That would be huge, wouldn't it?

-That would be great.

-It would be a big boy.

There's big plans being hatched here.

Sarah and the boys have agreed a budget of £1,100.

It's a hefty price tag and for it,

Sarah's demanding a high-end designer dining table

that will appeal to buyers looking for luxury.

To see what we've got here now

which is basically on the edge of unsalvageable

because of the state of it,

if you can transform it into something that, you know,

people want to touch, rub their hands all over and sit at,

then that's going to be a real achievement,

and I don't envy you trying to convert that into high-end luxury.

But good luck.

-Thank you.

-Thank you for taking it on, and I can't wait to see it.

I know it's going to be amazing.

Get to it, get to it!

That's it, boys.

She's cracking the whip.

They have got a really clear vision of what they want to create,

but they are going to have their work cut out

if they're going to transform that rubbish

into something really high-end.

It's a big job with a big price tag.

£1,100.

This parquet-floor-style dining table

will need to be spectacular

if Sarah's going to make a profit from it.

The sun is shining on East London.

Over the last decade, the East End has undergone a transformation.

Once synonymous with cockney geezers and Pearly Kings,

it's now home to young, hip and happening designers like Daniel.

Daniel thrives on a challenge,

and Sarah's brought him everything

from slabs of stone to rusty metal.

But what will he make of this trolley?

Tough to transform or easy peasy?

Sarah's on her way.

Erm... As ever, excited about what bounty she will bring to me today.

I hope it's something a little bit easy

because some of the things we've done recently have been challenging.

Hello. How you doing?

I'm really well, how are you?

I'm all right, yeah.

Check this out, then.

A little teak tea trolley.

-What do you reckon?

-Oh, yeah.

-Comes off.

-OK.

In fact, I think it's been used with that upside down

for its entire history

because it looks to me like it should go that way up...

-Oh, yeah!

-..which has now created a brand-new trolley.

There you go, Daniel, me old mate.

Easiest transformation ever!

Sorry, fella. Job's not done yet.

Do you fancy it then?

Because I thought it was quite a cool piece of design.

Yeah, this is really, really flat

and unspoiled so fairly easy to work on, hopefully.

Do you think you could print on that, Dan?

I think so.

Yeah, I think it's a good piece and I think, yeah,

we'd want to keep it functioning as it is.

I don't think it's worth changing its use, but I think, yeah,

changing the wheels cos they're really plasticky.

We could do something a bit fancier, I reckon.

So, Daniel's aiming for a bit of fancification on this one

by printing one of his original designs

onto the trolley-top surface.

Sarah thinks the retro style of the trolley is bang on trend,

and with Daniel's makeover magic, it could be a real money-maker.

So, a quick zhuzh up? Put a figure on that, then.

So, I think we could probably zhuzh it up for about 100 quid.

Great. I think that is an appropriate kind of price tag for it

because the most stylish trolley in the world...

It is what it is, isn't it?

Still going to be a trolley.

Yeah! But that sounds great.

-OK.

-Give us a shout when it's ready.

-Great, will do.

I always get excited about the prospect of a quick zhuzhing up.

But what about Daniel?

I'm really, really pleased with this.

She's brought me just a really simple piece,

and it could be a lot fresher and nicer

when it comes out of here, so that'll be good.

The plan of action is a quick and easy style upgrade for £100.

I'm not sure Daniel does quick and easy, though.

From the urban streets of Walthamstow

to the quiet countryside of Sussex.

Sarah's dropped off the floorboards and the trolley,

and now, back at home, she can get cracking with her own item...

Come on, then.

..the Russian-made photography kit.

On hand to offer assistance is Bramble.

This way.

I think this is really quite a cool thing.

I'd really like to see what it looks like together,

have a little play with it, because who knows?

It might even inspire what we do with it.

The equipment may have come from Russia,

but it's been lacking in love in recent years.

The name's Moore, Sarah Moore.

Licensed to drill!

Never seen anything like this before.

The kits were very popular in the '60s and '70s,

meaning second-hand ones can be found online

for around the £30 mark.

Sarah's hoping to up her profit margins

so what's she thinking to create with this?

A wristwatch with hidden laser beam?

An umbrella-cum-rocket launcher?

Oh, I know, I know, an attache case/jet pack.

What I'd really like to do is use some of these lovely, strong,

stylish components to make a sweet bit of lighting.

Oh, that's a bit disappointing.

So, I've actually found an old clamp

that I'm thinking might be a useful addition

to take some of these bits

and turn it into a much more delicate piece of lighting.

But I'd like to use as much of this stuff as possible.

So a light it is,

using bits and bobs from the photography equipment

and the clamp to create a table lamp.

Obviously, the jet pack would have been better, but hey ho.

It is covered in this really sticky stuff

which I think is the foam that has deteriorated from the packaging.

Really needs a clean!

That's the type of thing Bramble could be helping with.

Where's she got to?

Oh, it's a dog's life, all right.

If you're planning on upcycling an item into a lamp,

bear in mind it will need to comply with United Kingdom regulations

on electrical safety...

I think that can go in there.

..which is why Sarah will have the wiring replaced

and an on-off switch fitted by a qualified electrician.

This is a bit like a technical jigsaw puzzle

because I feel like I've got all the components here

to make something really lovely.

A simple piece of classic lighting.

It's just going to be working out

which order to put them together in...

..to make the most effective piece of lighting.

That could be it.

Sarah already had the clamp she's using as a base sitting in the shed.

She's bought a new flex, switch and bulb,

the cost of which, added to the expense of an electrician,

will give Sarah a total spend of £40.50.

That's a pretty penny.

Let's hope she can turn a profit on it.

In West Sussex at Josh and Ollie's workshop...

..the boys are getting down to business

transforming the floorboards into a grand dining table.

This piece of plywood will be the base layer

which the floorboards will be placed onto.

But first, it needs cut to size.

The lads want the table to be big, but how big?

600 per person in length...

Then, if we're doing...

How many person table are we going to make?

Well, it's going to be like a ten-seater, wasn't it?

So six... Oh.

Erm...

This length, you'd get four people either side, wouldn't you?

So it's at least an eight-seater?

Oh, no!

Oh, no, ten-seater.

-Ten... Yeah.

-Yeah.

I think we'll go for that.

Phew! I'm glad that's been decided.

Josh and Ollie's plan is to cut up the floorboards

and use them to create a geometric pattern on the table top.

They've divvied up the workload.

Josh will be in charge of cutting the timber to size

while Ollie works on the design.

We just want to do something that is a bit interesting,

and a bit different that hasn't been seen before.

The table-top design is inspired by parquet flooring.

This is an interlinked mosaic of wood

placed in a symmetrical pattern.

Ollie's adding his own twist to it.

I just like the idea of rather than just having, like,

a flat pattern like a floor,

have something a bit more interesting going on with it,

so that's why I was just including this kind of diamond shape.

With the table top cut to size,

Ollie is meticulously transferring his intricate design

onto the surface.

Any mistake with the angles will cause serious problems,

so Ollie's using a protractor to get this right.

Josh is cutting the floorboards to the required width

for Ollie's design, 100mm, using the table saw.

Hopefully, they're all going to be the same,

so when we line out our pattern on the table,

they should all, like, meet up nicely.

Hopefully?! Should?!

I'm getting a bit worried here, Josh.

So I've worked out the design.

Oh, yeah, nice. That looks really cool.

So, I guess we get started with these ones, then?

Yeah.

Hmm... That's annoying.

I've measured 10mm, 100mm on the straight and not on the...

..on there.

We're slightly off.

Uh-oh!

Ollie's made a mistake on his angle measurements,

meaning the space for the floorboards

is just a teeny, tiny bit narrow.

Oh, Ollie. It happens to the best of us.

OK... Are they all like that?

Yeah.

That's OK. Just have to...

..draw it out again.

You're going to need a bigger rubber than that, Ollie.

At Daniel's workshop in East London,

he's busy dismantling Sarah's tip-treasure trolley.

They agreed that all this little number needed

was a quick zhuzhing up.

It's just not glamorous enough.

This little trolley

needs to be like a little jewel.

Daniel's plan to add a little glam

is to screen print one of his own designs onto the trolley top.

In order to achieve a good-quality print, though,

it needs to be perfectly flat.

Because I want to print on this surface,

I'm going to see if I can tap these edges off

without damaging the piece.

Daniel's doing this job on a tight budget.

He wants it quick and easy,

so he better be careful not to damage the...

Oh, Daniel.

Not a big problem...

..provided this front edge comes off in one piece.

I can then glue it back together, sand it down and restore it.

This will require a firm, yet delicate touch.

-First time!

-That was good.

To prime the surface for the print,

Daniel is sanding off the varnish to expose the grain of the wood.

It's coming up really, really nicely.

So nicely, in fact,

that Daniel has decided to sand down all the parts of the trolley

so that he can apply a new stain to it.

This zhuzhing up doesn't seem to be so quick after all.

I'm using quite a traditional wood finish.

It just brings out the grain, protects it as well,

gives it that really, really kind of rich finish to the wood.

Daniel is using Danish oil to protect and colour the wood.

This method will require multiple coats to achieve the desired finish.

It seems Daniel just doesn't do quick and easy.

Time now for the jewel in the crown - Daniel's print.

He's hoping this will give the trolley

the glamour it's crying out for.

I'm hoping... I'm hoping it will take well to the wood.

I've sanded the wood, so it's ready to take the ink.

I think, when you're working with salvage,

you're always going to get some element of unpredictability.

Don't worry. If it goes wrong, you can always wait for it to dry,

sand it down and try again.

Quick and easy, eh, Daniel?

It's all go, go, go with our artisans,

but has Sarah got to grips with

her photography-kit-to-table-lamp transformation?

Well, I think that's basically what I need to go for.

I think I've harnessed the style and know what I'm aiming at.

I think we could be onto something.

Does Sarah still have that golden touch?

Will we be shaken and stirred by her table lamp?

Let's find out.

Here it is, for your eyes only.

It's a classic piece of Sarah's styling,

mixing parts of the photography kit

with the freestanding clamp

to create an industrial chic retro table lamp.

It has a modern, urban look with a touch of vintage va-va-voom.

Sarah employed a qualified electrician

to change the cable flex and add an on-off switch,

making sure it was certified safe to sell.

Some people say you only live once.

In the case of this Russian photo kit,

perhaps you only live twice is more apt.

Well, that is definitely from Russia with love now.

I've added a silk-covered flex,

a nice Russian-looking in-line switch,

and I think all together,

it kind of works.

Barry was about to sling his brother's old photography equipment

in the skip before Sarah stepped in.

My brother used to do photo developing years ago,

and dumped it in my house. I was about to dump it here.

It was saved just in the nick of time.

Wheeler-dealer that she is,

Sarah sold it to London-based antique shop Joseph Berry Interiors

in Surbiton.

Now, Sarah is in Godalming, but is there a profit for Barry?

-Hello, there.

-Hello, Sarah.

-How you doing?

-Not so bad, you?

-Yeah, very well.

Nice to see you. So, when I saw you at the recycling centre,

you were throwing out... It wasn't your camera kit.

It was the developing kit or some such.

-I don't know what it was.

-It had a really strong industrial look to it.

I was trying to think of something to make out of it

that would be a money-maker.

I thought, "Brutal, Russian, let's go lighting."

So, here's how it ended up.

-What do you think?

-That's good.

Not what I expected, but very good.

Because of the way it worked,

it already had a lamp and the fitting in it,

so it was a quick and easy conversion

to make a fun bit of lighting.

And I've got a little bit of profit too.

I've got...

£4.50 there and another 30 quid there to go with it.

-Good grief!

-So, £34.50...

-Well done.

-..for your old camera kit.

Excellent result. Thank you very much.

-Is that a surprise?

-Absolute shock!

It was for me as well,

because I looked at it and I thought, "It's Russian,

"it's industrial, how am I going to make it into something beautiful?"

But actually, it sort of came together.

What might you do with £34.50?

Well... My brother's the nominal owner, or was.

His son goes to university next year, so I was thinking...

They probably don't use textbooks these days,

but I suspect it will be absorbed into his running costs.

-Fantastic. Thank you so much.

-Thanks very much, Sarah.

OK, I hope he finds a use for that.

-I'm sure he will.

-Not in the bar!

-Thanks a lot.

-Thanks so much, Sarah.

Sarah spent £40.50 creating the lamp.

She sold it for 75 quid,

giving Barry £34.50

which his uni-student nephew can spend on a round of drinks.

Sorry, I mean pencils, pens and ring binders.

Sarah's back at Josh and Ollie's workshop in West Sussex

to see if they have risen to her challenge

to create a spectacular designer dining table.

I've come to see Josh and Ollie and to find out if that pile of broken,

battered old floorboards really does have any potential at all.

I left them with a huge budget and so much work to do.

Let's hope they pulled it off.

For decades, these floorboards have been stood on and stamped upon.

Now...

It's their time to shine.

Josh and Ollie have come up trumps yet again.

The design hints at traditional parquet flooring of the past,

while feeling fresh and funky.

The floorboards have been finished with a clear varnish

which highlights the natural patina of the wood.

The legs have been made with reclaimed pine

and given a charred finish

which creates a smooth, matte black colour.

This brings out the grain and protects the wood.

Sarah wanted spectacular, and I think she's got it.

But let's find out from the boss herself.

-Hello.

-Hello.

Hey!

-How are you?

-Yeah, good.

-You all right?

-I can tell why you're good.

Oh, that's such a relief.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

-What were you expecting?

Well, I left you with those floorboards

so I wasn't expecting...

I was expecting something tricky.

I think I thought it would be sort of rougher and less...

..geometrically beautiful.

It looks like it must have taken ages.

It did take a while, the top.

-Yeah.

-For sure, yeah.

I absolutely love the finish because you haven't overworked it, have you?

Once we nailed them down, then we gave it, like,

a little wire brushing,

but, yeah, we just really wanted to keep that original, like,

patina that was left on there because it's so nice.

I think that, because of that,

it will go into all sorts of different houses.

If it was highly polished,

there'd be people who have antique furniture

who couldn't have something like this in their house

cos it would really stand out

and that's quite cool for selling.

Yeah, yeah.

And size-wise, people will be able to do good, family dining,

loads of stuff in the middle.

I mean, have you thought how many people will actually sit at this?

-Well...

-Yeah.

Oh, no, let's not start this again, please!

-Eight to ten?

-Yeah.

I mean, ten at a real squeeze, I think.

-Yeah.

-But probably comfortably, eight.

Yeah, if you wanted,

you could get quite a few people round it, I think.

Quite a few.

That'll do for me.

One number everyone agreed upon was the budget.

This was a big job with a budget to match, £1,100.

The boys have hit it bang on.

I have high hopes this will be into a family home, you know,

really quickly because I've never seen anything like it.

-Cool.

-Well, good.

It's a one-of-a-kind masterpiece from Josh and Ollie.

Well, I think that is a lovely piece of design.

They have managed so much with just a pile of floorboards.

That can go into a bar, into a restaurant,

or a great addition to a family home.

That is a cracker.

The old floorboards belonged to James,

and all he could think to do with them

was sling them in the skip.

So, he was happy to hand them over to Sarah.

I'm full of hope for it.

It will be really nice.

I don't think you're going to be disappointed, James.

Sarah invited Amanda to view the table.

She's from vintage and antique boutique

Allinson Duke in County Durham.

Really, really beautiful.

-Wow!

-Amanda was impressed.

But in order to make a profit,

Sarah had to sell it for over £1,100.

Now she's in Surrey to show James what became of his floorboards,

and, perhaps, hand over some cash.

-Hello, James.

-Hello.

-How you doing?

-Nice to see you.

-Yeah, and you.

-It's a while.

It has been a while. So, have your renovations finished?

-Because this is the house, wasn't it?

-We're done, yes.

My new floor is down.

-Lovely.

-And the old floor is gone.

Well, it has gone, but it's not been forgotten.

-Ah, that's nice.

-I took them to some really cool guys.

They're called Josh and Ollie,

and they love old stuff and making it into new stuff,

and so I've got some pictures here

to show you what happened to your floorboards. Are you ready?

I am. Go on.

I love this, and I'm really excited.

HE LAUGHS

Here is a table made out of your floorboards.

Oh, I say!

-Isn't that brilliant?

-Josh and Ollie spent a very long time

making beautiful parquet out of them

to surface the table, and they kept all of that lovely black stain

that was on it originally.

Yeah, that's brilliant. Well done.

I have to say, I stuck my neck out on this one.

-Did you?

-And I invested quite a bit of money.

-OK.

-In fact, it was £1,100...

-OK.

-..for them to make a table like that,

so it's quite difficult to make a profit on that.

But I'm delighted to say we did manage to sell it.

It's going all the way to County Durham to a shop.

-Is it?

-And I have got £200 here for you for your old floorboards.

Well, it's hardly a trifle, then!

That's super. Well, I'm pleasantly surprised.

200 quid falls in your lap.

-What are you going to do with that?

-I was thinking about a rug...

-Fantastic.

-..and we can probably buy a very nice one for that.

Well, I would be so pleased to think that something like that

is going on with that money and it's right back where it should be.

That would be great. Thank you very much.

Total pleasure. Lovely to see you again.

-Thank you. Nice to see you.

-Bye-bye.

-Bye-bye.

Sarah spent a whopping £1,100 on the dining table,

but sold it for an even whoppinger 1,300,

giving James £200 that he'll spend on a new rug.

In East London,

Daniel is about to reveal the outcome

of his quick zhuzhing up to Sarah.

Well, I'm here to pick up my Danish drinks trolley

and find out if Dan's £100 face-lift has made it really sing.

This trolley was a stylish little number that had seen better days.

Those better days are back again.

And they are better than ever.

Daniel's screen printed an Art Deco design

inspired by the bright lights of the Big Apple.

His plan was to add a little glam

and make this rough diamond sparkle again.

The sheen of the Danish oil finish is silky smooth.

From tip to toe,

this trolley has never looked so good,

and I'm in no doubt Sarah will agree.

-Hey, Dan.

-Hello.

-How you doing?

-Yeah, good to see you.

Oh, Dan!

How cool's that? It's so fresh.

It looks...

It actually looks like it is something brand-new

that's just come out of a design house, doesn't it?

Well, yeah, I mean, it was in very good condition.

It just needed a sanding so, yeah, we were quite lucky there.

Oh, Daniel, don't be so humble.

You've done great work.

I'll big you up if you don't do it yourself.

Where does all the design come from?

The influence for this was New York skyscrapers and architecture,

so it's quite blocky,

there's some nice sort of detail elements

and just a nice combination of shapes.

I'm surprised how crisply it's printed onto here,

because it is wood.

You know, I'd expect it not to be quite so defined,

but that is a very sharp finish to it.

Did you manage to bring it in on budget?

Yeah, actually, it was OK.

I mean, the furniture piece was in good condition.

The only real cost was replacing the wheels

because we wanted to have that little bit of brass detailing.

Well, I think it's beautiful.

It's just sharp and fresh, and I love it.

Please can you wrap it up carefully for me?

-Yes. Absolutely.

-And I will get that collected

and off to a new home very soon.

-Wonderful.

-Thank you so much.

-Thank you, Sarah.

Well, sometimes the simple transformations

are the most effective.

Dan has given it a lovely clean new design,

and that trolley is now a fine interiors piece.

Claire was about to toss the trolley in the trash before Sarah saved it.

I grew up with it so if she can do something with it,

I would be delighted.

Well, Claire, prepare to be delighted.

Pictures were posted online and the trolley sold to a private buyer.

Sarah is at Claire's home to tell her what became of the trolley.

-Hi there.

-Hello, good morning.

-How are you, Claire?

-I'm very well, thank you.

-Yeah. Yeah.

-I said I'd come back and find you

if there was something to be done with your trolley.

Now, tell me, it was your parents' trolley, wasn't it?

It was, yes, yes,

and we were down in Wales where I was brought up,

and that old trolley just sat in our TV room,

and I remember it from my childhood.

We loved its retro style.

It had such a strong look.

It looked like it was sort of 1960s when it was bought or designed,

so we thought that it was worth going to town on it

and making it look lovely.

So I took it up to Walthamstow

to a lovely surface-pattern designer called Dan,

and I've got some pictures to show you of what he did with it.

-OK.

-Here is your trolley after a makeover.

Oh, my goodness!

Goodness, that is so original.

He has screen-printed an original design on the top of it.

And polished it up to bring all that lovely teak right back

to where it would have been when it was made,

and popped some new casters on the bottom.

-Yes.

-What do you think?

-I think it's super.

-Absolutely lovely.

-It was actually something that was snapped up

-as soon as he'd done it.

-Good.

So it's sold already?

It's sold and it's gone on to a new home,

and I've got some profit here as well.

I've got £50 here as a little present for your trolley makeover.

Oh, thank you very much.

That's super.

Well, it was a great thing to work on,

so what might you do with a £50 windfall?

Well, it was my parents' trolley,

and they are only a few miles from here, and I asked them,

and one of the things that was close to their hearts

was the Army Benevolent Fund, so I'd like it to go to that.

Yeah. Fantastic.

-Lovely to see you.

-And you.

Thank you very much. Bye.

Bye.

Sarah spent £100 revamping the trolley.

It was sold for £150, giving Claire £50 to donate to charity.

With a little help from her friends,

Sarah has transformed three skip-bound items

into a pocketful of profit.

That's what I call a job well done.

Well, Dan and the Forge boys proved that my tip finds

have real money-making potential.

They transformed items that were on the brink of being turfed

and made them into amazing, bespoke pieces.