Episode 13 Building Dream Homes

Across the nation, architects are transforming the homes we live in.

One day I'm going to live in a house like this

and not just do it for others.

We're following some of those leading the way in groundbreaking design.

Their jaw would drop if they saw that.

I can't believe it.

We'll be with them every step of the way as they battle with

builders, blueprints and the clients who hire them.

You've got a very strange understanding of the word "today."

Whoa, whoa, whoa!

That's not good.

-It's like working with the Chuckle Brothers.

-Ho!

We're with them as they draw on their seven years of training to solve everyday problems.

Quick word in his ear, make sure there's no more mishaps.

He's come in on an angle and ripped up the road,

but he's now ripped his exhaust pipe off.

Oh, man!

I've said many prayers.

That's amazing!

That's a pretty incredible difference, isn't it?

The fixings alone cost 17 grand.

All in the name of making the properties we dream of a reality.

Today, architect Bobby Halliday is in a race against time

to finish his farmsteading conversion.

One house has to be completely redesigned.

We had to relocate the bedrooms to the other side of the house.

While there is trouble at the top with another.

It just gives the joiners some problems.

One of the structural pieces of the scaffolding, it's just catching on.

And architect Carolyn faces some tough opposition

from the planning department.

-I think we need fewer roof lights.

-OK.

-I think they need to be reduced in size, as well.

-Sure.

Susan Irwin lives in a beautiful cottage in the conservation area of Currie,

a village six miles from Edinburgh.

She and her family wanted a bigger home

but didn't want to leave the place they love,

so when the dilapidated cottage next door came on the market,

she snapped it up.

Right, so this is Cobweb Cottage, actually.

She has grand plans for the very small cottage.

So this is going to, hopefully, be a utility room

and a bedroom here,

and then this is going to be a big lounge space.

We're going to put a wood burning stove in here,

which would be lovely,

and then double doors through in that back bit.

It's a long time since the cottage was anyone's home.

For the last 40 years it's been a workshop.

Up here was where they did the silversmithery,

and then downstairs they did stone polishing.

Susan has commissioned architect Chris Dinnis

and practice partner Carolyn Whiteford to do some initial drawings.

They specialise in working on conservation properties.

And what we've done is taken this space and completely cleared it out

and the point, we felt, was to be able to use the loft space upstairs.

Susan and her family want to make the old silversmiths

part of their existing home.

By knocking through the adjoining wall, it will give them a new

sitting room, two more bedrooms, one with en-suite and a bathroom.

Their budget for the work is £90,000,

which includes Chris and Carolyn's fees,

and their first job is to get it through planning.

Architects are crucial in the planning stage of a development,

both in realising the full potential of a building

and ensuring it goes through planning smoothly,

especially when, like here, it's in a conservation area.

But Susan has enlisted someone else to help with the project.

Hello!

Her father Bill helped convert her existing cottage,

and he's keen to get involved with the new one, too.

-How are you?

-Well.

Are you? Good. Come on in.

Today, architects Chris and Carolyn have come to the cottage

to discuss the plans with client Susan and her dad.

-Hello.

-This is my dad.

-Pleased to meet you. I'm Chris.

-I'm deaf.

-You're deaf. All right, just like me!

And Bill has been very busy.

Wonderful.

-My dad has made a scale model of Cobweb Cottage.

-Wow!

When I got your first drawing, I couldn't see the staircase.

I thought, "Well, the only way I can do it is to make a staircase."

To visualise, and then it grew.

Big mistake!

Dad had had this thought this is going to be a pull-down bed here.

-Ah, right, right. Yes.

-I don't know what your thoughts are.

Well, the only thing we would have to raise is to do, erm,

-with building regulations and space around the bed.

-Right.

Because that has to take the size of the bed to the room.

I'd thought about the front door.

I quite like the idea of it being a window instead of a door,

which you have in your picture.

Dad was more keen on it being a door, but just on the outside,

and just having windows up at the top.

Right, well, you can do that, that's perfectly permissible.

-It preserves...

-It preserves the composition of the original house.

Yes, yes.

Because the cottage is in a conservation area,

all these ideas will have to go through a rigorous planning process.

They'll also have to apply for a "change of use"

to bring it back to residential housing.

Once it goes to planning permission, is that it?

It's got to be completely set in stone?

The whole planning is a difficult one.

In our feasibility study we'll do a run-through with them

just to see whether they highlight anything.

Thank you very much.

The next stage is for Chris and Carolyn to draw up a new set of plans.

I think we're there.

We just need to make a few wee changes.

But they also need to consider their clients' motivations.

We had this discussion with the client before

that it was really an extension to their own house

and it would be for kids to use,

but, from what we saw today, maybe Bill had other ideas.

He'd designed his own kitchen, fold-away bed

and living space - everything!

We'll do our next plan and, hopefully, it'll get the thumbs up from both Susan and Bill.

Just when it looks like everyone's opinions have been considered,

the planning officer steps in with views of his own.

-I think we need fewer roof lights.

-OK.

-And reduced in size, as well.

-Sure.

In Stirlingshire, award winning architect Bobby Halliday. is a man with big ideas

This isn't my real pencil, by the way,

this is a magic pencil!

He has a reputation for transforming old buildings

into slick, contemporary homes.

His latest development took a group of old farm buildings

and redeveloped them into ten residential properties.

The project here is to renovate, where possible,

but, in actual fact, all of the steading has had to be demolished.

Bobby drew up plans for ten dwellings,

ranging from a two-bed steading to a large farmhouse,

and convinced an investment company to come on board.

They paid the £2.4 million land and construction costs.

The properties will sell for between £165,000 and £600,000 each.

All the houses are due to be finished within 18 months

and Bobby has already moved some people in.

-Come on, guys, let's celebrate!

-Excellent.

-You're welcome.

-Thank you, Bobby.

-That's great.

-Thank you!

-And this is for you.

-Oh...

Here you are. OK.

Nearly all the houses have been sold off plan, giving Bobby

the opportunity to design a bespoke interior for each client.

But plot 7 still doesn't have a buyer and, with the project close to completion,

time is running out.

When there's no client, really you just have to try

and design it for a hypothetical client.

And Bobby is more than happy to assume that role.

If you stick to nice neutral colours, nice oak flooring,

don't go too light, don't go too dark,

then, again, the vast majority of buyers who are out there

hopefully come and say, "Yeah, this looks like a really nice, attractive house."

Luckily, Bobby's never short of ideas.

I think it might be nice to have a nice internal stone wall.

Introduce some sort of fireplace/TV feature,

and probably have a nice curved breakfast bar here.

From an architect, my own interior style is just coolness.

We're off!

Right...

Back in the office, Bobby needs to put his ideas for plot 7 onto paper.

Most clients we have are asking for some sort of room divider

with a fire in it.

I don't really want to put a fire in this, so what I think I'll do

is maybe even make it just a big sheet of glass.

If you can see this effect in this door here,

there's a projector behind the door.

If I could use this as a room divider

and the TV was actually ceiling-mounted and projected

the TV picture on the glass,

then you could see the TV picture from both sides.

A radical idea from Bobby.

But before he gets carried away with plot 7's interior,

he needs to tend to more essential matters like its roof.

A truss is basically a mechanism for covering a house.

Things seem to go to plan...

until the end truss is lowered.

The overhang of the roof is causing problems.

One of the structural pieces of the scaffolding, it's called a hop up,

that's just catching on itself, it should be OK.

That's it. How long have we got to go?

At the bottom we've got... That's it on, so that's a job well done.

And once the frame's in place, the slates can be fitted, too.

A house that was on paper just eight weeks ago

is starting to resemble a home at last.

With the roof on, the rest of plot 7 starts taking shape,

but Bobby has to drive the build forward.

It might not have a buyer but he still needs to get this house finished on time

or he risks the whole development overrunning, meaning additional costs.

OK, so you were due to be here at about half past nine,

you'll be here at about quarter to ten, yeah?

With tight client moving dates and construction costs

set at £2 million...

These guys are looking to be a wee bit struggling in there.

.. overrunning is something he can't afford to do.

Are you OK? Have you got stuff to do?

Right. Can you give this guy something to do?

Just the usual, a couple of nice down lights in the ceiling,

extractor, a nice wall light on the stair.

-Core cut a hole in the concrete and put it there.

-Right.

-OK.

Four months after the construction of plot 7 started,

it's time for the screed to be poured.

The underfloor heating pipes have already been installed.

Over 500 gallons of self-levelling screed are going to be

pumped into the house - it's a big operation.

When the screed is poured in then this just, basically, becomes

a bath of running, flowing, liquid screed,

and it's actually a pretty exciting operation to get done.

The team are raring to go.

This is actually a good time to have a cup of coffee!

And Bobby's keen to push on, but the lorry carrying the screed has lost its way.

He's at the other side of the road. We can physically see him.

We need somebody to tell him where he needs to go.

Bobby can't afford to lose any more time

and takes matters into his own hands.

There's always something, and it's always raining

when something happens!

There he is. He obviously never saw the sign at the end of the road.

We flashed the lights, he's spotted us, and that's us back in business.

Within minutes, the screed can be laid.

Screed is a thin layer of cement used to create a smooth floor space

upon which other finishes can be added.

When pouring it, millimetre accuracy is required.

These guys are working to very precise levels.

We've calculated that the screed should be around

65 millimetres thick.

If these guys make it 75, which really is only 10ml,

then this screed it going to take an extra ten days to dry.

And time is money. The sooner the screed dries,

the sooner the contractors can glue down the hardwood floor

and move the house onto completion.

It's almost done and the underfloor heating pipes

will be covered for ever.

The pipes may be covered,

but it'll be three weeks before the house can be worked on again.

It's a race again time for Bobby to finish the development on schedule

and, even if he does, he still needs to find a buyer for plot 7.

In Currie, near Edinburgh, architects Chris and Carolyn

are trying to gain planning permission

and change of use for an old silversmiths.

Another building they designed and gained change of use for

is an old artist studio near Edinburgh.

There was originally an artist's studio which got burnt down.

I was asked by the then owner

if I could get planning permission to reinstate it.

We had to build a new road to get to it.

Also the water board didn't have any water, so we had to build

a pump house here to pump the water up to the tank in the house.

It's been 15 months since Carolyn

and Chris have been back to the property.

Like Susan's silversmiths, the studio was in a rundown state

-when it was first purchased...

-Very nice. It does look good.

..and required a complete overhaul and a change of use

to meet the client's brief.

We've got this living area with the spiral staircase

going up to the bedroom.

A circular window to the south, so it gets some morning sun.

That caused quite a lot of effort, to be honest,

it had to be specially made, specially cut, and in fact,

I think it was one of the last things to be fitted, wasn't it?

It was, "Where's the window, where's the window?"

But it was all there, and there it is.

It's nice to see the open plan space used so it can be adaptable.

Just furniture makes it a nice place to live.

The location of the studio brought its own challenges.

It's basically timber, and they manufactured

a lot of it down where the Land Rover is presently parked.

They had a wee production place and they made up all the frames

and then brought them up here.

There was quite a whole industry went on when this house was built.

The nature of the build inevitably added to the final budget.

The original tender cost was maybe sort of £220,000 and it may be ended

up being £280,000 at the end of the day.

It became justifiable in terms of what it would cost to buy

a house of any kind in Edinburgh, or in the vicinity,

and this price, actually, was very good value for money.

This site is completely unique,

so, in a way, it wasn't completely over the odds.

Back in Currie, architect, Carolyn, is on her way

to the silversmith cottage for a site meeting with the

planning officer to talk through their proposals.

Because planning takes such a long time to be approved,

if you've submitted something that the planners aren't going to

be happy with, then it just adds on so much

time for the client for reaching that point where

they can actually start to think about building.

We quite like to pre-empt that and discuss things with the planners,

have an open conversation, so that we're all aware

of what the issues are and we can resolve them before we've spent

too much time or we've waited too long.

Planning Officer, Michael, has already arrived

and had a good look around.

This particular part of Currie, which is a historic part

with a lot of old buildings, is a designated conservation area

and that means there are a whole range of special controls

that the council has over development.

Even a minor alteration to a house in a conservation area

will require approval from the planning authority.

The building isn't listed,

so there's no question about internal alternations

needing planning approval, but the external alterations, because we're

in the Currie conservation area, they require formal consent.

Carolyn knows there's one aspect of her design the planners might

take particular issue with.

Some of the concerns are to do with the size of roof lights.

We've got quite large roof lights,

and part of that is practical for escape purposes.

We need to have a window that can be escaped out of from the bedroom,

and also we just want to get as much light in there as possible.

Two main things, really, is the impact of your external

alterations on the character and appearance of the conservation area,

and the impact on the character of any or the setting of any surrounding

listed buildings, as well.

From looking at the informal drawings,

I don't think that there's likely to be an impact on the setting

of listed buildings at all, but what we need to do is have a look to make

sure that any external alterations are done sympathetically,

-bearing in mind the character of the other conservation area.

-Yes, yeah.

We'll take you upstairs just to see. If we can all fit up there!

You'll see by upstairs why it's called Cobweb Cottage, actually.

Do I need a hard hat?

I think part of the larger roof lights, excuse me,

is to be able to escape.

We need to have at least one as an escape window.

That's something I need to chat to you about, the size of the

roof lights, actually, and also their positioning on the roof.

I think we need fewer roof lights and they need to be reduced

-in size, as well.

-Sure.

Obviously, they need to be a conservation type, as well, and

I'm aware that some of the other ones along here are conservation type.

-The existing ones.

-Two wrongs don't make a right,

so we'd like to see conservation type roof lights on that.

Outside, there's a useful discovery. Next door has roof lights already.

I think I would really like to see something that matches that

-line of roof lights.

-That height, right.

That height.

There's two arguments here. One is, do we continue that same

size across just to give it a little bit of symmetry?

Or given that this is a separate building,

with a slightly different character set-up,

because it's set up and set back, do we want to see smaller roof lights?

I'm simply asking myself the question, rather than anything else.

I guess if we had a conservation roof light, you know with

the glazing bar, it might diminish, you know, they may not look so bold.

I think that's...

I think from our point of view, we'd like them as big as possible.

It would be hard for me to argue that that size of roof light

wasn't appropriate, given that that's what's there already.

-Great.

-It's only because we're on a public viewpoint here.

If this had been a private space, I think we'd be a little bit

less concerned about it, and as people can walk past

and see it, I think it's important that that's addressed.

Mm-hm.

The meeting's gone well and Susan gives the go-ahead for Carolyn

to draw up and submit formal plans.

They bought the cottage over a year ago.

10 months later, they brought Chris and Carolyn on board.

Four months ago, they submitted their plans.

Finally, the decision is in from the planning department

and Chris is en-route to deliver the news.

I have the pleasure of being able to announce today

a special award for planning permission!

Brilliant! Aww, that is great! Wow.

-So did it pass all right?

-We got it all through.

-All the bits and pieces as you wanted.

-Fantastic.

I think that's the biggest hurdle of all, is the planning.

-Yes.

-We're down to reality and practicality now,

and your father will no doubt be able to help much more now,

because he won't have to worry about the politics any more.

Yes, exactly. Aw, that is brilliant news, actually.

So, here we are in the early spring of 2014,

-the whole world ahead of us!

-I know! It's good, yeah.

It's now full steam ahead for Chris

and Carolyn in their quest to breathe new life into this

former silversmith's and create the home of Susan's dreams.

In Stirlingshire,

the work on architect Bobby's development

is nearing completion, but there's still one thorn in his side, plot 7.

The concrete screed floor has dried, but it's three weeks later

and the house has still not sold.

Bobby needs to finish the project, so has decided to fit

the kitchen to his own specification.

It's a big risk. Every other house on-site has been designed

to suit the buyer's lifestyle.

With that now not an option on plot 7, he has to get it right.

But Bobby is bullish.

I am seriously confident that when those items...

when that kitchen gets fitted in that house,

someone will come along, the garden will be looking good,

the driveway will be finished, the house will sell no problems.

Elsewhere on the site,

Bobby has worked with the clients to make each house unique.

One of the first properties to be finished required

some special attention.

Former paralympian, Mhairi Love, suffered a serious spinal injury

at the age of 12 that left her paralysed from the waist down.

Whilst her home needed tweaks to make it more accessible,

she didn't want to compromise on style.

The brief that Bobby was given was just to try

and create as much space as possible for me.

The key things were just accessibility, really,

making sure that the kitchen was accessible.

As it's always been my dream to do it, I was happy to wait

and get the end result I was looking for.

I hope it is home for ever now.

I certainly don't intend to move again.

Just next door to Mhairi,

another house is being tailored to suit the needs of its car-mad buyers

who sacrificed a bedroom for a bigger garage.

I love cars, absolutely love them!

That is his passion. His first word was car.

Like Mhairi, Sandy and Elizabeth Farquarson spent a lot of time

working with Bobby on what they wanted from their new home.

As we can see on the plan, there were a number of items that

the client specifically asked for, which was a fitted out garage,

they wanted to reduce a three bedroom house to a two bedroom house.

Sandy and Elizabeth are spending £405,000 on their new

two bedroom house.

Sandy's love of cars has dramatically changed the layout.

For Bobby, that means compromises have been made.

This, originally, was partly a bedroom facing the Stirling Castle,

so we had to relocate the bedrooms to the other side of the house.

So, when it's finished, when the granite floor is down,

this will be one plush garage!

In order to keep the car-mad Farquarsons and the rest

of his clients happy, Bobby has yet another problem to deal with.

The access road into the site was already a real mess, but months of

being pounded by laden lorries and heavy machinery has taken its toll.

With clients moving in all the time, and some with very expensive cars,

it's a problem he needs to address quickly.

I see Mrs Farquarson's car, which is just looking absolutely spotless.

I'm going to have to speak to the contractor and ask them

to tidy up this road, because the road is covered in mud.

Bobby is about to get that sorted.

Ah, this is a real big adventure today.

You know, I've really felt bad that the residents have had to drive in

and out the mud and some residents are very, very proud of their cars.

Today will be the end of that lumpy, bumpy pot-hole road.

This is just one of those great steps forward,

coming to the end of the site.

Mr and Mrs Farquarson will be over the moon!

The road is completed in just two days.

It's a step closer to completion for Bobby.

18 months ago, Bobby took on an ambitious

redevelopment of a derelict farm steading.

This is Wednesday morning.

Do you think you'll be out of here by Friday?

-No?

-No.

He's had to contend with freezing winter weather...

Whoa! There you go.

-..issues with building inspectors...

-If I can't get it done tomorrow,

the house won't get a completion certificate?

Well, we can't issue the completion until that's done.

And a house that just won't sell...

I have no idea why it's not sold - I have no idea.

Throughout the project, his clients have been

moving into their new bespoke homes.

The ramshackle old farm buildings have been demolished.

In their place, a pristine development

of ten stylish new properties.

What was a busy building site is fast becoming a community.

Bobby is back to check on his clients.

Now fully moved in, the Farquarsons have

a bespoke two bedroom, two bathroom home with the all-important

two car garage.

This is a five-star hotel suite you've got here, seriously!

It's fabulous. It's fabulous.

Oh, yeah!

But they're not the only ones delighted with their dream home.

Newly weds Brendan and Rosella

moved across the world to their new home in Stirlingshire.

Their kitchen caused dramas...

Yesterday, this was built. It was looking fantastic.

Unfortunately, there's an issue.

-..but is now an oasis of calm.

-I think it looks great.

-Aye, we're pleased.

-I think it looks great, yeah.

I know that we moved the kitchen and the island unit back.

-It gives us a wee bit more space.

-You needed it moved back, yeah.

-Aye, we're pleased.

-I think it looks great, yeah.

A big feature here, the big curved wall feature.

I think it's looking great.

Now, all you need is just a projector on there

and you can have full size movies on that wall.

That's really good.

The only remaining loose end for Bobby is the last

unsold property - plot 7.

He's worked tirelessly to get it finished

within the site's 18 month deadline, and he's done it.

Because this house hadn't been sold when we started construction,

then I was given more or less a free rein to put in

some personal choice elements.

The kitchen and modern contemporary dining area have been styled

to Bobby's vision, coming in at a cool £25,000.

I have no idea why it's not sold.

It's at the end of the access road, there's no traffic passes it,

it looks incredible.

It has a fabulous outlook over towards Stirling Castle.

I have no idea.

But then, some great news for Bobby. Someone wants to buy it.

Subject to planning permission on adding a new garage,

the house has finally been sold.

And, even better for Bobby, the asking price

of £375,000 has been met.

After two and a half years of planning and construction,

it's great news.

As the new neighbours get to know each other, it gives Bobby

an opportunity to reflect on another successful project.

I'm ecstatically happy, yeah.

The place looks great and the feedback I'm getting

from the residents is that they're really happy.

Each of the houses has just a little piece of magic,

whether it's a raised tie or open plan living,

but everybody is really happy with the development.

Next time on Building Dream Homes...

Architect David Blaikie gets to grips with a tricky house extension...

He's destroying my house.

..and a DIY dad.

And a bespoke mobile home turns out to be less mobile

than anticipated.

Oh, gosh, it's sliding all over the place!