0:00:02 > 0:00:04- Ambitious ideas...- You want four bedrooms, don't you?
0:00:04 > 0:00:05- Yeah, just four.- I want six.
0:00:05 > 0:00:07..the tightest of budgets...
0:00:07 > 0:00:09Basically we've got about ten grand left.
0:00:09 > 0:00:11..and a need for inspiration...
0:00:11 > 0:00:14I've not seen anything like this before.
0:00:14 > 0:00:18..united each of the six projects Piers Taylor and I, Kieran Long,
0:00:18 > 0:00:21followed on The House That £100k Built.
0:00:21 > 0:00:22We're building walls!
0:00:22 > 0:00:25Our self-builders created amazing houses
0:00:25 > 0:00:27but they weren't yet finished homes.
0:00:27 > 0:00:31Currently the area outside looks a bit like a bombsite.
0:00:31 > 0:00:35So now Piers is making a final visit to tackle the remaining challenges.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38And if that was sprayed-up, it would be perfect.
0:00:40 > 0:00:41With money tighter than ever,
0:00:41 > 0:00:45this time he'll need even more inventive solutions...
0:00:45 > 0:00:47I'm still not convinced about circles, Piers.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50..and to inspire them in fresh and unconventional ways...
0:00:50 > 0:00:53It's like a little amphitheatre.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56..as this time they try to finish their homes for good.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06The first of our two builds is in Lancashire, where the Khans
0:01:06 > 0:01:08are redefining the term house share.
0:01:09 > 0:01:11Three generations live together
0:01:11 > 0:01:14in three knocked-through terraced houses.
0:01:14 > 0:01:18There are ten family members, all under one roof.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20We are a very close, tightknit family.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23Family's been everything to me.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26Anam moved in when she married youngest son, Wajid.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29We've been married for nearly two years.
0:01:29 > 0:01:31It was a typical arranged marriage.
0:01:33 > 0:01:37But I think now it's hard to imagine life without him.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40Wajid, a university lecturer and aspiring politician,
0:01:40 > 0:01:43and Anam, a customer services manager,
0:01:43 > 0:01:45now want some space of their own.
0:01:45 > 0:01:47We're expecting our first baby.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50So we're hoping to get the build finished before the baby comes.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53- I don't know about that. - SHE GIGGLES
0:01:53 > 0:01:55Wajid has been gifted the land on the end of the terrace
0:01:55 > 0:01:58by his parents.
0:01:58 > 0:01:59To build on it,
0:01:59 > 0:02:04they're gambling £70,000 in savings and £30,000 in loans.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07There's no endless budget. We have to make sure we stick to that.
0:02:07 > 0:02:12We just hope we can get it all finished in that much.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15But they have huge ambition for their £100k house,
0:02:15 > 0:02:18and still haven't finalised the design.
0:02:18 > 0:02:19You want four bedrooms, don't you?
0:02:19 > 0:02:22- Yeah, I want... Yeah, just four. - I want six.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26Right. We won't talk about that.
0:02:27 > 0:02:31One thing Wajid and Anam do agree on is that their dream is
0:02:31 > 0:02:33of a three-storey building.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36It will be their home, but also allow them to live communally
0:02:36 > 0:02:38at times with their wider family.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42Planning limitations mean the exterior will have to
0:02:42 > 0:02:45largely mimic the neighbouring family homes.
0:02:45 > 0:02:49Inside, the plan isn't finalised but they're thinking of going for
0:02:49 > 0:02:52a fairly conventional layout.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55A narrow hallway leads to a kitchen-diner.
0:02:55 > 0:02:59There's a large bathroom, an office and a massive reception room.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05Upstairs, there's a further generous living space,
0:03:05 > 0:03:09plus three bedrooms with en suites and a family bathroom.
0:03:09 > 0:03:10On the top floor,
0:03:10 > 0:03:13there are three additional bedrooms and further en suites.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17At 255 square metres,
0:03:17 > 0:03:21it'll be three times the size of its neighbours on this street.
0:03:21 > 0:03:25With just £100,000 to spend, it's an extraordinarily large build.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29But the ambition doesn't end there.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34Tell me about your taste and what your aspirations are in terms
0:03:34 > 0:03:36of design for the interior.
0:03:36 > 0:03:39I want a spacious house. I want a marble flooring.
0:03:39 > 0:03:41We want underfloor heating.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43We've been to Dubai a lot
0:03:43 > 0:03:45and I think that's where we got the inspiration from.
0:03:45 > 0:03:47That sort of luxurious, hotel room feel,
0:03:47 > 0:03:50- which is nice places to spend time.- Yeah.
0:03:50 > 0:03:55We have big dreams of making this house a perfect home for us,
0:03:55 > 0:03:57but I don't know how we're going to achieve it.
0:04:00 > 0:04:04Wajid's big brother Naim is project managing.
0:04:04 > 0:04:06He's desperate for decisions.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08No. They're just confused, to be honest with you.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11They're still chopping and changing, making up their minds and that.
0:04:14 > 0:04:17Up another one, Joe. On the line.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19It's a headache for Richie, the builder, too.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22He's only in the budget for nine weeks.
0:04:22 > 0:04:26The whole reception room and the kitchen is now open plan.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29We're waiting on a decision upstairs about windows.
0:04:30 > 0:04:32They need to sort it out before I get to it.
0:04:40 > 0:04:42Piers must get Wajid and Anam away from the site
0:04:42 > 0:04:46so they can focus on exactly what they want their house to be.
0:04:47 > 0:04:48At the moment,
0:04:48 > 0:04:52my question - is who's designing this? Who's controlling it?
0:04:52 > 0:04:55Wajid wants a grand and luxurious home.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58But Piers can't find much evidence of one here.
0:04:58 > 0:05:00When you turn up, how do you know
0:05:00 > 0:05:03it's the house of a local important person?
0:05:03 > 0:05:06He begins by looking at the entrance hall.
0:05:06 > 0:05:10Here, you know, you could have a fantastic lobby that you went into
0:05:10 > 0:05:13- and you were received before you went into a reception.- Yeah.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16And actually do away with your corridor.
0:05:16 > 0:05:18You've stolen the space of the corridor into that room.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21I mean, I would do a set of double doors there
0:05:21 > 0:05:23and this will feel like a grand space.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26Maybe you need flip the bathroom and staircase.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31To improve the conventional arrival into the building,
0:05:31 > 0:05:34Piers' idea is to remove the narrow corridor
0:05:34 > 0:05:36and switch the bathroom and stairs,
0:05:36 > 0:05:40creating a more generous and surprising light-filled space.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43It also allows for an open, sweeping staircase.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47Double doors will also help add the touch of grandeur
0:05:47 > 0:05:49Wajid's looking for.
0:05:49 > 0:05:51Alterations must always be agreed with building control for
0:05:51 > 0:05:53layout and fire safety.
0:05:53 > 0:05:55I like that idea of the staircase.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58That is something that we thought about but we've not been brave
0:05:58 > 0:06:01enough to come up with them. We just stuck to the safest option, I think.
0:06:01 > 0:06:04- I think maybe I'm just trying to worry about the builder's feelings. - Yeah, yeah.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07The only problem I've got, our project manager's my older brother.
0:06:07 > 0:06:09- Yeah, OK. - Culturally, the older brother...
0:06:09 > 0:06:12- I can tell- him, then. The older brother has a very big say.
0:06:12 > 0:06:14- ANAM CHUCKLES - I'll present him.
0:06:14 > 0:06:15- That might work. - WAJID CHUCKLES
0:06:19 > 0:06:22So there's some good news and some bad.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24Just give me the good and give the bad to them.
0:06:24 > 0:06:25THEY CHUCKLE
0:06:27 > 0:06:30Piers must keep both Naim and Richie onside.
0:06:31 > 0:06:33We flip the bathroom and the stairs.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35You're putting the stairs where the toilet is
0:06:35 > 0:06:37- and the toilet where the stairs is. - Right.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40But no wall between the stair and that reception room.
0:06:40 > 0:06:42So it's all open plan? Are we losing the corridor wall as well?
0:06:42 > 0:06:44We're losing the corridor wall, yes.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47At the end of the day, it's what these guys tell me to do, I'll do.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50- No problem.- Are you happy? - Happy.- Oh, good.
0:06:50 > 0:06:52What I tried to do in there was represent Wajid and Anam,
0:06:52 > 0:06:55because I don't really have a sense this is their house.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58And there's this huge dynamic of older brother syndrome
0:06:58 > 0:07:00and Wajid is nervous about making changes.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03What's really important for me now is that they understand that
0:07:03 > 0:07:05they've got to take ownership of this.
0:07:05 > 0:07:07It's their house, their project.
0:07:09 > 0:07:13With key decisions made, the build progresses.
0:07:13 > 0:07:17The first floor walls have gone up and the front has been clad
0:07:17 > 0:07:19in natural stone, costing £5,000.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26With just three months to go until the arrival
0:07:26 > 0:07:30of Wajid and Anam's baby, stud walls are going up.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33But three quarters of the budget has already been spent.
0:07:33 > 0:07:37- ANAM:- I think it's scary how quickly the money's sort of going
0:07:37 > 0:07:39in material, labour and everything.
0:07:39 > 0:07:41Despite the money pressures,
0:07:41 > 0:07:45Wajid and Anam are still hanging on to their aspirations for their home.
0:07:45 > 0:07:47To me I've always wanted to have a luxurious feel.
0:07:47 > 0:07:52The one big material that's influenced me has been marble.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55It gives it a luxurious, grand finish.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58I'll have pieces of marble here, there and everywhere.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01High-end finishes like marble are out of the question
0:08:01 > 0:08:05if they want to finish this home anywhere close to their 100k budget.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09We need to try and show them an alternative vision
0:08:09 > 0:08:12which they could achieve for less.
0:08:12 > 0:08:16For Wajid and Anam, the per square metre cost
0:08:16 > 0:08:19of laying marble or tiles and surface materials
0:08:19 > 0:08:21can really start to add up.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23I think it's really striking when you see houses designed for
0:08:23 > 0:08:27architects themselves. They often leave out all of that stuff.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29You can actually see the materials the house is made of.
0:08:29 > 0:08:30That can be a great quality
0:08:30 > 0:08:33and of course you save a lot of money and hassle.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37We've got exclusive access to a house
0:08:37 > 0:08:39in Stamford Brook, West London.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42It's a two-bedroom home designed by Powell Tuck Associates,
0:08:42 > 0:08:45which shows how even the most basic of floors and walls
0:08:45 > 0:08:46can look luxurious.
0:08:48 > 0:08:50It's so light up here. It's so beautiful.
0:08:50 > 0:08:52- Yeah, definitely. - Yeah, it's really nice.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55It's the simple things in life that make a big difference
0:08:55 > 0:08:56and you can see that cliche here.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59When you walk in, you have this kind of wow factor.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01It's really nice. I like it, yeah.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08The floor finish is just a sand and cement screed
0:09:08 > 0:09:09that has been polished.
0:09:09 > 0:09:13When light washes across it, there is a subtle sheen.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15Having that comfy rug there,
0:09:15 > 0:09:18works well with the sort of raw flooring as well.
0:09:18 > 0:09:22- Yeah, some very rich material next to quite a rough one.- Yeah, yeah.
0:09:22 > 0:09:26Unpainted render ordinarily used on the outside of a building
0:09:26 > 0:09:27adds a natural texture.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30It can be done for a fraction of the cost of covering
0:09:30 > 0:09:33a bathroom this size in expensive tiles.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36I like this material. I think it really adds value to the interior.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39Do you think some of these ideas now you'll be able to embrace and
0:09:39 > 0:09:41take forward to the house?
0:09:41 > 0:09:43The problem I've got, I'm the youngest sibling in the family.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46I always think, "How will that be accepted
0:09:46 > 0:09:47"with the rest of the family?"
0:09:49 > 0:09:52There's a danger Wajid and Anam's house could end up
0:09:52 > 0:09:54full of poor compromises.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57The biggest surprise of all was finding out from Wajid
0:09:57 > 0:10:00that actually this build is not really up to them only.
0:10:00 > 0:10:04He might be a councillor and he might be a real independent guy,
0:10:04 > 0:10:07but he's still the little brother in his family.
0:10:10 > 0:10:14CIRCULAR SAW WHIRS
0:10:14 > 0:10:15- 6.049.- What?
0:10:15 > 0:10:186.04 metres.
0:10:18 > 0:10:21Back on site, Naim's priority is to get the house done
0:10:21 > 0:10:24in the most straightforward way possible.
0:10:24 > 0:10:28He hasn't taken well to Wajid's new ideas for low-cost finishes.
0:10:29 > 0:10:33I do like the polished concrete.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35But to have it all the way through
0:10:35 > 0:10:37is a bit too much, to be honest with you.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41All of this part, put a thick shagpile in it, carpet.
0:10:41 > 0:10:42I think that's going to be a better idea.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45I'm going to talk to him and try to persuade him.
0:10:47 > 0:10:51Wajid and Anam are losing the battle to make this home exceptional.
0:10:57 > 0:11:01I've been searching for an interior that will prove to them that
0:11:01 > 0:11:04design can have a positive effect on the way they feel.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07I've got one more chance to show them ideas they'll fight to have
0:11:07 > 0:11:09in their own home.
0:11:11 > 0:11:13'They've told me they want something luxurious
0:11:13 > 0:11:15'and I want to bring them to a place'
0:11:15 > 0:11:18that, for me, sets standards in terms of aspiration
0:11:18 > 0:11:20and perhaps can give them a little bit of inspiration
0:11:20 > 0:11:23as to how they can create a beautiful interior.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31Sketch houses a collection of restaurants and bars
0:11:31 > 0:11:32in Mayfair, London.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39It's a world-class showcase of interiors.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44The restaurant upstairs draws on the owner Mourad Mazouz's
0:11:44 > 0:11:48North African heritage with opulence at its heart.
0:11:49 > 0:11:51Ideas here could help Wajid and Anam
0:11:51 > 0:11:54create a show-stopping entrance hall.
0:11:56 > 0:11:57So what do you make of this?
0:11:57 > 0:11:58Amazing.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01This room is doing it for me.
0:12:01 > 0:12:03- It's so tranquil here.- Yeah.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08This partition though does look useful for you, doesn't it?
0:12:08 > 0:12:12- Because it's that sense of connecting two spaces.- Yeah.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15I think it's a fantastic idea and it really kind of gives it
0:12:15 > 0:12:17this huge, grand kind of entrance into it.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20You know, cos you decided to go for that double door, didn't you,
0:12:20 > 0:12:22- between the entrance hall and the lounge?- We did.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24And this is just a beautiful treatment of a threshold.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27Doing something like that with textiles, with leather,
0:12:27 > 0:12:28it's definitely luxurious, isn't it?
0:12:31 > 0:12:34Feeling the cosiness. I'm feeling kind of tranquillity.
0:12:34 > 0:12:39For me, it's phenomenal to just absorb and appreciate
0:12:39 > 0:12:41and I'll take a lot away from this.
0:12:41 > 0:12:42Yeah.
0:12:42 > 0:12:46But however much they like it, there's still a hurdle to get over.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49You know, it's our job to go and show the creativity
0:12:49 > 0:12:52that we've seen here and transpire that into Naim's mind,
0:12:52 > 0:12:54which is a difficult task.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00I think the most important bit of progress today was that they
0:13:00 > 0:13:02were no longer talking about which material they should buy
0:13:02 > 0:13:04or which they shouldn't buy.
0:13:04 > 0:13:06They were talking about how they felt in this interior
0:13:06 > 0:13:09and the fact that design has communicated that to them
0:13:09 > 0:13:11makes me really, really thrilled.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18Determined to strike while the iron is hot,
0:13:18 > 0:13:19Piers races to Burnley with ideas
0:13:19 > 0:13:22for the dramatic entrance hall the couple want.
0:13:24 > 0:13:26What I think we need to do is have a vision for this room.
0:13:26 > 0:13:31So if you make an amazing metal screen
0:13:31 > 0:13:33that is full height.
0:13:33 > 0:13:34I mean, it could, you know,
0:13:34 > 0:13:39you could have that actually etched out of a screen three metres tall.
0:13:39 > 0:13:41- It's like a prayer. - Yeah, that would be fantastic.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44I really like the idea of that screen.
0:13:44 > 0:13:46And he has an idea for much-needed opulence,
0:13:46 > 0:13:50inspired by the leather panels Wajid saw in London.
0:13:50 > 0:13:52This wall here,
0:13:52 > 0:13:56if you got a whole series of leather offcuts,
0:13:56 > 0:13:58and what you could end up with
0:13:58 > 0:14:01is a wall built up out of a series of panels.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04This isn't expensive stuff, but it kind of looks expensive.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07- That's probably the most exciting thing I'm looking forward to now. - Yeah.
0:14:07 > 0:14:11With Wajid reenergised, Piers needs to act fast.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14So he takes him to a workshop 20 miles away in Bury
0:14:14 > 0:14:17that sells hides in every hue.
0:14:17 > 0:14:19This blue-y grey is kind of nice.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24So, Wajid, how about doing it in pink leather?
0:14:24 > 0:14:26No. Never.
0:14:28 > 0:14:30- If it was an end-of-line one this size...- Yeah.
0:14:30 > 0:14:32What would it cost?
0:14:32 > 0:14:35You'd be talking £60-£65 for an end-of-line one.
0:14:35 > 0:14:37- That's pretty good.- Yeah.
0:14:37 > 0:14:39Piers wants to show Wajid how easily the leather
0:14:39 > 0:14:43can be transformed into a luxurious wall covering.
0:14:43 > 0:14:47He mocks up a panel using a timber offcut and some upholstery stuffing.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51- It worked. There we are.- One panel.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54- Brilliant.- It's really sumptuous.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57I'd definitely go for this rather than the boring plasterboard.
0:14:57 > 0:14:59- Great stuff.- Good.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06Wajid and Anam haven't managed to move in before the arrival
0:15:06 > 0:15:07of baby daughter Amira.
0:15:08 > 0:15:10But there is good progress on site.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17I love the ceiling. I wasn't expecting them to do it.
0:15:17 > 0:15:19It was more of, like, a little surprise.
0:15:19 > 0:15:23I'm really excited now because I'm glad it's finally coming together.
0:15:23 > 0:15:27They're racing to get key living areas done so they can move in.
0:15:27 > 0:15:31They're also making a start on creating the padded leather wall
0:15:31 > 0:15:32in the entrance hall.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35All wall and ceiling linings must have adequate fire protection
0:15:35 > 0:15:39and treatment to comply with building regulations.
0:15:39 > 0:15:42Naim's not sure about his brother's interior design choices.
0:15:42 > 0:15:44The leather going on the wall.
0:15:44 > 0:15:45It doesn't look right, you know?
0:15:45 > 0:15:49I'm not so keen on that, to be honest with you.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53But for once, Wajid isn't taking everyone else's ideas into account.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56We had a difference of opinion in relation to the leather wall.
0:15:56 > 0:15:58But in the end, it's my house.
0:16:04 > 0:16:0713 months after the first brick was laid
0:16:07 > 0:16:09for Wajid and Anam's ambitious build,
0:16:09 > 0:16:12Piers and I are back in Burnley to see if they've fulfilled
0:16:12 > 0:16:14their dream of a luxury home.
0:16:17 > 0:16:19- Good to see you.- Hi, guys - Good to see you too.- Hiya.
0:16:19 > 0:16:21- Good to see you.- Great to see you. Great to see the house.
0:16:21 > 0:16:25It looks super at home here.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27It's been a long process. How's it been for you?
0:16:27 > 0:16:29It has been a very challenging time period.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31Stressful. There's been lots of disagreement.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35- Blood, sweat and tears. - Yeah. I think tears, mainly mine.
0:16:35 > 0:16:36THEY CHUCKLE
0:16:36 > 0:16:38But will all the tears have been worth it?
0:16:41 > 0:16:43Wow! Look at this. Amazing.
0:16:48 > 0:16:52Wajid, this does feel to me like the entrance hall of a public figure.
0:16:52 > 0:16:54Absolutely. It's just the way I wanted it to be.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56Because originally this was a very narrow corridor
0:16:56 > 0:17:00with a single door into this room and a single door into this room.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03It was a wise man that told us his ideas,
0:17:03 > 0:17:06so we followed them ideas through.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09The couple always strived for a high-end finish despite
0:17:09 > 0:17:11their tight budget.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14I think this is really such a good effect. It feels luxurious.
0:17:14 > 0:17:18It feels rich. It feels generous. And it's totally unconventional.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21It's pretty amazing the kind of effect that you get with just some
0:17:21 > 0:17:22very basic materials.
0:17:22 > 0:17:23Cos it looks really expensive.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26I mean, how much did this actually cost?
0:17:26 > 0:17:29- Overall, it cost short of £1,000. - For the whole wall?
0:17:29 > 0:17:31- For the whole wall.- That's kind of amazing, really, isn't it?
0:17:31 > 0:17:34If you went to a contractor and asked them to make you
0:17:34 > 0:17:37a custom leather wall it would be many thousands.
0:17:37 > 0:17:41Without this wall, I don't think this space would have been complete.
0:17:43 > 0:17:47The £600 screen elevates the off-the-peg staircase into
0:17:47 > 0:17:49something far more grand.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52But of course this is also a piece of architecture in some way,
0:17:52 > 0:17:55because you have something fantastic that does allow your eye
0:17:55 > 0:17:57to carry through and does transform this space.
0:17:59 > 0:18:03Much of the rest of the house is still work in progress,
0:18:03 > 0:18:05partly because they haven't compromised on finishes
0:18:05 > 0:18:07to get their luxury look.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11So how much has it all cost?
0:18:11 > 0:18:13Tell me, how much did you have in your budget
0:18:13 > 0:18:14and how much have you spent?
0:18:14 > 0:18:17I had a total of £100,000 for the budget
0:18:17 > 0:18:21and I've spent £109,986.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24That's extremely precise. Why did you end up going over budget?
0:18:24 > 0:18:27When it comes to the interior, we're not going to compromise.
0:18:27 > 0:18:29I think one of the reasons we went over budget,
0:18:29 > 0:18:32- I don't think we realised how big the house was.- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:18:32 > 0:18:34Until we started doing the decor, interior work inside,
0:18:34 > 0:18:36then we realised it was never-ending.
0:18:36 > 0:18:38I think we underestimated that.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41Wajid and Anam have achieved a vast amount,
0:18:41 > 0:18:44creating a large house with some huge rooms,
0:18:44 > 0:18:46but there's still plenty
0:18:46 > 0:18:50of work to do to fill those spaces and create a welcoming family home.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02It's seven months since we last caught up with Wajid and Anam
0:19:02 > 0:19:05and baby Amira is now a lively 18-month-old.
0:19:05 > 0:19:07But that's not all that's changed.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10We've finally moved in...
0:19:10 > 0:19:13into this amazing house.
0:19:15 > 0:19:19For the first couple of weeks, we were just still enjoying the space,
0:19:19 > 0:19:22we were enjoying the fact that we've got a brand-new house,
0:19:22 > 0:19:24like, "No-one's been here before."
0:19:26 > 0:19:29Wajid and Anam have carried on finishing their home
0:19:29 > 0:19:31and have completed more of the bedrooms.
0:19:31 > 0:19:36This is our room, which is very spacious.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39All those clothes that were, you know, shoved away in the suitcases,
0:19:39 > 0:19:41they're actually hung up now.
0:19:43 > 0:19:47They've also completed work on the stairwell and saw an opportunity
0:19:47 > 0:19:49to incorporate more high-end finishes.
0:19:49 > 0:19:51So we've gone for the chrome effect.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54I'm really impressed with this because it gives you the
0:19:54 > 0:19:59whole luxurious feeling all the way through to the top of the house.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02But the heart of their home is a disaster,
0:20:02 > 0:20:04the novice builders have got the huge living room
0:20:04 > 0:20:05they thought they wanted,
0:20:05 > 0:20:09but they're finding this key family room bland and unwelcoming.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14Sometimes we don't actually even use that part of the room.
0:20:14 > 0:20:18When it's just us three, it's mainly this side that's getting used.
0:20:19 > 0:20:23We're just a bit confused whether we need a door in this place or
0:20:23 > 0:20:25whether we need a divider or if we need a screen.
0:20:25 > 0:20:29Something that would make it look nice but it gives you that
0:20:29 > 0:20:31privacy as well at the same time.
0:20:33 > 0:20:35Having overspent their original budget,
0:20:35 > 0:20:39Wajid and Anam have scraped together £1,000 from earnings
0:20:39 > 0:20:40to solve the problem.
0:20:41 > 0:20:43They need a cheap way to divide the room
0:20:43 > 0:20:45without losing the spaciousness.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53Piers is heading to Manchester to show them an idea
0:20:53 > 0:20:54that might help.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59I need to find something for Wajid and Anam
0:20:59 > 0:21:03that divides up their living room without introducing walls.
0:21:03 > 0:21:05And the sort of thing I'm interested in
0:21:05 > 0:21:07isn't found in most people's homes,
0:21:07 > 0:21:10but I have found something in an amazing contemporary hotel
0:21:10 > 0:21:13in Manchester, where the space is subdivided
0:21:13 > 0:21:15and they haven't used walls.
0:21:20 > 0:21:25Design agency Blacksheep created this custom-made honeycomb partition
0:21:25 > 0:21:28out of interlocking metal hexagons.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31Bespoke patterns have been cut into the surfaces.
0:21:32 > 0:21:34It's interesting being over here.
0:21:34 > 0:21:38This screen is just a series of very simple powder-coated boxes
0:21:38 > 0:21:40stacked up, nothing else.
0:21:40 > 0:21:44We've thought about having a kind of decorative, unique wallpaper
0:21:44 > 0:21:46but I think it needs more than just having wallpaper on it.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49Yeah. I think just adding wallpaper wouldn't be enough.
0:21:49 > 0:21:51I think you need to change somehow the perspective or the
0:21:51 > 0:21:54physical characteristics of the space.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57We want to do something that would still sort of, you know, like,
0:21:57 > 0:21:59for example here, I can still see what's happening over there
0:21:59 > 0:22:01but it's a different space.
0:22:01 > 0:22:03And there's all sorts of other things you could do.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06I mean, you could paint the inside interesting colours
0:22:06 > 0:22:07or you could do all sorts of things.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09There could be things placed within them.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12You could do something other than this.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15I think what's nice about this screen is that it isn't just
0:22:15 > 0:22:18a two-dimensional thing that sits on the wall, like wallpaper.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21It's a three-dimensional thing that changes the way the spaces
0:22:21 > 0:22:25are configured and still allows you to see through,
0:22:25 > 0:22:28so you get a sense of the whole.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31Something like this could maintain the spaciousness of Wajid and Anam's
0:22:31 > 0:22:34living room while creating more intimate areas.
0:22:35 > 0:22:40But to create and fit a bespoke partition for just £1,000,
0:22:40 > 0:22:42Piers needs to be really inventive.
0:22:44 > 0:22:49If you did do something on this wall that say
0:22:49 > 0:22:51was a sort of translucent...
0:22:53 > 0:22:54..screen of some description,
0:22:54 > 0:23:00that was made up out of beautiful circular boxes
0:23:00 > 0:23:03that started to change the way
0:23:03 > 0:23:07that this big, long dining space worked.
0:23:07 > 0:23:09You know, these could be different sizes.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12So yours could be more playful and could be different sizes and you
0:23:12 > 0:23:17could play with colour, so you could paint all of the insides of these.
0:23:17 > 0:23:19What do you think about doing something like that?
0:23:19 > 0:23:21Yeah, I'm definitely up for something like this.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24Because it's not blocked off, I can still see the living room.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27You see, I'm not convinced about the circle idea.
0:23:27 > 0:23:29I like this concept.
0:23:29 > 0:23:31I'm more of a diamond or a hexagon.
0:23:31 > 0:23:33I think if I had shown you circles and I was saying,
0:23:33 > 0:23:35"Nah, you ought to do a hexagonal screen."
0:23:35 > 0:23:37You'd go, "Hexagons? What are you talking about?"
0:23:37 > 0:23:40No. I'm still not convinced about circles, Piers.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42ANAM CHUCKLES
0:23:42 > 0:23:45Wajid isn't on board with Piers' vision.
0:23:45 > 0:23:47We're going to have to work harder to convince him
0:23:47 > 0:23:49if we're going to solve the problem
0:23:49 > 0:23:51of the large living and dining space.
0:23:51 > 0:23:55So to see how the idea might work in practice and be made for their
0:23:55 > 0:23:59£1,000 budget, Piers is taking them to a nearby plumbers merchant.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02So, circles.
0:24:02 > 0:24:03SHE CHUCKLES
0:24:03 > 0:24:05PIERS LAUGHS
0:24:05 > 0:24:08These, potentially, could be what we need.
0:24:08 > 0:24:12If you look at that as just a bit of industrial design,
0:24:12 > 0:24:14it's actually a very beautiful thing.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17It's a perfect sphere with a tiny, very thin lip.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20And if that was sprayed up, it would be perfect.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23I mean, it would look as good as powder-coated metal
0:24:23 > 0:24:24or something else.
0:24:24 > 0:24:26Just because it's made out of PVC doesn't mean that this
0:24:26 > 0:24:29potentially couldn't be very beautiful.
0:24:29 > 0:24:31- I'm trying to picture it at the moment.- Yeah.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34And you know what I'm like in terms of my visualisation
0:24:34 > 0:24:35of your wonderful creativity.
0:24:35 > 0:24:39I know that you would far rather us go and find something shiny
0:24:39 > 0:24:43and bright that we could buy to magically transform that space,
0:24:43 > 0:24:47but the problem is that there's nothing available off-the-shelf.
0:24:48 > 0:24:52Piers gets straight to work on a mock-up out in the yard.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55This partition needs to be built, not bought.
0:24:57 > 0:24:59Plastic pipes are a really cheap material.
0:24:59 > 0:25:03150mm wide ones cost just £8 a metre
0:25:03 > 0:25:06and can be cut down into several sections.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08To give the whole thing a sculptural feel,
0:25:08 > 0:25:09Piers mixes up the sizes.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14So you are going to have to use quite a lot of imagination here,
0:25:14 > 0:25:19but if you imagine that these are big and small
0:25:19 > 0:25:22and they're beautifully painted on the inside
0:25:22 > 0:25:23and then they're lit beautifully,
0:25:23 > 0:25:26you can see that this would be amazing.
0:25:26 > 0:25:28It would look amazing with the right colours though.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30The colour is really important, as you say,
0:25:30 > 0:25:33but it could be more subtle than I was showing earlier.
0:25:33 > 0:25:35It could be gold. You could line them.
0:25:35 > 0:25:37They'd be white on the outside and gold on the inside
0:25:37 > 0:25:38or gold and silver.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40- That would be brilliant. - It would be amazing.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42What I wanted to convince you was
0:25:42 > 0:25:44- that we could use circles, not hexagons.- Yeah.
0:25:44 > 0:25:46Yeah, I can see that now.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48Now I've seen it with my own eyes,
0:25:48 > 0:25:50- I can believe in that looking very nice.- Yeah, yeah.
0:25:56 > 0:26:01Six weeks later and Wajid and Anam have hired local shop fitter Chris
0:26:01 > 0:26:04to build the bespoke partition and he's come up with
0:26:04 > 0:26:05a set of technical drawings.
0:26:05 > 0:26:09How will you put all the pipes together?
0:26:09 > 0:26:11We've got silicon for that.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14So if it falls down, we'll do a runner.
0:26:14 > 0:26:15I can run fast as well.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18THEY LAUGH
0:26:18 > 0:26:21The first job is to put up a frame that will support the structure
0:26:21 > 0:26:22while it's being built.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25I feel like climbing up it at the moment.
0:26:25 > 0:26:29Wajid and Anam embrace Piers' ideas using white plastic pipes
0:26:29 > 0:26:33and experimenting with £500 worth of clear acrylic ones.
0:26:35 > 0:26:37But will this low-cost partition look as good
0:26:37 > 0:26:41as something professionally manufactured?
0:26:41 > 0:26:42And can it transform the living room into
0:26:42 > 0:26:44a welcoming heart to their home?
0:26:45 > 0:26:49I think the big test is when the support mechanism comes off,
0:26:49 > 0:26:51how well it kind of holds together.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53There's a concern.
0:26:53 > 0:26:54The moment of truth.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04Two months after demonstrating his idea to Wajid and Anam,
0:27:04 > 0:27:08Piers is back in Burnley, nervous about the outcome.
0:27:08 > 0:27:12Usually, I would do a really comprehensive set of documents
0:27:12 > 0:27:16that defined every aspect of how something was built.
0:27:16 > 0:27:20But here, I've really only done a quick sketch for Wajid and Anam.
0:27:20 > 0:27:25The other thing, of course, is that however beautiful these tubes are,
0:27:25 > 0:27:29they can't just be a thing that is beautiful in isolation.
0:27:29 > 0:27:31They need to serve a real purpose.
0:27:37 > 0:27:39Look at this! Wow! Isn't it great?
0:27:42 > 0:27:44Using the most basic of materials,
0:27:44 > 0:27:47Wajid and Anam have created a stunning feature
0:27:47 > 0:27:50which retains the spaciousness of their living room
0:27:50 > 0:27:52whilst creating distinct welcoming zones.
0:27:54 > 0:27:57Very different to what we saw in Cheetham Hill.
0:27:57 > 0:27:59Yeah, I was really struggling then to give you an idea about what
0:27:59 > 0:28:02- it could be like.- I think we were all struggling then.- Yeah, yeah.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04We were all struggling.
0:28:04 > 0:28:06I was really hoping that you'd read into these pipes
0:28:06 > 0:28:08something like this. But actually, it's amazing.
0:28:08 > 0:28:10It's far better than I could ever have imagined.
0:28:10 > 0:28:12I've never seen pipes look so good.
0:28:16 > 0:28:18I love what it does to the room.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21This actually feels like a room that has a much better proportion.
0:28:21 > 0:28:23Yeah, definitely, yeah.
0:28:23 > 0:28:26And I love the fact that it is quite ornamental and decorative,
0:28:26 > 0:28:28yet still really purposeful.
0:28:28 > 0:28:32I remember originally we talked about using just white pipes
0:28:32 > 0:28:35but I love the way that you've introduced these big clear ones.
0:28:35 > 0:28:38But then also you've taken standard tube and painted it gold and silver,
0:28:38 > 0:28:40- which looks fantastic.- Yeah.
0:28:46 > 0:28:48Wajid and Anam have transformed their living area
0:28:48 > 0:28:52by evolving Piers' concept and making it uniquely theirs.
0:28:52 > 0:28:57But have they managed it for their modest £1,000 budget?
0:28:57 > 0:29:01Tell me now how much have you spent on materials for this?
0:29:01 > 0:29:06The clear acrylic pipes, they've cost a total of £500.
0:29:06 > 0:29:08And the other tubes and pipes,
0:29:08 > 0:29:12the mixture of different sizes, have been in the region of £250.
0:29:12 > 0:29:15The temporary frame plus labour and paint,
0:29:15 > 0:29:19bring the total spent to £1,000, right on budget.
0:29:19 > 0:29:22That's pretty good value for what it does to this whole space, isn't it?
0:29:22 > 0:29:26The distinctive element to this is that you're knowing that nobody,
0:29:26 > 0:29:28nowhere in the world, has got this.
0:29:28 > 0:29:32I think what I was trying to do really early on was get a way
0:29:32 > 0:29:35for you to see the beauty in ordinary things.
0:29:35 > 0:29:37I mean, these are ordinary tubes, ordinary pipes,
0:29:37 > 0:29:40and actually you've transformed them through design
0:29:40 > 0:29:42into something incredibly special.
0:29:46 > 0:29:48'I was really worried today, coming here.
0:29:48 > 0:29:50'I had no idea what they'd end up doing.'
0:29:50 > 0:29:53And I couldn't have asked for more.
0:29:53 > 0:29:56This screen looks amazing and it also does something,
0:29:56 > 0:29:58which is to transform the layout of the house.
0:29:58 > 0:30:00And that's really successful.
0:30:00 > 0:30:04I think the house was still unfinished or maybe ambiguous
0:30:04 > 0:30:06in terms of how the spaces worked.
0:30:06 > 0:30:08But now, everything makes sense.
0:30:17 > 0:30:21The second home where Piers' architectural experience can help
0:30:21 > 0:30:23is nearly 300 miles north of Burnley.
0:30:24 > 0:30:27Seven years ago, Heidi and Steven returned to the Scottish Highlands
0:30:27 > 0:30:30from Glasgow with plans to settle long-term.
0:30:33 > 0:30:37My family have been in this area since I was two.
0:30:37 > 0:30:40They knew it was a great place to grow up and it's the same things
0:30:40 > 0:30:45that I enjoyed as a child that I want my own children to have.
0:30:45 > 0:30:49I just can't see how we would be happy anywhere else, to be honest.
0:30:49 > 0:30:51Got a wee bit.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54They're renting locally but can't afford to buy,
0:30:54 > 0:30:57so the only option to have a home of their own
0:30:57 > 0:30:59is to build one from scratch.
0:30:59 > 0:31:02We obviously need a home for our family.
0:31:02 > 0:31:04We want to live close to my mum and dad.
0:31:04 > 0:31:06- Yeah?- No!- And plus, actually,
0:31:06 > 0:31:10if we tried to buy a house with that space, we couldn't afford it.
0:31:12 > 0:31:15So the couple purchased the dilapidated house next door
0:31:15 > 0:31:17to Heidi's mum and dad.
0:31:17 > 0:31:20They've been demolishing it and have borrowed £70k
0:31:20 > 0:31:22from her parents to build a new home.
0:31:24 > 0:31:29It can't fail because it's so tied into everybody's finances
0:31:29 > 0:31:31that the whole family will massively suffer
0:31:31 > 0:31:33and we could lose my mum and dad's house.
0:31:33 > 0:31:37And that is horrendous. That is quite a stress.
0:31:37 > 0:31:40Cos I know, ultimately, that's my side of the deal.
0:31:40 > 0:31:42I've got to manage the money.
0:31:42 > 0:31:45If I don't get that right, it's a big deal.
0:31:47 > 0:31:49Heidi and Steven are planning to build
0:31:49 > 0:31:52a two-storey timber-framed house with dormer windows.
0:31:54 > 0:31:56Downstairs is their main living and dining area,
0:31:56 > 0:31:59the heart of their home.
0:31:59 > 0:32:02Plus a TV room, utility room
0:32:02 > 0:32:04and the only bathroom in the house.
0:32:07 > 0:32:10A closed-in staircase leads to three bedrooms upstairs.
0:32:11 > 0:32:14One gives the only access to a large storage cupboard
0:32:14 > 0:32:17housing the hot water tank.
0:32:17 > 0:32:20It's small and compact, but even building this for
0:32:20 > 0:32:23just £70,000 is going to be extremely tough.
0:32:25 > 0:32:29I need Piers to interrogate their plans to see if he can help.
0:32:31 > 0:32:35It's vital we increase the sense of space in this small home.
0:32:35 > 0:32:38The first thing he wants to do is tackle the enclosed staircase
0:32:38 > 0:32:40in the middle of the downstairs plan.
0:32:40 > 0:32:44This area here, which is the bottom of the stairs, needs to work harder.
0:32:44 > 0:32:46And I think not to make that a wall,
0:32:46 > 0:32:50but to make that part of the living space.
0:32:50 > 0:32:53Opening that up makes this room feel bigger again.
0:32:54 > 0:32:59Heidi and Steven have a modest 104 square metres of usable space.
0:32:59 > 0:33:02So Piers wants them to think beyond the four walls
0:33:02 > 0:33:04and start designing the outside space.
0:33:04 > 0:33:08If this is your kitchen here and this is your deck.
0:33:08 > 0:33:12- In summertime, when these doors are, you know...- Permanently open.
0:33:12 > 0:33:16- ..permanently open, your living territory is a third as much again. - Yeah.
0:33:16 > 0:33:19But I would be imagining, "How can I actually make that
0:33:19 > 0:33:22"an outside living space that I could, on a night like this,
0:33:22 > 0:33:24- "just decide to cook outside?" - Yeah, yeah, yeah.
0:33:24 > 0:33:27- That could be the brick-built barbecue.- Exactly.
0:33:27 > 0:33:29All it needs is, you know, actually
0:33:29 > 0:33:31a piece of deck and a bit of kitchen.
0:33:33 > 0:33:36Finding a way to remove the wall next to the staircase would
0:33:36 > 0:33:39bring light into the stairwell and living room
0:33:39 > 0:33:42and increase the sense of space on the ground floor.
0:33:42 > 0:33:45And extending the kitchen out onto the deck would expand
0:33:45 > 0:33:49the usable area of the house and take advantage of the amazing view.
0:33:53 > 0:33:56Piers has come up with two key design changes,
0:33:56 > 0:34:00but Heidi and Steven need to make decisions fast.
0:34:00 > 0:34:01That's it. Thank you.
0:34:01 > 0:34:04Just ten days later, the timber frame is going up,
0:34:04 > 0:34:06and local builder Richard
0:34:06 > 0:34:09has joined Steven on site to help with the work.
0:34:09 > 0:34:11Definitely a two-man job,
0:34:11 > 0:34:14with somebody that knows a lot more about it than I do.
0:34:16 > 0:34:18Steven works full-time as a tree surgeon but
0:34:18 > 0:34:21he's spending every spare moment on the build.
0:34:23 > 0:34:27There have been some big decisions following Piers' visit,
0:34:27 > 0:34:29particularly on the side wall of the staircase.
0:34:29 > 0:34:33Originally in the design, the wall would come right here solid.
0:34:33 > 0:34:36So it would be enclosed on both sides.
0:34:36 > 0:34:40So what Piers suggested was having this open and having a post here
0:34:40 > 0:34:43so then we can have more light coming into the stairs
0:34:43 > 0:34:46and into the living room.
0:34:46 > 0:34:48With a revised plan in place,
0:34:48 > 0:34:51Steven and Richard push on to get the frame up.
0:34:55 > 0:34:59And two months later, the shell has taken shape.
0:34:59 > 0:35:01The underfloor heating and windows are in
0:35:01 > 0:35:04and the roof is almost complete.
0:35:04 > 0:35:08But costs are spiralling and over £50,000 of the £70k budget
0:35:08 > 0:35:11has already been spent.
0:35:11 > 0:35:13And to make matters worse,
0:35:13 > 0:35:16there's been a totally unexpected blow to the schedule and budget.
0:35:18 > 0:35:21Aiming for a cheap and durable floor,
0:35:21 > 0:35:25Heidi and Steven have attempted to create a concrete one themselves.
0:35:25 > 0:35:28I've seen it on the telly and thought, "Ooh! That looks lovely.
0:35:28 > 0:35:29"That looks nice and easy.
0:35:29 > 0:35:32"Concrete floor, that seems straightforward."
0:35:32 > 0:35:35But their DIY efforts backfired.
0:35:35 > 0:35:39The delivery driver was only meant to be there 35 minutes and he kept
0:35:39 > 0:35:42on saying to us, "You've only got an hour left before
0:35:42 > 0:35:46"the concrete starts to set in the machine.
0:35:46 > 0:35:49"And if that's the case, I'm just dumping it at the front door."
0:35:49 > 0:35:50After the rush to get it in,
0:35:50 > 0:35:52the concrete set unevenly,
0:35:52 > 0:35:56leaving them with an undulating floor which varies in places
0:35:56 > 0:35:58by up to 4cm in height.
0:35:58 > 0:36:00But we're grinding that down
0:36:00 > 0:36:03and we're hoping it will be able to be fixed.
0:36:03 > 0:36:06Going to take a lot of time and effort to get it pretty level
0:36:06 > 0:36:09so our builder can get internal walls in.
0:36:10 > 0:36:13It's delayed the whole build by two months and had
0:36:13 > 0:36:15a big impact on their finances.
0:36:15 > 0:36:18Tool hire plus materials for fixing the floor
0:36:18 > 0:36:20have cost well over £1,000,
0:36:20 > 0:36:22more than doubling what the couple budgeted.
0:36:25 > 0:36:29BIRDS CHIRP
0:36:30 > 0:36:34It's tough going and I'm worried they could miss the opportunity
0:36:34 > 0:36:38to make the most of this small house and its surroundings.
0:36:38 > 0:36:41I want to try to help Heidi and Steven start to think about
0:36:41 > 0:36:43design beyond the footprint of the house they're building.
0:36:43 > 0:36:46They've been in the depths of trying to get the thing up,
0:36:46 > 0:36:49but the most important aspect of the house is that beautiful view
0:36:49 > 0:36:51and the beautiful landscape.
0:36:51 > 0:36:54I'm going to show them a house today that I think elegantly and
0:36:54 > 0:36:57beautifully solves the problem of how to connect inside and outside,
0:36:57 > 0:37:00using just a few elegant architectural techniques.
0:37:09 > 0:37:13- Hm. Wow!- Spacious. - KIERAN CHUCKLES
0:37:13 > 0:37:17Yeah, it feels really... It just feels really, really light.
0:37:17 > 0:37:21It might be in the centre of a city rather than a rural landscape,
0:37:21 > 0:37:24but architects Mikhail Riches have redesigned the back of this
0:37:24 > 0:37:29terraced house in West London to cleverly extend the living area.
0:37:29 > 0:37:32The main reason I wanted to show you this is though because of the way
0:37:32 > 0:37:34that it links this beautiful room,
0:37:34 > 0:37:38adds a really usable outdoor space with level thresholds,
0:37:38 > 0:37:41with obviously large areas of floor to ceiling glazing
0:37:41 > 0:37:45and that continuous surface of the same material.
0:37:45 > 0:37:48'Pebble resin flooring inside and out, like this,
0:37:48 > 0:37:51'costs from around £60 per square metre.
0:37:51 > 0:37:54'Here it creates one continuous sweep,
0:37:54 > 0:37:56'leading the eye to the exterior.'
0:37:56 > 0:37:58It makes you feel like you're outside
0:37:58 > 0:38:01- while you're using this room. - Yeah.- Yeah. It's very interesting.
0:38:01 > 0:38:03I think what's really important is that we get the level,
0:38:03 > 0:38:06that sense that you're not going down or up.
0:38:06 > 0:38:08Eliminating the threshold as much as you can
0:38:08 > 0:38:10- is really important, I think.- Mm-hm.
0:38:10 > 0:38:13Here the architects and the owners built up the level of the garden
0:38:13 > 0:38:15quite significantly.
0:38:18 > 0:38:21It's kind of interesting to be standing in this space cos although
0:38:21 > 0:38:23it's quite tight, it's all about that idea that you can be outside
0:38:23 > 0:38:27while sort of cooking or being on the phone or whatever it might be.
0:38:27 > 0:38:30I think what's interesting here is just how much effort you see
0:38:30 > 0:38:32they've gone to to try to create that continuity,
0:38:32 > 0:38:34even when there's a glass facade in the way.
0:38:34 > 0:38:38This stone worktop continues outside, giving you some usable
0:38:38 > 0:38:42kind of barbecue station or something out there.
0:38:42 > 0:38:46The colour is used on the units inside and out and on the wall.
0:38:46 > 0:38:48There's lots and lots of effort, I think,
0:38:48 > 0:38:52to try to break down the boundary between inside and outside.
0:38:53 > 0:38:56The budget for remodelling this house was far more than
0:38:56 > 0:38:58Heidi and Steven can spend,
0:38:58 > 0:39:01but it's a design idea which I hope they'll embrace.
0:39:01 > 0:39:04Piers had tried to describe some of these ideas to us.
0:39:04 > 0:39:06Getting to see them really, really helped.
0:39:06 > 0:39:08One of the things that it's quite good to be able to see there
0:39:08 > 0:39:12is how they continued the units outside and that's something
0:39:12 > 0:39:15that we'll have to think about - how we can maybe continue
0:39:15 > 0:39:19- the kitchen island kind of going out into the outside as well.- Yeah.
0:39:19 > 0:39:23I think having it as one space rather than two separate spaces,
0:39:23 > 0:39:27certainly that's the feeling I got in there. It was just one space.
0:39:36 > 0:39:40But once back home, the stark reality is they don't have the funds
0:39:40 > 0:39:45to extend their kitchen out onto the deck and costs are still mounting.
0:39:45 > 0:39:48Go and take your shoes off in there now. No.
0:39:50 > 0:39:54Seven months into the build, they've now spent 90k,
0:39:54 > 0:39:56well over their original budget.
0:39:56 > 0:39:57HE GROANS
0:39:57 > 0:39:59CHILD SCREECHES
0:39:59 > 0:40:00Right. Good night.
0:40:00 > 0:40:02As well as funding the build with their wages,
0:40:02 > 0:40:05a friend is bailing out the project with a loan.
0:40:06 > 0:40:09With a need to limit further spending as much as possible...
0:40:09 > 0:40:11I'm not pulling all that out, Heidi.
0:40:11 > 0:40:14- I do need to see what's... - Not tonight!
0:40:14 > 0:40:17..Heidi has sourced second-hand units free from friends.
0:40:17 > 0:40:20She wants to use them as the basis for the new kitchen.
0:40:20 > 0:40:23- There's on over here. - One, two, three...- Four.
0:40:23 > 0:40:26- ..four, five, six hanging wall units.- Well, what about that?
0:40:26 > 0:40:29That would make seven, that one, the dirty one.
0:40:29 > 0:40:32Without taking all of this out, Heidi, I can't really tell for sure.
0:40:32 > 0:40:34I totally appreciate that it's annoying.
0:40:34 > 0:40:36No, it's not annoying, Heidi,
0:40:36 > 0:40:37it's impractical to do this right now.
0:40:37 > 0:40:40I'm not pulling all this out, no way.
0:40:43 > 0:40:47Heidi and Steven have just £10k left to finish the entire build.
0:40:48 > 0:40:51The kitchen may be free but it's utterly bland.
0:40:57 > 0:41:00It's crucial Piers finds a cheap way to make this kitchen quirky
0:41:00 > 0:41:02and personal.
0:41:06 > 0:41:08A lot needs to happen in the downstairs
0:41:08 > 0:41:11of Heidi and Steven's house for it to work
0:41:11 > 0:41:13as a really good family living space.
0:41:13 > 0:41:15I'm worried that the kitchen will dominate
0:41:15 > 0:41:18because I think what they're doing is just putting a normal kitchen in.
0:41:18 > 0:41:22I want to really encourage them to actually still be bold and
0:41:22 > 0:41:25still hang on to this sense that the house can be really exciting.
0:41:27 > 0:41:31So here's our lovely kitchen.
0:41:31 > 0:41:33- Here it is.- Yeah.- Some of it.
0:41:33 > 0:41:36- It has seen better days, hasn't it? - Yeah.
0:41:36 > 0:41:40The question is how do these do more than just be kitchen cupboards?
0:41:40 > 0:41:42Because the main brief for that space
0:41:42 > 0:41:44- is that it doesn't feel too kitchen-like.- Mm-hm.
0:41:44 > 0:41:47But I do have something in the car I want to go and get and show you.
0:41:47 > 0:41:49- Sounds good.- Excellent.- Yeah.
0:41:50 > 0:41:53The conventional approach to reviving units
0:41:53 > 0:41:55is a lick of paint or new doors.
0:41:55 > 0:41:58But Piers has a much more inventive solution,
0:41:58 > 0:42:00acrylic sheets, which can be bought
0:42:00 > 0:42:02in a huge range of colours and finishes.
0:42:02 > 0:42:05That would definitely not be the colour I would go with.
0:42:05 > 0:42:07Are you looking for something more subtle?
0:42:07 > 0:42:09- I think architects love lime green. - Yeah.- Yeah.
0:42:09 > 0:42:12- This is a kind of aqua blue. - That's lush.- I like the mat.
0:42:12 > 0:42:14This is mat one side.
0:42:14 > 0:42:16- It's nice.- Yeah, I like that, I like that.
0:42:16 > 0:42:19You know, you could knock up this island in some really cheap
0:42:19 > 0:42:22- stud work and this gets effectively glued onto the face of it.- OK.
0:42:22 > 0:42:24The front of the island and the
0:42:24 > 0:42:27- fronts of the cupboard that you see behind the island.- Yeah.- Mm-hm.
0:42:27 > 0:42:31I suppose the rest of that space is very simple and this is the
0:42:31 > 0:42:33jewel that sits in it, you know?
0:42:33 > 0:42:37It's also the thing that zones and separates the kitchen proper
0:42:37 > 0:42:40from the living space, so it's a kind of important thing.
0:42:45 > 0:42:48Keen to explore how the idea could work in practice,
0:42:48 > 0:42:52Piers takes Heidi to a major supplier to see what's possible.
0:42:53 > 0:42:56I think the overall thing is doing something that's
0:42:56 > 0:42:59a block of colour down at the end of the room.
0:42:59 > 0:43:02And then, of course, what it needs to do is to take some very
0:43:02 > 0:43:05ordinary cupboards and somehow repurpose them.
0:43:05 > 0:43:08And I think using them for fronts is a really good idea.
0:43:08 > 0:43:12I think using them for the back of the island or the whole island
0:43:12 > 0:43:14is something that could be explored.
0:43:14 > 0:43:15You love a lime green.
0:43:15 > 0:43:16How could he not like that?
0:43:18 > 0:43:20- We like the blue. - Yeah, we like the blue.
0:43:20 > 0:43:22- It's really nice. - It's beautiful, isn't it? Yeah.
0:43:22 > 0:43:25Having shown Heidi the possibilities,
0:43:25 > 0:43:27Piers can start designing.
0:43:27 > 0:43:30That is one colour that does that and I think that would be really
0:43:30 > 0:43:33easy to do, really easy to make.
0:43:33 > 0:43:37But I think it is an opportunity to use another amazing colour
0:43:37 > 0:43:40cos as soon as you add something else to that,
0:43:40 > 0:43:42it just really transforms the space.
0:43:42 > 0:43:45Could you do the same colour but in a different texture?
0:43:45 > 0:43:47Yeah, absolutely. That's a good idea.
0:43:47 > 0:43:52Then you really do just use your old kitchen as a backdrop.
0:43:52 > 0:43:54You don't need to conceal it. You just paint it white.
0:43:54 > 0:43:56Sold to the woman in Scotland!
0:43:57 > 0:44:00I think Heidi's going to do something really good.
0:44:00 > 0:44:02I'm not quite sure what she's going to do
0:44:02 > 0:44:04but I'm really excited to see what it is.
0:44:09 > 0:44:11Acrylic delivery.
0:44:12 > 0:44:16Heidi and Steven are now battling to finish the family living space
0:44:16 > 0:44:18that will define their new house.
0:44:18 > 0:44:22Heidi has ordered £850 worth of acrylic for the cupboard doors,
0:44:22 > 0:44:24kitchen island and elsewhere.
0:44:24 > 0:44:27She negotiated a discount by arranging to cover the kitchen
0:44:27 > 0:44:31cupboards in whatever colours the supplier had cheap as offcuts.
0:44:31 > 0:44:33It's a very brave decision.
0:44:33 > 0:44:35Ooh, purple!
0:44:35 > 0:44:39Pink, Heidi. White. We've got green and yellow.
0:44:39 > 0:44:40Cool. Happy with that?
0:44:40 > 0:44:42We'll see how they are when they're up.
0:44:42 > 0:44:44SHE LAUGHS
0:44:44 > 0:44:47The kitchen island worktop needs to be cut to fit precisely,
0:44:47 > 0:44:49around an uneven old sink.
0:44:49 > 0:44:52One slip and one of the most expensive pieces of acrylic
0:44:52 > 0:44:54will be ruined.
0:44:54 > 0:44:57It's really important that the kitchen, you know,
0:44:57 > 0:44:59does something interesting.
0:44:59 > 0:45:02When it's in your living space, where you've got your couch and your
0:45:02 > 0:45:05fire and everything, you're going to be doing all your entertaining, the
0:45:05 > 0:45:09family's always going to be around there, so you want to feel proud of that space.
0:45:10 > 0:45:12Whoo!
0:45:12 > 0:45:15Heidi and Steven have struggled to find every penny for this
0:45:15 > 0:45:19build and taken some bold and brave design decisions.
0:45:19 > 0:45:22The question now is - will it all pay off?
0:45:28 > 0:45:3012 months after they started building,
0:45:30 > 0:45:34Piers and I returned to see if Heidi and Steven had realised the dream
0:45:34 > 0:45:38of creating a home in an area they thought they could never afford.
0:45:41 > 0:45:45How does it feel to be standing next to a more or less finished building?
0:45:45 > 0:45:49Really exciting. It's good to see it nearly there.
0:45:49 > 0:45:51It's getting to the point where you can start to imagine
0:45:51 > 0:45:53this as your home.
0:45:53 > 0:45:55Outside there's a long way to go
0:45:55 > 0:45:59with rendering, painting and landscaping still to do.
0:45:59 > 0:46:01But what have they achieved on the inside?
0:46:04 > 0:46:06This is just such a great space.
0:46:07 > 0:46:10It's sort of sensible, ordered, well-planned,
0:46:10 > 0:46:13but most of all with this fantastic view.
0:46:15 > 0:46:17And it's so well-planned.
0:46:17 > 0:46:19I mean, your circulation is all to one side
0:46:19 > 0:46:21so you're not constantly crossing over.
0:46:21 > 0:46:24There's also this which works because it lets all of this
0:46:24 > 0:46:26light through, doesn't it?
0:46:26 > 0:46:29I mean, this is space that you've borrowed from the stairwell
0:46:29 > 0:46:32and brought it into this room.
0:46:32 > 0:46:34A home-made balustrade is constructed from rope
0:46:34 > 0:46:36and clear acrylic.
0:46:36 > 0:46:39And Steven has used reclaimed timber from the old house
0:46:39 > 0:46:41as a free wall covering.
0:46:41 > 0:46:45But the centrepiece of the main living area is a remarkable kitchen.
0:46:45 > 0:46:48Well, this part of the house is certainly impossible to miss.
0:46:48 > 0:46:51Impossible to ignore. It's so colourful.
0:46:51 > 0:46:54The kitchen island contains a reclaimed sink housed
0:46:54 > 0:46:58in a custom-built surround made from leftover timbers.
0:46:58 > 0:47:02The only major expenses were one sheet of plywood and the acrylic.
0:47:02 > 0:47:05This all started from - how can you take this kitchen,
0:47:05 > 0:47:07which was salvaged from somewhere, wasn't it?
0:47:07 > 0:47:11And how do you put it in pride of place in this room?
0:47:11 > 0:47:15And what this does, this acrylic, is completely transform this room.
0:47:15 > 0:47:19Heidi and Steven invested a huge amount of time and energy
0:47:19 > 0:47:23in this build, but it's also been a tremendous financial strain.
0:47:23 > 0:47:25So just how have things worked out?
0:47:25 > 0:47:28Tell me how much money you had in the beginning for this build
0:47:28 > 0:47:30and how much you've ended up spending?
0:47:30 > 0:47:33Well, we had, when we first started and once we had kind of
0:47:33 > 0:47:37demolished everything, we had 70 grand. We're now at 98.
0:47:37 > 0:47:41And the place has kind of taken us in a year from 70 to 98.
0:47:41 > 0:47:44We've got 20 grand that we've managed to borrow
0:47:44 > 0:47:46from someone else, another three grand on some credit cards
0:47:46 > 0:47:50and we've got the rest of that was from our wages basically.
0:47:52 > 0:47:56The hard work is far from over, especially as the garden is unusable
0:47:56 > 0:48:00and an eyesore in the surrounding landscape.
0:48:00 > 0:48:04But Heidi and Steven have achieved a wonderful low-cost family home.
0:48:13 > 0:48:17It's seven months since our last visit to Heidi and Steven.
0:48:17 > 0:48:20The exterior render has now been completed and the family have
0:48:20 > 0:48:22settled into their new home.
0:48:22 > 0:48:25Who's having apple juice again? Just Verity?
0:48:25 > 0:48:27'It's been so good to be living here.'
0:48:27 > 0:48:29I think I'd actually kind of forgotten that we actually lived
0:48:29 > 0:48:31anywhere else already.
0:48:31 > 0:48:33Family life is just really, really easy.
0:48:33 > 0:48:37So we just spend all our time in this big room.
0:48:37 > 0:48:39Felix, are you having a little bit of brown sauce?
0:48:39 > 0:48:41'I'm really pleased with the acrylic.
0:48:41 > 0:48:42'It looks really, really good.'
0:48:42 > 0:48:45Loads of people have come in and they've commented and they
0:48:45 > 0:48:46really are surprised at it.
0:48:46 > 0:48:50A few people have said it's very retro '80s, which I quite like.
0:48:50 > 0:48:52I like to imagine it's a bit like the test card.
0:48:52 > 0:48:56Piers pushed Heidi and Steven to lose an internal wall and
0:48:56 > 0:48:58open up the ground floor of their small home.
0:48:58 > 0:49:01And they've ended up with a flexible living space.
0:49:01 > 0:49:04During the winter, we'll have the seats round the fire.
0:49:04 > 0:49:07And then when it becomes summer, we'll swap the dining room table
0:49:07 > 0:49:09over with it, with the sofa,
0:49:09 > 0:49:11and that will be out in front of the big window.
0:49:11 > 0:49:14So during the summer we can sit with the doors open,
0:49:14 > 0:49:17the kids are out playing, we can sit on the sofa and watch.
0:49:17 > 0:49:19Heidi and Steven still haven't been able to extend
0:49:19 > 0:49:22the key living area beyond their four walls.
0:49:22 > 0:49:25And at the moment, their outside space feels disconnected
0:49:25 > 0:49:28from the home and unsuitable for them and their children.
0:49:28 > 0:49:31There's a steep drop yards from the back of the house
0:49:31 > 0:49:34and beyond that - rubble heaps.
0:49:34 > 0:49:37Currently, the area outside looks a bit like a bombsite, really.
0:49:37 > 0:49:40- Yeah.- It's just a total dumping ground of all the waste materials
0:49:40 > 0:49:42that we've used as the build's gone on.
0:49:44 > 0:49:48A rule of thumb is to allow £30 per square metre for planting a garden,
0:49:48 > 0:49:51rising to £100 or more for hard landscaping.
0:49:53 > 0:49:56Heidi and Steven have saved up £1,000 for work in their garden,
0:49:56 > 0:49:58just £20 per square metre.
0:49:59 > 0:50:00Piers is meeting them
0:50:00 > 0:50:03at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art in Edinburgh
0:50:03 > 0:50:07to show them an unconventional piece of landscape design
0:50:07 > 0:50:10that could help give them a vision of how to make the most
0:50:10 > 0:50:13of their exterior space on a shoestring.
0:50:13 > 0:50:16At the moment, the house is built on a slope and there's
0:50:16 > 0:50:19no real connection to the landscape or even their garden.
0:50:19 > 0:50:22And what I want to do with them today is find a way
0:50:22 > 0:50:24to reconcile those two things.
0:50:25 > 0:50:29I've brought you here to show you this amazing landform.
0:50:36 > 0:50:38- Oh, wow! It's pretty cool.- Yeah.
0:50:38 > 0:50:40- It's like a little amphitheatre. - It is.
0:50:43 > 0:50:46The award-winning landform was designed
0:50:46 > 0:50:49by the acclaimed landscape designer and architecture critic
0:50:49 > 0:50:50Charles Jencks.
0:50:52 > 0:50:56It is something that really invites you to sit on, walk on,
0:50:56 > 0:50:59run down, walk up, those sorts of things.
0:51:01 > 0:51:05The curved, stepped design and crescent-shaped pools of water
0:51:05 > 0:51:07were inspired by chaos theory
0:51:07 > 0:51:08and shapes found in nature.
0:51:10 > 0:51:15The result is a combination of artwork, garden and social space.
0:51:15 > 0:51:16It is nice, isn't it?
0:51:16 > 0:51:19The way there's this top path that goes all the way around
0:51:19 > 0:51:23and then there are these lower terraces that you can walk down it,
0:51:23 > 0:51:24walk around it,
0:51:24 > 0:51:27sit on it and it's a beautiful thing,
0:51:27 > 0:51:30as well as actually, in a way, being quite practical.
0:51:33 > 0:51:36- I quite like the shortness of this section, actually.- Yeah.
0:51:36 > 0:51:38This scale is pretty good, isn't it?
0:51:38 > 0:51:40I mean, that's about 600 mil or something.
0:51:40 > 0:51:43Even if it was that little bit shorter as well,
0:51:43 > 0:51:45you could actually, it's almost like the scale of it makes you feel
0:51:45 > 0:51:48- like a child because it's a bit like a big step.- Mm-hm.
0:51:51 > 0:51:54This is clearly an amazing piece of landscape but actually it's
0:51:54 > 0:51:55pretty low-tech.
0:51:55 > 0:51:58It's just some earth that's been moved around and shaped
0:51:58 > 0:52:00and that's it.
0:52:00 > 0:52:04It is big and grand but it's easy to imagine it smaller.
0:52:04 > 0:52:06The only thing, I think, when you look at it, I think,
0:52:06 > 0:52:10practical-wise, you think about the cutting of the grass.
0:52:10 > 0:52:12You could plant wild flowers or herbs or something
0:52:12 > 0:52:15so they're on the banks and they don't need mowing.
0:52:15 > 0:52:16Cos clearly you want to make something
0:52:16 > 0:52:18- that's pretty low-maintenance. - Yeah.- Yeah.
0:52:18 > 0:52:21I think importantly though, this isn't about gardening,
0:52:21 > 0:52:24this is about making a beautiful space for you and your house
0:52:24 > 0:52:26and I think that's what we need to go and talk about now.
0:52:29 > 0:52:31The big thing is, why we're here, is -
0:52:31 > 0:52:33how do you connect that with that?
0:52:33 > 0:52:37And the most interesting way to do it could be just to wrap
0:52:37 > 0:52:43around here a beautiful big series of long steps of some description
0:52:43 > 0:52:44that were sculpted.
0:52:44 > 0:52:48Shape-wise, how do you feel about something that has more
0:52:48 > 0:52:51of a curve to it?
0:52:51 > 0:52:55Perhaps. I do like some of the... I like quite sharp angles.
0:52:55 > 0:52:58So what about some sharper shapes?
0:52:58 > 0:53:02- You see, I quite like a sharp shape. - Mm.- Like that.- Yeah.
0:53:02 > 0:53:04I think you'll actually get on a digger and you'll start
0:53:04 > 0:53:07to sculpt it and play with it until you're happy with it.
0:53:07 > 0:53:09And actually, that's how you make things like this.
0:53:09 > 0:53:10You'll actually do what feels
0:53:10 > 0:53:12- right for the space that's there. - Yeah.- Yep.
0:53:12 > 0:53:14So there's the material for all of this
0:53:14 > 0:53:16- which you kind of have already, don't you?- Mm-hm.
0:53:16 > 0:53:18You've got earth that you need to lose,
0:53:18 > 0:53:20you've got spoil you need to lose.
0:53:20 > 0:53:23- Here you're spending your cash on the hire of a machine.- That's it.
0:53:23 > 0:53:25- That's it.- Yeah, exactly. - Bit of seed.- Yep.
0:53:25 > 0:53:32That's where I would invest my cash if it was my place.
0:53:37 > 0:53:40Back home, translating the inspiration into reality
0:53:40 > 0:53:43means moving tons of earth, turfing it
0:53:43 > 0:53:45and creating a large deck.
0:53:45 > 0:53:49But can Heidi and Steven do it for a fraction of what such work
0:53:49 > 0:53:50normally costs?
0:53:51 > 0:53:55We have built the frame for the decking out of the old wood
0:53:55 > 0:53:59that we've kept stored from the house that was here
0:53:59 > 0:54:01before we knocked it down.
0:54:01 > 0:54:04All in all, we'll be saving about £1,000, I would reckon.
0:54:09 > 0:54:14It's a great saving, but moving tons of earth requires digger hire,
0:54:14 > 0:54:17a huge £500 out of the budget.
0:54:17 > 0:54:20The digger's taken down all the big lumps and bumps
0:54:20 > 0:54:22that we had in the garden.
0:54:22 > 0:54:26We've still got quite a bit to do to kind of get them right,
0:54:26 > 0:54:28but the main shape of it seems to be quite good.
0:54:30 > 0:54:33Who uses a shovel when it's a spade job?
0:54:33 > 0:54:35The base for the decking brings total costs
0:54:35 > 0:54:40so far to £850, leaving almost nothing for turfing.
0:54:41 > 0:54:45Heidi and Steven are going to have to be more resourceful than ever
0:54:45 > 0:54:48to turn this mud bath into a beautiful landscape.
0:54:48 > 0:54:51Is that going to be good? What are you going to have on this?
0:54:54 > 0:54:56Six months after he showed them
0:54:56 > 0:54:58the Charles Jencks landscape in Edinburgh,
0:54:58 > 0:55:01Piers is back in Scotland to see whether they've managed
0:55:01 > 0:55:04to pull off the near impossible one more time.
0:55:06 > 0:55:10Way back when I first came here, the conversations were about how
0:55:10 > 0:55:15can the house and the landscape really be one thing?
0:55:15 > 0:55:19As well as looking great, it needs to effectively double the
0:55:19 > 0:55:24size of the living area in what is quite a modest ground-floor plan.
0:55:28 > 0:55:31This is great, isn't it? I mean, what a great space this is.
0:55:31 > 0:55:34I mean, that is fantastic. That is exactly how it should be.
0:55:34 > 0:55:35- Yeah.- That's perfect.
0:55:35 > 0:55:38It's better than perfect, actually, cos those boards are fantastic.
0:55:43 > 0:55:45- And what a view.- It's lovely. - I mean, just fantastic.
0:55:45 > 0:55:48And also, we've managed to get it almost exactly the same width.
0:55:48 > 0:55:50- Well, that's what we discussed, wasn't it?- Yeah.
0:55:50 > 0:55:53- We discussed doubling the size. - Doubling the size, it does.
0:55:53 > 0:55:57From the door to here is about 3.8m and that's 3.5.
0:55:57 > 0:56:00And it just makes you feel like the space is bigger.
0:56:05 > 0:56:10The deck's a triumph and struggling for funds to finish the garden,
0:56:10 > 0:56:13Heidi and Steven pulled off another masterstroke.
0:56:14 > 0:56:18This is really beautiful. I love these terraces.
0:56:22 > 0:56:25They found a local golf club with surplus turf,
0:56:25 > 0:56:28happy to part with it in return for £100 donation.
0:56:32 > 0:56:35And it's lovely the way you don't see them from the house,
0:56:35 > 0:56:38you just see this infinity edge here with the distant views.
0:56:38 > 0:56:39I mean, it's so beautiful.
0:56:39 > 0:56:43And it's also so great not to have a hand rail, conventional steps,
0:56:43 > 0:56:49but all these bits of platform and space that you just want to sit on.
0:56:49 > 0:56:52It's lovely. An amphitheatre. And it works so well.
0:56:52 > 0:56:54- It really contains this space. - Mm-hm.
0:56:54 > 0:56:57I mean, this is great. Of course, you can't go straight down,
0:56:57 > 0:56:59you actually have to walk along them, haven't you?
0:56:59 > 0:57:01I mean, it's beautiful. It's beautiful, really.
0:57:01 > 0:57:03- It's a nice way to enter the garden. - It's a lovely way.
0:57:03 > 0:57:06It's very... It's very sort of...
0:57:06 > 0:57:10It's beautiful, majestic, descending into the lower lawn.
0:57:10 > 0:57:12THEY LAUGH
0:57:12 > 0:57:15And actually, I mean, look at the house from here.
0:57:15 > 0:57:17It is a really good-looking house, isn't it?
0:57:17 > 0:57:20Actually, the transition between the high bit of garden
0:57:20 > 0:57:23with the house and the lower bit is usually very tricky.
0:57:23 > 0:57:26But actually, here, this is a beautiful bank, isn't it?
0:57:29 > 0:57:32And how much has it cost you to do the deck and the landscape?
0:57:32 > 0:57:34Just over a grand.
0:57:34 > 0:57:36- For all of this?- Yep. - I think so, yeah.- That's great.
0:57:36 > 0:57:40- Well, it would cost you 1,000 quid for just the deck.- Yeah.
0:57:40 > 0:57:42By the time you bought all the timber,
0:57:42 > 0:57:43probably more, actually.
0:57:43 > 0:57:47And then, this beautiful landscape, I mean, that's incredible.
0:57:47 > 0:57:50It just shows if you can be a bit more ingenious and
0:57:50 > 0:57:52a bit more creative with what you've got,
0:57:52 > 0:57:56you can get something really special that suits you, suits your family.
0:57:59 > 0:58:02I remember talking to Heidi and Steven about how the deck
0:58:02 > 0:58:06would double their floor space effectively
0:58:06 > 0:58:08and in my mind I was sort of prepared for it,
0:58:08 > 0:58:11but coming here today and seeing it, experiencing it
0:58:11 > 0:58:15and seeing the scale of the landscape from the deck,
0:58:15 > 0:58:17I mean, really it's fabulous.