0:00:02 > 0:00:06Britain's Empty Homes has been on a mission to show what can be done
0:00:06 > 0:00:07to revitalise and transform
0:00:07 > 0:00:12some of the UK's estimated one million empty properties.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15- Good to see you again. How are you? - I'm very well, thank you.
0:00:15 > 0:00:17In this series, I'll be catching up
0:00:17 > 0:00:20with some of the people who took the plunge
0:00:20 > 0:00:21and staked everything
0:00:21 > 0:00:25on turning unloved houses into bespoke family homes.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31Today, we'll be catching up with a couple from an earlier series
0:00:31 > 0:00:33who were inspired to take on an abandoned property
0:00:33 > 0:00:36after we showed them some of Britain's empty homes.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39- Your wish came true? - It did, and I love it.
0:00:39 > 0:00:42We'll also be catching up with the empty property officers
0:00:42 > 0:00:45who dedicate themselves to turning abandoned abodes
0:00:45 > 0:00:48back into usable homes.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51- Wow! Look at this space. - It's beautiful, isn't it?
0:00:51 > 0:00:54And we'll see the results of a project to equip apprentices
0:00:54 > 0:00:57with the unique skills needed to restore and preserve listed buildings.
0:00:57 > 0:01:02Great to see the success one young chap has got out of it.
0:01:02 > 0:01:03It's great news.
0:01:03 > 0:01:09Nearly 18 months ago, I met Catherine and Andrew Ingram
0:01:09 > 0:01:12who'd fallen for a dilapidated four-bedroom mock Tudor house,
0:01:12 > 0:01:13but the love affair was short-lived.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20Andrew and Catherine were newlyweds when they bought
0:01:20 > 0:01:25this 1930s' house in Bognor Regis, West Sussex.
0:01:27 > 0:01:31The house was empty for almost a year, practically untouched.
0:01:31 > 0:01:35When they clapped eyes on it, it was love at first sight.
0:01:35 > 0:01:37We pulled up outside and walked up the driveway,
0:01:37 > 0:01:41and I just knew it was the right property.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44In this sought-after location, prices can run into the millions.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48A&E crew member Andrew and staff nurse Catherine
0:01:48 > 0:01:52snapped it up for £425,000.
0:01:52 > 0:01:58They wanted to update the interior whilst maintaining its original character.
0:01:58 > 0:02:02If we keep a mix between the authentic, with a twist of modern,
0:02:02 > 0:02:07it's going to be an amazing house, and do it justice.
0:02:07 > 0:02:12The couple had a tight renovation budget of £70,000.
0:02:12 > 0:02:14After a fall-out with one builder,
0:02:14 > 0:02:16they were determined to keep costs down.
0:02:19 > 0:02:23It'll be re-roofed, re-plumbed, re-electric'd.
0:02:23 > 0:02:28The garden will eventually be done, that's the last thing on our list.
0:02:28 > 0:02:32- We're hoping to move in in six months.- If all goes well.
0:02:32 > 0:02:34When I first met up with Andrew and Catherine,
0:02:34 > 0:02:37I was eager to hear more about their plans.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40- My wife, Catherine.- Nice to meet you. - Nice to meet you.
0:02:40 > 0:02:44- Right...- Yes, exactly! This is it! - Yes! This was the third house we saw,
0:02:44 > 0:02:48and I just fell in love with it - we went inside, and it was amazing.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51- We should go and have a look. Lead the way.- Thank you.
0:02:55 > 0:03:00Wow! So, this is a lovely, big room. This is your main reception room?
0:03:00 > 0:03:05Yes. I presume it was a dining room cum front room at one stage.
0:03:05 > 0:03:09- Fantastic.- Yes, it's triple aspect, going round to the side there.
0:03:09 > 0:03:14- And the proper old beams really stand out.- Yes, they are superb.
0:03:14 > 0:03:18- Are these things you want to bring out?- Oh, totally.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22I want to enhance the existing woodwork, not over-modernise it
0:03:22 > 0:03:27but keep a blend between the authentic arts and crafts of the period
0:03:27 > 0:03:31with obviously modern fixtures and fittings.
0:03:31 > 0:03:35How much are you planning to do yourselves?
0:03:35 > 0:03:38Do you both want to get stuck in, with your full-time jobs?
0:03:38 > 0:03:42- You've been awake all night as a staff nurse...- That's right.
0:03:42 > 0:03:46- How much can you do yourselves? - Within reason, you know,
0:03:46 > 0:03:49the lumping and lifting of stuff, clearing of rubble.
0:03:49 > 0:03:53But the electricians, plumbers etc, we let them get on.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55Will you project manage it yourself?
0:03:55 > 0:03:58It can seem a lot of money to get someone to manage it,
0:03:58 > 0:04:02but in terms of keeping it on schedule and on track
0:04:02 > 0:04:06and on budget, it can be money well spent - have you considered it?
0:04:06 > 0:04:08Yes and no. I am very fussy,
0:04:08 > 0:04:12and would like to check every detail myself,
0:04:12 > 0:04:16- so, within reason, we might as well do it ourselves.- Right.
0:04:16 > 0:04:22'I wanted to see what building work had already been done.'
0:04:22 > 0:04:25- The kitchen is more of a building site...- It looks like that, sure.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28'After a fall-out with their builder,
0:04:28 > 0:04:31'things had ground to a halt.'
0:04:31 > 0:04:35- We were too keen, we wanted to get on and see something happen.- Yeah.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38But it's not gone smoothly in here.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41Upstairs, the work hadn't even begun.'
0:04:41 > 0:04:45Wow! This...is huge!
0:04:45 > 0:04:48That's a massive bedroom.
0:04:48 > 0:04:53- Huge bedroom.- Then we come out into... What is this exactly?
0:04:53 > 0:04:57- This is the en-suite sun room. - The en-suite sun room!
0:04:57 > 0:05:00Another quirky feature of such a characterful house.
0:05:00 > 0:05:04- My yoga spot.- Yoga spot. So, this will be the master bedroom.
0:05:04 > 0:05:09- Yes.- With a great fireplace. And overall, your main worries,
0:05:09 > 0:05:11will it come down to money?
0:05:11 > 0:05:15Ultimately everything boils down to money, that's the biggest constraint
0:05:15 > 0:05:19on any desire or vision you have for anything, really.
0:05:19 > 0:05:23- Yes, money - and also, as you said, getting the right builder.- Mmm.
0:05:23 > 0:05:27- I'm glad you're worried about it as well!- I hide it!
0:05:27 > 0:05:31'Andrew and Catherine have busy lives, working unpredictable hours
0:05:31 > 0:05:34'and now had a complex renovation on their hands.
0:05:34 > 0:05:38'Later we'll see what happened when I took them to meet a couple
0:05:38 > 0:05:42'who turned a similar building project into their dream home.'
0:05:42 > 0:05:45It is hopeful. There is light at the end of the tunnel!
0:05:45 > 0:05:46Throughout the country,
0:05:46 > 0:05:49it's not just private buyers like Andrew and Catherine
0:05:49 > 0:05:52rising to the challenge of turning deserted properties into unique homes.
0:05:52 > 0:05:56Local council empty property officers work tirelessly
0:05:56 > 0:05:59to track down the owners of abandoned houses and do everything
0:05:59 > 0:06:03within their power to bring these places back into circulation.
0:06:03 > 0:06:0718 months ago, we went to Thanet in Kent
0:06:07 > 0:06:09to meet empty property officer Mike Thompson.
0:06:09 > 0:06:14He was a man on a mission to save the coastal region's many forgotten homes.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17The Government sets targets of building thousands and thousands
0:06:17 > 0:06:21of new homes and there's all these properties laying empty
0:06:21 > 0:06:23wanting to be brought back into use.
0:06:23 > 0:06:27I retire in just under 12 months and it's my mission in life
0:06:27 > 0:06:30to leave a legacy of my work behind me.
0:06:32 > 0:06:37There were 3,000 empty buildings across Kent for Mike to deal with.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40Behind every empty property is a story
0:06:40 > 0:06:42and it's a story I like to get to know.
0:06:42 > 0:06:48The growth of package holidays in the 1980s left its mark on our seaside towns.
0:06:48 > 0:06:52As Brits went abroad, once-splendid hotels fell empty.
0:06:52 > 0:06:54Mike's focus was on the building
0:06:54 > 0:06:57that had once stood proudly on this site,
0:06:57 > 0:06:58that was now boarded up.
0:06:58 > 0:07:00I'm on my way now to the former Warren Court hotel,
0:07:00 > 0:07:03where we've come up with a radical solution
0:07:03 > 0:07:04to save the beautiful frontages,
0:07:04 > 0:07:07and I'm here today to meet the architect and the developer
0:07:07 > 0:07:09to see the sort of progress they're making.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12Originally a school, it was turned into the Warren Court Hotel
0:07:12 > 0:07:15at the height of Margate's tourism boom.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20The hotel closed down in 2002
0:07:20 > 0:07:23and had been vacant ever since.
0:07:23 > 0:07:25A magnet for vandals and drug users,
0:07:25 > 0:07:28and subjected to two arson attacks, this vermin-infested property
0:07:28 > 0:07:33had become a health hazard to its neighbours.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36Mike and the Kent Council made a compulsory purchase
0:07:36 > 0:07:39of the building and were working with a local developer
0:07:39 > 0:07:44to regenerate the area and create quality social housing.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46This was an extremely ambitious project,
0:07:46 > 0:07:51as all that remained was the Warren Court facade.
0:07:51 > 0:07:53So what have we got here then, Tanya?
0:07:53 > 0:07:56Well, this is the proposed plan for the site.
0:07:56 > 0:07:57The regeneration project
0:07:57 > 0:08:00included the building next door to The Warren Court,
0:08:00 > 0:08:03which was also being completely rebuilt.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05We obviously have the front terrace,
0:08:05 > 0:08:07and then we've got the terrace of three units,
0:08:07 > 0:08:10and obviously the rear garden to the dwellings.
0:08:10 > 0:08:12The most ambitious part of the scheme
0:08:12 > 0:08:14involved the area behind the hotel.
0:08:14 > 0:08:19This was going to be transformed with a complete terrace of houses,
0:08:19 > 0:08:23built to provide affordable homes.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26To actually get your hands on a project of this magnitude
0:08:26 > 0:08:29and bring something of real benefit to the community,
0:08:29 > 0:08:32providing 20 family homes is really exciting,
0:08:32 > 0:08:34and something I'm really proud to have hung my hat on.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36It's the icing on the cake for me.
0:08:42 > 0:08:4518 months later, Mike Thompson's hung his hat up for the last time,
0:08:45 > 0:08:48and retired from his job.
0:08:48 > 0:08:50But his shoes have been filled
0:08:50 > 0:08:54by the equally tenacious Andrew Emerson.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56Today, Andrew's come to Margate
0:08:56 > 0:08:59to check up on the ambitious Warren Court project.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01The finished development looks spectacular,
0:09:01 > 0:09:05and is a fitting tribute to his predecessor's hard work.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07Morning, Bob. How are you doing?
0:09:07 > 0:09:10- Very good, very good.- Look at this!
0:09:10 > 0:09:13Bob Heapy oversaw the intricate construction work
0:09:13 > 0:09:17needed to bring these buildings back to their former glory.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20How hard was it to actually keep the facades, Bob?
0:09:20 > 0:09:23Yeah, from an engineering perspective, it was quite difficult.
0:09:23 > 0:09:26It would, of course, been a lot easier to knock things down
0:09:26 > 0:09:30and start again, but we wanted to ensure that we were, you know,
0:09:30 > 0:09:32complying with the conservation area.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35And the plans for the new terrace at the back of the hotel
0:09:35 > 0:09:37have come magnificently to life.
0:09:37 > 0:09:41Designed to complement the surrounding period buildings,
0:09:41 > 0:09:45this row of houses looks like it's been there from the start.
0:09:45 > 0:09:47To get the three-storey townhouses again,
0:09:47 > 0:09:51looking very much like the existing properties in the square.
0:09:51 > 0:09:53You know, it just brings it all together.
0:09:53 > 0:09:5712 new homes have been created on the terrace,
0:09:57 > 0:10:01and Andrew's been invited to take a look round one of them.
0:10:01 > 0:10:03I've never been inside them before,
0:10:03 > 0:10:05so I'm very, very excited to get inside.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08I know they've been done to a very high standard,
0:10:08 > 0:10:11but it's going to be an absolute treat to get inside the building
0:10:11 > 0:10:14and see what the actual interior finishes are like.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17This development provides affordable housing for local families.
0:10:17 > 0:10:20- Hi, Lesley?- Hi! - Hi, I'm Andy from Thanet Council.
0:10:20 > 0:10:23Lesley Clark spent 20 years on the council waiting list.
0:10:23 > 0:10:27Wow, look at this space!
0:10:27 > 0:10:29It's beautiful, isn't it?
0:10:29 > 0:10:32Yeah, look at the high ceilings. That's unbelievable.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34Lesley's children have had to move
0:10:34 > 0:10:37from one privately-rented flat to another, all their lives.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41What were the living arrangements like at your previous place?
0:10:41 > 0:10:44My son was sleeping on the sofa downstairs,
0:10:44 > 0:10:46which wasn't an ideal arrangement.
0:10:46 > 0:10:49It was very dark, compared to this with the high ceilings
0:10:49 > 0:10:50and the lovely light and space.
0:10:50 > 0:10:55We couldn't have asked for anything more. It's beautiful here.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57The family only moved in four weeks ago,
0:10:57 > 0:11:00but already feel like part of the neighbourhood.
0:11:00 > 0:11:02We've finally settled now.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05At last, this is going to be our family home now.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08The original buildings here were built when Margate
0:11:08 > 0:11:11was first coming into vogue as a holiday destination.
0:11:11 > 0:11:13Now, more than 100 years later,
0:11:13 > 0:11:16their renaissance is having a positive effect
0:11:16 > 0:11:17on the whole community.
0:11:17 > 0:11:19That was absolutely amazing.
0:11:19 > 0:11:23Before, it was a piece of grass with some burnt-out buildings on it,
0:11:23 > 0:11:28and what we've got is a quality family development.
0:11:28 > 0:11:30And to come back and actually see
0:11:30 > 0:11:32a building which fits in with the conservation area,
0:11:32 > 0:11:36in keeping with the existing buildings around here,
0:11:36 > 0:11:37is absolutely terrific.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45Converting any property can be a tough task,
0:11:45 > 0:11:48and the pains, stresses, and costs can all mount up,
0:11:48 > 0:11:51particularly with an old, abandoned building.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54However, when you speak to people who have been through it,
0:11:54 > 0:11:57they'll tell you the long hours, the sleepless nights,
0:11:57 > 0:11:59the hard work, are all worth it in the end.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02But that's something Andrew and Karen Smith
0:12:02 > 0:12:04would have found hard to believe
0:12:04 > 0:12:07when they first saw this 500-year-old cowshed in North Wales.
0:12:09 > 0:12:14We've always liked the idea of renovating somewhere,
0:12:14 > 0:12:16a barn conversion, that type of project.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18And we looked on the internet,
0:12:18 > 0:12:20and this came up under "Wreck of the Week."
0:12:20 > 0:12:22And it certainly was.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25It was terrible. We looked at it and thought,
0:12:25 > 0:12:28"You must be mad to do something like that!"
0:12:28 > 0:12:29But we came along and had a look,
0:12:29 > 0:12:32- and it was a beautiful sunny day, wasn't it?- Yeah.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35It was lovely, and there was a magic about the place
0:12:35 > 0:12:37that just caught us, and we just found ourselves saying,
0:12:37 > 0:12:41"Wouldn't it be fantastic if we could make this liveable?
0:12:41 > 0:12:44"Wouldn't it be fantastic if we could bring this back to life?"
0:12:44 > 0:12:46You could see the potential.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49You know, you could imagine a patio out there,
0:12:49 > 0:12:51and gin and tonics overlooking the bay.
0:12:51 > 0:12:55It was just... you had to have the vision,
0:12:55 > 0:12:57but we could both see that we could do something with it.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02They bought the property for £205,000,
0:13:02 > 0:13:07and spent a further £250,000 renovating it.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09It took 16 months of hard graft,
0:13:09 > 0:13:13but they now have this stunning three-bed house.
0:13:13 > 0:13:17Our key was to keep it as traditional as we possibly could,
0:13:17 > 0:13:20and not have it look like, you know,
0:13:20 > 0:13:23a modern glass and steel building
0:13:23 > 0:13:25with views over the bays.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28We wanted it to look like it should have looked
0:13:28 > 0:13:29and be a traditional build.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32It's fantastic we've still got the original brickwork
0:13:32 > 0:13:35and big stones that were put up 500 years ago.
0:13:35 > 0:13:37You know, it's awesome, really.
0:13:38 > 0:13:40Our input into the building
0:13:40 > 0:13:43has been very much one of project management.
0:13:43 > 0:13:45We haven't, you know, got our hands dirty
0:13:45 > 0:13:48putting walls up and woodwork up.
0:13:48 > 0:13:50But when you're going to be living in it yourself,
0:13:50 > 0:13:53you need to be able to change things,
0:13:53 > 0:13:55if they're not quite right,
0:13:55 > 0:13:58and because we project managed it quite closely,
0:13:58 > 0:14:00we were able to do that.
0:14:03 > 0:14:08I think it's important, life is so frantic for most of us,
0:14:08 > 0:14:11and rightly so, in times...
0:14:11 > 0:14:14If you've got a dream, you should go for it.
0:14:14 > 0:14:18The worst that can happen is it fails, but at least you've tried.
0:14:18 > 0:14:20If you don't try, you'll never know.
0:14:23 > 0:14:27Earlier in the programme, we met Catherine and Andrew Ingram,
0:14:27 > 0:14:30who've started renovations on their quirky 1930s house.
0:14:30 > 0:14:36The couple had already experienced delays, and were a little anxious
0:14:36 > 0:14:38about how best to manage this complex renovation.
0:14:38 > 0:14:40To inspire Andrew and Catherine,
0:14:40 > 0:14:42I took them to meet Clare and Matt Pascoe,
0:14:42 > 0:14:45who'd taken on a tired-looking empty property
0:14:45 > 0:14:49and used their trade expertise to create their perfect family home.
0:14:51 > 0:14:53Clare, an interior designer
0:14:53 > 0:14:55and her husband Matt, an electrician,
0:14:55 > 0:14:58live with their young family in Oving, West Sussex.
0:14:58 > 0:15:02In 2009, the Pascoes bought this dilapidated, vacant,
0:15:02 > 0:15:06three-bedroom house for £435,000.
0:15:06 > 0:15:08The reason the house appealed to us
0:15:08 > 0:15:11was that it would have been out of our league,
0:15:11 > 0:15:14had it been fully renovated already.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17It was quite dated and run down.
0:15:17 > 0:15:19It was just very tired, but you could clearly see
0:15:19 > 0:15:23it was spacious and could be fantastic.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26Clare and Matt were able to draw
0:15:26 > 0:15:29on their own skills and experience to complete the build.
0:15:29 > 0:15:31Even so, they struggled through a harsh winter
0:15:31 > 0:15:34and the birth of their second child to finish the project.
0:15:35 > 0:15:38We weren't nervous about doing it. We were quite excited about it,
0:15:38 > 0:15:42but it was definitely more stressful as time went on
0:15:42 > 0:15:46and more of the money got spent, with still plenty of work to do.
0:15:46 > 0:15:51Even as an interior designer with 12 years' experience,
0:15:51 > 0:15:54I still felt the pressure to get in before Christmas.
0:15:54 > 0:15:58Normally I'd be advising clients to relax, these are the lead times,
0:15:58 > 0:16:04these are the processes and don't try and push the team. I didn't follow my own advice at all!
0:16:04 > 0:16:09Despite the pressures of managing their own build, the Pascoes have transformed and extended
0:16:09 > 0:16:14this once empty house into a spacious and spectacular home.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17All this work was done for under 70 grand.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20We've certainly added value to the property.
0:16:20 > 0:16:24That wasn't the motive for setting out to refurbish the house.
0:16:24 > 0:16:28It was to make a family home that we could bring our children up in,
0:16:28 > 0:16:31a lovely garden, village location. It was the whole package.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34Hello, Matt, Clare. Hi.
0:16:34 > 0:16:36- Can we come in and have a look? - Yes, come on in.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39This renovation may have held different challenges,
0:16:39 > 0:16:42but it was similar in scale to the Ingrams' place.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45- The master bedroom. - Beautiful.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48Nice colours.
0:16:48 > 0:16:49I wanted Andrew and Catherine to see
0:16:49 > 0:16:51how two renovation specialists
0:16:51 > 0:16:54had managed their big construction project.
0:16:54 > 0:16:58Wow, look at this, it just opens up as soon as you come around.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01What state was this in when you took on the property?
0:17:01 > 0:17:04This room didn't exist. This is all the extension that we did.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07- This was an exterior wall, was it?- It was.
0:17:07 > 0:17:08- All extension, going that way?- Yes.
0:17:08 > 0:17:10How would you advise these guys?
0:17:10 > 0:17:14They're both health professionals, not contractors or builders.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17How did you go about finding the right people that you trust?
0:17:17 > 0:17:19Word of mouth, if you can.
0:17:19 > 0:17:23Try and get some recommendations, maybe see some of their work
0:17:23 > 0:17:27and try and get somebody you can get on with. It's going to take a while.
0:17:27 > 0:17:31It's a long haul and they're under your feet the whole time.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34- Yes, communication's important. - You've got to get on with them.
0:17:34 > 0:17:36- Get the right balance. - Being able to talk.- Sure.
0:17:36 > 0:17:41That's one of my concerns for you two, you're both busy and have full-time jobs
0:17:41 > 0:17:43and it's about being there enough.
0:17:43 > 0:17:47How important is it to be around if you're a project manager, or, if not
0:17:47 > 0:17:49to try and employ someone who can be?
0:17:49 > 0:17:53It's nice to keep involved and know what's happening, to be involved in decisions.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56The builders on site will need a quick turnaround.
0:17:56 > 0:18:00Sometimes when you're in the middle of a building project, the floors are up
0:18:00 > 0:18:03and the plaster's down, it's difficult to see the way forward.
0:18:03 > 0:18:07How useful is it seeing a stage forward? You're dealing with exposed concrete floors,
0:18:07 > 0:18:10- and to see a finished project, is lovely.- It is hopeful.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13- There is light at the end of the tunnel.- Good, good.
0:18:13 > 0:18:15Guys, thank you for that.
0:18:15 > 0:18:19- Sharing your house, opening it up to us to have a look around.- Pleasure.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24Later we'll find out if Andrew and Catherine were able
0:18:24 > 0:18:26to put the advice they'd heard into practice
0:18:26 > 0:18:30and turn their 1930s home into the perfect period property.
0:18:33 > 0:18:35Whatever the age of your building,
0:18:35 > 0:18:39restoring an empty home can be a richly rewarding experience.
0:18:39 > 0:18:41But when it comes to preserving historic houses,
0:18:41 > 0:18:46it requires not just a sympathetic eye, but a skilled hand.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49Britain is full of homes that date back centuries.
0:18:49 > 0:18:53Maintaining and renovating them is highly specialist work.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55The trouble is, there aren't enough people out there
0:18:55 > 0:18:58who are skilled enough in the traditional crafts needed
0:18:58 > 0:19:00to ensure these buildings' preservation.
0:19:01 > 0:19:0312 months ago, I went to Berkshire
0:19:03 > 0:19:05to find out about a training initiative
0:19:05 > 0:19:07being run to address this problem.
0:19:08 > 0:19:09I spoke to Paul Simons,
0:19:09 > 0:19:12chair of the National Heritage Training Group.
0:19:12 > 0:19:13Start at the beginning.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16What are the key differences between historic heritage building
0:19:16 > 0:19:17and modern buildings?
0:19:17 > 0:19:20The biggest difference is the change of materials being used.
0:19:20 > 0:19:22Old buildings breathe.
0:19:22 > 0:19:24Basically, that meant the vast majority of the material you were
0:19:24 > 0:19:26using was porous - soft brick,
0:19:26 > 0:19:29local stone, lime mortars and plaster.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32It naturally lets water pass through it and evaporate.
0:19:32 > 0:19:36When we look at these older materials and older techniques,
0:19:36 > 0:19:38surely it's a whole different skill base that comes with that?
0:19:38 > 0:19:39Is that right?
0:19:39 > 0:19:42Well, there's a vast range of skills if you start to think about it,
0:19:42 > 0:19:47from the traditional timber framers, wattle and daub, lime,
0:19:47 > 0:19:48traditional plasters.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51The roof might be clay tile, a thatch, and all these materials
0:19:51 > 0:19:53need different skills, different abilities,
0:19:53 > 0:19:57to be able to work with them properly and get a quality job.
0:19:57 > 0:19:59So how important is it we keep learning these skills
0:19:59 > 0:20:01and keep reinterpreting them?
0:20:01 > 0:20:03It's absolutely vital we get young people
0:20:03 > 0:20:05to train on historic buildings,
0:20:05 > 0:20:08because the other worrying aspect of craftsmanship
0:20:08 > 0:20:11in historic buildings is the age profile.
0:20:11 > 0:20:13Most craftsmen are over 50 already.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15Where can people go if they want to learn the skills?
0:20:15 > 0:20:17English Heritage and Construction Skills set up
0:20:17 > 0:20:19the National Heritage Training group,
0:20:19 > 0:20:23so we have qualifications available for heritage skills
0:20:23 > 0:20:27from NVQ level III upwards,
0:20:27 > 0:20:30and employers have got incentives to take on young people now
0:20:30 > 0:20:32and put them through these heritage qualifications,
0:20:32 > 0:20:36and we've got to get more young people on these training courses.
0:20:36 > 0:20:38For the apprentices Paul takes on,
0:20:38 > 0:20:41it's an opportunity to learn crafts which have been eclipsed
0:20:41 > 0:20:46by modern building techniques and are in danger of being forgotten.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48Now, you're at two different stages, right?
0:20:48 > 0:20:51First of all, Sam, how far have you got in your training?
0:20:51 > 0:20:55Well, I did three years at college on modern buildings and stuff,
0:20:55 > 0:20:57and after I finished that, I came down here.
0:20:57 > 0:21:00I've gone from making stuff from new timbers
0:21:00 > 0:21:04to just repairing timbers, say, 100 years old and stuff,
0:21:04 > 0:21:05so it's a lot different.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08Chris, what about you? Where are you in your training?
0:21:08 > 0:21:11I've been working here for just over six months now,
0:21:11 > 0:21:13and I'm really enjoying it. It's really good.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16I love the history side of it and old school techniques.
0:21:16 > 0:21:20If you had to say, what is the best part of this job,
0:21:20 > 0:21:22the job you're training for?
0:21:22 > 0:21:26Seeing the building being taken down and being put up again repaired,
0:21:26 > 0:21:28being brought back to life.
0:21:28 > 0:21:30- That's what I love. - Well, guys, good luck with it.
0:21:30 > 0:21:32Thank you for taking some time off to chat to me today.
0:21:32 > 0:21:36- That's all right.- All the best. - Thank you.- Thank you.
0:21:38 > 0:21:40Now, one year later,
0:21:40 > 0:21:43Paul Simons' training scheme has really taken off.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46Over 200 apprentices have been placed with artisan builders
0:21:46 > 0:21:51around the country. And Rob Blaine is one of them.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54He spent six months on the National Heritage Training Scheme
0:21:54 > 0:21:58getting to grips with the ancient craft of lime plastering.
0:21:58 > 0:22:02And today Paul Simons has come to Oxford to see how he's getting on.
0:22:02 > 0:22:06- That's how I put it on. - And that's going on like butter.
0:22:06 > 0:22:10- It's looking lovely, Rob.- Thank you very much.- And there's good news.
0:22:10 > 0:22:14Rob's proved such a dab hand, he's been offered a permanent job.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17It's nice to get on, I suppose, almost the vanguard of conservation
0:22:17 > 0:22:21in general, and it's great working with natural materials.
0:22:21 > 0:22:23You're never going to earn millions of pounds from it.
0:22:23 > 0:22:27You're there because of the love of the old buildings themselves.
0:22:27 > 0:22:29Lime plastering is very important.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32It's not just putting plaster on a wall, it's the mixing,
0:22:32 > 0:22:35it's selecting the lime, it's getting the right colour,
0:22:35 > 0:22:38the right sands, all that was explained to Rob,
0:22:38 > 0:22:40he's picked all that up very quickly,
0:22:40 > 0:22:43and it'll be useful knowledge for the rest of his working career.
0:22:43 > 0:22:46Great to see one success story,
0:22:46 > 0:22:48what one young chap has got out of it.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50It's great news.
0:22:54 > 0:22:56Earlier in the programme, we met a couple who were planning
0:22:56 > 0:23:01a major renovation on their unusual period home in West Sussex.
0:23:01 > 0:23:05It was an ambitious project, particularly for two people
0:23:05 > 0:23:08with full-time jobs working unpredictable hours.
0:23:08 > 0:23:10Here I am back in Bognor Regis
0:23:10 > 0:23:12to catch up with Andrew and Catherine Ingram.
0:23:12 > 0:23:14Now, when I first met them, work on this beautiful
0:23:14 > 0:23:161930s arts and crafts house
0:23:16 > 0:23:19had pretty much slowed to a standstill,
0:23:19 > 0:23:21so I'm intrigued to see how far they've got.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26The couple have been living here for six months,
0:23:26 > 0:23:30but has the building site been replaced by an art deco delight?
0:23:30 > 0:23:33- Hello.- Hey, guys. How are you? - Come on in.- Thank you.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35Andrew, good to see you. Hi, Catherine. How are you?
0:23:35 > 0:23:38- Good to see you. - Bright and lovely day.
0:23:38 > 0:23:40- Would you like to come this way? - Yeah, that would be great.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42Shoes off. This is very cosy. Looking good.
0:23:47 > 0:23:51You have completely done it, haven't you? Really nice, yeah.
0:23:51 > 0:23:55- Plenty of changes.- Yes, certainly has been.- Lots been going on.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58Last time we were tiptoeing through this space
0:23:58 > 0:24:01around building work, so what's been going on?
0:24:01 > 0:24:03This floor has all been dug up for a start,
0:24:03 > 0:24:06in this room in particular, for the underground heating.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08The floor in there is oak flooring now,
0:24:08 > 0:24:11- which has been restored.- That was one of the last things we had done,
0:24:11 > 0:24:14because we've had all the rooms re-plastered.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17- Right.- And all professionally decorated and painted.
0:24:18 > 0:24:20I thought, "You have to start from the roof down,
0:24:20 > 0:24:22- "and from the outside in."- Yeah.
0:24:22 > 0:24:26So we did the roof first and then the windows.
0:24:26 > 0:24:28For the last year, Andrew has been busy
0:24:28 > 0:24:31sourcing original 1930s furniture,
0:24:31 > 0:24:34and this home is the perfect showcase for his collection.
0:24:34 > 0:24:38Do you have a favourite item in your living room or downstairs?
0:24:38 > 0:24:41- Well, I can have two. - You can have two. Go on.
0:24:41 > 0:24:44One is my 1937 toilet.
0:24:45 > 0:24:49- One is my 1940s cabinet over there on the wall.- Oh, lovely.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51Do you have any favourites?
0:24:51 > 0:24:53Do you approve of any of these in particular?
0:24:53 > 0:24:56- I love my birthday present. - What was your birthday present?
0:24:56 > 0:24:58- It was the halberd that's hanging up there.- You got a spear?
0:24:58 > 0:25:01- I've got a spear. - That's an unusual birthday present.
0:25:01 > 0:25:02Don't mess with me!
0:25:02 > 0:25:04THEY LAUGH
0:25:04 > 0:25:07Last time I was here, things had sort of ground to a halt
0:25:07 > 0:25:08- in the kitchen...- Mmm-hmm.
0:25:08 > 0:25:10So I'm curious to see what's happened there.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13- Shall we have a look?- Let's have a look.- After you.- Thank you.
0:25:13 > 0:25:16- Aha. Now, last time I came in here, I had to step down.- You did.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19- But suddenly the floor has come up. - Yes.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22Building work on this room was delayed
0:25:22 > 0:25:26when their first attempt at laying the concrete floor didn't go too smoothly.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29We started afresh, digging the whole floor out again
0:25:29 > 0:25:31- after they laid all the concrete. - It came out again?
0:25:31 > 0:25:33- It came out again. - You had to start all over?
0:25:33 > 0:25:35But, anyway, as you can see now,
0:25:35 > 0:25:38we've got under-floor heating in here with the reclaimed tiles.
0:25:38 > 0:25:39It's just pacing it financially now.
0:25:39 > 0:25:43Is it? So you're going to have to wait a bit until the next stage?
0:25:43 > 0:25:45- Yeah.- Yeah, sure.- We're saving up to do the kitchen,
0:25:45 > 0:25:49but it also gives plenty of time to think about what you really want
0:25:49 > 0:25:50and where you actually want things.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53- Let's take a look upstairs, shall we?- Yeah, brilliant.
0:25:53 > 0:25:56Well, this is fantastic. It's really come together.
0:25:56 > 0:25:58'Upstairs, the arts and crafts feel
0:25:58 > 0:26:02'has made way for a tranquil space for meditation.'
0:26:02 > 0:26:03And we are standing in your...
0:26:03 > 0:26:08- My yoga room.- Your yoga room. Your wish came true.- It did.
0:26:08 > 0:26:09- And I love it. - Yeah, how does it feel,
0:26:09 > 0:26:12doing yoga in here as, probably, the sun streams through?
0:26:12 > 0:26:14It's relaxing. It's my space.
0:26:14 > 0:26:18- And the wood features in your bedroom really stand out, don't they?- Mmm.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22Yeah. Well, look, downstairs feels complete, as does the bedroom.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25- It's really, really nice to see, so many congratulations...- Thank you.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28..on getting it to this point. Good luck with the rest of it,
0:26:28 > 0:26:32- but I'm sure before long, you'll be there. So best wishes. - Thank you very much.
0:26:32 > 0:26:33Thank you.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40This is a lovely place, and it's also a very, very unique house,
0:26:40 > 0:26:43and I'm really impressed with the way that Catherine and Andrew
0:26:43 > 0:26:45have been able to revive its character -
0:26:45 > 0:26:48Andrew with his eye for detail, for arts and crafts,
0:26:48 > 0:26:511930s little set pieces,
0:26:51 > 0:26:55but Catherine also with the warmth that she brings to the project.
0:26:55 > 0:26:56They've been really determined
0:26:56 > 0:26:59and they've been very confident in what they want,
0:26:59 > 0:27:02and they've got to this point. They are so close now,
0:27:02 > 0:27:06and I know this house is going to be everything they want it to be.
0:27:25 > 0:27:28Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd