0:00:02 > 0:00:06'Over the years, Britain's Empty Homes has been on a mission to show what can be done
0:00:06 > 0:00:10'to revitalise and transform some of the UK's estimated
0:00:10 > 0:00:12'one million empty properties.'
0:00:12 > 0:00:15Nice to see you again, David. Hannah, how are you?
0:00:15 > 0:00:19'In this series, I'll be catching up with some of the people who took the plunge
0:00:19 > 0:00:23'and staked everything on turning unloved houses into bespoke family homes.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31'Today we'll be catching up with a 22-year-old tackling
0:00:31 > 0:00:34'a complete renovation project all by himself.'
0:00:34 > 0:00:36This room is virtually all my handiwork.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39'We'll be with some dedicated empty property officers,
0:00:39 > 0:00:42'whose job it is to turn abandoned buildings back into homes again.'
0:00:42 > 0:00:43Wow.
0:00:45 > 0:00:47'And we'll be in Stoke-On-Trent discovering how they're
0:00:47 > 0:00:50'breathing life back into their empty streets.
0:00:53 > 0:00:5615 months ago, I met Michael Hims, a student from Birmingham,
0:00:56 > 0:00:58who'd taken on his first home,
0:00:58 > 0:01:01and with it his first renovation project.
0:01:01 > 0:01:05And guess what? He planned to do all the work himself.
0:01:07 > 0:01:11Back in November 2011, 21-year-old Michael was renovating this
0:01:11 > 0:01:14previously empty 1930s semi-detached house.
0:01:14 > 0:01:18When I got the house, the house had been vacant for about two years.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21It just generally needed to be completely redone from scratch, really.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24I'm more than happy to put the work in,
0:01:24 > 0:01:27so it seemed a good investment for me to buy it, really.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30The house had cost £107,000
0:01:30 > 0:01:33and Michael bought it with the help of his mum Fiona,
0:01:33 > 0:01:35who was acting as his financial guarantor.
0:01:35 > 0:01:37I helped Michael with the deposit,
0:01:37 > 0:01:41so I put the deposit up for him to apply for the mortgage.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44Everything else since has been funded by Michael.
0:01:44 > 0:01:46Michael was studying to be an electrical engineer
0:01:46 > 0:01:49and planned to do the majority of the works himself,
0:01:49 > 0:01:52despite having no renovation experience.
0:01:52 > 0:01:56I think I'm ambitious with what I'm trying to do. It's a full renovation.
0:01:56 > 0:02:00Rewire, new plumbing, new drainage, all that sort of stuff.
0:02:00 > 0:02:01Michael had big ambitions,
0:02:01 > 0:02:05but a relatively small renovation budget of 15 grand.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07He'd already spent 12,000 of that,
0:02:07 > 0:02:11but was still determined to make a hi-tech home his priority.
0:02:11 > 0:02:13I'm looking to do, like,
0:02:13 > 0:02:16an integrated audiovisual kind of system and have speakers
0:02:16 > 0:02:18throughout the house and the sound will follow you from room to room
0:02:18 > 0:02:23and make the house react to what you're doing, what your daily routine is.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26Michael saw this as a long-term project, so had moved
0:02:26 > 0:02:29back in with his mum while tackling the construction work.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31I haven't got a move-in date as such.
0:02:31 > 0:02:33I don't see that it's something worth having
0:02:33 > 0:02:35cos when it's ready it's ready.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39There's no point trying to aim for a certain date.
0:02:39 > 0:02:43Well, that's interesting! I thought we were working towards June 2012.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46Um, but I appreciate Michael,
0:02:46 > 0:02:49um...can have as much time as he needs.
0:02:49 > 0:02:53He can't! He's got to be out of my house by June!
0:02:53 > 0:02:56'I was concerned that Michael had taken on an awful lot
0:02:56 > 0:03:00'and that his budget didn't match his ambitions for the place.
0:03:00 > 0:03:02'When I first met up with him, I was keen to find out more.'
0:03:02 > 0:03:05- Hi, there, I'm Joe.- Hello, nice to see you.- Nice to meet you.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08Hi, Mike, how are you doing? So this is the place?
0:03:08 > 0:03:10- It is, yeah.- You're an interested investor?- Yes.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13So you're going to see how your investment's coming along.
0:03:13 > 0:03:17- Absolutely, yes.- Excellent. Shall we go inside and have a look?- Yeah.- OK.
0:03:22 > 0:03:23Wow!
0:03:23 > 0:03:25This is very much a building site.
0:03:25 > 0:03:27- Is this your handiwork?- Yes.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29I'm looking to do as much of the work as possible.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31All the electrics, all the pluming.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34The only thing I'm not sure about is the plastering, but I'll see how that goes.
0:03:34 > 0:03:38What happens when you come across something you don't know how to do? How do you learn it?
0:03:38 > 0:03:40There's plenty of people you can ask.
0:03:40 > 0:03:42All the manufacturers give out guidance.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45If not there's online forums you can go with.
0:03:45 > 0:03:50What is the budget for renovating, well, it's a whole house like this?
0:03:50 > 0:03:54- Yeah, the budget originally - well, still is - is £15,000.- OK.
0:03:54 > 0:03:58And to date there's probably about £3,000 left over.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01And how much more do you have to buy just in terms of materials?
0:04:01 > 0:04:05Materials-wise we're pretty much there. All the electrics are ordered.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08All the plumbing and plasterboard. It's just pretty much the kitchen.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11You said a minute ago, "I don't know if I can plaster."
0:04:11 > 0:04:14From what I've seen of other properties, that is
0:04:14 > 0:04:17quite a skill, and not something you can just pick up overnight.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19Is there room in the budget to bring in a specialist
0:04:19 > 0:04:20contractor like a plasterer?
0:04:20 > 0:04:23There will be room if there needs to be room.
0:04:23 > 0:04:25But the amount of work I'm doing anyway, I'm happy to do it.
0:04:25 > 0:04:29So I just kind of see it as another step, really.
0:04:29 > 0:04:33Tell me about the electrics. What's your vision for the house? What do you want to do with it?
0:04:33 > 0:04:37Yeah, well, I'm looking to have a centralised audiovisual kind of install
0:04:37 > 0:04:40and kind of automate the heating and lighting systems,
0:04:40 > 0:04:42even remotely for the heating, logging on the internet
0:04:42 > 0:04:44and control different aspects.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47A little bit of audiovisual has already gone in, is that fair to say?
0:04:47 > 0:04:49Yeah, I've already fitted out a home cinema screen.
0:04:49 > 0:04:51That had to go in at this stage
0:04:51 > 0:04:54because of the structural changes that had to be made to accommodate it.
0:04:54 > 0:04:56Yeah, it had to, Fiona! It had to go in.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59Firstly, you don't need plasterboard...
0:04:59 > 0:05:01- It's priorities!- ..you need a 100-inch TV screen.
0:05:01 > 0:05:05- Can I see it in operation? - Yeah, sure, there's a remote here.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08- It's actually up there...- Yeah, it's actually within the ceiling now.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11So when it's plastered over you won't be able to see it.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14These joists would have gone all the way across, but you've stopped them doing that.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17You've put in an extra one at the end,
0:05:17 > 0:05:19- so they don't go all the way across, so you can fit this in.- Yeah.
0:05:19 > 0:05:21You restructured the whole floor...
0:05:21 > 0:05:24Yeah, the whole floor was redone just to put the screen in.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26That's mind-boggling.
0:05:26 > 0:05:28'But what about the rest of the house?'
0:05:28 > 0:05:31- So clearly this would be the kitchen, is that right?- Yep.
0:05:32 > 0:05:3521 is very young to take on and renovate your own house
0:05:35 > 0:05:38with no experience, but, as Mike's showing, there isn't much to fear
0:05:38 > 0:05:41if you can get the right advice and consult the right people.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43It's pretty admirable, isn't it?
0:05:43 > 0:05:45I mean, I'm hugely impressed.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48I think he's showing a dedication to something he believes in and
0:05:48 > 0:05:52when he gets stuck he'll ask for information.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54But he's got a drive and a vision that hasn't wavered,
0:05:54 > 0:05:57really, from the outset, and I think that's a huge credit to him.
0:05:57 > 0:05:59Later we'll see what happened
0:05:59 > 0:06:02when I took Michael to meet Wayne and Elaine Kelly,
0:06:02 > 0:06:04who'd bought a dated semi-detached house
0:06:04 > 0:06:07and used their know-how to realise its potential.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11Across the country, there are many buildings like Michael's
0:06:11 > 0:06:14just waiting to be discovered and renovated.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17Local council empty property officers carry out detective work
0:06:17 > 0:06:23round the clock to reclaim abandoned homes and make them habitable again.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26Jason Hall's beat is Richmond-Upon-Thames
0:06:26 > 0:06:28Richmond's an affluent area,
0:06:28 > 0:06:32where houses tend to fetch between £500,000 and ten million pounds,
0:06:32 > 0:06:35so it's not a place where you might expect to find many
0:06:35 > 0:06:37vacant properties.
0:06:37 > 0:06:41But at present Jason has over 125 empties on his books.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45It seems crazy that people would leave the properties empty
0:06:45 > 0:06:48and run the risk of having squatters break into them
0:06:48 > 0:06:51or damage done to the property and lose value on them.
0:06:51 > 0:06:52It never ceases to amaze me.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56Just over a year ago, Jason was visiting a building
0:06:56 > 0:06:59he'd been campaigning to save for three years.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03Built in the late 1800s, this huge house
0:07:03 > 0:07:06and industrial unit had been empty for over 20 years.
0:07:07 > 0:07:12The plot itself was potentially worth as much as £1 million.
0:07:12 > 0:07:16The previous owner kept it primarily to house two classic cars.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19The owner had left it to get into a really poor condition
0:07:19 > 0:07:22and due to the fact that all the different problems
0:07:22 > 0:07:25that we'd come across, we were looking to take possession.
0:07:25 > 0:07:29For a long time, Jason struggled to find the owner and inevitably,
0:07:29 > 0:07:32the building became of concern to the community.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35In recent years, it's quite serious.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37We've had squatters on a number of occasions.
0:07:37 > 0:07:41Basically, it was just overrun and wild.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44Eventually, after much pressure from Jason,
0:07:44 > 0:07:46the place was sold to a local developer
0:07:46 > 0:07:48who was converting it into two large houses.
0:07:48 > 0:07:50- Are we good?- Nice to see you.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54Jason met with the developer and the council planning officer
0:07:54 > 0:07:56to see how the works were progressing.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02- We're going to retain the original house which is this part here. - Mm-hm.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05And the extension which is added on much later,
0:08:05 > 0:08:08we're going to extend the roof across and turn into a completely separate dwelling
0:08:08 > 0:08:11which will be a three-bedroom house but we'll preserve
0:08:11 > 0:08:15the character of the old house on the front facade and at the rear,
0:08:15 > 0:08:18we're obviously going to change it somewhat to bring it up
0:08:18 > 0:08:21to more like today's requirements.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24So it's going to be a modern, contemporary house on the inside...
0:08:24 > 0:08:27- Yeah.- ..but the original features on the outside.
0:08:27 > 0:08:30While the building wasn't listed, it was located
0:08:30 > 0:08:33in a conservation area so the council were keen to retain
0:08:33 > 0:08:35its original character.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38It's like it's one house as opposed to two
0:08:38 > 0:08:41so it looks like it was all the original building as opposed to
0:08:41 > 0:08:44the printworks off the side at the moment which looks like an addition.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47Preserving all the original features with the wooden windows and the
0:08:47 > 0:08:50railings back to the outside, it's going to look stunning building.
0:08:50 > 0:08:51Really impressive.
0:08:51 > 0:08:53So after 25 years,
0:08:53 > 0:08:57the future for this beautiful house was looking much brighter.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00- Thanks very much. Nice to see you. - Thank you, take care.- Cheers, bye. - Bye-bye.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03'Without Jason chasing around some of these empty properties,
0:09:03 > 0:09:06'they would sit and become more and more derelict
0:09:06 > 0:09:07'for years and years and years.
0:09:07 > 0:09:11'It's not for lack of people trying to track down the owners,'
0:09:11 > 0:09:13it's their reluctance to actually sell these properties.
0:09:15 > 0:09:19Today, Jason is back in Richmond to see the near-completed project.
0:09:22 > 0:09:24The first impressions of the building,
0:09:24 > 0:09:26it looks absolutely amazing.
0:09:26 > 0:09:28It's absolutely nothing like what it was before.
0:09:28 > 0:09:30I just can't wait to see inside it.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33He's arranged to meet the new owner, Clifford Hamilton,
0:09:33 > 0:09:34on-site for a guided tour.
0:09:34 > 0:09:36Cliff. Hi, Jason. How are you doing, all right?
0:09:36 > 0:09:39- Very good.- What do you think, starting to look a bit better?
0:09:39 > 0:09:41Looks amazing, doesn't it? From a few months back,
0:09:41 > 0:09:45- would never have thought it'd look anything like this. - It's a massive transformation.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48As you know, all the Crittall windows, we've taken out,
0:09:48 > 0:09:50we took out the doors from the garage
0:09:50 > 0:09:53and obviously we put a roof on and blended it in.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55- Would you like to have a look inside?- Absolutely, yeah.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58- Come round and have a look. - OK, lead the way.
0:09:58 > 0:10:02Clifford has transformed this once-crumbling edifice in this
0:10:02 > 0:10:06prominent location into two impressive family abodes.
0:10:08 > 0:10:10Wow.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13You see, this is how all empty properties I have an involvement in
0:10:13 > 0:10:16should look afterwards when they're brought back into use.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19We're very pleased with how it's turned out.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22Clearly, no expense was spared on this refurbishment.
0:10:23 > 0:10:27We put this huge skylight in which lets in a lot of light.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30It's really good. The media system's just going in at the moment.
0:10:30 > 0:10:32It's not quite finished but by the time it's finished,
0:10:32 > 0:10:35we'll have a small cabinet down below
0:10:35 > 0:10:37and you'll be able to sit and lounge in...
0:10:37 > 0:10:40It's a kitchen/family room, really.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43This house's homely renaissance has taken over a year
0:10:43 > 0:10:46and provided a few nerve-racking moments.
0:10:46 > 0:10:49During the excavation of the concrete floor in that area
0:10:49 > 0:10:51over there were two World War I bombs which caused
0:10:51 > 0:10:54a bit of excitement, we had the bomb squad down here,
0:10:54 > 0:10:56we shut the road off for a few hours
0:10:56 > 0:11:00and had to move on but fortuitously, we haven't found anything since.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03We should be safe, then. I'll tread carefully!
0:11:03 > 0:11:06This five-bedroom, three-bathroom family house
0:11:06 > 0:11:08has been renovated to a high standard
0:11:08 > 0:11:10and will carry a hefty price tag
0:11:10 > 0:11:13when it goes on the market in a few weeks.
0:11:13 > 0:11:17We received loads of complaints about this place leading up to it
0:11:17 > 0:11:19being sold and you buying it.
0:11:19 > 0:11:21Is everybody happy in the area now that...?
0:11:21 > 0:11:24Is the feedback good from the work you carried out?
0:11:24 > 0:11:26I think most of the residents have stopped and shaken my hand
0:11:26 > 0:11:29as they've gone by. They really are pleased with the way
0:11:29 > 0:11:30the corner's lifted.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33Clifford was determined to restore this grand Victorian home
0:11:33 > 0:11:36rather than knocking it down and building flat which had been
0:11:36 > 0:11:39the intention of the many other prospective buyers.
0:11:39 > 0:11:41The old saying "old is gold" is very true.
0:11:41 > 0:11:43It's a wonderful-looking building,
0:11:43 > 0:11:46it's brought back to live for another 100 years.
0:11:46 > 0:11:48- Old on the outside, then looks like this.- New on the inside.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53The reason this property's so exciting for me
0:11:53 > 0:11:56is that it's been empty for so long, looked really, really bad.
0:11:56 > 0:11:58It was an absolute eyesore in the whole neighbourhood.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00It's in such a prominent position
0:12:00 > 0:12:02and now to see it returned to use, to me,
0:12:02 > 0:12:04that's an absolutely fantastic success.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10Finding somewhere in the right location at the right price
0:12:10 > 0:12:13can be just the beginning of a long and arduous journey.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16But with imagination - not to mention quite a lot of hard graft -
0:12:16 > 0:12:18really, anything is possible.
0:12:25 > 0:12:28Six years ago, Tim and Lindsay Keyes bought this abandoned former chapel
0:12:28 > 0:12:32in Flintshire with plans to turn it into a luxurious family home.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39- It was derelict.- Empty shell. Nothing in it at all.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42No floors, nothing, basically.
0:12:43 > 0:12:50We have to try and imagine putting the floors in, dividing the rooms up.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53It was a black canvas, you could do with it whatever you want.
0:12:57 > 0:13:01Built in 1865, this Gothic building was attached to the nearby convent.
0:13:02 > 0:13:07It was used as an orphanage until it closed its doors in 1977
0:13:07 > 0:13:08and has laid empty ever since.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17The Keyes paid £160,000 for the church
0:13:17 > 0:13:20and had the same amount again for renovations.
0:13:20 > 0:13:24But a build that was supposed to take six months ran behind schedule,
0:13:24 > 0:13:27and ended up taking 11 months to complete.
0:13:27 > 0:13:30You expect to see progress every time you come
0:13:30 > 0:13:35and it can get you down, it can be disappointing.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38There are times when you just think, "What am I doing this for?"
0:13:38 > 0:13:43You know, "What have I let myself in for? We're nowhere near finished."
0:13:44 > 0:13:48But there are also times where it makes massive strides.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53The creative vision is all down to Tim and Lindsay.
0:13:53 > 0:13:55They only called in an architect
0:13:55 > 0:13:58once it was time to draw up the final plans.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00The couple installed a second floor
0:14:00 > 0:14:02to create a more intimate space upstairs,
0:14:02 > 0:14:05but decided to leave the ground floor open
0:14:05 > 0:14:07to show off the building's Gothic grandeur.
0:14:11 > 0:14:16- It's difficult to get the balance between old and new.- New.
0:14:16 > 0:14:18We kept downstairs old more, didn't we?
0:14:18 > 0:14:21And the upstairs a bit more up to date.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24This is a fabulous place to live, fantastic place.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32Earlier in the programme, I met first-time renovator Michael Hims
0:14:32 > 0:14:37who, with the help of his mum, had bought an empty 1930s house.
0:14:37 > 0:14:39He wanted to renovate the property all by himself,
0:14:39 > 0:14:42stamping his own individual style on his new home.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47To help Michael, I took him to see Wayne and Elaine Kelly
0:14:47 > 0:14:49who'd bought a dated semi-detached house
0:14:49 > 0:14:52and used their know-how to bring it back to its modern best.
0:14:54 > 0:14:56Wayne and Elaine bought the three-bed semi
0:14:56 > 0:14:58with a view to renovating it.
0:14:58 > 0:15:02Built in 1938, the house had only ever had one owner before them.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05The previous occupant had passed away
0:15:05 > 0:15:07and the house was left empty for over two years
0:15:07 > 0:15:11and was in serious need of renovation when they took it on.
0:15:11 > 0:15:13It needed completely rewiring.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16We knew it needed completely replastering.
0:15:16 > 0:15:21We could see the potential for a kitchen extension on the back.
0:15:21 > 0:15:22Wayne, a builder,
0:15:22 > 0:15:27had tackled the majority of the work himself, just as Michael intended.
0:15:27 > 0:15:29But even with Wayne's experience,
0:15:29 > 0:15:32juggling their jobs alongside their own renovation was tough.
0:15:32 > 0:15:37- Trying to work all day and then you have to come here at night.- Yeah.
0:15:37 > 0:15:42Work the weekends. It is very stressful.
0:15:42 > 0:15:46And Wayne's professional experience had certainly helped the budget.
0:15:46 > 0:15:50The benefits - the renovation with Wayne being a builder -
0:15:50 > 0:15:51was just a massive help.
0:15:51 > 0:15:57I would say that we've probably saved over £40,000 in labour charges
0:15:57 > 0:16:00by renovating the house ourselves.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03'Even though this project was on a bigger scale than Michael's,
0:16:03 > 0:16:05'I'd hoped that he and Fiona
0:16:05 > 0:16:08'would be able to glean some useful advice from his visit.'
0:16:08 > 0:16:09Guys, this is lovely.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13So, you have a bit of experience in doing this kind of renovation.
0:16:13 > 0:16:15- Is that fair?- Yeah.
0:16:15 > 0:16:19I am in the building trade and this is our third renovation.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22How much of the work does that mean you can do yourself
0:16:22 > 0:16:24when you take on a project like this?
0:16:24 > 0:16:29- We could probably do about 90% of the work ourselves.- Right.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32Mike's been incredibly brave and done everything himself.
0:16:32 > 0:16:33Brave or stupid, it's one of the two!
0:16:33 > 0:16:36Yeah, brave/stupid, we'll weigh it up!
0:16:36 > 0:16:38In a place like this, you look at the walls
0:16:38 > 0:16:41and you almost take it for granted how straight and smooth
0:16:41 > 0:16:45everything is, but how important is it to get that exactly write?
0:16:45 > 0:16:49I think it's very important because when you apply the paint,
0:16:49 > 0:16:52if the finish isn't just right, any lights
0:16:52 > 0:16:55will show up any imperfections
0:16:55 > 0:17:02on the walls, so it does pay to have a professional do the job for you.
0:17:02 > 0:17:04It's a similar sized house,
0:17:04 > 0:17:08what does it cost to get a plasterer in for a house like this?
0:17:08 > 0:17:13OK, this size of house, if Mike was boarding it himself,
0:17:13 > 0:17:17- I would say approximately £1,500. - That's nothing too shocking.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20- I could still afford it if I had to. - Yeah. "If you HAD to."
0:17:20 > 0:17:23You're still contemplating giving it a go.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26I'm giving everything else a go, so it makes sense for me
0:17:26 > 0:17:28to see it all the way through, as it were.
0:17:28 > 0:17:32- If the quality's not up to scratch, then I'll happily get someone else in to do it.- Yeah.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35'I was keen for Michael and Fiona to see more
0:17:35 > 0:17:39'and to talk further about the reality of renovation budgets.'
0:17:41 > 0:17:45- So here we are. This is the master bedroom?- Yes, that's right.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48I know it took you about 18 months to do the renovation in total.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51What did you THINK it was going to cost you,
0:17:51 > 0:17:53and then what did it ACTUALLY cost you?
0:17:53 > 0:17:57- Well, we thought it would cost about £30,000...- Right.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59..to completely renovate the house.
0:17:59 > 0:18:03But it probably cost more like £40,000.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06It was mainly the fixtures and fittings.
0:18:06 > 0:18:08How do you feel about money, listening to that?
0:18:08 > 0:18:11So far, because I'm still on budget,
0:18:11 > 0:18:15I guess I'm not that yet concerned that I'm going to be over.
0:18:15 > 0:18:19Yeah, but if we break it down, you've got £3,000 left.
0:18:19 > 0:18:20Ha! Yeah.
0:18:20 > 0:18:24- And at least half of that's going to a plasterer.- Potentially!
0:18:24 > 0:18:29- Potentially!- Yeah.- So there's going to be a bit of a squeeze. You don't have to be...
0:18:29 > 0:18:33- We'll see what it comes to. If it goes over, it goes over.- Yeah.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36'Later in the programme, we'll catch up with Michael to see
0:18:36 > 0:18:40'if he did tackle every task on his build and if his budget stretched.'
0:18:45 > 0:18:49The UK is facing a housing crisis and for every two families
0:18:49 > 0:18:52that need a place to live, there's a property lying empty.
0:18:52 > 0:18:56There are nearly a million vacant homes across the UK
0:18:56 > 0:18:58and almost 300,000 of these have been abandoned
0:18:58 > 0:19:00for six months or more.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05Some empty properties stand alone, they're complete one-offs,
0:19:05 > 0:19:08while in other cases, whole areas have fallen into decline leaving
0:19:08 > 0:19:11large numbers of derelict dwellings.
0:19:11 > 0:19:14In these situations, it's really difficult for individuals
0:19:14 > 0:19:16or developers to really make a difference
0:19:16 > 0:19:19and that's why the Government have created a scheme to help
0:19:19 > 0:19:22turn around these abandoned streets.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25'Last year, we learned that the Government were going to
0:19:25 > 0:19:29'allocate funding of £50 million to bring clusters of empty homes
0:19:29 > 0:19:30'back into use.
0:19:31 > 0:19:35'I met up with David Ireland from the Empty Homes Agency to see what sort
0:19:35 > 0:19:39'of impact he thought this project would have on our housing problem.'
0:19:39 > 0:19:41How does this fund differ from funds that have previously
0:19:41 > 0:19:43been made available by the Government?
0:19:43 > 0:19:47This is about groups of empty properties so whereas previous funds
0:19:47 > 0:19:49are about getting individual properties back into use
0:19:49 > 0:19:52and getting them into affordable housing, this is about dealing
0:19:52 > 0:19:55with whole blocks of empty properties like the ones we've got behind us.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58There'd be little point in doing just one of those houses,
0:19:58 > 0:20:00because who'd want to live in amongst all that dereliction?
0:20:00 > 0:20:03What you need to do is deal with all of them at once.
0:20:03 > 0:20:04And that costs a lot of money
0:20:04 > 0:20:06and that's why there is a need for a fund.
0:20:06 > 0:20:10So, this really could make a huge difference to whole neighbourhoods?
0:20:10 > 0:20:13There are areas of the country where there are huge amounts of empty
0:20:13 > 0:20:17properties and before, it's been very difficult to bring all those back into use at once
0:20:17 > 0:20:21so I think this will help in bringing probably a fairly small number of
0:20:21 > 0:20:25neighbourhoods but bringing...doing a lot of good in that small number.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29Today, less than one year later, Stoke-on-Trent have been
0:20:29 > 0:20:33awarded £1.5 million from the cluster fund which has been
0:20:33 > 0:20:37matched by the council to regenerate the depressed area.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42Over the last decade, the Cobridge area of Stoke has become
0:20:42 > 0:20:44blighted with abandoned properties
0:20:44 > 0:20:48and there's real concern for the future of the community here.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50David Ireland is encouraged by the innovative way
0:20:50 > 0:20:54that Stoke Council intends to use their awarded fund.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57The scheme here is what's called homesteading,
0:20:57 > 0:20:59the council will sell these properties for £1,
0:20:59 > 0:21:02which sounds like a fantastic bargain, but what it does mean
0:21:02 > 0:21:05is that people will need to do the properties up themselves
0:21:05 > 0:21:08and they'll get a loan from the council to enable them to do so.
0:21:08 > 0:21:10The new owners will be able to borrow up to
0:21:10 > 0:21:15£30,000 at a reduced interest rate to spend on renovating their homes
0:21:15 > 0:21:20and it's hoped this incentive will draw people back to these streets.
0:21:20 > 0:21:24The cluster fund is going to pay for the loans which enable people
0:21:24 > 0:21:27to bring these properties back into use so it's actually
0:21:27 > 0:21:29the cluster funds which made this scheme possible
0:21:29 > 0:21:31in the way that it's being done.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34The thinking here has been that nobody wants to live in these areas.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37And I think that thinking was wrong.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39What the truth was is that nobody could afford to
0:21:39 > 0:21:42live in here at the prices that were being asked.
0:21:42 > 0:21:43By changing the prices
0:21:43 > 0:21:45and making it very, very affordable,
0:21:45 > 0:21:47you actually find there's a lot of demand
0:21:47 > 0:21:49and the interest which has already been shown
0:21:49 > 0:21:51in these has been absolutely enormous.
0:21:51 > 0:21:53That's very encouraging because it shows lots of people
0:21:53 > 0:21:56want to come here and get these houses back into use
0:21:56 > 0:21:59and that's got to be a very, very good thing for the future.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02The council have already had success with a similar scheme less
0:22:02 > 0:22:04than a mile away in Middleport.
0:22:04 > 0:22:08The houses that we saw in Cobridge are exactly the same structure
0:22:08 > 0:22:11as these and in fact, a year or so ago,
0:22:11 > 0:22:13these ones looked exactly the same.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16So, this proves what can be done and what can happen.
0:22:16 > 0:22:18And hopefully in a few months' time,
0:22:18 > 0:22:21we'll see the streets in Cobridge looking the same as this.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25When I first met novice DIY renovator, Michael,
0:22:25 > 0:22:28he'd bought a three-bedroom house in Birmingham.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31I'm looking to do an integrated audiovisual system, make
0:22:31 > 0:22:35the house react towards what you're doing and what your daily routine is, as it were.
0:22:35 > 0:22:37Although he'd just started his renovation,
0:22:37 > 0:22:41he'd already spent 12,000 of his £15,000 budget.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45I'm back in Birmingham to catch up with Mike.
0:22:45 > 0:22:47This isn't a property that was ever going to change
0:22:47 > 0:22:50hugely from the outside and, to be honest, it hasn't, really.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52But I'm very intrigued to see inside
0:22:52 > 0:22:54to find out how he's been getting on.
0:22:55 > 0:22:59'Michael had planned to turn this standard 1930s semi-detached
0:22:59 > 0:23:01'house into a hi-tech bachelor pad.'
0:23:01 > 0:23:03Hey, Mike, how are you doing?
0:23:04 > 0:23:06Can I come and have a look?
0:23:06 > 0:23:09'And with his mum acting as a financial guarantor, it was
0:23:09 > 0:23:13'in everybody's interest to complete the renovation on schedule.'
0:23:13 > 0:23:15This has definitely come on. Some big changes here.
0:23:15 > 0:23:17Last time, they were joists all exposed, you'd stripped
0:23:17 > 0:23:21everything back and you say you put lots of cables through.
0:23:21 > 0:23:25- So, is your vision of a hi-tech home still on course?- Yes, definitely.
0:23:25 > 0:23:29- The screen's still in, it's still staying where it is.- Good.
0:23:29 > 0:23:30And everything's still going to plan.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32We talked a lot about plastering,
0:23:32 > 0:23:35whether you were going to do it yourself. What happened, did you get someone in?
0:23:35 > 0:23:38Yeah, I had one in. His handiwork is what you see today, really.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41It's a lot better now than what was before
0:23:41 > 0:23:42and I'm much happier with it.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45'Clearly, the house still has a long way to go
0:23:45 > 0:23:48'but when you're doing the majority of the work yourself
0:23:48 > 0:23:51'and you're on a tight budget, it's an uphill struggle.'
0:23:51 > 0:23:54So you're fitting in your job, uni and working on the house.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56What time are you getting up every day?
0:23:56 > 0:23:58I get up at four o'clock in the morning now.
0:23:58 > 0:24:00If you have time, you come back to the house?
0:24:00 > 0:24:02Yeah, and obviously got weekends as well,
0:24:02 > 0:24:04I do it between work and house as well.
0:24:04 > 0:24:08But it's still going ahead, albeit a bit slower than it was before.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11That shows just how dedicated you have to be.
0:24:11 > 0:24:12That's really impressive.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15'And this ambitious project hasn't been helped by an opportunist
0:24:15 > 0:24:17'who took a shine to Michael's lead roof.'
0:24:17 > 0:24:20The bay window at the front, that was a lead roof, that got pinched.
0:24:20 > 0:24:24- Somebody actually nicked your roof?! - I had to put a new fibreglass roof on there,
0:24:24 > 0:24:26and that has to comply with regulations as well.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29Because it was completely exposed. It wasn't watertight.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32- Oh, God. You can't plan for that, can you?- No.
0:24:32 > 0:24:36'Against the odds, this 22-year-old has managed to do almost
0:24:36 > 0:24:40'everything himself, including the electrics and the plumbing.
0:24:40 > 0:24:44'And his masterplan of creating a hi-tech digital house
0:24:44 > 0:24:45'is still on course.'
0:24:47 > 0:24:49Is this a plan of what you'll be doing?
0:24:49 > 0:24:51Yeah, here it is. You can see the television in the middle
0:24:51 > 0:24:54and then the alcove either side with a large bench thing
0:24:54 > 0:24:56- you can see behind me. - That's already in, OK.
0:24:56 > 0:24:59And then the idea is the speakers pop out of there
0:24:59 > 0:25:01- for the home cinema system. - The speakers pop out?- Yeah.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04So, you press a button and the speakers rise up out of that unit?
0:25:04 > 0:25:06The screen comes down from the ceiling
0:25:06 > 0:25:09and the speakers then come up as well so then everything
0:25:09 > 0:25:12changes from a normal living room to an absolute home cinema.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15To a home cinema. I like the vision. What do you make of that, Fiona?
0:25:15 > 0:25:17- This is good, isn't it? - It's fantastic.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20We've been looking at this for quite a few times over the last few months
0:25:20 > 0:25:23- and I'm very proud of him. Looks great.- Yeah.- Really good.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32'Upstairs, Michael is justifiably proud of the bathroom he's
0:25:32 > 0:25:37'created single-handedly, and the other rooms are taking shape too.'
0:25:37 > 0:25:40Well, this is looking good. This is very nearly finished.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42Yeah, this room's virtually all my own handiwork.
0:25:42 > 0:25:45These tiles can be pretty tricky because you get them
0:25:45 > 0:25:48slightly out, you really notice it. How have you found it?
0:25:48 > 0:25:50Yeah, cos I put the walls in as well,
0:25:50 > 0:25:52I had to make sure the walls were perfectly square.
0:25:52 > 0:25:54It was a challenge at first, getting the hang of it,
0:25:54 > 0:25:57- but it's gone quite well overall. Quite happy with it.- Yeah.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59You've done some of the plumbing as well?
0:25:59 > 0:26:00All the plumbing, I've done myself.
0:26:00 > 0:26:04It must be a tremendous satisfaction thinking, "I've built this room."
0:26:04 > 0:26:06- That must feel great. - Yeah, there definitely is.
0:26:06 > 0:26:11Fiona, last time, you did happen to mention on camera that you would...
0:26:11 > 0:26:15or you EXPECTED Mike might move out by June 2012.
0:26:15 > 0:26:16Did that happen?
0:26:16 > 0:26:20He did move out when he said
0:26:20 > 0:26:24- and now he's moved back in!- But it sounds like you're close to finally...
0:26:24 > 0:26:26- We're close to him moving out permanently.- Yeah.
0:26:26 > 0:26:28So I think we're saying, what, a couple of weeks?
0:26:28 > 0:26:31- Yeah, couple of weeks.- Couple of weeks.- We've said it on camera!
0:26:31 > 0:26:35- So it must happen.- Would that be a good thing? Bit more space?
0:26:35 > 0:26:40- Bit more space, definitely, yes. - Very good.- So, yes, that'll all work out, hopefully.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43Well, I'm incredibly impressed with everything you've done. Fitting so much in.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46It doesn't seem like you're that far off.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48- So, impressive, good luck with it. - Thank you.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51- Hope you get there very soon. - Cheers.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53I'm impressed with everything Michael's done.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56OK, he hasn't been able to keep up with the pace of that early progress
0:26:56 > 0:26:58but even so, things are definitely happening
0:26:58 > 0:27:01and also what I really like is he stuck to his ideals,
0:27:01 > 0:27:04that he really wanted this hi-tech home.
0:27:04 > 0:27:06Reality hasn't weighed in, hasn't changed any of that,
0:27:06 > 0:27:09that's exactly what he's going to have.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13And isn't he going to have a swish gadget pad? All the best to him.
0:27:32 > 0:27:34Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd