0:00:02 > 0:00:05Across the United Kingdom, there are nearly a million homes lying unloved and unlived in,
0:00:05 > 0:00:10ready for someone to come along and give them a bright new future.
0:00:10 > 0:00:13From crumbling cottages to derelict mansions,
0:00:13 > 0:00:16tumbledown terraces to forgotten farm buildings,
0:00:16 > 0:00:19most of Britain's empty properties have one thing in common -
0:00:19 > 0:00:22there is somebody out there for whom they could become their next dream home.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35Today, I'm going to pass on my experience
0:00:35 > 0:00:38of transforming an abandoned building to help a couple work out
0:00:38 > 0:00:42if renovating an empty home is right for them.
0:00:42 > 0:00:45It's really stretching the imagination, isn't it?
0:00:45 > 0:00:48We follow an empty property officer rescuing wrecks from rack and ruin.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51Look at this! You can just walk straight in!
0:00:51 > 0:00:53And we'll meet those brave enough
0:00:53 > 0:00:56to tackle renovation projects themselves.
0:00:56 > 0:01:00There wasn't any doors, there wasn't any locks, there wasn't any keys.
0:01:00 > 0:01:04I had a vision and so did my wife, that we could make a family home.
0:01:04 > 0:01:06When you're looking for a new home,
0:01:06 > 0:01:08sometimes it pays not to follow the pack.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11To look at empty buildings that, perhaps, no-one else wants.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14With a bit of imagination, if you can spot the potential,
0:01:14 > 0:01:16you could very well bag yourself a bargain.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20Admin Manager Hannah Overton
0:01:20 > 0:01:23and her lorry driver husband Michael from Yule in Surrey think
0:01:23 > 0:01:26an empty property could be the key to their dream home.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29We thought that if we looked at an empty property,
0:01:29 > 0:01:32we'd really have a shell and it would be a blank canvas
0:01:32 > 0:01:34and we could really work on it as we wanted.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37They want to swap suburban for country life and have a budget
0:01:37 > 0:01:41of £500,000 to find and renovate their perfect rural retreat.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44We've always lived in London. I want to move out of it
0:01:44 > 0:01:47and have more wildlife round me and countryside.
0:01:47 > 0:01:49Just to actually grow our own veg,
0:01:49 > 0:01:51to maybe have chickens and a few eggs.
0:01:51 > 0:01:53I want a lot of land, really.
0:01:53 > 0:01:56- That's my main concern. - I want a donkey.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59- My own space. I don't know if we'll have a donkey.- We want a donkey.
0:01:59 > 0:02:04Having done minor projects like fitting a new kitchen and bathroom in the past,
0:02:04 > 0:02:06they want more of a challenge.
0:02:06 > 0:02:08We have to live in a caravan while we're doing the place up.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11Hopefully, this will be our forever home
0:02:11 > 0:02:13so we'll be carried out feet first, won't we?
0:02:13 > 0:02:16- That's right, yes. - Probably sooner rather than later!
0:02:16 > 0:02:19It seems Hannah and Michael hanker after the good life
0:02:19 > 0:02:22and I think everything they want, the land,
0:02:22 > 0:02:25the chickens and even the donkey, could all be theirs
0:02:25 > 0:02:29if they go down the empty property route.
0:02:29 > 0:02:33Taking on an empty property is not for the faint-hearted,
0:02:33 > 0:02:36so I've sent Michael and Hannah to have a look at a classic example of
0:02:36 > 0:02:40the sort of derelict empty property that the countryside has to offer
0:02:40 > 0:02:45to try to get some idea of the sort of project that they might be up for.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51And it's here in the village of Worting near Basingstoke.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54Is at a barn or something? I can't work out what it is.
0:02:54 > 0:02:58'Well, it's a 19th century stable block and former coach house
0:02:58 > 0:03:02'on the market for £350,000, and it's a developer's dream.'
0:03:02 > 0:03:07- Lovely setting.- 'With planning permission to convert it into a two-bed residence,
0:03:07 > 0:03:11'this place has serious potential but needs everything.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14'Walls, floors, plumbing, electrics - the lot.'
0:03:14 > 0:03:17You can see a hole right through the side there.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20- You can see how far it goes back. - Bit more than a bathroom and a kitchen.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23Armed with a budget of £500,000,
0:03:23 > 0:03:25Hannah and Michael would have 150 grand
0:03:25 > 0:03:29left over to make the stables a well-appointed rural idyll.
0:03:29 > 0:03:33But will they be able to see that this derelict old nag
0:03:33 > 0:03:35could be transformed into a racing thoroughbred?
0:03:35 > 0:03:41Well, this is something else, isn't it? What used to hang from that, look.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44- It's the old tech room, isn't it? - Either that or a kind of torture chamber.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47Some very strange things in here, aren't there?
0:03:47 > 0:03:51I hope the thought of tackling a place like this isn't too tortuous.
0:03:51 > 0:03:53Will you go first or would you like me to?
0:03:53 > 0:03:56I think you test the stairs, make sure they're OK.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59'Up on the first floor, it's hard hat territory
0:03:59 > 0:04:02- 'where there's ample scope for two bedrooms.'- Needs repapering?
0:04:02 > 0:04:05Yeah, the decor leaves a little bit to be desired.
0:04:05 > 0:04:07All this would go. You'd have everything taken out.
0:04:07 > 0:04:11'Michael seems to be spotting opportunities here, but Hannah just isn't seeing it.'
0:04:11 > 0:04:15It's really stretching the imagination, isn't it?
0:04:15 > 0:04:20It is a stable. It really is a stable, no-one's ever lived in here.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24Apart from a few horses.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27'Outside, it's a little overgrown.'
0:04:27 > 0:04:31- You all right coming through here? - You go first.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33'But there is half an acre of land here,
0:04:33 > 0:04:37'giving them all the space they're after.'
0:04:37 > 0:04:42It's not exactly the English country garden I quite imagined, to be honest with you.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45- No, it's not really the country. - It isn't, it's wildlife.
0:04:45 > 0:04:47I thought we were going to have a paddock or something.
0:04:47 > 0:04:51I really can't see where the donkey's going to fit.
0:04:51 > 0:04:53- It is a bit overgrown, hen. - Yeah, a bit.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57- It's part of the project. - You're talking about 50K to get this cleared properly,
0:04:57 > 0:05:01professionally. I think so, really do.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04'50,000 for a skip and a chainsaw?
0:05:04 > 0:05:06'You must be joking.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09'If they're prepared to do some of the donkey work themselves,
0:05:09 > 0:05:13- 'they could clear the grounds here pretty cheaply.' - That's all green and yucky.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16'It seems country living doesn't come naturally to Hannah,
0:05:16 > 0:05:21'but she'll have to get used to it if she wants to take on an empty property outside the city.'
0:05:21 > 0:05:25- You could certainly do something with this, hen. - Knock it down, maybe.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28This is an all-or-nothing before it's even habitable.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31- I don't even know where you'd put your caravan, Michael. - It would go here.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34- I was just thinking about that. - All right, OK.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36Work on that end of the house first.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38'So much for your forever home, Hannah. I can see
0:05:38 > 0:05:41'it's going to be tough to convince these two
0:05:41 > 0:05:45'that a vacant place in a green space could be the route to their ideal home.'
0:05:45 > 0:05:47Good morning.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50'It's time to catch up with them and find out
0:05:50 > 0:05:52'just what they are prepared to do to get their rural dream.'
0:05:52 > 0:05:56Well, you two. We send you off to have a look at what
0:05:56 > 0:05:58I think is a really interesting building.
0:05:58 > 0:06:02This old Victorian stable block. I can see loads of potential here.
0:06:02 > 0:06:06I get the feeling though that this is a bit of a challenge, Hannah?
0:06:06 > 0:06:08It wasn't really what we anticipated.
0:06:08 > 0:06:12We like traditional period, maybe Georgian,
0:06:12 > 0:06:14Edwardian, Victoriana,
0:06:14 > 0:06:18that type of thing rather than stables.
0:06:18 > 0:06:22Michael, I got the feeling you were quite excited by it.
0:06:22 > 0:06:26I could see the potential with it but it is a lot of work.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28It's more than I expected.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32OK, what is it about a renovation that interests you,
0:06:32 > 0:06:36because I'm concerned that we may be talking about two different things
0:06:36 > 0:06:39in terms of what "renovation" actually means.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42Maybe what we've done before is not this scale.
0:06:42 > 0:06:44We've done modernisations rather than renovations.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47- New bathroom, new kitchen. - That's right, redecorating.
0:06:47 > 0:06:49It's very much been internal.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52How handy are you, Michael, in terms of DIY?
0:06:52 > 0:06:57I can do a lot of the internal work when it comes to tiling, probably help on the flooring.
0:06:57 > 0:07:00My sense is that we've really pushed you with this one.
0:07:00 > 0:07:04We've seen a limit, perhaps, of what it is you're prepared to take on board.
0:07:04 > 0:07:11I hope we haven't frightened you. The purpose of today really is to show you a couple of properties
0:07:11 > 0:07:16that which go to the heart of the sort of things you need to tackle in taking on a building like this one,
0:07:16 > 0:07:19because, yes, it is a bit of a hurdle to get over
0:07:19 > 0:07:22taking on a property like this, but once you've done it,
0:07:22 > 0:07:24you will end up with something that really is yours.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27I'm going to introduce Michael and Hannah to homeowners
0:07:27 > 0:07:34who've taken a gamble on other rural properties in similarly poor condition with fantastic results.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39To succeed, they'll need the ability to spot a diamond in the rough,
0:07:39 > 0:07:42a skill Peter Smith showed when he took on farm wrecks
0:07:42 > 0:07:45in Kinloss near Inverness in the early 1990s.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49I spotted this place and thought, wow, that has got some potential.
0:07:49 > 0:07:54There wasn't any doors, there wasn't any locks, there wasn't any keys.
0:07:54 > 0:07:56The residents that were here prior to us
0:07:56 > 0:08:00were the mice and rats and pigeons.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03I had the vision and so did my wife that we could make a family home,
0:08:03 > 0:08:06and it's been a family home even in the days
0:08:06 > 0:08:10of when we were all sat round the table sat on bags of cement.
0:08:10 > 0:08:14Although they'd never been lived in and were derelict,
0:08:14 > 0:08:18Peter snapped up the properties, known as "steadings", for £50,000.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21We knew that the first thing we had to do was create something
0:08:21 > 0:08:25that would earn some money, so we took what was classed as the buffet.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28We built that, we had the luxury of living in it
0:08:28 > 0:08:31for three months before we eventually sold it
0:08:31 > 0:08:35so as we could then start work on our own property.
0:08:35 > 0:08:42With money tight, Peter had to be inventive and resourceful when carrying out the renovation work.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45In this house, 99% of the material is reclaimed.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50We created the garage out of the stone
0:08:50 > 0:08:53and windows that came from the old school.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56We didn't want a shiny, new-type house.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59We liked the older styles and finer things.
0:08:59 > 0:09:05But having the bravery to buy an abandoned place that would have most people running for the hills
0:09:05 > 0:09:07has paid off handsomely for Peter.
0:09:07 > 0:09:09On the current market today,
0:09:09 > 0:09:14I would be expecting something in the region of about 350,000 for this property.
0:09:14 > 0:09:19It's such a beautiful place. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22It certainly proves that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25Don't be scared of anything.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28There's a lot of things that look daunting
0:09:28 > 0:09:31but when you really get down to the nitty-gritty,
0:09:31 > 0:09:34they're not as bad as what they seem.
0:09:34 > 0:09:39Many of Britain's streets are littered with empty properties decaying,
0:09:39 > 0:09:42simply because nobody wants to call them home.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45In some areas, the problem has become so acute
0:09:45 > 0:09:48that local councils have appointed dedicated individuals
0:09:48 > 0:09:51whose job it is to try and get them back into use again.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54The nation's empty property officers are the unsung heroes
0:09:54 > 0:09:59of the property market, but their job isn't always easy.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03In Amber Valley in Derbyshire, its Sue Lee who is charged with
0:10:03 > 0:10:07managing the council's 900 long-term empty properties.
0:10:07 > 0:10:11In the last year, she's found new owners for more than 100 problem buildings.
0:10:11 > 0:10:14It's great when you see a property that's been looking unloved
0:10:14 > 0:10:18and you're able to help make it somebody's family home.
0:10:18 > 0:10:23Concerned neighbours have called Sue out to investigate a house they say is a blight on the community.
0:10:23 > 0:10:27Today I'm off to look at a house where residents have complained
0:10:27 > 0:10:30about the appearance of the property
0:10:30 > 0:10:34and also the presence of rats...
0:10:34 > 0:10:37so I'm going to go and see if their complaint's justified
0:10:37 > 0:10:39and see if there's anything I can do to help them.
0:10:39 > 0:10:41This semi-detached is believed to be empty
0:10:41 > 0:10:45and is in stark contrast to the well-kept property next door.
0:10:45 > 0:10:50Sue needs to find out for certain if anyone's living here.
0:10:51 > 0:10:55The garden looks overgrown certainly. There's debris left here.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57Carpets, bricks.
0:10:57 > 0:11:01Seems to be quite a build-up of post visible through the front door,
0:11:01 > 0:11:03so I suspect somebody doesn't come back very often,
0:11:03 > 0:11:09and I can't see anything through the front windows because the curtains are closed.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12Reports of rats in the back garden mean that Sue needs to gain access
0:11:12 > 0:11:14to the rear via the neighbours.
0:11:14 > 0:11:19- Come on through, duck. Quite a trek but nevertheless... - SHE CHUCKLES
0:11:19 > 0:11:20I'll take you up here.
0:11:20 > 0:11:25You'll have to climb through these bushes to have a look, if that's all right.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27- OK.- This is where the rats are coming from.
0:11:27 > 0:11:29So they're coming into your garden?
0:11:29 > 0:11:32They're coming into my garden from next door.
0:11:32 > 0:11:34My Jack Russells have been bringing them in.
0:11:34 > 0:11:39- Oh, I can see what you mean. It's completely overgrown. - Overgrown, isn't it?
0:11:39 > 0:11:43- There's washing machines, all sorts of debris.- There is.
0:11:43 > 0:11:46- The shed is absolutely full from top to bottom.- OK.
0:11:46 > 0:11:50All the side of it is all broken down, that's where the rats are coming in.
0:11:50 > 0:11:55They come in through my vent kit of my tumble dryer, they've eaten through the pipes.
0:11:55 > 0:11:59It's clear the problem with the rodents has rattled the neighbour. In the garden,
0:11:59 > 0:12:03Sue quickly spots why the rats are likely to have set up home here.
0:12:03 > 0:12:09This shed contains materials that rats or mice might like.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12And this lean-to, again... SHE GASPS
0:12:12 > 0:12:16Look at this. You can just walk straight in.
0:12:16 > 0:12:23That's awful. Right, that is the first job, really. To get the property secure.
0:12:23 > 0:12:27Sue needs to find evidence of anyone living here or work out
0:12:27 > 0:12:30how long it's been empty and years of experience of dealing with places
0:12:30 > 0:12:33like this tell her exactly what clues to look for.
0:12:34 > 0:12:402010. Again, that's 2010.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42Again, 2010.
0:12:42 > 0:12:48So it's possible then that somebody comes back
0:12:48 > 0:12:52to check the mail, which is good for me because if I can't find them,
0:12:52 > 0:12:56at least I can correspond at this address and hope that it prompts them
0:12:56 > 0:12:58to get back in touch with me.
0:12:58 > 0:13:02The next step for Sue is to secure the house and contact her colleagues
0:13:02 > 0:13:05in Environmental Health to deal with the rat issue.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08She'll also work on tracking down the owner of the property
0:13:08 > 0:13:11with the aim of getting them to bring it back to a liveable standard.
0:13:11 > 0:13:15It's a shame, it's a good-sized family property that's not lived in yet,
0:13:15 > 0:13:18but that's what I'm about, and what I'm here to do.
0:13:18 > 0:13:21I'm here to transform it into a family home.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24Now, if you fancy taking on an empty property,
0:13:24 > 0:13:27rural or otherwise, there are a number of websites that
0:13:27 > 0:13:31contain some very useful addresses of properties that are desperate
0:13:31 > 0:13:35for a bit of TLC or indeed, lists of barns that are ripe for conversion.
0:13:37 > 0:13:42Also, why not contact a local estate agent who may have a list of vacant properties on their books?
0:13:42 > 0:13:45But remember though, getting finance can be tricky.
0:13:45 > 0:13:49There are mortgage lenders willing to help but your options may be limited.
0:13:53 > 0:13:57Hannah and Michael Overton have done a bit of modernising
0:13:57 > 0:14:00in previous properties and are looking to take things
0:14:00 > 0:14:02to the next level, taking on a rural wreck.
0:14:02 > 0:14:03Eurgh!
0:14:03 > 0:14:08But there's a big difference of opinion as to what amount of work they're prepared to do.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11- You could do something with this. - Like knock it down!
0:14:11 > 0:14:15I want to walk them through what a full renovation really entails,
0:14:15 > 0:14:18to help them work out how much they're willing to tackle,
0:14:18 > 0:14:22'so I'm taking them to meet someone who's doing a project right now.'
0:14:22 > 0:14:25- This is it. Look at that.- Ooh, OK.
0:14:25 > 0:14:29So what we're looking at is this intriguing octagonal structure.
0:14:29 > 0:14:33- It's an old dairy building.- Wow, it's a beautiful structure, isn't it?
0:14:33 > 0:14:37- It's really... That is... - It's got all the character. - I really like that.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41Bruce Stevenson and his wife Melanie
0:14:41 > 0:14:45have done three renovations before but this is their most ambitious.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48Although they bought it eight months ago, lengthy consultation
0:14:48 > 0:14:52with the planners and National Trust means they've only just started work.
0:14:52 > 0:14:56Since we saw it we realised, right, we really need to snap this up.
0:14:56 > 0:15:00There is a lot of work we could do to make it a really nice property.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04Our goal was always to be in within a year. We should just make that.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07The single storey property was originally built in
0:15:07 > 0:15:10the 19th century as a farm building, with an extension added
0:15:10 > 0:15:12in the 1960s.
0:15:12 > 0:15:14Hello, mate, nice to see you.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16I'm keen for Hannah and Michael to learn from Bruce's
0:15:16 > 0:15:20experience, even though the builders have only been on site for a week.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23How long before you can move in?
0:15:23 > 0:15:26Well, we programmed the project to roughly 14 weeks.
0:15:26 > 0:15:2814 weeks? That's quick.
0:15:28 > 0:15:32It is pretty quick, and they have come back with a 12 week programme.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35Wow, so we are a week in, so in 11 weeks time, potentially,
0:15:35 > 0:15:39- you could be out here having a glass of wine and a barbecue.- Exactly. - Yeah, great.
0:15:39 > 0:15:42So how did you actually locate the builders you've got?
0:15:42 > 0:15:44Word of mouth is often the best way.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47The next best is, obviously references.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50Phoning up people in the last six months who have had work done
0:15:50 > 0:15:51by the contractor.
0:15:51 > 0:15:55But in this instance, we went to about five contractors, actually.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58- Did you put it out to tender? - I did, yes.- Oh, OK.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01When it comes to paying for building work,
0:16:01 > 0:16:02you shouldn't pay all up front.
0:16:02 > 0:16:06It is advisable to agree a payment plan with your builder,
0:16:06 > 0:16:09where you can pay as and when specific jobs are completed.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13I went for a small works contract and it has stage payments in it.
0:16:13 > 0:16:17The contract details are stage payments which you agree in advance
0:16:17 > 0:16:20and the last thing you want to be doing is holding your contractor up
0:16:20 > 0:16:24with payments, because guys like the bricklayers, if they're not paid,
0:16:24 > 0:16:25they will not come to site.
0:16:25 > 0:16:29- It is something I would recommend. - Would you live on site?
0:16:29 > 0:16:31We have done it before. We would never do it again.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35- LAUGHTER - There will be times when you have no kitchen, no bathroom.
0:16:35 > 0:16:39I think if you are gutting a house and re-doing it from scratch,
0:16:39 > 0:16:40it is unadvisable.
0:16:40 > 0:16:44This place is not so different in character from the old stable block
0:16:44 > 0:16:48they saw earlier and within a few months, it will be a stunning home.
0:16:48 > 0:16:50I suppose the difference with this
0:16:50 > 0:16:54and the stable block is some of the infrastructure is actually here.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57Like, you have radiators, you have electricity.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00You are making the classic mistake, though.
0:17:00 > 0:17:02All of this stuff is moveable.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05The wiring, plumbing, everything is going to be relocated.
0:17:05 > 0:17:08This is what I was saying about the other project, Hannah.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11It all goes in for brand-new, exactly where you want it.
0:17:11 > 0:17:13The builder hasn't got to chop and change to get round it.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16It goes in straight away before the floors and ceilings are in.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19I hope this is allaying some of Hannah's fears,
0:17:19 > 0:17:23because I want to convince these two, that a project like this is
0:17:23 > 0:17:26something they could embark on, provided they don't
0:17:26 > 0:17:29become daunted at the amount of work they'd need to do.
0:17:29 > 0:17:33This is the interior of that octagonal building on the outside.
0:17:33 > 0:17:37This was the old dairy. There are one or two bits which are quite interesting.
0:17:37 > 0:17:39- Can you see the floor, the mosaic floor?- Is that original?
0:17:39 > 0:17:43That is original. This ceiling isn't which is now going to come out.
0:17:43 > 0:17:46Can you see these little corbels poking themselves
0:17:46 > 0:17:49out from the bottom? They support a fantastic vaulted ceiling.
0:17:49 > 0:17:54- Have a look up there through that hatch.- Oh, wow.
0:17:54 > 0:17:58These lovely little iron flowers and colourful details and so forth.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01It's a really peaceful room. It's lovely.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04- Would you take this on, this one? - Yes, I would, I would. Totally.
0:18:04 > 0:18:07- What I've seen of this so far, I would have bought this.- Would you?
0:18:07 > 0:18:12- Yeah.- The views and just open farmland and hills, it's great.
0:18:12 > 0:18:17So, I'm opening Hannah and Michael's eyes to the possibilities available, but there's a long way to go.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20Later I'll be showing them
0:18:20 > 0:18:22a finished project completed by someone
0:18:22 > 0:18:24who was a renovation novice like they are,
0:18:24 > 0:18:27that I think will knock their socks off.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33Back in Amber Valley, empty property officer Sue Lee,
0:18:33 > 0:18:35is on her way to one of her success stories.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38I'm here today to have a look at two flats,
0:18:38 > 0:18:41that has been bought by a housing association that we work with.
0:18:41 > 0:18:46These two flats in the same building were the subject of probate
0:18:46 > 0:18:48and have been left empty for years.
0:18:48 > 0:18:50Sue was eventually able to find a buyer
0:18:50 > 0:18:52who has completely modernised them.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55- Hi, Sue.- Hi, Christine. Nice to see you.
0:18:55 > 0:18:59Sue is meeting Christine from the housing association who has been overseeing the work.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02A very old, dangerous fireplace that we had to rip out
0:19:02 > 0:19:06and put a far more modern fireplace in.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08At the same time, we did a full redecoration
0:19:08 > 0:19:10and we have ended up with this.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13- A nice, bright, airy room. - It looks wonderful.
0:19:13 > 0:19:18Now, the kitchen was full of very old units.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22Nice new kitchen cabinets and we've got a good-size, nice, spacious
0:19:22 > 0:19:24kitchen, that can fit a table in
0:19:24 > 0:19:27so a family can sit down and have their meal here.
0:19:27 > 0:19:31- It's great. - And we have got a small vestibule area, with a cupboard, for storage -
0:19:31 > 0:19:35there is more storage capacity - into a new fitted bathroom.
0:19:35 > 0:19:40I think it has given the property a nice, new, fresh, airy feel.
0:19:40 > 0:19:44- It looks wonderful, Christine. - Good.- It'll be great.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47It up to a good standard, it's light, it's spacious,
0:19:47 > 0:19:52it's a blank canvas for somebody. It will make a wonderful family home.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55- Lovely. I'm really pleased you are happy with it.- Yes.- Great.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58Now it's been transformed to a high standard,
0:19:58 > 0:20:02this flat will become a much-needed home for people on the council's waiting list.
0:20:02 > 0:20:04And the couple who have just moved
0:20:04 > 0:20:07into the one upstairs couldn't be happier.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10It's a brilliant location. And it is a nice house.
0:20:10 > 0:20:14We've still got to get a few more things put up like wallpaper,
0:20:14 > 0:20:16mirrors, but very happy.
0:20:16 > 0:20:18We've got a home together with my lovely partner.
0:20:18 > 0:20:22It is really satisfying to see that already,
0:20:22 > 0:20:26somebody is moving into one of the flats and the other one is
0:20:26 > 0:20:31just now ready for somebody else to move into and make it their home.
0:20:31 > 0:20:34So, that is two more properties off Sue's roster
0:20:34 > 0:20:36of abandoned buildings.
0:20:38 > 0:20:42Hannah and Michael Overton would love to take on a disused building
0:20:42 > 0:20:47and make it their own, but nearly fell at the first hurdle when they looked at a derelict stable block.
0:20:47 > 0:20:50To persuade them that it's worth seeing past the cobwebs,
0:20:50 > 0:20:53I took them to see someone doing a major renovation.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56I want to prove once and for all to Hannah and Michael,
0:20:56 > 0:21:00that breathing life back into a total wreck, really is worthwhile.
0:21:00 > 0:21:04I brought them to another place I think shows what's possible when you put your mind to it.
0:21:04 > 0:21:08There we are. What do you think of that one?
0:21:08 > 0:21:10All that's missing are the roses climbing up.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13Just give it time. There's a big rosebush there.
0:21:13 > 0:21:17It's lovely, lovely setting as well, actually, isn't it?
0:21:17 > 0:21:21Yes, a terrific setting. This building has had many stages in its evolution,
0:21:21 > 0:21:25but believe it or not, it started off as a single-storey stable block.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27- Sound familiar?- Yes, definitely!
0:21:30 > 0:21:32In 2006, Olivia Boon bought this detached house
0:21:32 > 0:21:36near Aylesbury for just over £450,000.
0:21:36 > 0:21:38It had been empty for three years,
0:21:38 > 0:21:43before Olivia came along with the vision of making it her family home.
0:21:43 > 0:21:45It was something that we'd always wanted to do
0:21:45 > 0:21:49and decided to take on the challenge when we finally saw it because
0:21:49 > 0:21:51it was a lovely proportioned house and we saw
0:21:51 > 0:21:53what could be done to it if it had some love and care.
0:21:53 > 0:21:59Having originally started out life as a single story stable block,
0:21:59 > 0:22:03at a later date, a previous owner added the first floor, making it a house.
0:22:03 > 0:22:07Olivia's eight-month renovation has created a gorgeous five-bed
0:22:07 > 0:22:09family home with an amazing open-plan kitchen diner,
0:22:09 > 0:22:12all set in more than two acres of land including an orchard.
0:22:14 > 0:22:18Olivia, nice to see you. Let me introduce you to Michael and Hannah.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21- Hello.- We are all, not surprisingly,
0:22:21 > 0:22:23very impressed with what you have done to the house.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26What attracted you to it in the first place?
0:22:26 > 0:22:29Well, when we first saw it, it was a big shock.
0:22:29 > 0:22:33It was disgusting, dirty, foul, damp, unliveable in really,
0:22:33 > 0:22:34and it took a weekend of talking
0:22:34 > 0:22:38but we were getting really excited about it by the Sunday night,
0:22:38 > 0:22:42and what the potential was for both the house and the land.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45Yes. We have been to see a stable block.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48It was dirty, it was damp, it was filthy,
0:22:48 > 0:22:52then we walked round the back and it was like walking into the magic forest.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55It was thick, it was dense, it was overgrown.
0:22:55 > 0:22:58It sounds very similar to when we first saw the property.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00It was quite a shock.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03There were trees, nettles, brambles, right up to the windows.
0:23:03 > 0:23:05I didn't have an open mind at first.
0:23:05 > 0:23:09But, clearing, we found quite an extensive orchard with apples,
0:23:09 > 0:23:10pears and plums in it.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13You've got a wonderful spot here, now. Look at that, guys.
0:23:13 > 0:23:17- 2.2 acres...- About that. - Stretching off there.
0:23:17 > 0:23:19We did do a lot of the work ourselves.
0:23:19 > 0:23:21That cut down significantly on some of the costs
0:23:21 > 0:23:24so I laid the majority of the patio myself.
0:23:24 > 0:23:29- Wow, that is pretty good!- I had arms like Popeye by the end of it!
0:23:29 > 0:23:32So, do you have any tips and advice
0:23:32 > 0:23:34for our two budding renovators here?
0:23:34 > 0:23:37I think it is keeping an open mind when you first go to the project.
0:23:37 > 0:23:41And look at the space for what the space is, not for how it is now,
0:23:41 > 0:23:45however dirty, disgusting and horrible a project might be.
0:23:45 > 0:23:49And keeping an open mind was something that is quite hard to do,
0:23:49 > 0:23:52when you are sort of up to elbows in plasterboard.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55But as you start to personalise the house,
0:23:55 > 0:23:57you start to understand the potential of it.
0:23:57 > 0:24:01Inside, they have made great use of the available light
0:24:01 > 0:24:05and I hope the fabulous finish will finally prove to Hannah that places
0:24:05 > 0:24:10like the stable block they saw earlier, can be outstanding homes.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13I mean, this is probably the original width of the stable block.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16- Sure, yes.- Probably not far off what you have looked at.
0:24:16 > 0:24:19I mean, putting in the bay windows makes a big difference.
0:24:19 > 0:24:21That is what is really attractive,
0:24:21 > 0:24:25is it's this very light, airy property, windows all round.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28There is natural light coming in which really makes a difference.
0:24:28 > 0:24:34That is the great thing about taking on a building like this. You can put all that sort of thing in.
0:24:34 > 0:24:35This is the kitchen diner.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37Look at this, Hannah.
0:24:37 > 0:24:43Oh, yes! Really nice. Very, very nice. I love the wall.
0:24:43 > 0:24:48- This is the old external wall. - Of course. Nice, yes, very nice.
0:24:48 > 0:24:50Do you think you could go about it
0:24:50 > 0:24:55with the passion and determination that will be required to actually see this
0:24:55 > 0:24:56through to completion?
0:24:56 > 0:24:58Well, after seeing something like this,
0:24:58 > 0:25:02and realising what you can do, makes you realise that these things
0:25:02 > 0:25:05are within your grasp and you can go out and get them.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07That's the spirit.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10The real lesson for Hannah and Michael to take
0:25:10 > 0:25:12from Olivia's experience of renovating,
0:25:12 > 0:25:15is not to allow the appearance of a property to put them off.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18If they look beyond the dereliction and dirt,
0:25:18 > 0:25:21I know they'll see their perfect country home,
0:25:21 > 0:25:22provided they put in the work.
0:25:23 > 0:25:27So, what have you learnt from this process, do you think?
0:25:27 > 0:25:31Have we persuaded you, I wonder, if an empty, derelict, unloved property is for you?
0:25:31 > 0:25:35What are the key things that you will take away from this experience?
0:25:35 > 0:25:37I've learnt about the builders, the contract
0:25:37 > 0:25:40and paying them in instalments which was a concern of mine.
0:25:40 > 0:25:44So tenders, stage payments, that sort of thing?
0:25:44 > 0:25:48That's always been a concern of mine. Now I am more in the light of what to do.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52Now, when I met to you earlier, and we discussed the stable block,
0:25:52 > 0:25:54it was quite a big renovation, that,
0:25:54 > 0:25:57and I think you were a little bit daunted by what was involved.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00We have shown the two properties which have gone through
0:26:00 > 0:26:03the same process of transformation,
0:26:03 > 0:26:06do you feel a bit more confident about taking on such a big build?
0:26:06 > 0:26:09Yes, I think actually I do, genuinely.
0:26:09 > 0:26:11Of course, I have been inspired today.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14It has opened my eyes a lot, made me see I can do a lot more than
0:26:14 > 0:26:18I could do before, or what I thought I could do before.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21Now, by looking at it at a different angle, I can see the package come together.
0:26:21 > 0:26:25Good. Well, guys, it has been a real pleasure showing you around.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28I hope you are now better equipped to go out and find an empty property
0:26:28 > 0:26:31that you can turn into your own dream home of the future.
0:26:31 > 0:26:34- Who knows?- Thanks, it has been a pleasure.- Thank you very much.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39As we have seen, turning a wreck into a home, can often be
0:26:39 > 0:26:43a stressful, painstaking and time-consuming business.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46But for the brave few who are prepared to take on the gamble,
0:26:46 > 0:26:48the rewards are priceless.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51A terrific sense of achievement, and of course,
0:26:51 > 0:26:54a beautiful home thrown into the bargain.
0:27:16 > 0:27:18Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:27:18 > 0:27:20E-Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd