0:00:03 > 0:00:06Across the country, empty properties that could be homes
0:00:06 > 0:00:09are waiting to be brought back into use.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12I'll be finding out why, and what YOU need to do
0:00:12 > 0:00:14to rescue a house for yourself.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17And along the way, I'll be doing some digging of my own,
0:00:17 > 0:00:21to find out more about our housing stock, our heritage,
0:00:21 > 0:00:24and why we should be reinventing and preserving Britain's empty homes.
0:00:29 > 0:00:33Empty properties left in a state of disrepair can blight
0:00:33 > 0:00:35an otherwise picturesque street.
0:00:35 > 0:00:39But for people with energy vision and ambition,
0:00:39 > 0:00:42these empty buildings have huge potential.
0:00:42 > 0:00:46Not only affordable, these empty shells allow buyers
0:00:46 > 0:00:49to put their own unique stamp onto their future home.
0:00:51 > 0:00:55Today, I'll be meeting a father and daughter team who're about to
0:00:55 > 0:00:59take a leap of faith by tackling a conversion of their own.
0:00:59 > 0:01:03- Space, air, light.- What a space. Lovely.- Masses of space.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06We'll be joining the UK's Empty Property Officers
0:01:06 > 0:01:09as they battle to save our forgotten homes.
0:01:09 > 0:01:11Crikey, Martin, it's bad, isn't it?
0:01:11 > 0:01:13If we end up on top of that, we're going to be
0:01:13 > 0:01:15- in all sorts of problems, aren't we? - Yes.
0:01:15 > 0:01:19'And I'll be heading to the Sussex coast to do some investigating of my own.'
0:01:23 > 0:01:27You get a really good view of these arches and some of the tiles at that end.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30It's really beautiful, but incredibly run down.
0:01:33 > 0:01:37'Civil engineer Alan Jackson and his daughter, actress Katy,
0:01:37 > 0:01:41'think they've got what's needed to take on an empty property.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47'Alan lost his wife after a long battle with cancer.
0:01:47 > 0:01:51'Now he wants to start a new life by swapping London's suburbia
0:01:51 > 0:01:54'for the countryside of the south east.'
0:01:54 > 0:01:57I have an opportunity now, without any responsibilities.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00The children are grown up, so I have no ties to be anywhere.
0:02:00 > 0:02:05And I would love the opportunity to take a property on and be able
0:02:05 > 0:02:08to put it into a style of my own.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11It's very much an opportunity to express myself
0:02:11 > 0:02:15and some of the things that I would like to do.
0:02:16 > 0:02:18Katy had a big win on a TV game show,
0:02:18 > 0:02:22and has decided to invest her cash in a house with her dad.
0:02:22 > 0:02:24I think a big project for him would be really good,
0:02:24 > 0:02:27especially after the last couple of years that he's had,
0:02:27 > 0:02:29and everything else.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32I think something to get absorbed into is something good for him.
0:02:32 > 0:02:33Yes, I agree.
0:02:37 > 0:02:41I'm going to take them to see an example of the type of property that they might buy,
0:02:41 > 0:02:45which should provide them with some food for thought.
0:02:45 > 0:02:49I'm meeting them in the picturesque village of West Hoathly in West Sussex
0:02:49 > 0:02:52to help them work out just how ambitious a project
0:02:52 > 0:02:54they're prepared to take on.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57- Morning, guys. I'm Joe.- Hello, Joe. How you doing?- Hi, Joe.- Katy.- Yup.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00What is it you're after? What are you looking for?
0:03:00 > 0:03:04I love the idea of renovating a property that is in some distress or empty
0:03:04 > 0:03:09because, for a start, I can put my own stamp on it as to what I would like it to be.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12Other than that, the house is less important to me
0:03:12 > 0:03:15than some of the things I'd like to put in the outbuildings,
0:03:15 > 0:03:18if there are such things. I do have a couple of old MG cars
0:03:18 > 0:03:21which I've had for a while, and a ridiculously large train set
0:03:21 > 0:03:23which I've been itching to get out since my 5th birthday.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27So those are important features as well.
0:03:27 > 0:03:28I think, without more ado,
0:03:28 > 0:03:31we should take a wander down the road and see this property.
0:03:31 > 0:03:35- Yeah.- I'd love to see it. Take us there.- Let's go!
0:03:35 > 0:03:38West Hoathly offers all the charms of village life,
0:03:38 > 0:03:41but is a mere 38 miles outside London.
0:03:43 > 0:03:47You've got the lovely church, you've got a pub.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49- Here it is.- Wow!- Hey!
0:03:49 > 0:03:53Welcome to West Hoathly chapel.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55- Wow.- Gosh.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58Now, as you can see from up there, 1904, that's the date
0:03:58 > 0:04:00of the brick structure on the left.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03The building on the right, which is clad in wood,
0:04:03 > 0:04:07- actually goes back to 1820. - Wow.- Gosh.- So, much older.- Yeah.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12- Unusual. Definitely unusual.- Uh-huh. - Yes. Not many of these.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15No, there aren't. Well, there's no traffic, so let's cross over
0:04:15 > 0:04:17- and have a closer look. - Let's have a go.
0:04:19 > 0:04:25The pair have a combined budget of £500,000 to spend on the property and the renovation,
0:04:25 > 0:04:28and I'm keen to find out just how much work they're willing to undertake.
0:04:28 > 0:04:33- So, here we are.- Wow!- I suppose this is the main chapel.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36- It's huge.- It is huge. Look at that!
0:04:36 > 0:04:39Space, air, light.
0:04:39 > 0:04:41- What a space.- Masses of space.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44Lovely. Gosh, that is wonderful.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48Before falling vacant, Hoathly Chapel was the heart of the community.
0:04:48 > 0:04:52- You get a little glimpse of daylight, don't you?- Yeah.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55It was built in honour of the former Countess of Huntingdon,
0:04:55 > 0:04:58a local hero and radical figure in the area in the 1800s,
0:04:58 > 0:05:02who opened private chapels attached to her residences.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05What are your initial thoughts?
0:05:05 > 0:05:07It's in better condition than it might have been.
0:05:07 > 0:05:10Doesn't smell damp. Perfectly restorable.
0:05:10 > 0:05:15And you mentioned blank canvas when we spoke. This does reek of blank canvas.
0:05:15 > 0:05:19There isn't even a canvas, so there's no canvas to be blank.
0:05:19 > 0:05:21It's a fabulously interesting project.
0:05:21 > 0:05:25The layout of the floor, how you make it all work would be interesting.
0:05:25 > 0:05:26How open plan you want it.
0:05:26 > 0:05:31What's really nice about it is, I always have this image of old, uninhabited properties
0:05:31 > 0:05:35not being very light or spacious or bright, and there's so much light in here.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39OK, well, don't worry about dividing it up just yet.
0:05:39 > 0:05:43- Keep it all open in your mind and we'll have a look at the other areas.- Yeah, definitely.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50- Right.- So, here we have the kitchen area, there.
0:05:50 > 0:05:54Would've been where people made tea and coffee for the chapel, I suppose.
0:05:54 > 0:05:58- And then down the stairs.- There's a big hole in the roof, here, Joe.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01- Yeah, that might contribute to damp. - LAUGHTER
0:06:01 > 0:06:05- Architectural feature. - A bit of rain water in.- Yeah.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07Gets a bit damp down here.
0:06:07 > 0:06:11- Wow.- So, here you have another, actually quite unusual space.
0:06:11 > 0:06:16- You don't expect this when you first come in to the chapel up there.- No.
0:06:16 > 0:06:20There's a possibility of changing headroom and bringing other levels.
0:06:20 > 0:06:25- It may be possible to get three floors here.- So there we go.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28- This could be a study, or utility room.- Absolutely, absolutely.- Yeah.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32The chapel is on the market for £250,000.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35Developers bought it in its current state
0:06:35 > 0:06:39and secured planning permission to turn it into a residential dwelling.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42They're now looking for someone to snap it up and reinvent it.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47Interestingly, the chapel isn't a listed building,
0:06:47 > 0:06:51which means Alan and Katy would have free rein to convert it in any way they choose.
0:06:51 > 0:06:53It's a wonderful space.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56We've had some fabulous ideas as to what you could do with that.
0:06:56 > 0:07:01- And the ideas you've had, have you been of one mind on that?- Yes.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03- Mm. Basically.- Basically.
0:07:03 > 0:07:08So it's a starting point. Seems to have got you going. It's got the ideas flowing, has it?
0:07:08 > 0:07:10- Yeah. Great idea. I love it. - Mm.- Brilliant!
0:07:12 > 0:07:15It'll take a lot of hard work and dedication
0:07:15 > 0:07:17to turn the chapel into a modern home.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20And Alan and Katy have to be aware of what they would be taking on.
0:07:20 > 0:07:26But it could just be the labour of love that Alan is looking for.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29Later, I'll take them to see a property of a similar scale,
0:07:29 > 0:07:32which I hope will inspire them to see the chapel's potential.
0:07:32 > 0:07:36Many empty properties remain in a sort of no-man's land
0:07:36 > 0:07:38where they can sit abandoned for years,
0:07:38 > 0:07:42simply because the owners won't or can't bring them into use.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45Now, it's the job of the Empty Property Officers
0:07:45 > 0:07:49up and down the UK to try to change the fortunes
0:07:49 > 0:07:52of those forgotten homes.
0:07:53 > 0:07:55Thanet's Empty Property Officer,
0:07:55 > 0:07:59Mike Thompson is on a quest to resurrect Kent's derelict homes.
0:07:59 > 0:08:03Off to Clifftonville today to check on the structural stability
0:08:03 > 0:08:07of a property we've just acquired through compulsory purchase powers.
0:08:07 > 0:08:11It's a long-term empty, been a thorn in our side for many years,
0:08:11 > 0:08:15and I've got a colleague meeting me there from our building control section
0:08:15 > 0:08:19to give me a professional opinion on what the state of the building is.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23This neglected house has been left empty for eight years,
0:08:23 > 0:08:26and the council have now taken possession
0:08:26 > 0:08:29in a last-ditch attempt to save it from total ruin.
0:08:29 > 0:08:33Today is crunch time for the Victorian terrace.
0:08:33 > 0:08:37Mike is meeting up with Building Control Officer, Martin Parnell,
0:08:37 > 0:08:39to decide its fate.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42Can it be saved, or is it beyond repair and heading for demolition?
0:08:42 > 0:08:46- Hello, Martin.- Hello, Mike. - Nice to see you again.
0:08:46 > 0:08:49- Gosh, that looks sad, doesn't it? - That's why I've asked you here.
0:08:49 > 0:08:53Want your professional opinion on what the problems are in there
0:08:53 > 0:08:56and whether we can save it. We're desperate to save it if we can.
0:08:56 > 0:09:00I rather suspect there may be more behind that than we can first see.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03- OK, then.- Take a look?- Have a look round, shall we? Fine.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05Thank you very much.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07Round the back of the property,
0:09:07 > 0:09:10the tell-tale signs of neglect are clearly visible.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13This is the problems you get with a long-term empty property.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15- The state of it. - All and sundry dump.
0:09:15 > 0:09:19From the passageway, we can look up through that top window
0:09:19 > 0:09:23and see sky. Straight through the roof. It's fully exposed.
0:09:23 > 0:09:28Looking at it externally, there's nothing giving me major concerns.
0:09:30 > 0:09:32Appearances can be deceptive, though.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34Mike and Martin need to get inside
0:09:34 > 0:09:37to see the true extent of the damage.
0:09:37 > 0:09:41- This board comes off.- Right.- This one stays attached to the window
0:09:41 > 0:09:43- and it'll open and give us access. - OK.
0:09:46 > 0:09:48We've seen the picture from the outside.
0:09:48 > 0:09:50That comes away nicely.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52Down there. Out the way.
0:09:55 > 0:09:59- Right.- OK, it's the moment of truth, then.- It is indeed.
0:09:59 > 0:10:03See if we can get some indication of what we've got.
0:10:03 > 0:10:09- Oh, dear!- Crikey! That's pretty dire, isn't it?
0:10:13 > 0:10:15- All right to jump down there? - Yeah, should be OK.
0:10:15 > 0:10:16- Cheers.- Good.
0:10:16 > 0:10:21- Crikey, Martin, it's bad, isn't it? - It is.- All forms of water ingress.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24- We got wet rot in here, dry rot. - Good heavens, look at that.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26You can't tell how bad these things are
0:10:26 > 0:10:28until you get inside the buildings.
0:10:28 > 0:10:32Well, that's structural. So if we were to end up on top of that,
0:10:32 > 0:10:34- we'd be in all sorts of problems. - Yes.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37Cos that's not fit for carrying anything, is it?
0:10:37 > 0:10:38Let alone us on top of the floor.
0:10:38 > 0:10:42Isn't it a shame how people let these properties go? It's got everything.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45I don't think we need to venture further.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48No, that's bad enough.
0:10:48 > 0:10:52With the structure so unsound, it isn't safe for Mike and Martin
0:10:52 > 0:10:55to go any further without the expert advice of an engineer.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59Even I can see there's serious problems there.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02It's a great shame, isn't it?
0:11:02 > 0:11:04I hope it doesn't jeopardise the building's future.
0:11:04 > 0:11:08I hope it's salvageable, saveable. Even with problems like that.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10I think it can be salvaged, certainly,
0:11:10 > 0:11:13but the work that's necessary is going to be more extensive
0:11:13 > 0:11:15than perhaps we at first thought or hoped.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18Which, of course, means more time and consequent expense.
0:11:18 > 0:11:24Expense, yeah. So, worst fears in here, not so bad outside.
0:11:24 > 0:11:26Perhaps we should've stayed outside.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31Well, that might not have been quite the news I was hoping for,
0:11:31 > 0:11:34but it wasn't all bad. I'm still very hopeful,
0:11:34 > 0:11:37ever the optimist, that we can save it.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39I'm going to go back to the office now and engage the services
0:11:39 > 0:11:42of a structural engineer to give us an informed opinion, now.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45And I'm still hopeful we can save it.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49The work of the Empty Property Officers makes a huge difference
0:11:49 > 0:11:53in the preservation and regeneration of our communities.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56But clearly the battle to rescue Britain's empty homes can't be won
0:11:56 > 0:12:01without the people brave enough to renovate the properties themselves.
0:12:05 > 0:12:07In the more remote corners of the country,
0:12:07 > 0:12:10there are plenty of empty buildings up for grabs.
0:12:10 > 0:12:14But in areas of outstanding natural beauty, like West Wales' Llyn Peninsula,
0:12:14 > 0:12:18you often need to think creatively to get your building project
0:12:18 > 0:12:20signed off by the local planners.
0:12:20 > 0:12:24Michelin-starred chef and hotelier Chris Chown and his wife Gunna
0:12:24 > 0:12:28did just that when they renovated this spectacular cottage.
0:12:30 > 0:12:34When we saw this, it just seemed kind of cute.
0:12:34 > 0:12:40Inside, it was a timber frame and it was painted in pinks and turquoises.
0:12:40 > 0:12:44We just thought, inside, it's actually really homely,
0:12:44 > 0:12:45despite the fact, outside,
0:12:45 > 0:12:49it just looks like a rusty, corrugated iron shed.
0:12:49 > 0:12:52In its former life as an old tin shed,
0:12:52 > 0:12:55this property had been on the market for over four years,
0:12:55 > 0:12:59despite interest from a number of potential buyers.
0:12:59 > 0:13:03Several other people had tried to get planning
0:13:03 > 0:13:07to demolish the original tin shed and put a new build on,
0:13:07 > 0:13:11but the local planning laws are very tight indeed.
0:13:11 > 0:13:15But having fallen in love with the place and its location,
0:13:15 > 0:13:19Chris and Gunna were determined to come up with an innovative solution.
0:13:19 > 0:13:24The challenge was to keep the footprint of the original building,
0:13:24 > 0:13:26but get a decent size out of it.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29And so our solution to that was to
0:13:29 > 0:13:32dig into the mountainside behind
0:13:32 > 0:13:35and put what is, effectively, a separate building,
0:13:35 > 0:13:37which then has a turf roof on it.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40So when you stand on the road behind,
0:13:40 > 0:13:43you can't actually see that there is an extension to this building at all.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46The planners were happy to accept that.
0:13:46 > 0:13:48But it's given us a three-bedroom house.
0:13:48 > 0:13:54This ambitious renovation project was a real labour of love.
0:13:54 > 0:13:55It took a while to do.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58It took maybe two-and-a-half years in all.
0:13:58 > 0:14:02Because a lot of it was seeing how we went.
0:14:02 > 0:14:07It wasn't really designed, if you like. Sort of a design evolved
0:14:07 > 0:14:09as we discovered how much space was available.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12Despite the many complications they experienced,
0:14:12 > 0:14:15Chris and Gunna wouldn't have had it any other way.
0:14:15 > 0:14:19If you've got a bit of vision and you're prepared to persevere
0:14:19 > 0:14:22with planning, with building regs
0:14:22 > 0:14:25and all the things attached to that nowadays,
0:14:25 > 0:14:29then I think it's fantastically rewarding to do your own thing,
0:14:29 > 0:14:32and I would recommend it like a shot.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41In Brighton, East Sussex, like so many coastal towns,
0:14:41 > 0:14:45new housing is in great demand, particularly on the seafront.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48Which is, of course, prime location.
0:14:48 > 0:14:49But should the need for new homes
0:14:49 > 0:14:53lead to the demise of some of the UK's architectural treasures?
0:14:53 > 0:14:55For developers, the seaside means great views
0:14:55 > 0:14:59and the perfect place to put up modern high-rise apartments.
0:14:59 > 0:15:01So councils have a tough choice -
0:15:01 > 0:15:05go with such developments and help ease the housing shortage,
0:15:05 > 0:15:09or try to safeguard some of the beautiful old buildings
0:15:09 > 0:15:11that make up our seaside heritage?
0:15:13 > 0:15:16And Medina House is a case in point.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19Originally part of the Medina Baths complex
0:15:19 > 0:15:22which was built in 1893 by Hove Bath And Laundry Company,
0:15:22 > 0:15:28it was at the forefront of the movement that gave Brighton its nickname - Queen Of Bathing.
0:15:28 > 0:15:33Empty since 1997 when its owners sold up and moved to London,
0:15:33 > 0:15:36the current owner bought the property with a view to knocking down
0:15:36 > 0:15:40what's left of the baths and building a new development of flats.
0:15:40 > 0:15:44I suppose to some people, this building might be a bit of an eyesore.
0:15:44 > 0:15:46Others will see the beauty that's still within it.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49I've arranged to meet some people
0:15:49 > 0:15:51with a keen interest in exactly what happens next.
0:15:51 > 0:15:57I'm meeting Robert Edwards, a member of the Regency Society Of Brighton And Hove,
0:15:57 > 0:16:00who lobbies to save the city's defining architecture.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03- Hi, Robert. How you doing? - Hi, lovely.- Nice to meet you.
0:16:03 > 0:16:08Thanks for meeting me here. Now, we have Medina House behind us.
0:16:08 > 0:16:11What's so special about it? What is Medina House?
0:16:11 > 0:16:13Well, it's all that remains
0:16:13 > 0:16:17of Hove's and Brighton's Victorian bathing heritage.
0:16:17 > 0:16:201890s, it was built.
0:16:20 > 0:16:24The Turkish baths, which it's quite well known for, were added in 1911.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27- OK.- It's been used for all sorts of things over the years, though.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30It is in a state of disrepair now. How long has it been in that state?
0:16:30 > 0:16:34It's been... Around 15 years it's sat there doing nothing.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37So not adding anything to Brighton and Hove,
0:16:37 > 0:16:39just sitting there as a mess, yeah.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42But it is owned by someone, there's no question there is an owner?
0:16:42 > 0:16:43Yep, there's an owner.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46They've put forward all sorts of planning applications.
0:16:46 > 0:16:50They're proposing knocking it down and starting again
0:16:50 > 0:16:53- and using the land to build something?- Yep, afraid so.- Right.
0:16:53 > 0:16:57The developer has since said he wishes to carry out a sympathetic development,
0:16:57 > 0:17:01building to a lower height than proposed in previous applications.
0:17:01 > 0:17:05But I'm curious to find out how local residents feel about Medina House.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09- Do you know much about this building?- I do, I've lived here for quite a long time,
0:17:09 > 0:17:13and I've seen this go from a beautiful property to the state it is now.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16- It was occupied by a lot of kids at one point.- Squatters?
0:17:16 > 0:17:19Squatters, they were, but they had a little gallery
0:17:19 > 0:17:22and they had loads of artwork and stuff inside.
0:17:22 > 0:17:26But you could see the architectural beauty of the building inside,
0:17:26 > 0:17:29- which hadn't been touched. - So did you go inside?
0:17:29 > 0:17:32Yes, I went inside, I was welcomed in, I was shown through,
0:17:32 > 0:17:35and I couldn't believe how beautiful it was inside.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38With squatters currently in residence, I can't get in.
0:17:38 > 0:17:44You can just see beautiful, kind of ornate
0:17:44 > 0:17:46blue tiles in an arch.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49But I'm really keen to see some of the architecture.
0:17:49 > 0:17:51You get a really good view of these arches
0:17:51 > 0:17:55and some of the tiles at that end.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58It's really beautiful, but incredibly run down.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01And I think that's only in the last decade or so
0:18:01 > 0:18:05that it's got into that state. Which is so sad, really.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08I suppose if this was just another villa in Brighton or a terraced house,
0:18:08 > 0:18:10there wouldn't be such a fuss.
0:18:10 > 0:18:14But this is Medina House. It's the only one of its kind.
0:18:14 > 0:18:17Of course there's a problem, a quandary here, but hopefully
0:18:17 > 0:18:22there is a compromise in this that local residents and the developer involved can come to
0:18:22 > 0:18:25whereby, yes, they provide some accommodation,
0:18:25 > 0:18:30but they also preserve a slice of this very special British heritage.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35'Back in West Sussex, Alan Jackson and his daughter Katy
0:18:35 > 0:18:38'are trying to decide if taking on an empty property is for them.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41'They've already viewed a disused chapel,
0:18:41 > 0:18:44'but I want to show them a fantastic example
0:18:44 > 0:18:48'of just what can be achieved with a once-derelict building.'
0:18:48 > 0:18:50Ahead of us, Hooklands Farm Barns.
0:18:50 > 0:18:55'And who better to get advice from than professional barn builder Steve Brewer
0:18:55 > 0:18:56'and his partner Sarah
0:18:56 > 0:19:01'who are close to finishing the transformation of old barns into a beautiful home.'
0:19:01 > 0:19:03When we first viewed the property,
0:19:03 > 0:19:05it was very overgrown, very ramshackle.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08Two of the buildings were immanent of collapse
0:19:08 > 0:19:11and had to be shored up immediately.
0:19:11 > 0:19:14But held no big surprises, no scares.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17Over the last 18 months, Steve and Sarah have painstakingly
0:19:17 > 0:19:21renovated one of the larger barns and the small milking parlour,
0:19:21 > 0:19:24and have joined the two with a new-build extension.
0:19:24 > 0:19:29For anybody considering taking on a project of any size,
0:19:29 > 0:19:33don't underestimate the amount of effort that it will take,
0:19:33 > 0:19:36both physically, financially.
0:19:36 > 0:19:40It will highlight any weaknesses in any relationships
0:19:40 > 0:19:43because you're working together on the project.
0:19:43 > 0:19:49You're both there all the time. It's not always easy.
0:19:49 > 0:19:55I think to bring any empty property back into usage
0:19:55 > 0:19:59and turn it into a home is the most rewarding thing you can do.
0:20:02 > 0:20:03- Come on in.- Thanks.- Thank you.
0:20:06 > 0:20:08- Wow!- Wow.
0:20:10 > 0:20:14How satisfying is it when you've got these old timbers,
0:20:14 > 0:20:17and it was a hayloft, to now make a room out of it
0:20:17 > 0:20:20and to, kind of, bring it to life in a new way?
0:20:20 > 0:20:22Satisfying? Yeah, absolutely.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25I mean, my aim with these barns
0:20:25 > 0:20:28is to retain as much of the original as you can.
0:20:28 > 0:20:30And even if you have to take bits out,
0:20:30 > 0:20:34they can always be re-used within the build.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37- So we've used all the original bricks we dismantled.- Yep.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40Every bit of oak that comes out gets re-introduced somewhere else,
0:20:40 > 0:20:43so it stays within the building.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46- So this is something you're happy with, it's finished.- Mm-hm.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49On the other side, it's still a work in progress, is that fair?
0:20:49 > 0:20:52- Very much so, yes.- Yes, shall we go through and have a look?
0:20:52 > 0:20:53Yeah, show us through.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56'Just like the chapel that Alan and Katy looked at earlier,
0:20:56 > 0:21:00'this was originally one big area, and I hope it might give them an idea
0:21:00 > 0:21:05'of how a large space could be made into liveable rooms.'
0:21:05 > 0:21:07You can really see how it's piecing together here.
0:21:07 > 0:21:12Clearly you want to be as sympathetic to the building as possible and re-use bits of it.
0:21:12 > 0:21:14Is that what you've done in here as well?
0:21:14 > 0:21:17We've kept the character within the building.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20And I think it makes for a more sympathetic build.
0:21:20 > 0:21:23But what this enables you to do, is to live in a house
0:21:23 > 0:21:25absolutely cram-packed full of character,
0:21:25 > 0:21:27and add character, but you get the mod cons.
0:21:27 > 0:21:31We're going to have underfloor heating through here, we're going to have solar power.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33So you can get the lovely old character,
0:21:33 > 0:21:35but you can have all the brand-new stuff.
0:21:35 > 0:21:39ALAN: The oak is superb. Is it particularly expensive, the oak?
0:21:39 > 0:21:42So far we've been very, very clever, I would say,
0:21:42 > 0:21:46with finding a decent priced product for whatever we were doing.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49Obviously, stuff like the oak, it's integral to the build - shop around.
0:21:49 > 0:21:52Don't take the first price, cos the difference in price
0:21:52 > 0:21:57that we got back from the cutting list was absolutely incredible.
0:21:57 > 0:21:58- 200%.- 200%.
0:21:58 > 0:22:02If you guys had to sum up your final advice in a few words,
0:22:02 > 0:22:04the things you've learned from this,
0:22:04 > 0:22:07what would be the key things that stand out?
0:22:07 > 0:22:09Plan everything.
0:22:09 > 0:22:13Erm, and just don't underestimate it,
0:22:13 > 0:22:15and just keep going.
0:22:15 > 0:22:19Later, I'll be finding out how Alan and Katy feel
0:22:19 > 0:22:22after seeing the barn renovation.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25But first, it's back to Margate, where Empty Property Officer,
0:22:25 > 0:22:29Mike Thompson, is on a mission to save Kent's architecture.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32Mike's on his way to the former Arcadian Hotel,
0:22:32 > 0:22:36a favourite with holiday makers during its Victorian heyday,
0:22:36 > 0:22:39but in recent years, it's been left empty and abandoned.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44I'm here in Margate today to come and visit Geoffrey Berger,
0:22:44 > 0:22:48the developer of a building known as the Arcadian, on the seafront here.
0:22:48 > 0:22:49This is a long-term empty property
0:22:49 > 0:22:52that's been a thorn in the council's side for many years.
0:22:52 > 0:22:56But Geoffrey's taken ownership of the building now, with the council's assistance,
0:22:56 > 0:23:00and has transformed the exterior into something quite remarkable.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03Much more like it would've looked in Victorian times.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06The plan is to turn the building into private flats.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10- Morning, chaps!- Oh, hello! - Hi, Geoffrey.
0:23:10 > 0:23:12How are you? Nice to see you again.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15Tony, nice to see you. What a difference!
0:23:15 > 0:23:18- Yes.- It's fantastic outside, isn't it? You've made a brilliant job.
0:23:18 > 0:23:20And this is a bit different from last time I saw it.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23- We're getting there.- Many problems?
0:23:23 > 0:23:27Not recently. I think most of the problems were overcome
0:23:27 > 0:23:31when we did the exterior. And internally it's been fine.
0:23:31 > 0:23:35This is becoming a show flat, as you know, so it's taking shape.
0:23:35 > 0:23:37So this'll be the first to be completed, then?
0:23:37 > 0:23:38Yes, that's right.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41- Time frame for the show flat? - Should be next week.- About a week.
0:23:41 > 0:23:43Next week? Good.
0:23:43 > 0:23:46- Let me show you what's happening in the rest.- Thanks, Geoffrey. OK.
0:23:48 > 0:23:50When the project's completed,
0:23:50 > 0:23:53there will be 14 luxury seafront apartments.
0:23:53 > 0:23:57The view from here, we all agree, is tremendous.
0:23:57 > 0:24:00What a fantastic room! Double aspect.
0:24:00 > 0:24:02- Lovely high ceilings. - And full of light.
0:24:02 > 0:24:04Going to be a superb flat, isn't it?
0:24:04 > 0:24:06Wow!
0:24:09 > 0:24:13What fantastic views! Aren't they superb?
0:24:13 > 0:24:15Absolutely brilliant. Takes you back a few years.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18That's what the Victorians must've felt like.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21The building is in Margate's conservation area,
0:24:21 > 0:24:26and the developers have gone to great lengths to ensure it's restored to its former glory.
0:24:26 > 0:24:28You've got the right detail on the roof,
0:24:28 > 0:24:30the double roll. Corrugated, as well.
0:24:30 > 0:24:32Finding somebody to do that is not easy.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35It was difficult. And it's been mitred on that corner
0:24:35 > 0:24:38and the opposite corner. So it was quite difficult.
0:24:38 > 0:24:42- Don't you admire the Victorians? They were doing things like that all the time.- Yes.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45- Never had to search for someone to do it. Incredible.- Quite a skill.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52That has to be one of the most rewarding aspect of my job.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55Going in and seeing a complete transformation like that.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58From a pigeon-infested long-term empty,
0:24:58 > 0:25:03named and shamed by the local civic society as a town shame.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06To see it transformed like that into homes for people,
0:25:06 > 0:25:10and everybody locally will soon forget how bad that used to look.
0:25:10 > 0:25:12And they'll sing its praises, I'm sure.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15Credit to the developer, and to the contractor.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18It's a great job, and I've been proud to be involved with that one.
0:25:19 > 0:25:21Back in West Sussex,
0:25:21 > 0:25:24Alan and daughter Katy are on the hunt for an empty home.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26After viewing a converted barn,
0:25:26 > 0:25:29I'm keen to find out what conclusions they've drawn.
0:25:29 > 0:25:34So, guys. Having seen Steve and Sarah's project here,
0:25:34 > 0:25:36what do you make of it?
0:25:36 > 0:25:39They're doing a fantastic job. It's great. I really love the inside.
0:25:39 > 0:25:42And seeing the pictures of where it was to where it is now,
0:25:42 > 0:25:46and hearing how they've recycled a lot of things,
0:25:46 > 0:25:48I find that quite appealing and really nice.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52- In terms of the scale of this and the finances and everything...- Yes.
0:25:52 > 0:25:56..has it given you a good perspective on what your thoughts are?
0:25:56 > 0:25:59It's probably given me a feeling that this is a bit more
0:25:59 > 0:26:01than I would want to undertake.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04The chapel we saw ticked quite a few boxes.
0:26:04 > 0:26:08I think it certainly wouldn't work as a family home for us, I don't think.
0:26:08 > 0:26:12Not quite. I think there might be other properties than that that we would look for.
0:26:12 > 0:26:16The chapel maybe isn't right for various reasons, but the scale is right.
0:26:16 > 0:26:18The scale is right, absolutely.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21So we know that properties are out there like that, so hopefully
0:26:21 > 0:26:24we've helped get you started, put some thoughts in motion.
0:26:24 > 0:26:29You have, and there's an expression which is "the longest journey starts with the first step,"
0:26:29 > 0:26:34and you've helped us make that step today, so we're looking to get going, and I'm ready. My bags'll be packed.
0:26:34 > 0:26:38It's been a pleasure. I'm pleased we could help with the first step.
0:26:38 > 0:26:39- Thanks, Joe.- Thank you very much.
0:26:42 > 0:26:46Anyone can buy a house, but clearly not everyone has what it takes
0:26:46 > 0:26:49to tackle a full-scale renovation like this one.
0:26:49 > 0:26:53Now, what I like about Alan and Katy is clearly they have vision,
0:26:53 > 0:26:55they have a creative streak
0:26:55 > 0:26:58and hopefully they've got the determination to see this through
0:26:58 > 0:27:02and find an empty property with room for two cars and a train set
0:27:02 > 0:27:05which they can turn into their dream home.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16Email subtitling@bbc.co.uk