0:00:02 > 0:00:06Across the country, empty properties are waiting to be brought back into use.
0:00:06 > 0:00:07I'll be finding out why,
0:00:07 > 0:00:11and what you need to do to rescue a house for yourself.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14And along the way, we'll be following the property detectives
0:00:14 > 0:00:17who track down the owners of these forgotten houses
0:00:17 > 0:00:20and help breathe new life into the communities blighted by them.
0:00:20 > 0:00:23And I'll be doing some digging of my own to find out more
0:00:23 > 0:00:26about our housing stock, our heritage,
0:00:26 > 0:00:30and why we should be both preserving and reinventing Britain's empty homes.
0:00:38 > 0:00:41Restoring an empty building requires a passion for property,
0:00:41 > 0:00:45an eye for detail and of course the love of a challenge.
0:00:45 > 0:00:47Now, although the process may test the best of us,
0:00:47 > 0:00:51more and more people are finding that taking on an empty house
0:00:51 > 0:00:56is the best way of affording that home they've always dreamt of.
0:00:58 > 0:01:02On today's show, I'll be meeting a first-time renovator
0:01:02 > 0:01:05who's bought an abandoned building with big plans to overhaul.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07There's still quite a lot that I want to do
0:01:07 > 0:01:10that's a little bit out of the ordinary,
0:01:10 > 0:01:12a few little features here and there.
0:01:12 > 0:01:16And we'll be following one of Britain's empty property officers,
0:01:16 > 0:01:17working to change the fortunes
0:01:17 > 0:01:20of some of the UK's abandoned buildings.
0:01:20 > 0:01:22This is a massive project, isn't it?
0:01:22 > 0:01:26And it's great that it's going to be turned back into two family houses.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35Artist and sculptor George Trigg was on the lookout
0:01:35 > 0:01:37for a home he could both live and work in.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40And he found what he hopes will be the ideal place
0:01:40 > 0:01:42in his home town in Shropshire.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45I think getting that life/work balance within a property
0:01:45 > 0:01:48is something that I've always wanted to do.
0:01:48 > 0:01:52Really so I can get more work done but also involve Seth, my son,
0:01:52 > 0:01:56him having space to run around and play and get creative as well.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59This warehouse measures 2,000 square feet
0:01:59 > 0:02:02and was empty for a year before George took it on.
0:02:02 > 0:02:05Previously used by a building storage company,
0:02:05 > 0:02:07George was quick to spot its potential,
0:02:07 > 0:02:10both as an artistic and a living space.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13What was brilliant about the property
0:02:13 > 0:02:15is the fact that it's just an empty shell,
0:02:15 > 0:02:19which means you can pretty much do anything you want with it, really.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22As a first-time renovator, George is on a steep learning curve,
0:02:22 > 0:02:26but his artistic eye should give him a real advantage.
0:02:26 > 0:02:30I'm looking to get a really slick finish,
0:02:30 > 0:02:34to be comfy, and to have lots of light, which I think is important -
0:02:34 > 0:02:37for life, for playing, but also for work and for sculpture.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40The renovation is barely off the ground,
0:02:40 > 0:02:43but George has already encountered his first obstacle.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46There's been lots of delays with planning,
0:02:46 > 0:02:49with submissions, with charges which I wasn't aware of,
0:02:49 > 0:02:52and it all takes a lot longer than you think it does
0:02:52 > 0:02:54when you first start, really.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57Hopefully, it'll all go very smoothly,
0:02:57 > 0:02:58but I've got a feeling it won't!
0:03:07 > 0:03:10George is at the very beginning of his journey,
0:03:10 > 0:03:12so I'm meeting him at the warehouse
0:03:12 > 0:03:14to hear what his plans are for the building.
0:03:15 > 0:03:20- Hey, George, I'm Joe.- Hi. Nice to meet you.- Good to see you.- How are you? Very well, thanks.- Excellent.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23- Now, which property are we talking about here?- It's this one to the side, here.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26Quite an unusual look to it, bolted on the side of this house.
0:03:26 > 0:03:30Yeah, it's sort of tucked just behind, it's much bigger when you get inside
0:03:30 > 0:03:32and it's '70s construction.
0:03:32 > 0:03:34And was it habitable when you took it on?
0:03:34 > 0:03:37Er, no, not at all. It's freezing cold inside! THEY LAUGH
0:03:37 > 0:03:43It's really a sort of concrete block shell, and no insulation at all,
0:03:43 > 0:03:46and there's plants growing into the corner of some of the rooms,
0:03:46 > 0:03:50so yeah, it would be very difficult to live inside at the moment.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53- Let's go and have a look inside, shall we?- Brilliant, yeah.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56George bought the warehouse for £67,000,
0:03:56 > 0:03:58and from the outside, at least,
0:03:58 > 0:04:01it looks like a big job for a novice renovator.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05Well, George, this is quite a space.
0:04:05 > 0:04:07I love the fact that it's adorned with your work already,
0:04:07 > 0:04:10you've actually been in here as a workshop, have you?
0:04:10 > 0:04:14Yeah, I've been using it as a workshop for about a year now.
0:04:14 > 0:04:18Let's look at the big picture of things - how do you want to divide and use this space?
0:04:18 > 0:04:20It's pretty much 50/50, really.
0:04:20 > 0:04:24This space is going to stay as the work space.
0:04:24 > 0:04:26And then back into the back space,
0:04:26 > 0:04:28I've got a downstairs open-plan living area
0:04:28 > 0:04:32with kitchen, living room, and upstairs, two bedrooms,
0:04:32 > 0:04:36one for me and one for my son, Seth, when he comes to stay,
0:04:36 > 0:04:39but there's still quite a lot that I want to do that's slightly...
0:04:39 > 0:04:42a little bit out of the ordinary, a few little features here and there.
0:04:42 > 0:04:44Now, you're here in the workshop -
0:04:44 > 0:04:46have you put plans in yet to make the rest of it residential?
0:04:46 > 0:04:50Yeah, that's close to being completed, but, erm...
0:04:50 > 0:04:54- There's been a few different issues that I didn't foresee happening, really.- Like what?
0:04:54 > 0:04:59- There's an affordable housing contribution.- I hadn't actually heard of that before,
0:04:59 > 0:05:01so that's sort of a levy or tax, if you like,
0:05:01 > 0:05:03that you have to pay to the council, is it?
0:05:03 > 0:05:07- Yeah, that's right. - And what are they asking for as your contribution?
0:05:07 > 0:05:09How do they measure it in a property like this?
0:05:09 > 0:05:12Well, it's everything that gets turned into residential,
0:05:12 > 0:05:16and it's a rate that's £90 per square metre,
0:05:16 > 0:05:20which for the plans as they are at the moment,
0:05:20 > 0:05:22it's round about £11,000.
0:05:22 > 0:05:23And I'm still waiting to hear on that
0:05:23 > 0:05:25to see what the outcome is, really.
0:05:25 > 0:05:27OK, well, let's continue looking round.
0:05:27 > 0:05:32- We can walk through this and then have a look upstairs, shall we? - Yeah, absolutely.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35'Planning permission is clearly George's biggest concern
0:05:35 > 0:05:39'and it has stalled his project over the last 12 months.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41'Once he has permission,
0:05:41 > 0:05:44'he intends to have the main living area upstairs
0:05:44 > 0:05:46'and create a comfortable family feel
0:05:46 > 0:05:47'for his two-year-old son, Seth.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50'And to help the budget stretch as far as possible,
0:05:50 > 0:05:52'he plans to be a hands-on renovator.'
0:05:54 > 0:05:57George, this back half of upstairs will be the two bedrooms, will it?
0:05:57 > 0:06:00Yeah, that's right, so one bedroom over that side,
0:06:00 > 0:06:03one over this side, and the bathroom about here.
0:06:03 > 0:06:05So let's talk budget.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08How much do you hope you can do this project for?
0:06:08 > 0:06:13I'm hoping, really, to get it in between about 40-50,000.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16I think I'd really struggle to get together more than that.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19Do you worry that that's quite a tight budget?
0:06:19 > 0:06:22I'm hoping it's a generous budget and allows for the other things,
0:06:22 > 0:06:26but I might end up completing it and then having very little money
0:06:26 > 0:06:28to spend on furniture or anything else, really,
0:06:28 > 0:06:32and having to work a lot harder to make up the difference.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35The point is, it's an exciting time in the project, isn't it,
0:06:35 > 0:06:38because nothing's certain and you're still playing with ideas
0:06:38 > 0:06:40and there's lots of creative options open to you.
0:06:40 > 0:06:42Just can't wait to get started, really.
0:06:42 > 0:06:44I really like this place
0:06:44 > 0:06:47and, actually, I think it's really well-matched to George.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50It's got all the space he needs, but also it needs a creative eye
0:06:50 > 0:06:53to transform it, and I think that's what George brings to this.
0:06:53 > 0:06:57George hasn't taken on a project like this before,
0:06:57 > 0:07:00so it's going to be really good for him to meet people who have been through it,
0:07:00 > 0:07:05who can also help him visualise how to make the best use of this space,
0:07:05 > 0:07:08to make it a home for him and his son.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18Hundreds of thousands of buildings right across the UK
0:07:18 > 0:07:19are left unused and derelict,
0:07:19 > 0:07:23wasting away while the housing shortage continues.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26It's the job of local council empty property officers
0:07:26 > 0:07:29to find these places, work out a plan
0:07:29 > 0:07:31and get them back into the community.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36Jason Hall is doing just that.
0:07:36 > 0:07:38He's on the trail of a derelict building
0:07:38 > 0:07:39in Richmond, south-west London.
0:07:39 > 0:07:43The house holds a prominent position on a bustling commercial street,
0:07:43 > 0:07:47and locals have made a number of complaints
0:07:47 > 0:07:48about pests and fly-tipping.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54This is a property that's in quite a prime location,
0:07:54 > 0:07:55it's on a very busy road.
0:07:55 > 0:08:00There's quite a few defects to the front of it, we've got cracks and missing patches of render,
0:08:00 > 0:08:04and it just looks kind of unsightly, so I need to go in and have a bit of a closer look, really.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08Over the years, the building has been both a home
0:08:08 > 0:08:09and a commercial property.
0:08:12 > 0:08:14Everything seems quite secure.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17We've got a good, strong padlock on there,
0:08:17 > 0:08:21and the letterbox has been secured from the inside,
0:08:21 > 0:08:24so it's quite secure from the front, all in all.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26The house isn't just an eyesore.
0:08:26 > 0:08:28Jason has spotted an even greater issue
0:08:28 > 0:08:31which could cause serious harm to passers-by.
0:08:31 > 0:08:33On the front of the property here, we've got...
0:08:33 > 0:08:36the guttering across the top there is in quite a bad state of repair.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39It's obviously very rusty, it's been there a long time,
0:08:39 > 0:08:41there's a section of it missing on the corner.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44The section that's dropped off is here.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47And if anybody had been at the front of the property here at the time
0:08:47 > 0:08:48and taken that in the head,
0:08:48 > 0:08:52then that would have caused quite a bit of damage, I'm sure.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55With falling debris, Jason needs to assess
0:08:55 > 0:08:58the state of the rest of the building.
0:08:58 > 0:08:59And it's not good news.
0:09:01 > 0:09:03From the side aspect of the property,
0:09:03 > 0:09:06we've got some quite significant subsidence cracks
0:09:06 > 0:09:08in the soil stack that runs up the side of the house.
0:09:08 > 0:09:10There's two quite large cracks in that,
0:09:10 > 0:09:12and again, if that's going to come down,
0:09:12 > 0:09:15then that's going to cause some significant damage.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18The guttering along the side aspect here is also defective.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22The back garden gives Jason a much clearer profile of the house
0:09:22 > 0:09:26and the causes for the complaints.
0:09:26 > 0:09:30There's quite a lot of stuff that's been dumped in the back garden here.
0:09:30 > 0:09:32The original complaint was about fly-tipping.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35So it looks like the fence has been pushed in
0:09:35 > 0:09:37so people can throw stuff over.
0:09:37 > 0:09:42Worse still, some of the waste is extremely hazardous.
0:09:42 > 0:09:46We've got some asbestos sheeting here which has come off a lean-to
0:09:46 > 0:09:47that was off the back of the house here.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50Everyone thinks asbestos is really dangerous, which it can be.
0:09:50 > 0:09:51There is health impact,
0:09:51 > 0:09:54but only if it's broken and the fibres are released,
0:09:54 > 0:09:58but because the back garden isn't overly secure, then if kids, for instance,
0:09:58 > 0:10:00were to come in and jump up and down on this, break it,
0:10:00 > 0:10:02then there could be a health impact associated with that,
0:10:02 > 0:10:06so ideally we'd like to see that removed from the site.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09Jason is keen to find out why a building in a bustling part of town
0:10:09 > 0:10:11is lying vacant.
0:10:11 > 0:10:16He hopes a local developer might provide the missing information.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19I've just met with a local developer, who's given me some information on this site,
0:10:19 > 0:10:22and it appears that the reason it's stayed empty for so long
0:10:22 > 0:10:24is around planning issues.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27Basically, I now need to get hold of the current owner
0:10:27 > 0:10:29and then I can have a chat with him about where we take it from here.
0:10:29 > 0:10:33Jason has now contacted the owner, who's secured the property and plans to turn it into flats.
0:10:33 > 0:10:37Rescuing an empty property is no easy task.
0:10:37 > 0:10:39Many have fallen into total disrepair
0:10:39 > 0:10:42and need a complete overhaul, and it can be very daunting
0:10:42 > 0:10:45dealing with planning and large budgets.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48However, with determination, expert advice
0:10:48 > 0:10:51and, of course, that little bit of luck,
0:10:51 > 0:10:55pretty much anyone can take on an empty home.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57Ian and Deborah Tanner's local church
0:10:57 > 0:10:59had a special connection to the couple -
0:10:59 > 0:11:03it sat right at the end of their garden in Devon.
0:11:03 > 0:11:06Little did they know that it would one day provide them
0:11:06 > 0:11:10with an extreme renovation project and, ultimately, their dream home.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13We've lived in Tamerton Foliot for 25 years plus.
0:11:13 > 0:11:16Our children used to go to play school
0:11:16 > 0:11:19when it was in what was the Sunday school in the church hall,
0:11:19 > 0:11:21so we've known the place for a long time.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24It closed a couple of years before we bought it.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27There was dry rot, wet rot, woodworm here,
0:11:27 > 0:11:30which we've had treated, and I'm sure another 12 or 18 months,
0:11:30 > 0:11:32then it would have been in real trouble
0:11:32 > 0:11:34and probably too much for us to have taken on then.
0:11:34 > 0:11:38Hymn books were still on the pews, and the organ was intact
0:11:38 > 0:11:40when the couple took a leap of faith
0:11:40 > 0:11:44and bought the church at auction for £125,000.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47I used to say it would make a really nice home.
0:11:47 > 0:11:49It's just a beautiful building to maintain as well,
0:11:49 > 0:11:52rather than it go to rack and ruin, for a challenge,
0:11:52 > 0:11:55and it was a good time in our lives to do something.
0:11:55 > 0:11:59The Tanners made every effort to honour the style and history
0:11:59 > 0:12:01of this prominent local church.
0:12:01 > 0:12:03All the window shapes have stayed the same,
0:12:03 > 0:12:05the doors have stayed the same,
0:12:05 > 0:12:07even the paint colour is pretty similar outside
0:12:07 > 0:12:09to what it was before.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12And the renovation also presented Deborah with the chance
0:12:12 > 0:12:14to gain some new skills.
0:12:14 > 0:12:18We really enjoyed looking into all the different aspects
0:12:18 > 0:12:20of the building, and because I had all these windows
0:12:20 > 0:12:22that I knew I was going to need to be doing,
0:12:22 > 0:12:25I've done a City & Guilds stained-glass window-making course,
0:12:25 > 0:12:28so I've just put the first window in, which has given me a lot of pleasure.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31It's like an extra hobby that I've discovered.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38Of course, the couple enjoy the entire house,
0:12:38 > 0:12:41but they do have their favourite features.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44The stairs and the lounge is the best bit for me.
0:12:44 > 0:12:46It's a bit of a decision - do you chop it up,
0:12:46 > 0:12:48do you go for a big open-plan space?
0:12:48 > 0:12:50And we've gone for an open-plan space.
0:12:50 > 0:12:51I think we both really love it.
0:12:53 > 0:12:57I especially like the woodwork that we had sandblasted -
0:12:57 > 0:12:59it was all painted black and it's come up really nice.
0:13:00 > 0:13:05We've used the pulpit of the church in the corner as a bar
0:13:05 > 0:13:09and we've turned some pews into the dinner table.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12As with many renovations of this size,
0:13:12 > 0:13:14budgets and timescales can often spiral.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17But the Tanners managed to stick to a 20-week schedule,
0:13:17 > 0:13:20spending £250,000 in the process.
0:13:20 > 0:13:24We have spent more money than we thought we wanted to spend at the start.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27But it's not about the money, as far as we're concerned -
0:13:27 > 0:13:29it's about having what we've ended up with.
0:13:29 > 0:13:31It's a great place to live in,
0:13:31 > 0:13:34and I think if you want something badly enough, you'll just carry on and do it.
0:13:36 > 0:13:37I'm really proud of the house
0:13:37 > 0:13:39and I'm really proud of what we've achieved.
0:13:39 > 0:13:43We've managed to get through it all without any kind of...
0:13:43 > 0:13:44we haven't had any domestics!
0:13:44 > 0:13:49And it is a joy every night when you come home and see it all.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52And it takes over your life, to a certain extent,
0:13:52 > 0:13:54but it's a great place to live in,
0:13:54 > 0:13:56and, you know, we're both really proud of it.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02We hear a lot about the housing crisis,
0:14:02 > 0:14:06and that's because there are over 100,000 people across the country
0:14:06 > 0:14:10on housing waiting lists, while many properties sit empty.
0:14:10 > 0:14:12And, increasingly, many of these properties
0:14:12 > 0:14:15are former industrial buildings, so then it stands to reason
0:14:15 > 0:14:19that these old mills, old factories, old warehouses,
0:14:19 > 0:14:23could - and should - be turned into much-needed, perfectly good homes.
0:14:25 > 0:14:29I've come to meet Steven Allcock, who's part of the team
0:14:29 > 0:14:32behind a huge industrial conversion that's already in motion.
0:14:32 > 0:14:37Now, Bolton has loads of mills, old mills. Why is this one listed?
0:14:37 > 0:14:40This was the largest mill in Bolton when it was built.
0:14:40 > 0:14:44And, uniquely, it was the first electric mill in the country.
0:14:44 > 0:14:48So it meant you could have huge floors the size of football pitches,
0:14:48 > 0:14:50because the natural light wasn't so important,
0:14:50 > 0:14:52because you had electric lighting.
0:14:52 > 0:14:54And it didn't stay as a cotton mill, did it?
0:14:54 > 0:14:57No, so after five years, it went over to storage and distribution.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00- Great, shall we take a look inside?- Yeah, of course.- OK.
0:15:04 > 0:15:08This former cotton mill gained Grade II listed status in 1996.
0:15:08 > 0:15:14The building is huge, covering 300,000 square feet,
0:15:14 > 0:15:18and the aim here is to create 282 much-needed homes in the north-west.
0:15:21 > 0:15:23So, Steve, this is absolutely huge.
0:15:23 > 0:15:25You get a sense of the scale of it up here, don't you?
0:15:25 > 0:15:28But this isn't even the full size of some of the lower floors, right?
0:15:28 > 0:15:31No, some of the lower floors are double again,
0:15:31 > 0:15:35and that used to hold all the machinery, all the engineering works.
0:15:35 > 0:15:38And what kind of mix of housing are you creating here?
0:15:38 > 0:15:39Who is this aimed at?
0:15:39 > 0:15:42They range from one- to three-bedroom apartments,
0:15:42 > 0:15:44but very much there is a first-time buyer element
0:15:44 > 0:15:46in the one-bedroom apartments,
0:15:46 > 0:15:49and we've worked hard to keep them affordable for first-time buyers,
0:15:49 > 0:15:52but they go right away up to a three-bedroom penthouse
0:15:52 > 0:15:54on the top floor that, you know, may appeal to a down-sizer,
0:15:54 > 0:15:56someone that wants that quality.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59Well, you've talked about these spacious apartments.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02We think it's time to have a look at one. Can we see one downstairs?
0:16:02 > 0:16:05Of course. I'll show you one on the fourth floor.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10'Many of the apartments in this development have already been sold,
0:16:10 > 0:16:14'but converting disused industrial buildings into domestic dwellings
0:16:14 > 0:16:16'isn't always possible.'
0:16:18 > 0:16:19So looking forward, then,
0:16:19 > 0:16:23as more and more former industrial buildings sit empty,
0:16:23 > 0:16:25is this a way of creating homes throughout the country?
0:16:25 > 0:16:30If it's the right location and the right building, then yes,
0:16:30 > 0:16:32but it doesn't work in all cases.
0:16:32 > 0:16:34Quite often, mills are in commercial areas
0:16:34 > 0:16:38with no amenities, no green space, not many shops,
0:16:38 > 0:16:41and it's about developers approaching these sensibly
0:16:41 > 0:16:43and thinking them through.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46Well, Steven, it's great to see what's being done here,
0:16:46 > 0:16:50that you can create 280-odd homes out of this gigantic building.
0:16:50 > 0:16:52You're nearly there, just one floor to finish off,
0:16:52 > 0:16:54and I wish you all the best with it.
0:16:54 > 0:16:58I think there's something really exciting about creating homes
0:16:58 > 0:17:02from old industrial buildings, and this is no exception.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05I mean, just look at it. However, big buildings like this
0:17:05 > 0:17:08struggle to find a role in modern-day lives,
0:17:08 > 0:17:12so it is just wonderful now that it can be converted
0:17:12 > 0:17:16to create the homes for hundreds of people for years to come.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25Back in Shropshire, I'm with George Trigg
0:17:25 > 0:17:29who's already bought a disused commercial warehouse
0:17:29 > 0:17:33which he plans to turn into a dual-purpose home and work space.
0:17:33 > 0:17:34'I'm going to introduce him
0:17:34 > 0:17:37'to a couple who also took on an abandoned commercial building
0:17:37 > 0:17:40'and secured the right planning permission
0:17:40 > 0:17:42'to turn it into their dream home.'
0:17:43 > 0:17:47Right, George, this is the place I want to show you. First impressions?
0:17:47 > 0:17:49It looks amazing, yeah. Really nice.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52It was a 19th-century threshing barn originally.
0:17:52 > 0:17:54It stood empty for years and years, derelict.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57The guys, Dave and Pam, who will meet you,
0:17:57 > 0:18:00who took this on, actually lived in the property next door,
0:18:00 > 0:18:02and this is all part of it, and then decided
0:18:02 > 0:18:05this was the challenge they were going to take on, so, like you,
0:18:05 > 0:18:07lots of negotiating with planners, juggling the budget.
0:18:07 > 0:18:11- Shall we go and say hello? - Yeah, let's do it.
0:18:12 > 0:18:16David and Pamela Ward bought this mid-19th-century barn in Shropshire,
0:18:16 > 0:18:20along with the cottage in the garden, for £270,000.
0:18:20 > 0:18:23Like George's warehouse, the barn had never been lived in
0:18:23 > 0:18:27and was an uninhabitable shell when they took it on.
0:18:28 > 0:18:34All we had was a stony shell with a corrugated-iron Dutch barn roof.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37The enormity of the project soon became clear to Pamela and David
0:18:37 > 0:18:41when they learned the barn was a listed building.
0:18:41 > 0:18:43We built a modern house inside the barn
0:18:43 > 0:18:47and because the barn carried the listing,
0:18:47 > 0:18:50we had to preserve its character as much as possible.
0:18:50 > 0:18:54We were trying to keep the outside look of the building,
0:18:54 > 0:18:57because that, in planning terms, was probably important.
0:18:57 > 0:18:59Turning a barn used for threshing grain
0:18:59 > 0:19:04into a three-bedroom dream home complete with kitchen,
0:19:04 > 0:19:09living room and landscaped gardens took over a year and cost £400,000,
0:19:09 > 0:19:13but Pamela and David don't regret spending a single penny.
0:19:13 > 0:19:17I love this room. It's nice during the day like this,
0:19:17 > 0:19:19it's smashing at night - you can look at the stars -
0:19:19 > 0:19:22and during the day, you can look at the clouds going past.
0:19:22 > 0:19:26The most satisfying part about doing a job like this
0:19:26 > 0:19:29is that it becomes part of you, or you become part of it.
0:19:29 > 0:19:33You can't cost it, you can't price it,
0:19:33 > 0:19:36but it's certainly an enduring satisfaction.
0:19:38 > 0:19:42Well, George, first of all - you walk in, you've got this height,
0:19:42 > 0:19:45which is slightly familiar from your own property we saw earlier.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47What you like about this?
0:19:47 > 0:19:49It's amazing. It's an amazing space,
0:19:49 > 0:19:52and yeah, the amount of light is tremendous, really.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55George here has had a few issues with planning,
0:19:55 > 0:19:56planning going through at the moment,
0:19:56 > 0:19:58but had a bit of a nasty surprise
0:19:58 > 0:20:01with something called the Affordable Homes Contribution.
0:20:01 > 0:20:03Did you have any obstacles,
0:20:03 > 0:20:05or how did you deal with the planning process?
0:20:05 > 0:20:09The cottage is Grade II listed. Everything within its curtilage
0:20:09 > 0:20:13carries the listing, so we had to get listed building consent.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15We had to deal with the conservation officers
0:20:15 > 0:20:18who were pernickety to start out with,
0:20:18 > 0:20:21and their first reaction was, "We don't think the building can be converted."
0:20:21 > 0:20:26But I found that, once we got over our original differences of opinion,
0:20:26 > 0:20:28the planners were very helpful,
0:20:28 > 0:20:32and provided we talked all the time, then it worked all right.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35Yeah, and, George, have you been able to meet your planners?
0:20:35 > 0:20:38I've only really spoken to them over the phone and via e-mail.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41There's that, isn't there? Keep that dialogue going - phone, e-mails,
0:20:41 > 0:20:44whatever you can do - to make sure there's no hidden surprises,
0:20:44 > 0:20:46and you're in constant touch with each other.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49It's really, really helpful, really, because it's hard to know
0:20:49 > 0:20:53just when to leave things or when to keep trying, really.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56Now, I've caught sight of your living room upstairs,
0:20:56 > 0:20:57so shall we go and have a look up there?
0:20:57 > 0:20:59- Yeah, sure.- By all means.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08It's incredibly light up here.
0:21:08 > 0:21:12Is that what you're looking to do as well, George, with your place?
0:21:12 > 0:21:16Yeah, absolutely. I'm trying to do as many roof lights as possible, really,
0:21:16 > 0:21:18and one of the benefits of it being a flat roof
0:21:18 > 0:21:19is that you can put roof lights in
0:21:19 > 0:21:21without it being too much of a planning issue.
0:21:21 > 0:21:23George is on a very tight budget,
0:21:23 > 0:21:28so where can he make savings or economies? Any advice on that?
0:21:28 > 0:21:31Where we spend a lot of money here is on finishes and extras.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34The flooring here is better than need be.
0:21:34 > 0:21:36You don't have to have glass balustrades,
0:21:36 > 0:21:39which are very expensive. You don't have to have lovely furniture.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42It's the fittings that tend to run away with the money.
0:21:42 > 0:21:43George is at the beginning of this.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46What mindset should you try and adopt throughout?
0:21:46 > 0:21:48What kept you sane as you took on this project?
0:21:48 > 0:21:53Well, what kept me sane was doing each little bit as it came.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56Think laterally about it and see whether there is a different way
0:21:56 > 0:21:59of doing what you are setting out to do.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02If you've got a good relationship with your builder,
0:22:02 > 0:22:04then he's worth his weight in gold.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07Well, guys, thank you. It's been lovely to look around your home.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09I'm pleased it's worked out so well for you.
0:22:09 > 0:22:11It seems ideal, so thank you very much.
0:22:11 > 0:22:15- Thank you very much.- Some very good advice, yeah.- Well, very good luck.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25Back in Richmond, empty property officer Jason Hall
0:22:25 > 0:22:28is checking up on a building
0:22:28 > 0:22:31that's at the beginning of its journey back into use.
0:22:31 > 0:22:33This former chapel was built in 1861
0:22:33 > 0:22:37and it's now being transformed into two family homes
0:22:37 > 0:22:40with the help of a grant from the council.
0:22:40 > 0:22:41I'm here to meet up with the architect,
0:22:41 > 0:22:44go through the plans and see how the money's going to be spent.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46The grant has already been approved,
0:22:46 > 0:22:47so we're just waiting for some timescales
0:22:47 > 0:22:51when the building will start and when it's likely to finish.
0:22:51 > 0:22:54- Hi, how are you? - Very good, very good.
0:22:54 > 0:22:56It certainly looks a lot different to when I came last,
0:22:56 > 0:22:59and obviously the scaffolding's quite a new addition.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02The scaffolding's been up for three or four months now
0:23:02 > 0:23:04and it's keeping the construction nice and dry,
0:23:04 > 0:23:07so we're going to get no more rotting insides,
0:23:07 > 0:23:09and the structure's now nice and safe inside.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11We've got everything propped.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13'The chapel stands in a conservation area,
0:23:13 > 0:23:16'and Jason is keen to see what the architect, Marek Jasinski,
0:23:16 > 0:23:18'plans to do with the council grant.'
0:23:18 > 0:23:21This is a massive project, isn't it?
0:23:21 > 0:23:23It's going to obviously take quite a long time.
0:23:23 > 0:23:25What other plans do you...?
0:23:25 > 0:23:27Well, it's going to take about a year,
0:23:27 > 0:23:30but the main thing at the moment is to get the fabric stable
0:23:30 > 0:23:32and to basically get it watertight.
0:23:32 > 0:23:36Part of it is that you've got to retain the front and the rear wall.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39Yeah, front and rear, and we're going to keep the sides as well.
0:23:39 > 0:23:41We're going to keep as much brickwork as we can
0:23:41 > 0:23:43and all the original features.
0:23:43 > 0:23:46All the money will be going into the refurbishment of the walls,
0:23:46 > 0:23:49really, and the roof. We'll have the original front door over here
0:23:49 > 0:23:52and then two staircases running up the building,
0:23:52 > 0:23:55one for this house and one for that house over there.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58We've also got some French doors out into that courtyard there.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01Effectively, we're going to reuse a lot of the existing structure
0:24:01 > 0:24:04as much as we can but refurbish it.
0:24:04 > 0:24:08This old chapel has fallen victim to the elements over the years,
0:24:08 > 0:24:11and Marek has had to adapt his plans
0:24:11 > 0:24:14to cope with the impact that nature has had on this building.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17So what was one of the biggest problems that you faced?
0:24:17 > 0:24:21Well, the major problem here was this wall, which is unstable,
0:24:21 > 0:24:23primarily because the trees they've let grow down
0:24:23 > 0:24:26the side of the building, but they'd also cut
0:24:26 > 0:24:28the tie beams in the roof,
0:24:28 > 0:24:31which effectively stop the building being held together,
0:24:31 > 0:24:33and that also started to push the roof edge.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36Yeah, it's clear the tree's caused a lot of damage
0:24:36 > 0:24:41to the structure, but it's good that you're keeping as much as possible,
0:24:41 > 0:24:44and it's great that it's going to be turned back into two family houses.
0:24:45 > 0:24:49And what's going to be happening with the windows that are up here?
0:24:49 > 0:24:51Well, these windows are too high at the moment.
0:24:51 > 0:24:53They're ideal for a church but not ideal for a house,
0:24:53 > 0:24:56so we're going to pull those down, cut them in,
0:24:56 > 0:24:58and you'll see the little pointed tops inside the room.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01As you can see, this is quite a high ceiling height in here,
0:25:01 > 0:25:04and that's what we're going to have inside the houses,
0:25:04 > 0:25:07so it's going to be very nice indeed.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12Yeah, it's been really good to meet the architect on site today
0:25:12 > 0:25:13and to go through the plans.
0:25:13 > 0:25:16I think the money's going to be spent well in this project,
0:25:16 > 0:25:19it's going to go into two absolutely lovely family homes
0:25:19 > 0:25:22and it's going to make a feature of a building that, at the moment,
0:25:22 > 0:25:24is a complete eyesore in the middle of this area.
0:25:30 > 0:25:33I've been spending some time with George Trigg
0:25:33 > 0:25:37who's already bought a warehouse he hopes to turn into both a home
0:25:37 > 0:25:39and an artist's studio.
0:25:39 > 0:25:41He's been getting some useful advice
0:25:41 > 0:25:45from a couple who have successfully completed an impressive renovation.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48George, how's it been for you looking round here,
0:25:48 > 0:25:50first of all in terms of visualising
0:25:50 > 0:25:53what, basically, four stone walls can become?
0:25:53 > 0:25:54It's been amazing.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57I mean, just to see something that's such a high level of finish
0:25:57 > 0:26:00and so many lovely little ideas and things that are well thought out.
0:26:00 > 0:26:03Generally, coming away from this,
0:26:03 > 0:26:05how enthused are you to get started?
0:26:05 > 0:26:07I can't wait to get started, really.
0:26:07 > 0:26:10I'm just hoping the planning comes through any day now
0:26:10 > 0:26:13and I can just get those wheels in motion
0:26:13 > 0:26:16and hopefully not come across too many problems on the way,
0:26:16 > 0:26:19and if I do, I'll pop round for tea and have a chat with these guys.
0:26:19 > 0:26:23Well, very good. Honestly, I wish you the best of luck with it.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26It's a great place, you've got some lovely ideas for it,
0:26:26 > 0:26:29and to have that unique work/live studio would just be perfect,
0:26:29 > 0:26:31- so all the best, George. - Thanks very much.
0:26:31 > 0:26:35Well, George is right at the beginning of his project.
0:26:35 > 0:26:36He's got a very long way to go,
0:26:36 > 0:26:40so this visit has come at just the right time and been very useful.
0:26:40 > 0:26:44Some great advice on offer but, more importantly, lots of inspiration
0:26:44 > 0:26:47and a reminder that it is absolutely possible
0:26:47 > 0:26:50to transform derelict building that's never been lived in
0:26:50 > 0:26:52into a wonderful home,
0:26:52 > 0:26:56so hopefully now he'll go away enthused and very soon
0:26:56 > 0:27:00could have that perfect work space and home he so desires.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd