0:00:02 > 0:00:06Up and down the country, there are empty properties just waiting to be brought back to life.
0:00:06 > 0:00:11I'll be discovering why and how you can turn a diamond in the rough into a gem of a home.
0:00:11 > 0:00:15We'll be following the Empty Property Officers
0:00:15 > 0:00:20whose job it is to track down the owners of these forgotten houses and get them back into use.
0:00:20 > 0:00:23And I'll be finding out more about our housing stock,
0:00:23 > 0:00:29our history and why we should be both preserving and reinventing Britain's Empty Homes.
0:00:36 > 0:00:40Across the country there are thousands of empty and unloved buildings.
0:00:40 > 0:00:43Now, these forgotten homes can seriously blight a community,
0:00:43 > 0:00:46attracting amongst other things anti-social behaviour.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49And they're a pretty nerve-wracking prospect to take on,
0:00:49 > 0:00:53but with hard work, careful planning and imagination,
0:00:53 > 0:00:58these forgotten houses can be turned back into quality homes.
0:01:03 > 0:01:08On today's show, I'll be meeting a couple who want a taste of country life.
0:01:08 > 0:01:12It's this connection with land I think we're most excited about.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15We'll be finding out what can be done to protect endangered species
0:01:15 > 0:01:17who've moved in where others have moved out.
0:01:17 > 0:01:21These are all typical places where you might find bats.
0:01:21 > 0:01:27And we'll be following one of Britain's Empty Property Officers
0:01:27 > 0:01:30on his mission to get abandoned buildings back into use.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32I think the owner's got a problem here as well.
0:01:32 > 0:01:36Look at the state of this! It's all gotta come out.
0:01:36 > 0:01:40David Tinker and his partner Phillippa Constantine
0:01:40 > 0:01:42currently live in the suburbs of Oxford,
0:01:42 > 0:01:46but they've set their sights on the good life in the country.
0:01:46 > 0:01:51- Another night out.- They've got five chickens and want to increase their collection of livestock,
0:01:51 > 0:01:57so they're looking to convert a ramshackle property with acres of land into a smallholding.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59We've loved having chickens for the last year,
0:01:59 > 0:02:03both of us love animals and we did a smallholders' course last year.
0:02:03 > 0:02:07Both of us loved it and Phillippa's done a bee-keeping course,
0:02:07 > 0:02:10so we're ready to stretch our legs on this a bit.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13After three years of hunting, they thought they'd found their ideal home,
0:02:13 > 0:02:18so sold their current property, but sadly the sale fell through.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21So now they're eager to step up the search.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25Certainly having something we can put something of ourselves into, I think that's important.
0:02:25 > 0:02:32The couple have a budget of £450,000, but they've never tackled a big renovation before.
0:02:32 > 0:02:36There's a lot I'd like to learn, so if I can find a friendly local builder
0:02:36 > 0:02:41that's happy to take me on as a labourer, I'm sure there's lots I can do.
0:02:44 > 0:02:48I'm taking David and Phillippa to see an empty property in East Sussex
0:02:48 > 0:02:52to see how big a challenge they're willing to take on.
0:02:52 > 0:02:53BIRDSONG
0:02:53 > 0:02:58- Hello there. Good morning. Phillippa, I'm Joe. Nice to see you. David, how are you?- Good, thank you.
0:02:58 > 0:03:00Well, this is the place I want you to see.
0:03:00 > 0:03:04It's a little overgrown. Have you looked at many empty properties before?
0:03:04 > 0:03:08Yeah, we've spent the last few years looking at different properties.
0:03:08 > 0:03:13And we move out this week, so we're in a better position to look at properties in earnest.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16- Yeah. Let's go and have a closer look, shall we?- Brilliant..
0:03:16 > 0:03:19Oh, wow!
0:03:19 > 0:03:23This detached bungalow has been empty for five years.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26It was one of the first houses to be built after the Second World War
0:03:26 > 0:03:31and is now on the market at £400,000.
0:03:31 > 0:03:36- So the first thing to say is we can't actually get inside this today.- All right.
0:03:36 > 0:03:40The second thing to say is that's fairly typical with empty homes.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43Everyone coming to see this property at the moment,
0:03:43 > 0:03:48whether it's individual buyers like yourselves or property developers, no-one can go inside.
0:03:48 > 0:03:53It was broken into at some point in those five years it stood empty, there was vandalism.
0:03:53 > 0:03:58It's since been completely boarded up, so you have to view it from the outside.
0:03:58 > 0:04:00- This is where visualisation comes in.- It's gorgeous.
0:04:00 > 0:04:06- Do you like it?- I do. I really like the U-shape of it. It's fantastic.
0:04:06 > 0:04:10And it's got little quirky things with the brickwork.
0:04:10 > 0:04:15- What's your vision for your home? - Priority for you is the land.- Hmm.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18And then the priority for me is a home that's functional.
0:04:18 > 0:04:25- I like the open space. I think I'd be looking at knocking down a few walls to make rooms bigger.- Uh-huh.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28More of the entertaining style.
0:04:28 > 0:04:32It takes real confidence to embark on a project like this,
0:04:32 > 0:04:36but this derelict bungalow could become a beautiful home.
0:04:36 > 0:04:40Inside there are four bedrooms and two reception rooms,
0:04:40 > 0:04:47but there's also an unusual addition that I think will really appeal to chicken lovers David and Phillippa.
0:04:47 > 0:04:51There is a brick-built hatchery.
0:04:51 > 0:04:52- OK.- For the chickens!
0:04:52 > 0:04:57So, I guess, I don't really know how hatcheries work, other than they're called hatcheries.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00So I'm looking at you for chicken advice on this one.
0:05:00 > 0:05:06OK. We've got as chicken coop and we've had chickens for the last year, which we've loved doing.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09We didn't have them in a hatchery so that sounds very grand,
0:05:09 > 0:05:13but a hatchery I would imagine is just for breeding chickens.
0:05:13 > 0:05:17- Keeping little babies warm. - It looks like a very smart one.
0:05:17 > 0:05:22Well, that's why it's so exciting, because the footprint of the building is huge here.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24Should you decide the house isn't substantial enough,
0:05:24 > 0:05:27just think what we're standing in here. It can start coming out this way.
0:05:27 > 0:05:31Or you can use it for animals.
0:05:31 > 0:05:35- This is about a lifestyle choice, living in the country with land for you guys?- Yes.
0:05:35 > 0:05:41Certainly for us. Phillippa wants to keep bees, we're interested in some more livestock,
0:05:41 > 0:05:47probably more chickens. So it's this connection with land that we're most excited about.
0:05:47 > 0:05:54- Yup!- And Let's hope David and Phillippa also get excited about the two acres round the back.
0:05:54 > 0:05:56- Right...so, it's huge. - Very deceptive.
0:06:00 > 0:06:02- In a good way?- Definitely.
0:06:02 > 0:06:03It's brilliant.
0:06:03 > 0:06:07It's nice having the house, it's only a bungalow,
0:06:07 > 0:06:12but it sits up high and overlooks the garden that sweeps away from you.
0:06:12 > 0:06:18Yeah. And I like the way the woods are in between the far treeline and the bungalow.
0:06:18 > 0:06:22We'd like to have our own vegetables as well and start growing things,
0:06:22 > 0:06:25so we'd have to clear a lot of that space for that.
0:06:25 > 0:06:30Yeah. If you took on this renovation, where would you live?
0:06:30 > 0:06:33We'd have to live in a mobile home for probably six months to a year,
0:06:33 > 0:06:35I think, until we've made this habitable.
0:06:35 > 0:06:41- How do you feel about that? - (LAUGHS) Yes. It'll have its moments, I'm sure,
0:06:41 > 0:06:48but, you know, the end result is going to be an amazing property and I'll just have to...
0:06:48 > 0:06:50It'll be like being on holiday.
0:06:50 > 0:06:54- Camping!- Yeah, that's it. - ALL LAUGH
0:06:56 > 0:07:02I don't think I've ever found it so exciting to look around a place that I can't actually go inside.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05This place is brilliant, has loads of potential -
0:07:05 > 0:07:08the more you explore, the more you discover, the bigger it gets.
0:07:08 > 0:07:12I think David and Phillippa are very excited about it as well.
0:07:12 > 0:07:16And, importantly, I think they're really serious about taking on an empty property.
0:07:16 > 0:07:20But that, of course, doesn't mean they don't need some help and advice.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23They haven't done a renovation on this scale before,
0:07:23 > 0:07:26so it's going to be really useful for them to meet a couple later on
0:07:26 > 0:07:28who've been all the way through this,
0:07:28 > 0:07:31come out the other side and can offer some really good guidance.
0:07:37 > 0:07:41The problem of empty properties is high on the agenda of local councils.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44The people leading the crusade are Empty Property Officers,
0:07:44 > 0:07:50who leave no stone unturned in their quest to bring sad, abandoned homes back into use.
0:07:52 > 0:07:59On the Kent coast, Mike Thompson saves around 100 empty properties a year from going to rack and ruin.
0:07:59 > 0:08:05Today, he's visiting a building that's been vacant for some time.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08I'm here in Ramsgate today to see the remains of a building
0:08:08 > 0:08:11that was originally constructed as an extension to a house
0:08:11 > 0:08:16but later on got consent to be turned into a dwelling in its own right.
0:08:16 > 0:08:20But, incredibly, 20 years that's been built and it's never actually been lived in.
0:08:20 > 0:08:24Mike is already in touch with the current owners about developments,
0:08:24 > 0:08:27but first he needs to assess the damage,
0:08:27 > 0:08:32so he's meeting his principal enforcement officer to help check the stability of the structure.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36- Morning, Steve. - All right, Michael.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38What have we got here, then?
0:08:38 > 0:08:39A bit of a mess, mate, haven't we?
0:08:39 > 0:08:44Let's get in and see if the worst is as bad as we think it is.
0:08:51 > 0:08:56So on the face of it, Steve, it looks as though our shell is pretty sound,
0:08:56 > 0:09:00but I suspect it's a case of stripping every single piece of timberwork out -
0:09:00 > 0:09:03joists, flooring, everything, isn't it?
0:09:03 > 0:09:07You couldn't leave it in, Mike, not with the amount of water that's come in.
0:09:07 > 0:09:11I'm really surprised at how good the brickwork is internally,
0:09:11 > 0:09:16but you can see from this old existing flooring there's no access upwards except for that ladder.
0:09:16 > 0:09:20So God knows what they were intending on doing.
0:09:21 > 0:09:25And round the back of the building, things don't look much better.
0:09:25 > 0:09:30- I think the owner's got a problem here as well. - Look at the state of this!
0:09:30 > 0:09:33- That ivy's gotta come off, Steve. - It's all gotta come out.
0:09:33 > 0:09:40It might just be superficial, but they've got to get rid of all that to get the new windows in there.
0:09:40 > 0:09:42- That's right. - And new doors on there.
0:09:42 > 0:09:48- All this is leaning as well.- Yeah. - So we need to get that sorted out.
0:09:50 > 0:09:55Mike and Steve meet with the builder in charge of the development
0:09:55 > 0:09:59to talk through what needs to be done to comply with building regulations.
0:10:02 > 0:10:07Starting at the top, Vince, we're looking at a pitch roof, strip out all timberwork inside.
0:10:07 > 0:10:13- Yep.- New windows, new floors inside, new mains electrics, new gas supply, all that'll be brought in?
0:10:13 > 0:10:16- Yep.- OK, so we're all agreed on the schedule, Vince.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20We'll get that drawn up and presented to you properly in a decent format.
0:10:20 > 0:10:23That can then match with the building regs application that comes in
0:10:23 > 0:10:26and then I look forward to seeing that work carried out.
0:10:26 > 0:10:30- That'll be done in the next few months.- Will it, really? I'm so pleased.- No worries.
0:10:30 > 0:10:34- It'll be another property brought back into use, another home for somebody.- Yeah.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37- Well done. Thanks, Vince. All the very best.- Thank you.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41'I'm very pleased with the way today's gone.'
0:10:41 > 0:10:45And it's going to make a nice home for somebody, I'm sure. All in all, a very good day's work.
0:10:48 > 0:10:50It takes a certain type of vision
0:10:50 > 0:10:56to be able to see past the decrepit brickwork and gloomy interior of an empty property.
0:10:56 > 0:11:01But for those who are willing to take the leap the results can be truly breathtaking.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08And that's exactly what Patricia and Graham Pyle did
0:11:08 > 0:11:13when they bought this old stone barn in the beautiful countryside of West Yorkshire.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18Originally, we weren't looking for a property.
0:11:18 > 0:11:21It was just by a fluke that we found it.
0:11:21 > 0:11:25You showed me it on your computer and I said, "Oh, my God!"
0:11:25 > 0:11:27And we drove out just to look at it.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30It had already been sold. I said, "If the sale falls through,
0:11:30 > 0:11:33"please contact me, I'm prepared to make you an offer."
0:11:33 > 0:11:36About six weeks later, we got a call saying the sale had fallen through
0:11:36 > 0:11:38because of drainage issues.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41I do drains, and that's why they ended up accepting our offer
0:11:41 > 0:11:43and we ended up with the plot that we've got.
0:11:43 > 0:11:46Graham's job as a draining engineer meant he could carry out
0:11:46 > 0:11:49a lot of the work himself.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53The barn and outbuildings were derelict ruins,
0:11:53 > 0:11:57but they could see it had bags of potential.
0:11:58 > 0:12:02There was a stable at one end and it was full of cow muck.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05I could see past that straight away. It was the stone arches,
0:12:05 > 0:12:08the round windows. It was an old, condemned building,
0:12:08 > 0:12:11but it was in a good condition, structurally sound.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14We've just had to put a property within the shell.
0:12:15 > 0:12:19They bought the barn for £234,000
0:12:19 > 0:12:22and spent a further 300,000 renovating it.
0:12:23 > 0:12:25But all the hard work paid off
0:12:25 > 0:12:29and it's now worth a staggering £850,000.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33It has five bedrooms and bathrooms,
0:12:33 > 0:12:35a beautiful modern kitchen,
0:12:35 > 0:12:39and this spectacular living room with the original timber beams.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42The favourite part of the house for me is my staircase.
0:12:42 > 0:12:46The staircase was my idea, my dream.
0:12:46 > 0:12:48My favourite is the space of it.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51The living area I love. I love the dining area.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54Perfect. I love night-time.
0:12:54 > 0:12:58You sit in front of the arch, in the distance all you see is lights and nothing else.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00And the silence is just brilliant.
0:13:00 > 0:13:02It was nine months of hard graft,
0:13:02 > 0:13:06but Patricia and Graham have no regrets.
0:13:06 > 0:13:08Life's too short.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11If you don't do it, you'll always say, "Why didn't I do that?"
0:13:11 > 0:13:16"Why didn't we buy that house?" Definitely worth it.
0:13:21 > 0:13:25Up and down the country, people are taking on empty properties to convert into homes.
0:13:25 > 0:13:29But when the planned renovations are for rural buildings,
0:13:29 > 0:13:31such as derelict farmhouses or churches,
0:13:31 > 0:13:36there are often unanticipated residents that need to be taken into consideration.
0:13:37 > 0:13:41Protected species such as owls, bats and dormice
0:13:41 > 0:13:45can pose a real problem when taking on a vacant property.
0:13:45 > 0:13:49This derelict church is currently being renovated into a home.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52But for the bats in the belfry, it's already a home
0:13:52 > 0:13:54and therefore, the responsibility lies with the owner
0:13:54 > 0:13:59to make sure they're not harmed during the development.
0:13:59 > 0:14:03I've come to meet ecological surveyor Stuart Pankhurst to find out more.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07- Hi, Stuart, I'm Joe.- Hi, Joe, nice to meet you.- Good to see you.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10- Stuart, tell me what it is you do. - We're ecologists,
0:14:10 > 0:14:13so we undertake surveys for protected animals.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15The main focus of the survey here was bats.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18Typically because of the building behind us.
0:14:18 > 0:14:23With a single visit, it is difficult to tell exactly what is living here.
0:14:23 > 0:14:25So the report will highlight what the potential is
0:14:25 > 0:14:28for protected species such as bats to be on site,
0:14:28 > 0:14:32and it will recommend a further survey to determine, for instance with bats,
0:14:32 > 0:14:35what type of species are here, if they're roosting and where they're roosting on site.
0:14:35 > 0:14:39So if I am taking on a church like this one behind me,
0:14:39 > 0:14:41I ultimately have a responsibility to get the right people in
0:14:41 > 0:14:43and make sure a survey is done?
0:14:43 > 0:14:46You do, but what you would generally do is have
0:14:46 > 0:14:50a planning consultant or someone involved who would have experience of such projects
0:14:50 > 0:14:54and they would probably organise for the survey work to be undertaken.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57If there's no protected species found, then great.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00If there are, it will always take that bit more time
0:15:00 > 0:15:02and, possibly, it will be a bit more expensive.
0:15:02 > 0:15:04It doesn't necessarily have to take more time.
0:15:04 > 0:15:06It's about careful planning.
0:15:06 > 0:15:10Understanding the information up front and working it into your programme.
0:15:10 > 0:15:14There will be a cost implication and it doesn't necessarily have to be significant.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16I think the best thing to do is if you get early advice,
0:15:16 > 0:15:19you'll minimise the costs and impact on your programme.
0:15:19 > 0:15:24Just how seriously should people be taking ecological surveys?
0:15:24 > 0:15:28I think they should, especially in relation to protected species
0:15:28 > 0:15:31because there is the potential for prosecution and a fine.
0:15:31 > 0:15:33So it's something you need to consider carefully.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36What are you checking up on today?
0:15:36 > 0:15:39We're looking for typical sites where bats may roost
0:15:39 > 0:15:43and also we'll have a look at the outbuilding that's been enhanced for bats, as well.
0:15:43 > 0:15:46Fantastic. Let's get started. Lead the way.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52Work on this site must be carried out in the winter months,
0:15:52 > 0:15:55because the bats aren't present, and when they return in the warmer weather,
0:15:55 > 0:15:57they'll now have alternative places to roost.
0:15:59 > 0:16:03What do we have here? It looks like a new-build garage?
0:16:03 > 0:16:05There are two holes in the building,
0:16:05 > 0:16:08one at the top and one towards the middle.
0:16:08 > 0:16:12The one we're looking at here is designed for crevice-roosting bat species.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15You'll have a cavity wall and certain species of bat will enter this
0:16:15 > 0:16:18and they like to be in an enclosed space when they roost.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22- At the top, is that different for a different type of bat? - An environment like that
0:16:22 > 0:16:24might be suitable for a maternity roost.
0:16:24 > 0:16:29So when bats are breeding, a nice, open space where they can fly up and down,
0:16:29 > 0:16:32that's well insulated, is ideal.
0:16:32 > 0:16:34Brilliant. Let's carry on.
0:16:35 > 0:16:39Over the last century, bat populations have generally declined,
0:16:39 > 0:16:44so it's vital that processes like this are put in place to protect Britain's wildlife.
0:16:46 > 0:16:51Inside the project, which is very much still in process, what do we have here?
0:16:51 > 0:16:56We can see a hole in the timber frame up there.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59Also, cracks in the brickwork, where the timber meets the brickwork.
0:16:59 > 0:17:03These are typical places where you might find bats in a building like this.
0:17:03 > 0:17:06And the thing with this build is it's been designed to allow bats
0:17:06 > 0:17:10to have access to the building, so they will still be able to use this after development.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13It's the best case for everyone. You create a home for yourself,
0:17:13 > 0:17:16but you're ensuring the bat population is stable and secure here
0:17:16 > 0:17:19- with a home for the future. - That's it.
0:17:19 > 0:17:20It's sustainable development,
0:17:20 > 0:17:24so the residents will have a beautiful place to live,
0:17:24 > 0:17:27there will be minimal impact on the wildlife
0:17:27 > 0:17:29and the overall effect will be positive.
0:17:29 > 0:17:33It's great the bats will be catered for. The humans have still got a way to go on this one!
0:17:33 > 0:17:35There's a little way to go(!)
0:17:39 > 0:17:43It's reassuring to know that if you do find some unusual tenants in your empty property,
0:17:43 > 0:17:46it doesn't necessarily mean you will have to abandon your grand plans.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49If you're willing to work with ecological experts
0:17:49 > 0:17:52and adapt your renovation to include your guests,
0:17:52 > 0:17:55then both you and the protected creatures can enjoy a better,
0:17:55 > 0:17:59more comfortable home and live happily side by side.
0:18:00 > 0:18:05Earlier, I took David and Phillippa around a derelict bungalow
0:18:05 > 0:18:08to help them visualise what an empty property can offer.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12Now I'm taking them to meet a father-and-son team
0:18:12 > 0:18:16who took on a similar renovation and radically restored
0:18:16 > 0:18:19this former cowshed into a wonderful family home.
0:18:20 > 0:18:25So, guys, these are the buildings I want you to see.
0:18:25 > 0:18:29The thing to remember here is it hasn't just been done up to a very good level.
0:18:29 > 0:18:35They started from scratch, way below what we saw earlier from outside at the earlier property.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38They've got great advice, because they have been through
0:18:38 > 0:18:41the whole process, really, from scratch to finished home.
0:18:41 > 0:18:43- Shall we go and say hello? - Lovely.
0:18:48 > 0:18:52- Hello, can we come through? - Come through.- Thank you.
0:18:52 > 0:18:56'Roger Ellis and his son Paul bought these abandoned farm buildings'
0:18:56 > 0:19:02for £230,000 back in 2009 and spent a further 400,000 renovating them.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06It was pretty derelict, to be honest.
0:19:06 > 0:19:11This was basically a shell, only an outline of a building, held together...
0:19:11 > 0:19:12A few twigs, basically,
0:19:12 > 0:19:16which are these timber beams, holding up a tin roof.
0:19:17 > 0:19:21Roger owns a construction business and Paul works as a structural engineer.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24When an opportunity arose for them to purchase this property,
0:19:24 > 0:19:27they immediately saw the potential.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30You have to have a little bit of vision when you come into a project
0:19:30 > 0:19:33and you see what you can do with it. where there is an opportunity
0:19:33 > 0:19:38to make it, adapt it, to meet your needs, or how you're going to see if you could live there.
0:19:39 > 0:19:41It took 18 months to complete the project
0:19:41 > 0:19:45and they've some great advice for David and Phillippa.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48This is lovely. This is your big kitchen-diner.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51- I imagine this is where you spend most of your time.- Yes.
0:19:51 > 0:19:52Start at the beginning,
0:19:52 > 0:19:56what state was this place in when you took it on?
0:19:56 > 0:20:00It was... We had a dirt floor and that was open at that end
0:20:00 > 0:20:05and there were lots of holes in the oak boarding, it was falling off.
0:20:05 > 0:20:10We obviously recognised that we could not actually do anything
0:20:10 > 0:20:14inasmuch as putting any structure on the old beams,
0:20:14 > 0:20:18so we opted for a design which Paul came up with,
0:20:18 > 0:20:22of putting in a steel frame and the hanging the building off that.
0:20:22 > 0:20:27That's incredibly impressive. What are your first impressions?
0:20:27 > 0:20:31I have to say straight off that this is a beautiful space.
0:20:31 > 0:20:33I love the amount of light coming in from both ends
0:20:33 > 0:20:39and retaining the wonderful old characteristics along with the new.
0:20:39 > 0:20:44I mean, it's the open space you were talking about for a kitchen.
0:20:44 > 0:20:50Definitely. Open plan. That brings in the outside living, which is just gorgeous.
0:20:50 > 0:20:54Perfect. OK. It is brilliant here, but there is more to see,
0:20:54 > 0:20:56so shall we lead on through and have a look?
0:21:00 > 0:21:03As well as creating this gorgeous, spacious kitchen,
0:21:03 > 0:21:06the property has four bedrooms, three bathrooms
0:21:06 > 0:21:09and a sitting room.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11This was originally the milking parlour
0:21:11 > 0:21:13and we had to break all the floor out,
0:21:13 > 0:21:18because it was a complete mess, and then we built the partitions
0:21:18 > 0:21:22to form the rooms, because this was one great big long building.
0:21:22 > 0:21:26Where do you practically start? You have a shell of a building.
0:21:26 > 0:21:30- What do you do first?- What you can do is get a bit of chalk, if you like,
0:21:30 > 0:21:34and mark out where you think you want to put your sofa, put your bed,
0:21:34 > 0:21:38things like that, and see if that will work within the space you've got.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41Would that help you visualise a place
0:21:41 > 0:21:42- and how you divide a space? - Definitely.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45And you can do that when you're building your own home.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47Build the house around your furniture,
0:21:47 > 0:21:50if you like, rather than the other way round.
0:21:50 > 0:21:54'Looking around this impressive renovation has certainly shown'
0:21:54 > 0:21:56David and Phillippa why taking on an empty building
0:21:56 > 0:21:59is a fantastic way to create your dream home.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07Back in Kent, empty-property officer Mike Thompson is on his way
0:22:07 > 0:22:12to check up on a building that was on his books five years ago.
0:22:13 > 0:22:17I'm here today to meet the new owner of a lovely Grade II-listed building
0:22:17 > 0:22:20in one of Margate's historic conservation squares.
0:22:20 > 0:22:22She's just acquired the property at auction.
0:22:22 > 0:22:26It was formerly in use for multiple occupancy.
0:22:26 > 0:22:29My priority is to get it back to a quality family house,
0:22:29 > 0:22:31which is what it should be.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37- Hello, Chloe, pleased to meet you. - Nice to meet you. Come in.
0:22:37 > 0:22:41- I can't wait to hear what plans you have.- Come and have a look around. - Thank you very much.
0:22:44 > 0:22:48I can't tell you, Chloe, how pleased we are that you've bought this and taken it on,
0:22:48 > 0:22:52because the property's been a real problem for the council for quite a few years.
0:22:52 > 0:22:54What attracted you to it and what made you buy it?
0:22:54 > 0:22:57We love the area and it's a beautiful square
0:22:57 > 0:23:04and we could see the property needed somebody to take it on and we fancied the challenge.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07There can be limitations when taking on a listed building.
0:23:07 > 0:23:12But luckily for Mike, it's in safe hands with the new owners.
0:23:12 > 0:23:16I'm actually an architect and my partner works in a similar field,
0:23:16 > 0:23:18so we're quite familiar with it,
0:23:18 > 0:23:23but it's still going to be quite a challenge to actually work on a project ourselves.
0:23:23 > 0:23:25That's music to my ears.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27Somebody keen and enthusiastic, loves the area
0:23:27 > 0:23:30and knows what they're doing. That's a good start.
0:23:30 > 0:23:34They may be dab hands at designing their home,
0:23:34 > 0:23:38but they certainly have a lot of hard work ahead of them.
0:23:38 > 0:23:42It's not to be underestimated, the amount of work you've got here, Chloe.
0:23:42 > 0:23:44No, you can see this is something we need to tackle quite quickly.
0:23:44 > 0:23:48A failed gutter that's obviously causing lots of internal damage,
0:23:48 > 0:23:52ruining some of the original features, so we're keen to get on.
0:23:52 > 0:23:57At least spotting it now gives you a chance to get to grips with it and deal with it.
0:23:59 > 0:24:04Wow. Dear, oh, dear. All that's wrong in multiple-occupancy, isn't it?
0:24:04 > 0:24:07No room for anybody. There's been a bed in here,
0:24:07 > 0:24:10kitchen facilities, there's a toilet there and I guess that's
0:24:10 > 0:24:14- a shower through there? - Yes, there is a shower unit.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17Do tell me, what's your intention for the property,
0:24:17 > 0:24:19what are you going to do with it?
0:24:19 > 0:24:23We're going to strip out all of these existing fittings and fixtures
0:24:23 > 0:24:27and try and turn it back into a nice traditional family house.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30- Oh, great.- Save some of the features that are here.
0:24:30 > 0:24:35That's going to be one hell of a problem solved for the council. I'm so pleased.
0:24:35 > 0:24:39Yeah, we're really looking forward to making it a proper home again.
0:24:42 > 0:24:46It's days like this that make being an empty-property officer worthwhile.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48She will take 12 months to do the project - that's optimistic -
0:24:48 > 0:24:52but I'm going to keep my eye on it. I'm going to make regular visits.
0:24:52 > 0:24:54Any help she wants, I'm going to offer.
0:24:54 > 0:24:59We're going to get a beautiful family house brought back to use in this wonderful square.
0:25:04 > 0:25:08Back in East Sussex, David and Phillippa have been getting valuable advice from a family
0:25:08 > 0:25:12who've converted empty farm buildings into a stunning home.
0:25:15 > 0:25:19Right, so, guys, I got a sense when I met you earlier
0:25:19 > 0:25:22you are pretty good at spotting potential in a place,
0:25:22 > 0:25:27but has this helped? Has this helped you visualise what an empty property can become?
0:25:27 > 0:25:29Oh, definitely.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32Knowing this was a shell when they started
0:25:32 > 0:25:35and understanding that they put this steel framework in,
0:25:35 > 0:25:37that's really useful.
0:25:37 > 0:25:41To know that you can still keep that character of a property and work around it.
0:25:41 > 0:25:46They designed the house around their lifestyle and what they wanted.
0:25:46 > 0:25:50I think that's the lovely opportunity about working with a place like this.
0:25:50 > 0:25:54I'm pleased you see that, because that's exactly the potential that's ahead of you.
0:25:54 > 0:25:58If you find the right place, you don't have to be constrained by what's there.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01You can pull things around, you can move walls
0:26:01 > 0:26:02and make it fit your lives perfectly.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05You're definitely going to do that with land,
0:26:05 > 0:26:07but you can do that with the building, as well.
0:26:07 > 0:26:12This process really helps us get a strong sense of direction for ourselves
0:26:12 > 0:26:15for the next year or so, as to what we want.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17The challenge is knowing what you want.
0:26:17 > 0:26:22The next challenge is being brave enough to find someone who can take that and you can play with it,
0:26:22 > 0:26:25not be constrained by the proportions, so good luck with it.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28Thank you very much for a lovely day. It's been a lot of fun.
0:26:28 > 0:26:29- Really useful.- Very helpful.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37I think David and Phillippa have some really great ideas
0:26:37 > 0:26:40about how to create a bespoke space from an empty property.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43And today has certainly given them some essential advice.
0:26:43 > 0:26:48I also think it's made them realise how much hunger they have for a project like this
0:26:48 > 0:26:53and, hopefully, it's inspired them to push on and create their perfect home.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd