0:00:02 > 0:00:06Up and down the country, there are empty properties 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.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16We'll be following the Empty Property Officers,
0:00:16 > 0:00:22whose job it is to track down the owners of these forgotten houses and get them back into use.
0:00:24 > 0:00:27And I'll be finding out about our housing stock, our history,
0:00:27 > 0:00:30and why we should be both preserving and reinventing
0:00:30 > 0:00:32Britain's empty homes.
0:00:42 > 0:00:44Renovating an empty home can seem like a risk,
0:00:44 > 0:00:48and of course there are many pitfalls to watch out for -
0:00:48 > 0:00:51out of control budgets, unforeseen structural issues
0:00:51 > 0:00:53and planning restrictions.
0:00:53 > 0:00:57But if you can navigate through these inherent dangers,
0:00:57 > 0:01:00then the rewards of taking on a once-empty home
0:01:00 > 0:01:03can be truly life-changing.
0:01:06 > 0:01:11'On today's show, I'll be meeting a couple who want to leave city living behind
0:01:11 > 0:01:15'and think an empty property may be the answer to a life by the sea.'
0:01:15 > 0:01:18We don't want to take on anything mammoth,
0:01:18 > 0:01:22like completely rebuilding something as an empty shell.
0:01:22 > 0:01:27'We'll be finding out about an innovative scheme to turn disused shops into homes.'
0:01:27 > 0:01:31If we can encourage owners to think about developing their shops,
0:01:31 > 0:01:35not only will it help sustain their business, but it could help give affordable homes for people.
0:01:35 > 0:01:39'We'll follow one of Britain's Empty Property Officers on his mission
0:01:39 > 0:01:41'to get derelict buildings lived in again.'
0:01:41 > 0:01:46It's one property in one hell of a state. Very, very bad indeed.
0:01:47 > 0:01:51'John and Jackie White currently live in Wanstead, east London,
0:01:51 > 0:01:55'and have been in their three-bedroom Edwardian terrace for eight years.
0:01:55 > 0:01:57'With the arrival of their first grandchild,
0:01:57 > 0:02:01'they're keen to be near their daughter in Leigh-on-Sea in Essex.'
0:02:01 > 0:02:07It's not a million miles away, but it's still, you know, a 70-mile round trip.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10You think twice about popping in for a cup of tea.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14'Jackie's due to retire soon and the couple feel now is the perfect time
0:02:14 > 0:02:17'to leave London for a life by the sea.'
0:02:17 > 0:02:20We always take every opportunity to get out of London,
0:02:20 > 0:02:25- weekends and holidays, so it just seems the right time.- Yeah.
0:02:25 > 0:02:30'They've around £350,000 for both the purchase and renovation of a property.
0:02:30 > 0:02:35'They want something they can modernise to create their ideal home.'
0:02:35 > 0:02:37By taking on an empty property,
0:02:37 > 0:02:40we can put our own stamp on it, start afresh.
0:02:40 > 0:02:46We don't want to take on anything mammoth, like completely rebuilding something as an empty shell.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49'The couple have never tackled a big renovation before,
0:02:49 > 0:02:52'so they'll need to get professionals in for major work.
0:02:52 > 0:02:58'And with John still employed full time, it'll be Jackie taking on the role of project manager.'
0:02:58 > 0:03:04It is a bit scary. Sometimes you see people saying "we can do it for 40,000" and it ends up being 100.
0:03:04 > 0:03:08There's no way we can be going over budget.
0:03:08 > 0:03:12'So, I'm meeting up with John and Jackie in Thorpe Bay, Essex,
0:03:12 > 0:03:14'an area close to their daughter.
0:03:14 > 0:03:19'I'm showing them an empty house within their budget that could be transformed into a fabulous home.'
0:03:19 > 0:03:22Here we are in Thorpe Bay. Do you know Thorpe Bay?
0:03:22 > 0:03:26We often go to Leigh, but we do know Thorpe Bay.
0:03:26 > 0:03:31- You've got family in Leigh? - That's right, daughter and son-in-law, baby.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34Baby! Very exciting! And you still work in London?
0:03:34 > 0:03:37- Yes, I do, and I'll be commuting from here.- OK.
0:03:37 > 0:03:41Well, you are not even a minute from a railway station.
0:03:41 > 0:03:47- I noticed that.- It's easy to get to the other side of Southend and into London as well.
0:03:47 > 0:03:51It's a very good hub to get around from, in terms of transport.
0:03:51 > 0:03:56This is the property - 1930s semi-detached chalet style bungalow.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58The point of today is, this is an exercise.
0:03:58 > 0:04:02This is typical of the sort of empty property on the market.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05We're going to have a look. It won't all be to your taste.
0:04:05 > 0:04:12- But keep an open mind and try and see the potential in it, OK? - OK.- Let's go and have a look.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15'This bungalow has been empty for more than a year.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18'It's on the market at £299,000.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22'Although there was a previous offer on it, the chain collapsed
0:04:22 > 0:04:24'so it went back up for sale.'
0:04:24 > 0:04:27What do you think of these types of 1930s properties?
0:04:27 > 0:04:32We don't know much about 1930s properties. I don't know anyone who's lived in one.
0:04:32 > 0:04:34They're quite well proportioned.
0:04:34 > 0:04:40This was the beginning of modern home building. There was a big boom through the '30s.
0:04:40 > 0:04:45You've got garages built into the house for the first time. You've got big hallways.
0:04:45 > 0:04:50The kitchens aren't just the narrow galleys the Victorian kitchens were.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52People were shut away to cook.
0:04:52 > 0:04:57There's a bit more of a sense of living with a garden and having a nice base with a family.
0:04:57 > 0:05:01What do you want to create? What is your home going to look like?
0:05:01 > 0:05:06We would have a kitchen knocked in with a dining room, so you have this big open space.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08We have friends and family around quite a lot.
0:05:08 > 0:05:12It would be nice to not be tucked in the kitchen by yourself.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15How much building work would you be prepared to take on?
0:05:15 > 0:05:20Is it just a case of decorating, or would you knock through, extend?
0:05:20 > 0:05:26To get the space we want, we're expecting we would be knocking walls through, making different spaces.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29Plus it gives you your stamp on the place.
0:05:29 > 0:05:31Would there be one of you that would oversee the build?
0:05:31 > 0:05:35Well, I'm probably going to finish work in six months.
0:05:35 > 0:05:40- So once I finish work, I'll be the one...- Taking it on.- Yeah.
0:05:40 > 0:05:45- There has to be a lot of trust there.- Oh, yeah. That'll be fine. Yeah, I trust her.
0:05:45 > 0:05:47Excellent!
0:05:47 > 0:05:52Well, kitchen-diner, possibly the most important place in the house.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55- Let's go and have a look, shall we? - OK.
0:05:56 > 0:06:01Right, here we have kitchen-diner. What do you make of the space?
0:06:01 > 0:06:06- Well, it's too small for what we want, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:06:06 > 0:06:08Maybe knock that wall down and go that way,
0:06:08 > 0:06:11so we've got the full width of the house.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14That'll give us more space.
0:06:14 > 0:06:16- Mm. I think you could go that way, couldn't you?- Yeah.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19Or even that way. LAUGHTER
0:06:19 > 0:06:23- Spread out!- Any way you like! - You can make this into one room.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26I think this is the main back wall of the house,
0:06:26 > 0:06:29so not one you'd take on with a sledgehammer.
0:06:29 > 0:06:33But here you've got the back of the garage. There's a lot of space on that side of the house.
0:06:33 > 0:06:37So, yeah, you could open up quite a bit.
0:06:37 > 0:06:43I don't know how far you've got, but if you took on something like this, where would you live?
0:06:43 > 0:06:50- If things move quickly, we could be living in London while the major work's happening.- Hopefully.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53Ideal. And if it couldn't happen that quickly?
0:06:53 > 0:06:57- Would you be tempted to live in? - We'd have to live in the mess.- Yeah.
0:06:57 > 0:07:00So lots of potential here, whichever way you end up going.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03It could create the diner you're after.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05Let's continue our look around.
0:07:07 > 0:07:13'Upstairs are two double bedrooms... and a family bathroom.
0:07:13 > 0:07:15'But it's in the 50-foot back garden
0:07:15 > 0:07:19'that this property offers John and Jackie room to extend the living space.'
0:07:19 > 0:07:23As we come out, we can see the kitchen kind of juts out
0:07:23 > 0:07:25and you've got room to extend.
0:07:25 > 0:07:29Having looked round, how do you feel about this empty home?
0:07:29 > 0:07:33There's space downstairs to work. I'm not sure about upstairs.
0:07:33 > 0:07:35- Yeah.- Just two bedrooms.
0:07:35 > 0:07:40I can't see where you could go for the space.
0:07:40 > 0:07:45- What would be your big worries, if you have any at all?- Cost.- Yeah.
0:07:45 > 0:07:47- JACKIE LAUGHS - Basically, yeah.
0:07:47 > 0:07:51- You don't want to start on something that escalates out of control.- No.
0:07:51 > 0:07:55No. We've got to be sure on that when we take it on.
0:07:55 > 0:08:01- This is a big move for you, isn't it?- Yeah. It'll probably be our last move.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04- Not planning on going anywhere after this.- No.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07- Um...- Got to get it right. Got to pay off the mortgage.
0:08:07 > 0:08:11- Got to spend what you've got left wisely and keep it within budget. - Yes.
0:08:11 > 0:08:16Later, we're going to see a couple who have made the move you're talking about.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19They've done some renovations. It's a property similar to this.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22So even if you don't end up in a property like this,
0:08:22 > 0:08:27it's going to be really good to see empty to completed, see that jump,
0:08:27 > 0:08:30see that progress and visualise what can be done with it.
0:08:30 > 0:08:34And I think they'll have some good tips, having been through it all,
0:08:34 > 0:08:37- on how you stay in control of the budget.- That'll be good.
0:08:41 > 0:08:45Great to meet John and Jackie, because they know what they want.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48They're after this large open-plan kitchen-diner,
0:08:48 > 0:08:52but they're also very open minded about taking on an empty property.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55They see the benefits.
0:08:55 > 0:09:00I'm not sure this place is for them, but I'm excited about showing them a completed place.
0:09:00 > 0:09:04It's a great example of just what you can do
0:09:04 > 0:09:06when you transform a place like this.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11'Homes can become unoccupied for many different reasons.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14'With hundreds and thousands left vacant across the country,
0:09:14 > 0:09:20'it's the job of our Empty Property Officers to find out why, and bring them back into use.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25'On the Kent coast, Mike Thompson has spent five years
0:09:25 > 0:09:29'working to get derelict buildings on his patch lived in again.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34'He's on his way to a property that's been on his radar for some time.
0:09:34 > 0:09:36'It's attracted antisocial behaviour
0:09:36 > 0:09:41'and is now a real problem case for Mike.'
0:09:41 > 0:09:46It's a long time since I've been at this property. It's deteriorated a lot since I was last here.
0:09:46 > 0:09:50'With the owner not complying with requests to improve the condition of the house,
0:09:50 > 0:09:53'Mike wants to check on its current state.'
0:09:53 > 0:09:55We've got rotten wood on the sills.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58We've got doors missing. We've got broken windows.
0:09:58 > 0:10:02It is a lot worse than I thought. Rubbish dumped in the front garden.
0:10:02 > 0:10:04As soon as people start seeing that,
0:10:04 > 0:10:08that will increase, there'll be more rubbish dumped here.
0:10:08 > 0:10:12I think the talking's finished. The broken promises, I've had enough of those.
0:10:12 > 0:10:14It's time we got to grips with this.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20The property's just as dilapidated at the back as it is at the front.
0:10:20 > 0:10:22That balcony is hanging off there.
0:10:22 > 0:10:26The timbers are rotted away. That wouldn't carry any weight at all.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31So here we have the remains of an attached garage.
0:10:31 > 0:10:35The chipboard roof has failed, due to being soaked with water.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37There's nothing left of it now.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41All in all, it's one property in one hell of a state.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43Very, very bad indeed.
0:10:43 > 0:10:47But plenty of material for us to serve a notice upon.
0:10:47 > 0:10:51'The next-door neighbour has reported seeing foxes in the garden.'
0:10:51 > 0:10:54You can see how overgrown the garden is.
0:10:54 > 0:10:59Perfect, really, isn't it? I quite believe there's foxes living here.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02It's also good for rats, I would think, as well.
0:11:02 > 0:11:06But I'll need to take issue with the owner on that.
0:11:11 > 0:11:13I've seen enough, really.
0:11:13 > 0:11:16'Mike calls on the owner of the house next door
0:11:16 > 0:11:19'to find out if they can shed light on what's going on with the place.'
0:11:19 > 0:11:22I wonder if you could tell me what you know about next door.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25People have broken in there.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29I believe they have stolen stuff out of there. We have had the police round a couple of times.
0:11:29 > 0:11:35It's not a very nice environment to let the children out, when we've had foxes doing their business,
0:11:35 > 0:11:38- which could be quite dangerous. - Yes, yes.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42They used to have a lean-to against the side of our property.
0:11:42 > 0:11:46That did completely collapse and we had glass all over our property.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49That's when the children were very young.
0:11:49 > 0:11:51We have to agree with you that that's not good enough.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54They really have to do something about it.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57We've played out the rope to such a length there's no more left.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00- We will now have to serve notice. - Lovely. Thank you.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03- We'll get there, I'm sure. - Thank you very much.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06Thank you very much indeed.
0:12:07 > 0:12:11Vacant homes are often riddled with damp, crumbling and covered with cobwebs.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14Sounds like a nightmare to some, but to others,
0:12:14 > 0:12:19challenges that can be overcome in order to create a dream home.
0:12:20 > 0:12:26'When James and Fabien took on this abandoned Victorian schoolhouse in Warwickshire in 2009,
0:12:26 > 0:12:29'they certainly needed vision.
0:12:29 > 0:12:33'Dating back to 1886, the school had stood empty for 12 years
0:12:33 > 0:12:37'and was far from being a comfortable, contemporary home.'
0:12:37 > 0:12:40I wanted to do something properly and sympathetically.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42I wanted to save something,
0:12:42 > 0:12:45so I wanted something that was falling down
0:12:45 > 0:12:48and at the brink of death, ideally.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51The windows were boarded up so it was pitch dark inside.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54- We had to try and view this place with a torch!- Yeah.
0:12:54 > 0:13:00But it was...just what we were looking for. It ticked all of our boxes. It was in a nice village.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04Yes, I was very seduced by the fact that it was an open space,
0:13:04 > 0:13:09so that we could create the space that we want to live in.
0:13:09 > 0:13:13'Having bought the school for £240,000,
0:13:13 > 0:13:17'they set out on a renovation that would take them just over a year.
0:13:17 > 0:13:19'While Fabien stayed in their current home,
0:13:19 > 0:13:25'James took the bold step of moving into the derelict school and project managing the build.'
0:13:25 > 0:13:30I moved into the outbuilding here, which was the old canteen.
0:13:30 > 0:13:34Yeah, with, basically, camp bed and sleeping bag and a fridge.
0:13:34 > 0:13:38We rigged a shower up over the boys' toilets in the back,
0:13:38 > 0:13:41which meant walking from the outbuilding round in the snow
0:13:41 > 0:13:45to have a shower before I get into a suit and go to work.
0:13:48 > 0:13:50'As the building had never been a dwelling,
0:13:50 > 0:13:54'James and Fabien needed to put in everything to make it a home,
0:13:54 > 0:13:56'including a bathroom and a kitchen.
0:13:56 > 0:14:00'They eventually spent £210,000 on the transformation.'
0:14:00 > 0:14:04It's not compared to other projects where you could move into one room
0:14:04 > 0:14:08and then from that room you expand and do all the other rooms.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11You can't here because you've got all the electricity,
0:14:11 > 0:14:15all the water connections, everything will be done on the day.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22It was a bit more like a barn conversion,
0:14:22 > 0:14:25in that what you're dealing with is an empty shell,
0:14:25 > 0:14:30which is a lot more flexible, rather than buying a Victorian farmhouse, where you've got 20 rooms.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33'By taking on an abandoned building,
0:14:33 > 0:14:37'James and Fabien have created a bespoke home for much less
0:14:37 > 0:14:41'than if they'd bought it already renovated.'
0:14:41 > 0:14:43This place is perfect for our needs.
0:14:43 > 0:14:47We can see ourselves living here for 20 years.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57'Britain is facing a housing crisis.
0:14:57 > 0:15:02'The National Housing Federation is warning that the chronic lack of affordable homes is creating
0:15:02 > 0:15:08'a steep rise in demand in the private rental sector and long social housing waiting lists.
0:15:08 > 0:15:10'But with 48,000 shops standing empty in the UK,
0:15:10 > 0:15:13'there could be a solution.'
0:15:13 > 0:15:18Large numbers of empty shops on British high streets are, sadly, an all-too-familiar sight.
0:15:18 > 0:15:22But are there alternative ways of breathing new life
0:15:22 > 0:15:26into commercial properties that have been empty for a long time?
0:15:26 > 0:15:29'I've come to Tonbridge in Kent to meet Hazel Dawe,
0:15:29 > 0:15:33'who's campaigning to turn disused shops into affordable homes.'
0:15:33 > 0:15:36So, Hazel, this is Tonbridge High Street.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40Is this a one-off? How many of these empty shops are there?
0:15:40 > 0:15:44We've counted Tonbridge High Street has 17 empty shops.
0:15:44 > 0:15:52Margate in Kent has the highest proportion of empty shops in the country of any high street.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55Margate has 37% empty shops.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58'Right across the country, the demand for new housing
0:15:58 > 0:16:01'is outstripping supply by two to one,
0:16:01 > 0:16:03'so it's clear that something needs to be done.
0:16:03 > 0:16:08'A number of councils are looking at transforming unoccupied shops into homes,
0:16:08 > 0:16:11'which could help reduce their housing waiting lists.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13'In Lewisham in southeast London,
0:16:13 > 0:16:17'the council is working to increase its housing stock in this way.'
0:16:17 > 0:16:21There are some localities where there is an over-supply of shops.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24In those cases, a residential change of use is very appropriate,
0:16:24 > 0:16:27particularly if you can do it in a managed way
0:16:27 > 0:16:30to keep the right number of shops for the community.
0:16:31 > 0:16:36'Nick Long from Lewisham Council housing team believes there's a real need for this type of scheme.'
0:16:36 > 0:16:40We've got well over 16,000 people on the housing register.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42We've got families in temporary accommodation.
0:16:42 > 0:16:47If we can encourage owners to think about developing their shops,
0:16:47 > 0:16:51not only will it sustain their business, it will help give affordable homes for people.
0:16:51 > 0:16:55When we've got empty shops it leads to a general impression of decline.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58What we want to see as a council
0:16:58 > 0:17:01are as many of these empty shops coming back into use.
0:17:01 > 0:17:05'It's not just a case of turning every empty shop into a home.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09'Councils need to consider the make-up of retail areas
0:17:09 > 0:17:12'so that businesses can still thrive
0:17:12 > 0:17:16'while providing accommodation for people on housing waiting lists.'
0:17:16 > 0:17:20I think this is very important. It's a significant source of new homes
0:17:20 > 0:17:24for London and for other areas of the country.
0:17:24 > 0:17:30It is important, though, to make sure that you still have an appropriate stock of local shops.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34They do meet local needs, particularly for elderly people
0:17:34 > 0:17:40or others who don't find accessibility to town centres and further away so easy.
0:17:42 > 0:17:46With an alarming shortage of housing in this area for local people,
0:17:46 > 0:17:50it makes sense to consider using each and every empty property.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53Maybe even empty shops like this one
0:17:53 > 0:17:56could provide much needed affordable housing.
0:17:57 > 0:18:01'Back in Essex, I'm taking John and Jackie to meet a couple
0:18:01 > 0:18:05'who've taken on a disused house and completed an impressive renovation.'
0:18:05 > 0:18:08Right, guys, this is the property. Clearly, it's a bungalow.
0:18:08 > 0:18:12Like the one earlier, it has an upstairs. The loft has been converted.
0:18:12 > 0:18:17I think it had been half converted, then these guys came in and finished it off.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19They fell in love with the area.
0:18:19 > 0:18:23The area was important to them, like it's important to you.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26I think you'll be interested in what they've done to it.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29It will suit some of what you were talking about.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32- So shall we go have a look?- Looking forward to it.- Let's say hello.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35'Don and Annette from Shoeburyness
0:18:35 > 0:18:39'bought this once-dilapidated bungalow in 2005.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42'While structurally sound, it was in a terrible state,
0:18:42 > 0:18:45'having laid empty since the previous owner passed away.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48'The inside had not been updated for at least 30 years,
0:18:48 > 0:18:53'but Don and Annette saw the raw potential in the basic shell.'
0:18:53 > 0:18:56Initially, when I took the project on,
0:18:56 > 0:19:02I stood down the bottom of the garden and looked back, and I did think to myself,
0:19:02 > 0:19:05"At my time of life, have I taken on more than I can chew?"
0:19:05 > 0:19:09'Don and Annette bought the bungalow for £230,000,
0:19:09 > 0:19:12'with a budget of just £30,000 to renovate.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15'Luckily for them, their son Darren is a builder,
0:19:15 > 0:19:17'so father and son set about redesigning the layout,
0:19:17 > 0:19:20'creating the spacious home they were after.'
0:19:20 > 0:19:23It was good that the builder is our son!
0:19:23 > 0:19:29And to know that his work is of a...is excellent.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32We've got no faults with what he's done.
0:19:33 > 0:19:35- Hello.- Hi.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39- Hello, guys. Can we come in? - Certainly. Please come in.
0:19:42 > 0:19:46It's big! So, what was this place like when you first saw it?
0:19:46 > 0:19:51Well, it was 1950s dated wallpaper, carpets, fittings.
0:19:51 > 0:19:56Filthy dirty, alive with spiders, dust everywhere,
0:19:56 > 0:19:59smashed glass in the porchway.
0:19:59 > 0:20:03Exactly what the estate agent said - "a real pig's ear".
0:20:03 > 0:20:06Clearly, it's now very homely, lots of light coming in.
0:20:06 > 0:20:11- Did you know you wanted this open-plan round the back of the house?- Yes, definitely.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14Because, as you say, it's light and airy.
0:20:14 > 0:20:18I didn't want dark rooms. Sometimes, with bungalows, that's what you get.
0:20:18 > 0:20:20JACKIE: We're hoping to achieve something similar.
0:20:20 > 0:20:24Big open kitchen-dining living space.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27Did you get involved? How much did you do yourselves?
0:20:27 > 0:20:33I did the second fixings - the doors, skirting boards, architrave.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36Depending how soon you guys find a property,
0:20:36 > 0:20:41you may or may not have the luxury of living in the place you are now.
0:20:41 > 0:20:43- That's right.- Where did you live? Did you live here?
0:20:43 > 0:20:48No. The first six weeks, we lived with our daughter,
0:20:48 > 0:20:51who lived in Thorpe Bay, at the time.
0:20:51 > 0:20:55- And it worked out really well. - How important was it for you
0:20:55 > 0:21:00to be on site and to make decisions as they came up?
0:21:00 > 0:21:03Sometimes, you think you want something doing.
0:21:03 > 0:21:07Then when they start to do it, you think, "That's not going to work."
0:21:07 > 0:21:11- It's not just a question of trust, is it?- No.
0:21:11 > 0:21:16- They might be trustworthy, but it's misinterpretation of ideas. - Exactly.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19'Don and Annette extended to the rear of their bungalow
0:21:19 > 0:21:24'to create an open-plan kitchen living space that John and Jackie want in their next home.'
0:21:24 > 0:21:27The first thing you notice is it's not fully open-plan.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30- I suppose you've compromised here. - Yes.
0:21:30 > 0:21:34Well, I didn't want to be in the kitchen on my own
0:21:34 > 0:21:37when everyone's sitting in there enjoying themselves.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39Is it cosy enough in the winter?
0:21:39 > 0:21:45We were thinking, if we had a big open space, we might want a smaller place to retreat to in the winter.
0:21:45 > 0:21:49- Or do you find it's...- I don't find it a problem being open plan.
0:21:49 > 0:21:51Mainly because, with the fire,
0:21:51 > 0:21:55it can get quite hot in here, especially cooking.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58Put it in perspective, then. How much did this all cost?
0:21:58 > 0:22:01I budgeted, originally, about £30,00.
0:22:01 > 0:22:05I probably ended up spending about £40,000 with the extension
0:22:05 > 0:22:09and the renovation. I think that's what we thought.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12Thank you so much for letting us look round your house.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14- You're welcome. - It's been a pleasure.
0:22:14 > 0:22:19- I'm pleased it's worked out so well and you're so happy with it.- Yes.
0:22:19 > 0:22:21- Thanks very much.- OK. Good luck!
0:22:24 > 0:22:27'In Thanet, Kent, Empty Property Officer Mike Thompson
0:22:27 > 0:22:32'is returning to a building he's been trying to get back into use for almost two years.'
0:22:32 > 0:22:36I'm off to Cliftonville, to the former Embassy Hotel.
0:22:36 > 0:22:40The owner retired and the building became available, so the council have bought it.
0:22:40 > 0:22:45The aim is to turn it back into two houses, which is how it started life.
0:22:45 > 0:22:50'This former hotel has been the subject of antisocial behaviour.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53'It's a particularly testing case for Mike.'
0:22:53 > 0:22:56I came here yesterday, just to do an inspection
0:22:56 > 0:22:58prior to meeting Cheryl the planner here today.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01As I got out of the car, the smell of gas hit you!
0:23:01 > 0:23:05It was absolutely incredible. How the whole street hadn't gone up, I don't know.
0:23:05 > 0:23:09It was a case of rushing round, getting emergency services in.
0:23:09 > 0:23:13We had the gas capped off and had to ventilate the entire property.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16If anybody had struck a match in this street, I shudder to think.
0:23:16 > 0:23:21Yet another implication of leaving a property unattended for a long time.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24'Meeting Mike at the property today is Cheryl Macer
0:23:24 > 0:23:26'from the planning department,
0:23:26 > 0:23:29'here to discuss the plans for redevelopment of the hotel.'
0:23:29 > 0:23:32- Hello, Cheryl.- Hi, Mike. - Glad you're here.
0:23:32 > 0:23:36- Got some dramas to tell you about. Come through.- OK.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39It's a bit of a mess, isn't it, really?
0:23:39 > 0:23:43Something that obviously needs to be sorted out pretty quickly, I'd say.
0:23:43 > 0:23:48'Mike wants to check the schedule of works for converting the hotel back into two family homes.'
0:23:48 > 0:23:51I did have some concerns in the first place.
0:23:51 > 0:23:56You were proposing a large dormer window, which I thought might cause overlooking.
0:23:56 > 0:23:58But the plans have been amended.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01It involves the loss of a large extension,
0:24:01 > 0:24:03which is a bit of an eyesore, really,
0:24:03 > 0:24:07and does cause a sense of enclosure to neighbouring properties.
0:24:07 > 0:24:11It restores the back and creates a single-storey extension,
0:24:11 > 0:24:13which looks really quite good.
0:24:13 > 0:24:17The creation of two family houses and the loss of lots of bedsits
0:24:17 > 0:24:19is brilliant for the area, as well.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22How soon do you think we can have a recommendation?
0:24:22 > 0:24:24Because I'm really happy with the scheme,
0:24:24 > 0:24:27my recommendation is going to be a positive one.
0:24:27 > 0:24:29It should go to planning committee in three weeks.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32- It's a planning gain, isn't it? - Absolutely.
0:24:32 > 0:24:37Two new houses of good quality, good back gardens, is what we need in this area.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40'At the rear of the building is a large extension
0:24:40 > 0:24:45'which will be demolished, allowing the creation of gardens for the new homes.'
0:24:45 > 0:24:47A bit of an eyesore, to say the least.
0:24:47 > 0:24:53'Cheryl was very positive about planning consent being forthcoming.'
0:24:53 > 0:24:56Within three months, we'll have contractors in here
0:24:56 > 0:25:00turning this into two beautiful family houses with gardens.
0:25:04 > 0:25:10'This is one case which should have a successful outcome for Mike and the housing team.
0:25:11 > 0:25:16'Back in Thorpe Bay, Jackie and John have been getting a valuable insight
0:25:16 > 0:25:19'from a couple who've tackled the renovation of an empty house.'
0:25:19 > 0:25:22Has seeing the empty property, then seeing this,
0:25:22 > 0:25:26- helped you visualise what can be done with empty homes?- Definitely.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29Downstairs, especially, is the sort of thing we were after.
0:25:29 > 0:25:34The space, and not losing too much space in the garden, like they haven't.
0:25:34 > 0:25:36It's good. It's great.
0:25:36 > 0:25:40Money. Budget. That was the big worry before we came here.
0:25:40 > 0:25:44Has this helped you get a handle on what things cost?
0:25:44 > 0:25:46It's helped, talking to Don,
0:25:46 > 0:25:48realising hidden costs as well.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52You've got to make sure you've got everything covered.
0:25:52 > 0:25:56It is within our budget, what he's done there. It's the sort of things we wanted done.
0:25:56 > 0:26:01Some practical advice about when to move in and how to manage that.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04Yeah, I think that is a hard one to juggle.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07The advice we've been given is if you can, leave it empty
0:26:07 > 0:26:11for six to eight weeks for those major things to happen.
0:26:11 > 0:26:18At the same time, it was "never be far away" because major decisions need to be made on a daily basis.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21You'd have to think about that one really carefully.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24Give them space to get on cos it'd be quicker.
0:26:24 > 0:26:26- But you can't be far away. - Loads of ideas there.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29I'm pleased that you're still after an empty property.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32- I think you'd do a great job and make it your own.- Hopefully.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35- Best of luck with the property hunt. - Thank you.
0:26:38 > 0:26:43Don and Jackie have their heart set on moving to be closer to the family.
0:26:43 > 0:26:47They want to create a social space where they can have friends and family over.
0:26:47 > 0:26:52I think that's brilliant, when you consider it could be transformed
0:26:52 > 0:26:54from a sad, neglected, empty home.
0:26:54 > 0:26:59I am sure they'll make a great job of it and I wish them all the best.
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