0:00:01 > 0:00:03Up and down the country,
0:00:03 > 0:00:06there are empty properties just waiting to be brought back to life.
0:00:08 > 0:00:09I'll be finding out why
0:00:09 > 0:00:13and what you can do to rescue a home for yourself.
0:00:13 > 0:00:16We'll be following the empty property officers whose job it is to
0:00:16 > 0:00:20track down the owners of forgotten houses and get them back into use.
0:00:20 > 0:00:23And I'll be doing some digging of my own to find out
0:00:23 > 0:00:26more about our housing stock, our history, and why
0:00:26 > 0:00:30we should be both preserving and reinventing Britain's empty homes.
0:00:34 > 0:00:36In remote parts of the countryside,
0:00:36 > 0:00:40empty properties can end up unloved and abandoned for many years.
0:00:40 > 0:00:44And if you can find one, well, that's only the job half-done
0:00:44 > 0:00:48because doing up an empty home can be a genuine labour of love.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52On today's show, a family come together to rescue a derelict
0:00:52 > 0:00:55Victorian cottage in Herefordshire.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58I had a phone call from Dan on Valentine's Day and he just said,
0:00:58 > 0:01:00"We've bought a house."
0:01:00 > 0:01:04A spectacular 16th century manor house in Portsmouth is being
0:01:04 > 0:01:07turned into homes after being empty for eight years.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10First impressions were, "It's not too bad, it's OK."
0:01:10 > 0:01:14But the more we discover about it, the more difficult the challenge is.
0:01:14 > 0:01:18And one of Britain's empty property officers who's on a mission
0:01:18 > 0:01:21to bring abandoned buildings in Enfield back into use.
0:01:21 > 0:01:25It's believed that there may be rats living there, foxes...
0:01:25 > 0:01:27The neighbours just want to see a resolution,
0:01:27 > 0:01:30they want to see the house occupied again.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34Head teacher Clare Kelly has worked in Dubai for
0:01:34 > 0:01:38the last three years, but is looking for a home in the UK.
0:01:38 > 0:01:40Her younger brother, Dan, and mum, Jenny, started
0:01:40 > 0:01:45looking for a renovation project near their homes in Herefordshire.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48And when they discovered a derelict Victorian cottage, they knew
0:01:48 > 0:01:52it would make a perfect home for Clare, but it came with a bonus.
0:01:52 > 0:01:57I had a phone call from Dan on Valentine's Day and he just said,
0:01:57 > 0:01:58"We've bought a house
0:01:58 > 0:02:00"and guess what? You've got a chapel as well!"
0:02:02 > 0:02:08The family bought the cottage and chapel for ?183,000.
0:02:08 > 0:02:09They cleverly plan to renovate both
0:02:09 > 0:02:13and use the money from the sale of the finished chapel to fund
0:02:13 > 0:02:16Clare's cottage and, hopefully, make a profit too.
0:02:16 > 0:02:21The Methodist chapel was built in the 1860s by two sisters,
0:02:21 > 0:02:23who owned the cottage at the time.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25Um, the chapel, in my understanding,
0:02:25 > 0:02:28has fell into disuse in the 1950s.
0:02:28 > 0:02:30'It's a family affair.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33'Clare's mum, Jenny, will be overseeing the budget,
0:02:33 > 0:02:37'whilst brother Dan and father Jim, both experienced renovators,
0:02:37 > 0:02:39'will be getting hands-on with the project.'
0:02:39 > 0:02:42Dad and Dan will do all the work on the house and then, hopefully,
0:02:42 > 0:02:46we'll be able to use the chapel to sort of offset their input.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49I'm obviously sat in sunny Dubai with my feet up,
0:02:49 > 0:02:53whilst they're in the cold British winter doing all the hard work,
0:02:53 > 0:02:55so I'd really like there to be something for them
0:02:55 > 0:02:57to get out of it at the end as well.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00'They plan to extend the cottage,
0:03:00 > 0:03:02'to create a three-bedroom detached house.'
0:03:02 > 0:03:08The front aspect of the property will be retained almost
0:03:08 > 0:03:12exactly how it is now, because I think it is absolutely charming.
0:03:12 > 0:03:16'It will be a team effort to get Clare into the cottage on schedule
0:03:16 > 0:03:21'and Dan, who's also a teacher, is expecting some challenges ahead.'
0:03:21 > 0:03:24There's going to be disagreements. There will be.
0:03:24 > 0:03:26You know, that's just sort of human nature,
0:03:26 > 0:03:29but, I mean, we didn't go into this with our eyes shut, you know?
0:03:29 > 0:03:32They were firmly open in terms of that we would work together.
0:03:32 > 0:03:34I think that we're all excited about it.
0:03:34 > 0:03:38I'm really hoping that next summer when I come home, I'll be able
0:03:38 > 0:03:41to say to friends, "Come and stay in my new house." That's the plan.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43We're not a particularly patient family...
0:03:43 > 0:03:45I'm probably more patient than you.
0:03:45 > 0:03:47Yeah, on this one you're going to have to be as well, because, you
0:03:47 > 0:03:49know, when I say 12 months,
0:03:49 > 0:03:51you know, it could be a little bit longer.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57Clare, her brother, Dan, and mum, Jenny, are going to tell me
0:03:57 > 0:04:00more about their joint venture.
0:04:00 > 0:04:04Morning, I'm Joe. Hi, Jenny. Clare. Dan, how are you?
0:04:04 > 0:04:07Now, this is a slightly unusual situation,
0:04:07 > 0:04:08a bit of a family effort going on.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11Um...whose house is this?
0:04:11 > 0:04:14Um, I suppose it's mine.
0:04:14 > 0:04:15What's that over there?
0:04:15 > 0:04:18That's an old Methodist chapel which was bought as one lot,
0:04:18 > 0:04:21so the plan is possibly to do something with
0:04:21 > 0:04:25that in the future after we've sorted my sister's house out.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28Goodness! OK, well, look, it's a cute little thing from the outside.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31Shall we go and have a look inside and see what you're going to do?
0:04:31 > 0:04:33It won't take long. It's not very big!
0:04:34 > 0:04:36Like many period cottages,
0:04:36 > 0:04:40this tiny one-bed home is not generous in size.
0:04:40 > 0:04:42Clare is concerned whether
0:04:42 > 0:04:44she can make the space work as a modern home.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47What were your first impressions when you came here?
0:04:47 > 0:04:49Actually, it's small, but it's in a pretty good state, isn't it?
0:04:49 > 0:04:53Yes, it was in better condition than I expected it to be,
0:04:53 > 0:04:56but it was much, much smaller and I was just like...
0:04:56 > 0:04:58"Wow!"
0:04:58 > 0:05:01This is classified as what? A one bedroom? One bedroom.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04You've got this room, exactly the same upstairs - which is
0:05:04 > 0:05:07essentially the bedroom - and then through there, a small kitchen.
0:05:07 > 0:05:09Stairs upstairs to the bathroom.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12And what is the plan? You're going to extend at the back, are you?
0:05:12 > 0:05:14Yes, it's going... These walls will come out.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17It's not going exactly mirrored. It's sort of, um, a slight L shape.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20And upstairs then, you're going to have a big master bedroom
0:05:20 > 0:05:22and a couple of guest bedrooms, that's the idea?
0:05:22 > 0:05:25There's three bedrooms, they're all of reasonable size, but
0:05:25 > 0:05:28none of them are massive. OK, well, there's not a lot to look round,
0:05:28 > 0:05:30but shall we just poke our heads through this way?
0:05:31 > 0:05:35The interesting challenge here is how to create a double-storey
0:05:35 > 0:05:39extension whilst retaining the character of the cottage.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41Here we are in what is effectively the master bedroom,
0:05:41 > 0:05:44but also the only bedroom. Uh, and things like the roof and
0:05:44 > 0:05:46the wooden beams, are they going to be staying, ideally?
0:05:46 > 0:05:49We'll keep as much of it as we can in terms of the timber.
0:05:49 > 0:05:51A little bit of character is good.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54Yeah, I mean, some of the woodwork is actually very good.
0:05:54 > 0:05:56Now, a lot of work ahead.
0:05:56 > 0:06:00Who's going to be doing the lion's share of it?
0:06:00 > 0:06:02Mostly Dan and his dad.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05Right. Obviously, specialist jobs, we'll get people in.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08But you're a teacher, so you can't be spending the next year... No.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11..doing this project. How does that work then?
0:06:11 > 0:06:12Your dad takes over, or...?
0:06:12 > 0:06:15No, it'll literally be weekends, evenings,
0:06:15 > 0:06:19so we've sort of given ourselves 12 months to get this
0:06:19 > 0:06:22finished from once the planning comes through.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24Right, so 12 months for the cottage. Yeah.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27And then the chapel, that's the idea at the moment? Yeah.
0:06:27 > 0:06:29It seems the family has the extension
0:06:29 > 0:06:31and modernisation all planned out,
0:06:31 > 0:06:33but with Dan taking on these two properties
0:06:33 > 0:06:37and juggling a full-time job, has he bitten off more than he can chew?
0:06:37 > 0:06:40As a family, you've got some experience of renovations
0:06:40 > 0:06:43and even sort of building your own house, Dan.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46What's the challenge here? How is this different?
0:06:46 > 0:06:48It's different on a couple of levels, really.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51Um, I had a huge amount of help in terms of building my own house,
0:06:51 > 0:06:54you know, and it was just getting a bit of a taste for it.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57Um, I'll be more involved in a way in building Clare's house,
0:06:57 > 0:07:01but also the chapel in the grounds, that's going to be an unknown,
0:07:01 > 0:07:04really, so we're not sure in terms of what hidden dangers
0:07:04 > 0:07:07and pitfalls there are in terms of that, but that's the excitement.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10That's the difference, really. What I think is going to be useful
0:07:10 > 0:07:13is to take you to meet a couple who've been through this before.
0:07:13 > 0:07:15It'll be interesting to get some advice from them
0:07:15 > 0:07:17on how they managed, but also the property,
0:07:17 > 0:07:19like here, was a very small cottage
0:07:19 > 0:07:21and very difficult to live in and was extended.
0:07:21 > 0:07:25So, lots of similarities there and hopefully some inspiration as well.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28So, does that sound useful? Yeah. Yes, it does. Perfect.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34I think this is quite a tricky project.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37First of all, there are two properties here, not just one,
0:07:37 > 0:07:40but also, doing a lot of the work themselves,
0:07:40 > 0:07:43it could be difficult for Dan to find the time, given he's got
0:07:43 > 0:07:45a full-time job and a young family,
0:07:45 > 0:07:48to make sure this cottage is finished within 12 months.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51It's going to be really good for them to meet a couple who've done
0:07:51 > 0:07:55just that, who've taken on a small agricultural worker's cottage
0:07:55 > 0:07:57and transformed it into a modern home.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03Sadly, not all of Britain's forgotten buildings are rescued
0:08:03 > 0:08:07and brought back to life, but local councils are taking action
0:08:07 > 0:08:10and it's the job of empty property officers to track these
0:08:10 > 0:08:13buildings down and work to bring them back into the community.
0:08:13 > 0:08:18In his 12 years of experience in Enfield, Dave Carter
0:08:18 > 0:08:22has brought over 600 abandoned abodes back into use.
0:08:22 > 0:08:26I'm on my way to visit a property which is in one of the more
0:08:26 > 0:08:28affluent areas of Enfield.
0:08:28 > 0:08:32I've received several complaints about the state of the overgrown
0:08:32 > 0:08:35garden, and the neighbours generally are not happy with
0:08:35 > 0:08:39the state of the property. Um, they just want to see a resolution.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41They want to see the house occupied again.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44Dave wants to deal with these complaints,
0:08:44 > 0:08:46but first he has to track down the owner.
0:08:46 > 0:08:50However, he has no idea where they are.
0:08:50 > 0:08:56I came here a few weeks ago and immediately what strikes me is,
0:08:56 > 0:08:59obviously, the car on the drive.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02Um, I'm wondering whether...
0:09:02 > 0:09:05somebody might be here. It's quite a new car.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13Anyway, I think I'd better check if there's anybody in first of all.
0:09:18 > 0:09:21Hm. Well, that's interesting as well.
0:09:21 > 0:09:25That lock looks as if it's been changed recently.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28It's...unscratched, still sparkling.
0:09:30 > 0:09:34It seems that someone may have visited this house recently.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37Dave goes round the back to see if the garden's been tended to. Ah!
0:09:39 > 0:09:42Well, that's a fox's heaven in here.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45It's just a complete mess.
0:09:45 > 0:09:47Well, I'm not going to go hunting for any foxes,
0:09:47 > 0:09:49because if they are there I won't disturb them.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52I'm more concerned today with trying to find the owner.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55I'll call it a day at this end of the property.
0:09:56 > 0:10:00Dave canvasses the neighbourhood to see if anyone can tell him
0:10:00 > 0:10:02about the owner or the car in the driveway.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06Hello!
0:10:06 > 0:10:08I'm trying to...um...
0:10:08 > 0:10:10investigate the house a couple of doors along.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13The lady who lived there, did you know her?
0:10:13 > 0:10:16I knew her, she used to walk around and everything.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19Um, and then she was taken into a home.
0:10:19 > 0:10:24Unfortunately, you know, I haven't seen or heard from her since. Right.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27Sorry to have bothered you. Oh, that's OK.
0:10:27 > 0:10:29Thanks for the information. No problem. Take care.
0:10:29 > 0:10:33Dave carries on knocking on doors, but there are no more leads.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35I have heard she was in a home. Right.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38And we've lived here a long, long time, but I've never seen her.
0:10:38 > 0:10:40All right, well, it's been... I can't help you.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43..interesting speaking to you. OK, all right. Bye-bye. Thank you, bye.
0:10:43 > 0:10:48It's a dead end, until the next-door neighbour comes to talk to Dave.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51Hiya, I'm Dave Carter from Enfield Council.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54It turns out that the neighbour's daughter has been using
0:10:54 > 0:10:59the empty driveway to park her car, but that's not all.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02I did come and visit the property about a month ago.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04Have you noticed any activity recently?
0:11:04 > 0:11:06I get the feeling the locks may have been changed?
0:11:06 > 0:11:09Yeah, I think we came home about three weeks ago
0:11:09 > 0:11:11and Barnet Council were here.
0:11:11 > 0:11:13Three weeks ago?
0:11:13 > 0:11:16About three weeks ago, because she is in a home in Barnet.
0:11:16 > 0:11:20Right, cos I...that's another thing you've covered for me then.
0:11:20 > 0:11:25Do you know...the address or the name of the care home? No, not at all.
0:11:25 > 0:11:26Not known, right.
0:11:26 > 0:11:30I just want to find out who is responsible for this house. Yeah.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33You've been very, very helpful. Thank you. Nice to meet you.
0:11:33 > 0:11:35Hopefully I'll get to the bottom of it. Yeah.
0:11:35 > 0:11:37I think today's visit has been very successful indeed.
0:11:37 > 0:11:41I've gleaned that the owner is alive, that she's in a care home,
0:11:41 > 0:11:44so I know I can go down that angle.
0:11:44 > 0:11:48There's been activity at the house. Someone's changed the locks. Who?
0:11:48 > 0:11:51I don't know, but somebody is involved.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54So, I'm confident that it shouldn't be too long before
0:11:54 > 0:11:55I can solve this mystery.
0:11:55 > 0:11:59And since filming, Dave has located the owner and is working
0:11:59 > 0:12:04alongside Barnet Council to bring the house back into use.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07If you've noticed abandoned properties in your area
0:12:07 > 0:12:09and fancy the challenge of taking one on,
0:12:09 > 0:12:12contact local estate agents, neighbourhood watch groups
0:12:12 > 0:12:16and local shop-owners to see if they have any information,
0:12:16 > 0:12:19or get in touch with your local empty property officer.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25In East London, Richard and Helen Portchmouth
0:12:25 > 0:12:27were lucky enough to find an old garage for sale
0:12:27 > 0:12:32and set about transforming it into an amazing modern home.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35In 2000, Richard and Helen were searching in London
0:12:35 > 0:12:38for a property to house their growing family.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40Unable to afford their ideal home,
0:12:40 > 0:12:42they were looking for a site they could adapt.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45We had been looking, uh...
0:12:45 > 0:12:47for probably over two years for a site.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50They're very hard to find and, on this occasion,
0:12:50 > 0:12:52I'd been out all Saturday afternoon.
0:12:52 > 0:12:54The weather was very sort of showery,
0:12:54 > 0:12:55big thunderstorms around,
0:12:55 > 0:12:59so I was cycling as quick as I could to get back home and then,
0:12:59 > 0:13:03out of the corner of my eye, I saw this name-board on site
0:13:03 > 0:13:05and I was just completely mesmerised.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08He came all the way back, soaking wet on his bike and, you know,
0:13:08 > 0:13:11we drove straight out there.
0:13:11 > 0:13:12I couldn't believe he spotted it.
0:13:12 > 0:13:17Two disused garages formerly used by market stall traders to store
0:13:17 > 0:13:18fruit and veg...
0:13:18 > 0:13:21they now form a stunning contemporary residence.
0:13:21 > 0:13:25The whole place was, um, very, very rundown
0:13:25 > 0:13:27and decrepit and, um...
0:13:27 > 0:13:32very, very sort of basic whitewashed walls, brickwork downstairs
0:13:32 > 0:13:35and, uh, the roof timbers were half sort of rotten
0:13:35 > 0:13:40and an old corrugated iron roof on the top, but, also,
0:13:40 > 0:13:43they had a sort of character about it.
0:13:43 > 0:13:47Richard knew he would create their ideal family home,
0:13:47 > 0:13:50but, initially, Helen had doubts.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53To start off with, I was a bit, um...
0:13:53 > 0:13:57uneasy about the scale of the project cos I knew it would
0:13:57 > 0:14:00be a huge undertaking and we were expecting a baby,
0:14:00 > 0:14:04but we started getting very excited about the whole project.
0:14:04 > 0:14:09Richard and Helen bought both units for ?75,000 and spent
0:14:09 > 0:14:14approximately ?100,000 on renovating one unit into a three-bedroom home.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17The build wasn't without its challenges.
0:14:17 > 0:14:19The real problem was time.
0:14:19 > 0:14:24Richard was...was absolutely always either at work or on the site, so,
0:14:24 > 0:14:27you know, Richard didn't get to see much of our daughter
0:14:27 > 0:14:30for about...uh, two or three years, really.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33Yeah, when I look back on it, I think...yes,
0:14:33 > 0:14:36I'm not quite sure how we did it, but we did it.
0:14:36 > 0:14:40The family moved into the property in 2003,
0:14:40 > 0:14:43but it took them a further two years to finish it.
0:14:43 > 0:14:47The eye-popping exterior is a folded sheet of galvanised steel
0:14:47 > 0:14:50and has made the house a local landmark.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52Not a sort of pretty, little mews,
0:14:52 > 0:14:55it's actually quite a tough, working mews
0:14:55 > 0:14:58and we thought the materiality should reflect that
0:14:58 > 0:15:02and that's why were interested in using the metal cladding.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05So we can just refer to it as the metal house on the corner.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10The build was... It took two years and then we moved in.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13We couldn't live on the ground floor when we first moved in,
0:15:13 > 0:15:15actually, cos it was still boarded up
0:15:15 > 0:15:18and the downstairs was effectively a workshop.
0:15:18 > 0:15:22Despite their challenging journey, Helen and Richard couldn't be
0:15:22 > 0:15:25happier they took a risk on such an unusual space.
0:15:25 > 0:15:30This site and the house, everything rolled into one, really.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33It offers us so much, I couldn't quite picture us anywhere else.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39Resuscitating old buildings and bringing them
0:15:39 > 0:15:43back into use isn't just a way of creating new homes.
0:15:43 > 0:15:47Restoring a period property is a way of preserving our past
0:15:47 > 0:15:51and taking care of our heritage for generations to come.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54The South-east of England has the second largest number of empty
0:15:54 > 0:15:57properties in the whole country, and here in Portsmouth
0:15:57 > 0:16:02there are 4,500 properties that have lain empty for six months or more.
0:16:02 > 0:16:04Well, I've come to see one in particular,
0:16:04 > 0:16:09one with a very grand yet supposedly spooky history.
0:16:11 > 0:16:14In the middle of a 1960s' housing estate sits
0:16:14 > 0:16:17Wymering Manor House, a grade-two listed stately home.
0:16:17 > 0:16:22Locals have banded together forming a trust to save
0:16:22 > 0:16:27it from dereliction, bring it into community use, and create new homes.
0:16:27 > 0:16:29'Andy Mason is involved in the project
0:16:29 > 0:16:32'and has agreed to give me a tour.' How are you?
0:16:32 > 0:16:35Andy, this is somewhat an unexpected surprise.
0:16:35 > 0:16:37It's not what you'd expect to find walking around here.
0:16:37 > 0:16:40What are we looking at? Well, absolutely, no.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43We have a house of 1581 with Victorian additions,
0:16:43 > 0:16:47um, in the middle of a housing estate.
0:16:47 > 0:16:501581, I mean, that makes it, what, Tudor? Elizabethan?
0:16:50 > 0:16:54That must be one of the oldest houses around here. It is indeed.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57It's the oldest domestic building in Portsmouth. Wow. Yes.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00It's looking a bit sorry for itself. How long has it been empty for?
0:17:00 > 0:17:03It's been empty for about eight years. About eight years?!
0:17:03 > 0:17:05It was a youth hostel before that. Oh, I see.
0:17:05 > 0:17:07All right, let's go and have a look inside, shall we? Yes.
0:17:12 > 0:17:14There you are. Very grand.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19What do we have here, then?
0:17:19 > 0:17:22Well, this, we think, is the original front door to the house.
0:17:22 > 0:17:24That's a significant front door, isn't it?!
0:17:24 > 0:17:26It's a fairly heavy-duty door, yes.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28So, first of all, tell me about the trust.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30We were founded in January this year.
0:17:30 > 0:17:35Our sole focus is Wymering Manor, to conserve what we have here
0:17:35 > 0:17:37and bring it back into sustainable use.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40But how concerned were you when you first saw this?
0:17:40 > 0:17:43I mean, it can't be that far from being unsaveable.
0:17:43 > 0:17:45I'm actually more concerned now than I was
0:17:45 > 0:17:48when I walked in through the front door. Oh, really?
0:17:48 > 0:17:51Our first impressions were, "It's not too bad, it's OK." But the more
0:17:51 > 0:17:55we discover about it, the more difficult the challenge is.
0:17:55 > 0:17:59Structurally, we have the problem in the beam where the house has moved.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02The 18th century saw a lot of work done where the house was
0:18:02 > 0:18:03refaced in brick
0:18:03 > 0:18:06and the knock-on effect of putting the skin of brick on has been
0:18:06 > 0:18:10that it's created the perfect environment for deathwatch beetle,
0:18:10 > 0:18:11which has thrived in this house.
0:18:11 > 0:18:15Oh, really? So, deathwatch beetle eats into woodwork, is that right?
0:18:15 > 0:18:17It eats the heartwood of the oak frame.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19And this building is an oak-framed building.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22It is, yes, what's left of it!
0:18:22 > 0:18:25Now, it's been empty for seven or eight years. Yes.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28That comes with the slight caveat in that there's supposed to be
0:18:28 > 0:18:29a little bit of a presence here.
0:18:29 > 0:18:35Yes, we are quite well known for the supernatural presence that's here.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38What are the supposed occurrences here?
0:18:38 > 0:18:41There's a nun up in the roof, apparently.
0:18:41 > 0:18:43There's a choir of nuns that's alleged to
0:18:43 > 0:18:45walk across the grand hall at midnight.
0:18:45 > 0:18:47And have you had any personal experience
0:18:47 > 0:18:49with any of these apparitions?
0:18:49 > 0:18:51I've not, personally. Right.
0:18:51 > 0:18:55I've not, but there are many who claim to have done so.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58Ghosts aside, what are the plans for humans?
0:18:58 > 0:19:01How would this space be used down here?
0:19:01 > 0:19:06Well, we're very keen to bring the community into the house.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09I think that's going to be the primary use for the downstairs.
0:19:09 > 0:19:13Uh, we're looking at education, perhaps training
0:19:13 > 0:19:14and general community uses.
0:19:14 > 0:19:16What difference would it make for the area then
0:19:16 > 0:19:20if this can be a community space? I hope it'll reinvigorate the area.
0:19:20 > 0:19:23The area needs money spending on it, it needs the provision
0:19:23 > 0:19:27of facilities and if we can start here, hopefully more will follow.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32Plans for the upper levels of the manor are still in the early
0:19:32 > 0:19:35stages of development, but the hope is they'll eventually be
0:19:35 > 0:19:38turned into flats that will fund the renovation.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43It's a bit of a rabbit warren up here, isn't it?
0:19:43 > 0:19:46It certainly is, very easy to get lost in.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48So, how would you use this space?
0:19:48 > 0:19:52This is totally different to the big open rooms downstairs.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55I think some sort of residential accommodation up here would be ideal.
0:19:55 > 0:19:57Yeah, has it served that purpose in the past?
0:19:57 > 0:19:59I can see sort of en suite things...
0:19:59 > 0:20:01It has indeed, it's been the caretaker's flat.
0:20:01 > 0:20:05So, what is the projected cost of this project?
0:20:05 > 0:20:07I mean, there's a lot of work to do.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10I'd say we're looking at, at least 2 million, possibly 3,
0:20:10 > 0:20:14maybe even more. Wow. Yes.
0:20:14 > 0:20:16Forget the hauntings, that would turn you white as a sheet
0:20:16 > 0:20:17those kind of figures!
0:20:17 > 0:20:20Um, that's a HUGE amount of money.
0:20:20 > 0:20:22Is that going to be raised through grants or...?
0:20:22 > 0:20:24Where is that kind of money going to come from?
0:20:24 > 0:20:29We're principally looking at grants. It is an incredibly complex project.
0:20:29 > 0:20:31I can see why so many other people were scared off,
0:20:31 > 0:20:34but if anyone's going to make it work, it's the Wymering Manor Trust,
0:20:34 > 0:20:37so I really do wish you the best of luck with it. Thank you.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39You're very kind.
0:20:45 > 0:20:46I suppose, over time,
0:20:46 > 0:20:49this grand old manor house has been somewhat marooned,
0:20:49 > 0:20:53its land gradually sold off around it until, for the last seven
0:20:53 > 0:20:58or eight years, it's just been sat here, empty and forgotten.
0:20:58 > 0:21:00But it can't be allowed to rot and disintegrate,
0:21:00 > 0:21:04it needs to be saved and that's what the trust is all about -
0:21:04 > 0:21:07preserving the building and celebrating its heritage.
0:21:07 > 0:21:09And it's not just about the building.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12The fact is, this is going to be a community space, which is
0:21:12 > 0:21:15so important because it means finally the Manor House
0:21:15 > 0:21:19will once again relate back to the local area.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24I'm with the Kellys in Herefordshire.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27They're renovating an empty Victorian cottage so sister Clare
0:21:27 > 0:21:31can have a home near her family. I'm going to introduce them
0:21:31 > 0:21:34to a couple who've done something very similar.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38Right, here we are. This is the place we want you to see.
0:21:38 > 0:21:40First impressions?
0:21:40 > 0:21:43Similar in size. It looks bigger. It is a little bit bigger.
0:21:43 > 0:21:45Possibly a bit bigger, yeah.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48It's been taken on by Tim and Susan and they've made it into a very
0:21:48 > 0:21:51sort of workable living space, so, shall we go and say hello?
0:21:51 > 0:21:53Yeah, absolutely. That's a good idea. Great.
0:21:55 > 0:21:59When Tim and Susan Organ found this cottage nestled in the heart of
0:21:59 > 0:22:04the Brecon Beacons, they knew they could create a very special home.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08We'd been living in France for ten years
0:22:08 > 0:22:12and we decided that we'd like to move back to the UK -
0:22:12 > 0:22:15grandchildren are arriving and we'd be closer to the family.
0:22:15 > 0:22:19And this is the area that I personally have always wanted to live
0:22:19 > 0:22:24in, because of my childhood and the lovely times I used to spend here.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27I suppose it was a bit of a dream.
0:22:27 > 0:22:29And here we are.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32When Tim discovered the cottage, it had been empty for the best
0:22:32 > 0:22:35part of a year and was in need of complete renovation.
0:22:35 > 0:22:39The building here was used in conjunction with the house
0:22:39 > 0:22:42next door as the place where their guests would stay,
0:22:42 > 0:22:48but it had minimal, um, sanitary fittings, um,
0:22:48 > 0:22:51it didn't have a kitchen, um,
0:22:51 > 0:22:53it wasn't a home in itself.
0:22:53 > 0:22:59The entire renovation cost ?100,000 and has taken five years to
0:22:59 > 0:23:03create a stunning cottage with a contemporary extension that's
0:23:03 > 0:23:05doubled the size of their home.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08Our approach was always that the little cottage should be
0:23:08 > 0:23:12the anchor of the site, it should be, in effect,
0:23:12 > 0:23:16the dominant element in the composition of the buildings here.
0:23:16 > 0:23:20Like the Kellys, Tim and Susan also got their family on board to help.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23We're lucky because, of course, Sam is very practical -
0:23:23 > 0:23:25he's the youngest one -
0:23:25 > 0:23:28and he did quite a bit of the work here.
0:23:28 > 0:23:30And then my eldest son, Charlie, um,
0:23:30 > 0:23:34he came and built the, er, the new bit.
0:23:34 > 0:23:40The build process has never been difficult, it's been great fun.
0:23:41 > 0:23:43It's everything about it.
0:23:43 > 0:23:47The light, especially the light, I think.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50Tim's passionate about bringing light into buildings.
0:23:50 > 0:23:55This room provides sunshine all day.
0:23:55 > 0:23:59We see it rise in the morning over the top of the Brecon Beacons
0:23:59 > 0:24:02and we see it go down over the hills of the west.
0:24:02 > 0:24:06So, we're very lucky in connecting with
0:24:06 > 0:24:08the landscape all day.
0:24:11 > 0:24:15I'm hoping Tim and Susan's home will show the Kellys what can be
0:24:15 > 0:24:17achieved with a small space.
0:24:19 > 0:24:21Lovely to be here and thank you for having us in.
0:24:21 > 0:24:23It is quite a small cottage. Tell me about it.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26What have you done to it since you took it on,
0:24:26 > 0:24:29how have you made it suitable for your needs?
0:24:29 > 0:24:33Well, the important thing is to maximise the use of every
0:24:33 > 0:24:34square inch and, uh,
0:24:34 > 0:24:38it's what I call caravan architecture, where you actually
0:24:38 > 0:24:42squeeze in everything that's important to you in one space.
0:24:42 > 0:24:46Does it encourage you that actually this size can be made to
0:24:46 > 0:24:49feel pretty spacious, actually, pretty light. It does, yeah.
0:24:49 > 0:24:50It's very similar in size
0:24:50 > 0:24:53and it's quite nice to see, it feels quite spacious compared to...
0:24:53 > 0:24:55You go into the cottage at the moment...
0:24:55 > 0:24:57But I think it's the light
0:24:57 > 0:24:59and that's what I think has been done so well here,
0:24:59 > 0:25:01which we're going to have to be quite careful with, I think,
0:25:01 > 0:25:04is making sure we get enough light into the house. Yeah.
0:25:04 > 0:25:08You can use top light as we did here at the top of the stairs, so that
0:25:08 > 0:25:11acts as a south light, it penetrates down to the kitchen, even.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14But that's a good point, cos it's double-storey in that
0:25:14 > 0:25:15little sort of well there, OK.
0:25:15 > 0:25:17Well, as you say, it is lovely and light in here.
0:25:17 > 0:25:18Shall we see a bit more? Yeah.
0:25:23 > 0:25:27They've cleverly married period features with contemporary design,
0:25:27 > 0:25:30but it took time to get the balance right.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34What were your biggest challenges here?
0:25:34 > 0:25:35Patience.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38Patience! Patience and planning - the Ps. Yeah.
0:25:38 > 0:25:43Patience overall, you know, as they say, doing it, um, the right way.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46I mean, we did do one or two things twice.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48Is there any advice you could give these guys to stop them
0:25:48 > 0:25:50doing something twice?
0:25:50 > 0:25:53You know, give yourself a break every now and again
0:25:53 > 0:25:56so you can come back to it anew.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59Uh, you can immerse yourself in it to such an extent that it becomes
0:25:59 > 0:26:02a burden and it should never be that, I mean,
0:26:02 > 0:26:06if you've got the enthusiasm and you make the time.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08That sounds like very important advice.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11Take a step back and maybe, Clare, that can be your role
0:26:11 > 0:26:14from afar to be reminding your brother to take a day off.
0:26:14 > 0:26:18Yeah, I think Dan sometimes does need to be told to just sort of,
0:26:18 > 0:26:21like, stop, take a step back. You know?
0:26:21 > 0:26:24Because he does get involved and gives 100 percent
0:26:24 > 0:26:26and he gets completely, sort of,
0:26:26 > 0:26:29engrossed in what he is doing and, you know,
0:26:29 > 0:26:31sometimes you just need to take a step back.
0:26:31 > 0:26:34Well, guys, thank you so much for showing us round. Yes, thank you.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37It really is quite a unique place and it's been lovely to see
0:26:37 > 0:26:39it today and thank you very much for your time, yeah.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42Brilliant, thanks very much. Thanks very much.
0:26:43 > 0:26:47I loved Tim and Susan's calm and stress-free approach to renovation
0:26:47 > 0:26:51and I hope today has given the Kelly family some food for thought.
0:26:51 > 0:26:52Has today been useful?
0:26:52 > 0:26:54I mean, seeing a cottage of similar size
0:26:54 > 0:26:56and seeing how it's been transformed?
0:26:56 > 0:27:00Walking into their kitchen-dining area today and having the light
0:27:00 > 0:27:02and sort of clean lines and finish,
0:27:02 > 0:27:05it just gives me a little bit of hope that we can achieve that.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08And, finally, I think, you've done it before, you've been there,
0:27:08 > 0:27:10you've done renovation programmes,
0:27:10 > 0:27:12but it doesn't hurt to have someone saying,
0:27:12 > 0:27:15"Step back every now and again, take a little bit of time to yourself."
0:27:15 > 0:27:16No, I think that advice is good advice.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19There were times where the mistakes I made in my place was
0:27:19 > 0:27:21because I was tired and it was a case of just,
0:27:21 > 0:27:22"I need to finish this."
0:27:22 > 0:27:25Where as it would have been better just to take a couple of days off
0:27:25 > 0:27:29and just, you know, just sit back and relax and just think, "It will
0:27:29 > 0:27:32"be better done next week," rather than making sure it's done today.
0:27:32 > 0:27:34Well, guys, you're clearly on the same hymn sheet.
0:27:34 > 0:27:36You make a great team as a family, you know
0:27:36 > 0:27:39what to expect from each other and you have two wonderful and actually
0:27:39 > 0:27:43very unique properties, so I really do wish you the best of luck.
0:27:43 > 0:27:45Thank you. Thanks. I hope it goes well.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51Every empty property presents a different challenge
0:27:51 > 0:27:53when the decision is taken to restore it,
0:27:53 > 0:27:58and yet they all require drive, determination, ambition
0:27:58 > 0:28:02and teamwork, and that's what I think this family has in abundance.
0:28:02 > 0:28:06It is going to be difficult, but I'm sure, before long, they will
0:28:06 > 0:28:10together create the perfect little country cottage for Clare.
0:28:25 > 0:28:28Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd