0:00:02 > 0:00:05Across the country, empty properties that could be homes
0:00:05 > 0:00:08are just waiting to be brought back into use.
0:00:09 > 0:00:10I'll be finding out why
0:00:10 > 0:00:14and what you need to do to rescue a house for yourself.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17And along the way I'll be doing some digging of my own to find out
0:00:17 > 0:00:21more about our housing stock, our heritage and why we should be
0:00:21 > 0:00:24both reinventing and preserving Britain's empty homes.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36Renovating an empty home can be a great way of getting onto
0:00:36 > 0:00:38the property ladder - that is,
0:00:38 > 0:00:42if you're aware that these places can be fraught with problems.
0:00:42 > 0:00:45But if you do your homework, you plan carefully
0:00:45 > 0:00:46and you're determined,
0:00:46 > 0:00:51then the benefit of transforming an empty home can be truly rewarding.
0:00:52 > 0:00:53On today's show,
0:00:53 > 0:00:57a couple who've come to the rescue of a Grade II listed cottage.
0:00:57 > 0:01:02Matthew attempted to scrape off all this Artex and skim,
0:01:02 > 0:01:05so he started and got really tired.
0:01:05 > 0:01:09A town centre regeneration project transforming old council buildings
0:01:09 > 0:01:11including a police station.
0:01:11 > 0:01:15The space lends itself incredibly well and you see by the size
0:01:15 > 0:01:18of the windows and structures that they work very well for conversion.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21And we follow one of Britain's empty property officers
0:01:21 > 0:01:23working to bring a building back to life.
0:01:23 > 0:01:25It means that after five years,
0:01:25 > 0:01:27this property is nearly back into use
0:01:27 > 0:01:30creating seven units of accommodation.
0:01:31 > 0:01:35Letchworth is the world's first garden city.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38Created as a solution to the squalor of urban life
0:01:38 > 0:01:40in the late 19th century.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43And it was in these lush surroundings that Monelle
0:01:43 > 0:01:47and Matthew came across this empty Grade II listed cottage.
0:01:47 > 0:01:52When I first saw the house online, yeah, it's tiny, it's small,
0:01:52 > 0:01:54but I knew that this was going to be our house.
0:01:54 > 0:01:59I was a bit dubious because the condition the house is in.
0:01:59 > 0:02:03Windows, they're rotting. We need new doors put in.
0:02:03 > 0:02:07Everywhere needs replastering, rewiring, replumbing.
0:02:07 > 0:02:09So everything needs doing!
0:02:09 > 0:02:13I actually thought, well, don't buy this house, just buy another one and
0:02:13 > 0:02:17we looked at several more houses but all the time Monelle really wanted
0:02:17 > 0:02:19to live in this house.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22I was fighting because I knew that this was the only house that
0:02:22 > 0:02:26had the character that could justify the money being spent on it
0:02:26 > 0:02:28and this had so much potential.
0:02:28 > 0:02:32Houses like this rarely come on the market in Letchworth.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35After lying empty for over nine months, it was repossessed
0:02:35 > 0:02:37and put up for sale.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40We were lucky enough that it was empty for a very long time, so
0:02:40 > 0:02:44we were able to get a three-bedroom house at below market value.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47Normally we'd like to have the house ready to live in
0:02:47 > 0:02:53but it wasn't going to happen for under 200,000 in Letchworth.
0:02:53 > 0:02:57The couple paid ?193,000 for the house,
0:02:57 > 0:03:025,000 over the asking price, which has eaten into the renovation funds.
0:03:03 > 0:03:07We're doing everything on a very nominal budget.
0:03:07 > 0:03:11?20,000, but that might change.
0:03:11 > 0:03:12Yeah.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14SHE LAUGHS
0:03:14 > 0:03:18To make their challenge even bigger, their new home is listed
0:03:18 > 0:03:20and it's also in a conservation area.
0:03:20 > 0:03:24This means they'll be answerable to two separate governing bodies,
0:03:24 > 0:03:27each with its own strict planning regulations.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30We want to do a two-storey extension.
0:03:30 > 0:03:35New kitchen with a dining area, a new bathroom upstairs, so
0:03:35 > 0:03:39if we're unable to go upwards because we're in a conservation area,
0:03:39 > 0:03:41how will we be able to get the bathroom upstairs?
0:03:41 > 0:03:43That's the big question mark.
0:03:43 > 0:03:47Monelle seems to be the driving force behind this project,
0:03:47 > 0:03:51but just how realistic are their building plans?
0:03:51 > 0:03:53We're meeting one-on-one to have a look at the house
0:03:53 > 0:03:57and to think through the potential pitfalls that lie ahead.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00This is very attractive. Tell me about this place.
0:04:00 > 0:04:05This is a cottage built in 1902. OK. It was empty for about a year.
0:04:05 > 0:04:09It needs everything doing to it, inside and out. Big challenge.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12And the area, I mean, it is gorgeous.
0:04:12 > 0:04:14Tranquil neighbourhood, lots of green space.
0:04:14 > 0:04:18Yeah, lovely, and it's perfect for our first marital home.
0:04:18 > 0:04:20That's what it is? It's your first home together? Yeah.
0:04:20 > 0:04:22We were living at my mum's before so this is
0:04:22 > 0:04:25our place where we're going to build a family and the green
0:04:25 > 0:04:28is perfect for kids in the future, so it would be lovely here.
0:04:28 > 0:04:30Gosh, you've thought of everything.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36Well, this, Monelle, seems lovely. Really good condition.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39Original floors. You got this great fireplace and everything.
0:04:39 > 0:04:41That's the sort of stuff that attracted you to it?
0:04:41 > 0:04:45Yeah, I love old things, so I just knew that this was our house.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48And you were in London before, so why Letchworth Garden City?
0:04:48 > 0:04:52It's got a nice country feel but we're not too far away from town.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54Tell me about the place, is it, what, two bedrooms?
0:04:54 > 0:04:56Three small, very compact bedrooms
0:04:56 > 0:05:00but it's not got a traditional lay out, so it's a bit more of a blank canvas.
0:05:00 > 0:05:05And what was it that attracted you to an empty property? I mean, what was the benefit for you?
0:05:05 > 0:05:09The benefit was that we got it under market value and it was vacant,
0:05:09 > 0:05:12there were no chains involved, which was perfect for us.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15So you've just moved in? Yeah, we've just moved in.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18I didn't want to move in. I wanted all the work to be done and then we move in
0:05:18 > 0:05:20and it's all lovely and beautiful.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22But Matthew was like, "No, we're going in."
0:05:22 > 0:05:26So, we're going to be living on-site while the works are being done,
0:05:26 > 0:05:28the rewire, the replumb, the knocking down walls.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30And all the other dirty bits.
0:05:30 > 0:05:34Fun. Yeah. Let's see some more, shall we?
0:05:37 > 0:05:40This place clearly needs work, but a good renovation is
0:05:40 > 0:05:44a balance between cutting costs without cutting corners.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47This is the master bedroom. This is the master? OK.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50Clearly some work has started in here. What's been going on?
0:05:50 > 0:05:53Matthew attempted to scrape off all this Artex
0:05:53 > 0:05:58and skim the ceiling, so he started and got really tired.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01Yeah, it is tiring, isn't it? OK. Normally plastering is something
0:06:01 > 0:06:03that people tend to get specialists in for.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06Is this a budget decision, the fact you're giving it a go?
0:06:06 > 0:06:08That's Matthew's decision. Matthew's decision?
0:06:08 > 0:06:11Yeah, I got someone in and he was like, "Stop calling men in."
0:06:11 > 0:06:14Erm, "I can try and do it." "I can I can handle this!" Yeah.
0:06:14 > 0:06:15How do you think that's going?
0:06:15 > 0:06:18So far, I think we need to get someone in.
0:06:18 > 0:06:20THE LAUGH
0:06:20 > 0:06:22This is one of the bedrooms.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24There's another room there and another room there.
0:06:24 > 0:06:28That's the guest room and this is like the cot room/study.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32It will be an office. That's like a rectangle room. Rectangle room? Yeah.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35You're specifically avoiding the term boxroom because it's incorrect?
0:06:35 > 0:06:38Yeah, it's not a boxroom. It does have some space in there.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41Someone suggested using it as a bathroom
0:06:41 > 0:06:44and I really don't want to lose that room as a bedroom.
0:06:44 > 0:06:46So your only bathroom at the moment is downstairs?
0:06:46 > 0:06:49Yeah, that's why we came up with the double-storey extension.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52So, you're the boss on this it sounds like, I mean, you kind of...
0:06:52 > 0:06:56Yeah, I made myself project manager. Good. Matthew's happy. Is he? Yeah.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01Monelle seems to have a very clear idea of what she wants
0:07:01 > 0:07:03and I'm keen to know more about her ambitious plans
0:07:03 > 0:07:06for the structure of the building.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09Monelle, just tell me where the extension's going to go then.
0:07:09 > 0:07:11It's going to come out into the garden, is it?
0:07:11 > 0:07:13Yeah, we're going to bring all of this out
0:07:13 > 0:07:16to about here for the kitchen diner
0:07:16 > 0:07:21and build a dormer there, ideally, to put that bathroom upstairs.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24Is there a chance you won't be able to do what you want to this house?
0:07:24 > 0:07:25I'm worried they're going to say,
0:07:25 > 0:07:27"Oh, no, you can't put a bathroom upstairs." Yeah.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29That's probably the biggest concern.
0:07:29 > 0:07:33Is there a precedent here for a double-storey extension on the back of one of these properties?
0:07:33 > 0:07:36Our neighbour has... A single-storey one.
0:07:36 > 0:07:40Yes, a single-storey one, but the end of terrace are double-storeys. Yeah.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43Extensions, new windows, wet rooms, kitchen diners,
0:07:43 > 0:07:45all the fixtures and fittings.
0:07:45 > 0:07:47How much do you think it's going to cost?
0:07:47 > 0:07:52We're hoping it doesn't go over 25 but Matthew, he's better with money.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55OK. I don't really care too much about things like that.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58I'm a bit more relaxed about things like that,
0:07:58 > 0:08:02he's more of the logical, structured guy with the finances
0:08:02 > 0:08:06and I'm kind of like, "We'll get it back" sort of thing.
0:08:06 > 0:08:07We'll get the money back.
0:08:07 > 0:08:10There's a balance there. So, he's the maths teacher,
0:08:10 > 0:08:12going to be in charge of the purse, and you're
0:08:12 > 0:08:14the project manager telling him he can't plaster.
0:08:14 > 0:08:16Yeah, I'm the imaginative one.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19OK. Yeah. The visionary? Yes. OK. Yeah, yeah.
0:08:19 > 0:08:23Why 25? That's kind of what you've got that you can spend on it now.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25Yeah. If it goes over, it means we have to borrow money. Right.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28And because we had a bidding war initially,
0:08:28 > 0:08:32we ate into our renovation budget anyway so Matthew
0:08:32 > 0:08:36was blaming me for going over, but we had to secure the place. OK.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39At this stage I think what's going to be really useful for you
0:08:39 > 0:08:42is to see another property in many ways similar to this.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44It's listed, it's in a conservation area,
0:08:44 > 0:08:46so there's been lots of restrictions.
0:08:46 > 0:08:48Meet the woman behind it
0:08:48 > 0:08:50and she can tell you a bit more about how she's done it
0:08:50 > 0:08:53and hopefully she'll have some great advice, how does that sound?
0:08:53 > 0:08:54Yeah, that'll be very helpful.
0:08:56 > 0:08:58Well, this really is a lovely little place.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01I can see why Matthew and Monelle were so attracted to it
0:09:01 > 0:09:02and the surrounding area.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04But boy, there are some challenges ahead here.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07The main thing is, it's listed and it's in a conservation zone
0:09:07 > 0:09:10which is just going to throw up so many challenges.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13So I think it's going to be really good for Monelle to meet
0:09:13 > 0:09:16a lady who's been through this, who's taken on a similar historic
0:09:16 > 0:09:19protected building, she knows about the restrictions,
0:09:19 > 0:09:22and hopefully she'll give some great advice.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25Whether you're sold on owning a commercial site
0:09:25 > 0:09:28or you're praying for a vacant church, with a little imagination
0:09:28 > 0:09:31and plenty of perseverance, the unlikeliest of places
0:09:31 > 0:09:34can become your dream home.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37In Hoylandswaine, West Yorkshire, Amanda Wills
0:09:37 > 0:09:40and her husband Steve were looking close to home
0:09:40 > 0:09:44when they focused on this Grade II listed barn on Amanda's family farm.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47I spent most of my childhood in this barn.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50My mum and dad had put in for planning years ago
0:09:50 > 0:09:53so it was already passed to do up into a house.
0:09:53 > 0:09:59We were staying initially in a static caravan parked in my mum's garden.
0:09:59 > 0:10:03Two children, two cats, and a dog.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06I think they just thought it would be a few months, not two years.
0:10:06 > 0:10:10Having paid Amanda's parents ?100,000 for the large barn, Steve
0:10:10 > 0:10:14was relishing the opportunity to create his own unique living space.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18It was very, very difficult to imagine it as a home, because it was
0:10:18 > 0:10:21so run down. There was no heating, there was no water.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23It did get pretty stressful at times.
0:10:23 > 0:10:24Obviously, full-time jobs.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27And then on top of that you come home and things haven't been
0:10:27 > 0:10:30done quite the way you were expecting them to be done.
0:10:30 > 0:10:32We've ended up having to take the whole roof off.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34Brand-new trusses all the way through.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37Partially rebuild one full external wall as well
0:10:37 > 0:10:40so it's been a fairly major undertaking.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43And the Grade II listing presented plenty of challenges.
0:10:43 > 0:10:45We don't want to try and do things that we're not allowed to do
0:10:45 > 0:10:48and alter the character of the building too much
0:10:48 > 0:10:51but when we feel like we've kind of done something very sympathetic,
0:10:51 > 0:10:54but still something that is very fitting to what
0:10:54 > 0:10:57we want to try and achieve and that gets rejected, that's frustrating.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00We purposely didn't go for a typical barn conversion.
0:11:00 > 0:11:02We wanted something quite modern and contemporary.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04But not the kind of modern
0:11:04 > 0:11:07and contemporary that you could find in a penthouse apartment somewhere.
0:11:07 > 0:11:08We are in a barn, essentially.
0:11:08 > 0:11:12And it needed to be that kind of honest modernity that
0:11:12 > 0:11:13I was really trying to achieve.
0:11:13 > 0:11:16It could have been an eight bedroom property if we wanted it to be.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19Yeah. But we wanted some real moments of, you know... Wow factor.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22Yeah, definitely. And some nice open space.
0:11:23 > 0:11:24The biggest moment was
0:11:24 > 0:11:28when the single-storey opening on the side of the building got
0:11:28 > 0:11:29knocked out to a double height opening
0:11:29 > 0:11:33and the natural light that flooded in was just absolutely amazing.
0:11:33 > 0:11:35Yeah, because it was really dark.
0:11:35 > 0:11:39I'm a bit more of a kind of brutal minimalist and Amanda's a bit
0:11:39 > 0:11:41more of a...a bit more kind of home...
0:11:41 > 0:11:43creature comforts a little bit. Yeah.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45So getting that balance right was really critical.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47I didn't want to live in an art gallery.
0:11:47 > 0:11:49I wanted it to feel like a home
0:11:49 > 0:11:52but at the same time, I didn't want it too homely either.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55I don't want to go anywhere else. Other than Barbados, I can't really,
0:11:55 > 0:11:58I can't really imagine a better place in fairness.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00I mean, it's absolutely lovely.
0:12:00 > 0:12:02Right in the countryside, we've got lovely views.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05On a gorgeous sunny day, it's...perfect.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08This is where I've grown-up, this is my home.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10It's quite an emotional tie
0:12:10 > 0:12:13and I don't think I'd want to be anywhere else.
0:12:15 > 0:12:20Great Yarmouth is a seaside town known for its tourist industry.
0:12:20 > 0:12:22But because of the economic climate,
0:12:22 > 0:12:25many office buildings here sit empty.
0:12:25 > 0:12:27According to the Government,
0:12:27 > 0:12:30one in ten offices have been empty for at least six months.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33Now, even if just a fraction of these were
0:12:33 > 0:12:36converted into residential dwellings, it would create a
0:12:36 > 0:12:39significant number of much-needed homes in town centres
0:12:39 > 0:12:41and cities across the country.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44That's exactly what the forward-thinking council
0:12:44 > 0:12:46here in Great Yarmouth is targeting.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49And helping them is the Saffron Housing Trust, which is taking on
0:12:49 > 0:12:53centrally located ex-council offices ripe for refurbishment.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56But renovating commercial spaces into family homes
0:12:56 > 0:12:58brings its own set of challenges.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01John Whitelock from the trust explains why.
0:13:01 > 0:13:05Well, John, these buildings, they're extremely grand, what are they?
0:13:05 > 0:13:06What we've got is, we've got
0:13:06 > 0:13:10the original police station here which is this building here
0:13:10 > 0:13:13and a bit further down there we've got the old fire station.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15Both built around the 1900s.
0:13:15 > 0:13:19We've also got this one here which was part of the old kind of
0:13:19 > 0:13:21Town Hall complex that was in Great Yarmouth. I see.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23And how is it you came to own these buildings?
0:13:23 > 0:13:25They had been trying to sell them as offices
0:13:25 > 0:13:27but hadn't managed to do that.
0:13:27 > 0:13:31Costing them 100,000-ish a year, just to keep them sitting here
0:13:31 > 0:13:32not really doing anything.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35If you look down that way, there's a large office block that's
0:13:35 > 0:13:37been sitting empty for even longer.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40They're going to be much more valued as properties
0:13:40 > 0:13:43and homes for people and families. Absolutely.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46I mean, and that reflects when the borough council made the decision that it was going to
0:13:46 > 0:13:50pass on the houses and they only passed them on to us
0:13:50 > 0:13:52for a pound, which you can imagine created... A pound?
0:13:52 > 0:13:56Yeah. That's because they need a load of work done to them.
0:13:56 > 0:14:00And Saffron will be investing ?2 million into the build, which is a load of money.
0:14:00 > 0:14:02Let's have a look inside, shall we?
0:14:02 > 0:14:05Maintaining properties that have been left empty
0:14:05 > 0:14:07cost the council money.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10It hopes that by giving the housing trust a licence to create affordable
0:14:10 > 0:14:14homes, it will both benefit the community and save public money.
0:14:16 > 0:14:17John, tell me about where we are here?
0:14:17 > 0:14:20We're in the old fire station.
0:14:20 > 0:14:22These used to be the bays for the actual engines. Really?
0:14:22 > 0:14:25Literally the kind of place where the engines pulled in.
0:14:25 > 0:14:28You had the three engines across there. Fantastic.
0:14:28 > 0:14:30So what is the plan, what are you hoping to create?
0:14:30 > 0:14:33We're looking to get in 16 two-bedroom flats in here,
0:14:33 > 0:14:3711 one-bedroom flats and then the two little properties
0:14:37 > 0:14:40outside will be converted into a couple of cottages.
0:14:40 > 0:14:42Is this typical of the sort of spaces
0:14:42 > 0:14:44that you're trying to convert here?
0:14:44 > 0:14:46Well, when you're doing a conversion of a building like this,
0:14:46 > 0:14:49you look at how the building is laid out,
0:14:49 > 0:14:52see what can work in here in terms of accommodation.
0:14:52 > 0:14:54This doesn't necessarily show it very well in here,
0:14:54 > 0:14:56but they are beautiful buildings.
0:14:56 > 0:14:58It should feel quite light and airy.
0:14:58 > 0:15:01They will feel magnificent, hopefully.
0:15:01 > 0:15:06One of the things we will have to do is raise up the floor levels
0:15:06 > 0:15:07because we are in a flood zone here.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10So we've got to raise the floors by about a metre,
0:15:10 > 0:15:12which is quite a significant area.
0:15:12 > 0:15:14You've enough height to be able to do that? Yeah.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16Thanks very much for showing me round.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19Reviving both the fire station and the interconnecting police station
0:15:19 > 0:15:23and turning them into new homes will preserve this unique architecture.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26And it is hoped it will also give a much-needed boost
0:15:26 > 0:15:28to the town's local economy.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32Site manager Paul explains how they plan to unlock
0:15:32 > 0:15:34the potential in this abandoned cop shop.
0:15:34 > 0:15:39What we're standing in now was the cells to the police station. Ah.
0:15:39 > 0:15:43As you can see, they look like you'd expect cells to look like.
0:15:43 > 0:15:44They're turn of the century.
0:15:44 > 0:15:48How tricky is it to convert these into flats, residential places?
0:15:48 > 0:15:51Buildings of this ilk, they are quite simple to carve up
0:15:51 > 0:15:53into flats as we've gone through the designs.
0:15:53 > 0:15:55The space lends itself incredibly well.
0:15:55 > 0:15:57You see with the size of the windows
0:15:57 > 0:16:00and structure of the cells, they work very well for conversion.
0:16:00 > 0:16:02Have you had experience of this history, this period?
0:16:02 > 0:16:05Yeah, we've done three buildings of this ilk in Great Yarmouth,
0:16:05 > 0:16:08which, funny enough, the same architect to design these buildings,
0:16:08 > 0:16:12HA Cockerell, his features, as you've seen outside, the terracotta work,
0:16:12 > 0:16:15is a feature of his and it does feature quite a bit through the town.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18Do you really think it will make a difference
0:16:18 > 0:16:19and could start to spark things off here?
0:16:19 > 0:16:22Absolutely. With the business and to have this many people,
0:16:22 > 0:16:25to have 29 households contributing to the local economy,
0:16:25 > 0:16:27it will make a huge difference to the town, without a shadow of doubt.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31I really think this project makes sense.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33First of all, it's a crying shame to leave any buildings like this
0:16:33 > 0:16:36sitting empty, but particularly in a town centre.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38And this is all about affordable housing,
0:16:38 > 0:16:40that's what Great Yarmouth needs.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42And to that end I think there's really good vision here
0:16:42 > 0:16:45from the council and Saffron Housing Trust.
0:16:45 > 0:16:48Hopefully, when this project is complete,
0:16:48 > 0:16:51it will help regenerate the town centre and this local area.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57Across Britain, empty property officers employed by local councils
0:16:57 > 0:17:00are constantly carrying out detective work on our
0:17:00 > 0:17:04abandoned homes, working tirelessly to bring them back into use.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09In South Kent, Iain Cobby does just that.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12He's on his way to inspect work on the conversion of an office block
0:17:12 > 0:17:15in Folkestone town centre that's been sitting empty
0:17:15 > 0:17:18and unused for five years.
0:17:18 > 0:17:24The property was previously an office accommodation block, purpose-built.
0:17:24 > 0:17:26It has become empty.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29The new owners bought the property about six months ago
0:17:29 > 0:17:34and have got permission to turn it into seven self-contained units.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37That'll mean that it will provide accommodation for people
0:17:37 > 0:17:40on the council's housing list.
0:17:42 > 0:17:47The new owner has been granted a five-year loan of ?236,000
0:17:47 > 0:17:49to be issued in stages.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52The loan is through Kent County Council's No Use Empty scheme.
0:17:52 > 0:17:56Today, Iain is meeting his colleague, Steve Grimshaw,
0:17:56 > 0:18:00and the developer, Sirajul Islam, to check the progress on-site
0:18:00 > 0:18:03and hopefully sign off the second stage of funding.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06Good morning, gentlemen. Steve, how are you?
0:18:06 > 0:18:08Good to see you again.
0:18:08 > 0:18:12Shall we go in and have a look at the work so far? Yes. Thank you.
0:18:14 > 0:18:17They'll only continue issuing the loan if the work completed
0:18:17 > 0:18:21at this stage is done to the council's exacting standards.
0:18:21 > 0:18:23This is the existing building
0:18:23 > 0:18:27and this is changing to how it will be now.
0:18:27 > 0:18:30How many flats in total, Mr Islam?
0:18:30 > 0:18:33In total, seven. That's great.
0:18:33 > 0:18:35First phase. Yes.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38And then the architect will design for a second phase,
0:18:38 > 0:18:40will be another four flats.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43That's amazing. Can we see a little more then? Yes.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48Iain and Steve need to be assured that the build
0:18:48 > 0:18:51is progressing on schedule and within budget.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55This is the bedroom. Yes.
0:18:55 > 0:18:59Flat number six. Right, I'm with you, yes.
0:18:59 > 0:19:01It looks, well, apart from the front of the building,
0:19:01 > 0:19:03it looks nearly finished. Yes.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06It would seem that there's been a lot of money spent on this.
0:19:06 > 0:19:07Yes, already, yes.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10We are just counting down to start from tomorrow. Brilliant.
0:19:10 > 0:19:14To put the kitchen and the second fixing, which is skirtings.
0:19:14 > 0:19:18Obviously they will do this coat and then they will start painting
0:19:18 > 0:19:21and put the skirting in those. Great.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24So, Mr Islam, there's still a lot of work being undertaken today.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27Is it all going to plan in terms of project timescales?
0:19:27 > 0:19:30Yes, everything is going well here. It will get done.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33In terms of the overall budget, how are things going with that?
0:19:33 > 0:19:35Good, going well.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37Yeah. We are nearly there.
0:19:37 > 0:19:40We are spending some from our own pocket
0:19:40 > 0:19:41while we're waiting for the next lot.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43So you've already exhausted
0:19:43 > 0:19:45the first round of funding we've given you? Yes.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48I think myself and Iain are very happy. Very much so.
0:19:48 > 0:19:52I think Kent County Council's No Use Empty Scheme will be willing
0:19:52 > 0:19:55to let you have the second part of the contract in order
0:19:55 > 0:19:59to take the project forward to hopefully a satisfactory completion.
0:19:59 > 0:20:01Yeah, thank you very much, yes. Thank you.
0:20:03 > 0:20:05It's great news all round.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08And with the loan signed off, the building is well on its way
0:20:08 > 0:20:10to providing much-needed homes for local people.
0:20:13 > 0:20:17Well, I'm really pleased at what's happened here today.
0:20:17 > 0:20:20The work has been progressing fantastically.
0:20:21 > 0:20:26I'm so pleased that Mr Islam has actually signed the contract.
0:20:26 > 0:20:30It means that after five years, this property is nearly back into use,
0:20:30 > 0:20:35creating seven units of accommodation. That is fantastic.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39If you're interested in tracking down a disused house
0:20:39 > 0:20:43to turn into a home, then your local empty property officer
0:20:43 > 0:20:45should be one of your first ports of call.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48Also ask around the local estate agents and keep your eyes peeled
0:20:48 > 0:20:51for those tell-tale signs of abandoned buildings.
0:20:53 > 0:20:57Back in the historic garden city of Letchworth, I'm with Monelle,
0:20:57 > 0:21:00who, with her husband Matthew, has bought a listed cottage
0:21:00 > 0:21:05in need of some serious TLC, set in a beautiful conservation area.
0:21:05 > 0:21:09They have grand plans but a tight budget, so to help them
0:21:09 > 0:21:12I'm going to introduce Monelle, the self-appointed project manager,
0:21:12 > 0:21:16to a lady who has tackled a very similar renovation.
0:21:16 > 0:21:18This is the place I want you to see.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21It really is quite an extraordinary and, in my opinion,
0:21:21 > 0:21:24a very beautiful house. I think it's lovely.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27I've driven past and I've noticed the blue windows.
0:21:27 > 0:21:29It's a very pretty country-looking house.
0:21:29 > 0:21:33It's got quite a history to it, I'll let Sue explain the details.
0:21:33 > 0:21:35But Sue has come across many of the same challenges
0:21:35 > 0:21:37that you're about face. OK.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39Let's go and say hello, shall we? Yes.
0:21:41 > 0:21:43Sue Johnson had her eye on this place for a long time,
0:21:43 > 0:21:47when it was put up for auction in 2009.
0:21:47 > 0:21:51I'd been driving past it for 30 years plus thinking,
0:21:51 > 0:21:53"Oh, I'd love a poke around there."
0:21:53 > 0:21:57And then it came up for auction and I thought, "That has to be mine!"
0:21:57 > 0:22:00Having been empty for year,
0:22:00 > 0:22:02the building was completely uninhabitable
0:22:02 > 0:22:05when Sue paid ?250,000 for it.
0:22:05 > 0:22:07It was perfectly sound,
0:22:07 > 0:22:11but inside it had fallen into complete disrepair.
0:22:11 > 0:22:13I saw it at its absolute worst.
0:22:14 > 0:22:16But I didn't notice.
0:22:17 > 0:22:19It wasn't Sue's first renovation project
0:22:19 > 0:22:22but it was certainly her largest.
0:22:22 > 0:22:26It was the 10th house I'd renovated but none of the others
0:22:26 > 0:22:31required the amount of work and input that this one did.
0:22:31 > 0:22:33I really love renovating houses.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35It was abandoned.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38If we want such buildings to be preserved,
0:22:38 > 0:22:41then we need people to take care of them.
0:22:41 > 0:22:43It's like bringing something back to life.
0:22:43 > 0:22:47It's a real privilege to be able to do that.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50Sue, tell us a bit about the history of this building.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53Well, it was built for the Cheap Cottages Competition
0:22:53 > 0:22:55in Letchworth in 1905.
0:22:55 > 0:22:59They could build houses out of wood, this one is made of concrete.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02It was made in pieces in Liverpool.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04It went up in 36 hours, like Lego.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07It took me 15 months to renovate.
0:23:07 > 0:23:11What sort of state was it in when you took it on? In a dreadful state.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13It had never been plastered, it will still concrete,
0:23:13 > 0:23:17the floors were concrete. The windows needed loads of attention.
0:23:17 > 0:23:19You walked up to the front of the house,
0:23:19 > 0:23:21you were struck by the blue windows, weren't you? Yes.
0:23:21 > 0:23:25It's so striking and bright, it lifts up the street in a way.
0:23:25 > 0:23:29The pale blue paint on the windows, it was pale blue in 1905,
0:23:29 > 0:23:31which would have been really unusual then.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34And this, I love. This is an old butcher's block. Yes.
0:23:34 > 0:23:37That I bought in a junk shop in Letchworth.
0:23:37 > 0:23:41You can save lots of money doing a renovation if you... That's good!
0:23:41 > 0:23:43..if you buy some things that are not new.
0:23:43 > 0:23:46Are you a fan of the older style, this kind of look
0:23:46 > 0:23:48and the collection of antique furniture?
0:23:48 > 0:23:50Yeah, I've always loved old furniture.
0:23:50 > 0:23:52I often go to reclaim yards.
0:23:52 > 0:23:56It's got a lovely country feel. It's an interesting lay out.
0:23:56 > 0:23:58This was the kitchen in the original house,
0:23:58 > 0:24:01but when I bought the house, I think it had been a living room.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04I had a couple of architects and the first one said,
0:24:04 > 0:24:07"This can't possibly be a kitchen, it's completely unsuitable."
0:24:07 > 0:24:08Really? Hmm.
0:24:08 > 0:24:12Right. You showed them, didn't you?
0:24:12 > 0:24:15Probably of most interest to Monelle is seeing the extension,
0:24:15 > 0:24:19and finding out just how Sue fared dealing with all the various
0:24:19 > 0:24:21planning authorities in Letchworth.
0:24:21 > 0:24:22This is the living room.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25The original house ended there, this would have been the back door.
0:24:25 > 0:24:27Fantastic. Wow.
0:24:27 > 0:24:31Did you put the fireplace in? Yes. It's a false chimney.
0:24:31 > 0:24:33All that character has been injected in the extension.
0:24:33 > 0:24:37That's why I love what you've done, because the extension plans
0:24:37 > 0:24:39that we have is to have a protruding bit of wall.
0:24:39 > 0:24:42How difficult was it to get this extension?
0:24:42 > 0:24:44It's a listed building, it's Grade II listed, am I right?
0:24:44 > 0:24:47It's Grade II* listed. Grade II* listed, blimey!
0:24:47 > 0:24:51I had to deal with English Heritage, the Letchworth Heritage Foundation
0:24:51 > 0:24:54and the conservation officer from the council.
0:24:54 > 0:24:57Many times they didn't agree with each other, never mind me!
0:24:57 > 0:25:01But also, I think it's really important to get to know them.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03Sue, in all the new build you've had here
0:25:03 > 0:25:06and the things you've added on, any advice for Monelle on that?
0:25:06 > 0:25:07I realise, for instance, there was
0:25:07 > 0:25:10no way I was going to be allowed to extend upstairs.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13How did you know that? Because they told me. That was very definite.
0:25:13 > 0:25:15Did they say why? Yes.
0:25:15 > 0:25:20If you have a listed building, they like to be able to see the original.
0:25:20 > 0:25:25You can't cover it up and disguise it. That's the reason.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28If I'd extended here, they wouldn't have been able to see
0:25:28 > 0:25:31the back of the house, it would have completely changed it.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34But you don't always have to take an absolute no for an answer,
0:25:34 > 0:25:37there's room for negotiation sometimes.
0:25:37 > 0:25:39What does it cost to put an extension on like this
0:25:39 > 0:25:42and do a total renovation and modernisation of a house like this?
0:25:42 > 0:25:47I bought the house for ?250,000. But it cost more than that to renovate.
0:25:47 > 0:25:50That a different scale to the sort of budget you've got available.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52It doesn't alarm me.
0:25:52 > 0:25:54Stoic, that's good. Yeah.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57But if Matthew was here, he doesn't have that mind of thinking.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59What would he say, would he be worried that you would have
0:25:59 > 0:26:01to borrow on top of your savings?
0:26:01 > 0:26:05He's thinking that's probably going to have to be the case anyway.
0:26:05 > 0:26:07OK, so that's becoming reality, that's adjusting.
0:26:07 > 0:26:10Yeah, that's in our consciousness.
0:26:10 > 0:26:14It's probably a good idea to find out why your house is listed.
0:26:14 > 0:26:15This one, for instance,
0:26:15 > 0:26:19hadn't got any wonderful features that had to be kept.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22It's listed because it's one of the first prefabricated
0:26:22 > 0:26:24buildings in the world, apparently.
0:26:24 > 0:26:26The message you're also giving is you are somebody who is
0:26:26 > 0:26:29really taking this seriously and wants to do it properly.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32And once they've got that message, they do relax.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36They are easier to deal with then. Well, that was my experience anyway.
0:26:39 > 0:26:41It's quite a property, isn't it?
0:26:41 > 0:26:44Sitting here in the lovely landscaped gardens around it,
0:26:44 > 0:26:49what have you taken from today? I feel very inspired actually.
0:26:49 > 0:26:51Just sitting out here,
0:26:51 > 0:26:55thinking about why we moved to Letchworth in the first place.
0:26:55 > 0:26:56Sue's journey here,
0:26:56 > 0:26:59it's almost like that's going to be my little black book.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02I will knock at Sue's and get some more links.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05Sue is very clear on why this building is listed.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08That was her advice as well - understand the history,
0:27:08 > 0:27:10understand the heritage, that kind of discovery.
0:27:10 > 0:27:12That was brilliant advice.
0:27:12 > 0:27:16Because once we understand why it's listed, we can then find out what the
0:27:16 > 0:27:22restrictions are and where they may be a little bit more lenient or not.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24Do you believe you can do what you need to do
0:27:24 > 0:27:26to your property for the budget you've got?
0:27:26 > 0:27:29Personally, I don't think our plans are so ambitious.
0:27:29 > 0:27:33Because we're going to be living there, it will be an ongoing process.
0:27:33 > 0:27:37So money will be spent not instantly, it will be progressively.
0:27:37 > 0:27:39It's an amazing little place you've got.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41I know there's going to be some challenges ahead but,
0:27:41 > 0:27:43boy, it'll be quite special when it's done. Definitely, yeah.
0:27:43 > 0:27:47I'm really, really happy about what we've discovered
0:27:47 > 0:27:48and the advice we've had today.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51Good luck with it. Thank you.
0:27:51 > 0:27:54These projects can be very tricky, especially when the building
0:27:54 > 0:27:57is listed and certainly when it's in a conservation zone.
0:27:57 > 0:27:59And there are many challenges,
0:27:59 > 0:28:01but there aren't many that Sue hasn't faced at some point,
0:28:01 > 0:28:05so it's great she's been able to pass some of that wisdom on,
0:28:05 > 0:28:07so hopefully Monelle and Matthew
0:28:07 > 0:28:10will very soon have their own dream home like this.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd