The Big Build - Chesterfield DIY SOS

Hello and welcome to DIY SOS. This week we're in Chesterfield, which is near Sheffield.

'We're here to help a young family living in a building site.

'Mother, Lisa, has to provide constant care to a daughter with a rare disorder.'

She's never fed from birth. She's never fed at all.

When your baby's born, it should be the best time of your life. It's just been hell.

'Father, Richard, is a builder, who's trying to create the home they need

'before they reach breaking point.'

As a brick layer, you think you should do everything - you can't.

Doing 18-hour days, some days.

'This shell of an extension is yet another challenging build.'

'We can only manage it, if the local community comes out in force.'

We've got the extension to do, a roof to put on.

We've got floors to put in. We've got openings to make in brick walls. We've got to rewire the house.

'Anything else?'

We've got to put central heating in because they haven't got any.

You've got a leak over here.

LAUGHTER

'Yes, we need to unleash a proverbial horde of trades on it.'

We've got a lot to do, really.

This is DIY SOS The Big Build.

'We're here because this young family desperately needs our help.

'Lisa and Richard Watson and their children,

'seven-year-old, Lewis and two-and-a-half-year-old, Madison.'

I think I was 16, Lisa was 15, we met through friends.

11 years ago now. We've been together forever.

'They started a family when Lisa was just 18

'and the couple had their first child, Lewis.

'Soon after they tied the knot and were looking forward to the future.'

We knew we wanted to have more kids, so we moved to a big property with a lot of potential.

'As Richard's a builder he saw that, with hard work, this place could become a great family home.'

We had a two-bedroomed terrace last time, so a bit more space and room to develop.

'And with a second baby on the way, the extra space was going to be essential.'

Oh, we were made up, a little sister for Lewis.

We thought everything would be normal and happy we were having another kid.

'But soon after Madison was born they were hit with the news every parent dreads.'

We went in with Lewis to bring her home

and a couple of doctors in the hallway said, "Are you Madison's dad?"

"You better go and see Lisa." I walked in and Lisa was crying.

The registrar came around wanting to give me the all-clear to go home.

One of the doctors said, "There's something not quite right with this baby's heart."

Before we knew it, she was took down to intensive care.

'The doctors had discovered Madison had a life-threatening heart defect.'

When she was probably weeks old, they told us she would need corrective surgery

but what it were they could play for time, let her get bigger, so it was less of a risk.

But, every month, you thought, is this the month that we got told.

For two years, we played the waiting game.

No matter how you try to reassure them

that the risks of treatment are going to be relatively small,

any parent could understand

what a dreadful thing that is to go through.

They tell you about the risk, she could be blind, could be deaf...

They're life-changing things, you might not pull through, you might need another one.

All things are whizzing through your head as they're doing it.

It might be the last time you seeing her, when you're putting her to sleep.

It's all right walking in with her, but are you going to walk back out with her?

They've closed the hole in the heart, but maybe she'll need further operations.

As she grows, it might grow out again.

'Thankfully, the heart surgery was successful,

but that's not the end of Madison's health problems.'

She's never fed from birth. She's never fed at all.

She's got serious feeding issues.

A couple of months ago she had another operation

to have the tube out in the nose.

She had a peg fitted inside her tummy. That's how she's fed now.

At night time she goes on a continuous feed.

She's with Madison 24/7.

Five feeds a day, it's going to get you down, you just want your little girl to eat.

It's a lot of pressure and stress on her.

'With the worry over Madison's condition,

'as well as hospital visits and financial constraints,

'this family's life has been turned on it's head.

'Richard is fighting a losing battle to create a safe, warm home.

'After years trying to complete the extension, they're at the end of their tether.'

When you pull up on the drive, it's staring at you, you still need to do it.

Being a brick layer, you think you should be able to do everything,

and other things, time and money, you can't do everything.

You're doing 18-hour days, some days.

Straight home from work, you never get a break, never be a dad, you never see the kids.

It's not brilliant.

He's put everything into it.

He just wants us to have a bigger house, for the children.

He's absolutely whacked out with it.

It's been an absolute nightmare.

We're nowhere near from a normal life.

-How long has it taken you to get this far?

-It's probably two years to this stage.

Why have you got to the stage... I know what builders are like,

-the last thing they'll do is ask anybody for help.

-That's it.

-Why have you got to this stage?

The way things are in the building game, you're lucky to pay your mortgage.

A lot of people are in the situation, but...

He's had that much time off with Madison being in hospital.

Obviously, lack of money, Christmas was pretty bad with snow, if you can remember.

The money we had left went on the mortgage. We were off over

a month with Madison's operation, just after Christmas.

It's been quite bad through the winter, Madison coming out of hospital, no heating... freezing.

-No heating?

-No heating.

-Is that right?

-It's never worked.

The last winter was terrible, how did you get through the winter

with an ill baby with no heating?

We had the electric fire.

That's even worse, for somebody struggling to pay the mortgage,

having electric fires on, your bills would be huge.

-The boiler worked when it wanted. It would fire up and then not do it.

-It'd start up and then go off.

-Who's done this? Have you done this on your own?

-I've done everything up to this point.

-Any help?

-I've done it myself.

-It's a lot.

-It is, yeah.

Every night and weekends it's all you do.

Because we're standing in what appears to be a nice extension.

It will be, when it's finished.

-When's that going to be?

-You tell me, I don't know at the minute.

-It's not looking like there's a...

-There's no end, no. I don't when it'll be finished.

-How do you feel about us being here?

-You feel like you've let the family down because I can't finish it.

I feel like I've failed.

I don't think so, given that... You've got to remember, mate,

given that it's difficult for all builders at the moment, and work is tight,

actually, keeping a house and a roof over your head, is enough in itself,

but when you add onto that the problems with Madison...

You've taken on a big build here, all on your own.

-It's a lot.

-It is, yeah.

What is it you need? Just looking at this, you've got your first floor beams in...

-Is all the brickwork done?

-The brickwork's finished, yeah.

-But, no roof.

-No roof, no floor. No windows.

The bit I can do's done.

-Where are you staying?

-Mother-in-laws.

-Really?

-Yeah.

-Is she looking forward to having you?

-She's amazing.

-Is she?

-She is.

'An amazing mother-in-law, amazing trades, should be a song in there.

'It'd go like, # Here's the amazing tradesmen, they're all local

' # Here's my team they smell a bit

' # Here's a skip let's throw Billy in it. # '

This is Martin, they're giving us all the gear and everything.

Who's staying?

-Us two are staying.

-For the whole duration?

-For the whole duration.

-You've volunteered for the whole week?

-Yeah.

-Have you not got any other work to do?

-I have, but...

You decided to put it off for a little while.

-Are you going to do it up for us?

-Yeah.

-Lovely.

-Are you local?

-Yeah, just round the corner.

Why did you decide to join in, you could've been earning elsewhere?

-I'm more than happy.

-Are you?

-Yes, definitely.

-Thanks very much.

-I had my first grandchild last Sunday.

-You haven't, you don't look old enough

-I'm 50 next year, mate.

-I thought you're not supposed to say your age, women.

-Oh, sorry.

-You've got to let them guess.

-I forgot that.

-You don't look a day over 49.

-Oh, thanks.

'Take an army of builders, add bacon sandwiches,

-'add cups of tea...'

-It's good.

-'..and you've got the perfect recipe.'

-Very nice.

'No complaints so far, then.'

This house is not bonded. It's got no supplementary bonding to the gas or water

and no earth coming into the house from the people's mains.

-We'll get into that in a minute.

-People supply it.

-All right!

We shouldn't really, you know...

None of the walls are chased, there's no sockets, or lighting switches, or anything.

Do you want to get started and we'll just ignore him for the moment.

-Nice job to do, there's a lot of wiring to do.

-Is there?

-Yeah.

LAUGHTER

That was a nervous laugh.

-Don't forget the bonding's not here, as well.

-And there's no bonding.

-Who's ripping the kitchen out?

-I am.

It's not going to take a lot of ripping out, it's coming off the hinges, coming off the walls.

-It's in a pretty bad state.

-Ladies and gentlemen, Oliver back.

APPLAUSE

'The talents of Oliver Heath are being put back into practise again, as he's our designer on this job.

'We became the best of friends when he designed one of our last builds.'

-You might need to have a little bit less lunch.

-Unbelievable!

You've got to buy big and they take it down.

Yeah, whatever. Thanks very much, whatever.

Whoops, I hit a nerve there, I think.

I mean, the construction side, we know what we're going to do.

-It's basic...

-Oh...

-We know what we've got to do.

-Basic...

-It's not proper basic.

-You've started off on the wrong foot, haven't you?

-This is where...

-Do you know that word, "basic"?

-Oh, basic.

This is where designers and builders fall out, you see?

As far as designers are concerned, the building's basic and straightforward,

whereas, as far as builders are concerned, the decoration is just tarting up.

-It's, you know...

-I know, but the two mix, don't they?

-We're creating a good, healthy place for them to live.

-That's the aim.

We're going to improve the windows, to improve the ventilation, the insulation,

functional things that need to make this house better.

At the same time, we've got to make this house a wonderful place.

-When they step in, it takes their breath away.

-Yeah.

'With a part-built extension we've got our work cut out.

'On the ground floor we're knocking through from the kitchen

'to the extension to create a spacious kitchen/dining area.

'The original kitchen window will be extended down to the ground

'to let in lots of light.

'We'll also be adding a downstairs loo and playroom.

'Moving up, we need to build a floor in the extension

'and knock through two doorways.

'We're making way for a storage area for Madison's medication

'and Richard and Lisa's bedroom will have a secret hidden door

'linking them to Madison's room.

'Lewis will get a special football themed boysey bedroom

'and, to top it all off, we need to top it all off with a roof.'

First things first, although we have an empty extension,

the rest of the house needs completely gutting and it's all hands on deck.

Time to have a chat with my mate, who thinks he's Bono.

-What do you think, we've a good turn-out?

-Very good turn-out. Nice to decorators here on day one.

LAUGHTER

-They're plasterers.

-Are they? Why are they all white?

Apparently, the modern way to present a professional image,

-is to come in a white dungaree as a plasterer.

-Really?

-It looks like a few people have turned up to do the roof.

-Loads of them.

-I don't think she's a roofer.

-I don't think so.

-No.

'Among the throngs of trades in Richard and Lisa's house

'are a bunch of apprentice plasterers who are on board,

'thanks to Richard's boss, Ian, who's also helping out.'

One thing with Richard is, he's a good tradesman.

At night, do you know we have to go and knock him off.

At half past five he's still working and we have to go, "Come on, Richard, it's time to go home."

And then he comes back here and gets stuck into this.

And, do you know something, as a boss, I didn't realise this.

-I didn't realise what was behind the scenes.

-Right.

-You don't, do you?

-I don't suppose you do, really.

-He's not much of a chatter?

-No, it's not.

-He's a quiet lad.

-A quiet lad.

-Proud.

-Yeah, proud.

The work that he turns out for me is excellent.

Thanks to you, and a lot of other people, we've got a good chance to turn this around for them.

'Having a home that's part building site is keeping Richard away from his family.

'He been spending all his time working

'and the state of the house is making it even harder to deal with Madison's condition.'

As well as the feeding issues, Lisa has to cope

with an undiagnosed digestive disorder

which means Madison has difficulty holding food down.

We're clearing sick up all the time.

That's all she does all day, Madison, clearing her sick up.

It's all she digested all day.

Day before she had to wash all the bedding because she was sick.

They're always at the hospital. The tube's come out, or something's happened.

It's... To be honest, I don't know how they've coped with it

because there's always something.

'With both mum and dad so busy,

'it hasn't been an easy ride for Lewis either.'

He seems to get pushed aside a lot.

He's always at his grandparents, we're in hospital and he's never with us.

He just gets on with is, but you're missing out on him.

It's like when she's just going to the hospital, like something far.

That means I have to stay at my nanan's.

But, if it's this hospital, when she has to stay in there for a few days, I have to still go to my nanan's.

We should have given him a little sister, and he's...

Whether he sees it as we've took his dad away because we're always with Madison, you don't know.

'This is urgent work and our designer

'hopes he can change things for the better.'

Because Madison has got stomach problems and can't eat very well,

it's really important for me to create a good dining room.

Why is the dining room so important?

Is it to make her see what a joy eating is, so therefore encourage her?

When she was first born she couldn't hold food down,

-so she was fed through a tube.

-Yes.

-Now, as she's had the operation, she can start to eat again, but she hasn't been used to eating.

-Yes.

What we want to do is normalise the idea

of everyone sitting around a table and eating together.

By putting a big dining room, a nice, big dining table

and nice chairs that feeds off the kitchen,

we're making eating and dining and socialising,

-sitting around a table, part of the everyday social activity that happens in the house.

-OK, and?

When we move upstairs, we've got nice, private spaces for the parents

to get a bit of privacy because they've had Madison in their room.

A new kitchen for Lisa and Richard is of utmost importance

so we're tearing out the old one, including the knackered old boiler

to make way for Oliver's creation.

Dave has very generously stepped in at the last moment and designed...

and is building us a kitchen.

And you've decided...

It's nice to do something nice, isn't it? You know, when you can?

I always think when you put something in,

it comes back around again, doesn't it?

-You boys are on openings.

-We're knocking through, yeah.

-Right, OK.

We'll get that marked out and cut that one through.

But in order to make that beautiful kitchen happen, we need to create

the space and that means knocking through from the original house

to the extension and that's not the only big hole we're creating today.

The kitchen window is being extended down to the ground to help

let in lots of light.

-Look at that!

-He's pointing at the new roof going on.

You see a kitchen's no good if it's a wet kitchen

and we need to get the roof on in case the weather turns.

-Pretty straightforward, this roof, isn't it?

-It is, yeah.

You'd normally crack this out in a day, a day and a half.

-'Yeah, no rush then, Jules.'

-Shouldn't take long.

It's almost time for a cup of tea, isn't it?

'Yeah, typical, thanks very much.

'After the wall plates have gone on, we'll set the trusses,

'felt and batten with breathable felt,

'put on the tiles and finish with the flashings.'

So simple, that roof, isn't it?

-It's all triangles, isn't it?

-Yeah, triangles.

-Triangles.

Discussing the physics of the roof isn't going to get the job done.

Julian's physics or should I say physique isn't going to help either.

To be honest, I generally stay on the scaffolding

because of my excess weight.

I send my ferret up the roof, being six stone lighter

and a bit more nimble on his pins, he flies up over.

But worry not, Julian has assured me

he's on a fruit-only diet to lose the weight.

-Did you bake this?

-No, my mum made it for you.

-Your mum?

-Really? Is it chocolate?

-Yes, a nice chocolate cake.

This represents something of a challenge for you, doesn't it?

It does because we're fruit men now

but I'm going to have to have a bit of that, aren't I?

Maybe if we say we'll wait until this afternoon

and have a slice with a cup of tea, what do you reckon?

Three o'clock, tea break.

Tell you what, I'll go in and put it inside

and ask someone to look after it.

-Right.

-Thank you.

See how he, "Thank you," as if... It wasn't for you!

That's the last we'll see of that, I think.

GRUNTING NOISES

That might be his diet and exercise routine out of the window.

He's taking a while to drop it off, isn't he?

George! George! You're just dropping it off.

I'm just... Seeing my plum, aren't I?

We'll have a slice later.

We'll see about that.

To be a member of the roofing team, you need to be feather light,

not a heavyweight, and it also takes a few pairs of hands,

something Richard couldn't have achieved on his own.

But all this hard work hasn't gone unnoticed.

You'll see him working on it till God knows what time.

-He works late here, does he?

-Yeah.

When it were dark nights, he got the floodlight out.

He's on it until 10 o'clock at night.

What, is he working in the dark?

Floodlit.

He has floodlights on and he'll be up there until, as she said, 10 o'clock.

Are you aware that they've had a few problems with their daughter, their youngest?

No, we didn't know.

I only knew because his son goes to the same school as my daughter

so I've seen here at the playground with her before.

Because she's got... She's tube fed, isn't she?

That's right, she hasn't been able to eat.

So, whilst he's been doing the work to get the money in,

he's try to build the extension, to make a space

so that they can have the medical equipment and the new bedroom.

Do you think it'll make a big difference for him when they come back?

-Definitely.

-Definitely.

It'll give a chance to get out, meet the neighbours and say hello. That'll be nice, won't it?

He'll have his weekends to himself them! He can sit back and relax.

Yeah. People are very friendly around here, aren't they?

Everyone is coming up and saying hello, being chatty.

-They're nosy!

-Nosy, is that what it's?

'Dad Richard has worked tirelessly to make a safe, warm home to his family.

'Oliver wants to do Richard's efforts justice

'and to lower the family's heating bill so he's filling the loft

'and walls with recycled glass insulation.

'But his biggest challenge today is to get Billy's head around the wonders of modern technology.'

This is new to market.

This is a heat recovery fan so instead of having a normal fan

which just lets air go in and out of the building,

when you turn it on, this is continuous running.

What this does is it sorts out the moisture imbalances

in kitchens and bathrooms.

Instead of coming on when you turn a light on, it's always running.

So is that less efficient or more efficient?

It's more efficient

because it constantly deals with the moisture in the air.

'When it comes to efficiency, there's no-one as sharp as Billy and his team.

'Well, maybe just his team.

'They've got an entire re-wiring on their hands.'

Thing is with us sparks, first of all, we've got to kill the supply

because looking at the consumer unit, it isn't up to regulations,

so we have to change that.

We've got to get all of our first fixing in and the plumbers,

the plumbers as well.

And that takes a couple of days on a job of this magnitude.

'Yeah, trades have to work hand in glove.

'Good job we're such a well-oiled machine. Look at this.'

It's chain work, isn't it? Chain-gang stuff.

-How you getting on? Are you enjoying yourself?

-Yeah, it's good.

I feel like I need to be more physical, so it's good doing this.

-A fight?

-Fight? Not that physical.

-Do you want a kiss?

-No.

-Do you want a hug?

-I'll do a hug.

'Yuck! Man hugs.

'It always helps when you've got the team on your side

'and getting the house working for the family is Oliver's most

'important challenge. To maximise the use of the upper level

'of the extension, he's knocking through to create rooms

'for Lewis and Madison and that means some pretty big holes.'

We're going to fit the internal lintel on the internal wall

and then we're going to go through and chop out the external brickwork

so that we get the opening open and everybody can go in.

Look at that!

'Mark's not the only one to have found a confined space.'

This is certainly what it takes to have the central heating redone.

I have to say, I think today's been a successful day.

In this room, we've got new windows in the front.

All the electrics as you can see dangling around all over the place, have been put in.

There's been a stud wall put in and a wall taken down here to create these two beautiful rooms.

The biggest change is the fact that this used to be completely cut off from the rest of the house.

Now, we've a huge opening all held up by these two enormous steels

that have been put in to hold up the rest of the house.

Tomorrow, they'll have gone off so we can lose these props.

A great opening through into this kitchen area. Through this room,

beautiful new ceiling, as being demonstrated by the chaps there.

Thank you very much.

The kitchen here, what used to be the kitchen,

is now going to be the dining room area and as a result,

we've put in these beautiful new big windows looking out onto the garden.

And here, a set of lovely patio doors, being demonstrated by...

-Patio Mark.

-So, a great day all round.

Tomorrow, more work and hopefully better jokes.

Ah, the Derbyshire countryside, the scent of fresh summer air,

the heat of the warm sunshine and of course the sound

and smell of 60 builders in a two-bedroom house.

So much for peace and quiet!

There's an onslaught of trades positively throwing themselves at this job.

UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYS

Dance along at home, if you want.

My God, we've got double the amount of plasterers we had yesterday.

We're completely up against it. They're getting pushed through here.

The ceiling is being plastered, they're coming down the walls.

It's like they can't move quick enough.

The electricians have got to get their stuff through.

This man here didn't even know there was a doorway going through there

and he's in a permanent state of shock.

Another doorway in that corner.

We've got two doorways up the stairs, we must get through today.

We have to get access to the extension.

-Have you guys worked together before?

-No.

-How's it going so far?

-Fallen out yet?

-Not yet.

It's about the maximum number of builders

and different trades you can get in one place at one time.

Mayhem, isn't it?

'But it's the kind of mayhem we love.'

They weren't going anywhere with this house like it was.

And now we're going to come in here and rebuild their lives.

The closest thing in the world is your family

and you can't beat the togetherness of the family.

The group of pulled, like, and you know,

it's a shame what they've had to go through. Happy to help, basically.

I can only imagine what he's going through. I've got two young kids myself.

Very, very similar age and what he's going through or what he's been through.

He just wants to get us involved.

Until you see it, it's hard to believe, sometimes.

You just think, I've had a bad day, my life's bad and then

when you get to this situation and look around and you think,

"The guy is having a real, rough time."

He's trying his best. He's got to a point and can't do any more.

-Let's see if we can help them out and make his life better.

-That's why we do it

and we couldn't do it without you helping us, so it goes full circle.

We don't mind. It's good. Help out. Get mucked in.

-Hopefully, we'll get some nice new windows in.

-Yeah.

Get a nice house for them to live in, and get a good kick-off, yeah?

Lovely, thanks for joining in, boys, really appreciate it.

-He doesn't talk much, does he?

-I don't get a chance to!

-Do you not?!

-THEY LAUGH

As one of the guys said, if you're a parent,

having a child go through surgery is unimaginable.

It's wonderful that her heart is fixed,

but I'm confused by Madison's ongoing eating problems.

So, I've tagged along to see the specialists

on one of the family's many hospital visits.

She's been quite sick a lot on the new formula she's been put on.

She's got a feeding aversion

due to her long-term use of enteral feeding.

Enteral feeding being the tube into the nose and now,

she's got a tube into the stomach.

OK, essentially because she's been fed so long by tube, she's sort of

either forgotten or never learnt how to just swallow food normally.

Yes. So, she's become quite dependent on tube feeding.

The care is overseen by a consultant who coordinates treatment

that aims to get Madison eating.

It seems to me that there's no reason why she shouldn't.

-She just doesn't.

-Well, that's right.

It isn't so much a physical issue any longer as a hardwired

behavioural issue, which she can't help.

And the problem with that is, around 8 to 10 months of age,

you then lose, that's the developmental window,

where we learn to change from milk to other substances and textures

and foods, and if you have an aversive experience there,

then you lose that, you don't have that rewarding experience

when you put new textures in your mouth.

You then have a long time before you can regain those skills.

So it's not as simple, forgive me, I'm not trying to be flippant

about this, but if a child gets hungry, will she not eat?

So, for example, if you didn't feed her as much through the tube, would she not

get to a point where she would be hungry and so, she would eat?

That's a good point, and you would think so,

but some of these children will go for days without eating.

It's a lot for a young mum to deal with.

-You're 25, aren't you?

-Yes.

-So you were 23 when you had Madison?

-Yes.

Did you ever have moments where it just gets, like, too much.

Yes, most mornings, I hate waking up,

because of what I have to do every day with Madison,

with her feeding, most days, she can be poorly,

so I dread every day, to be fair, waking up.

Every day. It makes me very angry.

Anything or anyone, or just the way it's...?

I've never really drunk or anything, for Madison to have all these issues,

and I've always looked after myself, it just winds me up.

It sounds to me like you've been looking for someone to blame,

-and you've been like thinking, is there anything that you did that made it happen and?

-Yeah.

-It's not the way it works, you know?

-I know, I know.

I know it isn't.

-Do you think that's put a lot of pressure on you and Richard as a couple?

-Yeah.

Oh, yeah, ever since Madison, there's just been arguments

and it's just put a massive strain on us.

But it will do.

You're only 25, 27 and he's only 25,

and you were 23 when you had Madison,

when you had to face up to all these problems.

-Yeah.

-It's a lot to deal with.

-It is.

-Do you still love him?

-Yeah!

Of course I do! He's amazing!

He's always been there for me and, you know, supported me,

helped me, everything, he's always been there for me.

-He's been my rock.

-Do you not see a light at the end of the tunnel?

No, no, because this has gone on with Madison over two years

-with her not feeding, so...

-If we get the house sorted

and there's nothing to worry about, how does that change things?

Massive. Absolutely massive.

I mean, we both get to spend time with both the kids,

and probably, with each other as well. You know.

OK. Well, I hope you like it when you see it.

I'm grateful for anything.

Anything, just a lick of paint, you know. It's amazing.

There's a little bit more than a lick of paint going in there!

-HE LAUGHS

-A little bit more!

So, Richard and Lisa have an ongoing job on their hands to get

Madison eating.

A massive responsibility for any parent.

Our challenge is to take the stress of the house away from

this young couple so they can get their lives back on track.

And it's not just the interior that's coming together,

they will now have a roof over their heads.

This roof has been tiled, felt and battened,

and flaunched, laid on, verges, ridges on, all in two days.

He's like telling us as if he's had something to do with that!

See him sitting up there, "me and my mates?!"

Sitting up there, laying claim to it. The man is an idiot, isn't he?!

He's sat there trying to make out he's part of the team!

He's not part of the team! It had nothing to do with him!

Know what he did? The only part of this roof he did - that.

He stepped on it. Look. That's him, that is.

Look. Hole in the roof. Brand-new roof.

It wasn't designed to take so much weight!

Especially the fat one in the middle that goes around breaking tiles!

-Don't break another one!

-Don't break another one!

Ow!

That really hurt!

It's not often we down tools on the programme,

but before we started, we noted that Richard and Lisa's guttering was made of asbestos.

It's serious stuff, and this is the right time to deal with it.

The proper way.

All right, everybody! That's it! OK!

You got two minutes and then we have to clear the site.

Everybody out. Come on, gentlemen.

It's been used for years, but hit the headlines in the early '80s.

New laws are being demanded by an influential government commission

to combat the dangers of asbestos.

The material was eventually banned in the mid-1980s,

but as you only have to breathe in one fibre, to develop asbestosis,

a form of lung cancer, the negative effects were already widespread.

It's still common to find it in older buildings all over the UK,

in anything from bath panels to water tanks and

in Lisa and Richard's case, their guttering.

-It's treated almost like a chemical incident, isn't it?

-It is.

At the end of the day, it's almost the same procedure.

-Amazing, how we managed to put all of this rubbish into our houses for so many years.

-Yeah.

But there's now 4,000 people if not more, dying every year.

Really? From asbestosis? You just don't hear about it very much.

-There's been teachers have died from it.

-That's a terrible thing.

-It was in all the schools.

-Yes. It still is in some.

You don't have to remove it, you just have to manage it.

-If it's in good condition, it's not a problem.

-All right.

It's only when you start drilling it, battering it and things like that, that you have a problem.

-Thank you.

-See you later.

With the asbestos safely removed from the site,

we can get back to the business of making this house fit for a family.

And it looks as though Oliver has got the big holes he wanted.

Total reconfiguration of the whole upstairs you've got here. You brought a corridor through here.

Yes, we changed it so the master bedroom will be there.

This'll be a secret doorway from the master bedroom, from the parents'

bedroom into Madison's room, because at the moment, she's in their room

and we really feel that she needs to start being in her own room,

so it's a bit of a step towards her feeling more confident.

-Right.

-So it's a nice feature.

-Whose room's in here?

This is Lewis's. They won't recognise it. They'll be lost.

When they come upstairs, they'll be like, hang on, what's going on here?

What's this corridor? What's going on?

And that'll be an amazing transformation for them.

One of my biggest worries for this family is that they had no heating

through the winter, and so, we're installing a brand-new boiler.

-How long do you think this will take to set up?

-Should be done today.

-Yeah?

-Yeah, no problem.

-Instant hot water. Instant central heating.

-And lower energy bills.

-Good for the environment.

-Good luck.

-Thank you.

It all sounds straightforward,

but plumber Giles and the team have to do the groundwork first.

Just lagging all the pipework underneath.

This is what it takes to have the central heating redone,

and the hot and cold water coming in absolutely brand-new, and

changing all the water feeds through to the new kitchen and everything.

You need to do a lot of work underneath for it to look pretty on top.

It's hard work on a building site,

and it's not the easiest place to go on a diet,

so I've got Julian something to take his mind off the cakes.

I've bought you a little present.

It's got a little case, look. Keep the dust off in the back of the van.

-Look. You hold it.

-Are they normally that small?

-Yes, that's the size of them.

-They're very popular.

-Look at that.

-You got four strings to concentrate on.

-Why pink?

Because it's the only colour they had.

-Doesn't make me look a bit camp though?

-No!

-No!

-Are you sure?

-What about that Somewhere Over The Rainbow?!

-HE SINGS

But was his ukulele pink?

It was. And he was bigger than you. And he didn't look silly!

So what you've got to do,

you've got to develop the wrist action.

It's all in the wrist action. How are you on wrist action?

-Very good at the moment.

-It's made for you, really, isn't it?!

-There you go. Happy with that?

-Yeah. Thank you very much.

I'm going to go and practice.

He's going to look ridiculous, isn't he?

He's going to look an idiot, yeah.

Something tells me Julian is going to enjoy playing

with his instrument nearly as much as Oliver enjoys choosing colours.

Can I take it that as this is blue, and I'm only guessing,

this would be for Lewis's boys room.

-Yes.

-And his favourite football club is Chesterfield.

-Chesterfield is his favourite paint colour.

-Which is dark blue and light blue, is it?

No, it's more that colour, Chesterfield.

Because that's a north facing room, that's his bedroom, that's going to kind of overpower the room,

if we do the whole room in this really, vibrant blue,

so we just wanted to put a bit of paint

on these scraps of plasterboard. There's a brush for you as well.

And then take it up to the room, see what it looks like,

because quite often, a paint like this will look very different

down here in complete, natural daylight, than it will upstairs.

It's been a tough few years for the whole family,

but it's Lewis who has lost out on spending time with his mum

and dad, as they have been in and out of hospital with Madison.

It has affected him massive.

But bless him, he's fantastic with Madison, when all is said and done.

We started this when Lewis was five. He's seven now.

You're not going to get those two years back. It's been that busy.

It's like can you play with me, dad, and I've just got to do this,

I've just got to do this, you don't realise you're doing it,

but, obviously, you're missing out on him growing up.

So, we've organised a little surprise for Lewis.

Here we go! And just stop here for a second. Have a look around.

-Don't go too far!

-Oh, that is one big pitch!

It's a very big pitch, isn't it? What do you think of it?

It looks amazing! I want to go here!

-So, have you got any favourite players?

-Yes.

-Who are your favourites?

-Tom Lee and Jack Lester.

-Oh, right. Wow.

Can you imagine what it would be like here, coming out here,

and actually meeting the players.

-What do you think?

-Yeah.

-Would that be very cool?

-Yes.

Which would not be so cool, is the players are probably off training at the moment.

-Yeah.

-So they're not likely to be in here, are they?

-No.

-Or would they?

Wow!

-Cool!

-Hi, Lewis. Nice to meet you. I'm Tommy.

-Jack. How are you?

Ladies and gentlemen!

It's the Chesterfield football team with their new player Lewis!

There he goes! Look at that!

Do you think you've thrown yourself into the building

of the extension sort of night and day and every weekend

so that you're doing something positive rather than thinking

all the time about Madison and the difficulties? Because that's what blokes do,

-they find something else to throw their energy at.

-Try to keep busy.

Not block it out as such, but you feel like you're doing something.

Trouble is, in the process, your lad here gets to miss out.

I've missed two years of his life, haven't I?

It started when he was five. I can't believe he's seven.

I wouldn't have got through it without Lisa,

so, I think we've lent on each other.

It's both been new to both of us, so.

If we do the house up, does that make things better or does it

mean you have to face other challenges and you have to

face things that you might been putting aside,

because you have so much on your plate?

It just makes things better. That's one less thing to worry about.

We've got a nice environment,

we can start getting together like a family again.

HE WHISTLES

Yay! Lewis!

Good pass. Yes! Well done!

As any parent understands, bringing up kids is a challenge in itself,

but when your child gets ill, it makes life really tough.

Giving them a new home will mean Lisa and Richard get a new start

and put them back on track to family life.

The thing is, you just don't know, you worry about what the future

is going to bring, because obviously, my daughter had operations

and is going to need operations, and you just worry about what sort

of future they've got, really, because they're all right now,

but in a couple of years time, things might change.

Things could go either way, that's the thing.

The hardest thing I have ever had to do in my life was sign

a consent form to an operation, and sit in a room and say, well,

major complications can happen, she might not come out

of the operation, she could come out brain-damaged,

and you have to literally sign a piece of paper

and hand her over, and that's really hard.

That's the most difficult thing I've had to do.

Hellish, that was.

We're half way through our time, but already the job's over half done.

Even more wonderful locals have been moved to help make the job

complete by sorting out the gardens.

When do you actually think you'll finish this?

-Tomorrow?

-Easy.

-Easy?!

-When the materials arrive, easy, piece of cake.

In the bag.

There you go. It's lovely today.

That's what you need, a can-do attitude.

Without wanting to tempt fate, it all appears to be going very well.

The upstairs is almost ready. Two rooms are almost ready for dressing.

Working our way down the stairwell, needs a coat of paint, but nothing massive.

All the building work's done upstairs.

And then working your way down here.

There's decorating left to do, but same again. Kitchen's in and done. Most of the electrics are done.

It's all very positive.

It's looking good.

Nice living room this, isn't it?

When you think they've had the whole family crowded into one room

to try and keep warm during the last winter

and this is going to be a safe, warm environment,

double glazed windows, insulation in the loft to keep the place warm

and an environment like this, they're not going to believe it.

A good day's work and it's time to go home.

That's Bill. Bill, it's the other way!

Bill, it's the other way. You're going the wrong way!

A new day and after a curry last night, the team are ready

and raring to get stuck in.

Here they all go.

Hang on, we're missing one. Mark, where's Mark?

You've got a leak on this radiator.

Can you have a look at it?

Billy's worried there's a leak on the radiator.

What's this? There's a joke coming up here, watch.

THEY LAUGH

It's a laugh a minute being a plumber.

But seriously, there really is a problem with the plumbing.

The water's not working, look.

That's... your hot water flow.

We need to get to the bottom of this and we can't because you can't unscrew the inside panel

and you can't get the back panel off because it's glued on.

I've left a trapdoor in the floor over there,

so we can follow the pipes and check underneath.

Head first, I think.

No, here we go.

Oh, my God!

-It's all right. Let me help you.

-No! No!

There is a pipe behind me, honestly.

You're too fat. Face it.

-I am getting in there.

-You're not getting in there, you're too fat.

You are too much of a chubster.

Oh, my God!

You're too fat. Can we have the slim and muscular lad?

The hole's actually too small. It's not the fact I'm too fat.

-How are you doing? Are you managing?

-Yeah.

By cutting the pipe and checking the water pressure, it can eliminate potential blockages.

So our slightly more slender plumber is on the case.

Luckily, things are going better on the electrical side.

The rewiring's done.

We've put the new mains in and now we can turn on.

I'll let him turn on though!

Right, there's your main breaker.

RCDs.

And now we haven't stopped anyone working,

we haven't been any trouble and it's flowed nicely.

Sometimes it don't work like that!

Hardly ever, in fact. Upstairs, Oliver's creating some electricity of his own.

It's lovely, isn't it? This is a sheer voil.

It's supposed to give a sort of sexy quality to the bedroom.

-It gives it a bit more of a kind of intimate feel.

-Yes.

A bit like a sort of sexy bit of lingerie over the window!

You'd be a bit disappointed

if I turned up in silvery grey lingerie, wouldn't you?

-Really. I would.

-Well... Let's talk about it later!

Yes, let's draw a voil(!) over that shall we?

-The tap, look at the pressure!

-Look at that, man!

Look at that!

-What was all the fuss about?

-Well, cos it was the tap.

-We didn't know.

-You was going under floors, ripping up ceilings and...

-We couldn't get to the bottom to check.

-All it was was a tap. It was simple.

-We couldn't check, so we checked all the other things.

-You're always trying to big things up.

No, I was trying to point out... If I'd come over here and done that and made a big deal about it,

we'd have left them with a tap with no pressure.

They've got perfect water pressure now and a finished house to go with it.

Nine days ago, we took on a property that was supposed to be Richard and Lisa's dream home,

but it was in danger of pulling their young family apart.

It's just like you're on autopilot. You just live day-to-day.

You don't really think about anything else.

Straight home from work, you never get a break,

you never be a dad, you never see the kids.

I do feel useless, there's nothing I can do about it.

Richard feels the same, sometimes, and it depresses him so much

and we've argued massive through all this anyway.

It's like you're letting the kids down

and putting pressure on Lisa cos she expects me to do it and...

It's not good. You've got to stay strong for your little boy and getting him to school and that.

You carry on as you can do.

It's not an exaggeration to say the house was ruining their lives.

But we put a roof on, laid some floors and added finishing touches to create this.

Downstairs, the family can relax in this luxurious living area.

Spending time together wasn't something they were able to do.

But now, they can hang out in style.

And eating together will also be a whole new experience.

We've knocked through into the extension to make this open plan

kitchen-dining area, a space that the family really needed.

With a high chair for Madison,

they can all sit round the table together.

This modern kitchen not only looks the part, but comes with a lot of clever features.

And Lewis and Madison get their very own space downstairs,

with this fun and colourful playroom.

Open your eyes.

We're at the wrong house!

Oh, my God!

I don't know what to say. Speechless.

This is the best house... Oh, my God!

-I can't believe it.

-I don't know what to say.

Oh, my God!

We could have never done this in a million years.

I don't know what to say.

This is the best present ever... Oh, this is amazing.

What's really important for you was a nice dining room area,

-and maybe somewhere to prepare food...

-Yeah, definitely.

..that looks nice, because you know what kids are like - if things look fun...

then they'll get involved.

Are you ready to see the next bit?

I love this room so much.

-You don't want to leave it!

-I love it

I'm never leaving the house! This is amazing, I love it. Everything.

Come on, let's go and see the next bit, shall we?

This is not the same house. This is NOT the same house.

Dining table's here. We can all sit together now.

Can't believe this. Look at this for Madison, Rich!

-Yeah, your Madison chair.

-That's fantastic.

A proper family table so that means you can have family meals.

Look at my kitchen! Oh!

Sparkly tops,

-that is super cool! Oh, my God.

-You happy with it?

Because it was tough for you to hand it on.

Yeah, it took that much part of your life, it's just...

-I can't take it in that it's finished. I didn't think it'd ever get to this stage.

-I know.

This is crazy, honestly, it just doesn't feel like our home.

We didn't like going back to our home,

and it was cold and horrible.

I don't even want to leave the house now. I absolutely adore it.

More importantly,

it's a place where you can start doing proper family things together.

-Yes.

-A normal life again.

It's beautiful, absolutely beautiful. I adore it.

This is absolutely beautiful. Look at it.

Speechless again. I just...

It's what we wanted for her, wasn't it?

Upstairs, we've reconfigured the layout

so everyone gets a room of their own.

We've given Richard and Lisa a touch of glamour

and somewhere they can share, just the two of them.

Until now, Madison's been sleeping in Richard and Lisa's room

as she's on a continual feed through the night.

Well, we've added a special secret door

so Madison is never too far away.

She's got her first ever bedroom, fit for a princess,

and with a cot bed that adjusts

and gets bigger as she grows.

Lewis has his very own football-themed bedroom

complete with a shirt signed by all his favourite players.

He now has a room any Chesterfield player would be proud to sleep in.

Oh, my God!

SHE INHALES SHARPLY Oh, Rich!

I don't know what to say.

Thank you to everybody. This is what we wanted, in't it?

-Little princess bed for her there.

-(It's beautiful.)

Absolutely beautiful. This is more than we could...

dream about.

-Will this do for your little girl?

-This is fantastic, thanks so much.

Can't believe it, it's stunning.

It just bare for that long it's just you think you'll never get it done.

No, I could never see no light at the end of the tunnel, no way.

Well, remember we had this little conversation with both of you,

but separately, where you said to me,

"It feels like there's no light at the end of the tunnel,"

and I said, "Well, if you could start with the house being done,

"that gives you a new start

"and things will pick up from there."

So, will this do it?

We're just looking forward to spending proper time with the kids

and, you know, living in a proper family home.

Not working all the time.

Just nice to have our own bedrooms, it's fantastic.

-Oh!

-Chesterfield top.

This is stunning.

It's brilliant, Richard, in't it?

Oh, my God!

You all right?

You've gone completely quiet now.

-One step too far?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-Didn't expect this.

-Through there.

-Oh!

Oh, wow!

That is really, really...

Don't know what to say.

You had a pretty rough couple of years and you said to me,

"It feels like there's no light at the end of the tunnel."

-Hmm.

-That's the way it's been.

-Yeah, it's...gone.

You do something, get kicked back down, something else happens.

Just gone, weren't it, just like that, just gone.

So who do good things happen to?

-Us now!

-Us now, yeah, definitely us now.

-It's a good thing.

This is...

We've got a proper home. It's amazing.

Maddy!

LISA GASPS This is Maddy's room!

Maddy's bedroom.

Wow!

Oh, dear.

-She's even got a dressing table over there.

-Look at those pretties,

aren't they pretty?

In you go, Lewis.

LAUGHTER

What do you think to this?

-This is all freaky!

-LISA LAUGHS

-It suits you!

-It feels nice.

-What's this?

-What's this?

What's this?!

Wow!

-What do you think of this, Lewis?

-Look at this!

Maddy, there's a chair for you and a chair for me.

-What do you think to this, then, Lewis?

-Play room for you.

What do you think, then, kids? Maddy, do you like this room?

-Oh, yeah!

-Oh, wow.

I think it's a beautiful house. It's a house that works for your family.

Definitely.

It's an efficient house...

with fuel prices going the way they are.

The costs are going to come down.

Will it be your family home?

-Oh, yes.

-It is.

-Oh, yes.

It's a fresh start, a new life for us, to be fair.

Definitely. It's a new beginning, in't it?

-And the future's bright now?

-Yeah.

-Oh, yeah.

Can I get you to come out

and say hello to some of the people that have done some of the work?

Yeah.

-Hey!

-Wave to all our friends.

-Say hello!

Say hello.

You've given us our family back because we can spend time with

our kids without worrying about the house and just have a normal life.

-It's amazing, honestly. Thank you all so, so much.

-Thank you to everyone.

-We just love every one of you.

-It's an amazing thing you've done here.

By giving up your time, you've given this family a chance of getting on,

not just because they've got a house, somewhere to have dinner and sit together,

and the kids have bedrooms, because they get to spend time together now.

It's taken enormous pressure off. I know some of you know the family, some don't,

but they're a fabulous couple, and fabulous kids as well.

They're looking at a different future now thanks to you so from all of us,

-thank you very much.

-Thank you!

-Thank you very much for everything.

-It's amazing.

Look at you, what are you doing?!

Your watch.

You don't even really know what's going on, do you?

You've got a lovely big shiny house and lots of things to play with.

Well done, mate, well done. It's been a privilege to be involved.

As an employee, you don't always see

what's on this other side.

Thanks for everything you've done, like. It's unreal.

-I can't take it in.

-It's a privilege.

An illness in a child is very difficult for both Mum and Dad.

Dads deal with it in a different way.

He's found it very difficult to face up to the fact that he's had to hand

his child over to medical people and say, "Do what you have to do." It makes you feel helpless.

That's why he threw himself so hard into the extension.

But it's also separated him slightly from the family and that's not good.

What these people have done is brought that family back together.

Now he'll spend time with his wife -

they haven't spent proper time for two years.

Now he can spend time with Madison.

Now he can spend time with Lewis, his son.

He's really missed him for two years.

Isn't it amazing what people can do?

Six weeks on and the family ARE getting back on track.

She's picking up with her eating, she's getting better

so all sat together at the table, it's a big help.

It's just we've got our life back, you know? It's completely different.

We have time for both of the kids.

We go out as a family, sit together at night, eat meals together,

just changed so much and it's the best thing that's ever happened.

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