0:00:02 > 0:00:05Isn't this a wonderful church in the parish of Blyth, Nottinghamshire?
0:00:05 > 0:00:08Beautiful community, beautiful village.
0:00:08 > 0:00:11Yet within the community are a young couple who have faced more adversity
0:00:11 > 0:00:16than any young couple should really. To be honest, they're at the end of their tethers.
0:00:16 > 0:00:20When we started the extension, I had full expectations of finishing it.
0:00:20 > 0:00:24When I lost me job and got made redundant that came to a halt.
0:00:24 > 0:00:27An average's night sleep is between three and four hours.
0:00:27 > 0:00:31It's the worst kind of torture, lack of sleep. It is quite desperate.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34But to get them back from the brink,
0:00:34 > 0:00:38we're going to attempt weeks of work in only nine days.
0:00:38 > 0:00:43For a job this big, we're going to need, not only the usual suspects...
0:00:44 > 0:00:46He weren't much bigger than that, was he?
0:00:47 > 0:00:50But also an amazing army of trades.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55Out of the way!
0:00:55 > 0:00:59A brilliant local community of family and friends.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02When you just know what someone's had to go through.
0:01:02 > 0:01:06- It's been a tough couple of years, ain't it?- Couple? Quite a lot.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09It's not going to be easy.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12On this occasion, we might need a little divine intervention.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15- Kate, can you have a word about the weather?- I'll do my best!
0:01:15 > 0:01:17This is DIY SOS...
0:01:17 > 0:01:19The Big Build!
0:01:19 > 0:01:21YEAH!!
0:01:27 > 0:01:31Rebecca and Neil Smith, from Blyth near Worksop,
0:01:31 > 0:01:34couldn't think of anywhere better to call home.
0:01:34 > 0:01:38It's a great community. Friendly people. Lots of friends.
0:01:38 > 0:01:42It's a great place to live. Lovely place to bring up your kids.
0:01:42 > 0:01:48Like so many husbands, Neil has spent years working hard to provide for his family -
0:01:48 > 0:01:50five-year-old Freya and two-year-old Ben.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54He used to work stupid hours on the roads.
0:01:54 > 0:01:59He'd be leaving at five in the morning and not be getting back till nine, ten o'clock at night.
0:01:59 > 0:02:03I'd be kicking off at home, saying, "We haven't seen you for ages!"
0:02:03 > 0:02:06But Neil, it's not in his nature to turn work down.
0:02:06 > 0:02:11It's a bloke thing. You want to go to work and provide for your family and earn some money.
0:02:11 > 0:02:15Four years ago, they started an extension on their house
0:02:15 > 0:02:19to give their family the space they needed to grow.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22We did everything with the full intentions of finishing it off...
0:02:22 > 0:02:26Erm, and then, Neil lost his job.
0:02:26 > 0:02:30And that's when everything just came to a standstill.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33I want a job with regular hours,
0:02:33 > 0:02:37average money, just regular work, basically.
0:02:37 > 0:02:39But Neil hasn't found enough paid work
0:02:39 > 0:02:44and the family have been living hand to mouth for the last two years.
0:02:44 > 0:02:46We've had to accept quite a lot of help,
0:02:46 > 0:02:51even just having to ask for money to go shopping to buy food.
0:02:51 > 0:02:55It's so, so embarrassing.
0:02:55 > 0:02:59Worse than that, no money coming in has meant that their hope of a safe family home
0:02:59 > 0:03:03has become a dangerous nightmare for the kids.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06It's not great. Obviously, we don't let the kids in here.
0:03:06 > 0:03:10There's a lot of things that are dangerous - sharp edges
0:03:10 > 0:03:13where the box for the wiring's going to go and things like that.
0:03:13 > 0:03:17This is our bedroom extension, what would be mine and Rebecca's bedroom.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19That's to keep the draught out, basically.
0:03:19 > 0:03:24Try to keep it a bit warmer for the kids. The wind comes rattling through here in the winter,
0:03:24 > 0:03:27straight across into Freya and Ben's room.
0:03:27 > 0:03:32They don't like having the door closed at night, so they are exposed to it.
0:03:32 > 0:03:36But their son, Ben's, problems are more serious.
0:03:36 > 0:03:40I kind of knew from the day he was born... I can't explain why.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43I just knew something wasn't right with him.
0:03:43 > 0:03:47Your baby is supposed to smile when they're a few weeks old.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49He didn't smile till he was about five months.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52Ben! Ben! Benny!
0:03:56 > 0:04:02Ben's two and a half, but shows no sign of developing his communication skills.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04It takes a lot to get his attention, a lot.
0:04:04 > 0:04:08If he's distracted, you have to go to him, cos he won't respond to you.
0:04:08 > 0:04:14We had a suspicion that Ben might be autistic. Some of the behaviours that he displays.
0:04:14 > 0:04:17They're reluctant to give a diagnosis because he's only two,
0:04:17 > 0:04:20but we know in our hearts that he's autistic. Ben! Ben!
0:04:20 > 0:04:25It's heartbreaking for Rebecca that she can't communicate with her son.
0:04:25 > 0:04:29I'd do anything just to hear him say, "Mummy!" or anything, really.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32It doesn't really matter what the word would be.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35I would just be happy for him to speak, but it is difficult.
0:04:35 > 0:04:40He's not progressed at all, really. He seems very locked in the way he is at the minute.
0:04:40 > 0:04:44In comparison with other children, he's like over a year behind.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48And one of the reasons for the lack of Ben's progress
0:04:48 > 0:04:50is the terrible state of the house.
0:04:50 > 0:04:54It's not a safe place to play in.
0:04:54 > 0:04:56It's got hard concrete floors outside.
0:04:56 > 0:05:00If I open the back door, there isn't a step, so he would fall down it,
0:05:00 > 0:05:03cos he can't really manoeuvre himself down steps properly.
0:05:03 > 0:05:07So he is totally confined to this room during the day.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11As if these restrictions weren't bad enough for Ben,
0:05:11 > 0:05:16there's one consequence of his problem that's really devastating family life.
0:05:16 > 0:05:20Whatever it is, whether it's autism or he's just got learning difficulties,
0:05:20 > 0:05:24but he can't sleep either, he will scream all night.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27And it's constant. There's never a break from it.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30BEN CRIES
0:05:30 > 0:05:33The problem is that because they can't finish the extension,
0:05:33 > 0:05:36Ben has to share a room with Freya,
0:05:36 > 0:05:39meaning she doesn't sleep either.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43Freya, please get into bed.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46She said, "I'm so tired, Mummy, I just want to stay in bed.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49"Oh, please. I just don't want to go to school."
0:05:49 > 0:05:52He's noisy. He screams and he cries.
0:05:52 > 0:05:57So Mummy has to lay down there to get Ben to sleep.
0:05:57 > 0:05:59Don't get a lot of sleep.
0:05:59 > 0:06:05So for the last two years, Rebecca or Neil spent the night on the floor in the kids' bedroom
0:06:05 > 0:06:08to comfort Ben when he's distressed.
0:06:08 > 0:06:12It's the worst kind of torture, lack of sleep.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15They are your kids and you love 'em no matter what.
0:06:15 > 0:06:19So you just have to cope with it and do your best, don't you? So...
0:06:21 > 0:06:24The family can't afford to finish the extension.
0:06:24 > 0:06:29And Ben's development is suffering. It's a horrible position to be in for any parent.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32We can't see a way of it ever getting done.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35We can't let them go on like this.
0:06:35 > 0:06:37See, it's a really good space.
0:06:37 > 0:06:41- It would have been great if you had continued on through it.- Yeah.
0:06:41 > 0:06:43- It would have been a really nice house.- Yeah.
0:06:43 > 0:06:49- Plans were... Everything's up here. It just didn't happen.- It does put a stress on your relationship.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51The financial difficulties, especially,
0:06:51 > 0:06:54are what has absolutely nearly torn us apart.
0:06:54 > 0:06:58On top of that, you come home and you've got the stressful environment of this house.
0:06:58 > 0:07:02If that stress was removed, it would make things a lot easier.
0:07:02 > 0:07:07All right. So what do you need us to do? What's the most important thing?
0:07:07 > 0:07:09Obviously, we'll do as much as we possibly can.
0:07:09 > 0:07:14The question is, what are the priorities. So what's the most important part of the house?
0:07:14 > 0:07:18Definitely, the kids' bedrooms would be the main thing,
0:07:18 > 0:07:21- cos that is what's causing us the most problems, really.- Yeah.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23Right, better get going then!
0:07:23 > 0:07:27But, of course, no build would be complete without master of plaster Chris,
0:07:27 > 0:07:30the big guy Jules,
0:07:30 > 0:07:33mini Mark, gorgeous Gabrielle...
0:07:33 > 0:07:35Has he had all his jabs?
0:07:35 > 0:07:38And, of course, the old dog Billy.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41But by far the most important people on site
0:07:41 > 0:07:43are the vast number of trades who turn up to help.
0:07:43 > 0:07:47It never ceases to amaze us!
0:07:47 > 0:07:50- That's a tidy lot, innit? - Little army there.- Yes!
0:07:50 > 0:07:54The house is sort of broken. We need to fix it, so we really appreciate you joining in.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59The local area's done us proud. There's 46 trades here.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02What a great turn out and they settled in right away
0:08:02 > 0:08:04to the way we work.
0:08:04 > 0:08:06LAUGHTER
0:08:06 > 0:08:09They've got at it straight away. It's nice how people join in.
0:08:09 > 0:08:13We really like it when people turn up, they know how it all works,
0:08:13 > 0:08:17and they show the due amount of respect, as you saw there with Mark.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20They don't just turn up for that though.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23Are you surprised by the number of people who've come out to help
0:08:23 > 0:08:26- given we're in a really difficult economic situation?- Not really.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29There's always somebody willing to help.
0:08:29 > 0:08:35You'll always find people with big hearts that want to help somebody that's a bit less fortunate.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39And that kind of attitude is all over the build.
0:08:40 > 0:08:44You can tell it just from the feeling and the atmosphere here.
0:08:44 > 0:08:48It's coming from the heart, I think, from everybody.
0:08:48 > 0:08:52We're going to need that positivity. There's loads to do.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55So probably not a good idea to stand around doing nothing.
0:08:55 > 0:08:59- What do you reckon, son? - I reckon that could be a Monet, son.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02- A Monet de douche.- Monet de douche.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04I had no idea you were that into your art.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07Mate, there's many things you don't know about me.
0:09:07 > 0:09:11- He's into more things than art. - Did you study at the Sorbonne?
0:09:12 > 0:09:14Sore bum?
0:09:14 > 0:09:17No! Not a sure bum! The Sor... Never mind!
0:09:17 > 0:09:20- Honestly, I shouldn't have... - LAUGHTER
0:09:20 > 0:09:25Good grief! Get back to work, for heaven's sake! Knock something down, Jules, please.
0:09:25 > 0:09:29- I need some muffulation. - There you go.
0:09:29 > 0:09:33Not every job requires a wrecking ball!
0:09:33 > 0:09:36All it needs to take what I'm taking down,
0:09:36 > 0:09:39right, is that!
0:09:39 > 0:09:43Julian sort of wades in with a hammer and a ripping bar and demolishes things.
0:09:43 > 0:09:45So I thought I'd take the opportunity to use that bad boy.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48Yes! What this job needs is some lightness of touch,
0:09:48 > 0:09:50some gentle refinement.
0:09:50 > 0:09:55Cue the designer! Gabrielle Blackman turns the dingy into the delightful
0:09:55 > 0:09:58and almost never gets her auburn locks out of place.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01- Right-ho, Ging, what's the plan? - The plan is...
0:10:01 > 0:10:05- We're going to make this house a lot lighter.- Brighter.- And brighter...
0:10:05 > 0:10:09in certain areas and a lot darker and quieter in Ben's bedroom.
0:10:09 > 0:10:13Let's show you graphically how that's going to work.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16The biggest job, downstairs, will be to open up the kitchen space
0:10:16 > 0:10:18and flood it with light.
0:10:18 > 0:10:23We'll shorten the living room to make a cosy little bolt hole.
0:10:23 > 0:10:29Upstairs, we'll reconfigure the space to give Ben and Freya their own rooms.
0:10:29 > 0:10:33That'll be a big change and makes sure Rebecca and Neil aren't left out either.
0:10:33 > 0:10:38- A lot of construction to do over the first couple of days. - Yeah, there's a lot to do.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43Not least, at the back of the house.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47The whole inside corner of this house is going to change.
0:10:49 > 0:10:54That wall's going to come out and that wall and this will be one big, open area.
0:10:54 > 0:10:56There's a lot of stuff to take out,
0:10:56 > 0:11:00cos this was essentially the outside skin of the house.
0:11:00 > 0:11:04You need a massive piece of steel running through here and down there
0:11:04 > 0:11:06to hold up the whole of the back of the house.
0:11:06 > 0:11:09This is the point of no return.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12Once these walls come down, it's only the props holding the house up,
0:11:12 > 0:11:15until we get the steels in later.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18Hang on! I'm needed upstairs.
0:11:18 > 0:11:21Gabby's having an issue with her doors.
0:11:21 > 0:11:26- What's going on?- I'm trying to work out with Chris, what we can do about this...- All right, Chris.- ..doorway.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29Erm, what doorway? There isn't a doorway.
0:11:29 > 0:11:34This is a doorway. Easy to tell the difference. One's open, one's full of bricks.
0:11:34 > 0:11:38- See, Chris, what I have to put up with?- I feel sorry for you.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42- Why do you want a doorway there? - I'd like to make this into an en suite for mum and dad.
0:11:42 > 0:11:44- There's a doorway there. - This is what we're saying.
0:11:44 > 0:11:49- That maybe this is just too small. - This is me getting up in the morning. Yaaaaaa!
0:11:49 > 0:11:55In through there. Or this is me getting up in the morning, if we don't do all that work. Yaaaaa!
0:11:55 > 0:11:57I'm in the bathroom.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00- Yeah...- It is a lot of work to carry out for the gain.
0:12:00 > 0:12:04I mean, you are, literally... I'd struggle to get through that.
0:12:04 > 0:12:06To be fair, big fella here...
0:12:06 > 0:12:10It might be all right for you, but it's not for me or him.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12He doesn't live here! I'm a normal-sized bloke.
0:12:12 > 0:12:14- Does that look wide? - Looks all right to me.
0:12:14 > 0:12:19You stand against that wall. You get up in the middle of the night, need a wee. Would you get in there?
0:12:22 > 0:12:25- Not really.- Come on! Make a decision.
0:12:25 > 0:12:28We've got lots of things to do in this house.
0:12:28 > 0:12:30- Aah!- Make a decision!- No, no!
0:12:30 > 0:12:33- What do you want? - I want it to stay, really.
0:12:33 > 0:12:38- The... This opening. - You do want the opening?- Yeah.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41- Let's have it then.- Yeah. - There you go!
0:12:41 > 0:12:44That was actually a decision, wasn't it, in the end? Designers!
0:12:44 > 0:12:47Downstairs, the walls are being demolished in the kitchen area
0:12:47 > 0:12:50and the joists are coming out to make space for the steels.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54I'm not even going to try that.
0:12:54 > 0:12:56Get that one out.
0:12:56 > 0:12:58You need a hand like his.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01'Now that's just embarrassing!'
0:13:01 > 0:13:05Flipping one handed! Did you see that? One handed!
0:13:05 > 0:13:07One handed then!
0:13:07 > 0:13:09When you work every day, you get used to it, don't you?
0:13:09 > 0:13:13- What are you saying?- That you don't do physical work and you're feeble.
0:13:13 > 0:13:17- You've gone all soft and like rubbery.- And marshmallowy, yeah.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20I don't know that I need to take this abuse.
0:13:21 > 0:13:25I make it sound like I sit around all day and... Oh, cake!
0:13:25 > 0:13:28Look at them! They are beautiful!
0:13:28 > 0:13:31- Do they taste as good as they look? - You'd better try one.
0:13:31 > 0:13:35Friends Lindsay and Sarah have turned up to show their support.
0:13:35 > 0:13:39- Cor, they're lovely, aren't they? - They're really nice.
0:13:39 > 0:13:44Obviously, you know the last couple of years what it's been like for the family.
0:13:44 > 0:13:48- Can you tell us what they've been going through?- Sheer hell, really.
0:13:48 > 0:13:51It's been real hard for her, yeah.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54Everybody in the village is really geeing them up.
0:13:54 > 0:13:58I think they're quite shocked at how supportive everybody's been.
0:13:58 > 0:14:03It's brought everybody out to say, "We do think about you and feel bad for you."
0:14:03 > 0:14:08- And this has helped us help them. - But you've got to get back to work.
0:14:08 > 0:14:14- This has not helped my diet. - You'll have to work extra hard to work the calories off.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16Yeah, you tell 'em, ladies!
0:14:16 > 0:14:21They'll need some strength, cos the steels that are holding up the rear of the house have arrived.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24There might be a bit of a problem.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27- Five metres 20.- That's OK.
0:14:27 > 0:14:32- What did you just measure? - In there, 450 in between.
0:14:33 > 0:14:37They're the wrong size! That piece of steel was custom made
0:14:37 > 0:14:40to fit exactly in the hole we've made in the house,
0:14:40 > 0:14:44and we don't have time to make another one.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47It's due to go in tomorrow, so it's got to fit!
0:14:49 > 0:14:52The difficulty is, we think it's out, which puts it there,
0:14:52 > 0:14:56which means that someone has measured it 100mm out.
0:14:56 > 0:14:58No! It's very true, actually.
0:14:58 > 0:15:00LAUGHTER
0:15:00 > 0:15:04I didn't measure this here! The steel manufacturer took it off the drawing.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07He couldn't do a site measurement, cos he couldn't get in.
0:15:07 > 0:15:12Don't worry, Mark, I'll just apply my superior brain power and get this worked out.
0:15:12 > 0:15:16I'll explain, look. In the room currently, we have a wall like that
0:15:16 > 0:15:21and a wall that's like that and a wall we've taken out, leaving a piece of wall there.
0:15:21 > 0:15:25We've got a steel bridging that gap that runs between here to there.
0:15:25 > 0:15:30Drilled in the middle of that, here, are holes that match up with this wall over here.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33So the question was, could we shift it that much along
0:15:33 > 0:15:37so that these holes in the middle match up down the middle?
0:15:37 > 0:15:42The measuring we've done has found that bit will match into that bit,
0:15:42 > 0:15:47- if we shift it along, so happy days. We don't need to re-drill it. - Thank goodness for that.
0:15:47 > 0:15:51There's no slack in this schedule. We can't delay this house being finished.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54Lots of people in this community have seen how the family
0:15:54 > 0:15:58have retreated over the last few years because of the house.
0:15:58 > 0:16:02- Jaz, you only live up the road, don't you?- Yeah, not far away.
0:16:02 > 0:16:07- Do you know the lady Rebecca...? - Yeah, I know Rebecca and Neil. Known them for about ten year now.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09We used to all like get together
0:16:09 > 0:16:12and, slowly, they started to creep into their shells a bit.
0:16:12 > 0:16:16Rebecca were always a bit, "Oh, I don't want anybody coming in!
0:16:16 > 0:16:21"Don't tell anybody about the state of what you've seen," and stuff.
0:16:21 > 0:16:23Everybody's house is like it when they're doing building work.
0:16:23 > 0:16:27Obviously, when it stopped, she wasn't able to invite anybody round.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30That's a sad point. You know...
0:16:30 > 0:16:34Mm, you become isolated because of the situation through no fault of their own.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39I'm going to take a break from the build and meet up with Neil at a local park,
0:16:39 > 0:16:43to find out what the impact has been on them all.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46If you compare your life, say, four years ago
0:16:46 > 0:16:49to the life you're in now, you switch from one to the other,
0:16:49 > 0:16:53would you ever believe that it would change so much?
0:16:53 > 0:16:56We started on the house fully expecting to finish it.
0:16:56 > 0:17:00And then, just out of the blue, you get laid off
0:17:00 > 0:17:03and then you think, "Oh, I'll get another job."
0:17:03 > 0:17:06But you don't. It doesn't happen as quick now as what it used to.
0:17:06 > 0:17:11I feel that, obviously, as a bloke, it's my responsibility to be earning the money.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14I feel like I'm not doing my bit,
0:17:14 > 0:17:17so it kind of, it does make you feel worthless.
0:17:17 > 0:17:22It makes you feel like you're not contributing like you should do and like I always have done.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25Do you think with the house and the way you're feeling about that
0:17:25 > 0:17:29that you've separated yourself from that support group in the village?
0:17:29 > 0:17:31Because you haven't wanted people round the house
0:17:31 > 0:17:35and because of the difficulties that you're facing in pressure and time?
0:17:35 > 0:17:37If people ever came round, we'd shut the kitchen door,
0:17:37 > 0:17:40so no-one could see in through back extension.
0:17:40 > 0:17:42We'd only really let them into the living room.
0:17:42 > 0:17:47And that's a bit sad really, but that's how we felt
0:17:47 > 0:17:50because, you know, it wasn't a house we were proud of.
0:17:50 > 0:17:55From the outside it looked great, but step through the front door, it was a different story.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58But people who love you don't care about that kind of stuff.
0:17:58 > 0:18:02I realise that and if it was me visiting one of my friends, I wouldn't care.
0:18:02 > 0:18:06- But when it's roles reversed you kind of do.- It's true, isn't it?
0:18:06 > 0:18:10Sometimes you do need help from the community around you.
0:18:10 > 0:18:14We know from people who've come up that you and Rebecca have said you don't deserve it, but you do!
0:18:14 > 0:18:19- You know...- You're very much loved in the village, you and Rebecca and the family.
0:18:19 > 0:18:23I know that people do care, but this last couple of weeks has hit home how much really.
0:18:23 > 0:18:27It's quite humbling really to... to know.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32Back at the house, the trades have worked their socks off today.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35We've made some brilliant progress.
0:18:35 > 0:18:37As you can see, the bathroom has changed quite a bit.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40The old bathroom has been ripped out and the plumbing's all in.
0:18:40 > 0:18:44These two rooms haven't changed a great deal, apart from all the electrics that have gone in.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47Bill's just clipping off the last bit there.
0:18:47 > 0:18:49But the big change is through there, if you look.
0:18:49 > 0:18:54The old bathroom's been taken out and it's got this new doorway,
0:18:54 > 0:18:58which leads in, as the en suite, into this bedroom here,
0:18:58 > 0:19:02where Christopher and his buddies have been putting some ceiling up.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05They can't get any further until the electricity has gone in
0:19:05 > 0:19:09and they are considering putting some dabbing on the walls. I'll join you downstairs.
0:19:11 > 0:19:15Quite a bit of change down here. We've made a new vestibule area,
0:19:15 > 0:19:17which I think has made it a lot more airy.
0:19:17 > 0:19:23Mind the steel on the floor. In the living room, we've managed to discover the fireplace.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26We're going to add a gas fire in there.
0:19:26 > 0:19:30We've built a new stud wall, which is shortening the room considerably,
0:19:30 > 0:19:32in order to open this area out, but it's a big thing to do.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35Look over there. That whole back wall has gone out.
0:19:35 > 0:19:41And this forest of Acrow props is actually holding up the back of the house,
0:19:41 > 0:19:43as we're about to run our steels in.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46So not bad going for the first day, is it?
0:19:49 > 0:19:54Day two, and there's a mountain to climb. Not literally! Figuratively, obviously!
0:19:54 > 0:19:58The boys have been downstairs, upstairs. Now they're outside.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01Jason turned up there as well, so we've another chippy on board.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04They're getting this roof prepped, cos what we're going to do
0:20:04 > 0:20:07is we're going to put three roof windows in here.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10Try and get a lot more light into this back kitchen.
0:20:10 > 0:20:12It may seem like a lot of effort just to make it brighter,
0:20:12 > 0:20:16but Gabrielle has a really good reason for it.
0:20:16 > 0:20:21I just want them to feel, when they walk through that door into this kitchen areas,
0:20:21 > 0:20:23that this is what they'd always dreamed of.
0:20:23 > 0:20:28I know it sounds cheesy, but the light will be symbolic of just a big change,
0:20:28 > 0:20:31from this dark, cramped house to being more spacious.
0:20:31 > 0:20:37- The last bit of house, actually holding the house up, is that bit there.- That's holding everything up.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40So if that goes, run! LAUGHTER
0:20:40 > 0:20:42He is only joking!
0:20:42 > 0:20:47Getting these steels up and fixed is just the start of what needs to happen today.
0:20:49 > 0:20:53There's plumbing, electrics, plastering.
0:20:57 > 0:21:00Luckily, we've got some muscle on the job!
0:21:03 > 0:21:05Not from Mark, obviously!
0:21:05 > 0:21:08When I boxed for the county, I had a body like that.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11You can have a look if you like.
0:21:11 > 0:21:15You know what I mean? He weren't much bigger that that, was he?
0:21:15 > 0:21:18- What? I've scratched meself! - 'Oh, sorry, Bill!
0:21:18 > 0:21:20'You all right, lad?'
0:21:20 > 0:21:25Nips, I think what Gabrielle is trying to achieve is bedroom area.
0:21:25 > 0:21:28So this will just be open. And you walk through.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31This will be a run of units here. Dressing room area.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34So you... Spin round and go this way.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39Into the shower, the en suite,
0:21:39 > 0:21:42I swear to you, yesterday, I was up here and she decided
0:21:42 > 0:21:47not to have a doorway into the en suite. She was going to use the existing door through there.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50I went downstairs. I made a cup of tea.
0:21:50 > 0:21:54I came back and the big fella was knocking the wall down.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57I said, "It's not happening!" He said, "When you went, she changed her mind."
0:21:57 > 0:21:59So it's just keeping up to speed with her.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02Yeah, you see, that's designers really.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05It's about the wind direction, I think. That's what does it.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09We were going to have a rad either side of this but we're not any more.
0:22:09 > 0:22:13So we don't have to move...?
0:22:13 > 0:22:19- Is that how many you want, just six?- No, we need to completely rethink this plan now.- The lighting?
0:22:19 > 0:22:23Bill, can I have a word, darling? I've been thinking about this kitchen island position.
0:22:23 > 0:22:27- Island position?- Yeah, I think we need to move it just a little bit.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32- What's she doing? - Planning the room out.
0:22:32 > 0:22:36- Do I not normally do any planning? - No, no! It's nice to see you in the process.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39It's lovely.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42Yeah, you see, there's a reason she's a bit distracted.
0:22:42 > 0:22:44And he's six foot six.
0:22:44 > 0:22:48Looks very good at carrying things across the road, which we like.
0:22:48 > 0:22:52Yeah, let's go and look and see if it... I'm stressing about this now.
0:22:52 > 0:22:54Oh!
0:22:54 > 0:22:57It just feels all kinds of wrong to me, that position.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00It seems really high as well.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03- Jump in, imagine you're in the shower.- OK.
0:23:03 > 0:23:08I'm in the shower with Tom. Aah! I'm saying nothing. OK, so...
0:23:08 > 0:23:09SHE LAUGHS
0:23:09 > 0:23:13- Can we do this without anybody else knowing?- Yeah.
0:23:15 > 0:23:17It's a bit hot in there.
0:23:17 > 0:23:21- You are blushing!- Well, I'm hot! But not in a... Just in a hot way.
0:23:21 > 0:23:26She's going to get arrested for stalking him. Aren't you?
0:23:26 > 0:23:29Yes, despite Gabrielle's, erm, zeal,
0:23:29 > 0:23:31people are queuing up to give us a hand.
0:23:31 > 0:23:35I was just visiting a customer across the road there.
0:23:35 > 0:23:40- So I thought pop over and offer my services.- And what are your services? - Aerial and satellite systems.
0:23:40 > 0:23:45I didn't think people put much back into the community, but they do, so it's very nice to see.
0:23:45 > 0:23:51- We've got a broken garage door. - I'll have a look at it. I could be the man to sort the job.
0:23:55 > 0:23:59Another man just come out of the woodwork and helped us out. Brilliant!
0:23:59 > 0:24:01Can you see any more trades from up there?
0:24:03 > 0:24:06- Hello.- Hello! I'm the vicar. - Why have you come up?
0:24:06 > 0:24:12We know the family quite well. They come to church and go up to the toddler group that I help out at.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15They're a really lovely family. Nice people.
0:24:15 > 0:24:20They are nice people, aren't they? They've had an avalanche of bad luck over the last couple of years.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23Just phenomenal bad luck really. So it's nice to be able to...
0:24:23 > 0:24:27The village are so pleased about it happening. Everyone's keen for them.
0:24:27 > 0:24:32- It's just good that good things start happening to good people. - That's really nice!
0:24:32 > 0:24:37The terrible bad luck that Neil and Rebecca have endured,
0:24:37 > 0:24:40started long before the problems with the house.
0:24:40 > 0:24:44It began when Rebecca was pregnant with their first son, Toby.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47It was like we'd won Lottery, cos it was five years of trying.
0:24:47 > 0:24:51Five years of heartache watching all your friends having children.
0:24:51 > 0:24:53We thought, "It's finally our turn!"
0:24:53 > 0:24:57"We're having this..." Cos I knew he was a boy from the minute I were pregnant, I just knew.
0:24:57 > 0:25:01And then, right at the very end, he died, basically.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04About 38 and a half weeks pregnant.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07So that was a really, really difficult time for us.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10Really difficult. Very dark time in our life.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13Obviously, when Rebecca had given birth,
0:25:13 > 0:25:16they asked us if we wanted Toby to stay with us,
0:25:16 > 0:25:19or they could take him down to the morgue.
0:25:19 > 0:25:24But we wanted Toby to stay with us, just to spend time with him ourselves.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26So...
0:25:27 > 0:25:29You cuddled him all night while I was asleep
0:25:29 > 0:25:32and it absolutely broke me heart that, to think that you had been
0:25:32 > 0:25:35sat there all night cuddling him.
0:25:42 > 0:25:47And now their youngest son needs help that they haven't been able to give.
0:25:47 > 0:25:52Once this house is sorted, it could mean peace at last for this family.
0:25:55 > 0:26:00I've come to the local hospital to find out more about the problems Ben has to live with
0:26:00 > 0:26:04and what we can do in the house to help lessen them.
0:26:04 > 0:26:10Katie Stork is a speech therapist and has been helping Ben for the last year.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13He does have some social communication difficulties,
0:26:13 > 0:26:17so there is an element there that actually he doesn't always initiate with you when he wants something.
0:26:17 > 0:26:21So even non-verbally, some children would take you by the hand if they wanted a drink,
0:26:21 > 0:26:26so they'd take you to get a drink, or they'd show something they really wanted to do.
0:26:26 > 0:26:31Whereas Ben, he's not really got that means to communicate, which is quite important.
0:26:31 > 0:26:36He's got a few different... As well as the speech, which is the major one.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39He can't communicate at all, but the fact that he doesn't sleep...
0:26:39 > 0:26:44He's just starting to show signs of being upset when he's in different environments.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46A lot of noise upsets him.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49How important is a calm home environment
0:26:49 > 0:26:53and a routine in order to get him to sleep properly.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56It's one of the fundamental things that they do need.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58So if we can have that in place,
0:26:58 > 0:27:02then, hopefully, that will help with other areas of his communication.
0:27:02 > 0:27:06All of his general skills as well, not just his communication,
0:27:06 > 0:27:08but, like you say, his sleeping and his pattern,
0:27:08 > 0:27:11and all of that is hugely important.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14If he's sleeping, you're sleeping, Freya's sleeping, you know.
0:27:14 > 0:27:18That would be amazing! If all of us were sleeping, that would be great.
0:27:18 > 0:27:24I don't expect that to happen for a long time, but, yeah, that would be amazing.
0:27:24 > 0:27:26Well, we need to make sure that happens
0:27:28 > 0:27:31Back at the house, we're halfway through the build
0:27:31 > 0:27:35and we've got the perfect tools to aid the family's sleep.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37We need a lot of insulation because...
0:27:37 > 0:27:41If you come round this way, look. Up there, that's the A1.
0:27:41 > 0:27:43So there's a lot of noise from the road,
0:27:44 > 0:27:47so the house sits in a very noisy little location.
0:27:47 > 0:27:50So it's twofold. One is noise insulation, but also, of course,
0:27:50 > 0:27:53it's going to be really good with insulation for heat, too,
0:27:53 > 0:27:56which will take their bills down and that will be key for them.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59Things are moving on apace inside, in some areas.
0:27:59 > 0:28:02The plaster's going up.
0:28:02 > 0:28:07And that means Gabby can start thinking about making Ben's room a sanctum of sleep.
0:28:07 > 0:28:09There's loads of work to do in here.
0:28:09 > 0:28:14Because this is the most important bedroom for the whole family.
0:28:14 > 0:28:18Cos Ben's sleeping disorder has affected this whole family.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21How do you achieve that thing at night when he's going to sleep
0:28:21 > 0:28:24with a child that, literally, doesn¹t want to go to sleep?
0:28:24 > 0:28:27We're trying to give really strong cues for him.
0:28:27 > 0:28:31That this is now night time, so the light is going to be soft and dark.
0:28:31 > 0:28:33There will be little pools of light.
0:28:33 > 0:28:38We're going to have a day bed over there. He can be read a story in soft lighting.
0:28:38 > 0:28:43Nice cuddle, which he loves, and then we're moving into this section,
0:28:43 > 0:28:46where I'm going to build two little stud walls,
0:28:46 > 0:28:49so when he's in his cot,
0:28:49 > 0:28:51he has as little visual stimulation as possible.
0:28:51 > 0:28:55You're right. This is the key. Get this right and everyone else gets a good night's sleep.
0:28:57 > 0:29:02We've got to finish the house first. In the garden, Mark's discovered something which could stop us.
0:29:05 > 0:29:06Wooooa!
0:29:06 > 0:29:11Yeah, during a routine test of the drains, we've realised that there's a major problem.
0:29:11 > 0:29:16Sewage is seeping away underneath the house, without anybody knowing about it.
0:29:18 > 0:29:21We've got a camera down there and it's not a pretty sight.
0:29:21 > 0:29:24This could be disastrous.
0:29:24 > 0:29:28- Looking like a crack at nine o'clock to 12 o'clock.- Yeah!
0:29:28 > 0:29:33- Got one there.- And you've got a crack at three and nine o'clock.
0:29:33 > 0:29:37- That's a joint between the plastic and the clay.- Oh, my goodness!
0:29:37 > 0:29:40Basically, it could, if it leaks over a period of time,
0:29:40 > 0:29:45then the floor could subside and then you've got an even bigger problem.
0:29:45 > 0:29:49Trouble is, we're going to have to dig the floor up on our extension, to try and sort it out.
0:29:49 > 0:29:54We can't dig that floor up, Nick! We've got a kitchen going in in two days.
0:29:54 > 0:29:59Well, the only other option seems to be moving the drain. It's a massive job!
0:29:59 > 0:30:03If we re-route the drains, we've got to come right round the back of the property,
0:30:03 > 0:30:06take all this out, get underneath that fence
0:30:06 > 0:30:10re-route all the drainage right round.
0:30:10 > 0:30:13But then you've also got their drainage coming into it.
0:30:13 > 0:30:16- And their sink waste there. - We can't do that!
0:30:16 > 0:30:19We'll have to find a drain expert ASAP
0:30:19 > 0:30:21and see if, by some miracle, they can help.
0:30:21 > 0:30:25I'm going to get on the blower. We're going to run out of time.
0:30:26 > 0:30:30Just when things couldn't look worse, there's another setback. This time in the kitchen.
0:30:30 > 0:30:33We've just found a problem with the floor.
0:30:33 > 0:30:36The sub-floor is out of level
0:30:36 > 0:30:39by, like, 70mm
0:30:39 > 0:30:43over the floor, so you can't put the insulation in
0:30:43 > 0:30:47- to float the floor on it. - It's all over the place, man!
0:30:47 > 0:30:51There's 35mm difference from there t'floor at this end
0:30:51 > 0:30:54than there is from that Velux to the floor that end.
0:30:54 > 0:30:59There's a deadline tomorrow morning, cos the kitchen is coming at 8.00am with fitters to fit it.
0:30:59 > 0:31:03We need this floor done tonight, so they can fit the kitchen tomorrow.
0:31:03 > 0:31:09It's probably about five or six hours work and it's 6.30 on a Friday night.
0:31:09 > 0:31:14Being an expert in body language, I can tell those fellas over there are not very happy.
0:31:14 > 0:31:17I'll just phone me kids and tell them I'll see them tomorrow.
0:31:17 > 0:31:20- All right then, carry on. - It's so far out, it's unbelievable!
0:31:20 > 0:31:23I will be late.
0:31:23 > 0:31:26This will take hours, but we CAN fix it.
0:31:26 > 0:31:31The drains, however... Well, we'll have to wait and see.
0:31:31 > 0:31:35This is a new one for us, to discover that the main sewer drain running under the extension
0:31:35 > 0:31:37is broken and we're going to have to fix it.
0:31:37 > 0:31:42Luckily, we have many people with good ideas on how to get past this problem
0:31:42 > 0:31:44and, with luck, someone will turn up tomorrow and sort it out.
0:31:44 > 0:31:48If they don't, we're in deep...
0:31:48 > 0:31:50trouble.
0:31:55 > 0:32:00Another day on the build and even though the sun's still shining and it's the weekend,
0:32:00 > 0:32:02we've still got loads of people here to help.
0:32:02 > 0:32:04But there's one person we're desperate to see.
0:32:04 > 0:32:10Hopefully, somewhere someone's going to fix our drains for us! Where is he?
0:32:10 > 0:32:13Hey! There you go!
0:32:13 > 0:32:17Lee has come to see if the drain is suitable to be lined by a sleeve,
0:32:17 > 0:32:20meaning it wouldn't need to be dug up. It's a major hassle,
0:32:20 > 0:32:22but we must fix this problem.
0:32:22 > 0:32:28The reason we're so worried is, one - we've got sewage leaking into the earth round your house.
0:32:28 > 0:32:32Two - you're also putting water through underneath the property,
0:32:32 > 0:32:35so you could have that water washing underneath the foundations,
0:32:35 > 0:32:38causing cavities, which could cause collapse in your building.
0:32:38 > 0:32:41So you could have cracks in four or five years' time.
0:32:41 > 0:32:45So you might think the groundworks are not that important, but they're really important.
0:32:45 > 0:32:49They've got to be done right, cos you can't have water undermining your footings.
0:32:49 > 0:32:51Your footings being the foundations to the house.
0:32:51 > 0:32:54The pressure's on as the kitchen fitters are waiting.
0:32:54 > 0:32:58Because if Lee can't fix this drain, the floors will have to be dug up.
0:33:00 > 0:33:02- There you go!- Pull it back a bit.
0:33:02 > 0:33:07You've got black rubber showing at the joint, which means that's displaced.
0:33:07 > 0:33:09That could be it.
0:33:09 > 0:33:14Nothing like a busted rubber to get you into trouble.
0:33:14 > 0:33:17Will your cement stocking solve this problem?
0:33:17 > 0:33:20Yeah, not a problem. Repair that.
0:33:21 > 0:33:24I'd sort of like to kiss you.
0:33:24 > 0:33:26I'm going to say owt!
0:33:26 > 0:33:27LAUGHTER
0:33:27 > 0:33:31Don't hold back, Mark! This cement stocking isn't the cheapest option,
0:33:31 > 0:33:34but it means we don't have to dig up the kitchen floor.
0:33:34 > 0:33:39I'm lead to believe you that not only have you got a solution, but you've paid for all this.
0:33:39 > 0:33:42- That's right, yeah.- That's amazing! You don't know this family.
0:33:42 > 0:33:46You don't know this family. Why would you do something like that?
0:33:46 > 0:33:49Well, apparently, they're in need of help.
0:33:49 > 0:33:51Let me shake your hand.
0:33:51 > 0:33:56I was supposed to be going to Cornwall, but my missus says this is more important.
0:33:56 > 0:33:58But no problem.
0:33:59 > 0:34:01So, yeah, here we go.
0:34:01 > 0:34:05- Shall we crack on?- Yeah.- Right.
0:34:05 > 0:34:08Absolutely incredible, really.
0:34:08 > 0:34:12He's not only give his weekend up, he's give his holiday up.
0:34:12 > 0:34:17He's shelled out 750 quid to help somebody he doesn't know.
0:34:17 > 0:34:20Blows me away about SOS. Blows me away.
0:34:25 > 0:34:28Surrounded by really good people. It's lovely.
0:34:31 > 0:34:35Stupid really, but that's how we put these jobs together.
0:34:35 > 0:34:39Loads of just brilliant people come out of the woodwork,
0:34:39 > 0:34:43give their time, their money, their energy and their love.
0:34:43 > 0:34:45Brilliant!
0:34:45 > 0:34:50It seems like there are lots of people round here willing to lend a helping hand.
0:34:50 > 0:34:52Why did you decide to help out?
0:34:52 > 0:34:57I've been there meself with nowt in your life and it's nice to give it back.
0:34:57 > 0:35:02Everybody wants to do a good job for an honest living. That's all people want to do.
0:35:02 > 0:35:05Even though we're going through a bad time, there's so many nice people.
0:35:05 > 0:35:10Because they look at it - "One day that could be me wearing them shoes," you know?
0:35:10 > 0:35:14We all find accepting help difficult at times.
0:35:14 > 0:35:18None more so than Neil. His mum, Hazel, has had to stand by
0:35:18 > 0:35:20and watch her son's pain.
0:35:20 > 0:35:22- Hazel!- Hello.- Hello!
0:35:22 > 0:35:27- I thought I might come and have a cup of tea and a chat, is that all right?- Yes, no problem.
0:35:29 > 0:35:33Obviously, the last two years have been very tough on the family.
0:35:33 > 0:35:35But it strikes me, particularly on Neil,
0:35:35 > 0:35:41- because he takes caring for his family and looking after his family very seriously.- Very seriously, yes.
0:35:41 > 0:35:45He's just been so unlucky with work, you know? He's so desperate to get work.
0:35:45 > 0:35:51He's just been a catalogue of bad luck, as far as I can see it.
0:35:51 > 0:35:55It's very difficult for a mum, you know, to sit back and...
0:35:55 > 0:35:58You just want your children to be all right, don't you?
0:35:58 > 0:36:02In his heart of hearts, he must be thinking, "Hang on here.
0:36:02 > 0:36:06"Got two lovely children, a lovely wife and I'm not doing it, am I?"
0:36:06 > 0:36:10- Do you know what I mean?- Mm. - Sorry. I, er...
0:36:10 > 0:36:15Hey, listen... We get it. All the guys that are in there get it and understand.
0:36:15 > 0:36:19A man has got nothing if he hasn't got his pride,
0:36:19 > 0:36:22and is, he's having to deal with the most difficult thing for a man
0:36:22 > 0:36:26which is that sense of not being able to provide.
0:36:26 > 0:36:30But isn't it wonderful that this community have actually come out?
0:36:30 > 0:36:33It's amazing! It's more than wonderful. It's more than amazing.
0:36:33 > 0:36:37It's... Well, you just can't find the words to think what's happened.
0:36:37 > 0:36:41You think, "God, they've done that for us, for my family."
0:36:45 > 0:36:48It will be quite something when you get back to it.
0:36:48 > 0:36:49Mmm.
0:36:51 > 0:36:54But right now it looks like, well, a building site, to be honest,
0:36:54 > 0:36:57and we've only got a few days left to finish it.
0:36:57 > 0:37:02The job Lee has of lining the drains has to be done in just minutes.
0:37:04 > 0:37:08These chemicals will harden in the liner to stick it to the inside of the drain,
0:37:08 > 0:37:11but, of course, it's not that simple.
0:37:11 > 0:37:13How much time have you got to get that in then?
0:37:13 > 0:37:17Once we've started mixing, we should have two and a half hours.
0:37:17 > 0:37:21If it's warm, the ultraviolet gets to the resins once it's mixed.
0:37:21 > 0:37:23That could be reduced to 15 minutes, so we've got to work...
0:37:23 > 0:37:27- Reduced to what? 15 minutes! - Yeah.- My God!
0:37:27 > 0:37:30And it's over 20 degrees at the moment.
0:37:30 > 0:37:33So is working time's getting shorter and shorter.
0:37:33 > 0:37:38The problem is that if the chemicals harden before the liner is pulled into place correctly,
0:37:38 > 0:37:41the drain could be ruined.
0:37:41 > 0:37:45That's it, the clock's ticking. That's starting to set.
0:37:48 > 0:37:50Out of the way.
0:37:50 > 0:37:55He's doing this instead of a holiday in Cornwall, by the way!
0:37:58 > 0:38:00Go on!
0:38:02 > 0:38:03Go on!
0:38:04 > 0:38:07Are you through?
0:38:10 > 0:38:13The yellow balloon is expanding along the length of the liner
0:38:13 > 0:38:16and will hold it in place until it sets.
0:38:16 > 0:38:17That's it!
0:38:17 > 0:38:20- How's it looking?- Brilliant!
0:38:22 > 0:38:25- Brilliant. That's it. It's through. - Through the other end?- Yeah.
0:38:25 > 0:38:29Just go to leave it now. Cup of tea time for me.
0:38:29 > 0:38:32And well deserved it is, too.
0:38:32 > 0:38:36Elsewhere in the house, progress is just as good.
0:38:36 > 0:38:39The kitchen is going in amazingly fast.
0:38:42 > 0:38:45They're even doing the floor at the same time.
0:38:49 > 0:38:51Jobs are done!
0:38:51 > 0:38:54Not all jobs are so spot on though.
0:38:54 > 0:38:57See how these lights are getting on.
0:38:57 > 0:39:00Oh, yeah! They're working.
0:39:00 > 0:39:04Let's see how these are working. What's this one doing?
0:39:04 > 0:39:06Hold on a minute!
0:39:06 > 0:39:09Hold on. This is the hall light, yeah?
0:39:09 > 0:39:12But that's the living room light.
0:39:15 > 0:39:19What's going on? The living room lights just stay on!
0:39:19 > 0:39:23See? That's added extra for free. Thankfully, Billy's not in charge of painting!
0:39:23 > 0:39:28With only a few days to go, the wet stuff's going on the walls and it's starting to look like a home!
0:39:28 > 0:39:31So you're going with like a Wedgwood blue?
0:39:31 > 0:39:34It's just a lovely sort of soft colour, because we've got bright...
0:39:34 > 0:39:37Grey in the hallway.
0:39:37 > 0:39:40Ooh! Grey is lovely. It's fine.
0:39:40 > 0:39:44You can't paint everything bright colours because it will look like a sort of clown house.
0:39:44 > 0:39:46LAUGHTER
0:39:46 > 0:39:48The word you're looking for is "anything" not "everything"!
0:39:48 > 0:39:52You don't think that looks like the colour HMS Belfast is painted?
0:39:52 > 0:39:56It's really lovely AND it goes with the curtains and it's not dry yet.
0:39:56 > 0:40:00- If only the navy had realised what lovely curtains they could have put on HMS Belfast.- Exactly!
0:40:00 > 0:40:04- MARK:- There we go. There she goes! look at that.
0:40:04 > 0:40:08That's a nice clean run, isn't it? That's beautiful.
0:40:08 > 0:40:11I never thought drainage could be so exciting.
0:40:11 > 0:40:13Job done!
0:40:13 > 0:40:16- Thank you.- Thank you very much. - He's had that glove down the drain!
0:40:16 > 0:40:19LAUGHTER I'll go and wipe it on Billy!
0:40:19 > 0:40:22- What sort of wood is it?- Rubber wood.
0:40:22 > 0:40:25Tree wood - we can do that...
0:40:25 > 0:40:29- It's rubber wood! That's what it's called.- Say it again.- Rubber wood.
0:40:29 > 0:40:33- We're not messing!- Rubber wood! Has anyone heard of rubber wood?
0:40:33 > 0:40:37- It's rubber wood.- Shut up! - It is, honestly!
0:40:37 > 0:40:39So what tree does it come from?
0:40:39 > 0:40:41From a rubber wood tree.
0:40:41 > 0:40:45Have you ever heard of rubber wood? Be honest.
0:40:45 > 0:40:47LAUGHTER
0:40:47 > 0:40:50Shall we just call it oak? A light oak worktop.
0:40:50 > 0:40:54- But it's a rubber tree.- Rubber wood! - Is that any relation to a lavatory?
0:40:54 > 0:40:56LAUGHTER
0:40:56 > 0:40:59Where do you think rubber comes from? From a tree!
0:40:59 > 0:41:02Over to someone who actually knows about trees.
0:41:02 > 0:41:07Tim and his team have come along to create an extra surprise for the family that will really help them.
0:41:07 > 0:41:10- What aspects are you bringing into the place? - First, we've made the garden safe.
0:41:10 > 0:41:15So everything's on one level, so Ben's not going to be tripping over anything once he's out.
0:41:15 > 0:41:18- What's going on with your wigwam? - That's so Ben's got a hideaway.
0:41:18 > 0:41:22Around the base there's going to be some rubber chippings so he can have a crawl around.
0:41:22 > 0:41:24He's not going to get all filthed up in the soil.
0:41:24 > 0:41:27So somewhere he can bounce around.
0:41:27 > 0:41:32- And in the corner, you've got a bit of a water feature, is that? - Yeah, he'll be able to touch that.
0:41:32 > 0:41:35If he comes out here and gets a break, so do they.
0:41:35 > 0:41:37So, hopefully, everybody can benefit from what we're doing.
0:41:37 > 0:41:40What a lovely man! We're surrounded by them here.
0:41:42 > 0:41:45But it's not just Ben that were here to help.
0:41:45 > 0:41:47It's been tough on little Freya, too.
0:41:47 > 0:41:50This is the first time I've ever done anything like this.
0:41:50 > 0:41:55- It's really nice.- Is this fun to do this with Mummy, Freya?- Yeah!
0:41:55 > 0:41:59Unintentionally, kind of been pushed out a little bit with Ben.
0:41:59 > 0:42:04He does tend to take a lot of the time and Freya's been kind of in the background.
0:42:04 > 0:42:08I'm looking forward to being able to do things with her because...
0:42:08 > 0:42:12Hopefully, it will bring us even closer together.
0:42:12 > 0:42:16Cos I think we've been pulled apart a bit with the problems with Ben and everything else.
0:42:16 > 0:42:21I know she appreciates just time on her own with me, so we'll be able to do more of that.
0:42:21 > 0:42:26What difference do you think us finishing your house will make to your family?
0:42:26 > 0:42:30A huge difference. People have their home as a sanctuary.
0:42:30 > 0:42:33People go home and they relax. And we don't relax.
0:42:33 > 0:42:36We... Us... It's stressful.
0:42:37 > 0:42:42That's what we're here to change, but we can't do it without help.
0:42:42 > 0:42:46Freya's classmates have arrived at the house with a special surprise for her.
0:42:46 > 0:42:52- We've made two sets of drawers for Freya.- Oh!- For her bedroom.
0:42:52 > 0:42:55We thought it would be a nice surprise, like a friendship drawer.
0:42:55 > 0:43:00So when she opens the drawer, these little ones have signed on the side of the drawer.
0:43:00 > 0:43:02Lily.
0:43:02 > 0:43:06- Izzie, James.- And James!
0:43:06 > 0:43:08They're going to look lovely in their room,
0:43:08 > 0:43:11which, by the way, is looking lovely itself.
0:43:11 > 0:43:14This is starting to come together as a proper little girl's bedroom.
0:43:14 > 0:43:18- Is this like a designer wallpaper? - This is a mass-produced paper.
0:43:18 > 0:43:22But it's just really perfect for Freya, because it really suits her personality.
0:43:22 > 0:43:27It's really sort of bold and crazy and sweet and girlie.
0:43:27 > 0:43:31But also what I really like about this paper is it's got three colours in it.
0:43:31 > 0:43:36And, for girls, going through this pink phase, it can be very intense, but very brief.
0:43:36 > 0:43:40So you paint their whole room bright pink and then they hate it and you've got to redecorate.
0:43:40 > 0:43:45So at least with this, we're going to accessorise with pink now, cos she's five and she'll love it.
0:43:45 > 0:43:50But then in a few years' time, she'll have more like turquoise accessories
0:43:50 > 0:43:52and have a slightly more grown-up feel.
0:43:52 > 0:43:55So you've got two schemes with one wallpaper.
0:43:55 > 0:43:57OK. Fair enough, that kind of makes sense.
0:43:57 > 0:44:01Yeah, she knows what she's talking about, our Gabrielle.
0:44:01 > 0:44:05Friends Sara and Nicola were the ones who contacted us about the family.
0:44:05 > 0:44:09We wanted to give them a chance to see what's being achieved.
0:44:09 > 0:44:13So, in here, the kitchen used to stop here, well, here.
0:44:13 > 0:44:15And then there was a back window.
0:44:15 > 0:44:19You're very emotional, ladies. Why is it such a big deal?
0:44:19 > 0:44:24- Cos she's...- When you just know what someone's had to go through.
0:44:30 > 0:44:34- It's been a tough couple of years. - Couple? Quite a lot.
0:44:34 > 0:44:36Quite a few years.
0:44:37 > 0:44:39Just...
0:44:39 > 0:44:42I'm sorry. Just, erm...
0:44:42 > 0:44:45knowing the difference this will make to everyday life.
0:44:45 > 0:44:49It won't fix all the problems. They've still got ongoing problems,
0:44:49 > 0:44:53but just, day to day, being able to be in a beautiful space.
0:44:53 > 0:44:58Everybody goes through it. You think, "I wish that was different and that was different."
0:44:58 > 0:45:01And it kind of talks at you all the time.
0:45:01 > 0:45:03So you start putting your head down and trying to ignore it.
0:45:03 > 0:45:06Before too long, you're like that, constantly looking down.
0:45:06 > 0:45:11This will make her just instantly want to stand up straight again.
0:45:11 > 0:45:16And that just will lift her. Just cannot thank you enough. It's just amazing.
0:45:16 > 0:45:20It's very nice of you to thank us, but it's not us. It's all this lot.
0:45:20 > 0:45:23The guys other there, the guys wandering backwards and forwards.
0:45:23 > 0:45:27All these local trades are all volunteering to do this.
0:45:27 > 0:45:30I hope that they're proud of themselves and they feel happy
0:45:30 > 0:45:33knowing how much...what they've done.
0:45:33 > 0:45:37See the difference you guys make by coming along and volunteering?
0:45:37 > 0:45:41- It's no problem.- You're our heroes! - No problem.- You are.
0:45:41 > 0:45:46I wish you wouldn't do it! I've got water on me sideboard now.
0:45:47 > 0:45:49We're on the home straight now.
0:45:49 > 0:45:53Oh, that looks great! So light and bright.
0:45:53 > 0:45:55She's going to love it!!
0:45:55 > 0:45:57- Mate, thank you very much. - Thanks, lads!
0:45:59 > 0:46:03Here's the en-suite door. There's the door I said wouldn't work.
0:46:03 > 0:46:07I tried to convince them not to do it and yet, oddly, it does work.
0:46:07 > 0:46:13Through an awful lot of selfless work, this house has been brought back to life.
0:46:13 > 0:46:15Oh!
0:46:18 > 0:46:22You know, it really is going to change things for this family.
0:46:25 > 0:46:30Ten days ago, this house was a weight on Rebecca and Neil's shoulders.
0:46:30 > 0:46:35It's a very stressful environment to live in. Not a safe place for playing.
0:46:35 > 0:46:40Until something drastic happens, I think it is always going to be stood like this.
0:46:40 > 0:46:44It was dark and noisy, cramped and draughty.
0:46:44 > 0:46:47It was harming the well-being of their children.
0:46:47 > 0:46:50It was a prison with no way out
0:46:50 > 0:46:54and isolating the family from the community that loved them.
0:46:54 > 0:47:00If people ever came round, we'd shut the kitchen door so no-one could see it through the back extension.
0:47:00 > 0:47:04We'd only let them into the living room and that's a bit sad really.
0:47:04 > 0:47:08To turn this house around has taken an army of trades,
0:47:08 > 0:47:12the affection of friends and strangers,
0:47:12 > 0:47:15and the grace of a dad who knew when to accept help.
0:47:15 > 0:47:19This is truly the house that love built.
0:47:21 > 0:47:26The kitchen has turned from a dark hole to a bright and airy family space,
0:47:26 > 0:47:29filled with natural woods and fresh colours.
0:47:31 > 0:47:36The new skylights bring the sunshine inside and fill the house with light.
0:47:36 > 0:47:40We've given this home back its heart.
0:47:42 > 0:47:47The living room has been transformed from a narrow, under-used space
0:47:47 > 0:47:50to a cosy and snug lounge.
0:47:53 > 0:47:58The family can gather on the comfy sofas around the new open fire
0:47:58 > 0:48:01and properly relax.
0:48:03 > 0:48:07The upstairs is designed to get everyone back to sleep.
0:48:08 > 0:48:12And that process starts with the new family bathroom.
0:48:15 > 0:48:19The spacious bath is crowned with colour-changing lights
0:48:19 > 0:48:22to relax the children in the evening ready for bed.
0:48:24 > 0:48:27Getting Ben to sleep is paramount,
0:48:27 > 0:48:30so in his room the mattress on the floor is gone,
0:48:30 > 0:48:34replaced with uncluttered space, soft, muted colours
0:48:34 > 0:48:36and sound and light insulation.
0:48:38 > 0:48:42A comfy day bed provides a cosy snug for story time
0:48:42 > 0:48:48and Ben's new cot gives him the reassurance and comfort of being enclosed
0:48:48 > 0:48:53with the best possible chance of much-needed peace, quiet and sleep.
0:48:56 > 0:49:00In Freya's new room, we've filled it with fun and girliness.
0:49:00 > 0:49:05Somewhere she can play with her friends, have space to herself
0:49:05 > 0:49:08and, above all, now get a good night's sleep.
0:49:12 > 0:49:17Rebecca and Neil have a grown-up room adorned with relaxing tones
0:49:17 > 0:49:21and a touch of luxury - a refuge from the stresses of daily life,
0:49:21 > 0:49:26where they can finally sleep in the same bed again.
0:49:30 > 0:49:34Outside in the neglected garden, we've made a sensory haven,
0:49:34 > 0:49:37where the kids can play in safety
0:49:37 > 0:49:40and the whole family can be together.
0:49:42 > 0:49:45This is now a quiet and peaceful sanctuary,
0:49:45 > 0:49:48somewhere they can truly call home.
0:49:53 > 0:49:56- Do you know where you are? - Haven't got a clue!
0:49:56 > 0:50:01- I think we're in through a front door somewhere.- Yeah. - But...- I'm not sure.
0:50:01 > 0:50:05- OK, you're not very fond of your house, are you?- No!- No.
0:50:05 > 0:50:10It's pretty much become your sort of enemy in trying to get on with life.
0:50:10 > 0:50:11- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:50:11 > 0:50:16Well, a lot of people in the community have come together to make it better. Are you ready?
0:50:16 > 0:50:17- Yes.- Yeess!
0:50:17 > 0:50:20OK, open your eyes.
0:50:21 > 0:50:24- Oh, my God!- That's not our house!
0:50:35 > 0:50:38My God, that is absolutely stunning.
0:50:40 > 0:50:44That is your dream kitchen, Rebecca, in't it? You all right?
0:50:49 > 0:50:52- You said you weren't going to cry. - I know!
0:50:52 > 0:50:54That didn't last long then, did it?
0:50:54 > 0:50:59- I can't believe how light and bright...- It's like being in someone else's house!
0:50:59 > 0:51:05- It's like somebody's read my mind. - That is Gabrielle's job, really.
0:51:05 > 0:51:10We've insulated the house massively. If you just go quiet for a second.
0:51:10 > 0:51:12SILENCE
0:51:12 > 0:51:16- Oh, my God! You can't hear road! - You can normally hear the buzz... - You can't hear anything!
0:51:16 > 0:51:19The A1, you can always hear that. I can't hear a thing.
0:51:19 > 0:51:22Massively insulated all the roofing space and the wall space,
0:51:22 > 0:51:26so that the whole thing becomes much more calming and that's been the theme throughout.
0:51:26 > 0:51:33To give you the perfect space which you can work with the children, but also to make it all calm down a bit.
0:51:33 > 0:51:36- Oh, it's fantastic! - It's just amazing.
0:51:41 > 0:51:44- Oh!- Ooh! Oh, my gosh!
0:51:44 > 0:51:46REBECCA LAUGHS
0:51:46 > 0:51:49- Oh, my word!- This is stunning!
0:51:49 > 0:51:52This is absolutely unbelievable.
0:51:52 > 0:51:55- Look at all the pictures and everything.- Oh!
0:51:55 > 0:51:58- Who's that happy, smiling couple up the top there?- Yeah!
0:51:58 > 0:52:01You were talking about not having people around because you were upset about the place.
0:52:01 > 0:52:04You even said yourself, in spite of knowing people loved you.
0:52:04 > 0:52:09You'd put up with it if you went to someone else's house, but you just weren't inviting people round.
0:52:09 > 0:52:13- We never invited anybody round. - Which means you get separated from your friends.- Yeah.
0:52:13 > 0:52:16I think we'll leave all the doors open now.
0:52:16 > 0:52:20- Do you want to see the rest of it? - Yeah! Oh, my gosh!
0:52:20 > 0:52:22Aaah!
0:52:22 > 0:52:26Look at the size of the... Oh, my God! The kids could swim in there.
0:52:26 > 0:52:30- That is beautiful!- And if you look up at the lighting...
0:52:30 > 0:52:35- Oh, my God!- Of an evening when you're... It's a soothing effect.
0:52:35 > 0:52:39- The colour changes in the water. - The kids will love that.
0:52:39 > 0:52:43So the idea is, again, that Ben becomes soothed whilst he's having his bath.
0:52:43 > 0:52:47Which is fun as well, but it becomes soothing with the colours of the lights
0:52:47 > 0:52:51and you can take the lighting down to start on progress towards sleep.
0:52:51 > 0:52:54This will help him immensely, won't it?
0:53:00 > 0:53:02Oh, look at this!
0:53:08 > 0:53:11It's stunning!
0:53:13 > 0:53:17- This is unbelievable.- Look at this!
0:53:17 > 0:53:21I would have loved a bedroom like this when I were a kid.
0:53:21 > 0:53:24- The foxes... Yeah! It's... - Foxes, yeah.
0:53:24 > 0:53:28Again, if I had a choice, I couldn't have chosen any better.
0:53:28 > 0:53:31It's beautiful. The colours, everything.
0:53:35 > 0:53:38- Oh, my God! It's blue! It's perfect! - This is unbelievable!
0:53:40 > 0:53:44- Oh, Neil!- Is it what you expected? - No, it's better than what I expected.
0:53:44 > 0:53:47If I said thank you from now till the end of time, it wouldn't be enough.
0:53:47 > 0:53:50Because they've totally, totally changed our lives.
0:53:50 > 0:53:54It's overwhelming to think that people are that generous.
0:53:54 > 0:53:58- This proves that you've got a good community around you and good things can happen.- Yeah.
0:53:58 > 0:54:02Definitely. We can't thank everybody enough for all the work...
0:54:02 > 0:54:05It's kind of made us re-focus. Things aren't always bad.
0:54:05 > 0:54:08Things... Good things happen.
0:54:08 > 0:54:13Maybe it's the start of a whole turnaround in our lives.
0:54:16 > 0:54:19Oh, look at Ben's room!
0:54:19 > 0:54:21Look at Ben's room!
0:54:21 > 0:54:24- Oh!- Is this beautiful, Freya, do you think?
0:54:24 > 0:54:27- Yes.- Do you like it?- Look, Benny!
0:54:27 > 0:54:29- He seems very content in here, doesn't he?- Yeah.
0:54:29 > 0:54:32He's straight into his balls on the floor.
0:54:32 > 0:54:35I'm really, really happy with that
0:54:35 > 0:54:38- because I thought he'd be clingy with us.- Yeah.
0:54:38 > 0:54:40- I think he's right at home straight away.- He is!
0:54:40 > 0:54:44It's a very calming environment. The colours are amazing.
0:54:44 > 0:54:49So that's Ben's room and we've shown Mummy and Daddy their room,
0:54:49 > 0:54:53- so that's everything, isn't it? - Yeah, I think that's everything.- No!
0:54:53 > 0:54:56- Is there anything missing? - What's missing?- My room!
0:54:58 > 0:55:00- Oh!- Oh! Freya!
0:55:00 > 0:55:03This is your bedroom.
0:55:03 > 0:55:07NEIL AND REBECCA LAUGH
0:55:07 > 0:55:11We're never going to get her out of here.
0:55:11 > 0:55:14Is that the most beautiful bed you've ever seen?
0:55:14 > 0:55:15- Yeah!- Yeah?
0:55:15 > 0:55:18Look at the wallpaper and the lights!
0:55:21 > 0:55:23Look!
0:55:23 > 0:55:26REBECCA LAUGHS Look at yourself doing your hair!
0:55:28 > 0:55:33- What do you think of your bedroom? - It's beautiful!
0:55:35 > 0:55:37- Oh!- Oh, my God!
0:55:39 > 0:55:40- Oh!- Wow!
0:55:40 > 0:55:43- Look at that!- Oh!
0:55:46 > 0:55:48Oh, and a water feature!
0:55:48 > 0:55:50Freya!
0:55:51 > 0:55:53Ben's happy!
0:55:53 > 0:55:58- Shall we leave Ben with Hazel and say hello to the people that did all this work?- Definitely.
0:56:00 > 0:56:04CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:56:12 > 0:56:15Look at all these people! Mummy's really happy.
0:56:15 > 0:56:18These aren't all the people that did the work.
0:56:18 > 0:56:23There's a few that can't be here, including one who's gone to Crete. He almost cancelled his holiday.
0:56:23 > 0:56:29So looking over this sea of people and the community that surrounds you, do you want to say a few words?
0:56:29 > 0:56:34For people who don't know us to come and give their time and do a fantastic job
0:56:34 > 0:56:38is absolutely unbelievable and just saying thank you doesn't seem enough.
0:56:38 > 0:56:42This is going to change our lives, completely.
0:56:42 > 0:56:45Mummy's crying. She wants a cuddle.
0:56:45 > 0:56:48It's just... I'm so, so thankful.
0:56:50 > 0:56:53You've given us the most beautiful home ever!
0:56:55 > 0:56:57And I really, really am grateful!
0:56:59 > 0:57:03- Thank you!- Big change, isn't it? - Yeah!- Massive change.- Yeah.
0:57:03 > 0:57:06And it's going to transform our lives.
0:57:06 > 0:57:08You know what?
0:57:08 > 0:57:10It already has.
0:57:10 > 0:57:14APPLAUSE
0:57:18 > 0:57:21Brilliant job. Thank you very much, mate. Thanks a lot.
0:57:21 > 0:57:23It's been a pleasure!
0:57:23 > 0:57:25Brilliant job! Absolutely amazing.
0:57:25 > 0:57:28They broke the back of the house and put it back together again.
0:57:28 > 0:57:33So you're responsible for how super my house is! Thank you!
0:57:33 > 0:57:37"Thank you for Freya's house." Isn't that lovely?
0:57:37 > 0:57:41- It was hard work, but I enjoyed it. - Thank you so, so much, yeah.
0:57:41 > 0:57:47It's a funny old thing, you know. Here's a family that lived in a really lovely community,
0:57:47 > 0:57:50and they had friends and family around, they were much loved.
0:57:50 > 0:57:55Yet, because of what happened to their house, they became so embarrassed about it
0:57:55 > 0:57:57that they lost touch with that community that loved them
0:57:57 > 0:58:02and they felt isolated and took all their pressures on their own shoulders.
0:58:02 > 0:58:07And it took the community to come back and give them the house that they needed
0:58:07 > 0:58:11to remind them that they had this support network around them.
0:58:11 > 0:58:15That's important, you know, for any family, especially when they're going through difficulties.
0:58:15 > 0:58:18Maybe you should check and see that your friends are OK.
0:58:44 > 0:58:46Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd