The Big Build - Welwyn Garden City DIY SOS

I just want to be here for my kids

and be, in their eyes, a strong, happy, good mum.

But sometimes illness strikes so hard

it stops the most important things in life.

There's times when I go to bed

and I worry that I might not wake up in the morning.

For Sasha, time is running out.

I've lost lots of friends to kidney disease.

And it's an awful illness and you just wonder when...

when's it going to be my turn?

But there is hope. Having dialysis at home regularly

could extend her life indefinitely.

Home dialysis is as good as having a kidney transplant.

But for this mum, it's just not an option.

There's just not the space.

The place isn't big enough.

Sasha has been a midwife to the local community for 12 years.

Now we need that community to help one of its own.

-It's in.

-It's in. Go down.

By building a dedicated treatment room at home,

we'll be bringing a loving family back together

and helping to keep Mum alive.

This nightmare's finally over.

We have nine days to carry out the build.

All the usual suspects are here.

-Chris!

-Rarr!

-Jules!

-Meow!

Mark, Billy, me...

and not forgetting the Titian Aphrodite herself,

designer Gabrielle Blackman.

And this is a special show - we're in Billy's home town, which is...

Welwyn Garden City!

And he's brought all his friends along to help.

Luckily, we've got all our friends along to help, too.

This is DIY SOS: The Big Build!

Sasha and husband Andrew live, as you've just found out,

in Welwyn Garden City with their four children.

We met at uni on pound-a-pint night.

Romantic!

But we told the kids we met in the library.

After one week, I said to him, "I'm going to marry you."

And I was trying to run away but...

Yup, you got that one right.

-Didn't you, darling?

-Mm. Yeah.

We were together, everything was great, life was great,

we had everything going for us and then, bam, nowhere...

It was actually the evening of my graduation.

And I had this sort of cough and throat thing going on,

just thought it was a bit of stress.

But then from there I developed a nasty rash

and one thing led to another,

I went to the doctor's and they said,

"I think you need to have a kidney biopsy."

A doctor came over, looked quite solemn, and said,

"I'm sorry to tell you,

"but you have an aggressive form of chronic kidney disease."

But he said to me, "Well, there's not really a cure,

"but we can prolong the life of your kidneys.

"At some stage, you may need dialysis or a transplant,

"but possibly 10-20 years away."

And I think, at the age I was then, that seemed like a lifetime away.

Optimistic about the immediate future,

Sasha, who already had a son, Charlie,

from a previous relationship, married Andrew in 2008.

They quickly set about adding to the family.

Firstly with Andreas, and then two years later with Alex,

and finally Alicia was born in 2013.

But the pregnancies took their toll on Sasha.

Her kidneys rapidly deteriorated and she was forced to start dialysis

much sooner than anticipated.

Statistically, 5-10 years is a kind of...

..rough life expectancy on dialysis.

Knowing that Sasha's...

actually got a life expectancy...

We can't lose you. You're our world.

Sasha is at the hospital so often

that the family barely spends any time together.

I had always imagined that I would be a mum that did everything.

I see myself as a burden to Andrew and Charlie

because they always have to

pick up the pieces for me when I'm in hospital.

And my role as a mum feels like it's pretty part-time at the moment, and

it's horrible.

Like that. 'We don't do anything at all in comparison'

to what you have to go through.

You have to sit there for six hours, four, five times a week.

Putting needles in, passing out at times.

We've just got to get through it.

The truth is that the treatment Sasha receives puts enormous strain

on her body, which leaves her at high-risk

of heart attack and stroke.

Can you say bye to her and that you'll see her in the morning?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-So, do you miss her, then?

Yeah.

Yeah?

Well, she'll be coming home later.

She's going to come and tuck you in as well, OK?

So why's Mummy gone to dialysis?

-To get better.

-To get better.

-And so that she can not die.

Having my mum home on home dialysis would be great.

I'd get to see her more, Dad would get to see her more.

Um...

It would be like a complete family,

rather than having one person missing all the time.

But having been assessed by a hospital team,

their house was deemed too small for the specialist infrastructure needed

for home dialysis.

I just want to be here for my kids

and be, in their eyes, a strong, happy, good mum.

The difference between hospital and home dialysis

could be literally life or death for Sasha

and all they need to make that happen is a new home.

It's what we do.

So, what is the most critical thing you need in here?

A room that can have a dialysis machine in it

so I can have my treatment at home.

But if you could do home dialysis...

-Mm-hmm.

-That would change things.

Yeah. Yeah. Having home dialysis, for me personally, my situation,

would be as good as having a transplant.

It would increase my life expectancy,

it would improve my day-to-day life,

my blood results, my health, everything.

And what were the chances of this actually happening

before we came along?

Yeah, we were just about making it as we were.

As a guy, you do, you want to protect...

..and, yeah, it's so frustrating.

New start - me back.

-Is that how you feel? That you would have YOU back?

-Yeah. Yeah.

Being able to do to put the kids back to bed.

Yeah. Eat with my kids.

Put them to bed, do everything I should be doing.

Isn't that amazing, that actually builders

-could actually make that much of a difference?

-Yeah.

APPLAUSE We asked for help, and Billy's home town hasn't let us down.

It's one of the best turnouts for trade we've ever seen.

-There's loads of you.

-Thank you for being here.

What you're doing is amazing. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for

-turning up.

-Thank you.

I've been nervous, I promise you I've been nervous and everything,

thinking, wow, all that.

I talk about our Gracie, and look at this turnout.

Amazing.

'Aw, bless him.

'And as the family retreats, let the mayhem begin.'

We've only got nine days to help, so we're throwing away about a third of

the house. Really, everything bar the kitchen sink.

Oh, there goes the kitchen sink.

We've obviously started on the planning upstairs.

That's going well. It's all right,

we're taking all the ceilings down in here anyway.

Creating a treatment room for Sasha

is not just about moving a few walls around.

She needs to have a dedicated space

with specialist infrastructure,

like a filtered water supply and a separate electrical circuit.

But ultimately,

this build is all about bringing a family back together.

So, to make it suitable for all their needs,

we are going to restructure the entire house.

So this is the general mayhem that happens in a house when we get started

like this, because everybody's moving in all directions at once.

Come through. Do you know, the weird thing is

everybody's getting on and seems to know

what they're doing, which is... Kind of handy in a mayhem kind of way.

We're going to increase the footprint of the house

by adding an extension so they still have family space,

but to build the foundations for this, we've had to move the garden.

Out back was a steeply raked wilderness,

so for the groundworks,

local builder Mark and his team undertook two weeks of preparation.

They shifted an incredible 200 tonnes of earth and rubble,

all of which had to be transported across a field.

But all that effort has left us with this -

a blank canvas to start our nine-day build on.

And it's a scorcher, 31 degrees.

I'd normally expect to see Jules in a digger,

but with the groundworks done, I hope he's not slacking.

Look, I'm so hot.

Why aren't you sweating and hot?

Because I'm plainly more fitter than you.

Yes, I've been demoted to the steels.

And it's all coming out. We've marked it all up, measured it up,

they're taking the brickwork away.

Steel man's coming later on in the day to do final measurements.

Yeah, he needs some water, he's quite unfit.

See, you're not sweating either. Look at me.

-Look.

-Yeah, see.

-Said that, didn't we?

-Yeah, we did. Unfit.

'It's all about the hydration. Because I'm worth it.'

-There you go, Gabby.

-Two "B"s in it.

It's like...

Nobody spells Gabby like that, do they?

You're upset about the second "B".

Have you put something much ruder on it and I haven't seen?

-No, it says Gabby.

-It says Grabby!

'It's all about the fee.'

Give me your hat. Hmm...

-What rude word..?

-Yeah,

what can you change Nick into that's going to be rude?

I can't think of anything.

'No answers on a postcard, thank you.'

Ice cream!

Ice cream! Who wants an ice cream?

Yeah!

'With everyone having a well-earned mid-morning break in the shade,

'me and Grabby have the house to ourselves.'

What an effort by everybody this morning.

-Amazing.

-So what is it they're trying to achieve for you down here?

Because of her condition,

she's got to be really careful about not getting infections and not

-getting ill.

-Infection is a major thing.

-Yeah.

-So everything has to be super cleanable.

And weirdly, we normally say, when we

try and do a house for somebody with a disability or something and they

need specialist equipment,

we are always trying to make it NOT medical.

-Yeah.

-Yeah. Look homely. But of course, the room that

we're putting in here specifically for her,

which is going to change her life, HAS to be medical, doesn't it?

Yeah, for once, we are not multitasking in this room.

This is serious business in here, and it's got to look perfect.

The dialysis room will be separate from the rest of the house

to allow Sasha to relax during her treatment.

So we'll be partitioning off what is currently the dining area

to create the space required. But if it were that easy, I hear you say,

why haven't Sasha and Andrew done it themselves?

Well, it isn't that easy. We need to build in a filtered water supply

and a separate electrical circuit and drainage, too.

These are big jobs, believe me.

The large extension to the rear

will increase the ground floor by a third,

creating a huge kitchen and living area,

a space to bring the family back together.

Upstairs, we're losing the immersion tank and using the extra space

to give the two young lads a bigger bedroom.

Youngest Alicia gets a proper little girl's bedroom and eldest Charlie

and mum and dad aren't forgotten either.

We are going to better utilise

the space in the bathroom by giving it a complete overhaul.

We're also installing an air filter in the roof which will provide a

pollutant-free atmosphere throughout the house.

Outside, the reclaimed garden will become a multi-layered oasis -

again, somewhere the family can relax and just enjoy being together.

The biggest treat, the biggest Saturday night treat

they can imagine is being in together.

That is their dream, you know,

and so we want this lovely extension

that we are making for them is going

to be a really sociable, lovely, cosy space

and that's their dream night out,

is to be in. So...

Isn't it funny how the ordinary

isn't valued until it's gone?

Break time over, and the team are pressing on with the build.

Jules is on the case with the steels.

He's actually waving his arms a lot and trying to look busy,

but in actual fact he has not got much going on, he really hasn't.

So our timber-framed building is already up.

If you look, there's the opening for the back doors, the wall is going

all the way round, so we now have the internal skin of the building.

By the end of the day we should have all this covered in. Amazingly.

Billy and his team of bright sparks have their work cut out installing

power to the dialysis room and the air filtration system.

-But this is your peeps.

-Yes.

-These are your peeps, this is your tribe.

-These are my boys, look at them.

-You are proper proud, aren't you?

-Yes, I am.

Everyone is bouncing off each other as well, it's brilliant. Maybe that's because

there's not a lot of room!

'Lovely to see Billy on cracking form.'

This is also the stage where the design department, that's Gabby, by the way,

gets up to stuff. Machiavellian is the word.

Don't tell Mark. We need to pretend this already exists

-and it's no problem.

-OK.

-Because I'm in really

big trouble for doing too much bespoke stuff

so if we just sneak in, make a shopping list.

-Bespoke is just a word.

-It's just a word, darling,

-nothing to be frightened of.

-It just means built on site, really.

So Mark is getting really, really annoyed with me

because I make too much bespoke stuff, but

I kind of can't help myself

because it just looks better, it works better

and this is a small house. Sasha needs storage, so there is kind of

a pretty big piece of bespoke joinery in every room.

So we've got all these incredible skilled trades here.

He wants them on the first fix, quite rightly,

and I understand that,

but I just want to steal a bit of their time today

so we can prepare all of the kit I need for the next phase.

But this is when we properly come to blows at this point.

If I had a quid for every time

bespoke furniture had caused an argument, I'd have...

£23, actually.

Clearly things are about to fall apart here as well, so that's 24.

-Enjoying yourself?

-Yes, great stuff, it's good.

-And why did you decide to

-join in and help out?

-My fiancee is on dialysis just now as well, so

she's on it three times a week, so that's partly my reason.

So you know what the family are going through?

Yes, and obviously Sue knows as well. It is tough, yes.

Does it feel good to be able to bring your skills to bear to

change things around?

Oh, definitely. That's what it's all about.

-Enjoying it?

-Enjoying it, yeah.

-Brilliant.

He and his fiancee know that dialysis

needed for stage five or end-stage patients such as Sasha

is so demanding and aggressive it can be life-threatening.

Sasha has previously

experienced what can go wrong after she attended hospital

for a regular appointment.

My heart rate was 200 beats a minute and they did a test to

see the condition of my heart, and it had gone into a really dangerous,

abnormal rhythm and I had to have life-saving resuscitation drugs

to kick-start my heart back into a normal rhythm.

With Sasha leading such a precarious existence,

it was her younger brother Darren who offered a lifeline.

My brother said to me, "If you need my kidney, then you can have it.

"I don't want you going through that."

The transplant operation was a success.

Sasha had got her life back, thanks to Darren's amazing gift.

Everything kind of started going back to normal

after the recuperation period.

I went back to work and it was great.

Short but great.

And we had just got back on our feet

and there was a knock at the door

and there was a policeman.

He told me that my little brother had died in the night.

He had...

taken his own life

and, um...we...

It was just the biggest shock because...

I didn't even know.

We were so close. I saw him every day, spoke to him every day,

and there was not one hint that he was depressed or feeling low

or anything.

It was just like the biggest bolt out of the blue.

After that happened, it was just a really, really difficult time

because my little brother and me had been through so much together.

I just couldn't cope, life, work.

And I started to feel poorly again and I think I knew really

what was going on and then the doctor said,

"We are really sorry, but you

"are losing your brother's kidney."

Sasha's body rejected her brother's kidney.

There was no choice but to go back on dialysis.

Some people seem to have more pain than seems fair,

but we have a chance here to bring a little sunshine back,

a chance of a real home life.

Our builders know that.

Back on site, walls are going up as quickly

as they are coming down.

Sasha's story is really propelling this build forward.

Out back, it's like a giant game of Jenga.

200 wooden sleepers are starting to shape the garden

and inside, Mark's best-laid plans

are starting to fall apart.

I've just noticed that Gabby is having a bespoke bed built

in this room as well. And I've just noticed she's having a bespoke bed

built in the back room as well.

And I've just noticed she is doing a bespoke seating area down the

stairs as well. Nice, isn't it?

-Everything is bespoke.

-Everything is bespoke, yeah.

-Gabbers!

-Yeah.

Gabbers!

What's up?

This was all going really well.

Yes, it's going brilliantly.

It's going brilliant, absolutely brilliant.

The walls are coming out, the old structure is absolutely

fantastic, but once again you have landed the furniture bomb.

I was worried you'd be upset, but honestly, it's fine.

Don't blow it, Gabbers, do not blow it.

-WHISPERS:

-Don't say anything.

They love each other really.

The steels have arrived. That is Devon "full speed", by the way.

Jules is really excited. He looks it, doesn't he? Yes.

These steels are very heavy but there's no lack of helping hands.

In they go and, in a perfect bit of timing,

they are very closely followed by the roof to the extension.

It's in four pieces, each one lifted in with superhuman effort.

I'm starting to see why Billy loves his tribe.

His people, they are good people, salt of the earth.

This is all going in very well, isn't it? Look at that. Got the roof on, the walls out,

the sparkies are on their way downstairs, look.

So that means I will be upstairs prepping tomorrow

-for the plastering.

-It's going to make you a happy boy.

It will. Got to take your hat off to these boys.

Back on - health and safety.

And as the light finally starts to fade,

it's amazing that we now have an extension built.

A cracking turnout, isn't it?

And here we are, late, hanging on past finishing time.

Even the ones that aren't actually joining in,

they are all stood there watching.

It's like real teamwork.

Another beautiful day in Billy's hometown of Welwyn Garden City.

After such a strong turnout yesterday,

day two starts in more subdued fashion and with sobering thoughts.

This room is really very important.

This is the dialysis room so we need to get everything spot on.

This room has to be absolutely perfect.

We have dialysis equipment going into this room

and we have got to have drainage for that and we've got to have a sink

in here, but we have also got to have all

these electrical points that have to be spot on and running off

their own feed, so that if the electrics go down in the house,

they are not affected,

so they are all on a safety trip, so this room has to be 100%.

To be honest, I know it's a family home,

but this is the most important room in the house.

As the team dig the drainage channel for the dialysis room, you

can see why all of this would have been too much for Sasha and Andrew.

It takes a big builder's team to make it happen.

At 19, Sasha's son Charlie

remembers his mum when she was well. But seeing her go through the recent

bad times is tough for any young man to bear.

What do you think people wouldn't understand

about being in the situation that your family has been in?

The littlest thing,

like having everyone sat around the table at one time,

is valued in our house so, yeah, definitely, I think a lot of people

-do take stuff for granted.

-You and her have got a really, really special

-bond, haven't you?

-Oh, yeah.

-She had you young but she wanted to go on to

-university so...

-Yeah, she did really well. I wouldn't have been able to.

And how do you think the little ones are dealing with the situation?

-Do they know Mum is not well?

-Yeah, they do. I don't think they quite

understand the threat.

Well, they understand that if she doesn't go, she

-will die because Alex has said that before.

-Has he?

-Yeah.

But I don't think they understand how big the risk is.

How do you live with the risk

to your mum who you have such a special relationship with?

Yeah, I'd be really lost if she went. Really.

He is such a good lad, Charlie,

and he does so much to help around the house.

His work has been really good about having time off work.

Talking of work, it's not working in the house.

Basically Gabbers has got this drawn up at 7,255 wide here,

which is correct on the outside,

but we have had to move this wall in from the neighbour's

to create a cavity wall because we weren't allowed

to build directly on the neighbour's wall.

So it has reduced this reveal on this corner.

The whole extension has been measured off that wall so basically

the extension has gone like that.

If you worked on 450, I think what you will have to do

-is build that out.

-We were expecting to do that but we thought we had...

were supposed to have a cupboard depth on this wall.

7,255. You see, I don't think you have even got that.

And what it means is that the bespoke furniture unit planned for the extension now doesn't fit.

We have to build everything off site

prepared to just slot in like a beautiful jigsaw puzzle

and everything is fine.

And what's happened here is the room

is a different shape, the window is in a different position,

the bifold doors are in a different position.

It affects everything.

Gabs is about to sound dramatic on the phone.

Wait for it, here it comes.

Dave, it's Gabbers from SOS and we've got a major drama here

with the big unit. Could you give me a call

as soon as you get a moment, and I'm really sorry in advance!

-Please give me a call, thank you, bye.

-Told you so.

I am absolutely furious about it but we have just got to make this work.

It's 31 degrees,

I'm wearing a plastic hat, I'm a ginger woman and my life

has just been completely ruined.

If ever she needed an online dating profile, that would be it.

Billy has been a bit absent, hasn't he? No-one has seen him all day.

Apparently he has got all misty-eyed and wandered off into the street.

You see, Welwyn Garden City is the place he calls home,

so you can't begrudge him a trip up memory lane.

Here we are, Welwyn Garden City, my home town.

I've been here man and boy, and I absolutely love it.

Billy.

-Hello, son.

-Haven't seen you for ages, how are you doing?

-I'm fine.

-You're looking really well.

-Hi, Billy.

-Hi, sweetheart.

-All right, darling? Fine, thank you.

-Lovely to see you.

You haven't got far to go to work this time, have you?

-No, you're right. Kevin.

-How are you doing, mate?

Oh, look, this building here, back in the '70s I done all the wiring.

Gosh, it does bring back memories.

That is why there is still scaffolding up -

it caught fire recently.

-How are you doing?

-Hiya. Oh, we've woken up now, haven't we? Hiya.

It's like the Second Coming.

-Yes, any excuse.

-It's your birthday?

It's my birthday today.

It's my birthday too!

Are you all right?

Yeah, now I've seen you I'm fine.

So good to meet you. Went for the lips then, did you see that?

I thought you was going to go to the side!

I hope she's up-to-date on her injections.

He had a lucky escape, or is he disappointed?

-Hi, Billy.

-Hi, sweetheart, are you all right?

You know, he's been banging on about Welwyn for so long

I can almost see the attraction.

Look at the pride on his face. A man who has called royalty "Sausage".

So welcome home, Sausage.

Another beautiful day.

There's as many people outside as there are inside.

-So you've taken on the landscaping?

-Yes, so we've got

family space at the bottom for them, a level patio four metres wide

stepping sleeper work up,

nice feature steps coming through, landing,

it's just going to be exactly what the spec needed.

Your biggest difficulty working out here

is the only access for the builders in and out is through

this space, so no matter what you are working on, there will always be

people going backwards and forwards.

Exactly. That is why we've chosen the materials we've chosen

because we can stay late one night and put the

resin down and it will be rock-hard next morning,

and you can walk straight over it.

Genius planning is what that is.

I'm worried about the front garden, though.

It has actually been completely missed off the design.

The crazy paving and concrete cherubs -

it looks a bit of a homage to the 1970s

but local volunteer Joy has a cunning plan.

Take the whole lot out and fill it with pea shingle.

-And big pebble stones?

-You've got these

lovely big stones in there, it would be a shame to get rid of them.

Couple of bonsai trees.

Yeah, and the little bonsai trees, etc, it would be a shame

to get rid of those as well.

They can be taken out and saved because

-they are healthy.

-That's an interesting thought.

And it might be kind of cool when she's actually having

her treatment inside that room

to be able to look out the window onto that peaceful,

serene Japanese Zen garden.

That nice Zen thing going on.

I like your thinking, Joy.

As the distinctly un-Zen-like mallets

start breaking up the garden at the front,

a brick skin is being built around the extension at the back.

It's also becoming watertight with the fitting of two skylights

and the kitchen window, and after the pleading dramatic phone call

yesterday, Gabs has managed to get hold of Dave,

who is supplying the bespoke unit for the extension.

The house has been made a slightly different size from the drawings

-that you and I have been working from.

-Right.

And this is a lot less than the 650

-we thought we had.

-OK.

And I'm so sorry because I know you have already made the unit,

-haven't you?

-We have, yes. Yeah, everything has been processed

and cut, it's just about to be put together.

So there's a chance that we could adjust.

You see, the designer reads "there's a chance"

as "it will get done",

but, you know, it usually gets done, so she's usually right.

Late on day three,

work starts on laying the screed for the kitchen floor.

With the only access to the building

being through the rear of the house,

an accelerator is being added to the dry concrete mix,

because it has to be dry in the morning.

If it's not, we are -

what's the word? - troubled.

Halfway through the build and things are heating up nicely.

And so are we.

-How you doing, lads? All right?

-Yeah, good.

-All good.

-How's the roof coming along?

-It's coming along fine.

-Yeah?

-Couple of hours, it will all be done.

Lovely.

Look at this. Look, look, look. A floor.

All gone off, nice and solid.

It's actually starting to look like a building and, of course,

we also get the plaster on today, and when plaster goes on,

the building suddenly starts to look like a home again.

I think it always looks like a building site

until you start to get plaster on.

And that's going to start happening today.

What are your, er, priorities in terms of rooms?

Start at the top. We prepped yesterday.

I want to try and get as much skimming and prep done upstairs

while the Barmy Army down here are plaster-boarding,

so we can work our way from upstairs, get the bathroom done.

But we've got to get into the kitchen,

cos the kitchen's coming on Saturday, the day after tomorrow.

Yep, we'd better get our skates on. Or stilts, in this case.

You know, plastering is something I could watch all day.

There's something Zen about it, almost meditate-ory.

It sets me to thinking,

how does Andrew manage to keep going and doing so much

when there's such worry for Sasha's health

hanging over them all the time?

Being on dialysis, there's this life expectancy...

You know, they say five to ten years.

She's been on and off since 2012 and...

Erm...

Yeah. She comes home sometimes

and tells me of another friend of hers on dialysis

who's passed away and you sort of dread to think...

You know, is that...?

That day's sort of getting closer and closer.

And you can't fix her, you can't make things better, erm...

Does it break your heart, seeing her having to do all the things she has to do?

Of course. Yeah. I mean, it...

Basically, there's days that,

you know, I'll catch her crying at the front door.

"I don't want to go, I don't want to go." Erm...

You know, I don't want her to go to have dialysis,

I want to stay there with us.

You know, she's got to go cos it's going to save her life.

The kids are sort of saying, "Is Mummy at dialysis today?"

"Is she going to be home before bed so she can put us to bed?"

Yeah, that's difficult, too. But...

Can you see a different future now if we can get her dialysis at home?

Can you imagine a different future?

It's going to save her life,

because she can... Her treatment can be slower and smoother,

she won't have the pressure on her heart or...

Knowing that she's going to be around for a bit longer now is...

is the most amazing thing ever. It's...

I'm not sure we've ever built a building

where it actually saved someone's life.

The fact is it will extend...

It'll make her better and it'll actually extend her life.

From having that life and now looking ahead,

it's just going to completely change our lives, it's...

I can't believe that all those people

are giving us family life back.

We owe 'em everything.

And they're all beavering away.

Furniture maker Dave is bringing in the remeasured and recut unit

for the extension.

Carpenters are working everywhere.

It's all creating a nice ambience around the house.

And having pulled a late one last night preparing for the plasterers,

Chris has got wind of some after-hours activities

that have been going on without him.

-Excuse me.

-INDISTINCT

You're a sparky.

Have you had a drink with Billy? At all, since we started this job?

-Yeah, we have, actually.

-Where?

-Down the cricket club, down the road.

-When?

-Wednesday and Thursday.

What, just the sparks, no-one else?

-Yeah. Yeah. No, the garden guys came.

-Oh.

LAUGHTER

-You're joking, aren't you?

-No, no, I'm serious.

Billy!

Billy! Down here, please.

-Why haven't we been invited?

-I don't know, mate.

-I ain't got a clue.

-No, but you're the host.

The gardeners have gone out with you, the sparkies have gone out with you.

-Apparently you're going out with the carpet-fitters tonight.

-Are we?

-No, you are.

All I've heard for 17 years about this great city

and I haven't seen it! God...

-BILLY LAUGHS

-It's unbelievable, isn't it?

Are we going for a drink tonight, Bill, yeah?

Mmm... Yeah, of course I am.

I'm not hurt, I'm a little bit, like...

-Sorry, buddy.

-What time we meeting tonight?

-You, go on.

-He only lives round the corner from me,

-so I can get a lift home.

-I'll pick you up on the way.

-BILLY LAUGHS

-You think you know someone.

-You think you know someone.

-Can you sort something out, please?

-Yeah.

-I think I'd better sort out some counselling.

Now, that looks like a smoke alarm, but it isn't.

It's actually an air filtration unit.

Mark, explain, will you?

This is the techie hub up here, isn't it?

Does it extract moisture and stuff?

No, no, we're working the opposite way, so we...

push, put air in...

And it will pressurise the property, to force all the moisture out.

Why is that so good for the family?

Pushing all the moisture out, it's going to stop them...

Condensation, mould, helps with health benefits, like asthma.

And that's exactly what Sasha needs,

-she needs somewhere very clean, clean, fresh air.

-Yes.

Fresh filtered air, 24-7.

That's handy, isn't it? From top to toe, this house is coming together.

This is the water filtration system, critical to the dialysis.

And the bathrooms upstairs and down are being retiled and modernised.

This is going to be one gorgeous house for Sasha to move back into.

Kidney disease kills around 45,000 people prematurely every year.

But it's not easy to spot.

You can't tell if someone's unwell.

-You look well.

-Yeah.

You talk as if you are well.

You get on with your life as if you are well.

-Mm-hmm.

-So, how ill are you?

Well, I don't like complaining about being ill, but today,

now I could easily go and throw up, lie down and go to sleep.

My legs are killing me, my bones ache, I feel sick,

I've got a headache.

And if I could be at home in my bed, I would be.

So when you go to bed at night and you lay your head on the pillow and

before you go to sleep, which is the time everybody does their really in-depth thinking...

-Mm.

-What are those thoughts?

What's the things that run through your mind at that stage?

There's times when I go to bed and I worry that I might not wake up in the morning. I worry...

Just worry about the future.

And the kids, like what...

Life without Mummy?

When do you think was the most difficult time in the whole process?

-Er...

-Or is now the most difficult time?

-No. No.

Losing my brother.

-Was it?

-It nearly finished me off, yeah.

When he went, not only did a massive part of me go, but I sort of...

I just didn't see it coming, it was the biggest...biggest shock.

And it just...

I felt like it ruined me.

A few months ago, it actually pains me to say this,

but I text my friend and said,

"I feel like I've hit the wall and I can't carry on with this."

That must be terrifying.

If I'm not going to lead a long life,

then I feel like I should be at home with my kids

and the people that matter.

Making memories, having fun.

But I'm not, I'm at the hospital every day.

Last Christmas Eve,

I wasn't home to do all the bit where you fill the stockings

and lay out bits for Santa..

-I missed it all.

-Having home dialysis,

it actually changes a lot, doesn't it?

Yeah, it will change everything for me, yeah.

There's hope for the future now,

and to have hope for your future...

And can you imagine having no hope?

-Like, that... That's pretty... dire place to be.

-Mm.

Erm, but now we've got hope back - and it's everything.

That is... It's just sort of taking us through.

'And it's their local community that are bringing back that hope.'

Our time is running out on the back garden, but it's taking shape

and the planting has arrived. It's a mix of native and exotic,

including this beautiful 15-year-old olive tree.

Which is quite handy, as Andrew has Cypriot heritage.

And just to feel completely at home, here comes a bunch of...

-Grapes. Where are the grapes going?

-Behind you, over there.

-In here?

-Yeah.

So, it should snuggle in, underneath here.

I want to train it across there,

that should be beautiful, just along this trellis.

-It's amazing.

-Nice, isn't it?

Are you happy? You designed the garden. Is it, like...?

Just to prove it is, here's the original...

view and an idea of how it was going to be.

I actually think it's actually turned out to be even better.

-It has.

-Are you proud of it?

-I love it. I mean...

When I was here first of all, when it was just literally like nothing,

I could kind of see through that, that it could be great,

and often the different levels can add to the design.

And I'm loving it, I'd like this garden myself,

it just works. It's like a giant outdoor room, really, isn't it?

That's it, it is, and that's the thing,

when you've got a house that's as tight as this,

to actually give them almost double their living space...

Yeah, I mean, I hope they like it. Do you think they will?

How could you not like this? It's phenomenal.

I want this garden. I want this garden on the back of my house.

I want it moved and put there.

I also want a pint this evening, and so does Chris,

only we haven't been invited.

I want to go out. You know, we're in Welwyn with the boys.

Well, I can't. I've got a new conditioner to try tonight, so that's me out.

-Er... And to shave.

-What are you up to? Coming out for a beer?

No, I was going to go back to the hotel, have a little meal in the restaurant by myself.

What's the matter? I've asked the whole site today

and everyone's doing something.

Is it me? Are you winding everyone up, or something?

Tell you what, sausage, I've got it sorted.

We've got a cab picking you up at quarter past seven.

Yeah? That's all I wanted to hear, all day long. That's all I wanted to hear. We're doing something.

Right, come on, then. Let's go and get changed. Thank you.

Quick, he'll never notice.

Come on, Jules, keep running.

I'll catch him.

Come here!

You still haven't asked me!

Anyway, next day, balustrades made by the same people

who gave us all the steels have turned up, and they are beautiful.

I mean, really, really beautiful.

Local trades. That's what you need.

-What do you think?

-They're gorgeous.

Well, that's me and Jules.

It's gorgeous.

The rail's quite nice, as well!

LAUGHTER

Nice, me and you working together, isn't it?

It's really good.

I think the way you hold those railings up is really excellent.

LAUGHTER

And across the house, something strange is happening.

It's difficult to put your finger on what it is, but dare I say it,

there's a lot of love in this building.

It's being put in to absolutely every aspect of it.

Even the local wildlife are getting involved.

And it's making everyone a big softie at heart.

We had an orange juice last night, after work, didn't we?

We certainly did...

And, er, you were saying it's like it's kind of like shocked you,

everything that's gone on...

To take a house apart like this, as a contractor,

is three months' work.

To join forces with all these other lovely people, it's nine days' work.

That, to me, that's camaraderie, that's heartfelt, that's...

You want to be there, you want to do it.

You can't bottle this. You can't bottle this,

it's impossible to bottle this.

To get all these guys together and work as one?

We're not...

I'm a carpenter, painter, electricians, we're all one.

We are, we're one big family.

You know, to be a part of this,

I'm so proud to be a part of this.

That is phenomenal.

You know? That is worth every...

It is. It's just...

I can't go on no more. I'm sorry.

It's just stunning.

-Brilliant.

-It's as simple as that.

-Bring it in, big man, bring it in.

NICK STRAINS Easy! Easy...

THEY LAUGH

With most people now inside the house,

there's a rare chance for the landscapers

to lay the beautiful resin and pea gravel mix.

Well, we don't want anyone sticking themselves to the steps, do we?

But with one day to go,

it's the arrival of the dialysis equipment

that brings everything home.

HE EXHALES DEEPLY

Look, Mark!

Worky.

-It fits.

-Wow. That's great.

I know, it's never been known before, but it actually fits.

-That is amazing.

-That's fab.

Erm...

It's sobering, isn't it?

It's a bit of a reality check, isn't it?

I just find this room really emotional.

Every time I come in here, I want to cry, cos it's just so...

It just really brings it home, what Sasha goes through every day.

Really, really big stuff.

INDISTINCT VOICES IN BACKGROUND

You all right, darling?

Hello, what's that?

Where did Mark go? Did he go that way?

-Mark...?

-Yeah.

-Probably.

-Yeah.

-Oh.

You all right, darling?

-MARK HYPERVENTILATES

-I know, I know....

I just... I literally, I just had a massive reality check, cos...

I walked into the room and I saw that light flashing.

And, erm...

-You all right? What's up?

-It's just...

A dialysis room is just... I think it's just...

We've all been so worried about it, and it's all fine,

we've done it correctly, but it's just so, the cold reality of just,

-all that kit, when you see it put in is just...

-Oh, I see.

-Just focus on the build, you know, get the house together.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-And then you walk in, and...

This is what...

-This is what keeps her alive.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

And with a collective force of will,

the good trades and people of Hertfordshire

are delivering the big finish.

Sasha, Andrew, Charlie and the kids will not believe what's happened

to their house in the last nine days.

You know what? I can't wait to show them the results.

Kidney failure meant that midwife and mum Sasha has had to endure

intensive dialysis at hospital, just to stay alive.

But her life expectancy was down to just a few short years.

Her best hope lay with home analysis,

a gentler treatment, which offered the potential of extending her life

indefinitely and keeping Sasha together with her family.

But her home was too small

and lacked the specialist set-up needed

for a dedicated treatment room.

With hope and finances in short supply, Sasha was close to the edge.

I just sank to dark depths.

I've never been there before.

But when there's nothing in your future, to kind of look forward to,

because you're not around to see the kids growing up and you can't see

a way out how you're going to get of this mess, it's just so bleak.

As a midwife in the local community,

we needed that community to help one of its own.

So, when we put out the SOS nine days ago, they came out in force,

working side by side to bring the family back together.

And just look what they've achieved.

To build the special treatment room Sasha needed and let her spend

more time with her family,

we've restructured the cramped and impractical layout.

By adding an extension to the rear of the property,

we've doubled the size of the kitchen

and created an open space for bringing the family together,

where they can relax and socialise.

Bespoke storage means that Sasha can enjoy a clutter-free home.

And a seating area means their dream of cosy Saturday nights in

will now become a reality.

Upstairs, the family bathroom, which felt cold and cramped,

now feels bigger and brighter, thanks to a modern suite.

With the removal of the old-style immersion tank,

it's grown Andreas' and Alex's bedroom.

Now they've got more space to do what boys do.

Charlie, after all his efforts helping Mum,

gets a room more befitting of a young adult.

And Alicia's nursery is now a bedroom fit for a princess.

Mum and Dad's bedroom has changed into a lovingly-designed,

restful sanctuary.

The garden has changed beyond recognition.

Gone is the steep, uninviting wilderness.

Now it's a multi-levelled, multiuse garden for kids' play and picnics.

It's beautiful.

Having increased the size of the house,

we were able to utilise what had been the dining area

to provide a fully-quipped dialysis room.

This is the big one. It's everything Sasha needs

to self-administer her treatment and stay well.

If you're ready, open your eyes.

Oh, my God!

SASHA LAUGHS

-Oh, my...

-Where are we?

Can't believe it.

Look at this place.

Wow. It's just beautiful.

Absolutely amazing.

I can't work out where we are.

Well, this bit that you're standing in here...

-Yeah, where are we?

-This bit was your kitchen.

-And this bit is all new-built.

-Oh, my God.

So, this was the back of your house.

We've taken it out and put steels in and supported it all up.

How could...? How could we deserve all of this?

SASHA LAUGHS

Wow!

-Do you like it?

-I love it!

-Absolutely amazing.

-Look.

-So much space to walk around.

Look, I've got a little space!

-The little dressing table.

-Yeah!

-Is that a big deal?

-It is a big deal.

-It's a clever use of space, isn't it?

-It's just amazing.

-Oh...

-SASHA LAUGHS

-Oh, this is amazing.

-He's going to...

-This is perfect.

-He's going to be over the moon with this.

This is has got to you

more than the living room and kitchen, hasn't it?

Why is this one such a big deal?

He just does so much for us.

And we couldn't ever do anything like this for him ourselves...

He deserves this more than any of us.

He never asks for a thing.

It's just amazing.

He's going to love it. I'm so happy for him.

The boys' room.

Oh, wow, look!

-Oh, my God.

-Oh, they are going to love this!

Look at it!

-Beautiful.

-Perfect.

-This is the best kids' room I've ever seen!

Only one person we haven't organised something for,

-your little miracle.

-My little princess.

-Ready to see her room?

-Yeah.

-Come on.

THEY LAUGH

Oh, my! Look, look!

She's got a little house of her own, look.

Oh, look.

Oh, she's going to love this.

A little shelf for all her dollies and a proper bed.

-Is the room good enough for...?

-The room is perfect

for my little princess, yeah.

Have a sit down.

Oh, look.

That's just amazing.

SASHA SNIFFS

-Oh, God.

-Am I going to lose you in this room?

-You're going to snuggle in with these two?

-Yeah, play with...

I can't believe this has happened.

Do you feel like a change is starting?

Yeah. I already feel different.

We've struggled for too long.

Everything's been a struggle.

And now we don't have to do it.

OK, so we've done kitchen-diner, living room,

erm, new downstairs, all the bedrooms upstairs.

New bathroom, obviously.

We've still missed something, haven't we?

Dialysis room.

You ready?

Sure?

I didn't think so.

It's been a very...

very long road, hasn't it?

I just feel so...

I'm so lucky...

I'm so happy that this...

this nightmare's finally over.

-Is that all plumbed in?

-All plumbed in.

-And, like, it's all ready?

-It's all ready.

Yeah. This is just...

And all the water purifying is, er, is built in underneath here.

-Oh, wow.

-Goes directly into your dialysis machine, there.

Importantly, the new electric system.

This is a separate electric system in here

to the rest of the house, so that

if there's ever a power cut or a fuse goes,

you can actually restart it from here.

-You can press a button here and it restarts...

-And it won't affect...?

Won't affect whilst you're on the machine.

So, the electrical system is built in there.

From the position you're in there, if you open the shutters,

you can actually see the Japanese contemplative garden

and the maple tree, which will change colour, all year round.

Of course, you can actually keep the shutters closed for some privacy.

What does this thing do?

Keeps me alive.

Gives you back to us, as well, doesn't it?

I've lost a lot of friends to this disease.

And...I'm one of the lucky ones.

Well, we've all got your back now, haven't we? Eh?

What changes now for you?

Well, it changes everything, because, erm...

Home dialysis can increase your life expectancy massively

and as a mum with young kids, that's what I want.

I want to be here. I love life, I love my kids, I want to be here.

And this is going to help massively.

Right, let's get the kids in, shall we?

-Let's have a look.

-Yeah!

-Let's have a look.

-Thank you!

Look in these little cosy beds.

My bed!

My bed up here.

Come on, Alex. You can do it.

-Climb it.

-Come on, Alex.

What do you think?

ANDREW LAUGHS

-SASHA:

-Look.

You've got a special, special bed haven't you? Look.

What do you think?

-Yeah.

-Do you love it?

-Look, a pig.

SASHA LAUGHS

This is your room.

That's cosy, isn't it?

Look at this!

Oh, God.

I love the bones off you, you know that.

-Yeah.

-You are my best, best friend.

And I just wanted, I wanted to do something lovely for you.

Forever, but our life has always been hard, and I never, ever could.

And this...

This is just everything I wish I could've done a whole lot earlier,

and I'm so happy...

I've never needed anything more, Mum.

Turn round and have a look at your garden,

and this a place you wouldn't send the children before.

SASHA GASPS AND LAUGHS

Oh, my God.

-Oh, no.

-I don't know what to say.

How has this happened?

Look how huge this place is.

-I was not ready for this.

-HE LAUGHS

Look, there's even a bench on...

I can't even imagine how this has been possible!

This gorgeous, beautiful home.

This is a work of art.

This is just genius!

-I can't believe it.

-Look how huge it is.

As a house, you were talking about the fact that you couldn't

actually spend time at home.

-Yeah.

-Now, not only can you spend time at home with the family,

cos if you look down there, that is a family space,

there's a family table waiting there, a family sitting room,

and a family kitchen that comes out into a family patio,

but there's enough space there,

that actually makes it an entertaining place where you can have

-all of your friends round from...

-Yeah.

-Dialysis.

-From dialysis... SASHA LAUGHS

I just, I can't believe it.

There are literally no words.

It's just a dream come true.

APPLAUSE

Did you have something you wanted to say to everybody?

-Yeah.

-Shout it out loud, then.

Thank you for giving our mummy back!

APPLAUSE

What an amazing community.

So proud to be part of it.

Thank you, all - from the bottom of my heart.

You've... Literally, you've given us our hero back.

I can say that every single one of you,

you will all be in our prayers, every single night.

APPLAUSE

Thank you just doesn't seem enough.

Honestly... A few months ago,

I was just at the end of my tether. I'd nearly given up. I, erm...

I was just tired of struggling so much.

And, erm... I just had a massive burden.

I missed my friends, my family. I just missed life.

And I was tired of fighting.

And, erm...

What you've done here,

you've totally given me my life back again.

And I can just enjoy little things, like dinner with my husband

and putting my kids to bed, and telling them a story.

When you lose the little things in life,

you realise that they're actually the things that mean the most.

I can't wait to start living my life properly,

and being a proper mum again.

I promise you that...

I'll keep fighting this and I'll never, ever give up again.

APPLAUSE

The great thing about this was that this was a return, for Billy,

to his hometown. And he was very nervous about coming here,

cos he wasn't sure how it would go.

So, at the end of the ten days, mate,

what do you think of the people that turned out?

Well, I'm amazed. It's absolutely brilliant.

You've put a family back together, and everyone here came to work

with a purpose and with a smile on their face,

and all of you have put so much work and know-how into that lovely house,

for this lovely, lovely family.

-I'm welling up. Cheers...

-APPLAUSE

On DIY SOS, we often do builds that change people's lives.

But it wouldn't be overstating the case on this occasion

to say that these people, this time, have actually saved a life.

And they've given children their mum back.

And it doesn't get any better than that, does it?

Maybe you know somebody in your community that needs your help.

Are you all right, my dear?