0:00:02 > 0:00:07- Hello and welcome to the programme. - We love property, especially when it comes to snagging a bargain.
0:00:07 > 0:00:11In today's very competitive market, that's not always easy.
0:00:11 > 0:00:16But you know what? Put the odds in your favour by going to the auction.
0:00:42 > 0:00:45Buying at auction is becoming increasingly popular these days.
0:00:45 > 0:00:47That's because there's no messing.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50When the hammer falls, the property is yours.
0:00:50 > 0:00:54So what were the properties that sold at auction on today's show?
0:00:55 > 0:01:00We revisit a property on Scotland's west coast to see if the planners finally played along.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03Straight away, I'm thinking this could easily be a shop premises.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08I'm backing a winner in Kent with a converted stable block.
0:01:08 > 0:01:13Sometimes, auction lots, well, they just stand out.
0:01:15 > 0:01:19And in Liverpool, there's a mid-terrace that shouldn't take too long to refurbish.
0:01:19 > 0:01:25Somebody has done a lot of the refurbishment work for you, which is a great start.
0:01:26 > 0:01:30All these properties have been sold at auctions and we'll find out who bought them
0:01:30 > 0:01:33and what they paid for them when they went under the hammer.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35Yours! Thank you very much.
0:01:38 > 0:01:43Back in 2010, I headed way up north to the west coast of Scotland
0:01:43 > 0:01:48and stopped off right across the sea from the Isle of Skye in Kyle of Lochalsh.
0:01:48 > 0:01:52It's a popular tourist destination and also a busy fishing port.
0:01:57 > 0:02:01The property I'm here to see is located in the heart of the town.
0:02:02 > 0:02:10With a guide price of £175,000, up for auction was this imposing semi-detached property.
0:02:10 > 0:02:16In terms of getting into it, you're spoilt for choice. One door round the back, two at the front.
0:02:16 > 0:02:18Let's try one of the front ones.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21The auction lot included two separate properties.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25A commercial unit with a four-bedroom flat above it.
0:02:30 > 0:02:36So, through these fairly impressive double doors into the first part of what's a very interesting property.
0:02:36 > 0:02:38And it's the old post office!
0:02:38 > 0:02:42A great-size space, perfectly located on the high street.
0:02:42 > 0:02:44It's going to have the business value
0:02:44 > 0:02:48so straight away I'm thinking, this could easily be a shop premises.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50Ideal, in fact.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53# Wait, oh yes Wait a minute, Mr Postman
0:02:53 > 0:02:57# Wait, wait, wait, Mr Postman. #
0:02:57 > 0:02:59Whatever this property becomes,
0:02:59 > 0:03:04I'd hate to see the lovely timber panels simply ripped out and thrown away.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09# Deliver the letter The sooner the better. #
0:03:09 > 0:03:12And there's more. Much, much more.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15At the back is the old sorting office.
0:03:15 > 0:03:19# Oh, yeah... #
0:03:19 > 0:03:23It's massive, with various rooms leading off the main hall.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26The Royal Mail have a rental agreement on this part of
0:03:26 > 0:03:31the building until 2017, even though it isn't currently in use.
0:03:31 > 0:03:35It could be easily divided from the post office at the front door,
0:03:35 > 0:03:39as it has its own access from the side lane.
0:03:39 > 0:03:43# ..By leaving me a card or a letter
0:03:43 > 0:03:45# Mr Postman... #
0:03:45 > 0:03:50Let's take a look at the four-bed flat, which sits above the Post Office.
0:03:50 > 0:03:51# ..Please, please... #
0:03:54 > 0:03:57So, all good so far. You know what? It just gets better and better.
0:03:57 > 0:04:04Because right next door is a four-bedroomed flat that's included in the lot. So, what have we got?
0:04:04 > 0:04:08Bathroom and loo there. Needs a bit of updating, obviously.
0:04:08 > 0:04:13Kitchen, nice size, needs a bit of work. Definitely some nice units in there would make a big difference.
0:04:13 > 0:04:17Up another level to two attic bedrooms. Third bedroom there, and fourth bedroom there.
0:04:17 > 0:04:23That one definitely looks like it needs a bit of work, hopefully nothing too major.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26Finally, into the living room. I love the feel of this place.
0:04:26 > 0:04:30I like the fact it's on so many levels, I like the light that's pouring in through the windows.
0:04:30 > 0:04:34It does need work, but it could be a fantastic space.
0:04:34 > 0:04:37So this is fantastic, isn't it?
0:04:37 > 0:04:42Looking past the flat's obvious challenges, I'm excited about its potential.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52The entrance stairwell, which is flooded with light from these vast windows,
0:04:52 > 0:04:57could make a striking first impression when renovated.
0:04:57 > 0:05:05And the kitchen could be transformed from tired and tatty, to a warm and welcoming dining kitchen.
0:05:09 > 0:05:14Up top, in the attic conversion, there are two bedrooms.
0:05:14 > 0:05:19The plaster work is crumbling, but they offer views over the town and beyond.
0:05:19 > 0:05:24This property is a gem, hidden behind crumbling walls and ceilings.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26But, with some tender, loving care it could shine.
0:05:26 > 0:05:30And with a guide price of £175,000,
0:05:30 > 0:05:34you're getting a lot of property for the money.
0:05:34 > 0:05:38Well, it's a very interesting opportunity you've got here.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41And one thing for sure, you certainly can't knock the location.
0:05:41 > 0:05:45It doesn't get much better than this. But lots of work to be done.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48Who fancied the challenge when it went under the hammer?
0:05:51 > 0:05:54Somebody give me £200,000. 200,000 anywhere?
0:05:54 > 0:05:56150?
0:05:56 > 0:05:59125, to get us started?
0:05:59 > 0:06:03£125,000, sitting down on the aisle.
0:06:03 > 0:06:05125. Is there 130 anywhere?
0:06:05 > 0:06:08130, 135? 135.
0:06:08 > 0:06:10140? 140. 145?
0:06:10 > 0:06:14150? 155?
0:06:14 > 0:06:18155. 160? 165?
0:06:18 > 0:06:21Are we all done at £160,000?
0:06:21 > 0:06:24165, right at the back. 165.
0:06:24 > 0:06:26170? 170.
0:06:26 > 0:06:31175? 172-and-a-half.
0:06:31 > 0:06:33175? 175.
0:06:33 > 0:06:37At £175,000, going once.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40Twice. Third and final time.
0:06:42 > 0:06:46The successful bidders were Ewan and his sister Rhona.
0:06:51 > 0:06:56Rhona works as a nurse, and Ewan is a property lawyer.
0:06:56 > 0:07:04They bought this auction lot for £175,000 with their sister Mhari and her husband Hector.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07This is a real family affair.
0:07:07 > 0:07:09Rhona, Ewan,
0:07:09 > 0:07:14- lovely to meet you both. - Nice to meet you.- What an interesting thing you've bought here!
0:07:14 > 0:07:18- It is. It is.- Well, hopefully it will be when we are finished.- Right.
0:07:18 > 0:07:20Tell me why you wanted to buy it.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24Well, it's a sort of family concept.
0:07:24 > 0:07:28We have a fish and chip shop, which both Ewan and I help support financially,
0:07:28 > 0:07:31but my sister runs it with her husband over here.
0:07:31 > 0:07:35And actually it's doing so well that we needed bigger premises.
0:07:35 > 0:07:39And this place came up for auction, and we thought, why not go for it?
0:07:39 > 0:07:42So your sister and her husband run a fish and chip shop?
0:07:42 > 0:07:43Yep, just across the road, actually.
0:07:43 > 0:07:45- With a cafe as well.- Right.
0:07:45 > 0:07:49So the idea would be, the chip shop will move over here,
0:07:49 > 0:07:54and we'll extend the cafe across the road, making it a bigger cafe.
0:07:54 > 0:07:58The chip shop and the cafe are only a few hundred yards away,
0:07:58 > 0:08:01and they're managed by Mhari and Hector.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04# Fish and chips that's all I want to eat
0:08:04 > 0:08:07# Fish and chips with peas and tea... #
0:08:07 > 0:08:09When did the fish and chip shop start?
0:08:09 > 0:08:14- We've had the fish and chip shop for three years, and the cafe for two years.- Right. Has it gone well?
0:08:14 > 0:08:18- Very well. Touch wood.- Touch wood. There's money in fish and chips?
0:08:18 > 0:08:20- There is.- Indeed there is.- Plenty.
0:08:20 > 0:08:24- And I bet the fish and chips are fantastic.- Try them later! - SHE LAUGHS
0:08:24 > 0:08:28So the old post office is to become a chip shop.
0:08:29 > 0:08:34Rhona and Ewan own two other buy-to-let flats in the area.
0:08:34 > 0:08:38What are their plans for the four-bedroom flat?
0:08:38 > 0:08:41We're going to do the two bedrooms upstairs.
0:08:41 > 0:08:47Downstairs, we would redo the kitchen, making it a kitchen-cum-eating area.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50Toilet, refurbish that.
0:08:50 > 0:08:54And I would quite like to knock through the small room at the front, a single bedroom.
0:08:54 > 0:08:58I would quite like to knock that into the lounge, to give a bigger lounge.
0:08:58 > 0:09:04- However, Ewan doesn't agree. - I think if there's a family in the flat, or two different people,
0:09:04 > 0:09:08it would be better to leave that as two rooms. So I think we should leave it as it is.
0:09:08 > 0:09:14The family plan to spend four months renovating the flat and then turn their attention to the post office.
0:09:16 > 0:09:21We caught up with them after four months, to see if there was a three- or four-bedroomed flat.
0:09:24 > 0:09:28# Baby, I like it The way you move on the floor
0:09:28 > 0:09:32# Baby, I like it, I-I-I like it... #
0:09:32 > 0:09:35The once drab and dingy lounge is now bright and bold.
0:09:35 > 0:09:40I was delighted to see there were still four bedrooms,
0:09:40 > 0:09:44but what had the pair managed to cook up in the kitchen?
0:09:46 > 0:09:50Well, the tired and tatty units have been replaced, and they've made
0:09:50 > 0:09:54the best use of this rather awkward space.
0:09:54 > 0:09:56We've obviously done quite a lot in here.
0:09:56 > 0:09:59We had to do some work on the ceilings and the walls.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02We re-finished the unit over there.
0:10:02 > 0:10:08And obviously the kitchen's quite narrow, so we had to get special wall units and use them as base units,
0:10:08 > 0:10:10just to maximise the space.
0:10:10 > 0:10:12And obviously new flooring and cooker as well.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20Onwards and upwards to the bedrooms in the attic conversion.
0:10:20 > 0:10:23The bedrooms were in poor condition,
0:10:23 > 0:10:26with broken floorboards and damaged plasterwork.
0:10:28 > 0:10:32But Rhona and Ewan have ensured the work has been carried out
0:10:32 > 0:10:34to their high standards.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37This flat is a buy-to-let investment,
0:10:37 > 0:10:40although the siblings haven't scrimped on quality.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43But did this attention to detail
0:10:43 > 0:10:47push them over their three-month schedule?
0:10:47 > 0:10:50We had been hoping that the flat would have been finished
0:10:50 > 0:10:54by this time last month, so we're about a month behind schedule.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57But in the scheme of things...
0:10:57 > 0:11:00- we're OK with that. - Yeah.- We're OK with that.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03More time usually means more money,
0:11:03 > 0:11:07and although they had set aside £10,000,
0:11:07 > 0:11:10they'd already spent £17,500 refurbishing the flat alone.
0:11:10 > 0:11:14But the brother and sister team had bought this property
0:11:14 > 0:11:18not just for the flat, but for the commercial space downstairs.
0:11:18 > 0:11:23The former post office would make an ideal location for their existing family chip shop.
0:11:23 > 0:11:25But change of use requires planning permission,
0:11:25 > 0:11:27which can take time to get.
0:11:27 > 0:11:29We haven't done anything so far.
0:11:29 > 0:11:35We're working through planning at the moment, for the conversion of the old post office to the chip shop.
0:11:35 > 0:11:39And obviously the sorting office is still leased to the Royal Mail.
0:11:39 > 0:11:44So nothing else has been done on the rest of the building, apart from painting the outside.
0:11:44 > 0:11:48You can find out if they manage to get planning permission to move their chip shop
0:11:48 > 0:11:51hook, line and sinker into the old post office
0:11:51 > 0:11:53when we catch up with them later in the show.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01Welcome to the very beautiful village called Shipbourne.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04Now, it's situated between Sevenoaks and Tonbridge,
0:12:04 > 0:12:06and it's a very popular rural area.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09It's incredibly sought-after.
0:12:09 > 0:12:11However, amenities are limited, there's no local shops here,
0:12:11 > 0:12:14I'm afraid, but you do get a local pub.
0:12:14 > 0:12:15Perfect!
0:12:15 > 0:12:20Since this is a classic Kent village, you also get a beautiful green,
0:12:20 > 0:12:24a village hall and very well-appointed tennis courts.
0:12:24 > 0:12:29I don't think I'll have to do any more courting, as I've met my match and fallen in love.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31Shipbourne has my heart!
0:12:33 > 0:12:37Sometimes auction lots, well, they just stand out.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40Today's auction lot is called the Old Stables,
0:12:40 > 0:12:43and straight away, it sounds idyllic, doesn't it?
0:12:43 > 0:12:47Well, I can tell you, it certainly lives up to its attractive name!
0:12:47 > 0:12:49It's a four-bedroomed property
0:12:49 > 0:12:54and the guide was set at £320,000 to £340,000.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57I'm going to have a look around.
0:12:57 > 0:12:59Well, the horses have trotted off into the distance,
0:12:59 > 0:13:03but what a salubrious stable location this must have been!
0:13:03 > 0:13:07The property forms the major part of a two-dwelling conversion
0:13:07 > 0:13:10of the stables, originally undertaken in the early 1960s.
0:13:10 > 0:13:14One obvious downside is the shared access,
0:13:14 > 0:13:18but there's a garage tucked away down there - a real bonus,
0:13:18 > 0:13:20as parking's at a premium in this village.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23Ooh, a nice big entrance hallway.
0:13:23 > 0:13:27The strange thing is, the house is Victorian-looking on the outside,
0:13:27 > 0:13:32and it does have a bit of a '50s makeover feel inside.
0:13:32 > 0:13:34It'd be lovely if all this beautiful parquet flooring
0:13:34 > 0:13:36ran right the way through here.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39I wonder if, underneath this carpet, there's wooden floors.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42But you've got a nice downstairs toilet.
0:13:42 > 0:13:46The kitchen to the side of the property - hmm, a little bit dated.
0:13:46 > 0:13:50And, um, yes, a dated hatch to go with it!
0:13:50 > 0:13:54Now, I would like to get rid of this dining room.
0:13:54 > 0:13:58Do people still have separate dining rooms? I'm not so sure.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00How about taking this wall out
0:14:00 > 0:14:05and opening this space up for a real, good family living space?
0:14:05 > 0:14:09Somewhere really nice to have your breakfast and supper.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12It seems particularly odd that the kitchen is so pokey,
0:14:12 > 0:14:16given the amount of space downstairs.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19The huge double-aspect lounge and well-proportioned dining room
0:14:19 > 0:14:22simply swamp the pine-clad kitchenette.
0:14:23 > 0:14:29Do you know, what I really like about this house is how light and bright it feels.
0:14:29 > 0:14:33I'm not so keen on this '50s-style slatted banister.
0:14:33 > 0:14:35I think I'd have to do something to change this.
0:14:35 > 0:14:40But there's so much flow up here. You've got those two big corridors, lovely rooms,
0:14:40 > 0:14:43great proportions, incredible views...
0:14:43 > 0:14:46Bit of a blue bathroom, but all in all,
0:14:46 > 0:14:50I actually think the upstairs is a bit better than the downstairs.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55So, if the upstairs bedrooms are good,
0:14:55 > 0:14:57and the downstairs layout is bad,
0:14:57 > 0:15:00then what would that leave as the ugly?
0:15:00 > 0:15:02MUSIC: Theme to "The Good, The Bad And The Ugly"
0:15:02 > 0:15:06That blue bathroom certainly needs to be beautified.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09But there's something else up here which you can't change
0:15:09 > 0:15:12and you wouldn't want to change even if you could.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15Check out that view!
0:15:15 > 0:15:17The rear bedrooms of this lovely house
0:15:17 > 0:15:21overlook fields and countryside. Glorious!
0:15:21 > 0:15:24There's one more treat in this property -
0:15:24 > 0:15:26I've spotted a way of adding value.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31There's space up there to add another bedroom.
0:15:31 > 0:15:35A basic loft conversion should start at around £35,000.
0:15:35 > 0:15:37So, if you've got a large family
0:15:37 > 0:15:40it's good that this house offers that potential.
0:15:40 > 0:15:44My only concern is that small garden.
0:15:44 > 0:15:46Therefore, you could be in danger of over-development.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51Neither the front nor the back garden are spacious
0:15:51 > 0:15:56and if you add even more bedrooms then you could be left with a top-heavy house
0:15:56 > 0:16:00that doesn't have the space outside to accommodate the occupants.
0:16:00 > 0:16:04But having said that I'm still pretty keen on this place. It's fantastic!
0:16:04 > 0:16:06But will a local estate agent
0:16:06 > 0:16:08share my enthusiasm for it,
0:16:08 > 0:16:13bearing in mind its £320-340,000 guide price.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18It's set in the most tranquil position.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22Lots of scope for improvements so it could be a lovely family home.
0:16:22 > 0:16:23The garden is small
0:16:23 > 0:16:27but as properties don't become available that often in Shipbourne,
0:16:27 > 0:16:31people will overcome that because you've got all the surrounding countryside.
0:16:31 > 0:16:36Well, he clearly doesn't think the house has too many problems either.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39What could it sell for, once refurbished?
0:16:39 > 0:16:42Depending on what they finally do with the renovation work,
0:16:42 > 0:16:45you would be looking in excess of £500,000
0:16:45 > 0:16:48if the work was done to a high standard.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52Well, this is a lovely property.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55It's got scope to extend up in the loft and add value
0:16:55 > 0:16:57and it's in an incredible setting.
0:16:57 > 0:17:01What's not to like? Well, the shared drive and the small garden.
0:17:01 > 0:17:03I think that may put some buyers off.
0:17:03 > 0:17:07Let's see who wanted this at the auction.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10Now we go to Shipbourne in Kent.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12It's a village house for refurbishment, good views,
0:17:12 > 0:17:14lovely family house.
0:17:14 > 0:17:18Start me where you will on that one. 340, can I say to start me? 340?
0:17:18 > 0:17:23Give me 330 then. Doesn't matter where we start. £330,000 I have.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26330, I have. And 40, do I see?
0:17:26 > 0:17:29340, do I see? 340, sitting down.
0:17:29 > 0:17:31350, it's against you. 350, I'm bid.
0:17:31 > 0:17:36360, do I see? 360, 360 and 70.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39370, do I hear? 370 and 80.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43380, may I say? 380, I've got. 385, madam.
0:17:43 > 0:17:46Just five more. You won't find another one like it.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50I've got 380 with you at the front, sir. 380, I've got.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53And five I'm looking for from anybody else. 385, do I see?
0:17:53 > 0:17:57385, do I see? If not, it will be sold at £380,000.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00Are we all done? I'll take two.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03Otherwise I'm going to be selling for 380. I'll take another two.
0:18:03 > 0:18:07Front row at £380,000, I'm selling for the first time.
0:18:07 > 0:18:11£380,000 bid, for the second time. If I don't see another two.
0:18:11 > 0:18:15£380,000, for the third and final time if you're sure you're all done.
0:18:15 > 0:18:17Well done, you've bought yourself a house.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19# Make me what to cry...#
0:18:19 > 0:18:22Phew, what an emotional rollercoaster that auction was
0:18:22 > 0:18:23for Kate and Tom.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26Kate is pregnant with the couple's second child
0:18:26 > 0:18:31and they were clearly relived and thrilled to buy this house for £380,000.
0:18:31 > 0:18:35I went to meet Kate and Tom and their daughter, Lucy,
0:18:35 > 0:18:36to hear about their plans.
0:18:36 > 0:18:40Guys, what an auction. Now, Kate, you looked like you were crying.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43You had your head in your hands at one point.
0:18:43 > 0:18:45Yeah, it was quite emotional.
0:18:45 > 0:18:49We weren't sure we'd get the house so we were relieved.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52We didn't go in there with any expectations.
0:18:52 > 0:18:54We'd set our limit, but our thoughts were
0:18:54 > 0:18:57it was going to go for so much more.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00When the hammer came down on us and he strung it out for so long
0:19:00 > 0:19:06it was so tense. It was rather emotional at the end.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08Did you think you would walk away with this on the day?
0:19:08 > 0:19:10- No.- Absolutely not.
0:19:10 > 0:19:15I said to Tom, "Let's sit back and relax and see it as experience
0:19:15 > 0:19:17"because we might find another property at auction.
0:19:17 > 0:19:21"We're not going to get this, so let's just put it down to experience."
0:19:21 > 0:19:24- But we did. - We very nearly didn't even come.
0:19:24 > 0:19:29Yeah! That is why I love auction. You guys deserve this property.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32So, 380, that was your absolute top limit, was it?
0:19:32 > 0:19:36It was 375 and we changed our mind in the car at the very last minute.
0:19:36 > 0:19:38We thought, we love this house, it's a life house,
0:19:38 > 0:19:41it's for the family and we've got a new one on the way.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44We thought we'd stretch ourselves a bit more
0:19:44 > 0:19:48and we managed to push it out another £5,000 which was lucky.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51- That car journey cost you £5,000! - Exactly.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53Is it worth £380,000 to you two?
0:19:53 > 0:19:55It is for us, definitely.
0:19:55 > 0:20:00The property market's fluctuating and there's talk about a double dip
0:20:00 > 0:20:07but when you're looking at a house long-term, not as a development opportunity, as a family home,
0:20:07 > 0:20:10hopefully we'll be here for 15-20 years, maybe more.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13So, it really is a long-term project for you.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16Tell me, Kate, how well do you know this house
0:20:16 > 0:20:18and what's the history behind you wanting to buy this?
0:20:18 > 0:20:20We just fell in love with the area.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23We are sort of local, we are ten minutes away.
0:20:23 > 0:20:27Tom's family have lived here for 20 years and we wanted to stay local.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30We just love the house.
0:20:30 > 0:20:34So, how much did you know about this property before you went to auction?
0:20:34 > 0:20:38We knew it was on the market for 450 with the estate agent before,
0:20:38 > 0:20:40which was out of our price range.
0:20:40 > 0:20:44So, you've saved yourselves £70,000 by going to auction to buy this.
0:20:44 > 0:20:46Yeah, yeah.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49Wow, £70,000!
0:20:49 > 0:20:53It's a huge saving on what is clearly their dream home
0:20:53 > 0:20:57in their dream location, although that dream home does need some work.
0:20:57 > 0:21:01But chartered surveyor Tom is ready for action.
0:21:01 > 0:21:04The interior doesn't match up to the outside of the house.
0:21:04 > 0:21:09It's a period building, but you come in and it's quite '50s in its style.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12We're going to put our personal touches on it.
0:21:12 > 0:21:17The hatch in the wall and the colour of the bathroom, the banisters...
0:21:17 > 0:21:20Yes, the banisters. They're not for me.
0:21:20 > 0:21:21Do you like that kind of thing?
0:21:21 > 0:21:24No, we don't. Also, it's a safety thing for the kids.
0:21:24 > 0:21:28They can climb up them and stuff like that. We need the uprights.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31It's a long-term project. We can't afford to do everything in one go.
0:21:31 > 0:21:35I think we're going to strip the walls...
0:21:35 > 0:21:40We're going to live with it for a while, get to know the house...
0:21:40 > 0:21:42- Live with the space. - ..and see what we want to do.
0:21:42 > 0:21:46Sometimes that's the best way, if it's a long-term project
0:21:46 > 0:21:49and you want to live here for a long time.
0:21:49 > 0:21:52Kate and Tom are taking the right approach with this house.
0:21:52 > 0:21:54Since they bought it as their forever family home
0:21:54 > 0:21:58they want to take their time and get it right.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01Plus they did spend every penny they had on the purchase.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04What's your budget for that work?
0:22:04 > 0:22:09Erm, it's not a set budget. I'd say we're within the £10,000 mark.
0:22:09 > 0:22:13We did stretch ourselves, but as we've got a blank canvas
0:22:13 > 0:22:16and this is a long-term project.
0:22:16 > 0:22:21I think, it's clean, it's dated, but it's clean and we can live in it.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24Absolutely. It's habitable, yeah.
0:22:24 > 0:22:26Habitable maybe, but not loveable.
0:22:26 > 0:22:29I think my first task would be to banish the blues from that bathroom.
0:22:29 > 0:22:33But with one young child already and another on the way,
0:22:33 > 0:22:37are the couple worried about taking on too much?
0:22:37 > 0:22:41You've got to do that at some point, take the big step for your family
0:22:41 > 0:22:43and we've managed to do that now, which is great,
0:22:43 > 0:22:47because it's saved time and money because it is expensive moving
0:22:47 > 0:22:51and buying a house as we found out.
0:22:51 > 0:22:56Hopefully we'll be here for the next 25, maybe 30 years
0:22:56 > 0:23:01and watch Lucy grow up and go to school. I think it's perfect for what we dreamt of.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04We didn't think we'd be able to find a house in this area
0:23:04 > 0:23:06and we're absolutely delighted.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09Guys, congratulations, it's been great meeting you today. Well done.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12- Thank you.- Thank you.- Thanks, Kate.
0:23:13 > 0:23:18I've seen it so many times over the years this programme has been running.
0:23:18 > 0:23:21Auctions can make homes affordable for people
0:23:21 > 0:23:24who otherwise couldn't afford to buy in their desired area.
0:23:24 > 0:23:28Tom and Kate have saved themselves £70,000 in the process.
0:23:28 > 0:23:32So they're going to need to inject some serious cash into this house
0:23:32 > 0:23:34but before all the finishing is complete,
0:23:34 > 0:23:36the family need to move in.
0:23:36 > 0:23:40You can find out what happens later on in the programme.
0:23:41 > 0:23:45Coming up - In Liverpool I realise you can't judge a book by its cover.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48What on the outside doesn't seem that brilliant
0:23:48 > 0:23:50has, in fact, proved to be a top property.
0:23:51 > 0:23:56In Shipbourne, Kent, have Kate and Tom over-stretched themselves?
0:23:56 > 0:24:00The plaster came off which revealed some cracking and weakness in the walls.
0:24:02 > 0:24:06But back in Kyle of Lochalsh, is extravagance the order of the day?
0:24:06 > 0:24:10- Expensive taste? - Some better specification.
0:24:13 > 0:24:18It's over a year since we were last in the magnificent West Highlands of Scotland
0:24:18 > 0:24:20in the bustling village of Kyle of Lochalsh.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23Here, brother and sister, Ewan and Rona,
0:24:23 > 0:24:29had bought a substantial building on the main street for £175,000.
0:24:29 > 0:24:31Sister, Mhairi, and brother-in-law Hector,
0:24:31 > 0:24:34already run a chip shop and cafe in Kyle of Lochalsh.
0:24:34 > 0:24:38The family were pulling together to shift the chip shop into a new home
0:24:38 > 0:24:42and expand their successful cafe into the former chip shop space.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45Quite a shuffle around.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48£175,000 buys a lot of space in Kyle of Lochalsh.
0:24:48 > 0:24:53On the ground floor a post office had occupied the front of the building
0:24:53 > 0:24:55while at the rear there was a huge space
0:24:55 > 0:24:59which the Royal Mail will lease as a sorting room until 2017.
0:24:59 > 0:25:00As if that wasn't enough,
0:25:00 > 0:25:03there was also a four-bedroom self-contained flat.
0:25:03 > 0:25:05When we first returned to meet them
0:25:05 > 0:25:08four months after they'd bought the property, they'd done a great job
0:25:08 > 0:25:12on the flat conversion, but the line had snagged on the chip shop.
0:25:14 > 0:25:15We haven't done anything so far.
0:25:15 > 0:25:19I'm working through planning at the moment for the conversion
0:25:19 > 0:25:21of the old Post Office to the chip shop
0:25:21 > 0:25:24and the sorting office is still leased to Royal Mail,
0:25:24 > 0:25:28so nothing else has been done apart from painting the outside.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30It's been just over a year since our last visit
0:25:30 > 0:25:35and 17 months since the siblings splashed out on the building in Kyle of Lochalsh.
0:25:35 > 0:25:40Now it's time to find out if the chip shop has put new SOLE into an old Post Office!
0:25:51 > 0:25:53What a difference.
0:25:53 > 0:25:59With a fresh, contemporary look, Hector and Mhairi's chip shop is definitely good to go.
0:25:59 > 0:26:03Inside, there are state-of-the-art fryers and business is booming.
0:26:03 > 0:26:06We hoped originally to secure planning within three months,
0:26:06 > 0:26:10and that the building work would take a month to six weeks,
0:26:10 > 0:26:13and unfortunately planning took us nearer five months.
0:26:13 > 0:26:17The actual building work took nearer two-and-a-half months.
0:26:17 > 0:26:21Once we'd finalised the design and Hector was comfortable it was
0:26:21 > 0:26:23going to give him all the equipment he needed
0:26:23 > 0:26:27and the layout worked for him, it was a question of going in for planning.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30When it's a hot food takeaway you're dealing with,
0:26:30 > 0:26:33there are obviously concerns, and they have to be addressed.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36With planning permission finally in PLAICE - ha-ha! -
0:26:36 > 0:26:39the chip shop fixtures and fittings could be bought,
0:26:39 > 0:26:42but it turned out they had special requirements, too.
0:26:42 > 0:26:46We had initially thought that the electricity supply would be
0:26:46 > 0:26:48adequate for electric fryers,
0:26:48 > 0:26:51but it became apparent that wasn't going to be the case
0:26:51 > 0:26:54so we had to get a new electricity supply put in.
0:26:54 > 0:26:58The general fabric and structure of the building was sound, which has been a bonus.
0:26:58 > 0:27:01While the bricks and mortar were sound,
0:27:01 > 0:27:05that didn't mean the chip shop simply sailed into the former Post Office.
0:27:05 > 0:27:09Old buildings often have surprises for buyers.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13The first issue we had when we started the work was this wall here -
0:27:13 > 0:27:17it was supposed to be solid, but when the builders started
0:27:17 > 0:27:18they realised there was another wall behind it,
0:27:18 > 0:27:22so we had to open it up, which wasn't part of the original plans.
0:27:22 > 0:27:26The really big issue in this building was the pillar.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29It's structural, so everything, including the fryers,
0:27:29 > 0:27:32has to be designed around it, which caused a few problems
0:27:32 > 0:27:35for the design and for the suppliers, as well.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38And with the practical details finally sorted,
0:27:38 > 0:27:41the fun part of the refit could begin.
0:27:41 > 0:27:45Both of us, and Mhairi and Hector, wanted something very clean cut,
0:27:45 > 0:27:48easily maintained and looked fresh, and it was the architect
0:27:48 > 0:27:51and yourself that came up with the design,
0:27:51 > 0:27:53you very much had hands on, didn't you?
0:27:53 > 0:27:57I think we all wanted something quite contemporary and emphasising
0:27:57 > 0:28:00the quality of food, something that looked high-quality, as well.
0:28:00 > 0:28:06So, with such high-end tastes, how did their budget fare?
0:28:06 > 0:28:11The original budget was about £70,000 for the chip shop.
0:28:11 > 0:28:14We've gone about £7,500 over that,
0:28:14 > 0:28:17and that's been a variety of reasons.
0:28:17 > 0:28:20Some extra equipment, some...
0:28:20 > 0:28:22Expensive taste?
0:28:22 > 0:28:25Some better specification, as I would say,
0:28:25 > 0:28:27on how the chip shop looks.
0:28:29 > 0:28:34Ewan and Rhona bought the former Post Office building for £175,000.
0:28:34 > 0:28:39They spent £17,500 refurbishing the four-bedroom self-contained flat,
0:28:39 > 0:28:43and £77,500 refitting the chip shop in its new location,
0:28:43 > 0:28:47bringing their total outlay to £270,000.
0:28:47 > 0:28:51Time to find out what two local property experts think of their work.
0:28:53 > 0:28:55They've done a great job, it looks really good.
0:28:55 > 0:28:59I like the outside, because it's still very traditional but obviously
0:28:59 > 0:29:02it's very modern and new here, so they've done a really nice job.
0:29:02 > 0:29:06I like the whole fresh approach they've brought in
0:29:06 > 0:29:09and the colour scheme, with the black, white and grey.
0:29:09 > 0:29:14It's very clean, fresh and appealing to customers, I should imagine.
0:29:14 > 0:29:18It's time to hear what they think this property might sell for.
0:29:18 > 0:29:21Remember, it will include the refurbished four-bedroom flat
0:29:21 > 0:29:25and, although it's rented out until 2017, they will also include
0:29:25 > 0:29:28the large sorting room area at the back.
0:29:30 > 0:29:33In the current market, where the whole property
0:29:33 > 0:29:35would be offered to the market as a single lot,
0:29:35 > 0:29:41a figure in the region of £200,000-£210,000 would be about the right mark.
0:29:41 > 0:29:43For all three properties as a job lot,
0:29:43 > 0:29:47you're probably looking at a figure in the region of £210,000.
0:29:47 > 0:29:51Based on those valuations, Ewan and Rhona would make a loss
0:29:51 > 0:29:57of between £60,000 and £70,000 - before costs and expenses.
0:29:57 > 0:29:59That's a load of absolute rubbish.
0:29:59 > 0:30:03It was valuing at more than that when we bought it last year.
0:30:03 > 0:30:05I don't believe the market's dipped
0:30:05 > 0:30:09and we've obviously spent a fair bit of money dealing with some defects
0:30:09 > 0:30:13and bringing back into use the old Post Office.
0:30:13 > 0:30:15So I think it is very, very short.
0:30:15 > 0:30:20Even the flat on its own is a much better spec.
0:30:20 > 0:30:24You know, to us it's totally irrelevant
0:30:24 > 0:30:27because it's an ongoing business with great potential.
0:30:27 > 0:30:30We would definitely get more than that if we decided to sell.
0:30:30 > 0:30:34It certainly seems business is booming and with a tenant in their flat,
0:30:34 > 0:30:39the chip shop is not the end of their plans for their family food empire.
0:30:39 > 0:30:43You can see this is the original cafe,
0:30:43 > 0:30:49which we're hoping over the winter period to extend into the old fish and chip shop.
0:30:49 > 0:30:53We've opened a new one across the road just 150 yards away,
0:30:53 > 0:30:57so it's easily seen for customers that don't know where the new place is.
0:30:57 > 0:31:03Has this family affair been catch of the day or did it flounder?
0:31:03 > 0:31:06It's been pretty plain sailing, I think.
0:31:06 > 0:31:10I think we've all got along and that's stage two finished
0:31:10 > 0:31:13and we're still speaking, so that's a positive.
0:31:17 > 0:31:19# Pigeons, widgeons, seagulls, sparrows
0:31:19 > 0:31:21# All the birds come here to nest
0:31:21 > 0:31:24# But of all God's little creatures
0:31:24 > 0:31:26# Liverpool birds beat all the rest. #
0:31:26 > 0:31:30Today I'm a Liverpool. Famously its symbol, the liver bird,
0:31:30 > 0:31:33sits proudly on top of the famous Liver Building.
0:31:33 > 0:31:37Legend has it that if the liver birds were to fly away,
0:31:37 > 0:31:39Liverpool would cease to exist.
0:31:42 > 0:31:47Well, just 10 minutes from Liverpool city centre is the area of Walton
0:31:47 > 0:31:49and the property I'm here to see.
0:31:49 > 0:31:53It's this three-bed mid-terrace at a guide price of 40,000 quid.
0:31:53 > 0:31:54Let's take a look.
0:31:56 > 0:31:58Straight into the front door
0:31:58 > 0:32:02and straightaway it looks like refurbishment work has been commenced.
0:32:02 > 0:32:04Nice new front door there.
0:32:04 > 0:32:08Plastering being done, ceiling also been plastered with new lights,
0:32:08 > 0:32:11and it seems that the electrics have been done as well.
0:32:11 > 0:32:16Somebody's obviously done a lot of the refurbishment work which is a great start.
0:32:16 > 0:32:18Front sitting room there, good size.
0:32:18 > 0:32:21You can see the walls chased out for the new electrics.
0:32:21 > 0:32:23Through to the rear sitting-room.
0:32:23 > 0:32:25More refurbishment in here,
0:32:25 > 0:32:28if you can see it through the piles of rubble.
0:32:28 > 0:32:32But it's a good-sized space and leading through to
0:32:32 > 0:32:34a fairly standard lay-out.
0:32:34 > 0:32:37The kitchen right at the rear of the property.
0:32:37 > 0:32:42What I'm thinking straightaway is A, somebody's done lots of the work for you,
0:32:42 > 0:32:45but B, the loo isn't down here. I might have expected that.
0:32:45 > 0:32:49That's another big plus because it seems the loo might be upstairs.
0:32:49 > 0:32:51Only one way to find out.
0:32:51 > 0:32:56You can never be guaranteed of the lay-out of this style of terraced property.
0:32:56 > 0:33:01Sometimes the loo and bathroom are at the back with just two bedrooms upstairs.
0:33:01 > 0:33:05But if this house, that went to auction guided at £40,000 plus,
0:33:05 > 0:33:08did originally have the bathroom downstairs,
0:33:08 > 0:33:10there's no sign of it now.
0:33:10 > 0:33:13The catalogue details say the property has three bedrooms.
0:33:13 > 0:33:15Time to investigate further.
0:33:19 > 0:33:23Well, upstairs and straightaway you can see what somebody's done here.
0:33:23 > 0:33:25You've got three bedrooms
0:33:25 > 0:33:28and the one at the back was a pretty decent size.
0:33:28 > 0:33:33It's been sectioned off to create what will be the bathroom and loo.
0:33:33 > 0:33:38It makes that room quite small, but the advantage of having the bathroom up there far outweighs it
0:33:38 > 0:33:41because you've got a pretty decent double there
0:33:41 > 0:33:45and then, highlight of the property for me, this master bedroom.
0:33:45 > 0:33:48Absolutely lovely with the bay window.
0:33:48 > 0:33:51Obviously again it's not quite finished off yet,
0:33:51 > 0:33:53but it's a great space.
0:33:53 > 0:33:57All in all, what on the outside doesn't seem that brilliant
0:33:57 > 0:34:00has in fact proved itself to be a really top property.
0:34:00 > 0:34:02# It's just a nice surprise
0:34:02 > 0:34:05# It's just a nice surprise. #
0:34:05 > 0:34:08Apart from the electrical work and the plumbing in the bathroom,
0:34:08 > 0:34:12it's great that replacement windows have been installed throughout.
0:34:12 > 0:34:15The bay window retains the character of the house
0:34:15 > 0:34:17and I spotted nice original features upstairs and down
0:34:17 > 0:34:20in this partly refurbished property.
0:34:20 > 0:34:23I just hope the new owners will hold onto them.
0:34:24 > 0:34:29A lot of the work has been carried out on the inside.
0:34:29 > 0:34:32But outside on the front, the paintwork's peeling off
0:34:32 > 0:34:35and the cast-iron downpipe looks original,
0:34:35 > 0:34:39so they will need replacing and it's just as bad at the back.
0:34:45 > 0:34:50At the rear of the property, a small courtyard with - ow! - prickles.
0:34:50 > 0:34:52Actually it's not necessarily a bad thing.
0:34:52 > 0:34:56If you're looking to rent it out, a small area outside is a good thing.
0:34:56 > 0:34:59Tenants generally don't look after gardens.
0:34:59 > 0:35:01While I'm out here, double glazing is good.
0:35:01 > 0:35:04It doesn't look to be in too bad a condition.
0:35:04 > 0:35:06You might consider an extension out here
0:35:06 > 0:35:09but I think probably not, pretty much leave it as it is.
0:35:09 > 0:35:11Although the house is in a bit of a mess,
0:35:11 > 0:35:14there is beauty amidst the thorns.
0:35:14 > 0:35:17# There are the roses
0:35:17 > 0:35:20# And there are the thorns... #
0:35:20 > 0:35:23To find out if this will prove to be a prickly property
0:35:23 > 0:35:26or a dandy dwelling,
0:35:26 > 0:35:28we invited an estate agent to dig deeper.
0:35:31 > 0:35:33The property is a good-size three-bed terrace.
0:35:33 > 0:35:35It's been half renovated
0:35:35 > 0:35:39with UPVC double glazing throughout, the doors, French windows.
0:35:39 > 0:35:40A good little buy for somebody.
0:35:40 > 0:35:44What could the house achieve in rental income?
0:35:45 > 0:35:50Rental value I think is about £525 per calendar month.
0:35:50 > 0:35:52Maybe if you're lucky £550.
0:35:52 > 0:35:56I definitely think there is a demand for properties of this type in this area.
0:35:56 > 0:36:01The price you're buying it at and how much you're getting per month equates to a 12% yield.
0:36:01 > 0:36:04What about the sales market?
0:36:04 > 0:36:08Once done up, how much could this house hope to sell for?
0:36:08 > 0:36:11Sales value for this, I would imagine around £70,000.
0:36:14 > 0:36:17Well, a bit of money and effort required to sort this one out
0:36:17 > 0:36:20but I think you'd end up with a good rental property here.
0:36:20 > 0:36:23Let's see who agreed when it went under the hammer.
0:36:23 > 0:36:25Property, three bedrooms.
0:36:25 > 0:36:30New rewire, stripped out, ready for re-plastering and refitting.
0:36:30 > 0:36:35Let me see 30,000. Got to sell this one. Bid me 30,000. 30 I'm bid.
0:36:35 > 0:36:37One in front, sir? 31, 32.
0:36:37 > 0:36:4132 here. 33 now. 34. 35.
0:36:41 > 0:36:4436. 37. 38.
0:36:44 > 0:36:4739. 40,000.
0:36:48 > 0:36:50At 39,000, seated bidder.
0:36:50 > 0:36:54Would 500 help? 500.
0:36:54 > 0:36:5840,000. 500, sir? 41.
0:36:58 > 0:37:00500.
0:37:00 > 0:37:0242.
0:37:02 > 0:37:0342,500.
0:37:03 > 0:37:0643. 500. 44.
0:37:06 > 0:37:1044. Seated at 44.
0:37:10 > 0:37:13You'll regret it if you miss it. 44,500.
0:37:13 > 0:37:1644,500 at the back of the room now.
0:37:16 > 0:37:20At 44 500, we'll go for the first call, then. It's going to be sold.
0:37:20 > 0:37:2445,000. New money. At 45,000. 500?
0:37:26 > 0:37:29New bidder at 45,000. First time again, then.
0:37:30 > 0:37:33Second time now. 45,000.
0:37:33 > 0:37:37Third and final time, it's the seated bidder this side.
0:37:38 > 0:37:40Yours. Thank you very much.
0:37:42 > 0:37:46The successful bid at 45,000 was made by Alan.
0:37:46 > 0:37:50After 23 years in the army, he's trying his hand at developing for the very first time.
0:37:50 > 0:37:53He'll be working alongside skilled joiner Kevin.
0:37:53 > 0:37:57I went back to the property to meet them.
0:37:57 > 0:37:59Good to meet you. Congratulations.
0:37:59 > 0:38:01- Thank you.- Tell me why you wanted to buy this place.
0:38:01 > 0:38:04Well, I left the armed forces back in March.
0:38:04 > 0:38:06I bought a house over on the Wirral.
0:38:06 > 0:38:08It needed quite a bit of work doing to it.
0:38:08 > 0:38:10- Kev was on hand to do most of the work.- Right.
0:38:10 > 0:38:15But he goes back more as a family friend, going back a fair few years.
0:38:15 > 0:38:19I needed something to do, so it's an outlet for both of us.
0:38:19 > 0:38:22Tell me about the relationship between you two.
0:38:22 > 0:38:25I had my gratuity and some other savings doing nothing in the bank.
0:38:25 > 0:38:30So we came up with a business plan of buying a property at auction, see if it works out.
0:38:30 > 0:38:34Do you provide the financial side of things and you the building expertise?
0:38:34 > 0:38:41A little of both. I'm a joiner. Alan's got a background in electronics, so we'll combine that.
0:38:41 > 0:38:45So why now? Just because now is a good time for you?
0:38:45 > 0:38:48Jobs-wise I've got quite a few interviews coming up
0:38:48 > 0:38:51so at some point in the build and getting the house ready
0:38:51 > 0:38:54I might have to shoot off and start work.
0:38:54 > 0:38:58Right. The idea is to build a portfolio of how many properties, do you think?
0:38:58 > 0:39:02Not necessarily. The idea is to see how this one goes.
0:39:02 > 0:39:05It might be a case of selling straight off and run away with the profits.
0:39:05 > 0:39:08If the market isn't up to it, we might rent it out.
0:39:08 > 0:39:13So these two mates both bring something to the development table.
0:39:13 > 0:39:16The plan is for Kevin to do all the structural work
0:39:16 > 0:39:21while qualified electrician Alan will undertake all the electrical work and everything else.
0:39:21 > 0:39:24- # I got work to do - I got work to do
0:39:24 > 0:39:25# I got work to do. #
0:39:25 > 0:39:30So it sounds like a good start for this business relationship.
0:39:30 > 0:39:35But what attracted them to this particular half-started property?
0:39:35 > 0:39:39It's local to where Kev works, but a bit further for me.
0:39:39 > 0:39:43He's got lots of building friends, roofing friends that can help out with the project.
0:39:43 > 0:39:46What did you think of the house itself?
0:39:46 > 0:39:49Compared to some of the ones we actually inspected,
0:39:49 > 0:39:52it was in relatively decent condition.
0:39:52 > 0:39:57Quite a bit of work is already completed so it seemed the obvious one to go for.
0:39:57 > 0:40:00Taking on a project somebody has started, what will you do
0:40:00 > 0:40:04to make sure that the work that's been done is up to standard?
0:40:04 > 0:40:08Everything in existence will have to be tested, inspected properly,
0:40:08 > 0:40:11- and we'll go from there. - What's the plans for it?
0:40:11 > 0:40:16Building-wise we're going to knock downstairs into one through-lounge.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19At the moment it's two separate rooms.
0:40:19 > 0:40:21The roof needs a lot of work doing to it.
0:40:21 > 0:40:23We need a full kitchen, bathroom.
0:40:23 > 0:40:27- So you'll be doing most of the physical building work, Kevin?- Yes.
0:40:27 > 0:40:30What's the biggest challenge going to be?
0:40:30 > 0:40:32I don't really see any big challenges.
0:40:32 > 0:40:37It's just the order in which we do things
0:40:37 > 0:40:41to try to make sure it's continuous and completed as soon as possible.
0:40:41 > 0:40:42So what is the timescale?
0:40:42 > 0:40:45We're hoping for around four weeks
0:40:45 > 0:40:49but that's dependent on other things.
0:40:49 > 0:40:52There's no power so we have to get the power company in
0:40:52 > 0:40:56and other contractors for the likes of the roof and the gas.
0:40:56 > 0:41:01- What about the budget? - We've got a budget ceiling of 10,000.
0:41:01 > 0:41:06- We're hoping to come well under that. - Congratulations. Good luck with it.
0:41:06 > 0:41:08We look forward to seeing how you get on.
0:41:08 > 0:41:12# I got work to do I got work. #
0:41:12 > 0:41:17Well, Kevin's clearly got the experience to make a success of this
0:41:17 > 0:41:23but with him and Alan's plan dependent on the sale of the property in these tough times,
0:41:23 > 0:41:27will it be a success or not? You can find out later in the show.
0:41:30 > 0:41:33It's been a while now since we last saw those properties.
0:41:33 > 0:41:37Yes, work should have been done, but as we know from bitter experience,
0:41:37 > 0:41:39that's not always the case.
0:41:39 > 0:41:44Problems can arise. Let's go back and see what's happened.
0:41:46 > 0:41:49We're back in Shipbourne near Tonbridge in Kent
0:41:49 > 0:41:52to see how Tom and Kate got on with their semi-detached stable conversion.
0:41:52 > 0:41:55Externally the house looked fine
0:41:55 > 0:41:58but inside it needed some serious upgrading.
0:41:58 > 0:42:00It was a mishmash of styles and periods.
0:42:00 > 0:42:05There was that serving hatch leading to a tiny, pine-clad kitchenette.
0:42:07 > 0:42:11Upstairs lurked a psychedelic blue bathroom.
0:42:11 > 0:42:15With one small child and another on the way,
0:42:15 > 0:42:19Tom and Kate had spent almost every penny they had buying the place,
0:42:19 > 0:42:22so they had very little left to fix it up.
0:42:23 > 0:42:26We did stretch ourselves but we've got this blank canvas
0:42:26 > 0:42:28and this is a long-term project.
0:42:28 > 0:42:33You know, it's clean. It's dated, but it's clean and we can live in it. It's fine.
0:42:33 > 0:42:37Absolutely. It's habitable, yes.
0:42:37 > 0:42:42Kate and Tom paid £380,000 for the four-bedroom house.
0:42:42 > 0:42:47They had a budget of £10,000 to sort out the most urgent things.
0:42:47 > 0:42:50The plan was to move in after a couple of months
0:42:50 > 0:42:53and complete the renovation over the longer term.
0:42:55 > 0:42:57We've come back 14 months later
0:42:57 > 0:43:01to see how Kate and Tom's first year has gone.
0:43:08 > 0:43:11Outside, the house has been freshened up
0:43:11 > 0:43:15and in the back garden there's a brand-new double doorway punched through,
0:43:15 > 0:43:17allowing access from the house.
0:43:17 > 0:43:21The pokey pine-clad kitchen has been knocked through to the dining room.
0:43:21 > 0:43:24There is a new flow to the downstairs,
0:43:24 > 0:43:29making the most of the vast amounts of light which bathes the house.
0:43:29 > 0:43:33Kate and Tom have had their hands full with much more than this lovely home.
0:43:33 > 0:43:37Toddler Lucy has a brand-new baby brother, Max.
0:43:38 > 0:43:42And so much for spreading the renovation work over the long-term.
0:43:42 > 0:43:47The place has been completely transformed, from top to bottom.
0:43:54 > 0:43:59This room was the trigger, the catalyst, for the whole project.
0:43:59 > 0:44:02Starting with this, which used to be a wall.
0:44:02 > 0:44:07We took the wall down, which left a wooden beam,
0:44:07 > 0:44:08which we had to strengthen.
0:44:08 > 0:44:13We realised after we'd taken the wall down, that it wasn't strong enough to support upstairs,
0:44:13 > 0:44:18so we had to put some steel plates that we had made either side of that wall
0:44:18 > 0:44:20This used to be where the hatch was
0:44:20 > 0:44:24and there was a very small galley kitchen here.
0:44:24 > 0:44:28We bought a kitchen which I assembled. We got a friend to fit it.
0:44:28 > 0:44:31When I look at this room now, it's a perfect room for a family.
0:44:31 > 0:44:35We've got this doorway that we've put in that used to be a window.
0:44:35 > 0:44:39To connect a large family room and living space with outside
0:44:39 > 0:44:43is what we always wanted in a house.
0:44:43 > 0:44:46# Home is where I want to be
0:44:46 > 0:44:49# But I guess I'm already there. #
0:44:49 > 0:44:51The couple were on a roll
0:44:51 > 0:44:56and their enthusiasm carried them away beyond sorting out the kitchen.
0:44:57 > 0:44:59Well, we knocked the wall down in the kitchen
0:44:59 > 0:45:04and then we decided if we've done that, we should do this and it just snowballed.
0:45:04 > 0:45:09We had to keep costs down because it has been a stretch to buy the house.
0:45:09 > 0:45:13We've had to roll our sleeves up and call on the family for help.
0:45:13 > 0:45:16Not financial help, help as in getting their hands dirty
0:45:16 > 0:45:19and coming here every weekend and helping.
0:45:19 > 0:45:21It got more and more exciting as the project evolved
0:45:21 > 0:45:25and we suddenly saw this house open up and we saw the potential.
0:45:25 > 0:45:28Everything we've done we knew we would do eventually.
0:45:28 > 0:45:33# Hand me that list of what's not to be done
0:45:33 > 0:45:35# And I'll start doing it today. #
0:45:35 > 0:45:40So go on, Tom and Kate, give us the list.
0:45:40 > 0:45:43We've ploughed acres of woodchip off the walls and redecorated.
0:45:43 > 0:45:47We've had to put a damp course in throughout the whole of downstairs,
0:45:47 > 0:45:52so all the plaster came off which revealed some cracking and weakness in the walls.
0:45:52 > 0:45:56So we strengthened those walls with HeliBars.
0:45:56 > 0:46:00- Redid the bathroom. - We've redone both bathrooms, upstairs and downstairs.
0:46:00 > 0:46:02We've replaced all the electrics.
0:46:02 > 0:46:06We've replaced the boiler system and the heating system.
0:46:06 > 0:46:10We had to tie the roof in and insulate it.
0:46:10 > 0:46:13We replaced a couple of windows as well, didn't we?
0:46:13 > 0:46:14Yes and all of the banisters.
0:46:14 > 0:46:18Re-carpeted the whole house, re-painted the whole house, replaced all the doors.
0:46:18 > 0:46:22- I think that's probably it. - And we got the fire.
0:46:22 > 0:46:27Yes, we recommissioned the fireplace as well, because you can't live in a cottage without a fire.
0:46:27 > 0:46:31Upstairs the four tatty bedrooms have been transformed.
0:46:31 > 0:46:34Lucy has her bedroom.
0:46:34 > 0:46:37And Max has his.
0:46:39 > 0:46:43Tom and Kate's master bedroom is a haven of peace with a heavenly view.
0:46:45 > 0:46:49During the project we were lucky enough to live at my parents' house,
0:46:49 > 0:46:52which was fantastic because it was a dangerous building site.
0:46:52 > 0:46:55Floorboards coming up, walls coming down, etc.
0:46:55 > 0:46:58So it was a place we didn't really want the children.
0:46:58 > 0:47:01There was no way we could have lived here.
0:47:01 > 0:47:05There was rubble everywhere, the wall was down. It was dangerous, basically.
0:47:05 > 0:47:09No heating, no electrics. So we had to get the project done very quickly.
0:47:09 > 0:47:12We pushed on with it, really.
0:47:12 > 0:47:16Tom and Kate have completed an incredible amount of work here
0:47:16 > 0:47:19but it's taken them every evening and weekend for just over a year
0:47:19 > 0:47:24to make this tired old house into their dream home.
0:47:24 > 0:47:27I think my favourite bit of the house is probably the sitting room.
0:47:27 > 0:47:32It's really nice to sit here in the evening and watch a film.
0:47:32 > 0:47:34Really cosy.
0:47:34 > 0:47:38This works really well as a family home because there's a bedroom each for the children
0:47:38 > 0:47:42and there's just so much space. We love the space here.
0:47:42 > 0:47:44They did almost all the work themselves,
0:47:44 > 0:47:47as well as pulling in help from family and friends.
0:47:47 > 0:47:49So just how did their budget fare?
0:47:50 > 0:47:54We haven't worked out exactly how much we've spent yet
0:47:54 > 0:47:58but I think the figure, give or take a couple of thousand pounds,
0:47:58 > 0:48:01that comes to mind is about £35,000.
0:48:03 > 0:48:05They bought the property for 380,000
0:48:05 > 0:48:08and spent £35,000 on the refurbishment,
0:48:08 > 0:48:12bringing their total outlay to £415,000.
0:48:13 > 0:48:17It's time to find out what two local estate agents think
0:48:17 > 0:48:19of all their hard work.
0:48:19 > 0:48:23First impressions of the property, stunning. The location is fabulous.
0:48:23 > 0:48:26It's a very popular area and it's been done up very well.
0:48:26 > 0:48:31I think the standard that they've finished the whole project to is very good.
0:48:31 > 0:48:34The kitchen having white fittings makes it very light and airy
0:48:34 > 0:48:38and the colour schemes throughout make the property feel very light.
0:48:38 > 0:48:44Clearly Tom and Kate have no intention of selling this house in the short to medium term,
0:48:44 > 0:48:47but what do the local experts think it's worth now?
0:48:47 > 0:48:51I would expect the property to achieve in the current market
0:48:51 > 0:48:55somewhere in the region of £525,000-£550,000.
0:48:55 > 0:48:59I'd expect this property to achieve in the region of £500,000.
0:48:59 > 0:49:02Those valuations would give Kate and Tom a profit
0:49:02 > 0:49:08of between £85,000 and £135,000 before costs and expenses.
0:49:08 > 0:49:12- Wow, that's good.- Pleased with that. We've done pretty well on that.
0:49:12 > 0:49:14That's more than we expected.
0:49:14 > 0:49:18So with their forever family home in their ideal village,
0:49:18 > 0:49:22have Kate and Tom finally finished tinkering with it?
0:49:22 > 0:49:26We enjoyed the challenge. It was great fun as it went on.
0:49:26 > 0:49:29With houses, these things will continue
0:49:29 > 0:49:32and there is potential with this house to go up into the attic.
0:49:32 > 0:49:33There's a huge room up there
0:49:33 > 0:49:37where we could have an en suite and a separate master bedroom.
0:49:37 > 0:49:40- Perhaps that's something we'd consider in the future. - Not yet though!
0:49:45 > 0:49:48We're now returning to Liverpool where, earlier in the programme,
0:49:48 > 0:49:54this three-bedroom end of terrace was bought for £45,000 by Alan.
0:49:54 > 0:49:57He had recently left the armed forces after 23 years.
0:49:57 > 0:50:02He's a qualified electrician and although he'd funded the purchase,
0:50:02 > 0:50:06it was a joint investment project with his builder friend Kevin.
0:50:06 > 0:50:09They were going to split any proceeds when the house was sold.
0:50:12 > 0:50:15- So you'll be doing most of the physical building work, Kevin?- Yes.
0:50:15 > 0:50:18What's the biggest challenge going to be?
0:50:18 > 0:50:21I don't really see any big challenges.
0:50:21 > 0:50:25It's just the order in which we do things
0:50:25 > 0:50:29to try and make sure it's continuous and completed as soon as possible.
0:50:29 > 0:50:31Well, it's now two and a half months later
0:50:31 > 0:50:35and Alan and Kevin have invited us back.
0:50:35 > 0:50:38The flaky, crumbling exterior has gone.
0:50:38 > 0:50:42It's now repainted red and black.
0:50:44 > 0:50:49Inside, the door to the front room has been bricked up.
0:50:50 > 0:50:54The living room has been knocked through to make one large open-plan room.
0:50:58 > 0:51:02The door to the kitchen is now straight off the living room.
0:51:02 > 0:51:06A mid-range kitchen and appliances have been installed.
0:51:11 > 0:51:14A new boiler has been put in but, as Kevin explains,
0:51:14 > 0:51:17the house had some serious damp issues.
0:51:17 > 0:51:21Obviously the property had been vacant for a while
0:51:21 > 0:51:26and there was an issue with the down spout which had been blocked.
0:51:26 > 0:51:32That had been shedding water down the brickwork which caused rot on the floor.
0:51:32 > 0:51:36The joist we had to replace, damp proof it
0:51:36 > 0:51:38and help the neighbours get a night's sleep
0:51:38 > 0:51:41because Niagara Falls was pouring every time it rained.
0:51:42 > 0:51:46So the leaking downpipes were replaced front and back
0:51:46 > 0:51:49and the brickwork repointed and painted.
0:51:49 > 0:51:52It took longer than they'd initially planned
0:51:52 > 0:51:55as the gas and electricity supplies needed attention.
0:51:55 > 0:51:59But when they'd got that sorted they thought they were ready to crack on.
0:52:02 > 0:52:05As soon as we got power in, we were motoring ahead
0:52:05 > 0:52:08until we hit the brick wall called the roof,
0:52:08 > 0:52:12which was the original roof dating back well over 100 years.
0:52:12 > 0:52:15Everything inside and underneath was rotten.
0:52:15 > 0:52:19When they found the rot, the roof had to be fixed.
0:52:19 > 0:52:23The house had been empty for eight years, we found out from a neighbour.
0:52:23 > 0:52:25Eight years of water seeping through.
0:52:25 > 0:52:28Pretty much every wall had to be torn down and replaced.
0:52:28 > 0:52:32Although the property appeared only to need decorating
0:52:32 > 0:52:35with a new kitchen and bathroom to be installed,
0:52:35 > 0:52:39in fact, behind the plaster, the wall and timbers had damp rot.
0:52:39 > 0:52:44So the whole lot had to be stripped out.
0:52:45 > 0:52:48However, they did at least manage to keep the windows
0:52:48 > 0:52:50and front and back doors.
0:52:50 > 0:52:53Everywhere had to be re-plastered.
0:52:53 > 0:52:56There was rot on the floor that we had to replace.
0:52:56 > 0:53:00All the doorframes, doors. Basically new everything.
0:53:01 > 0:53:04But finally the three bedrooms and bathroom
0:53:04 > 0:53:06are now ready for decorating.
0:53:08 > 0:53:10Upstairs-wise myself and Kevin
0:53:10 > 0:53:14have pretty much got to finish off the electrics, tidy up.
0:53:14 > 0:53:19We've sorted loft access out through the rear and the main access there.
0:53:19 > 0:53:23Finally, we've got to tidy the electrics and the paintwork.
0:53:23 > 0:53:25Then we're done.
0:53:25 > 0:53:30So Kevin's been busy plastering and plumbing in the new central heating.
0:53:30 > 0:53:33But what about all the electrical wiring that had been installed?
0:53:33 > 0:53:37A lot of the electrics, believe it or not, were sound.
0:53:37 > 0:53:39I tidied some of them up.
0:53:39 > 0:53:43There were a few extensions to a few sockets, lights,
0:53:43 > 0:53:46tidying up and making things safe.
0:53:46 > 0:53:48Kevin and Alan worked together to start with
0:53:48 > 0:53:52but when Alan got a job as a plant maintenance technician,
0:53:52 > 0:53:54he could only come down at weekends.
0:53:54 > 0:53:57So who ended up doing all the work?
0:53:57 > 0:54:02I'd say percentage-wise Kev's probably done 70-80% pretty much all by himself.
0:54:02 > 0:54:06What effect does has all that extra work had on the budget
0:54:06 > 0:54:09which Alan had initially set at £10,000?
0:54:09 > 0:54:12How much does it look as though it will cost now?
0:54:14 > 0:54:20We'll either be on budget or slightly over once we've got the carpet in and the wooden floors have been laid.
0:54:21 > 0:54:24Time to see what two local estate agents think of the house,
0:54:24 > 0:54:29with its new roof and open-plan living room.
0:54:29 > 0:54:30A few things that stand out
0:54:30 > 0:54:33about the property are it's a nice kitchen-diner,
0:54:33 > 0:54:36it's quite a nice bathroom fitment as well.
0:54:36 > 0:54:38When it's finished, it will be quite a good job.
0:54:38 > 0:54:43Looks good. They've got a new fitted kitchen, new bathroom suite.
0:54:43 > 0:54:46They've decorated neutral which everybody wants.
0:54:46 > 0:54:49I'm not a great lover of turning two rooms into one.
0:54:49 > 0:54:54I would rather have kept it as two separate rooms and not knocked through into one.
0:54:55 > 0:54:57Alan's plan remains the same - to sell the property
0:54:57 > 0:54:59and hopefully take a profit.
0:54:59 > 0:55:04But if he has to rent it out, how much income could he generate?
0:55:04 > 0:55:07The rental market round here is quite good,
0:55:07 > 0:55:10so it should fetch around about £500 per calendar month.
0:55:10 > 0:55:14Rental-wise I think it will fetch around £550.
0:55:14 > 0:55:18That's £6,000 a year, isn't it, essentially?
0:55:18 > 0:55:21During that time the value of the property can creep up,
0:55:21 > 0:55:25so it's a last option, basically.
0:55:25 > 0:55:27How much could the house sell for?
0:55:27 > 0:55:30Alan paid £45,000 at the auction
0:55:30 > 0:55:32and even with all the problems,
0:55:32 > 0:55:35thinks he should get the budget to come to £10,000.
0:55:35 > 0:55:38So is it worth more than £55,000?
0:55:42 > 0:55:46In the current market this should fetch in the region of £80,000.
0:55:46 > 0:55:51Sales terms, probably around £75,000-£85,000.
0:55:51 > 0:55:55That range of valuations would generate a gross profit
0:55:55 > 0:56:01before the usual selling expenses of £20,000-£30,000.
0:56:03 > 0:56:05A little below what I expected.
0:56:05 > 0:56:07I think by the time we've finished it,
0:56:07 > 0:56:10the property will be a little bit more than that.
0:56:10 > 0:56:13With that leaking roof and all the damp issues,
0:56:13 > 0:56:18this first joint property development project turned into a baptism of fire.
0:56:18 > 0:56:22So has it been a good experience for Kevin?
0:56:23 > 0:56:27Yes. Eventful. It's been emotional.
0:56:28 > 0:56:31So would they do it again?
0:56:31 > 0:56:35- Yes, I would think so.- Possibly. We'll keep our friendship alive.
0:56:35 > 0:56:38I think the wife's got some ideas of home improvement
0:56:38 > 0:56:41so I think Kev's in the line for that.
0:56:44 > 0:56:48There you have it, another set of property owners who have experienced
0:56:48 > 0:56:52the dizzy heights and worrying lows of buying houses at auction.
0:56:52 > 0:56:56Make sure you join us next time for more Homes Under The Hammer.
0:56:56 > 0:56:58- We'll see you then.- Goodbye.
0:57:08 > 0:57:12Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:57:12 > 0:57:16E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk