Episode 13 Homes Under the Hammer


Episode 13

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Transcript


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Hello and welcome to the show.

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Despite the property markets being very different all over the country,

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buying a property at auction is still very popular,

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with hundreds of properties being sold every month.

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Yes, it's quite a big job, keeping track of all the homes that are sold

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under the hammer, so therefore we need a new member of the team -

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and I'm delighted to welcome Martel Maxwell.

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-Hello.

-Thanks, guys. It's brilliant to be here.

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I absolutely love property and I've invested in and built property over

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a long period of time, and I can't wait to see people do the same here

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on Homes Under The Hammer.

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Leaky roofs, dodgy electrics, plumbing issues.

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-Do I need to go on?

-I think we get the picture, Dion.

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When it comes to renovating property, the potential issues are endless.

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They certainly are.

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So, what issues did today's buyers have to face when they bought

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their properties?

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In Lichfield - oh, it's exciting.

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My first Hammer property.

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And it has just what I need - complete privacy.

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Well, I don't think I can quite believe my eyes at what I find in

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this two-bedroomed bungalow in Stoke.

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What on earth is that?!

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Seeing really is believing,

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especially at this mid-terrace in south-west London.

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Look at this ceiling!

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I think you actually call them stalactites.

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All these properties have been sold at auction and we'll find out who

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bought them and what they paid for them when they went under the hammer.

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Sold.

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# Sha la la la la la la... #

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All together now...

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# Sha la la la la la la la... #

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Can you guess where I am? It's not Amarillo.

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This is Lichfield -

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sadly not the one in America, it's the one 18 miles north of Birmingham,

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where singer Tony Christie made his home.

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# When the day is dawning... #

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Walking around Lichfield,

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it's clear this place is not short of one thing, and that's

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character properties, partly down to the fact it's a conservation area.

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There are some really lovely cottages and period houses in the area,

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so will the one I'm here to see today deliver in the character stakes?

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Well, this is it.

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It's a three-bedroom mews-style cottage with a guide price of

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£124,000 to £128,000.

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I can't wait to look inside.

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OK. I won't lie.

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I'm a wee bit disappointed.

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An awful lot of character features have been taken out.

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So, look at that fireplace. It's really modern.

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And, obviously, an original was there at some stage.

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And this is just a bit ugly, isn't it?

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It's boxing in all the electrics.

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But the positives are, it's a really good feel of space.

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It seems so solid, and you do actually have an original beam along

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the roof. So all's not lost.

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And it does have a nice feel.

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Going through to the kitchen,

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not the biggest but, you know, it's big enough for all your appliances.

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It would need to come out, fully modernised, and this wall,

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I'm just thinking...

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It's a very thick wall.

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You would need to get in touch with a structural engineer for some

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advice but if you opened this up and knocked through to the living area,

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it would suddenly be a very open and modern feeling.

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So, definitely something worth considering.

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A very new boiler.

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Actually, this surprises me, in a property of this age, that you have

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what looks like a good new heating system.

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So, not all mod cons are bad.

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Right, outside.

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Now, I knew from the auction notes not to expect a garden.

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It said a yard. That is what it is.

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It's very small, very concrete.

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And in a house like this, you just expect to have a wee bit of greenery.

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Well, you could think about taking this wall down because, of course,

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there's no parking either.

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Could make it wider to get a car in but we're in a conservation area.

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Usually, what you can do to the exterior is pretty limited.

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That said, you do have some outside space.

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If you were in London, you'd probably view it as quite a roomy garden.

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Get a water feature over there.

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You could be inventive here though.

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You could get a bit of decking, a little room for a barbecue.

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All's not lost.

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# I beg your pardon

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# I never promised you a rose garden... #

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Upstairs to the first floor and, OK, this is quite a small bedroom.

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I guess you could use it as an office.

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It feels quite cramped, it does.

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But I quite like the quirkiness, a wee bit like a doll's house.

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Here we have a bathroom, which again is pretty small but an OK size,

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considering the size of the property.

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Definitely needs taking out.

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You need a shower in there too.

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I'm through to a master bedroom.

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This is a nice-proportioned room, high ceiling.

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It all feels quite solid.

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The floorboards...

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But here, what a shame!

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This breaks my heart.

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An original fireplace has been taken out,

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taking away some of the character again.

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Oh! Another thing that breaks my heart.

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The modern-ness of the UPVC windows,

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not in keeping at all with the property.

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But hold on, there's Lichfield's Cathedral,

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and what a view of the spires you've got!

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Do you know what? I can forgive the windows.

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As long as you can see out them and see that, I'll forgive anything.

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CHOIR SINGS

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Earlier, we took a closer look.

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Do you know, it's the only cathedral in England with three spires.

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And back in the day, the seat of the diocese covered from the Humber to

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the Thames. Part of the reason it's a Grade I listed building.

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There's a lot of history in Lichfield.

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Up more stairs to our top floor.

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I love this beer garden.

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You might not have your own garden but the people-watching you could do there.

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And the natural light that comes in upstairs compared to the

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ground floor is fantastic.

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And through here to your top-floor bedroom, I like it.

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You're in the eaves.

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That's character all of its own.

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A cupboard. Well, it's pretty small.

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I'm just thinking...

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I wonder if there's a way to put an en suite.

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It would really add some terrific value to the house but there doesn't

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seem to...

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Here we go. So, here's a cupboard.

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Great news, this stud partition is the lightest you'll get.

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That could easily come down.

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Let's see how much room there is inside.

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OK. So, I'm not the tallest, but there's plenty of room for a shower.

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Over there, a toilet.

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Bring the partition out a bit, it's certainly possible, I think.

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And then you have this door here,

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which could double up to lock this room and then come over here.

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Complete privacy.

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Well, kind of.

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Next, the opinion of a property expert from the auction house who

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sold the property.

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But will he find me hiding in the cupboard on the top floor?

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First impressions of the property, it has been ruined, in a way,

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with the UPVC windows that have been put in.

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The loft extension doesn't look very pretty at all.

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There's also the issue, there's no parking,

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just a small yard, which would put people off.

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Mm. Given that, is there anything good to say about the property?

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It's literally right in the middle of the city of Lichfield.

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It's a very easy walk to the local restaurants and shops.

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So, what could this quirky cottage,

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guided at £124,000 to £128,000,

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be worth when renovated?

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I'd anticipate achieving a figure in the region of £200,000.

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So, there's not as much character as I'd hoped for but there's still

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plenty of charm in this property and it's very unique.

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And who couldn't fall in love with THAT view?

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Let's find out who did, when it went under the hammer.

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Ladies and gentlemen, lot 91, £100,000 to start that one.

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80 then? Thank you, sir.

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80, I'll take that one.

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£80,000 on my left.

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Seated at 80,000.

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I'll take 90 now.

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The lot got off to a rapid start.

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We rejoin the bidding with the auctioneer looking for a bid of

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-£125,000.

-125. 130, sir?

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130, sir. Thank you.

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130. 135, madam?

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Do the same again? £130,000, for the first time, the second time,

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the third and the very last time.

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It's yours to number 128, sir.

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Thank you very much indeed.

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The successful bidder, securing the lot for just a couple of thousand

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pounds over the top guide price, was Scott.

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He set up a new property-developing company with his two friends.

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We met up to see if they're going to be bringing on back the good times

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and original features to the property.

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Scott, congratulations.

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Thank you.

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Was it your first time at auction?

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No, it's not my first time.

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No. Last year I purchased another property at auction.

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But it's still as exciting at this one, but it was far in excess of

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what we initially anticipated paying.

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What did your partners say?

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What did they think when you broke the news?

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I don't really know because they didn't speak to me for a while.

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SHE LAUGHS

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-Funny that.

-Yeah, I know.

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But, er, they eventually came round.

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We did have a viewing the week after the auction and we were all very

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pleasantly surprised with what we found and they cheered up somewhat.

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OK. So, I'm guessing, if you didn't mean to buy a property,

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you didn't follow the Hammer golden rule of looking inside first?

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Where can I hide? No, I didn't. No.

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I didn't actually view the property.

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You didn't read the legal pack?

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Not really, no. There was an extra £10,000 in agency fees.

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I had to pay their solicitor, the auction house,

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which totalled it up to about £10,000 more.

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So that was a bit of a hit but, still, I think

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we're in a good position to make some money.

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That'll teach you. Let's turn to the positives.

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Cos it is... It looks like it needs quite a bit done but hopefully just

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-cosmetic.

-There's a bit of damp in a few areas, which we'll rectify,

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but on top of that, it'll be new kitchen, new bathroom,

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and renovating throughout.

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Any plans to change the layout?

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Yes, the one change down here would be to remove this wall.

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OK. So, that's...

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Is that not going to cause a problem because of the conservation area?

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-That's a proper wall.

-That's going to be something I'm going to take up

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with the council - whether it's got any internal covenants on it.

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I don't believe it will have - but that's a phone call I've got to make, yeah.

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Now, time scale? When do want to turn this round by?

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We're looking at about six to eight weeks.

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Six to eight WEEKS, OK. So, you want a quick turnaround.

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Yeah, we're going to turn it round quite quick, yeah.

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We're going to throw a few bodies at it.

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We've got plumbers, electricians, chippies.

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So we cover all angles, really.

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Also, I've got plans to put back in some of the original features it's

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lost over the years.

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You do. Like what?

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Wrought-iron fireplaces, that sort of thing.

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But also having the modern twist in areas as well.

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I'm so happy to hear that.

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-Thank you.

-Because although you're doing it as a business,

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and to make a profit, you care that whoever comes in has a bit of the

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-original character.

-Yeah, I like to bring back some of the past, yeah,

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into the property, yeah, and bring back the original features.

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-And your budget?

-About £20,000 we're looking at spending.

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And do you plan to rent this out or sell?

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At the moment, with our situation,

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I'd like to flip it and move on to the next project.

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I feel that we should say hello to your partners.

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-What are their names?

-Ian and Steve.

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Yes. Sorry, lads, but I think it will all turn out well in the end.

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They have made up with you, yeah?

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-Yes, we're all good now.

-Fantastic.

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Can't wait to see what you do with the place.

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-Good luck.

-Thank you.

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Ian and Steve may not have expected to take this place on when Scott

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went to auction but, thankfully,

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they both seem to be on board and they don't seem to be fazed by the

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project, which is fair enough, given their experience.

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But will they be able to bring back some of the character features this

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place so deserves?

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I really hope so.

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We can find out later in the show.

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Hanley is historically one of the six pottery towns that make up the

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city of Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire.

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More recently, it's thought of as the central hub and city centre of Stoke.

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With plenty of shops, amenities and transport links,

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it's easy to see why.

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Well, just half a mile from Hanley centre is the property I'm here to see.

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A two-bedroom bungalow, guide price £70,000, plus nice views.

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Let's have a look. Blimey!

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This driveway...

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# You know the time has come

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# Must be done, we're goin' down here... #

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Well, I'll tell you,

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the first thing you'd want to do is consider that driveway.

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Wow, that is steep.

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Maybe some steps to one side, so it isn't such a hazard if you were walking down.

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I think, for a car, it would be all right.

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But anyway, moving on from the driveway,

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what have we got when you enter into the bungalow itself?

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Well, obviously, some steps up to the attic.

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We'll explore that a little bit later.

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Kitchen to the left there.

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I don't like the position of the immersion heater,

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that's a bit in the way, isn't it? And all this stuff.

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Get rid of all that. Open it up.

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In a smaller house, a relatively smaller house like this,

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you want to open it up as much as you possibly can.

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So, replace all the units and try and open that up as much as you can.

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Actually, bit of a surprise, you come in here,

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a really good-sized living room,

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which looks to be in fairly decent condition.

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Relatively newish-looking central-heating system.

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So that's quite a bonus.

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I wonder if there's something you could even do to take out this wall,

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open it up completely into the kitchen,

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maybe put a breakfast bar or something like that in.

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Whatever. Down this little corridor

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you've got a bathroom and loo in one place, a bit small.

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The first of your bedrooms there.

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Again that looks a bit tiny.

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Second bedroom, a bit bigger,

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but this layout is just not working for me because through this bedroom

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into...

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Look. A little conservatory off a bedroom!

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Does that make sense?

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I definitely think there is internal jiggery-pokery to be done.

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Intrinsically a good bungalow, it just needs some thought.

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# Let's think it over, oh, yeah... #

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This bungalow offers a puzzle but the missing piece is unlikely to be

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in the overgrown back garden.

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The split level means any extension could prove prohibitively expensive.

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The easiest option would be simply swapping round the master bedroom

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and living room.

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The downside would be that the master bedroom faces out to the

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front and is sandwiched between the living room and the kitchen.

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So, where to put that bedroom?

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Answers to property conundrums don't usually go over my head but in this

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case...

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Well, whenever you're looking round bungalows,

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one thing you want to try and do, if you can, is look up in the attic space.

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In this case, there is a loft ladder which makes it very easy but I do

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know people who carry around little sets of ladders, so they can access

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the attic space. As I said, it's a really important thing to do just to

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check the condition of the roof itself, the joists, etc...

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But in this case, being a bungalow,

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what I'm looking for most is, is there an opportunity to maybe extend

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up here, possibly put in a dormer or something like that?

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And unfortunately I don't think it's going to work here because there

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isn't the roof height that you would require.

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The one thing that is good is that you've got floorboards down, which

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definitely makes it a usable space.

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However, what on earth is that?

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Somebody's built some kind of little room up here.

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A bit odd. I think that needs to go.

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This would never meet building regulations, so it's a no-no.

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Time for me to...

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# Get down! #

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..from here and hear from a local property expert.

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We asked an agent from the auction house along to give the

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two-bed bungalow a look.

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First of all, did he see any opportunity

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in exploiting that attic space?

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My opinion would be that it's not really necessary to go into

0:17:230:17:26

the roof space to provide further accommodation.

0:17:260:17:29

One of the big selling points of the property is that it is a

0:17:290:17:31

true bungalow - all the accommodation on one level.

0:17:310:17:34

That really could be its main selling point anyway.

0:17:340:17:37

Pressure to get the most out of land supply has meant the number of

0:17:370:17:40

bungalows being built is in serious decline.

0:17:400:17:43

It's a pity, as many people like one-level living with a garden

0:17:430:17:48

and they suit people with mobility issues.

0:17:480:17:50

But that shortage means bungalows are fetching a premium in some areas,

0:17:500:17:54

so what value could you add to that £70,000 guide price?

0:17:540:17:59

After refurbishment of this bungalow, I would place it on the

0:17:590:18:02

market in the region of £120,000.

0:18:020:18:05

Well, a good little project for someone, this.

0:18:050:18:08

Bungalows enduringly popular and not too much work needed to sort this

0:18:080:18:13

one out. Who went for it?

0:18:130:18:15

Let's find out when it went under the hammer.

0:18:150:18:17

70 to start me on this one.

0:18:180:18:20

Two-bedroomed semidetached bungalow.

0:18:210:18:24

70, can I say? 70 bid in front of the door.

0:18:240:18:27

Thank you. At £70,000.

0:18:270:18:29

I'll go in ones on this.

0:18:290:18:31

To you at 71. 72.

0:18:310:18:32

There were plenty of bidders interested in this lot.

0:18:320:18:35

We rejoin it at £85,000.

0:18:350:18:38

£85,000 twice.

0:18:380:18:40

Third and final time...

0:18:400:18:41

Just in time. 86.

0:18:430:18:46

87. 88.

0:18:460:18:48

No? £88,000 for the first time.

0:18:490:18:52

At £88,000 for the second time.

0:18:520:18:56

All sure and done?

0:18:560:18:58

Sold to you, sir. 88,000.

0:18:580:19:01

Hiding from the view of our cameras was Rob and his wife Ali.

0:19:010:19:04

Rob is from Stoke originally but now lives in Edinburgh with his wife Ali

0:19:040:19:09

and they travelled down to tell me why they spent £88,000 on this

0:19:090:19:13

bungalow so far from home.

0:19:130:19:15

Ali, Rob, good to meet you both.

0:19:180:19:20

-And you.

-And you.

-Congratulations.

0:19:200:19:23

Tell me why you wanted to buy this bungalow.

0:19:230:19:25

It just felt the right time to get into property development.

0:19:250:19:29

We've been thinking about it for some time.

0:19:290:19:32

Yes, financially, it just seemed the right time so we bought this and

0:19:320:19:36

-another property.

-On the same day?

0:19:360:19:38

-Yes.

-Oh, wow.

0:19:380:19:40

We were signing for the other one when we purchased this one.

0:19:400:19:43

I was actually bidding on this while she was signing for the other.

0:19:430:19:46

No! You don't do things by halves, then.

0:19:460:19:49

-No.

-Just to add to the drama!

0:19:490:19:51

The normal course of action would be to maybe try one and see how it goes.

0:19:520:19:56

Yeah, no, we don't like to make it easy on ourselves.

0:19:560:19:59

THEY LAUGH

0:19:590:20:02

Rob, what do you both do?

0:20:020:20:03

Well, I'm not doing anything now.

0:20:030:20:06

I left my job to come here to do property development.

0:20:060:20:10

Oh, great. What were you doing before?

0:20:100:20:12

Customer service advisor at Edinburgh Council.

0:20:120:20:15

Oh, OK.

0:20:150:20:17

So complete shift of career.

0:20:170:20:19

-Yes.

-Great. How exciting.

0:20:190:20:21

How about you?

0:20:210:20:22

Well, I'm a writer, so I work from home anyway, so I shall just work around that.

0:20:220:20:28

Oh, OK. Is property going to be the main source of income from now on?

0:20:280:20:32

For the next couple of years.

0:20:320:20:34

We're just trying to raise a bit of extra

0:20:340:20:37

income to start a rural business.

0:20:370:20:40

Doing what?

0:20:400:20:42

Some market gardening and maybe a yurt village.

0:20:420:20:45

-Oh, great.

-That's our

0:20:450:20:47

-plans for the future.

-And you'll use property to finance that dream?

0:20:470:20:50

Yes.

0:20:500:20:52

This is a new chapter for Ali and Rob.

0:20:520:20:55

Their two sons, Dylan and Liam,

0:20:550:20:58

are grown up and ready to leave home, so Ali and Rob are

0:20:580:21:01

ready for a new adventure.

0:21:010:21:02

So, what plans have you got for the bungalow?

0:21:040:21:07

-Right...

-Well, basically, new kitchen, new bathroom,

0:21:070:21:11

but keep the bathroom layout as it is.

0:21:110:21:14

Move that wall further this way.

0:21:140:21:17

So we create a bedroom at the front here and the living area at the back,

0:21:170:21:21

-looking out onto the back.

-And we'll convert the back window

0:21:210:21:26

to French doors.

0:21:260:21:28

Keeping the conservatory?

0:21:280:21:29

Yes, keep the conservatory there.

0:21:290:21:31

But attached to the living room rather than a bedroom?

0:21:310:21:34

That's right, yes.

0:21:340:21:36

And the idea of moving rooms around and walls and all that stuff,

0:21:360:21:40

suddenly takes it into a slightly different league, doesn't it?

0:21:400:21:44

-It does.

-These are only stud walls,

0:21:440:21:46

so they are easy to take down and just move along a bit.

0:21:460:21:49

-Right.

-It's nothing too drastic.

0:21:490:21:52

He says!

0:21:520:21:53

As well as travelling from Edinburgh to do some of the work themselves,

0:21:550:21:59

they are also getting help from Rob's family, who live locally in Stoke.

0:21:590:22:03

His cousin is an electrician, so can make sure moving any wiring within

0:22:030:22:08

that wall is done safely.

0:22:080:22:09

However, they did get a bit of a shock after purchasing the property,

0:22:110:22:14

as they'd only viewed it from the outside,

0:22:140:22:17

so they didn't know about that, erm, odd room in the attic.

0:22:170:22:20

You'd think Ali would know better than judge a book by its cover.

0:22:220:22:26

So what are you going to do about that?

0:22:280:22:30

The apex isn't high enough to meet regs for conversion into a dormer,

0:22:300:22:34

so we'll just take that room down and leave it as a floored attic.

0:22:340:22:40

-Right.

-Good storage up there.

0:22:400:22:41

Definitely. So what's the budget for your works?

0:22:410:22:45

Right... We're probably looking at about...

0:22:450:22:49

We said eight, didn't we?

0:22:490:22:51

Eight grand with maybe a couple of grand contingency there, hopefully.

0:22:510:22:55

There's a little bit of wiggle room there.

0:22:550:22:59

What's the timescale for what you're doing on this place?

0:22:590:23:02

Well, because we may be working between the two at certain times,

0:23:020:23:07

we've given ourselves about four to six months, really, realistically,

0:23:070:23:12

especially with having to do the travel from Edinburgh at times.

0:23:120:23:15

It just takes the pressure off, I think,

0:23:150:23:18

to give ourselves a big enough window.

0:23:180:23:22

Will you do more after this or is it from these two into your dream rural

0:23:220:23:26

-business?

-We'd like to do a few more, wouldn't we?

0:23:260:23:29

Perhaps do this for a couple of years, if we can.

0:23:290:23:31

We'll see what others come up at the auctions along the way, yes.

0:23:310:23:36

Well, congratulations.

0:23:360:23:38

-Thank you very much.

-Good luck with it.

0:23:380:23:40

-Thank you.

-We'll come back to see how you get on.

-Thank you.

0:23:400:23:43

Well, Ali and Rob really jumping in with both feet, buying two

0:23:430:23:48

properties at the same auction, ha!

0:23:480:23:50

Well, for novices, that is certainly an adventurous way to go.

0:23:500:23:54

And although there's not too much work to do to sort this place out,

0:23:540:23:58

it could be a bit of a steep learning curve.

0:23:580:24:00

You can find out how they get on later in the show.

0:24:000:24:03

Coming up - I'm rattling around a mid-terrace in Sutton.

0:24:050:24:09

This is what it sounds like.

0:24:090:24:11

RATTLING

0:24:110:24:13

And find out if Ali and Rob were left rattled by their first property

0:24:150:24:20

-renovation.

-I think future projects will hopefully be easier.

0:24:200:24:24

Back now to the cathedral city of Lichfield in Staffordshire,

0:24:270:24:32

where I was praying to see some lovely character features in this

0:24:320:24:36

quirky cottage in a conservation area.

0:24:360:24:39

But sadly... I won't lie, I'm a wee bit disappointed.

0:24:390:24:43

An awful lot of character features have been taken out.

0:24:430:24:46

So, look at that fireplace -

0:24:460:24:48

it's really modern and, obviously, an original was there at some stage.

0:24:480:24:52

And really new windows, not terribly in keeping with the property.

0:24:520:24:55

You do have an original beam on the roof.

0:24:550:24:58

Thankfully, all was not lost.

0:24:580:25:00

There were some modern additions that were welcome.

0:25:020:25:05

A relatively new boiler and a loft conversion with a

0:25:070:25:12

bijou third bedroom that had a charm of its own.

0:25:120:25:14

However it was not the remaining charm that enticed the person who

0:25:150:25:19

bought the cottage into paying £130,000 for it at auction -

0:25:190:25:23

because Scott, well, he bought it blind.

0:25:230:25:27

He'd just formed a property development company with his two friends.

0:25:270:25:31

Thankfully they weren't likely to be too alarmed, as they all had a

0:25:310:25:34

construction background.

0:25:340:25:36

Thank goodness.

0:25:360:25:38

They were planning for a modern,

0:25:380:25:40

open-plan vibe but there was good news on the period feature front.

0:25:400:25:44

I've got plans to put back in some of the original features that it's

0:25:460:25:50

-lost over the years.

-Oh, you do?

-Yeah.

0:25:500:25:51

-Like what?

-Wrought-iron fireplaces, that sort of thing.

0:25:510:25:55

But also having a modern twist in areas as well.

0:25:550:25:58

I'm so happy to hear that.

0:25:580:25:59

Thank you.

0:25:590:26:01

Well, don't pat yourself on the back too quickly there, Scott,

0:26:010:26:04

because, as they say, the proof is in the pudding.

0:26:040:26:07

Armed with £20,000 and a timescale of six to eight weeks to turn the

0:26:070:26:11

house around, did Scott manage to bring out the character

0:26:110:26:14

in this cute cottage?

0:26:140:26:16

Using specialist paint suitable for UPVC,

0:26:200:26:23

the windows have been transformed.

0:26:230:26:25

So, what about inside?

0:26:270:26:29

It's certainly got character

0:26:340:26:36

but also with a nice contemporary touch, too.

0:26:360:26:39

Removing the wall between the kitchen and the lounge, with the

0:26:390:26:42

addition of a steel beam to support the weight from above,

0:26:420:26:45

has produced a modern, open-plan living area.

0:26:450:26:49

It's retained period features like the beams and also added

0:26:490:26:52

character features, like exposed brick and a log-burner.

0:26:520:26:56

On the first floor,

0:26:580:26:59

the bathroom has been reconfigured and the bath moved to the back wall,

0:26:590:27:03

giving more usable space.

0:27:030:27:05

The floor tiles and radiator also add some period charm to a very

0:27:050:27:10

modern room.

0:27:100:27:12

In the master bedroom,

0:27:120:27:14

Scott has indeed put original-style features back in.

0:27:140:27:17

This reclaimed cast-iron fireplace is charming.

0:27:170:27:21

The rest of the house has been finished to a very high standard.

0:27:210:27:24

It's been fully replastered and rewired, as well as having new

0:27:240:27:28

skirting and doors fitted.

0:27:280:27:30

Up to the top floor - the old cupboards have gone,

0:27:340:27:38

giving this eaves bedroom a little more usable space.

0:27:380:27:41

Outside, there is a new flagstone patio,

0:27:440:27:46

from which you can take in the view of that three-spire cathedral.

0:27:460:27:50

Overall, I would say that Scott has kept to his word by bringing back

0:27:560:28:00

the character to this cottage.

0:28:000:28:02

The property obviously is an old property.

0:28:040:28:07

Originally, it would have had a lot of original features.

0:28:070:28:10

A lot of that had been stripped out over the years,

0:28:100:28:12

but what we wanted to do was bring back that character feel and install

0:28:120:28:15

some original features.

0:28:150:28:17

We have done that by relieving some brickwork internally and also

0:28:170:28:21

putting a log-burner in, original beams back in,

0:28:210:28:25

so it brings the character back up, we feel, and produces a nice,

0:28:250:28:30

original feel to the house.

0:28:300:28:32

I absolutely love it!

0:28:330:28:35

It has really brought out the charm of this cottage.

0:28:350:28:37

The high-end finish is testament to the talent of the three business

0:28:370:28:40

partners and their team.

0:28:400:28:43

The project ran pretty smoothly.

0:28:440:28:46

We have all our own in-house guys,

0:28:460:28:49

so everybody is highly skilled and know what they are doing.

0:28:490:28:52

As with any project like this,

0:28:520:28:55

it is pretty much the logistics and the bringing together of all the

0:28:550:28:58

trades at the right time, but the project went pretty smoothly.

0:28:580:29:01

We finished on our deadline, which was eight weeks.

0:29:010:29:04

We did have to pull a couple of trades in that weren't our usual guys

0:29:040:29:07

because we were busy elsewhere, which sometimes has its own problems,

0:29:070:29:11

but the job pretty much ran very smoothly, yeah.

0:29:110:29:14

It may have been on schedule,

0:29:160:29:17

but this transformation can't have been cheap.

0:29:170:29:20

It certainly looks as though this renovation might have cost more than

0:29:200:29:23

their initial 20-grand budget.

0:29:230:29:25

We did go up on the budget.

0:29:270:29:28

We decided,

0:29:280:29:30

due to the area, it deserved a bit more investment into the property.

0:29:300:29:35

We actually doubled the spend, £40,000,

0:29:350:29:38

but that is including everything, labour, materials, any fees.

0:29:380:29:43

The extra spend has taken the total here to £170,000.

0:29:430:29:50

Time to see if two local estate agents think it is money well spent.

0:29:500:29:54

First, let's hear from the estate agent who saw it the last time.

0:29:540:29:58

I think the overall standard of the finish is very, very good.

0:29:580:30:01

They have done considerable works downstairs

0:30:010:30:04

to create one living space,

0:30:040:30:07

which I think is a bit detrimental to the property,

0:30:070:30:10

as it would not suit a family too well.

0:30:100:30:13

My first impressions of the property are that it has been done to an

0:30:130:30:16

extremely high standard throughout.

0:30:160:30:18

The kitchen and bathrooms are particularly high standard,

0:30:180:30:21

and he has kept the character throughout the property,

0:30:210:30:24

which is a really good selling point in a city like Lichfield,

0:30:240:30:27

where these kinds of properties are in high demand.

0:30:270:30:30

A bit of a mixed bag there, then.

0:30:300:30:33

Will the sales figures be as varied for this house that cost Scott and

0:30:330:30:37

his business partners £170,000?

0:30:370:30:41

If this was to be on the open market,

0:30:410:30:44

I would put it on the market somewhere between £200,000 and £225,000.

0:30:440:30:48

The current valuation I would give for this property would be between

0:30:480:30:52

£240,000 and £260,000.

0:30:520:30:55

Yes, we have had a few valuations ourselves.

0:30:550:30:57

We have had up of 250.

0:30:590:31:02

We decided to put it on at 250 for a quick sale,

0:31:020:31:06

but, yeah, £225 seems a little bit low, but, you know,

0:31:060:31:10

we will see what we get for it in the end.

0:31:100:31:12

That figure of £250,000 gives Scott and his team a profit of £80,000,

0:31:140:31:19

minus fees and tax, so what's next?

0:31:190:31:23

It's tied up a bit of money, so hopefully it sells quick,

0:31:230:31:26

so we can release that money and go on to the next project.

0:31:260:31:28

And the good news is that, since filming,

0:31:280:31:31

Scott has sold it for that asking price - subject to contract.

0:31:310:31:34

Good job!

0:31:340:31:35

The London Borough of Sutton sits south-west of the capital,

0:31:420:31:46

and it has got a lot going for it - Tube, overland train

0:31:460:31:49

and extensive road networks.

0:31:490:31:52

So, travel certainly is not an issue,

0:31:520:31:55

but there are plenty of amenities right here on your doorstep.

0:31:550:31:58

We are 15 minutes away from the centre of Sutton,

0:31:590:32:02

along this very pretty and quiet street.

0:32:020:32:05

Now, the property I am here to see is a two-bed mid-terrace house with

0:32:050:32:09

a guide price of £240,000 plus.

0:32:090:32:12

It is this beauty.

0:32:120:32:14

And I am going to have a look inside.

0:32:140:32:16

Wish me luck.

0:32:160:32:17

Right, as soon as you come in, there are bags everywhere,

0:32:190:32:23

but look at this wood panelling here.

0:32:230:32:26

Very old-fashioned wood panelling,

0:32:260:32:28

and this wallpaper takes me back a long, long way to Leicester.

0:32:280:32:33

Old-fashioned wallpaper, but it's not any more, is it?

0:32:330:32:36

That is kind of retro and kind of cool.

0:32:360:32:38

I do like the wallpaper, I've got to say.

0:32:380:32:40

What have we got in here? We have got the first reception room with

0:32:400:32:44

gas fire. Nice big window, though,

0:32:440:32:46

and a sofa that you would want to get rid of as well.

0:32:460:32:49

I think you'd have to clear all this out of here before you can even see

0:32:490:32:52

what you have got. Stairs going up to the bedrooms,

0:32:520:32:55

second reception room is just there.

0:32:550:32:58

And it is not a bad-sized room at all.

0:32:580:33:02

Again, it is just full of stuff.

0:33:020:33:04

Got a window out to the back garden.

0:33:040:33:06

Further down the hallway, if you follow me down here,

0:33:060:33:09

we have got the dining room.

0:33:090:33:11

Follow me here,

0:33:130:33:15

but the ceiling is actually coming in.

0:33:150:33:18

There is no support in that corner for the ceiling whatsoever.

0:33:180:33:23

I don't really want to go any further that way.

0:33:230:33:26

What I do know is, the kitchen is just through there.

0:33:260:33:29

It is just full of stuff, the wallpaper is coming off the walls.

0:33:290:33:34

There are holes everywhere in the ceiling.

0:33:340:33:37

All this rubble, rubbish, mess

0:33:370:33:40

will have to come out before you can actually see exactly what you are

0:33:400:33:43

dealing with.

0:33:430:33:45

Before moving a thing, though, you need to do a safety check.

0:33:450:33:49

We haven't taken any risks here,

0:33:490:33:51

and neither should anyone buying this place.

0:33:510:33:54

Get a builder in to see if you need to put in supports to hold up the roof,

0:33:540:33:58

and I would get the floor checked as well, if you have got any chance of

0:33:580:34:01

saving this place.

0:34:010:34:02

# So rescue me

0:34:040:34:11

# So rescue me... #

0:34:120:34:19

Right, upstairs, and it is really dark and dingy up here.

0:34:210:34:25

On the landing, look, it is just all falling away.

0:34:270:34:29

It's a bit of a mess.

0:34:290:34:32

Now, here is your family bathroom,

0:34:320:34:35

and just beyond the family bathroom is another door that gives you the

0:34:350:34:38

toilet. I do not want to go in there because,

0:34:380:34:41

just below the taps to the bath is where there is no support on the

0:34:410:34:45

ceiling or that floor, so I am not going to go in there at all.

0:34:450:34:50

I could find myself in the dining room.

0:34:500:34:53

Up a couple of steps, along the landing,

0:34:530:34:55

more retro wallpaper, this is the first

0:34:550:34:59

of the two bedrooms.

0:34:590:35:02

Now, as I look in here, full of stuff again,

0:35:020:35:04

you have got a window looking out onto the back garden.

0:35:040:35:08

It is not a bad size, you could get a double bed in there no problem at

0:35:080:35:10

all. But it has been left for so long,

0:35:100:35:13

even the polystyrene tiles are falling off the ceiling.

0:35:130:35:17

And into the main bedroom, another double bedroom.

0:35:170:35:20

Again, full of stuff, but look at this ceiling.

0:35:200:35:23

Now, is that cool nowadays?

0:35:230:35:25

Is it retro? Or is the paint just peeling off the ceiling?

0:35:250:35:29

I think it's the latter.

0:35:290:35:31

I think you actually call them stalactites.

0:35:310:35:34

Anyway, this is a good-sized bedroom.

0:35:340:35:35

There is a lot of mess and rubble in here,

0:35:350:35:38

but look at this I have spotted. This is an old-fashioned rattle.

0:35:380:35:42

This is what it sounds like.

0:35:420:35:44

RATTLING

0:35:440:35:47

Very, very noisy!

0:35:470:35:49

Right, where do you start with this house?

0:35:510:35:54

Clear it out, start again, see what you have got.

0:35:540:35:56

The state of this place is enough to rattle anybody,

0:35:580:36:01

but this is the kind of house that you do have to look beyond the mess.

0:36:010:36:04

# You're really lovely underneath it all

0:36:060:36:13

# Do you want to love me underneath it all? #

0:36:130:36:18

The upstairs bathroom is good news,

0:36:200:36:23

but the fact there is only two bedrooms is not so great.

0:36:230:36:25

There could be a solution to that.

0:36:280:36:29

Right, if you are looking to create a third bedroom,

0:36:310:36:35

that could be the way to go.

0:36:350:36:37

Now, check with your local authority to see if you need planning,

0:36:370:36:41

but it should fall within permitted development.

0:36:410:36:44

So it is worth investigating.

0:36:440:36:46

I don't really want to go up there and investigate any further.

0:36:460:36:51

I have to admit, this house does frighten me, it needs so much work doing.

0:36:510:36:56

# Big scary place

0:36:560:36:59

# Big scary place... #

0:36:590:37:01

The alternative to up is possibly out.

0:37:010:37:04

There is room at the back, but to create an extra bedroom,

0:37:040:37:07

you would need a two-storey extension,

0:37:070:37:09

which would be expensive and time-consuming.

0:37:090:37:12

So, I would look up for the extra space.

0:37:120:37:14

What does a local estate agent think?

0:37:150:37:18

How many bedrooms should this house have to meet local market needs?

0:37:180:37:22

A minimum of three or four bedrooms, I mean, three, certainly.

0:37:220:37:25

But when you extend the property into a four-bedroom,

0:37:250:37:28

then obviously people are looking for more downstairs space as well.

0:37:280:37:32

Expanding the size, on top of all the remedial work,

0:37:320:37:36

I am now getting really scared of this house!

0:37:360:37:39

The guide price was 240 grand plus.

0:37:390:37:41

Could the potential resale values make me less petrified?

0:37:410:37:44

As a two-bedroom, it could sell for £370,000 to £385,000.

0:37:450:37:50

If you were to extend into the loft, gaining just a bedroom,

0:37:500:37:52

you would be looking at

0:37:520:37:55

£380,000 to £395,000.

0:37:550:37:57

If you were to extend on the ground floor,

0:37:570:38:00

you may be looking at £400,000 to £415,000.

0:38:000:38:04

And how about on the rental market?

0:38:040:38:06

As a three-bedroom, you would be looking at a rent of around about

0:38:080:38:11

£1,350 to £1,400, and as a four-bedroom you would be looking at

0:38:110:38:15

£1,650 to £1,850.

0:38:150:38:19

Right, if ever there was a property that needed stripping back and

0:38:240:38:28

starting again, that is it.

0:38:280:38:30

There is a whole lot of work that needs to be done in there,

0:38:300:38:33

starting by cleaning it out.

0:38:330:38:35

But if you can see beyond the rubble and the rubbish,

0:38:350:38:38

I think there is a really nice family home to be had.

0:38:380:38:41

Let's see who agreed when it went under the hammer.

0:38:410:38:44

Well, it was in a busy auction room that the two-bed run-down Sutton

0:38:440:38:48

-house came up for sale.

-Third and last time, sold.

0:38:480:38:52

Unfortunately, it was sold out of sight of our cameras for 304 grand.

0:38:520:38:58

And the successful bidder was Dan.

0:38:580:39:00

I hope he likes a challenge!

0:39:000:39:04

Dan, nice to meet you.

0:39:050:39:06

-Dion, nice to meet you.

-Congratulations, pal.

0:39:060:39:08

-Thank you very much.

-Right, I am looking around.

0:39:080:39:11

Tell me what it was about this house that made you want to buy it.

0:39:110:39:14

Probably the wallpaper!

0:39:140:39:16

DION LAUGHS

0:39:160:39:18

Really, the condition of it.

0:39:180:39:19

I know it needs a lot of work, I am a builder,

0:39:190:39:23

and I know it is in our hands and we can turn it round the way we want it.

0:39:230:39:26

-Are you happy with what you paid for it, then?

-Not really.

0:39:260:39:29

-OK!

-To be honest, it went 24 grand over budget.

0:39:290:39:33

-The cardinal rule of auctioneering...

-Yes, yes...

0:39:330:39:35

I was coming to that as well, but you beat me to it, fine,

0:39:350:39:38

as long as you know!

0:39:380:39:39

When you say we, who is the we?

0:39:390:39:42

Myself and three other friends.

0:39:420:39:44

OK. Give them a name check, come on, give them a name check.

0:39:440:39:47

-Dan, Paul and Sam.

-OK, they are all in it together?

0:39:470:39:49

Yes, we are all in it together.

0:39:490:39:50

None of them viewed it, I was the only one that viewed it.

0:39:500:39:53

-OK.

-So I am the only one that has seen this,

0:39:530:39:56

so they are going on my recommendation that we can turn this around.

0:39:560:39:59

So they are going to be surprised when they come in here, like everyone else.

0:39:590:40:03

-When they see it.

-Yeah.

-So will you get them to come in now,

0:40:030:40:06

-beforehand...

-Oh, yeah!

-Make sure they actually see how it is before...?

0:40:060:40:09

I could either do that or not let them see it at all,

0:40:090:40:11

and then let them see the end product.

0:40:110:40:13

Yes, Dan, I think that is the best idea!

0:40:130:40:15

Because there is quite a few things here that might scare off any investors.

0:40:160:40:22

There is a decent crack in the room next door,

0:40:220:40:25

I have seen a hole in the floor, in the ceiling, I have seen damp.

0:40:250:40:29

-Yeah, anything else?

-Doesn't bother you?

0:40:290:40:32

No. So, it is a terraced house, it is between houses.

0:40:320:40:35

Structurally, you mentioned a crack, I am not concerned by it.

0:40:350:40:38

But, realistically, this house hasn't been touched in probably 60 or 70 years,

0:40:380:40:42

so we are going to strip it back to its original side walls,

0:40:420:40:46

front walls, wherever the joists are rotten, we will remove.

0:40:460:40:51

The back section will be completely reinstated, to bring the structure back.

0:40:510:40:55

OK, let's start on the ground floor.

0:40:550:40:57

-What are you going to do?

-In the middle room,

0:40:570:41:00

we are probably going to bring the family bathroom down to the ground floor,

0:41:000:41:03

then that in turn will create three bedrooms on the first floor,

0:41:030:41:07

and then the loft will be a bedroom with a separate bathroom.

0:41:070:41:10

So that will create, at the moment it is a two-bed,

0:41:100:41:12

it will actually make it a four-bed.

0:41:120:41:14

I have got to say, I do like a family bathroom on the first floor,

0:41:140:41:17

-I have got to say.

-Yeah, that is where...

0:41:170:41:19

But they can either go upstairs or downstairs!

0:41:190:41:21

-So they take their pick.

-So they are halfway.

-Yeah.

0:41:210:41:24

OK. What about the kitchen at the back of the property?

0:41:240:41:26

-What are you going to do there?

-We are going to knock through those walls,

0:41:260:41:29

creating one large space.

0:41:290:41:31

We are going to have French doors going out to the rear garden,

0:41:310:41:34

but there is no extension,

0:41:340:41:35

so we are not extending the actual footprint of the original house.

0:41:350:41:38

OK. Outside, the Serengeti out the back!

0:41:380:41:40

What are you going to do there?

0:41:400:41:43

Clear it, put a day room down the back,

0:41:430:41:45

which is going to be a kind of outdoor play room.

0:41:450:41:48

OK, that's cool.

0:41:480:41:50

And then some artificial turf and some decking.

0:41:500:41:54

Right, that is a pretty long list.

0:41:540:41:56

I would need more fingers, but

0:41:560:41:59

for all you are going to do, how much is it going to cost you?

0:41:590:42:03

We have budgeted 70 to 75.

0:42:030:42:06

OK, and how long is it going to take you?

0:42:060:42:09

We want to complete it within 10 or 12 weeks.

0:42:090:42:13

-Really?

-Well, it is an aggressive schedule, but we want to go at it.

0:42:130:42:16

We have got a

0:42:160:42:18

-team ready to...

-To come in and get on with it?

0:42:180:42:21

I can't wait to see it! All the best.

0:42:210:42:24

-Thank you.

-Good luck, Dan.

-Thank you.

0:42:240:42:26

Now, there is a man who knows exactly what he is doing,

0:42:260:42:29

and he is not afraid of anything this house can throw at him.

0:42:290:42:32

Dan is definitely a man with a plan,

0:42:320:42:35

but will he get everything done within that aggressive timescale?

0:42:350:42:38

You can find out later in the programme.

0:42:380:42:40

Well, we have seen how one of our properties turned out,

0:42:430:42:45

but what about the other two?

0:42:450:42:47

Will it be mission accomplished or a Mission: Impossible?

0:42:470:42:50

Yes, wait no longer, let's find out.

0:42:500:42:51

We are heading back to Hanley in Stoke,

0:42:530:42:56

where I saw a bungalow with a bit of a steep driveway.

0:42:560:42:58

And inside, things also went a bit downhill.

0:43:000:43:03

The entrance led to a kitchen then a spacious lounge.

0:43:030:43:06

So far, so good,

0:43:060:43:08

but it was in the master bedroom

0:43:080:43:10

that things took a turn for the worse.

0:43:100:43:12

Because through this bedroom into...

0:43:140:43:17

Look, this little conservatory, what, off a bedroom?

0:43:180:43:20

Does that make sense?!

0:43:200:43:22

# It don't make no sense... #

0:43:240:43:26

A simple and sensible solution seems to be to swap the master

0:43:260:43:30

bedroom and the living room around,

0:43:300:43:32

which was just the plan first-time property developers Ali and Rob

0:43:320:43:37

planned to follow. They spent £88,000 on this bungalow at auction,

0:43:370:43:41

but it wasn't the only purchase on the day.

0:43:410:43:44

This was in fact house one of two.

0:43:440:43:48

Now, the normal course of action would be to maybe try one and

0:43:500:43:53

-see how it goes!

-Yeah, no, we don't like to make it easy on ourselves!

0:43:530:43:57

So, Rob, what do you both do?

0:43:590:44:01

Well, I am not doing anything now.

0:44:010:44:04

I left me job to come in to the property development.

0:44:040:44:07

Oh, great, how exciting. How about you?

0:44:070:44:09

Well, I am a writer, so I work from home anyway,

0:44:090:44:12

so I shall just work around that.

0:44:120:44:14

To add to the drama, although Rob was originally from Stoke,

0:44:160:44:20

home for them was just a, oh, five-hour journey north to Edinburgh.

0:44:200:44:26

First-time developers with two properties,

0:44:260:44:28

potential new careers and long commutes -

0:44:280:44:31

this story could be a real page-turner, then.

0:44:310:44:35

Let's see how things have gone just over one year later.

0:44:350:44:40

# You change your position

0:44:400:44:42

# And you're changing me... #

0:44:420:44:45

It is all change in here.

0:44:450:44:47

The master bedroom is now in the old lounge,

0:44:470:44:50

and the dividing wall has been moved back to give more space to the new

0:44:500:44:54

living and dining room.

0:44:540:44:55

With double doors leading out to the conservatory, this is much better,

0:44:580:45:02

but there were still layout issues to sort at the entrance.

0:45:020:45:06

# But I've got a plan

0:45:070:45:10

# Why don't you be the artist and make me out of clay?

0:45:100:45:18

# Why don't you be the writer and decide the words I say? #

0:45:180:45:23

I'd say that, by removing the wall at the entrance,

0:45:250:45:28

this is a much-improved open space, which has been used by Ali and Rob

0:45:280:45:33

as a temporary home whilst they complete the project.

0:45:330:45:36

There is not a room in this bungalow which hasn't been reconfigured,

0:45:440:45:47

mainly due to the hallway being removed and incorporated into the rooms.

0:45:470:45:51

It means that the bedrooms are both accessed from the living room,

0:45:530:45:57

but for the extra usable space, I think it is worth it.

0:45:570:46:01

And it's not just the inside that has been transformed.

0:46:010:46:04

Remember that wild and overgrown garden?

0:46:040:46:07

At the front of the house, that steep driveway I remarked on

0:46:100:46:14

has been block paved.

0:46:140:46:16

I don't have a protractor to hand,

0:46:160:46:18

but I have been reliably informed

0:46:180:46:20

it is down to a 15-degree angle, from 35.

0:46:200:46:23

One thing that was definitely protracted was the amount of time taken to

0:46:250:46:29

complete the work, especially as Ali and Rob hoped to have this done in

0:46:290:46:32

four to six months.

0:46:320:46:34

It ballooned to about eight months for the bulk of the work.

0:46:370:46:42

And I had to take about a month off because I got a trapped nerve in my

0:46:420:46:46

back while I was doing the flooring in the kitchen.

0:46:460:46:50

And then we had a wedding in Chile!

0:46:500:46:53

And Christmas! And life just did not wait for us to catch up and finish

0:46:530:46:57

-the house.

-They certainly have had a busy year.

0:46:570:47:00

Ali not only had to help her sons Liam and Dylan

0:47:000:47:03

pack for their moves to Chile and Brighton, respectively,

0:47:030:47:07

but also pack up their home in Edinburgh.

0:47:070:47:10

Ali and Rob wisely decided living in Stoke would help progress both their

0:47:100:47:14

renovation projects better.

0:47:140:47:16

Now the work is complete on this house,

0:47:160:47:19

they are going to relocate again to a rental property.

0:47:190:47:22

How have they found handling their new careers in property?

0:47:220:47:26

It has just been a really great year, being our own bosses,

0:47:260:47:29

and it hasn't put us off doing it again either, so...

0:47:290:47:34

No, we've done tiling, bricklaying, that I had never done before,

0:47:340:47:39

and obviously the painting.

0:47:390:47:41

We are getting better as we are learning.

0:47:410:47:44

The couple did get in professionals for the work they couldn't or

0:47:440:47:47

shouldn't do themselves, so now they have a team they can rely on.

0:47:470:47:51

It is all a steep learning curve,

0:47:510:47:53

but I think future projects will hopefully be easier.

0:47:530:47:56

The budget, with a contingency, was £10,000.

0:47:570:48:01

There has been a steep climb to a spend of £20,000,

0:48:010:48:03

which is mainly due to the windows being renewed throughout,

0:48:030:48:07

and that monobloc paving.

0:48:070:48:09

We asked two local estate agents along to give us their views and

0:48:090:48:13

test the new drive. First, the agent who saw it before.

0:48:130:48:17

The layout of the property works well.

0:48:190:48:21

I think they have done the most they can with the space.

0:48:210:48:24

Maybe not ideal that both bedrooms come straight off the living room,

0:48:240:48:27

but that is just the best they could do with the current layout.

0:48:270:48:32

I am very, very impressed,

0:48:320:48:34

both with the standard of the finish and with the bungalow itself.

0:48:340:48:38

There are also not a lot of bungalows around,

0:48:380:48:40

and certainly not ones done to this standard.

0:48:400:48:43

It is an extremely saleable bungalow.

0:48:430:48:46

Sounds very positive,

0:48:460:48:48

so what kind of sales figures could

0:48:480:48:50

Ali and Rob expect for their £108,000 investment?

0:48:500:48:54

If I was to sell the property,

0:48:540:48:57

I would recommend a figure in the region of £135,000.

0:48:570:49:01

I would place this property on the market in the region of £140,000.

0:49:010:49:06

We are in a position where we have actually accepted an offer

0:49:060:49:09

of £130,000.

0:49:090:49:12

We had got another offer coming in at £132,000,

0:49:120:49:16

but it was a more complicated chain,

0:49:160:49:18

so we have gone with the first offer to see how that works out,

0:49:180:49:21

and we have got the other one as back-up, potentially.

0:49:210:49:24

There is no chain there, and we are happy with the profit,

0:49:240:49:27

so we will probably go ahead with that.

0:49:270:49:29

Electing to go for a quick sale will free up £22,000 profit,

0:49:310:49:35

minus taxes and fees, of course.

0:49:350:49:37

And the capital will allow them to finish the other property they

0:49:370:49:40

bought at the same time as this one.

0:49:400:49:42

This is a real success for a first project,

0:49:430:49:46

so does it mean Ali will be closing the book on her writing career?

0:49:460:49:50

This has basically become a full-time job, particularly for Rob,

0:49:520:49:56

but also for me.

0:49:560:49:58

I have had to put some of my work on the back burner,

0:49:580:50:01

although I have been keeping a journal, and I have got plenty of material,

0:50:010:50:05

so I will be writing about it at some point in the future.

0:50:050:50:10

Well, Ali, we are hanging on for the sequel for this work,

0:50:100:50:13

given you have another property to complete.

0:50:130:50:16

I have a feeling we will be seeing you on the show again,

0:50:160:50:18

with your next edition.

0:50:180:50:20

Back to the London Borough of Sutton now,

0:50:250:50:28

where I saw a two-bed mid-terrace house that was pretty scary,

0:50:280:50:32

and it was not just about clearing out the stuff or the renovations

0:50:320:50:35

that made me nervous. The ceiling is actually coming in,

0:50:350:50:39

there is no support in that corner for the ceiling whatsoever.

0:50:390:50:43

I don't really want to go any further that way.

0:50:430:50:46

What I do know is, the kitchen is just through there.

0:50:460:50:49

Above that small kitchen was the bathroom and toilet.

0:50:520:50:55

There was a lot more structural damage visible here, too.

0:50:550:50:58

This entire house needed to be looked at by a professional.

0:51:000:51:03

Good thing, then, the person that spent £304,000 for this at auction

0:51:040:51:08

was Dan, because he is a builder.

0:51:080:51:10

He and three friends formed a company to develop property,

0:51:130:51:17

and they must have had a lot of faith in Dan, because...

0:51:170:51:20

I was the only one that viewed it.

0:51:210:51:22

-OK!

-So I am the only one that has seen this,

0:51:220:51:25

so they are going on my recommendation that we can turn this around.

0:51:250:51:29

So they are going to be surprised when they come in here, like everyone else.

0:51:290:51:32

-When they see it.

-Yeah.

-So, will you get them to come in now...

0:51:320:51:36

-Oh, yes!

-..and make sure they actually see how it is before...?

0:51:360:51:38

I could either do that or not let them see it and then let them see

0:51:380:51:41

the end product.

0:51:410:51:43

Between the damp, the cracks, holes and collapsing walls,

0:51:430:51:47

floors, and ceilings, I thought option two might be best.

0:51:470:51:51

But none of this fazed Dan in the least.

0:51:510:51:54

He planned to take this building back to brick and then change it

0:51:540:51:57

from a two-bedroom into a profitable four-bed house.

0:51:570:52:01

They had a timescale he described as aggressive - 10 to 12 weeks.

0:52:010:52:05

14 weeks later, and we are back.

0:52:050:52:07

Outside, there is a big improvement, with new double-glazed sash windows,

0:52:100:52:15

but I think now we should take a look...

0:52:150:52:19

# Inside

0:52:190:52:22

# Hey! #

0:52:220:52:24

No, that's not an extension.

0:52:290:52:31

Everything you see here is within the same footprint as before.

0:52:310:52:35

The difference is mind-blowing!

0:52:350:52:37

# Guaranteed I can blow your mind, mwah

0:52:370:52:40

# And tonight I'm alive, ain't a dollar sign

0:52:400:52:42

# Guaranteed I can blow your mind, mwah

0:52:420:52:45

# And tonight I'm alive, ain't a dollar sign

0:52:450:52:47

# Guaranteed I can blow your mind, mwah... #

0:52:470:52:49

I was bang on about removing walls,

0:52:490:52:52

but I think the results back that up.

0:52:520:52:54

Although the original plan was to have a bathroom down here, instead,

0:52:560:53:00

there is a small utility and toilet.

0:53:000:53:03

That is because Dan and his friends have changed their minds,

0:53:030:53:06

as they think a family bathroom on the first floor is more important

0:53:060:53:09

when selling.

0:53:090:53:11

I have to agree. Let's see what is going on upstairs.

0:53:110:53:15

Removing the chimney breast and the wall has made this a proper

0:53:230:53:26

family bathroom.

0:53:260:53:28

Hold on stalactite to see the changes in the bedrooms.

0:53:280:53:31

But it's not the last room we have to see.

0:53:380:53:40

Dan took it up a notch, with a loft conversion,

0:53:420:53:45

and created a double-apex double bedroom with a little extra...

0:53:450:53:48

An en-suite shower room, which means there is a toilet on every floor.

0:53:560:54:00

Last, but certainly not least, the garden has had a full makeover.

0:54:010:54:06

Dan and his team have done a brilliant job.

0:54:060:54:09

This house has undergone an immense change.

0:54:090:54:12

When we came into the property,

0:54:140:54:15

a lot of it was masked by the clutter that was in here.

0:54:150:54:18

As soon as we cleared the house,

0:54:180:54:21

we found the cracks that were there

0:54:210:54:23

were coming from internal brick walls,

0:54:230:54:26

so once we identified and we pulled away the old carpet,

0:54:260:54:29

we could see that a lot of the internal structural walls were built

0:54:290:54:32

on floorboards.

0:54:320:54:34

So this has caused, obviously, subsidence within the internal walls,

0:54:340:54:37

so in turn we took those down and reformed them up in stud walls.

0:54:370:54:42

It was quite an extreme job in regards structural wise.

0:54:420:54:47

There was a lot of steels,

0:54:470:54:49

not only for the loft conversions but to create the openings that we

0:54:490:54:52

have made downstairs. And we have given strength back to the house.

0:54:520:54:56

It has been hard.

0:54:560:54:57

There have been some late nights, some early mornings.

0:54:570:55:00

The team worked very hard.

0:55:000:55:02

I think they are due a nice break now.

0:55:020:55:04

Dan managed to do the work here within his estimated 10- to 12-week

0:55:040:55:08

timescale, so that is good news to report to his three friends,

0:55:080:55:11

who co-invested in this project without seeing the house.

0:55:110:55:14

They have kind of left me to it. They have been involved,

0:55:140:55:17

they have been obviously visiting,

0:55:170:55:19

I have been keeping them up to date with progress, pictures...

0:55:190:55:24

We have not really had any complications other than the structural work and

0:55:240:55:28

the added amount of skips we have required,

0:55:280:55:32

so we went from possibly using 5 to 12,

0:55:320:55:36

so that is obviously a big cost for us,

0:55:360:55:39

but it is not only the cost of the skip,

0:55:390:55:41

it is also the cost of loading the skip, so it is kind of...

0:55:410:55:44

That is where the budget wasn't really where it should have been.

0:55:440:55:48

The extra skip costs put Dan over his maximum budget of £75,000 by

0:55:480:55:53

£3,000, bringing his total spend here to £382,000,

0:55:530:55:58

but has it all been worth it?

0:55:580:56:01

I think it was...

0:56:010:56:03

a lot to take on at the start, for our first project,

0:56:030:56:06

but I think the finish now has made it all worthwhile.

0:56:060:56:08

Well, time to see if two local property experts agree,

0:56:100:56:13

because we have asked them along to give us their thoughts on the

0:56:130:56:17

changes here. First, let's hear from the agent who saw it before.

0:56:170:56:20

Fantastic. I mean, it is a complete transformation from before.

0:56:200:56:25

Really light and airy, a lot of good modern touches to it as well.

0:56:250:56:28

Fantastic transformation.

0:56:280:56:30

Having had a look round the property,

0:56:300:56:32

I believe the quality of finishes are very good.

0:56:320:56:34

The room sizes are fantastic,

0:56:340:56:36

and there is also an outhouse as well, which gives that extra

0:56:360:56:39

little space for the new owners.

0:56:390:56:41

The demand in the area at the moment is strong,

0:56:410:56:44

so Dan and his friends are looking for a quick sale.

0:56:440:56:47

What could they hope to sell this for?

0:56:470:56:50

The property could sell for in the region of £525,000.

0:56:500:56:53

I believe this property would sell for anywhere between

0:56:530:56:57

£520,000 to £545,000.

0:56:570:56:59

We budgeted for 500,

0:56:590:57:01

so anything north of that has been a real good achievement,

0:57:010:57:04

so happy with it.

0:57:040:57:06

In fact, Dan has now sold the house for £530,000,

0:57:060:57:11

so they have made 148 grand profit, before taxes and fees, of course.

0:57:110:57:16

That is an amazing result, so how about Dan's three friends?

0:57:160:57:20

Are they chuffed with the project AND his hard work?

0:57:200:57:23

They are happy, so I have kept them up to date with pictures.

0:57:250:57:29

They haven't actually seen it all cleaned out from building materials,

0:57:290:57:34

so we are going to have kind of a topping-out party here, hopefully,

0:57:340:57:39

any time soon, just so, really, they can see the end product.

0:57:390:57:43

Different properties have different issues,

0:57:460:57:48

and the trick is to find a way to solve the problem without blowing

0:57:480:57:51

your budget and to do it quickly.

0:57:510:57:53

Yes, problem-solving can be the biggest asset when you are into the

0:57:530:57:56

-property world.

-Mm, yes, so we will be solving more problems...

0:57:560:58:00

HE COUGHS

0:58:000:58:02

..or not, here on Homes Under The Hammer for you next time.

0:58:020:58:05

-Bye-bye.

-Bye-bye.

-Bye-bye.

0:58:050:58:06

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