0:00:02 > 0:00:06'Last year, Piers Taylor and me, Kieran Long, followed
0:00:06 > 0:00:09'self builders as they took on the biggest gamble of their lives...
0:00:10 > 0:00:14'..trying to build a home from scratch for less than £100,000.'
0:00:14 > 0:00:16Come on, baby!
0:00:17 > 0:00:19How much money have you got left?
0:00:19 > 0:00:21Let me see...
0:00:21 > 0:00:23'We helped them create the dream homes
0:00:23 > 0:00:26'they longed for by being clever with their cash
0:00:26 > 0:00:28'and creative with design.'
0:00:28 > 0:00:31- What a fantastic space this has turned into!- Thank you.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34'This year, we're following desperate home owners...'
0:00:34 > 0:00:38It's dilapidated, it's a dump.
0:00:39 > 0:00:41'..trying to create extraordinary homes
0:00:41 > 0:00:44'out of the ones they already have.'
0:00:44 > 0:00:45Oof!
0:00:46 > 0:00:49'They, too, are on the tightest of budgets.'
0:00:49 > 0:00:52We've got £540 left.
0:00:52 > 0:00:54'We'll come up with ingenious solutions...'
0:00:54 > 0:00:56I'm going to propose something quite radical to you,
0:00:56 > 0:00:58- and then you don't do the extension.- Right.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00'..inspire them with big ideas...'
0:01:01 > 0:01:04What you want, really, is exactly what this place provides.
0:01:04 > 0:01:08'..and challenge them to be more ambitious...'
0:01:08 > 0:01:11He's come in and torn up the rule book, really.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14'..to turn their tired houses into exceptional homes.'
0:01:14 > 0:01:17Brute force and ignorance, I think, will sort this out now.
0:01:17 > 0:01:19'But with design dilemmas at every turn...'
0:01:19 > 0:01:21I don't know.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24'..and their life savings at risk...'
0:01:24 > 0:01:25The hiccups are coming now.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28If the money runs out, I'm left with half a house.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31'..will the homeowners create the house they've always wanted
0:01:31 > 0:01:33'but believed they could never have?'
0:01:35 > 0:01:38- This better fit.- If the rest of the house is like this,
0:01:38 > 0:01:40we've got some serious problems.
0:01:47 > 0:01:52'This week, Dale battles to put right a bodged home extension...'
0:01:52 > 0:01:55It's in my face every day and I feel sick every time I look at it.
0:01:55 > 0:01:57'..to make the house fit for wife,
0:01:57 > 0:02:00'Angela, who has suffered from ill health.'
0:02:00 > 0:02:03Physically Angela cannot use that space, it's not safe for her.
0:02:03 > 0:02:07'But, first, Dawn is trapped in a tiny country cottage.'
0:02:07 > 0:02:09I'm embarrassed to have people round,
0:02:09 > 0:02:11I haven't even invited my family.
0:02:11 > 0:02:15'Will her ambitious building plans come crashing down?'
0:02:15 > 0:02:17It's worrying how people have built this.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26I'm on my way to meet Dawn. She's a lady in her 70s
0:02:26 > 0:02:29who is facing a pretty common problem -
0:02:29 > 0:02:31how to transform a 150-year-old building
0:02:31 > 0:02:34into a modern home for her retirement?
0:02:36 > 0:02:40'Originally from Sri Lanka, Dawn came to Britain in 1959
0:02:40 > 0:02:42'with her heart set on becoming a nurse.'
0:02:44 > 0:02:47The plan was to come here and train, and go back home.
0:02:47 > 0:02:52But I got the bug for my job. It was in my soul, I think.
0:02:52 > 0:02:56Then, of course, I met someone, got married. But it didn't last long.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59And I had two children, two daughters.
0:02:59 > 0:03:01I brought my daughters up on my own.
0:03:02 > 0:03:06'After 49 years caring for others, Dawn retired,
0:03:06 > 0:03:09'ready to realise her other childhood dream.'
0:03:11 > 0:03:15As a kid I remember seeing a biscuit tin
0:03:15 > 0:03:18with a picture of an old cottage,
0:03:18 > 0:03:20and I think it stuck in my mind.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23And this house was similar to that.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27And then I walked in through the door, and...here I am.
0:03:28 > 0:03:33'Seduced by its charms, Dawn sold her three-bedroom house
0:03:33 > 0:03:37'and, after paying £178,000, moved into the much smaller
0:03:37 > 0:03:40'two up, two down cottage nearly a year ago.'
0:03:41 > 0:03:44I didn't think beyond the four walls I was looking at,
0:03:44 > 0:03:46that it was so small.
0:03:46 > 0:03:48I was just excited.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50'But Dawn didn't realise that the cottage was
0:03:50 > 0:03:53'unsuitable for a retirement surrounded by loved ones.'
0:03:53 > 0:03:55I'm embarrassed to have people around.
0:03:55 > 0:03:57I haven't even invited my family.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01There's no way you can entertain people here.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03When you get three people in that kitchen now,
0:04:03 > 0:04:06and you just haven't got space to move.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09You certainly wouldn't put a dining table in there cos there's no room.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11'Isolated and alone,
0:04:11 > 0:04:15'Dawn is totally surrounded by her lifetime's worth of possessions.'
0:04:18 > 0:04:21At the moment, it's difficult because when you want something,
0:04:21 > 0:04:23you can't find it.
0:04:23 > 0:04:25And if it's in a box, you don't know where the box is.
0:04:25 > 0:04:29It could be here, it could be parked somewhere else. It's depressing.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35'Desperate to change her home and her lifestyle,
0:04:35 > 0:04:39'Dawn's already had an architect draw up plans for a rear extension.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42'And planning permission has been granted.'
0:04:43 > 0:04:46I go to bed and I dream about this extension.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49And what it's going to look like because it's no good having
0:04:49 > 0:04:52a nice little cottage that you like and being unhappy in it.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57'But Dawn's plans aren't limited to the extension.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00'She's also going to move the downstairs bathroom upstairs.'
0:05:01 > 0:05:04It's really not practical. And if you're half asleep,
0:05:04 > 0:05:08it's always a case of you having a stumble on the stairs.
0:05:08 > 0:05:12It might have coped with that in years gone by, but not for me.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16'Having stretched her finances to buy the cottage,
0:05:16 > 0:05:19'she now has the last £20,000 of her life savings
0:05:19 > 0:05:21'to make these ambitious changes.'
0:05:23 > 0:05:26I just love this place.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29And I intend to do what I want with it
0:05:29 > 0:05:32without losing the character of the house.
0:05:35 > 0:05:40'Historic homes are dotted across the rural county of Bedfordshire.
0:05:40 > 0:05:42'While they may look idyllic,
0:05:42 > 0:05:45'remodelling a period home can be a risky option.
0:05:45 > 0:05:49'Problems can often lie hidden within the building's fabric.
0:05:49 > 0:05:53'Dawn has ambitious plans but no contingency fund.'
0:05:56 > 0:06:00- Hello.- Hi, Kieran. Come on in. - Nice to see you.- Nice to meet you.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03- It's certainly cosy, isn't it? - Very cosy.
0:06:03 > 0:06:05You are nearly touching the ceiling.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07How important is the age of the building
0:06:07 > 0:06:08and the past lives it's had?
0:06:08 > 0:06:12It is very important. Absolutely very important.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15- This is your house. - This is the very cottage.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17- And this was the lady who used to live here.- Wow.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19- Isn't that amazing?- Yes.
0:06:19 > 0:06:21She does look rather formidable.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23She looks kind of an independent person, too.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26- Do you share any of that? - I think so, yes.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29I'm sure that is what it is that's drawn me to this house.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34'A century ago, farm labourers and their large families
0:06:34 > 0:06:37'would have crammed into houses like Dawn's.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41'On low incomes, they would have had few belongings,
0:06:41 > 0:06:44'but with all the trappings of modern life, Dawn is struggling.'
0:06:45 > 0:06:49I feel as if I'm camping out. It's tough.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51If you go camping for two weeks
0:06:51 > 0:06:53and you have to stay for three months,
0:06:53 > 0:06:55you can imagine what it's like. And it's exactly like that.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58- That would not be my idea of fun, either.- It is not.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03'When it was built, this house didn't have a dedicated kitchen.
0:07:03 > 0:07:07'Life would have been centred round an iron range on the ground floor,
0:07:07 > 0:07:09'used for both cooking and heating.
0:07:10 > 0:07:14'Windows were kept to a minimum as glass was an expensive commodity.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19'The indoor bathroom is a 20th century addition,
0:07:19 > 0:07:21'which has brought its own set of problems.'
0:07:23 > 0:07:27As you can see, it's very small and quite compact.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30Cos this is a tiny room but it's also making everything else tiny.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33Yeah, it's making the corridor very small
0:07:33 > 0:07:36so the gap between the sitting room and the dining area.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39Really building this place for your needs,
0:07:39 > 0:07:43- it's a very personal project, isn't it, in a way?- It is. It is my home.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46It's going to be my home. And I can't see me moving from here.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49I'm not young any more, and I've got to think, as I get older,
0:07:49 > 0:07:51my needs are going to be such.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54'The two rooms upstairs were bedrooms
0:07:54 > 0:07:57'and, with no heat source, were kept deliberately small.'
0:07:58 > 0:08:01- Wow.- This is where the bathroom is going.
0:08:01 > 0:08:08- I moved my stuff out.- Wow. So you really have a desperate need for storage, then.- Yeah.
0:08:10 > 0:08:14'With so much to tackle, and only £20,000 in the kitty,
0:08:14 > 0:08:19'Dawn's in need of an ingenious solution to make every penny count.
0:08:21 > 0:08:25'The current cottage already has a small extension
0:08:25 > 0:08:29'built in the 1960s, but the kitchen to the rear is still very small.
0:08:31 > 0:08:35'The bathroom added in the centre of the house has created a dark
0:08:35 > 0:08:38'and awkward corridor between the front and back.
0:08:39 > 0:08:43'Dawn's current plans involve moving the bathroom to the first floor,
0:08:43 > 0:08:48'then reconfiguring the ground floor to include a downstairs loo and study,
0:08:48 > 0:08:50'leaving the front room as a small lounge.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56'But it's the addition of a larger rear extension to house a new kitchen
0:08:56 > 0:08:58'that is most ambitious of all.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04'Dawn's hoping her £20,000 budget will cover all of this.
0:09:06 > 0:09:10'Today she's getting back the first quotes for the cost of the work,
0:09:10 > 0:09:11'excluding the extension.'
0:09:13 > 0:09:15So this is the moment of truth for you.
0:09:15 > 0:09:16So...
0:09:19 > 0:09:26"All materials in this quote, £14,030." That doesn't include the extension.
0:09:26 > 0:09:28Is that more than you...
0:09:28 > 0:09:31It is more than I expected.
0:09:33 > 0:09:35'Dawn's remaining six grand just won't be
0:09:35 > 0:09:38'enough for the extension she dreams of.'
0:09:40 > 0:09:43Well, that was just really devastating for Dawn.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47That was an awful moment, seeing her see that figure and knowing that it
0:09:47 > 0:09:51doesn't include most of the work that she values most about this job. I mean,
0:09:51 > 0:09:54she just simply doesn't haven't the money to do wants to do.
0:09:57 > 0:10:01'I need to meet with Piers to try and find another way to give Dawn
0:10:01 > 0:10:04'what she needs on her limited funds.'
0:10:04 > 0:10:07At the moment there's a bathroom on the ground floor and it's
0:10:07 > 0:10:08sensible to move it upstairs,
0:10:08 > 0:10:12but the problem is she's not really solving her space problems.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15She's leaving the problems inherent in this by putting a study
0:10:15 > 0:10:17and a loo back in there.
0:10:17 > 0:10:21So, for you, the extension is not going to solve the problems, whether she can afford it or not?
0:10:21 > 0:10:25Not at all. This is a really small building and I don't think making it slightly
0:10:25 > 0:10:27bigger is going to sort this building out.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30She's focused on quantity of space not quality of space,
0:10:30 > 0:10:33and I think that doing this extension may not be the answer.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36One of the most important things to Dawn is entertaining, cooking,
0:10:36 > 0:10:41she wants this to be a place full of life, full of friends and family and so on.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44Where is that space going to be on this tiny plan?
0:10:44 > 0:10:46At the moment it's not really anywhere,
0:10:46 > 0:10:48because this dining space has no light.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51No natural light coming in, it's separated from the garden.
0:10:51 > 0:10:53And I think the key thing here is to get a really good
0:10:53 > 0:10:56space at the back of the house that addresses the garden.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59I think the risk here is really that Dawn spends what is
0:10:59 > 0:11:01effectively her live savings on something that is not going
0:11:01 > 0:11:03to solve the fundamental problem.
0:11:03 > 0:11:05She still might have a pokey,
0:11:05 > 0:11:08small house that is not as sociable as she would like.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10And I think that's a really critical thing that we have to solve.
0:11:10 > 0:11:15How do we persuade her that all of the work that has been put into this and the thought that she's put in,
0:11:15 > 0:11:18in fact, is the wrong answer? Do you think she's going to be able to accept it?
0:11:18 > 0:11:20I suspect that Dawn is very attached to this extension,
0:11:20 > 0:11:24she has gone through the process of getting her consent and paying for this.
0:11:24 > 0:11:28And letting go of that may be problematic, but I think she's got to before she can move on.
0:11:28 > 0:11:30OK, so, who's going to tell her? You or I?
0:11:30 > 0:11:33- I think it's going to have to be me.- Good luck with that.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41'Dawn is not alone in thinking that an extension will solve all
0:11:41 > 0:11:44'her problems. They give instant additional space
0:11:44 > 0:11:48'but often fail to address the underlying design issues.'
0:11:49 > 0:11:52Originally we were quite happy with little space.
0:11:52 > 0:11:54And now we want more and more space.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57We can see, outside the back of Dawn's row of terraces,
0:11:57 > 0:11:58how that's happened.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00There's the original cottage
0:12:00 > 0:12:03and then there's a flat roof back extension that was put on in the '60s.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06But what worries me here is that these houses are already long
0:12:06 > 0:12:11and thin, and I'm worried that if you add on another extension it will make the house seem like a tunnel.
0:12:11 > 0:12:13Oh, hello, Piers.
0:12:13 > 0:12:17'Piers' radical plan needs Dawn to give up on her dream extension.
0:12:17 > 0:12:21'What she needs is better space, not just more of it.'
0:12:21 > 0:12:26So it's great to see this, cos I've seen it on your plans
0:12:26 > 0:12:29and initially I'm worried by the extension,
0:12:29 > 0:12:32because the building is quite long and quite narrow.
0:12:32 > 0:12:36You're going to end up with a funny tunnel-like building that has
0:12:36 > 0:12:39no light coming in except for a dot at either end, really.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42So what do you propose?
0:12:42 > 0:12:44I'm going to propose something quite radical to you.
0:12:44 > 0:12:46I think this is where your kitchen should go,
0:12:46 > 0:12:51so, if you imagine this is taken away. Your bathroom goes upstairs.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54Your kitchen effectively sits in the middle bit of your house
0:12:54 > 0:12:56where you don't need to sit, so you're standing cooking
0:12:56 > 0:12:59- and you're bridging both sides of the house.- Right.
0:12:59 > 0:13:04This then becomes a fantastic dining space with big, full-length
0:13:04 > 0:13:08sliding doors out on to the garden. And then you don't do the extension.
0:13:08 > 0:13:12- Right, that's interesting. - Come down here.
0:13:12 > 0:13:14So what you would have, I think, is that
0:13:14 > 0:13:15if you open the front door,
0:13:15 > 0:13:19eventually you would be able to look straight through to the
0:13:19 > 0:13:22back of the building, all of this space would be open.
0:13:22 > 0:13:24That would be an open plan?
0:13:24 > 0:13:26I think this building does need to be an open-plan building
0:13:26 > 0:13:30- on the ground floor to give you a sense of space.- Right.
0:13:30 > 0:13:34'Piers is convinced Dawn can create the home transformation
0:13:34 > 0:13:38'she craves, if she opts for savvy, cost effective solutions.
0:13:39 > 0:13:41'Instead of building an extension,
0:13:41 > 0:13:47'Piers' vision for Dawn's property is to spend her £20,000 opening up the space.
0:13:47 > 0:13:51'The downstairs toilet gets positioned under the stairs.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54'And a more generous kitchen-diner can then be created within
0:13:54 > 0:13:59'the existing footprint. Piers' final suggestion is to invest in new
0:13:59 > 0:14:02'bi-fold doors that lead out onto the garden.'
0:14:04 > 0:14:07The other key thing to remember in small buildings
0:14:07 > 0:14:10is that we need to find a sense of generosity.
0:14:10 > 0:14:14And a big opening here will make it so generous, the space.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17I want you to find big areas of wall
0:14:17 > 0:14:21and that's why a big area of wall above the sitting area, a big area of wall
0:14:21 > 0:14:25through there, which will make the building feel much bigger again.
0:14:25 > 0:14:26Well, it all sounds...
0:14:28 > 0:14:30..very modern for an old cottage,
0:14:30 > 0:14:34and I was trying to retain the age of the building.
0:14:34 > 0:14:38The sense of it being a cottage we're not trying to hide at all, we're not trying to make it something it isn't,
0:14:38 > 0:14:40we're trying to make the most of what it is.
0:14:40 > 0:14:44And, you know, we mustn't pickle buildings in aspic, they need to move
0:14:44 > 0:14:48on, they need to change, they need to embrace the next cycle of living.
0:14:49 > 0:14:55With Piers showing me what could be done, it has opened my eyes.
0:14:55 > 0:14:59And if I can contain everything I want within this space,
0:14:59 > 0:15:00so much the better.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03Remember, the builder isn't a designer,
0:15:03 > 0:15:05you're really the designer in this case.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09'This project will be challenging for Dawn.
0:15:09 > 0:15:11'She'll need to abandon plans that she has emotionally
0:15:11 > 0:15:16'and financially invested in, but Piers and I think this is
0:15:16 > 0:15:20'only way she can achieve her dream with the budget she has.'
0:15:22 > 0:15:25Dawn's coming to terms with the task of carving a space
0:15:25 > 0:15:28out of a small cottage for the things she loves to do.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31But other houses have much more practical problems.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34When design goes wrong it can sometimes leave you with
0:15:34 > 0:15:36the spaces you can't even get into.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41'Our second challenge is in County Durham,
0:15:41 > 0:15:43'where nine years ago, childhood sweethearts
0:15:43 > 0:15:47'Dale and Angela made the decision to extend their cramped living space.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52'They had plans to convert part of their garage into an elegant
0:15:52 > 0:15:54'dining room linking off their kitchen.
0:15:56 > 0:16:00'Over £20,000 later they had the new dining room,
0:16:00 > 0:16:03'but the first of their problems was finding there was almost no way to get into it.'
0:16:05 > 0:16:09As you can see it's a normal bi-fold door, but that's just a little
0:16:09 > 0:16:13trick I thought of to hide what is actually behind it. Voila.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18A narrow gap which is just totally impractical.
0:16:18 > 0:16:23Can't carry nothing through, can't use it. It's just a useless space.
0:16:24 > 0:16:28It's in my face every day and I just feel sick every time I look at it.
0:16:28 > 0:16:32I could just see when they were doing the bottom of the wall that
0:16:32 > 0:16:38the gap wasn't going to be enough, it wasn't going to be a standard doorway.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41And I tried telling them but nobody would listen.
0:16:41 > 0:16:46Might as well be a garage at the end of the day because we just use it as a store room.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50Angela spotted it but nobody listened to Angela.
0:16:50 > 0:16:54Those four little words, "I told you so."
0:16:54 > 0:16:59'Resourceful Dale quickly decided to try and fix the problem himself.'
0:16:59 > 0:17:01I put the conservatory up to try
0:17:01 > 0:17:03and make access easier from through the conservatory
0:17:03 > 0:17:06but in the winter months it's freezing cold out there so you just
0:17:06 > 0:17:08don't want to come in this part of the house,
0:17:08 > 0:17:10in the summer it's red hot out there.
0:17:10 > 0:17:17'The conservatory cost Dale a further £2,500, and brought with it a new set of problems.'
0:17:17 > 0:17:20I was expecting more light through from the conservatory,
0:17:20 > 0:17:23that was another little misjudgement I made.
0:17:24 > 0:17:29'Dale and Angela tolerated the disastrous extension for four years.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32'But when Angela fell ill the situation became unbearable.'
0:17:34 > 0:17:39Unfortunately I had a stroke on Christmas night 2009.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43All of a sudden, my wife can't walk. She's had a blood clot on the brain.
0:17:43 > 0:17:47About 18 months later, I had another stroke.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50It just hit me like a hammer.
0:17:50 > 0:17:55Emotionally, psychologically, it completely floored me.
0:17:55 > 0:17:57I didn't think I was going to get her back.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01'The strokes affected Angela's mobility,
0:18:01 > 0:18:04'which now makes the hodgepodge extension even more of a nightmare.'
0:18:06 > 0:18:08The main problem is from the kitchen into the conservatory,
0:18:08 > 0:18:11we've got a good three-to-four-inch step.
0:18:11 > 0:18:13Then from the conservatory to the dining room,
0:18:13 > 0:18:15we've got another three-to-four-inch step.
0:18:15 > 0:18:17Physically, Angela can't use that space.
0:18:17 > 0:18:21It's not practical for her, it's not safe for her because she has
0:18:21 > 0:18:26to step over a lot of obstacles and walk through that small gap.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29It's just not physically possible, really.
0:18:31 > 0:18:35'Dale's determined to fix it this time, and they've been saving hard.'
0:18:35 > 0:18:37We've saved, like, £5,000 up.
0:18:38 > 0:18:42Hopefully we can do something with that.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44But I don't want to do it wrong again.
0:18:45 > 0:18:46It does upset me.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52Get you sorted, get it all done.
0:18:57 > 0:19:01'To help them repair past mistakes, Piers needs to solve
0:19:01 > 0:19:04'the layout issue and make their home safe for Angela to live in.'
0:19:07 > 0:19:11In a way, this is a small tragedy, because they've got something
0:19:11 > 0:19:15that's so compromised, and Angela's health isn't the best.
0:19:15 > 0:19:17I really want to help them sort this out.
0:19:19 > 0:19:20Hi, Angela, how are you doing?
0:19:20 > 0:19:21Nice to see you.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25- How are you?- Very well thanks. Good to see you.
0:19:25 > 0:19:27- Come on through.- Thank you.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30So I don't believe in feng shui, but this is giving me bad vibes,
0:19:30 > 0:19:34- this space. I can see that that is an issue.- That is a big issue.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36Well, it's a little issue.
0:19:36 > 0:19:38So you've spent all this money on an extension
0:19:38 > 0:19:41- that you can't really use properly. - No.
0:19:42 > 0:19:46I'm noticing these steps to get into internal rooms.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49They're another barrier really, aren't they?
0:19:49 > 0:19:51Everything here is showing you
0:19:51 > 0:19:54that these are separate spaces, aren't they.
0:19:54 > 0:19:58- The change of finish, the door threshold, all of those things.- Yep.
0:19:58 > 0:20:03I can feel that this space feels unloved, unused, unheated.
0:20:03 > 0:20:05'Transforming a dark kitchen
0:20:05 > 0:20:09'and an unusable conservatory will require a major structural
0:20:09 > 0:20:12'transformation, but the biggest challenge is in the former garage.'
0:20:13 > 0:20:19There's no ventilation, there's no light. It's clearly bonkers.
0:20:19 > 0:20:21No natural light at all, is there.
0:20:21 > 0:20:23How often have you used this room since you've built it?
0:20:23 > 0:20:27- Once for one Christmas dinner. - Once in ten years. That's incredible.
0:20:28 > 0:20:32'On just £5,000, Piers needs to find a way to give Dale and Angela's
0:20:32 > 0:20:36'home the most basic qualities we look for in domestic architecture.'
0:20:38 > 0:20:41'Housing needs to have good-sized spaces,
0:20:41 > 0:20:43'it needs to have good ventilation, good quality'
0:20:43 > 0:20:46of spatial flow and good quality natural light.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48This building doesn't have that,
0:20:48 > 0:20:52so buildings need to work from basic principles.
0:20:52 > 0:20:54This house isn't doing it.
0:20:55 > 0:20:58'The challenge now is rectifying a whole host of fundamental
0:20:58 > 0:21:01'problems in this home on such a paltry budget.'
0:21:04 > 0:21:08My initial impressions are that you actually need to do a fair
0:21:08 > 0:21:13bit of structural work to sort out this corner where everything
0:21:13 > 0:21:14comes together.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18'Piers suggests removing the walls where the kitchen,
0:21:18 > 0:21:21'dining room and conservatory meet.
0:21:21 > 0:21:25'It's expensive, structural work, so he must now look for every
0:21:25 > 0:21:27'possible way to keep other costs down.'
0:21:28 > 0:21:31The advantage of this is it leaves all of your kitchen as it is.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33You don't reconvene your kitchen at all.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36But what you end up with is a kitchen/dining space that is
0:21:36 > 0:21:40uninterrupted and is...you know, that big.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43Then, finally, take these doors
0:21:43 > 0:21:45and re-use those doors as French doors
0:21:45 > 0:21:48- going out into the garden there. - Brilliant.
0:21:48 > 0:21:50Just for the light and the openness.
0:21:50 > 0:21:52It'll make this room feel twice the size it is as well.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55The good thing about that is, as well, that's something I can do.
0:21:55 > 0:21:59- Absolutely.- That's not a problem for me to do that.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02But it is completely transformed.
0:22:02 > 0:22:07I suspect then you'd actually live out here quite a lot of the time.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10This is definitely something that we can now use.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12'Dale's inspired...'
0:22:12 > 0:22:16- I'm not cutting corners now.- No. - We'll get it done properly.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20'..and starts by relocating the dining room doors.
0:22:23 > 0:22:27'But with money so tight, Dale is having to take on the lion's
0:22:27 > 0:22:30'share of the work himself, and calling on favours from mates.'
0:22:33 > 0:22:35I would never have thought of putting a set of doors
0:22:35 > 0:22:37in this wall at all. Or a window, even.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39This is going to be revealing, this, actually,
0:22:39 > 0:22:43because I've never seen natural light in that room.
0:22:45 > 0:22:47That's going to be some size, eh?
0:22:50 > 0:22:52Look at that. Daylight in here.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55Oh, this is just going to be so different.
0:22:57 > 0:22:59'Light floods in.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02'Dale's hard work and Piers' idea of reusing
0:23:02 > 0:23:06'the dining room doors has saved the couple at least £500.'
0:23:06 > 0:23:09That's it.
0:23:09 > 0:23:10'It's a big moment,
0:23:10 > 0:23:13'but the most ambitious part of the build is still ahead.'
0:23:14 > 0:23:17The structural work is what I'm apprehensive about,
0:23:17 > 0:23:18I know what's involved.
0:23:21 > 0:23:23You just think, "What's going to go wrong?
0:23:23 > 0:23:25"Is something going to go wrong?"
0:23:27 > 0:23:28'And even if nothing goes wrong,
0:23:28 > 0:23:32'with just £5,000, it's going to be tight.'
0:23:32 > 0:23:38- Steel...that's going to be... - It's going to be £1,000.
0:23:38 > 0:23:42- The roof is 2,750.- 2,750.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45I think we might be going over here.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56'In Bedfordshire, Dawn's initial excitement about
0:23:56 > 0:24:00'Piers' suggestions has worn off, and the amount of work required to
0:24:00 > 0:24:04'turn the ideas into reality has taken its toll.'
0:24:04 > 0:24:07I've felt really under the weather for about two weeks.
0:24:07 > 0:24:09I don't sleep well at night,
0:24:09 > 0:24:13you're fretting over things that you are not in control of.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16It is basically because of Piers' plans of opening up the
0:24:16 > 0:24:24whole area, and having to get all this structural stuff indoors done.
0:24:25 > 0:24:29'She needs new quotes, new plans and a structural survey.
0:24:31 > 0:24:33'If she loses sight of the bigger picture,
0:24:33 > 0:24:36'then Dawn could end up wasting her life savings on a project
0:24:36 > 0:24:38'that doesn't actually give her the space she needs.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46'So it's vital that we prove to her that
0:24:46 > 0:24:48'Piers' big ideas will be worth the effort.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53'I've managed to get access to a house in North London that
0:24:53 > 0:24:56'I hope will help Dawn see the potential of her own home.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02'Here, the architect Ruth Butler has transformed the
0:25:02 > 0:25:06'long, narrow garage into a generous open-plan kitchen,
0:25:06 > 0:25:09'almost identical in size to Dawn's ground floor.'
0:25:13 > 0:25:15My, this is nice.
0:25:16 > 0:25:20If you think about it, this space is about the width
0:25:20 > 0:25:22and depth of your floor plan.
0:25:22 > 0:25:23I do like it.
0:25:23 > 0:25:26Flooded with light, which is something you've talked about.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29That was important. That's important to me.
0:25:30 > 0:25:33'Dawn was worried that modern sliding doors may not fit
0:25:33 > 0:25:36'with her Victorian cottage.'
0:25:36 > 0:25:40- I do like this idea of the door. I really do.- Yeah.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42I really wanted to bring you here cos, in a way,
0:25:42 > 0:25:45the owners here were facing such similar problems to you.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48They needed more space and they couldn't extend at the back
0:25:48 > 0:25:51so they decided, "Right, what's important to us?
0:25:51 > 0:25:52"We want a kitchen, dining room,
0:25:52 > 0:25:55"a sociable space for eating together."
0:25:55 > 0:25:57And having everything sort of streamlined.
0:25:57 > 0:25:58Everything is at hand.
0:26:00 > 0:26:03'The sense of space has also been maximised by lifting
0:26:03 > 0:26:06'storage of the ground, and you see the full width of the floor.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13'These ideas are not expensive to adopt.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16'The floating units cost just £160
0:26:16 > 0:26:19'and painting the brick walls cost just 60 quid.'
0:26:19 > 0:26:22This is by no means an expensive interior.
0:26:22 > 0:26:24You know, it's a fairly standard kitchen -
0:26:24 > 0:26:26some nice appliances and so on
0:26:26 > 0:26:28but this is not pushing the boat out, moneywise.
0:26:28 > 0:26:30It's just got the space right, hasn't it?
0:26:30 > 0:26:34It just gives you these ideas that you can adapt. I love it.
0:26:34 > 0:26:36'With enough motivation,
0:26:36 > 0:26:40'Dawn could create exactly this effect in her home.'
0:26:40 > 0:26:42You've got to make up your mind what's important to you...
0:26:42 > 0:26:45- Yeah, absolutely.- ..cos I've been drawing pieces of paper, maps,
0:26:45 > 0:26:49and trying to work out and measuring to see where everything goes
0:26:49 > 0:26:53but this sort of gives you an idea exactly how I can fit it in.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58I think it's important for Dawn to get a sense
0:26:58 > 0:26:59of that light into the cottage.
0:26:59 > 0:27:03I mean, of course these small cottages are cosy and often quite
0:27:03 > 0:27:06dark with small windows. There's no reason to have that now.
0:27:06 > 0:27:08I think opening up the back of the house,
0:27:08 > 0:27:11connecting with that lovely garden that she is really fond of
0:27:11 > 0:27:13is going to be really important.
0:27:15 > 0:27:17This visit has made a big difference for me
0:27:17 > 0:27:21because now I can see that this idea does work.
0:27:21 > 0:27:26I've got to get this act together now quickly and get it moving
0:27:26 > 0:27:27and I'm ready.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32'In no time at all, the demolition work begins.
0:27:35 > 0:27:39'Structural alterations like this need approval from planning
0:27:39 > 0:27:42'and building control so Dawn's finalised the new layout with
0:27:42 > 0:27:43'her engineer and architect.
0:27:45 > 0:27:46'In a matter of days,
0:27:46 > 0:27:49'her small Victorian cottage becomes open-plan.'
0:27:50 > 0:27:52Oh!
0:27:52 > 0:27:54Oh, my... It's huge.
0:27:54 > 0:27:56This is just amazing. I don't know...
0:27:56 > 0:27:59I miss my house.
0:27:59 > 0:28:02I miss part of the house!
0:28:02 > 0:28:04You just feel, "Oh, God!
0:28:04 > 0:28:07"Did I have the right to pull this down?", basically.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11'Now inspired by contemporary bi-fold doors,
0:28:11 > 0:28:15'she's put in an order for some at just over £4,000.
0:28:15 > 0:28:17'Aware of her tight budget,
0:28:17 > 0:28:20'builders Darren and Nick are hoping to complete the structural work
0:28:20 > 0:28:22'for around £7,000.'
0:28:23 > 0:28:24She's a lovely lady.
0:28:24 > 0:28:26We've nicknamed her "Duchess".
0:28:26 > 0:28:30Princess Dawn - what she wants, she gets.
0:28:30 > 0:28:31A lot of people her age, bless 'em,
0:28:31 > 0:28:34will be sitting in armchairs reading the newspaper.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37They wouldn't be having their house knocked about, would they?
0:28:37 > 0:28:40'But with no contingency, she only has £9,000 left
0:28:40 > 0:28:44'for floors, rewiring, new windows, internal decoration,
0:28:44 > 0:28:46'a new bathroom and a new kitchen.'
0:28:47 > 0:28:50It doesn't look very securely built, does it?
0:28:54 > 0:28:57An old property like this, it's like Pandora's box.
0:29:07 > 0:29:09Something's not right.
0:29:09 > 0:29:11Cos it's solid wall.
0:29:13 > 0:29:16'The next morning, cracks have started to appear
0:29:16 > 0:29:18'in Dawn's back wall on the first floor.
0:29:19 > 0:29:23'Work has stopped and she's called out the structural engineer
0:29:23 > 0:29:25'at a cost of £180.'
0:29:26 > 0:29:30The main concern is the block-work wall that's sitting on floorboards
0:29:30 > 0:29:34upstairs and obviously that weighs too much to be on a floorboard.
0:29:34 > 0:29:36OK, now I'm with you.
0:29:36 > 0:29:40'Behind the cracks lies a breeze block wall built by a previous owner.
0:29:40 > 0:29:42'This unsupported weight has created
0:29:42 > 0:29:46'a potentially disastrous problem for Dawn's build.'
0:29:46 > 0:29:48The trouble with properties this age
0:29:48 > 0:29:50is that you don't know what you're going to get until you open it up.
0:29:50 > 0:29:52So the whole wall has to come down?
0:29:52 > 0:29:55I think that would be the most economic solution.
0:29:57 > 0:29:59That was horrendous news.
0:29:59 > 0:30:04I just felt I was taking five steps back, not just one or two.
0:30:05 > 0:30:08Gosh, it's worrying how people have built this.
0:30:08 > 0:30:10The hiccups are coming now.
0:30:11 > 0:30:14'It's more expense on a project that already stripped to the bone.'
0:30:16 > 0:30:18The main worry is the cost of bringing the wall down
0:30:18 > 0:30:20and rebuilding a wall.
0:30:20 > 0:30:21But it has to be done.
0:30:22 > 0:30:25I'm just hoping it won't run into thousands,
0:30:25 > 0:30:28because that was my floor and everything else.
0:30:38 > 0:30:41'Back in County Durham, the steelwork has arrived
0:30:41 > 0:30:44'that will allow the crucial structural transformation
0:30:44 > 0:30:45'of Dale and Angela's home.
0:30:48 > 0:30:52'Costing £1,000, it's a fifth of their meagre £5,000 budget.'
0:30:54 > 0:30:57It's some size, that, isn't it?
0:30:57 > 0:30:58It really weighs a ton.
0:30:58 > 0:31:00It's a lot heavier than I thought.
0:31:00 > 0:31:02That's what's going to hold the back of my house up.
0:31:03 > 0:31:07'The joists are too big to fit through Dale and Angela's house,
0:31:07 > 0:31:10'so they have to haul two and a half tonnes of steel
0:31:10 > 0:31:11'through the neighbour's garden.'
0:31:16 > 0:31:18This is some substantial weight, this.
0:31:19 > 0:31:23'It's more than the four-man job Dale anticipated.'
0:31:23 > 0:31:27If possible, I need everybody's help.
0:31:27 > 0:31:28Cheers for coming over, lads.
0:31:30 > 0:31:33'They rally some free help from friends and family.'
0:31:34 > 0:31:36Right, are we on?
0:31:38 > 0:31:39This better fit.
0:31:41 > 0:31:42Ready?
0:31:42 > 0:31:44Right!
0:31:44 > 0:31:46Watch out, watch out - it's going to come off the end now.
0:31:46 > 0:31:49Whoa!
0:31:49 > 0:31:51Lift it.
0:31:51 > 0:31:53Everybody all right?
0:31:53 > 0:31:55Where are we going now?
0:31:55 > 0:31:57'Instead of a costly heavy-duty lift,
0:31:57 > 0:32:00'this steel is raised eight feet in the air
0:32:00 > 0:32:02'by eight burly blokes.'
0:32:02 > 0:32:04Push! Right.
0:32:04 > 0:32:05Just watch my stench pipe.
0:32:05 > 0:32:06Ready and up!
0:32:07 > 0:32:08- Are we on?- Yep.
0:32:10 > 0:32:12Sheets of steel, innit?
0:32:12 > 0:32:13That's what mates are for, innit?
0:32:20 > 0:32:21'Six weeks into Dawn's build
0:32:21 > 0:32:24'and with her budget under severe pressure,
0:32:24 > 0:32:27'she needs innovative solutions to one of the most expensive parts
0:32:27 > 0:32:29'of a renovation like this -
0:32:29 > 0:32:30'the kitchen.
0:32:31 > 0:32:33'To make matters worse,
0:32:33 > 0:32:34'she's just received a bill
0:32:34 > 0:32:37'for rebuilding the wall in the new bathroom.'
0:32:37 > 0:32:39The extra cost is about 1,200.
0:32:39 > 0:32:42It is a lot of money. Every penny counts now.
0:32:44 > 0:32:48- Hi, Dawn.- Morning!- How are you doing? Wow, look at this!
0:32:48 > 0:32:50That's fantastic.
0:32:50 > 0:32:54'With the walls removed and fabulous bi-fold doors in place,
0:32:54 > 0:32:56'the open-plan living space is taking shape.
0:32:59 > 0:33:02'But Dawn has chosen to deviate from Piers' plan
0:33:02 > 0:33:04'by keeping the toilet in the same place,
0:33:04 > 0:33:07'albeit in a much smaller room.'
0:33:07 > 0:33:09So what about the kitchen? Where's that going?
0:33:09 > 0:33:11Is that going from here up to the end?
0:33:11 > 0:33:14Yes, right from this corner right down to that.
0:33:14 > 0:33:16- Originally, I wanted the fridge here.- Mmm.
0:33:16 > 0:33:19But...
0:33:19 > 0:33:22the builder reckons the fridge is better in that corner
0:33:22 > 0:33:23because of the plumbing
0:33:23 > 0:33:26- and I think he's right.- Your fridge is a full-height fridge, is it?
0:33:26 > 0:33:28- Yeah.- And it's going in that corner.
0:33:28 > 0:33:30At the moment, I look in there and my eye doesn't stop
0:33:30 > 0:33:32until it hits that corner.
0:33:32 > 0:33:34This feels spacious like this
0:33:34 > 0:33:37and this is such a joy to see this open
0:33:37 > 0:33:39and you fought so hard to get this space
0:33:39 > 0:33:41and at the moment, in my mind,
0:33:41 > 0:33:44your worktop comes along and hits this wall here...
0:33:44 > 0:33:46- And it's all open space. - ..and it's all open.
0:33:46 > 0:33:50And the ugly thing, the thing that's the block,
0:33:50 > 0:33:52- you tuck away somewhere. - I agree with you.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55Remember that your builder is very good,
0:33:55 > 0:33:57but he's not particularly interested
0:33:57 > 0:34:00in the poetics of standing next to the open door.
0:34:00 > 0:34:02He just wants to plumb it all in.
0:34:02 > 0:34:04This is the best bit of the kitchen, right here.
0:34:04 > 0:34:06Hmm.
0:34:06 > 0:34:09- I need to have another little chat with him.- Mm-hmm.
0:34:10 > 0:34:14'In Britain, the average spend on a kitchen is £8,000,
0:34:14 > 0:34:17'but Dawn just can't afford this.'
0:34:17 > 0:34:20What about the kitchen? What are you doing for that?
0:34:20 > 0:34:21It's upstairs.
0:34:21 > 0:34:22Somebody's throwing it out.
0:34:22 > 0:34:24These are the units that are being thrown out.
0:34:24 > 0:34:25Yeah, great.
0:34:27 > 0:34:29'Most of the money we spend on a new kitchen
0:34:29 > 0:34:33'goes on materials, middlemen and the design process.
0:34:33 > 0:34:37'So adapting an unwanted one can save thousands.
0:34:37 > 0:34:40'A clever face-lift will even improve outdated designs.'
0:34:41 > 0:34:43You know, you could even paint the glass,
0:34:43 > 0:34:45- paint the whole lot.- Could you?
0:34:45 > 0:34:48Yeah. This would look much better as a solid thing.
0:34:48 > 0:34:52- I just think this draws your eye... - I wasn't happy with that.
0:34:52 > 0:34:56- A pattern on it - it looks very dated.- It does look very dated.
0:34:56 > 0:34:58And this colour's very dated, isn't it now?
0:34:58 > 0:35:00Maybe I should practise on one.
0:35:00 > 0:35:02See what they look like with a coat of paint.
0:35:02 > 0:35:04If it goes wrong,
0:35:04 > 0:35:08it'd be upon your head. You buy me a new kitchen!
0:35:08 > 0:35:11It was free anyway, so nothing to lose.
0:35:12 > 0:35:15'To help link her kitchen and garden together,
0:35:15 > 0:35:17'Dawn is keen on a bluey-green.'
0:35:19 > 0:35:22I think this might be too bright. This isn't remotely scientific.
0:35:22 > 0:35:26So this, Dawn, is just very heavy-duty wood and metal paint.
0:35:26 > 0:35:28These colours themselves aren't ideal,
0:35:28 > 0:35:30but I would always mix them up anyway.
0:35:30 > 0:35:32That's quite a nice colour. Subtle, isn't it?
0:35:32 > 0:35:34'Rather than choosing from a colour chart,
0:35:34 > 0:35:37'architects and designers often mix colours themselves
0:35:37 > 0:35:39'to allow for trial and error.'
0:35:39 > 0:35:41- Maybe a bit too purple.- Yeah.
0:35:41 > 0:35:44'Once decided, these can then be colour-matched at a paint shop.'
0:35:44 > 0:35:45A bit bluer, do you think?
0:35:45 > 0:35:47I think you need to choose your own colour.
0:35:47 > 0:35:49I don't want to choose a colour for you,
0:35:49 > 0:35:51but I think all we want to do now is just try out the effect.
0:35:51 > 0:35:52This is too dark.
0:35:52 > 0:35:55This is a nice grey-blue.
0:35:55 > 0:35:58- I think we go for that, we try that.- Try that?
0:35:58 > 0:36:00I think it looks better already.
0:36:00 > 0:36:02Do you know what I like best about it?
0:36:02 > 0:36:04- That it's free.- Yeah.
0:36:04 > 0:36:06Beautiful.
0:36:06 > 0:36:07Isn't that nice?
0:36:07 > 0:36:09Fantastic.
0:36:09 > 0:36:14So I think this is nice, but we need to do a couple more things to it.
0:36:14 > 0:36:16For me, the worktop is really important
0:36:16 > 0:36:18and want I think you should do
0:36:18 > 0:36:23- is find a really chunky, crisp, very simple timber worktop.- Mm-hmm.
0:36:23 > 0:36:26This is just an old piece of timber I found lying around in the garden
0:36:26 > 0:36:30and then what I think you need to do is to find some nice handles.
0:36:30 > 0:36:33- That then looks completely different, doesn't it?- Yeah.
0:36:33 > 0:36:37I'm just trying to show you how the right worktop
0:36:37 > 0:36:42and the right handle would transform that kitchen.
0:36:42 > 0:36:44Yep, I agree.
0:36:44 > 0:36:45'In County Durham,
0:36:45 > 0:36:48'Dale and Angela are finally getting a sense of their new home.
0:36:48 > 0:36:50'If they pull it off,
0:36:50 > 0:36:52'this build could have a profound effect on their lives.'
0:36:52 > 0:36:54If I'm not in the house,
0:36:54 > 0:36:56I worry about Angela falling over
0:36:56 > 0:36:59and not being able to look after herself.
0:36:59 > 0:37:03'The key now is to create a floor which flows seamlessly through,
0:37:03 > 0:37:06'allowing Angela to move around easily and safely.
0:37:07 > 0:37:09'But having done the sums,
0:37:09 > 0:37:11'they're running seriously short on funds.'
0:37:13 > 0:37:16We've got £540 left.
0:37:18 > 0:37:21I am a little bit worried, because I don't know...
0:37:21 > 0:37:24We're trying to think outside the box for flooring.
0:37:24 > 0:37:27Me and Angela are just thinking your basic magnolias
0:37:27 > 0:37:29and your average laminate flooring.
0:37:30 > 0:37:34'Even cheap laminate floor will set them back over £400
0:37:34 > 0:37:37'and it could spoil the look of the whole project.
0:37:41 > 0:37:45'We need to find them a more stylish and cost-effective solution.
0:37:46 > 0:37:48'I'm in Sheffield to visit a building that I love
0:37:48 > 0:37:49'and, surprisingly,
0:37:49 > 0:37:52'could provide some money-saving inspiration for Dale and Angela,'
0:37:52 > 0:37:55cos it uses an architectural feature that needn't cost the earth,
0:37:55 > 0:37:57and that's colour.
0:38:00 > 0:38:02This building was designed by Sauerbruch Hutton,
0:38:02 > 0:38:05who are probably the most important architects in the world right now,
0:38:05 > 0:38:08working with how colour can play a role in architecture.
0:38:09 > 0:38:12This is a building that has 24 colours in total its facade
0:38:12 > 0:38:14in three colour families -
0:38:14 > 0:38:16a family of reds,
0:38:16 > 0:38:18a family of greens,
0:38:18 > 0:38:19a family of blues.
0:38:20 > 0:38:24The panels could seem random, but in fact,
0:38:24 > 0:38:25the tones have been carefully picked
0:38:25 > 0:38:27from colours found in the nearby environment.
0:38:29 > 0:38:32If Dale and Angela can put the same intensity of thought into colour
0:38:32 > 0:38:33that this building does,
0:38:33 > 0:38:35they can really make an architectural difference
0:38:35 > 0:38:37with the very thinnest layer.
0:38:39 > 0:38:41'Dale and Angela could use colour
0:38:41 > 0:38:45'as an inexpensive and ingenious solution to their flooring problem,
0:38:45 > 0:38:49'transforming one of the cheapest materials available, chipboard,
0:38:49 > 0:38:50'into something special.'
0:38:53 > 0:38:57So, I've got two different colours of floor paint.
0:38:57 > 0:39:01What this is is a two-pack of epoxy water-based paint
0:39:01 > 0:39:04that goes incredibly hard
0:39:04 > 0:39:05and you'll be glad to know it's gloss finish.
0:39:05 > 0:39:06- Oh, good.- Oh!
0:39:06 > 0:39:10- On this floor, what I would do is put down chipboard to level it.- Yes.
0:39:10 > 0:39:15Then on top of the chipboard, use a thinned down coat of this,
0:39:15 > 0:39:17then either one or two more coats, depending.
0:39:17 > 0:39:23- So this is the first colour.- Yes... - It's bright, isn't it?
0:39:23 > 0:39:24And this is the second.
0:39:26 > 0:39:28'Piers and I know bold ideas like these
0:39:28 > 0:39:32'could make Dale and Angela's home distinctive and different.
0:39:32 > 0:39:34'But will they get on board?'
0:39:34 > 0:39:37So I'm presuming, of course, that these aren't very similar
0:39:37 > 0:39:39to the colours that you were thinking of?
0:39:39 > 0:39:44Nowhere near! We'd even sent for a couple of samples.
0:39:44 > 0:39:47Just your basic, run-of-the-mill laminate flooring
0:39:47 > 0:39:51and the same with the colours on the wall, magnolias and just...
0:39:51 > 0:39:54Basically trying to put the walls to match the furniture,
0:39:54 > 0:39:56rather than the opposite way round.
0:39:56 > 0:39:59Colour is such a gift. It costs so little.
0:39:59 > 0:40:02This is no more expensive than magnolia
0:40:02 > 0:40:05and the difference that it makes is fantastic.
0:40:05 > 0:40:07So I'm wondering if you'd like some soup.
0:40:07 > 0:40:08LAUGHTER
0:40:11 > 0:40:14'But to really appreciate what it will look like as a floor finish,
0:40:14 > 0:40:17'they need to get it onto some sample chipboard.
0:40:18 > 0:40:20'Ordinarily used for concrete garage floors,
0:40:20 > 0:40:22'this paint is mixed with an activator
0:40:22 > 0:40:25'which makes it dry to a hardwearing sheen.'
0:40:27 > 0:40:31The more I'm looking at this, the more I am actually liking it.
0:40:31 > 0:40:33- It looks totally different when it's on.- Yeah.
0:40:33 > 0:40:36Completely different - that's gone purplier, hasn't it?
0:40:36 > 0:40:37Definitely.
0:40:46 > 0:40:50- This is so crisp and clean, though, isn't it?- It is.
0:40:50 > 0:40:53Now, which one where?
0:40:53 > 0:40:56- They go with each other, don't they?- I don't know.
0:40:56 > 0:40:59I think tonight, when the sun goes down,
0:40:59 > 0:41:02- you'll see what it looks like in the room without the sunlight.- Yeah.
0:41:04 > 0:41:06- Definitely food for thought. - Yes. Good.
0:41:13 > 0:41:18'Angela and Dale park the tricky decision on the floor colour
0:41:18 > 0:41:20'while Dale concentrates on laying the chipboard,
0:41:20 > 0:41:22'which is vital to create
0:41:22 > 0:41:24'one unified space in the remodelled extension.'
0:41:26 > 0:41:28Ange walked in, she actually walked straight through
0:41:28 > 0:41:32and she never had to once look down at where she was walking.
0:41:32 > 0:41:35I feel good inside, knowing she can use this part of the house now
0:41:35 > 0:41:37without me being here.
0:41:39 > 0:41:41'To cover the whole space with chipboard
0:41:41 > 0:41:43'has cost just £200
0:41:43 > 0:41:45'with another 100 for paint.
0:41:45 > 0:41:48'But Angela is still uncertain about the colour.'
0:41:49 > 0:41:53Initially, it's going to be a bit, mmm...
0:41:53 > 0:41:56Cos it's quite bold for me. But we'll wait and see.
0:41:58 > 0:42:02'Despite working shifts, Dale's put in over 60 hours
0:42:02 > 0:42:04'in the last fortnight trying to finish the build.'
0:42:07 > 0:42:08Dale's just been at it.
0:42:10 > 0:42:11And he just was so tired.
0:42:11 > 0:42:14I said to him one night - in fact, I was in tears -
0:42:14 > 0:42:17I said I wished I could have a magic wand
0:42:17 > 0:42:19and do it for him.
0:42:19 > 0:42:21He's just worked so hard.
0:42:22 > 0:42:26'With 30 square metres to first prime, then paint,
0:42:26 > 0:42:29'Dale's hoping that this 300 quid floor
0:42:29 > 0:42:31'isn't an architectural step too far.'
0:42:34 > 0:42:35Big moment...
0:42:38 > 0:42:40- LAUGHING:- Oh...!
0:42:40 > 0:42:43Wow - that is different.
0:42:44 > 0:42:46Hope it looks this nice on the floor.
0:42:50 > 0:42:52'12 weeks ago, Dale and Angela's house
0:42:52 > 0:42:56'was plagued with a cramped kitchen, dark dining room conversion
0:42:56 > 0:42:58'and badly insulated conservatory.
0:43:00 > 0:43:03'The hotchpotch of poorly connected spaces,
0:43:03 > 0:43:07'impossibly narrow doorway and uneven floor levels
0:43:07 > 0:43:10'all created a serious hazard for Angela.
0:43:13 > 0:43:15'Piers proposed some radical solutions,
0:43:15 > 0:43:18'but with just £5,000 to spend,
0:43:18 > 0:43:20'they had to put in all the hard work themselves.
0:43:23 > 0:43:25'I'm fascinated to see how Dale and Angela
0:43:25 > 0:43:27'have interpreted Piers' ideas.'
0:43:28 > 0:43:31- Hi, guys.- Hi.- Nice to see you again.
0:43:31 > 0:43:33How are you doing? How's it all been going?
0:43:33 > 0:43:36- Ups and downs.- Yeah? - But really, really pleased.
0:43:36 > 0:43:37It's been tiring, difficult,
0:43:37 > 0:43:39we've had some good days and bad days.
0:43:39 > 0:43:41Well, I'm dying to see what you've done.
0:43:41 > 0:43:43- So am I - can I have a look?- Go on.
0:43:49 > 0:43:50Wow!
0:43:55 > 0:43:56It is just extraordinary
0:43:56 > 0:43:58how much light you get into this space
0:43:58 > 0:44:00and how completely different it feels.
0:44:00 > 0:44:03- This is like being in another house. - Yeah.
0:44:03 > 0:44:06Feels contemporary, spacious - what a great space.
0:44:08 > 0:44:10'In order to address the disconnected spaces,
0:44:10 > 0:44:13'narrow doorway, and uneven thresholds,
0:44:13 > 0:44:15'Dale and Angela took on Piers' idea
0:44:15 > 0:44:18'of using structural steel and knocking down walls.'
0:44:22 > 0:44:24It was so miserable before
0:44:24 > 0:44:27and this was a forgotten, bodged extension.
0:44:27 > 0:44:29There was a half-door through there, wasn't there,
0:44:29 > 0:44:31- into the rest of the house? - Yeah.
0:44:31 > 0:44:34And now, it glows with light.
0:44:35 > 0:44:37'Instead of expensive flooring,
0:44:37 > 0:44:41'Angela and Dale went with Piers' suggestion of painting chipboard
0:44:41 > 0:44:44'to create a bright, contemporary, low-cost floor
0:44:44 > 0:44:45'that's easy to negotiate.'
0:44:45 > 0:44:47One of the things that really excites me
0:44:47 > 0:44:48is, of course, the colour.
0:44:48 > 0:44:51I mean, it adds so much brightness, the sheen of the paint.
0:44:51 > 0:44:55I remember being a little bit quiet when it was mentioned about colours
0:44:55 > 0:44:57and it being so bold. But it's lovely.
0:44:57 > 0:45:01We'd never have thought of going for nothing as vibrant.
0:45:01 > 0:45:03And as we put it on, it was just..."Wow,
0:45:03 > 0:45:05"this is going to be good."
0:45:05 > 0:45:07Even in February, when the sun's not out,
0:45:07 > 0:45:11I suspect it will still feel really warm.
0:45:11 > 0:45:13The light - it just seems to bounce up off the floor.
0:45:13 > 0:45:17- It does. There's no lights on in here.- None whatsoever.
0:45:17 > 0:45:21'Angela and Dale also saved money by following Piers' plan
0:45:21 > 0:45:23'of reusing doors from the dining rooms
0:45:23 > 0:45:27'as French doors that lead into the garden.'
0:45:27 > 0:45:31You've managed to make every bit of what was already here still work.
0:45:31 > 0:45:33We got one wall there which was bit of conservatory.
0:45:33 > 0:45:35No architect would ever design that in,
0:45:35 > 0:45:37but somehow, it works here, doesn't it?
0:45:37 > 0:45:39Totally.
0:45:39 > 0:45:41Do you it will change the way you guys live in your house?
0:45:41 > 0:45:45Definitely, it's given us this back half of the house back -
0:45:45 > 0:45:46given me it back, anyway -
0:45:46 > 0:45:48that I can use it safely.
0:45:48 > 0:45:52Dale knows I can use it safely, with all the access and everything,
0:45:52 > 0:45:54it's much better for me, much easier.
0:45:54 > 0:45:57- I think we'll use this as a living room, more than anything.- Hm.
0:45:57 > 0:46:00Sit and look in the garden or you can sit and read,
0:46:00 > 0:46:01just have a chill-out.
0:46:01 > 0:46:05For me, it shows that space and light are the most important things
0:46:05 > 0:46:08and that's what you've got in spades here, now.
0:46:09 > 0:46:13'Angela and Dale had just £5,000 to spend.
0:46:13 > 0:46:16'Did they achieve this stunning result within that small budget?'
0:46:18 > 0:46:22I need to ask you, have you done this for £5,000?
0:46:22 > 0:46:26This place feels a lot more generous than that tiny budget suggests.
0:46:26 > 0:46:27Did you come in under budget?
0:46:27 > 0:46:33- We came in under budget by...I think it was £17.52.- Almost to the penny!
0:46:33 > 0:46:37Yeah - I've got it all wrote down to the penny and we're under budget.
0:46:37 > 0:46:40Amazing - per square metre for a space like this, I mean,
0:46:40 > 0:46:42that's fantastic value.
0:46:42 > 0:46:45Actually, I suspect if you'd had this costed,
0:46:45 > 0:46:48I'd have thought maybe 12, 15 grand?
0:46:48 > 0:46:50- But you've done it yourself.- Yeah.
0:46:50 > 0:46:51Do you feel a sense of pride?
0:46:51 > 0:46:53Because there's so much of your work in this.
0:46:53 > 0:46:56I do now, cos this time, there's nothing being done wrong,
0:46:56 > 0:46:58I've made sure everything was correct,
0:46:58 > 0:47:00There's no corners being cut.
0:47:03 > 0:47:04'It's a fantastic result,
0:47:04 > 0:47:07'providing a bright and accessible space
0:47:07 > 0:47:10'that Dale and Angela can enjoy together.'
0:47:10 > 0:47:12Angela and Dale have achieved something amazing,
0:47:12 > 0:47:17which is to take a very ordinary house that had been badly compromised
0:47:17 > 0:47:19by some misguided decisions,
0:47:19 > 0:47:23and now, this house isn't just better than it was,
0:47:23 > 0:47:27it's a fantastic, delightful, colour-filled space,
0:47:27 > 0:47:30and Dale and Angela have achieved this through their own
0:47:30 > 0:47:32resourcefulness and imagination.
0:47:32 > 0:47:34They've made this happen.
0:47:35 > 0:47:37'After years of feeling embarrassed by their home,
0:47:37 > 0:47:42'they can now enjoy giving a warm welcome to friends and family.'
0:47:42 > 0:47:44- Wow! - Wow!
0:47:44 > 0:47:45Wow!
0:47:45 > 0:47:50Oh, thank you. Well done.
0:47:50 > 0:47:51Well done.
0:47:53 > 0:47:56'Delivering this safe and beautiful space for Angela
0:47:56 > 0:47:59'has been a real labour of love for Dale.'
0:47:59 > 0:48:02There's not enough words that I could say
0:48:02 > 0:48:03for what he's done.
0:48:03 > 0:48:05And I know why he's done it.
0:48:05 > 0:48:06I know he's done a lot of it for me
0:48:06 > 0:48:10and...the predicament we had at the time
0:48:10 > 0:48:14and it's made it a lot easier and safer for me.
0:48:14 > 0:48:15Mm...
0:48:18 > 0:48:21Tears of happiness, definitely.
0:48:22 > 0:48:25I think Dale and Angela have made a wonderful space, I love it.
0:48:25 > 0:48:29I think what they've created out of an unprepossessing building
0:48:29 > 0:48:31is full of optimism and life and light.
0:48:31 > 0:48:33I think that'll serve them really well in the years to come.
0:48:37 > 0:48:40Can you have that sent out to us, so we can get it tomorrow?
0:48:42 > 0:48:43'Six weeks later in Bedfordshire,
0:48:43 > 0:48:47'the building work at Dawn's cottage has progressed.
0:48:47 > 0:48:50'With the stud walls now in place and plastering complete,
0:48:50 > 0:48:53'Dawn's juggling different tradesmen to try and finish her build.'
0:48:55 > 0:48:57The carpenter has been on site since Monday
0:48:57 > 0:49:00and he's put the kitchen in
0:49:00 > 0:49:03and he's progressing really well, I'm really impressed.
0:49:04 > 0:49:06We've also got the electrician,
0:49:06 > 0:49:13who's come to do the fusebox and tidy up bits in the kitchen,
0:49:13 > 0:49:16like the plug points and everything else.
0:49:16 > 0:49:20And the decorator's here and he's been doing the bedroom.
0:49:20 > 0:49:23The thing is, we can't do any of the downstairs
0:49:23 > 0:49:25until the kitchen is finished.
0:49:25 > 0:49:28They all have to work on top of each other, really.
0:49:28 > 0:49:31It's a bit hard, especially with the carpenter,
0:49:31 > 0:49:35cos there's a lot of things to saw and you need the space.
0:49:36 > 0:49:40'Having to pay more to contractors than originally planned,
0:49:40 > 0:49:42'on top of having to rebuild the bathroom wall,
0:49:42 > 0:49:46'is putting yet more pressure on Dawn's £20,000 budget.'
0:49:46 > 0:49:49Money has definitely gone over budget now.
0:49:49 > 0:49:53For example, the worktop, the one we ordered,
0:49:53 > 0:49:57wasn't the right thickness, wasn't the right width.
0:49:57 > 0:50:01So had to wind up getting two lots, so that's double the cost.
0:50:02 > 0:50:08I've had about...I would say ten nights that I didn't quite sleep.
0:50:08 > 0:50:12They are the sleepless nights - money worries are sleepless nights.
0:50:19 > 0:50:23After buying her dream retirement home, former nurse Dawn
0:50:23 > 0:50:26found that the old worker's cottage was cramped and dingy.
0:50:28 > 0:50:32The small rooms were dark, boxy spaces, stuffed with Dawn's clutter.
0:50:33 > 0:50:36The bathroom was slap-bang in the middle of the ground floor,
0:50:36 > 0:50:38creating a dark corridor.
0:50:39 > 0:50:42And the kitchen at the back was gloomy and impractical,
0:50:42 > 0:50:45with nowhere to sit with family and friends.
0:50:47 > 0:50:50'Dawn had a budget of £20,000 for all the work,
0:50:50 > 0:50:54'and Piers encouraged her to abandon her plans for an extension
0:50:54 > 0:50:55'and open up the space.'
0:50:57 > 0:51:00Emotionally attached to the period charm of her property,
0:51:00 > 0:51:04Dawn bravely took on the huge task that lay ahead.
0:51:04 > 0:51:06Ripping apart the interior was the first step to creating her
0:51:06 > 0:51:08dream living space.
0:51:09 > 0:51:12'But we know that it hasn't been an easy ride and that she
0:51:12 > 0:51:16'ran into serious structural problems along the way.
0:51:16 > 0:51:19'Today, we're back to see how she got on.'
0:51:19 > 0:51:20- Hi, Dawn.- Hi, you two.
0:51:20 > 0:51:23- How are you?- Nice to see you.
0:51:23 > 0:51:24Great to see you.
0:51:24 > 0:51:28- How are you? How's it been? - It's been good, mainly.
0:51:28 > 0:51:31Are you exhausted? Are you tired? Are you fed-up?
0:51:31 > 0:51:33A bit tired - not fed-up.
0:51:33 > 0:51:36And what about the result? Is it something your happy with?
0:51:36 > 0:51:39- Have you got what you needed? - Results are fantastic.
0:51:39 > 0:51:41You'll love it. You must come inside and have a look.
0:51:41 > 0:51:44- Can't wait to see. - Come inside. Brilliant.
0:51:49 > 0:51:51Wow! This is amazing!
0:51:51 > 0:51:53- You like it?- It's incredible.
0:51:53 > 0:51:54Look at this.
0:51:57 > 0:51:58This is fantastic, Dawn.
0:51:58 > 0:52:01It's just full of space and light.
0:52:01 > 0:52:02Just look at how open it is -
0:52:02 > 0:52:05you can really see all the way through this space now.
0:52:05 > 0:52:06It's wonderful.
0:52:08 > 0:52:11'It's an impressive transformation of the downstairs.'
0:52:12 > 0:52:15How do feel about this now? You must be thrilled.
0:52:15 > 0:52:17- Elated is the word.- Really?
0:52:17 > 0:52:18Truly, I'm excited.
0:52:18 > 0:52:22And you've taken away loads of doors.
0:52:22 > 0:52:25'Instead of building an extension that she just couldn't afford,
0:52:25 > 0:52:30'Dawn has embraced Piers' idea of a more open-plan layout.'
0:52:30 > 0:52:34Give us your thinking that led to this idea of opening up this space.
0:52:34 > 0:52:36What do you make of the result?
0:52:36 > 0:52:39I felt it was just common sense that this building was just too
0:52:39 > 0:52:41small really to have rooms.
0:52:41 > 0:52:45I can see the bones of this cottage far clearer now with this
0:52:45 > 0:52:47arrangement than I could previously.
0:52:47 > 0:52:50Do you think it's taken away from the character of the cottage,
0:52:50 > 0:52:51or added to it?
0:52:51 > 0:52:55It just gives you, like, a breath of fresh air
0:52:55 > 0:52:56when you walk in, you know.
0:52:56 > 0:53:00There's space, there's light and it's also cosy at the same time.
0:53:02 > 0:53:05'Dawn's opened up the previously dark corridor
0:53:05 > 0:53:07'in the centre of the house.'
0:53:07 > 0:53:08So this works really well.
0:53:08 > 0:53:11This is a little writing space that you were really keen to have,
0:53:11 > 0:53:14and you've carved out a little niche underneath this stair, haven't you?
0:53:14 > 0:53:17You were desperate to keep the bathroom here,
0:53:17 > 0:53:20and we tried to persuade you, but it seems to work all right.
0:53:20 > 0:53:21I think it does.
0:53:26 > 0:53:30So this is the main event really. What a lovely space you've made
0:53:30 > 0:53:33and obviously this was going to be the extension.
0:53:33 > 0:53:35At the very beginning of the project,
0:53:35 > 0:53:37you wanted to build outwards into the garden.
0:53:37 > 0:53:40You haven't got that, but does this make up for it?
0:53:40 > 0:53:41- Is this enough?- Absolutely.
0:53:41 > 0:53:44- I think it makes up for it more than the extension would have.- Really?
0:53:44 > 0:53:47Yeah, because the extension would have cut out the light,
0:53:47 > 0:53:50I think, from the inside of the house cos there would have been
0:53:50 > 0:53:51a roof over it.
0:53:51 > 0:53:53What this has done is thrown the light
0:53:53 > 0:53:55and brought the garden in at the same time.
0:53:55 > 0:53:57Not just into the kitchen space...
0:53:57 > 0:53:59Right throughout.
0:53:59 > 0:54:02No, I think this was a better move.
0:54:02 > 0:54:05The big picture is this big, open-plan downstairs,
0:54:05 > 0:54:06but actually,
0:54:06 > 0:54:09the small things like bringing the light in to the middle of the plan,
0:54:09 > 0:54:11painting the ceiling all one colour,
0:54:11 > 0:54:13not having threshold strips on the floor.
0:54:13 > 0:54:16They're easy things to let go, cos you think, "Are they worth it?"
0:54:16 > 0:54:20But they're so worth it and you really need to hang on to those.
0:54:20 > 0:54:23I also need to talk about your kitchen and, of course,
0:54:23 > 0:54:25I really like the fact that it's very simple
0:54:25 > 0:54:27and it's just one run of cupboards along this wall.
0:54:27 > 0:54:29You haven't spent a huge amount of money,
0:54:29 > 0:54:33you've just used what you've had and you've given it a new lease of life.
0:54:33 > 0:54:38The kitchen units, to be honest, have only cost me about £20.
0:54:38 > 0:54:39And that's the paint.
0:54:39 > 0:54:43I really love the kitchen. I think, it's not that I got it for nothing,
0:54:43 > 0:54:46it's just I made something out of nothing.
0:54:46 > 0:54:50What's interesting is you could have spent maybe £5,000 on the kitchen,
0:54:50 > 0:54:52but for that money, you've got the floor,
0:54:52 > 0:54:54you've got the light and the bi-folds.
0:54:54 > 0:54:57What are you looking forward to in terms of how you're going to use this space?
0:54:57 > 0:54:59- Have you got a dinner planned? - I have.
0:54:59 > 0:55:01I'm going to get my neighbours over...
0:55:01 > 0:55:05when the weather is good and we're going to have a supper.
0:55:05 > 0:55:07'Central to Piers' plan of getting light into the back
0:55:07 > 0:55:09'of the house were full-width bi-fold doors.'
0:55:11 > 0:55:14These doors are fantastic, aren't they?
0:55:14 > 0:55:15They're the best.
0:55:15 > 0:55:20Best thing we've done to this house is put the bi-fold doors in.
0:55:20 > 0:55:22This is really fantastic, isn't it?
0:55:22 > 0:55:25This is really the link you wanted with your garden,
0:55:25 > 0:55:28- which you always wanted to be part of the house.- Absolutely.
0:55:28 > 0:55:31More and more, space is at such a premium in this country,
0:55:31 > 0:55:33and you do have a small house and a small garden,
0:55:33 > 0:55:35but actually, the way that you're using it,
0:55:35 > 0:55:38you're making every inch work hard for you.
0:55:38 > 0:55:42I'm so pleased with it, I can't tell you.
0:55:42 > 0:55:45'The re-invention of this home has included moving the bathroom
0:55:45 > 0:55:48'upstairs and adding central heating.'
0:55:49 > 0:55:51How much has it ended up costing you?
0:55:51 > 0:55:54Well, my original budget was 20,000,
0:55:54 > 0:55:57but I have exceeded that by about 4,000.
0:55:57 > 0:56:02That included the central heating which I hadn't, to start with,
0:56:02 > 0:56:04budgeted for.
0:56:04 > 0:56:07And also, we had a few problems with the walls.
0:56:07 > 0:56:10All in all, I don't think that's a big overspend.
0:56:10 > 0:56:13What I like is that you've known exactly where to spend the money,
0:56:13 > 0:56:15and also, what not to spend money on.
0:56:15 > 0:56:20And this is fantastic really, for the amount of money you had.
0:56:20 > 0:56:22This is the best money I've ever spent.
0:56:22 > 0:56:25I've got the space, I've got the light and it's wonderful.
0:56:29 > 0:56:32What's great about Dawn's renovation is that it takes
0:56:32 > 0:56:35an old house and it completely transforms it
0:56:35 > 0:56:37and brings it into the 21st century.
0:56:37 > 0:56:40What's also interesting here is that Dawn hasn't increased
0:56:40 > 0:56:42the footprint of this building -
0:56:42 > 0:56:46it's the same size, the space just works far better.
0:56:46 > 0:56:48And Dawn has shown that you don't necessarily need more space,
0:56:48 > 0:56:52what you do need to be is smarter about the way that you use space.
0:56:54 > 0:56:58'And Dawn's smart use of space means she now has room to
0:56:58 > 0:57:00'entertain her friends and family.'
0:57:00 > 0:57:01To Dawn - hooray!
0:57:01 > 0:57:05THEY TOAST DAWN
0:57:05 > 0:57:08I've got my retirement home. I think this is for keeps.
0:57:08 > 0:57:09This is it.
0:57:09 > 0:57:12'Dawn's been able to achieve this amazing transformation
0:57:12 > 0:57:17'by embracing Piers' ideas and architectural tricks of the trade.
0:57:19 > 0:57:21'For someone like Dawn, at her stage in life,
0:57:21 > 0:57:23'this was a really ambitious project.'
0:57:23 > 0:57:26But she's pulled it off, not just with success,
0:57:26 > 0:57:29but with real style. She's kept her eyes on the prize.
0:57:29 > 0:57:30She's really focused on the things
0:57:30 > 0:57:34she valued about the space, which is light and space to enjoy,
0:57:34 > 0:57:37and she's come up with a brilliant result.
0:57:40 > 0:57:46Next week, Cath and Greg's family home is stuck in a 1970s time warp.
0:57:46 > 0:57:48So depressing - it's horrible.
0:57:49 > 0:57:52Is solving its problems even possible on their tight budget?
0:57:52 > 0:57:53Whoo!
0:57:53 > 0:57:55I don't think it can be done!
0:57:57 > 0:58:02And a divorcee, who dreams of a new life with grand plans for her home.
0:58:02 > 0:58:04I just want to do what's best for it.
0:58:04 > 0:58:08I just want to make it what it should be and not what it is.
0:58:09 > 0:58:12But she's never attempted anything like this before.
0:58:12 > 0:58:15That's the problem - being on your own, being my age
0:58:15 > 0:58:17and taking on a project like this.