0:00:02 > 0:00:04Last year, Piers Taylor and me, Kieran Long,
0:00:04 > 0:00:07brought architectural expertise
0:00:07 > 0:00:12and innovative design thinking to self-builders attempting to
0:00:12 > 0:00:15build a home from scratch for less than £100,000.
0:00:15 > 0:00:19- Come on, baby. - How much money have you got left?
0:00:19 > 0:00:20Let me see...
0:00:20 > 0:00:24This year, we're bringing our £100K House experience to people
0:00:24 > 0:00:25that own a home already...
0:00:25 > 0:00:30It's dilapidated. It's a dump.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33..but are desperate to turn it into an extraordinary one.
0:00:33 > 0:00:34Whoo!
0:00:34 > 0:00:37They, too, are on the tightest of budgets.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40We've got £540 left.
0:00:40 > 0:00:42We'll challenge them to embrace big ideas...
0:00:42 > 0:00:46What you want really is exactly what this place provides.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48..and to be more ambitious.
0:00:48 > 0:00:53- I don't know.- He's come in and torn up the rule book.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55But with their life savings at risk...
0:00:55 > 0:00:57The hiccups are coming now.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00If the money runs out, I'm left with half a house.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03..can the homeowners create the house they've always wanted
0:01:03 > 0:01:05but believed they could never have?
0:01:06 > 0:01:08This better fit.
0:01:15 > 0:01:17This week, a family with a tiny budget
0:01:17 > 0:01:21need to update their pokey cottage for modern life.
0:01:21 > 0:01:25It's so dark and it's all enclosed, it does feel claustrophobic.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28But are they prepared for our radical solutions?
0:01:28 > 0:01:31I can't see it in a house.
0:01:31 > 0:01:35And overhauling an inherited home after losing Dad...
0:01:35 > 0:01:38It's absolutely vital I get this right.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41..means decisions are even tougher to make.
0:01:41 > 0:01:47Goodness me, the work is going more quickly than the emotions!
0:01:55 > 0:01:58I'm on my way to Shropshire to meet a couple, Abigail and Christian,
0:01:58 > 0:02:01who've found a place that has so many qualities.
0:02:01 > 0:02:05It's in a place they love and have real personal connection to.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08The problem is, this house won't serve their needs long term.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13Their three-bed cottage in Christian's home village cost
0:02:13 > 0:02:16£250,000 nearly five years ago.
0:02:19 > 0:02:21When I first started to go out with Chris
0:02:21 > 0:02:23he still lived across the road and I used to look out of the window
0:02:23 > 0:02:27to over this way and thought, "What a lovely little cottage."
0:02:27 > 0:02:28So when I saw it for sale, I thought,
0:02:28 > 0:02:30"I'd really like to live there."
0:02:31 > 0:02:35Having extended family close by was also important, because a
0:02:35 > 0:02:38few years earlier, Abigail was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43When Abigail was first diagnosed, they start explaining what
0:02:43 > 0:02:46this could mean for the rest of your life.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49It was a lot to take on board, cos we were quite young then.
0:02:50 > 0:02:52Abigail's condition affects nerve endings in her brain
0:02:52 > 0:02:56and spine, impacting mobility, vision
0:02:56 > 0:02:58and could one day result in her needing a wheelchair.
0:03:00 > 0:03:02Their 19th-century cottage, with all its nooks
0:03:02 > 0:03:05and crannies, is increasingly unsuitable.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09It's so dark and it's all enclosed, it does feel...
0:03:09 > 0:03:12- very claustrophobic.- It's just very oppressive and depressing.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17The key areas that need solving for this young family are the
0:03:17 > 0:03:20dark kitchen and the dilapidated extension,
0:03:20 > 0:03:23with its awkward access to the garden.
0:03:25 > 0:03:32MS is a difficult disease. The kitchen is a bad design for me.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35You've got to have the lights on all of the time because, if not,
0:03:35 > 0:03:37I can't see what I'm doing, basically.
0:03:37 > 0:03:39It's horrible standing here.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42If I'm facing this wall, I can't see anything.
0:03:42 > 0:03:44It's so depressing working in there.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46When I'm poorly, that's when I need it to work a lot more.
0:03:46 > 0:03:48It's definitely not the dream house at the moment.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56We've got to design this so it can work with a wheelchair, so we can
0:03:56 > 0:04:01get out to the back garden easily, move in amongst the work surfaces.
0:04:01 > 0:04:05Abigail and Christian have just £17,000 to spend.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08They've had plans drawn up already,
0:04:08 > 0:04:10but the quotes have been far higher than expected.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14One quote we've have for the whole build,
0:04:14 > 0:04:18the rear extension itself, is £47,000.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22We've got £17,000 to do the work inside and outside.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26That's making me feel a little bit worried.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31To save money, Christian now intends to do the work himself.
0:04:33 > 0:04:35But they've started to have doubts about the design.
0:04:37 > 0:04:42It looks a bit too boring at the moment, really, bit standard.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48This is a transformation with an enormous amount riding on it.
0:04:49 > 0:04:53I want to meet them now and find out what's not working in the house,
0:04:53 > 0:04:56and see what we can help them achieve for a budget of £17,000.
0:04:58 > 0:05:00Abigail, tell me about some of the
0:05:00 > 0:05:03practical issues to do with having MS.
0:05:03 > 0:05:05The more I have to move around, the tireder I get,
0:05:05 > 0:05:09so if I'm not very well, that's extra walking
0:05:09 > 0:05:11I need not to be doing.
0:05:11 > 0:05:13And I guess it's energy you save that you can spend on being
0:05:13 > 0:05:16- with your family?- That's right.
0:05:16 > 0:05:18MS is such a difficult disease, nobody knows
0:05:18 > 0:05:20how its going to affect me long term.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23I could have crutches or a stick or even a wheelchair at some point,
0:05:23 > 0:05:25so to make it accessible for that
0:05:25 > 0:05:28will be really important, and to make the kitchen
0:05:28 > 0:05:33a more easy-to-work-in space, with everything in the right areas.
0:05:33 > 0:05:37And of course buildings this age are not designed for these
0:05:37 > 0:05:41considerations, these are practical buildings from an era past.
0:05:42 > 0:05:4519th-century cottages such as these were built by mill-owners
0:05:45 > 0:05:46to house workers.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51But today, the small rooms are difficult to adapt.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54So Abigail and Christian are right to
0:05:54 > 0:05:56put their money into a new-build extension.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01But I'm worried their budget has killed their ambition.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06What I can see on this plan is a fairly straightforward
0:06:06 > 0:06:07box on the back of your house.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10- It doesn't really inspire us. - Really?
0:06:10 > 0:06:13Keep thinking, "Could be a bit different to that."
0:06:13 > 0:06:16- Not sure how, but... - I think that's right,
0:06:16 > 0:06:19I think you deserve to be excited by the building.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22- There's a lot riding on it, actually.- There is.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24It's got to perform a lot of different tasks
0:06:24 > 0:06:27- and make you fall in love with this place.- Definitely.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35It seems absolutely vital that Abigail and Chris
0:06:35 > 0:06:37sort out the problems that they have in this house.
0:06:37 > 0:06:41Abigail's health and condition demands
0:06:41 > 0:06:44that this house be future-proofed, and that design has to deliver
0:06:44 > 0:06:46so many practical benefits for that reason.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49But it also has to inspire them, it's important this is a place
0:06:49 > 0:06:52they can fall in love with, particularly for Abigail.
0:06:52 > 0:06:54If they're going to spend a lot of years here,
0:06:54 > 0:06:57she has to feel more attached to it than she does now.
0:06:59 > 0:07:03One thing's for sure though - the old extension needs to go.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06Brute force and ignorance will sort this out now.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09Any significant work that we do to our homes must of course
0:07:09 > 0:07:11be approved and signed off by building control.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17And with the demolition underway, Piers and I urgently need to
0:07:17 > 0:07:20come up with an idea for their extension which
0:07:20 > 0:07:23inspires them, meets with Abigail's future needs
0:07:23 > 0:07:26and stays within their tight 17-grand budget.
0:07:30 > 0:07:34Abigail has some significant requirements for this build,
0:07:34 > 0:07:37she has MS, they've got two young kids, got a really dark
0:07:37 > 0:07:42and dingy kitchen, which is cut off from the rest of the living space.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46She feels constantly divorced from family life while she's in there.
0:07:46 > 0:07:48But their budget is only £17,000.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51It has to be something also that Christian can build himself,
0:07:51 > 0:07:53that'll help them cut costs.
0:07:53 > 0:07:57I'd just like to find a way of getting all of this to do more
0:07:57 > 0:08:00than just be so ordinary, so generic.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04Their current plan involves creating a new, slightly larger
0:08:04 > 0:08:08brick-built extension rendered on the outside.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11This traditional building method is time-consuming
0:08:11 > 0:08:12and difficult for a novice.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18Piers thinks there might be better alternatives.
0:08:20 > 0:08:24Sheet materials are good ways for self-builders to achieve quite a lot.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26Also, it needs to be a thing of beauty.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29Clearly, they are young and they need to be excited by this.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32What if they say, "I just want it to be in stone, like my building is already"?
0:08:32 > 0:08:34I'd say, "You probably can't afford it,
0:08:34 > 0:08:36"it's also something you can't build by yourself."
0:08:36 > 0:08:38So this isn't just about style, it's also about finding
0:08:38 > 0:08:41a technique that these guys can really take on
0:08:41 > 0:08:42and use and build themselves.
0:08:46 > 0:08:48Abigail and Christian are desperately in need
0:08:48 > 0:08:51of inspiration for their low-cost extension,
0:08:51 > 0:08:54and Piers believes they may not need to look far to find it.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00This is such a rich landscape full of amazing buildings
0:09:00 > 0:09:02made out of amazing things.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05And what strikes me about Abigail and Chris's extension
0:09:05 > 0:09:08is it doesn't speak of them or this place.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11Buildings are bound up in people and places,
0:09:11 > 0:09:15and I need to find a way to get this building to really belong here.
0:09:18 > 0:09:20Piers wants to open their minds to the possibilities of
0:09:20 > 0:09:23agricultural architecture, but can he persuade them
0:09:23 > 0:09:25to adopt materials and methods
0:09:25 > 0:09:29ordinarily found down on the farm into the design for their new-build?
0:09:33 > 0:09:37These buildings are as beautiful as any great modern building.
0:09:37 > 0:09:41I think the way they use materials is beautiful, the way the materials
0:09:41 > 0:09:45sit in the landscape and they're just so fit for purpose.
0:09:45 > 0:09:49See, this handrail is incredible, it's so delicate and beautiful.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53- I'd love that on my stairs, really love that.- It's fantastic.
0:09:53 > 0:09:57Mm... I like it, I think it's fantastic,
0:09:57 > 0:10:02it's just how to integrate it into a home is the bit I struggle with.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05Farm buildings need to be constructed efficiently,
0:10:05 > 0:10:07cheaply and be hard wearing.
0:10:08 > 0:10:12Building a barn more than twice the size of Abigail and Christian's
0:10:12 > 0:10:15planned extension would cost around £8,000,
0:10:15 > 0:10:19because it uses large sheets of material which go together quickly
0:10:19 > 0:10:21and easily on a concrete foundation.
0:10:24 > 0:10:28So this precast concrete is fantastic.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31I can't see it in a house. My vision, I must say, is quite weak
0:10:31 > 0:10:33in that respect.
0:10:33 > 0:10:37'Christian is not convinced, but concrete is a low-cost material
0:10:37 > 0:10:39'and can look great if finished well.'
0:10:44 > 0:10:47It actually looks as if it's been polished.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49Is this something we can achieve within our budget?
0:10:49 > 0:10:53Well, the cost is actually in the labour, so if you can do it
0:10:53 > 0:10:57yourself then the cost is quite low and it's pretty easy to do yourself.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59Really? I love this. I love polished concrete.
0:10:59 > 0:11:01I would really like this in my kitchen.
0:11:03 > 0:11:07What's been great about going up to the farm is seeing Abigail
0:11:07 > 0:11:10really come to life when she looks at the form of those buildings,
0:11:10 > 0:11:12at those materials, and so on, and that's what
0:11:12 > 0:11:14she needs to do when she thinks about her own house.
0:11:15 > 0:11:19Back at Abigail and Christian's, Piers presents his bold plan
0:11:19 > 0:11:23for their extension, taking inspiration from what they've seen.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28What would work really well is instead of having just a flat roof,
0:11:28 > 0:11:32you could do something like that, actually,
0:11:32 > 0:11:34which is a split asymmetric roof.
0:11:34 > 0:11:36I really didn't want to do a flat roof,
0:11:36 > 0:11:39so it would be really nice to do something like that.
0:11:39 > 0:11:43And then you make everything out of black metal.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45- Are you talking a metal roof? - Uh-huh.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47- Excellent.- Everything black. The whole thing.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50- Roof, walls, everything. - I love that. I think it's fab.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56Piers's design, inspired by agricultural buildings,
0:11:56 > 0:11:59is for a new wing on the back of the house.
0:11:59 > 0:12:03He proposes constructing a simple timber frame, clad in black
0:12:03 > 0:12:07corrugated sheeting, topped off with an asymmetric pitched roof.
0:12:07 > 0:12:12It's larger, but cheaper and easier to build than their existing plans.
0:12:15 > 0:12:19Mindful of Abigail's future needs, it will be a bright, open-plan space
0:12:19 > 0:12:23with wide door openings, multiple roof lights,
0:12:23 > 0:12:26corner window seat and a brand-new kitchen
0:12:26 > 0:12:29opening straight onto the garden.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34Using a simple palette of a few authentic materials like those
0:12:34 > 0:12:38seen on the farm will tie it all together.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41But is the plan too radical for Christian?
0:12:41 > 0:12:44In my head at the moment I'm still thinking a little bit
0:12:44 > 0:12:46like a barn off the back of a building.
0:12:50 > 0:12:54Abigail and Christian are trying hard to add a new family space
0:12:54 > 0:12:55to their house.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58But when a home means so much to us emotionally,
0:12:58 > 0:13:01it can be hard to find the courage to make fundamental changes
0:13:01 > 0:13:03and invent a new future for it.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08Our second challenge is in Birmingham.
0:13:09 > 0:13:14Madeleine works for a conservation charity making wildlife films.
0:13:14 > 0:13:18But when her widowed father became ill she had to put her life on hold
0:13:18 > 0:13:21and returned to her childhood home to care for him.
0:13:24 > 0:13:28I came back to the house just over two years ago
0:13:28 > 0:13:32when my father got particularly ill.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35Madeleine looked after him at home until he died.
0:13:37 > 0:13:38When you've got somebody
0:13:38 > 0:13:43that's full of life and full of energy, the hole they leave
0:13:43 > 0:13:47is just huge. Absolutely huge.
0:13:49 > 0:13:53Madeleine now lives in the 1960s end-of-terrace where she grew up.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56And it's full of memories.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59This used to be my room when I was growing up,
0:13:59 > 0:14:04and the cupboard, that used to be for all my secret bits and pieces.
0:14:05 > 0:14:12The vast majority of my memories are embedded in these four walls.
0:14:14 > 0:14:15It's hard.
0:14:17 > 0:14:21Madeleine feels it's time to put her own stamp on her family home.
0:14:22 > 0:14:26The house obviously was really modern and cutting edge
0:14:26 > 0:14:31in the 1960s, but we're not in the 1960s any more.
0:14:31 > 0:14:36Parts of it are so retro they're almost back in fashion.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39Downstairs, the rooms are generous and well lit,
0:14:39 > 0:14:42typical of decent modern architecture.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45But upstairs, space seems wasted and misused.
0:14:47 > 0:14:51As you go up the stairs there's two big cupboards.
0:14:51 > 0:14:55There's got to be something else that you could do with that space.
0:14:55 > 0:14:59Off the landing, the old-fashioned bathroom fails to provide
0:14:59 > 0:15:02the relaxing sanctuary that Madeleine would love.
0:15:02 > 0:15:07It's not avocado, but it's still dated.
0:15:07 > 0:15:11You wouldn't want to sit there for hours, relaxing.
0:15:12 > 0:15:16Madeleine wants to remodel the first floor of her home to provide her
0:15:16 > 0:15:20with an office space for creativity, and a new luxurious bathroom.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24But with five decades of memories tied up in this house,
0:15:24 > 0:15:27she's struggling for a way forward.
0:15:27 > 0:15:32It's got all this potential and it's just really frustrating,
0:15:32 > 0:15:34not being able to unlock it.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37It's absolutely driving me mad.
0:15:37 > 0:15:42Just £7,000 needs to cover the work, but it's money Madeleine inherited
0:15:42 > 0:15:45from her father, so has an emotional price.
0:15:47 > 0:15:53I can't bear to think I might waste any of his money.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56We need to help Madeleine find a way to make fundamental changes
0:15:56 > 0:16:00to her home without destroying the precious memories that run deep
0:16:00 > 0:16:03in the walls, but it's no easy task.
0:16:05 > 0:16:08It's often incredibly difficult to change your house
0:16:08 > 0:16:10if you're emotionally attached to it,
0:16:10 > 0:16:13because you don't want to, in a sense, destroy the legacy
0:16:13 > 0:16:14of what it was,
0:16:14 > 0:16:18but actually you need to be looking towards what it could be as well.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22- Hi, Madeleine.- Hi.- How are you? - Good, thank you.- Nice to meet you.
0:16:22 > 0:16:23You too.
0:16:24 > 0:16:28Just walking up to the area of the house she wants to transform,
0:16:28 > 0:16:31it's clear how emotional this process is going to be.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35OK, Piers, um...
0:16:36 > 0:16:41I have to say, I'm just so...nervous.
0:16:41 > 0:16:45I can feel my heart going, I'm just really... Look, clammy.
0:16:45 > 0:16:47What are you most worried about?
0:16:47 > 0:16:50I think I'm most worried about getting it wrong.
0:16:50 > 0:16:52But knowing she has to make changes,
0:16:52 > 0:16:57it's vital to discover what sort of design Madeleine likes.
0:16:57 > 0:17:01I do like boutique bathrooms, designer bathrooms.
0:17:01 > 0:17:06What I wanted to do is incorporate a shower in here somehow.
0:17:06 > 0:17:11Creating a luxurious boutique bathroom on a budget is not easy.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15Piers's first step is to look for ways to maximise
0:17:15 > 0:17:17the available space.
0:17:17 > 0:17:22This looks like a very space-hungry service duct.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25The most practical thing to do in here is just to push this wall back
0:17:25 > 0:17:29to here and re-plan this so you can get a shower in here,
0:17:29 > 0:17:31and the bath could go to the window.
0:17:31 > 0:17:36Just beautiful taps coming out of this wall, which could be fantastic.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38That would be ideal.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41Madeleine's other dream is to make a creative space where
0:17:41 > 0:17:43she can work and relax.
0:17:43 > 0:17:49Well, here we've got two very deep cupboards.
0:17:49 > 0:17:51It's amazing the amount of space here.
0:17:51 > 0:17:55If cleverly opened up and reconfigured, the old landing could
0:17:55 > 0:18:00be where Madeleine is able to really put her own stamp on the house.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03It's really important to find a way into this problem,
0:18:03 > 0:18:06cos this isn't about coming up and saying, "This could be done,
0:18:06 > 0:18:08"that could be done," it's an emotive conundrum,
0:18:08 > 0:18:13not really just a practical spatial conundrum.
0:18:13 > 0:18:17But what will she make of Piers's reimagining of the space?
0:18:17 > 0:18:19What's interesting is how much space there is
0:18:19 > 0:18:24at the top of the stairs. You could take out all of this,
0:18:24 > 0:18:28build in a beautiful kind of sculptural desk.
0:18:28 > 0:18:32Ideally, it wants no visible means of support.
0:18:32 > 0:18:36- A sort of space to sit and work. - I think that would be really lovely.
0:18:36 > 0:18:41You could put roof lights right up with a kind of sculptural reveal.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44The possibility of bringing natural light, you know,
0:18:44 > 0:18:47that shines down into this space could be really lovely.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52Creating a new bathroom plus a top-lit creative sanctuary
0:18:52 > 0:18:57with a bespoke desk at its heart is a big ask for just £7,000.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01Will Madeleine be willing to gamble her inheritance
0:19:01 > 0:19:03on trying to achieve it?
0:19:04 > 0:19:09It's absolutely vital I get this right, because it's got the added
0:19:09 > 0:19:13responsibility to have this be something that Dad
0:19:13 > 0:19:16would have approved of.
0:19:20 > 0:19:25That was really intense and actually quite emotional.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28The challenge for Madeleine is not to become derailed
0:19:28 > 0:19:32by unpicking memory. I'm worried that it will start to really make it
0:19:32 > 0:19:37quite raw for her and might prevent her from doing this project at all.
0:19:44 > 0:19:48Back in Shropshire, Christian is also reminiscing about the past.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52That house over there is where I grew up.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55This stream here is where I used to play when I was a child.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00Being able to stay in his home village is something
0:20:00 > 0:20:02Christian always wanted.
0:20:03 > 0:20:07It's like a dream come true, living here, it's fantastic.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10But because of Christian's bond to this place,
0:20:10 > 0:20:14deciding to use unconventional building materials on his home
0:20:14 > 0:20:17is still too radical a choice to make.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21The buildings themselves, I think, are fantastic,
0:20:21 > 0:20:22and if I could paint, I'd paint them,
0:20:22 > 0:20:24if I could draw, I could draw them
0:20:24 > 0:20:27but they're buildings within the landscape
0:20:27 > 0:20:29which, in my head, are farm buildings.
0:20:31 > 0:20:34So, in a last effort to get Christian on board,
0:20:34 > 0:20:38I hope I've found the perfect building to prove materials
0:20:38 > 0:20:40like corrugated iron shouldn't be reserved
0:20:40 > 0:20:43for just overgrown farmyards.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46- So, you can just see it up on the hill.- Stunning. Really stunning.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49I must admit, it doesn't look like a barn.
0:20:49 > 0:20:50Yeah, it definitely doesn't.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53Designers David Conner and Kate Darby
0:20:53 > 0:20:55are building this amazing office space.
0:20:55 > 0:20:58It's simple, effective and striking.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02- Wow.- That is amazing. - That is amazing.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07I want Christian to see how, if he gets the detailing right,
0:21:07 > 0:21:12their build won't look like a barn - it'll look stunning.
0:21:14 > 0:21:17So, I think when you get closer you start to see how careful
0:21:17 > 0:21:20- they've been with this material, don't you?- Yeah.- Definitely.
0:21:20 > 0:21:24'Corrugated iron's an integral part of the rural landscape,
0:21:24 > 0:21:27'and was first developed in the 1820s.
0:21:27 > 0:21:29'By the end of the 19th century,
0:21:29 > 0:21:31'it was commonly used on agricultural buildings.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34'Now no longer actually made from iron,
0:21:34 > 0:21:36'it comes in all kinds of materials
0:21:36 > 0:21:38'including plastic, steel and aluminium.'
0:21:38 > 0:21:41I love how it creates this very clear silhouette, doesn't it?
0:21:41 > 0:21:43That simple pitched roof.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46And the corrugated iron really comes to the fore.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49Even though it's painted black, it's got a certain quality to it.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55With no fuss, no frills,
0:21:55 > 0:21:57Abigail and Christian could achieve this look
0:21:57 > 0:22:01on their tight budget by using sheet materials.
0:22:01 > 0:22:03The precision in the cutting's amazing.
0:22:03 > 0:22:04It does look really neat.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07That detail, with the same material in the same colour,
0:22:07 > 0:22:09it's really nice.
0:22:10 > 0:22:15And this simple shiny facade encases a secret from the past.
0:22:20 > 0:22:24Inside, there's an ancient barn protected by a conservation order.
0:22:24 > 0:22:25It's a radical solution
0:22:25 > 0:22:28to conserving a piece of living history.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30A delicate balance of the old and the new.
0:22:32 > 0:22:36I think this is just such an extraordinary space, isn't it?
0:22:36 > 0:22:39I don't think I've ever seen a window that big before.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42And this huge window just brings all of the outside in, doesn't it,
0:22:42 > 0:22:46in such a beautiful way. But I love when you turn around,
0:22:46 > 0:22:48you've also got this amazing rotting relic.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50- It's magical, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:22:51 > 0:22:54The internal space is awash with natural light.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57The textures and colours of the old battered beams,
0:22:57 > 0:23:00stonework and windows contrast with the modern materials
0:23:00 > 0:23:02that are now holding this building together.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05There are lessons here Abigail and Christian could learn
0:23:05 > 0:23:08for the new extension of their 19th-century cottage.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11You just get this big thickness of insulation in there,
0:23:11 > 0:23:13which is obviously making this place really warm,
0:23:13 > 0:23:15but it'll also act as sound insulation,
0:23:15 > 0:23:18you know, like the rain on metal - you won't hear it through this.
0:23:18 > 0:23:20- It won't sound like a caravan. - No, absolutely not.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22It looks achievable.
0:23:22 > 0:23:26I think I've finally got through to the practical man in Christian.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28This trip's been vital in getting him
0:23:28 > 0:23:30thinking differently about materials
0:23:30 > 0:23:33and how to combine modern architecture with an older building.
0:23:33 > 0:23:37I'd say we're 100% confident now we're going with corrugated iron.
0:23:37 > 0:23:39I don't think it looks like a barn at all.
0:23:39 > 0:23:41It's finished off so well.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44It really does look like a building you could live in.
0:23:44 > 0:23:48I like the way the old meets new in this building.
0:23:48 > 0:23:52We're thinking about exposing the stone on the old part of our house,
0:23:52 > 0:23:55so we can show the clear line between where the old house finishes
0:23:55 > 0:23:58and the brand-new, really modern extension will be built.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01I'm really excited about our build.
0:24:10 > 0:24:14Back in Birmingham, Madeleine's project is also moving forward,
0:24:14 > 0:24:17and her seven-grand budget is about to take a pounding.
0:24:20 > 0:24:24Work commitments mean that she can't be on site all the time,
0:24:24 > 0:24:28so she's placed her faith in local builder Martin.
0:24:28 > 0:24:30That will be the edge of the bath.
0:24:30 > 0:24:34His job - rip out and install a new bathroom and shower,
0:24:34 > 0:24:36remodel the landing
0:24:36 > 0:24:39and make a hole in the roof to introduce a shaft of light,
0:24:39 > 0:24:40which will light a desk below.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44There's no going back.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51With Madeleine working away,
0:24:51 > 0:24:54the demolition of her family home gets underway without her.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58Piers has great ideas,
0:24:58 > 0:25:01but sometimes I don't know if they're going to work.
0:25:02 > 0:25:07Martin's given Madeleine a fixed quote of £5,300.
0:25:07 > 0:25:12That should cover three weeks' labour and building materials.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15So, pressure is on for him to complete the job.
0:25:18 > 0:25:22Madeleine has asked to keep this doorframe intact
0:25:22 > 0:25:24and to keep this glass.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26We're carefully taking it out.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34And with Madeleine un-contactable during the day,
0:25:34 > 0:25:36Martin has to make a big decision about the wall
0:25:36 > 0:25:39between the bathroom and landing without her.
0:25:39 > 0:25:40We're trying to figure out here
0:25:40 > 0:25:44whether we're going to take the whole wall out
0:25:44 > 0:25:46and rebuild it back again
0:25:46 > 0:25:49because we're kind of restricted with what's there.
0:25:49 > 0:25:51If we got rid of it,
0:25:51 > 0:25:56we don't have to cut it, which is going to save a lot of problems.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59The new wall will come out of Martin's money
0:25:59 > 0:26:02but he's convinced that it will make his job easier.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05Running a project from a distance is never straightforward.
0:26:05 > 0:26:09Sometimes decisions are made that unwittingly affect the budget.
0:26:09 > 0:26:14And with Martin's team now ready to fit the new skylight,
0:26:14 > 0:26:17he's had to make another big decision on his own.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22Madeleine was worried about the size of the window
0:26:22 > 0:26:27and whether there was enough light getting through to shine down
0:26:27 > 0:26:31on this landing and stairs, but we can't wait any longer, really.
0:26:31 > 0:26:32We need to get this done,
0:26:32 > 0:26:35so I've just gone and got the biggest one I can get.
0:26:35 > 0:26:40After Martin's costs, Madeleine only has £1,700 left.
0:26:40 > 0:26:44That has to buy her a new bathroom suite, furnishings,
0:26:44 > 0:26:46her desk and decorating materials.
0:26:47 > 0:26:52At £400, this new large window eats up a chunk of the budget,
0:26:52 > 0:26:56but the light that will flood in will be priceless.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59It's very tight, you need to be off the top of the ridge
0:26:59 > 0:27:02to allow for the opening of the light.
0:27:02 > 0:27:04Can you go down? Can you move down any tighter?
0:27:04 > 0:27:06Not really, no.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09It's in, but how will Madeleine react
0:27:09 > 0:27:13when she returns to see the state of her much-loved family home?
0:27:19 > 0:27:21Back in Shropshire,
0:27:21 > 0:27:25work on Abigail and Christian's new extension is in full swing.
0:27:25 > 0:27:29The foundations alone could cost nearly a third of their total budget
0:27:29 > 0:27:33so they're both labouring on the build to save what money they can.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39Each day extra costs extra money
0:27:39 > 0:27:42so we're going to have to work hard over the next couple of days.
0:27:42 > 0:27:45Abigail's desperate to help
0:27:45 > 0:27:47but stress can be a trigger for her MS.
0:27:47 > 0:27:51In trying to keep on budget, her health could suffer.
0:27:52 > 0:27:56Juggling the build, work and a young family is a tough ask for anyone,
0:27:56 > 0:28:00and I want to know how Abigail is managing.
0:28:00 > 0:28:04How do you cope with family life while all this stuff's going on?
0:28:04 > 0:28:06It's hard. Things that need instant decisions
0:28:06 > 0:28:09are what stresses me out the most, I think.
0:28:09 > 0:28:11This week has been really busy for the both of us so, yeah,
0:28:11 > 0:28:14both of our stress levels are high this week.
0:28:14 > 0:28:18Christian is concerned about the amount of pressure Abigail is under.
0:28:20 > 0:28:22It is really difficult for Abigail.
0:28:22 > 0:28:24There's been quite a few late nights, early mornings.
0:28:24 > 0:28:26She's flat out all the time,
0:28:26 > 0:28:29she doesn't stop, doesn't get time for rest.
0:28:29 > 0:28:32I do worry, cos stress does bring on a relapse.
0:28:33 > 0:28:36After another week of continued exertion,
0:28:36 > 0:28:38Christian's worst fears are realised.
0:28:38 > 0:28:41Abigail has a relapse of her MS.
0:28:42 > 0:28:45Having stressed myself out,
0:28:45 > 0:28:47I think I've caused myself another relapse.
0:28:47 > 0:28:50It's affected my eye this time. I get what's called optic neuritis
0:28:50 > 0:28:53which is inflammation of the optic nerve.
0:28:54 > 0:28:56It's a warning that the work to the extension
0:28:56 > 0:29:01that's meant to make life easier is starting to damage to her health.
0:29:02 > 0:29:07Each time I have a relapse, it's damaging those particular nerves.
0:29:07 > 0:29:09So, it's not just like it comes and goes.
0:29:09 > 0:29:12There will be damage to the nerves.
0:29:19 > 0:29:21Back in Birmingham,
0:29:21 > 0:29:24Madeleine's builders have been working unsupervised.
0:29:24 > 0:29:26But now on her way home,
0:29:26 > 0:29:30she is understandably anxious to see how her family home has changed.
0:29:33 > 0:29:37I'm feeling a bit nervous.
0:29:37 > 0:29:41It's really frustrating being so far away from the work.
0:29:44 > 0:29:47This is the first time Madeleine's family home has been
0:29:47 > 0:29:50altered in over 50 years.
0:29:50 > 0:29:52It's a lot to take in.
0:29:53 > 0:29:56Wow, goodness me.
0:29:56 > 0:29:58In the space of one week,
0:29:58 > 0:30:01the landing and bathroom have been ripped apart.
0:30:01 > 0:30:04It's a bit different.
0:30:04 > 0:30:09Bit disconcerting to see the roof all exposed.
0:30:10 > 0:30:15These are changes that Madeleine knew she had to make,
0:30:15 > 0:30:17but memories are making it tough.
0:30:17 > 0:30:20It feels like a bit of...
0:30:23 > 0:30:27..a bit of a break with the past
0:30:27 > 0:30:31and the work is going more quickly than the emotions
0:30:31 > 0:30:36so I just need to catch up, really.
0:30:44 > 0:30:47Yeah, it's different.
0:30:49 > 0:30:52It's clearly a painful time for Madeleine,
0:30:52 > 0:30:55so it's crucial we help her create something new
0:30:55 > 0:30:58and personal as the centrepiece of this transformation.
0:31:00 > 0:31:06Spaces can be defined by one beautiful item, whatever the budget.
0:31:06 > 0:31:10Piers's idea for Madeleine's interior is to try to define it
0:31:10 > 0:31:13and give it character by one very beautiful crafted element -
0:31:13 > 0:31:15that desk.
0:31:15 > 0:31:17And I've come to see a project in south London
0:31:17 > 0:31:20by Bell Phillips Architects which really shows how one very crafted,
0:31:20 > 0:31:24very beautifully designed thing can define an interior.
0:31:28 > 0:31:31Known as the origami staircase,
0:31:31 > 0:31:34this stunning brushed-stainless-steel structure
0:31:34 > 0:31:38sits at the heart of this apartment in a Victorian town house.
0:31:38 > 0:31:41This staircase defines it as a contemporary space,
0:31:41 > 0:31:44it allows light through it and as soon as you enter the flat,
0:31:44 > 0:31:46it's the first thing that strikes you about it.
0:31:46 > 0:31:49It's a really defining feature.
0:31:49 > 0:31:53The owners chose to focus much of their resources on this one item,
0:31:53 > 0:31:54which set them back £20,000
0:31:54 > 0:31:57but raises their whole project to another level.
0:31:58 > 0:32:02This was a third of the total budget of quite a large refurbishment
0:32:02 > 0:32:05but it's paid off a hundred-fold because what you've got in the end
0:32:05 > 0:32:08is a defining piece that gives character to the interior,
0:32:08 > 0:32:12it's a beautiful piece of design, a beautiful piece of craftsmanship.
0:32:14 > 0:32:16The lessons for Madeleine here are really that one
0:32:16 > 0:32:18beautifully conceived, well-designed thing
0:32:18 > 0:32:20can be defining for an interior
0:32:20 > 0:32:23and if she invests some of her budget in just such a thing,
0:32:23 > 0:32:26it can really lift her house above the ordinary.
0:32:27 > 0:32:31For Madeleine, the one beautiful thing has to be her desk.
0:32:33 > 0:32:37The wood it's made from needs to be unique so Piers has brought her
0:32:37 > 0:32:40to an extraordinary place to search for it.
0:32:41 > 0:32:42We have amazing hardwood
0:32:42 > 0:32:45in this country, and people think that it is
0:32:45 > 0:32:47prohibitively expensive to get something made, but it isn't.
0:32:47 > 0:32:50It is if you go to a high street, into a really smart showroom,
0:32:50 > 0:32:54and coming to a timber yard, a place like this, is different.
0:32:54 > 0:32:58This is like a sweet shop for people that like wood.
0:32:58 > 0:33:01There are a handful of timber yards in the UK that
0:33:01 > 0:33:04specialise in locally grown sustainable wood.
0:33:06 > 0:33:09The timber here is a million miles away from the planks of wood
0:33:09 > 0:33:12you'd find in your local builders' merchant.
0:33:12 > 0:33:14- This is Madeleine. - Nice to meet you, Madeleine.
0:33:14 > 0:33:17I mean, the great thing about timber is that it has its own character,
0:33:17 > 0:33:19so I think it is wrong with timber
0:33:19 > 0:33:22to go in with an idea about what you are going to do and actually
0:33:22 > 0:33:24let the material inform you.
0:33:24 > 0:33:28Different colours, shapes and sizes - no two pieces are the same.
0:33:28 > 0:33:31And every species has its own characteristics.
0:33:31 > 0:33:34This is ash, which generally has a nice wavy edge,
0:33:34 > 0:33:36- although not very dramatic. - It is subtle.
0:33:36 > 0:33:40But I don't know that it's got enough width to do it in one piece.
0:33:40 > 0:33:42Some sequoia, which is a soft wood.
0:33:42 > 0:33:45This is a beautiful, beautiful colour, although it is quite soft
0:33:45 > 0:33:47and it'll mark.
0:33:47 > 0:33:49This is horse chestnut, a conker tree.
0:33:49 > 0:33:51- Look at that.- That's amazing.
0:33:51 > 0:33:55- Remember, they are not flaws, they are character.- Wow.
0:33:55 > 0:33:58She may have fallen for the beauty of the wood,
0:33:58 > 0:34:01but can Madeleine afford it within her budget?
0:34:01 > 0:34:06With a bathroom suite still to buy, she only has about £1,000 left.
0:34:07 > 0:34:09What sort of prices are we talking
0:34:09 > 0:34:12for the sort of size that Madeleine is interested in?
0:34:12 > 0:34:15Well, certainly, the ash is going to be the cheaper option, around £300.
0:34:15 > 0:34:18The sequoia would be a little more.
0:34:18 > 0:34:22The horse chestnut that we looked at, 500 to 600.
0:34:22 > 0:34:25Finding the right piece within her budget could utterly
0:34:25 > 0:34:28transform the new area Madeleine has created.
0:34:28 > 0:34:31- This is pretty amazing, Madeleine, isn't it?- I...
0:34:31 > 0:34:35- You're speechless! - Yes. Beautiful, isn't it?
0:34:35 > 0:34:37This is the most beautiful curve, isn't it?
0:34:37 > 0:34:39I mean, really, it's just fantastic.
0:34:39 > 0:34:41- This is cedar of Lebanon. - It's gorgeous.
0:34:41 > 0:34:44It's about the biggest tree that you can cut in one piece.
0:34:44 > 0:34:47It dwarfs me! Yes, it's bigger than I am.
0:34:47 > 0:34:49You actually do need this width
0:34:49 > 0:34:51and the offcuts you could use for shelves.
0:34:51 > 0:34:53Absolutely gorgeous.
0:34:53 > 0:34:58It's got subtlety, it's got drama, and it's kind of sensual,
0:34:58 > 0:35:02it's really a gorgeous, gorgeous piece.
0:35:02 > 0:35:03What would this cost?
0:35:03 > 0:35:06- That piece is going to be £600. - Bargain.
0:35:06 > 0:35:08I mean, it really is, look at it.
0:35:08 > 0:35:11Yes, save the best till last, it's amazing.
0:35:11 > 0:35:13Really, really amazing.
0:35:15 > 0:35:17On one hand, this is quite a lot of money
0:35:17 > 0:35:20but I think that it's incredible value, really,
0:35:20 > 0:35:24because if you went to buy a beautiful table that somebody
0:35:24 > 0:35:28else had made for you, it would cost hundreds, thousands, even,
0:35:28 > 0:35:32but it's better because you are making it yourself, you know, you are
0:35:32 > 0:35:35choosing something that only you have seen potential in
0:35:35 > 0:35:39and then you are taking it back, working it, shaping it,
0:35:39 > 0:35:42fitting it into your house, so the gain is immeasurable.
0:35:51 > 0:35:54Back at Abigail and Christian's 19th-century cottage in Shropshire,
0:35:54 > 0:35:57there's good news.
0:35:57 > 0:36:00Abigail's been taking it easy and is recovering from her relapse.
0:36:02 > 0:36:05Novice builder Christian has successfully put up
0:36:05 > 0:36:08most of the timber frame.
0:36:08 > 0:36:11Today, he's tackling the difficult job of fitting the hefty main
0:36:11 > 0:36:13roof joist into position.
0:36:13 > 0:36:15Yeah, it's about 150-odd kilos,
0:36:15 > 0:36:18so I wouldn't fancy trying to lift that on my own.
0:36:18 > 0:36:20Installing this big central support
0:36:20 > 0:36:23that takes the weight of the roof would ordinarily require
0:36:23 > 0:36:27expensive lifting equipment, but as every penny counts,
0:36:27 > 0:36:30Christian's roped in some friendly muscle power.
0:36:30 > 0:36:33The whole roof structure relies on perfectly positioning
0:36:33 > 0:36:35this hefty beam.
0:36:35 > 0:36:38You've got to come round just a little bit this way.
0:36:38 > 0:36:42It's vital that it fits perfectly to give maximum
0:36:42 > 0:36:45support to the roof structure.
0:36:45 > 0:36:48It's still not fully in, we're catching on the brick.
0:36:48 > 0:36:52The hole it's going into isn't big enough,
0:36:52 > 0:36:58but if they chip away too much, it could break into the bedroom behind.
0:36:58 > 0:37:00- Don't need to take any more out. - We don't, no.
0:37:02 > 0:37:05Oh, it's brilliant to see the walls going up, you really get
0:37:05 > 0:37:08a feel for how big the room is and how big the windows are, the doors.
0:37:08 > 0:37:11Yes, very excited.
0:37:11 > 0:37:14The made-to-measure timber frame set them back £3,500.
0:37:14 > 0:37:18While it's significantly cheaper than the equivalent
0:37:18 > 0:37:20build in brick, it's still a sizable
0:37:20 > 0:37:23chunk of their dwindling budget, especially given
0:37:23 > 0:37:28they have the whole interior and the bespoke cladding still to source.
0:37:36 > 0:37:40Because the cladding is such a vital part of this build,
0:37:40 > 0:37:43Abigail and Christian have tracked down the same sheet metal worker
0:37:43 > 0:37:46that worked on the building we visited,
0:37:46 > 0:37:50and hopefully enough of the same material to clad their extension.
0:37:53 > 0:37:55Good night that was when we found out
0:37:55 > 0:37:59we could get that material, cos otherwise everything else was just compromised.
0:37:59 > 0:38:01Now there's no margin for error.
0:38:02 > 0:38:06Any cutting mistakes mean extra sheets will have to be
0:38:06 > 0:38:11specially imported, costing time and money they just don't have.
0:38:11 > 0:38:15This is a critical sheet cos he's got the two windows in him.
0:38:27 > 0:38:30Fortunately, the measurements are spot on.
0:38:32 > 0:38:35They work on the cladding into the night
0:38:35 > 0:38:39so when Abigail returns home she can glimpse it for the first time.
0:38:40 > 0:38:43Oh, wow, that does look amazing.
0:38:43 > 0:38:47Oh, it's very exciting. It's super cool, that is.
0:38:47 > 0:38:48Amazing.
0:38:48 > 0:38:50I am really pleased, it is amazing.
0:38:55 > 0:38:57It does look excellent.
0:38:57 > 0:39:00I think I would say it actually looks amazing.
0:39:00 > 0:39:02Whatever, yeah, it does!
0:39:02 > 0:39:06Although we had seen it before, on the trip we went on,
0:39:06 > 0:39:09to see it on our building is special.
0:39:14 > 0:39:17Back in Birmingham, and Madeleine's project is on a roll,
0:39:17 > 0:39:21but there is still hard work to be done.
0:39:21 > 0:39:22Both the bathroom
0:39:22 > 0:39:26and the remodelled hallway need painting, while builder Martin
0:39:26 > 0:39:29still has to do all the plumbing for the new bathroom suite.
0:39:30 > 0:39:32It's absolutely manic.
0:39:32 > 0:39:35Absolutely manic at the moment.
0:39:35 > 0:39:40And normally there would be at least a day's gap between plumbers
0:39:40 > 0:39:44and electricians and me clearing the site,
0:39:44 > 0:39:48but it's all happened all in one go so we are all kind of squeezing past
0:39:48 > 0:39:54each other and handing each other things, and, you know, up and down.
0:39:55 > 0:39:59So it's mayhem but a really good mayhem.
0:40:05 > 0:40:08Making major changes to any home can be a nerve-racking
0:40:08 > 0:40:12business but, for Madeleine, trying to make a fresh start
0:40:12 > 0:40:16in the family home she recently inherited was a daunting prospect.
0:40:17 > 0:40:21Nine weeks ago, Madeleine embarked on the transformation
0:40:21 > 0:40:23of her childhood home.
0:40:23 > 0:40:26The house was modern when it was built in the 1960s
0:40:26 > 0:40:29but hadn't changed since then.
0:40:29 > 0:40:31The time had come for the house to move on.
0:40:35 > 0:40:38An outmoded and poorly planned bathroom
0:40:38 > 0:40:42and a wastefully large upstairs landing meant that this house
0:40:42 > 0:40:44was not fit for Madeleine's needs.
0:40:46 > 0:40:49But with emotions still raw, Piers came up with
0:40:49 > 0:40:53a radical plan to create a 21st-century space which
0:40:53 > 0:40:56honoured the treasured memories of a happy family home...
0:40:59 > 0:41:01..all on a budget of just £7,000.
0:41:02 > 0:41:06I'm fascinated to discover if Madeleine has been able to
0:41:06 > 0:41:08pull off this very emotional balancing act.
0:41:11 > 0:41:13Hi, Madeleine.
0:41:13 > 0:41:14Hi, Madeleine. How are you?
0:41:14 > 0:41:16- Good to see you both. - Nice to see you.
0:41:16 > 0:41:18How's it all been going?
0:41:18 > 0:41:21Yes, interesting. You know, normal.
0:41:21 > 0:41:23What do we read into that?!
0:41:23 > 0:41:27I just really hope you love what we've managed to do.
0:41:27 > 0:41:30- It is most important that you like it.- I love it.
0:41:30 > 0:41:33I don't just like it, I love it.
0:41:33 > 0:41:37- Can you show us? Because we are dying to see!- Absolutely, I can't wait!
0:41:39 > 0:41:42- So, after you.- Let's have a look.
0:41:42 > 0:41:44I can't wait to see it.
0:41:48 > 0:41:52- Oh, wow. What a fantastic space. - It's truly amazing.
0:41:52 > 0:41:58- I mean, really amazing.- Completely unexpected in a house like this.
0:41:58 > 0:42:02Look at that height and all of this light flooding down.
0:42:02 > 0:42:06- It's just extraordinary, you must be thrilled.- Absolutely.
0:42:06 > 0:42:09It's beyond anything, really.
0:42:09 > 0:42:11To me, it feels quite disorientatingly beautiful
0:42:11 > 0:42:13because I was looking down when I came up because
0:42:13 > 0:42:16I didn't want to see it, but I just came into this other world,
0:42:16 > 0:42:18- completely, you know?- Yes.
0:42:18 > 0:42:22For 50 years this was a dark upstairs landing with large
0:42:22 > 0:42:24cupboards that had outlived their usefulness.
0:42:27 > 0:42:31Now, with a large feature skylight flooding the whole house with
0:42:31 > 0:42:35daylight and a unique desk, crafted out of beautiful ash,
0:42:35 > 0:42:39this former hallway is the creative haven Madeleine has always wanted.
0:42:42 > 0:42:44It's complete transformational.
0:42:44 > 0:42:47In terms of the light, in terms of the space...
0:42:47 > 0:42:50The scale of that light is so fantastic.
0:42:50 > 0:42:55It's wonderful and you get connected to the outside through that space.
0:42:55 > 0:43:00The most exciting thing for me is the ambiguity of the space, really.
0:43:00 > 0:43:03Is it functional? Is it a desk?
0:43:03 > 0:43:09Is it a creative space or is it just a lovely piece of sculpture?
0:43:09 > 0:43:11Absolutely. I mean, this was a dark corridor before
0:43:11 > 0:43:14and now it's a beautiful space, a beautiful place where you
0:43:14 > 0:43:15want to linger, actually.
0:43:16 > 0:43:20The amazing piece of ash cost £540.
0:43:20 > 0:43:24It's unique and really makes this space special.
0:43:24 > 0:43:27This is really a house that's had new life breathed into it
0:43:27 > 0:43:31by you and your fantastic judgment about all of those things.
0:43:31 > 0:43:33But this is only half the story.
0:43:33 > 0:43:35Madeleine's seven grand also had
0:43:35 > 0:43:39to create a luxurious sanctuary out of a dated and plain bathroom.
0:43:45 > 0:43:49Well, this does not feel like the bathroom of a '60s house.
0:43:49 > 0:43:53It is not at all what you might expect. It's really quite sensual
0:43:53 > 0:43:56and quite sort of seamless and feels high quality in here.
0:43:56 > 0:43:58I mean, it's a lovely room.
0:43:58 > 0:44:02Absolutely, and now so generous with this recess that
0:44:02 > 0:44:06you have borrowed from the hallway, and the backlit shower panel.
0:44:08 > 0:44:12Using space efficiently has enabled Madeleine to have a generous
0:44:12 > 0:44:16bathroom, and add some unique touches that bring it alive.
0:44:17 > 0:44:19The non-standard fact
0:44:19 > 0:44:23of having a fantastic translucent wall with a light behind it,
0:44:23 > 0:44:27as you shower, and how much nicer is that than a standard bulkhead
0:44:27 > 0:44:30light that most people would have in their showers?
0:44:30 > 0:44:33It really feels enveloping, beautiful, sensual and, again,
0:44:33 > 0:44:35a place that you would want to spend time in.
0:44:37 > 0:44:41Searching for deals online and buying from one supplier meant
0:44:41 > 0:44:44she got her entire bathroom fitted out for £1,000.
0:44:45 > 0:44:51I think this is everything I can think of, really.
0:44:51 > 0:44:55It's got the luxury, it's got function and,
0:44:55 > 0:44:59you know, it's got a kind of creative...
0:44:59 > 0:45:02A sense that you just want to relax.
0:45:02 > 0:45:05You know? It's got a feel to it.
0:45:05 > 0:45:09These two spaces are utterly transformed.
0:45:09 > 0:45:13Did Madeleine manage to achieve this within her seven-grand budget?
0:45:13 > 0:45:16What I hadn't completely anticipated
0:45:16 > 0:45:22was that I would do things like have the extraordinary light,
0:45:22 > 0:45:27but I thought when I could see the space, I thought it really,
0:45:27 > 0:45:30really justified that overspend,
0:45:30 > 0:45:33so I ended up just over 8,000.
0:45:34 > 0:45:36For Madeleine, though,
0:45:36 > 0:45:39sticking to the budget was about more than just money.
0:45:39 > 0:45:43My father was very careful with money.
0:45:43 > 0:45:46And you would really need to justify to him
0:45:46 > 0:45:49if I was going over budget,
0:45:49 > 0:45:53why I was going over budget and was it worth it?
0:45:53 > 0:45:57And I think I was very conscious of that, but it really...
0:45:57 > 0:45:59I think he'd be happy.
0:45:59 > 0:46:04There's definitely value for money in physical terms,
0:46:04 > 0:46:09but I can't really describe how much value there is in, you know,
0:46:09 > 0:46:11emotional terms, really.
0:46:15 > 0:46:18I was worried that it would be a bit poky, a bit mean,
0:46:18 > 0:46:20I was worried that the roof light would be big enough,
0:46:20 > 0:46:23but actually everything was not just good,
0:46:23 > 0:46:25but better than I could possibly have imagined.
0:46:25 > 0:46:28It's interesting that this space has a lot of things that were
0:46:28 > 0:46:30quite awkward and quite difficult to achieve -
0:46:30 > 0:46:33and one of those things was bringing in top light,
0:46:33 > 0:46:36that most people would probably feel was just a bit inconvenient
0:46:36 > 0:46:38and a bit too much work for not enough gain.
0:46:38 > 0:46:40You know, it doesn't give you any more space -
0:46:40 > 0:46:43all it does is enhance the quality of the space.
0:46:43 > 0:46:47But actually the roof light was the one essential ingredient - you know,
0:46:47 > 0:46:50the sheer generosity of that top-lit space just is brilliant.
0:46:52 > 0:46:55In addition to utterly transforming this house,
0:46:55 > 0:46:58the renovation of these two spaces
0:46:58 > 0:47:02has had other, more profound effects for Madeleine.
0:47:02 > 0:47:05It was a very, very sad and difficult time,
0:47:05 > 0:47:06when my dad was ill,
0:47:06 > 0:47:09you know, for the last few years,
0:47:09 > 0:47:12and this has just kind of brought joy back.
0:47:12 > 0:47:16And it's really hard to kind of describe how or why,
0:47:16 > 0:47:19but that's actually what's happened.
0:47:19 > 0:47:23I love the space that Madeleine has created in her house. I mean,
0:47:23 > 0:47:26it's spatially rich, and it's full of great materials, it's beautiful.
0:47:26 > 0:47:28Most of all, I'm left with the feeling,
0:47:28 > 0:47:31though, that Madeleine has used this design process
0:47:31 > 0:47:33to deal with some important issues in her life.
0:47:33 > 0:47:36This was her childhood home, it was her parents' home,
0:47:36 > 0:47:39and now it's a home for her for the long term.
0:47:45 > 0:47:50In Shropshire, the outside of Abigail and Christian's extension
0:47:50 > 0:47:54is almost complete, but the interior is still a building site.
0:47:55 > 0:47:57Money's running short,
0:47:57 > 0:47:59so instead of plastering the walls,
0:47:59 > 0:48:01Piers wants them to consider a material
0:48:01 > 0:48:04that could give their kitchen a hardwearing finish
0:48:04 > 0:48:05without breaking the budget.
0:48:05 > 0:48:07Plywood.
0:48:12 > 0:48:13It's probably the architect in me
0:48:13 > 0:48:16that likes the fact that plywood is so good structurally,
0:48:16 > 0:48:17and it's so strong,
0:48:17 > 0:48:20because it has grains going in two different directions,
0:48:20 > 0:48:22and then they're glued and bonded together.
0:48:22 > 0:48:24There are some car manufacturers
0:48:24 > 0:48:27- that use plywood for their chassis and things.- Really?- Yeah.
0:48:27 > 0:48:28Amazingly strong.
0:48:29 > 0:48:34Plywood is a really popular material with architects for interiors.
0:48:34 > 0:48:37Today, there are many grades to choose from.
0:48:37 > 0:48:41Birch ply is typically the most expensive.
0:48:41 > 0:48:42In that thickness,
0:48:42 > 0:48:46I mean, that is about 40 quid, 50 quid a sheet or something.
0:48:46 > 0:48:48It's very smooth, beautifully made.
0:48:48 > 0:48:51This is a beautiful colour - it's very silvery,
0:48:51 > 0:48:55but it goes darker when you stain it, typically.
0:48:55 > 0:48:57But it's not always the most expensive
0:48:57 > 0:48:59that's the most interesting.
0:48:59 > 0:49:02This one is about my favourite, I think.
0:49:02 > 0:49:03This is shuttering ply,
0:49:03 > 0:49:06and it's called shuttering because when you're digging a foundation,
0:49:06 > 0:49:09you dig a hole, the earth wants to fall in, so you shutter it with this,
0:49:09 > 0:49:12you hold it back. This is about £20 quid a sheet.
0:49:12 > 0:49:14- Really, is that all?- Yes.
0:49:14 > 0:49:17- It's very beautiful.- Really beautiful.- Really nice lines.- Yeah.
0:49:17 > 0:49:19I mean, strangely, for me,
0:49:19 > 0:49:21the cheaper the grade, the better, almost.
0:49:21 > 0:49:24I quite like the writing that you see on it.
0:49:24 > 0:49:28You know, sometimes you see the stamps of where it came from on it,
0:49:28 > 0:49:29and I like all that stuff.
0:49:30 > 0:49:33The authentic and basic finish of this plywood
0:49:33 > 0:49:36will perfectly complement the corrugated cladding
0:49:36 > 0:49:37of their exterior.
0:49:37 > 0:49:40This on the walls and the ceiling with your concrete worktop
0:49:40 > 0:49:41will look incredible.
0:49:41 > 0:49:44- I can really see it now. - And sounds quite economical as well.
0:49:44 > 0:49:45It does.
0:49:46 > 0:49:50When using materials like plywood on walls and ceilings,
0:49:50 > 0:49:54specialist surface spread-of-flame treatment is required.
0:49:56 > 0:49:58I'm really excited, yeah.
0:49:58 > 0:50:02It's been really good to see the different types of ply.
0:50:02 > 0:50:05But the challenge of finishing this project successfully
0:50:05 > 0:50:06is far from over.
0:50:06 > 0:50:09Abigail and Christian have got the big picture right now.
0:50:09 > 0:50:12What they really need to do is focus on the detail,
0:50:12 > 0:50:14and the detail of this extension will lift it
0:50:14 > 0:50:16from something that's bodged together
0:50:16 > 0:50:19through to something that is potentially
0:50:19 > 0:50:21really exquisitely beautiful.
0:50:21 > 0:50:24How one board meets another, how it turns the corner,
0:50:24 > 0:50:27how it goes into a window reveal - all those things,
0:50:27 > 0:50:30that is really what they need to focus on now.
0:50:36 > 0:50:39Abigail and Christian begin the challenging task
0:50:39 > 0:50:42of fitting the plywood skin for their new interior.
0:50:44 > 0:50:46The ceiling and the walls are going to be ply.
0:50:46 > 0:50:49Originally, we wanted ply for the doors on the kitchen,
0:50:49 > 0:50:50but I thought that would be too much,
0:50:50 > 0:50:53so we've kept it to the walls and the ceiling.
0:50:55 > 0:50:58They've gone for the shuttering ply, as Piers suggested.
0:50:58 > 0:51:00It's cost them 380 quid for the wood
0:51:00 > 0:51:03and another 300 for the fire-retardant treatment.
0:51:05 > 0:51:07Every joint and fixing will be on show
0:51:07 > 0:51:11so it's vital that it's fitted precisely.
0:51:11 > 0:51:14Our friend who's a carpenter did say, "Ooh, that's a big job,"
0:51:14 > 0:51:17but I thought, "Oh, he's talking rubbish."
0:51:17 > 0:51:20But he clearly has worked with the stuff before
0:51:20 > 0:51:23and understands how much of a big job it was!
0:51:24 > 0:51:28And getting this right is not the only thing on their minds.
0:51:29 > 0:51:30Pretty much ran out of money,
0:51:30 > 0:51:32so it's slightly frustrating
0:51:32 > 0:51:35that I'm now having to buy second-hand appliances
0:51:35 > 0:51:37to fit in my brand-new kitchen.
0:51:37 > 0:51:39Which is fine - I don't mind second hand,
0:51:39 > 0:51:43I like second hand, I like reusing, but I did want SOME new stuff.
0:51:44 > 0:51:45I am excited.
0:51:45 > 0:51:50I'm just frustrated at the time it's taking to get it done.
0:51:50 > 0:51:51I think...
0:51:51 > 0:51:53I'll call it a day.
0:52:02 > 0:52:04Abigail and Chris were living in their dream family home,
0:52:04 > 0:52:07but the devastating news that Abigail had a debilitating
0:52:07 > 0:52:11illness meant they urgently needed to make alterations.
0:52:13 > 0:52:18The kitchen was dark and awkward for Abigail to move around in.
0:52:18 > 0:52:20They desperately needed a practical space
0:52:20 > 0:52:22where they could all be together as a family,
0:52:22 > 0:52:26which would also work for Abigail if she should ever need a wheelchair.
0:52:26 > 0:52:28Abigail and Christian realised
0:52:28 > 0:52:32that they needed to extend and replace the old lean-to.
0:52:32 > 0:52:36With initial quotes more than double their budget of just £17,000,
0:52:36 > 0:52:39Christian opted to do all the hard work himself.
0:52:40 > 0:52:44Embracing Piers's idea of a light-filled extension
0:52:44 > 0:52:46that fits into the local environment,
0:52:46 > 0:52:49this build has tested them to their limits.
0:52:51 > 0:52:52It's just 11 weeks
0:52:52 > 0:52:55since they started the ambitious transformation of their home,
0:52:55 > 0:52:57and Piers and I are back to see how they've got on.
0:52:59 > 0:53:00- Hello!- Hello!- Hi, guys.
0:53:00 > 0:53:02- Long time no see. - Yeah, long time no see.
0:53:02 > 0:53:05- How are you?- Good, thanks.- Good. So, how's it all been going?
0:53:05 > 0:53:06Oh, very well.
0:53:06 > 0:53:09We're exhausted, but we're so glad it's finished,
0:53:09 > 0:53:10- and it's fantastic.- Yes.
0:53:10 > 0:53:13You're finished, then. You don't look covered in brick dust...
0:53:13 > 0:53:14No, just got little bits of paint.
0:53:14 > 0:53:16So, we can't wait to see what you've done.
0:53:16 > 0:53:19- Will you let us take a look?- Yeah, come and have a look.- Come and see.
0:53:25 > 0:53:29- Wow, look at this!- That is absolutely - extraordinary.- Look at that!
0:53:29 > 0:53:32It's a real piece of contemporary architecture
0:53:32 > 0:53:34on the back of your house, I must say.
0:53:34 > 0:53:36It really looks like it belongs, though.
0:53:36 > 0:53:38It's a really contemporary thing, but actually,
0:53:38 > 0:53:40totally appropriate for this context.
0:53:40 > 0:53:43And it's a building that is very similar to those farm buildings
0:53:43 > 0:53:45that we looked at a few months back.
0:53:45 > 0:53:47I just love the way it gives you this completely usable,
0:53:47 > 0:53:50beautifully proportioned space outside,
0:53:50 > 0:53:53as well as obviously what's going to be a fantastic space inside.
0:53:53 > 0:53:56I mean, that's exactly what good architecture should do, isn't it?
0:53:56 > 0:53:57- You must be really thrilled.- We are.
0:53:57 > 0:54:00- We absolutely love it, don't we? - Oh, over the moon.
0:54:00 > 0:54:02Just can't believe how good it's turned out.
0:54:13 > 0:54:15Wow! Well, it is just light and airy in here.
0:54:15 > 0:54:19I mean, it's an amazing feeling, isn't it?
0:54:19 > 0:54:20It is, it's lovely.
0:54:20 > 0:54:23- This volume just feels really good. - I think that's right,
0:54:23 > 0:54:26I think this is really lofty, which is what I like about it.
0:54:26 > 0:54:30It has real character, and it's kind of a quirky character -
0:54:30 > 0:54:31you know, it's unusual.
0:54:31 > 0:54:34And I really like the generosity of that corner window,
0:54:34 > 0:54:36and I like the fact that it encourages you
0:54:36 > 0:54:37to sit and linger in it.
0:54:37 > 0:54:40I like these glimpsed views you get through these windows
0:54:40 > 0:54:42that are placed over this corner.
0:54:42 > 0:54:45This is a gloomy day, and this is really...
0:54:45 > 0:54:48you know, it's a delight to be in. It doesn't feel dark.
0:54:48 > 0:54:51I mean, these windows aren't the cheapest in the world, I mean,
0:54:51 > 0:54:53they're absolutely beautiful, but how much did they cost?
0:54:53 > 0:54:56The windows themselves cost around about £5,000,
0:54:56 > 0:54:58the windows and doors all in -
0:54:58 > 0:55:02but that's...they're aluminium, they're top-end glass,
0:55:02 > 0:55:04and the reason we were able to afford that
0:55:04 > 0:55:06is because of the other things saving money.
0:55:06 > 0:55:09I very much like how you've used unfinished materials
0:55:09 > 0:55:12that lots of people would ordinarily think you need to cover up,
0:55:12 > 0:55:14but that's been a bit of a struggle, hasn't it?
0:55:14 > 0:55:18Trying to convince people that it's OK to have concrete on the floor
0:55:18 > 0:55:19and plywood on the walls.
0:55:19 > 0:55:22Everybody, everybody, I think, that we've spoken to,
0:55:22 > 0:55:26has said, "You can't use that. Why are you using the cheapest ply?"
0:55:26 > 0:55:28But it looks lovely!
0:55:28 > 0:55:30But what's also great about these materials, like plywood,
0:55:30 > 0:55:32is they're things that you can do yourself,
0:55:32 > 0:55:35whereas plaster is a tricky thing that you need years of skill -
0:55:35 > 0:55:37and here you can do this yourself.
0:55:37 > 0:55:39It's cheap, it's simple and it's easy.
0:55:39 > 0:55:42Tell me the difference that this makes
0:55:42 > 0:55:44for family life around the house.
0:55:44 > 0:55:47Well, the main thing was to have everybody in one room, really,
0:55:47 > 0:55:50so if I'm not well, and Chris is having to do more,
0:55:50 > 0:55:52I can still be in here with him,
0:55:52 > 0:55:54sat at the table or sat at the window,
0:55:54 > 0:55:57and the children can still be in the room with us.
0:55:57 > 0:55:59And also, once we level off the outside,
0:55:59 > 0:56:02it'll be level access if I ever do have to go in a wheelchair.
0:56:02 > 0:56:05- And I can see out of the window. - Yeah.- So it's perfect.
0:56:05 > 0:56:08But it already seems like the whole space flows
0:56:08 > 0:56:10so much better in general, which is more accessible.
0:56:10 > 0:56:14- From the front door you can see straight out this window.- Yeah.
0:56:14 > 0:56:16Which is what we really wanted, didn't we?
0:56:16 > 0:56:21So, you had £17,000 plus a bit of contingency to build this -
0:56:21 > 0:56:23have you managed to pull it off for that money?
0:56:23 > 0:56:28- We've used the contingency as well. - But in total this is about £20,000.
0:56:28 > 0:56:31About £20,000, we've managed to do the lot.
0:56:31 > 0:56:33I think it's an amazing achievement for £20,000 -
0:56:33 > 0:56:35I don't know about you, Piers, but per square metre,
0:56:35 > 0:56:37this must be one of the best-value buildings I can imagine.
0:56:37 > 0:56:39This is less than £1,000 a square metre,
0:56:39 > 0:56:42and you've got something that's beautiful, inspiring
0:56:42 > 0:56:44and truly unique for that money.
0:56:48 > 0:56:50Abigail and Christian have ended up with a building
0:56:50 > 0:56:53that THEY have designed, really, and they've built.
0:56:53 > 0:56:56I think that is fantastic. They really OWN this.
0:56:56 > 0:56:58What's absolutely fantastic about this build
0:56:58 > 0:56:59is that Abigail and Christian
0:56:59 > 0:57:02have been completely unafraid to apply directly loads of lessons
0:57:02 > 0:57:05they've taken from some pretty serous works of architecture.
0:57:05 > 0:57:08They've proven that those things aren't out of reach,
0:57:08 > 0:57:11and they're not just for the people who can afford it.
0:57:11 > 0:57:14They all have lessons that you can apply directly
0:57:14 > 0:57:16in the most modest of builds, like this back extension.
0:57:16 > 0:57:18And I'm really thrilled for them,
0:57:18 > 0:57:20but I also think this is like a prototype -
0:57:20 > 0:57:23it just shows can be done if you look carefully at influences,
0:57:23 > 0:57:24and you then take those lessons
0:57:24 > 0:57:27and apply them directly to your own build.
0:57:41 > 0:57:44'Next time, a badly planned bungalow...'
0:57:44 > 0:57:46It's not much of an arrival, is it?
0:57:46 > 0:57:49'..is far from Ronnie and Nicky's dream family home.'
0:57:49 > 0:57:51- Squeeze by!- Yeah, sorry! - There you go.
0:57:51 > 0:57:55- This building is stopping you living the way you want to live.- Yeah.
0:57:55 > 0:57:57'But will they be forced to embrace
0:57:57 > 0:58:00'a more adventurous and cheaper plan?'
0:58:00 > 0:58:04You've got to change this, cos you don't have enough money to finish.
0:58:04 > 0:58:07'And Nigel and Kim are living in a DIY danger zone.'
0:58:07 > 0:58:10We just have this one space that we live in.
0:58:10 > 0:58:13'But will they be able to decide where to start?'
0:58:13 > 0:58:16My first question is, why you don't finish this space first?
0:58:16 > 0:58:17I so want a lounge.
0:58:17 > 0:58:20'And will the problems ever end?'
0:58:20 > 0:58:21If they had a really good storm,
0:58:21 > 0:58:24I think the chimney would have come down.