0:00:02 > 0:00:06Last year, Piers Taylor and me, Kieran Long, brought architectural
0:00:06 > 0:00:11expertise and innovative design thinking to self-builders who
0:00:11 > 0:00:15were attempting to build a home from scratch for less than £100,000.
0:00:15 > 0:00:20- Come on, baby.- How much money have you got left?- Er...let me see.
0:00:20 > 0:00:24This year, we're bringing our £100,000 House experience to
0:00:24 > 0:00:29- people that own a home already... - It'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 > 0:00:39- They too are on the tightest of budgets.- We've got £540 left.
0:00:39 > 0:00:43We'll challenge them to embrace big ideas.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46What you want really is exactly what this place provides.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49- And to be more ambitious. - I don't know.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53He's come in and he's torn up the rule book, really.
0:00:53 > 0:00:57- But with their life savings at risk...- The 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?
0:01:07 > 0:01:08This better fit!
0:01:15 > 0:01:19'Tonight, a family trapped in a badly planned bungalow.'
0:01:19 > 0:01:22It's not much of an arrival, is it?
0:01:22 > 0:01:23'They can't afford to move.'
0:01:23 > 0:01:27- This building is stopping you live the way you want to live.- Yeah.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30'And can't afford their plans to change it.'
0:01:30 > 0:01:33You've got to change this, cos you don't have enough money to finish.
0:01:33 > 0:01:37And a home for a new family is a DIY danger zone.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40We just have this one space that we live in.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43'But will they be able to decide where to start?'
0:01:43 > 0:01:46My first question is why you don't finish this space first?
0:01:46 > 0:01:47I so want a lounge.
0:01:47 > 0:01:49And will the problems ever end?
0:01:49 > 0:01:51If we had a really good storm,
0:01:51 > 0:01:52I think the chimney would've come down.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00There's increasing pressure to get on the property ladder
0:02:00 > 0:02:02as young as you can.
0:02:02 > 0:02:05But for many people, that's just not possible.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10I'm on my way to High Wycombe to meet Ronnie and Nicky,
0:02:10 > 0:02:12who have bought their first house in their 40s
0:02:12 > 0:02:15because they've been serving in the Armed Forces.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19That means they've been living in staff quarters all of that time.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22For 20 years, Ronnie worked for the RAF.
0:02:22 > 0:02:24Nicky is also in the forces,
0:02:24 > 0:02:27working behind the mic for British Forces Radio.
0:02:28 > 0:02:30OK, let's check out some weather, then.
0:02:30 > 0:02:3513 degrees in Bastian, 12 in Kandahar and 4 degrees in Kabul.
0:02:35 > 0:02:37# Because I'm happy... #
0:02:37 > 0:02:41Living all over the world in barracks, tents and MoD houses,
0:02:41 > 0:02:46good architecture and design was never part of their lives.
0:02:46 > 0:02:50That's where I lived in Kabul, in a shed with no windows.
0:02:50 > 0:02:54We've had eight different addresses, or nine different addresses.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57The properties we've lived in have all been almost the same design.
0:02:57 > 0:03:01You pretty much get the same curtains, the same carpets...
0:03:03 > 0:03:06You end up looking at magnolia walls and just thinking...
0:03:06 > 0:03:09I want anything but magnolia!
0:03:09 > 0:03:11Cheeky head! What's up? A bee?
0:03:11 > 0:03:15Two years ago, Ronnie returned to civvy street, so he, Nicky
0:03:15 > 0:03:18and their two kids moved into their very first family home...
0:03:20 > 0:03:22..a four-bed bungalow in High Wycombe.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25There we go, in we go.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28Buying late, we're quite behind on the property ladder, if you like.
0:03:28 > 0:03:33I've got friends and they're £100,000 or more ahead of us
0:03:33 > 0:03:35in paying off their mortgages.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37Costing £390,000,
0:03:37 > 0:03:40the house was a huge investment.
0:03:40 > 0:03:42But it's far from ideal.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45I was waiting for that moment, you know, when you see other
0:03:45 > 0:03:49people on the telly, where they have that, "Oh, I love it!"
0:03:49 > 0:03:50And they start crying.
0:03:50 > 0:03:55- But that definitely didn't happen coming in here!- No!
0:03:56 > 0:04:00Almost immediately, they realised the house didn't work for them.
0:04:00 > 0:04:01But they were stuck with it.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06I think there is an element of feeling trapped.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09We couldn't afford to move and solve the problem,
0:04:09 > 0:04:13because actually, the amount we saved would be entirely eaten
0:04:13 > 0:04:17up by the cost of stamp duty and moving house,
0:04:17 > 0:04:20so moving actually would put us in a worse position.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24Their only option is to transform the bungalow,
0:04:24 > 0:04:28so while saving hard, they had plans drawn up.
0:04:28 > 0:04:32The budget is £49,000.
0:04:32 > 0:04:37The building work we've got planned is £49,000.
0:04:37 > 0:04:41We haven't bought a kitchen, we haven't got a bathroom,
0:04:41 > 0:04:46we haven't got any tiling or floor coverings or
0:04:46 > 0:04:49anything for decorating or anything like that.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54With little building experience and not even enough cash to
0:04:54 > 0:04:58complete the interior, Ronnie and Nicky are taking a massive risk.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01But they have no choice.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05If we don't do it now, then we're never going to do it,
0:05:05 > 0:05:07so we've got to go for it.
0:05:07 > 0:05:10Make it our for ever home, really.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19Ronnie and Nicky will be on an extraordinary learning curve
0:05:19 > 0:05:21over the coming months.
0:05:21 > 0:05:25I want to understand exactly where they're starting from.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29- Hello, Kieran. I'm Ronnie. - Ronnie - nice to meet you.
0:05:29 > 0:05:34- Come on in.- Great to be here. So this is your grand entrance.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36Yes, as you can see, it's pretty tight.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38It's not much of an arrival, is it?
0:05:38 > 0:05:42I guess when this was built, they would have had the two main
0:05:42 > 0:05:45living spaces at the front of the house and maybe
0:05:45 > 0:05:50a kitchen at the back and it would have been a two-bedroom bungalow.
0:05:50 > 0:05:52Now, I can't even see the back of your house,
0:05:52 > 0:05:54it obviously goes back a long way.
0:05:56 > 0:06:01This '70s bungalow has been extended at the back, creating a new bedroom,
0:06:01 > 0:06:06dining room, lounge and enlarged kitchen, but it had the unfortunate
0:06:06 > 0:06:11side effect of placing a dark bathroom at the heart of this home.
0:06:11 > 0:06:16- This is the bathroom, here. - Right, so in pride of place...
0:06:16 > 0:06:20We've got this throne room and it's so tight, as well.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23Having the toilet facing the front door is a little bit
0:06:23 > 0:06:28- unfortunate, isn't it? - It's embarrassing, really.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31Especially with kids. Our postman knows us reasonably well!
0:06:32 > 0:06:35Ronnie believes the key to redesigning their home is
0:06:35 > 0:06:38moving this bathroom.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41It's got to be fixed and that drives all of the drains
0:06:41 > 0:06:46- and everything else.- Yeah. I guess that gets expensive, too.- Yes.
0:06:46 > 0:06:50The biggest chunk of the cost is in the drains and the heating.
0:06:50 > 0:06:55But the bathroom move is not the only major drain on their cash.
0:06:55 > 0:06:57The current kitchen is a disaster.
0:06:57 > 0:07:00- This is Sam.- Hi, Sam.- Hello.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03- This is Isla.- Hello.- And this is my wife, Nicky.- Hello, hi.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05Very nice to meet you.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09'So they need a generous space where they can be together as a family.'
0:07:09 > 0:07:12It's not a bad size kitchen, but when we have a table,
0:07:12 > 0:07:15we like to eat in here together...
0:07:15 > 0:07:18- It... We dance around the table the whole time.- I can see that.
0:07:18 > 0:07:22I think for us, we're a quite sociable couple, the kids are always
0:07:22 > 0:07:26having their friends here, so we'd love to have that kitchen/dining
0:07:26 > 0:07:29room space where they come running in and out of the back doors.
0:07:29 > 0:07:34In a way, this building is stopping you living the way you want to live.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37Ronnie and Nicky's new plans address both these issues.
0:07:38 > 0:07:42Radically, the intention is to move the front door to the
0:07:42 > 0:07:46side of the house, converting the existing space into an en-suite.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50Another en suite will fill part of the existing kitchen
0:07:50 > 0:07:53and the new entrance hallway will face a new,
0:07:53 > 0:07:55slightly larger bathroom.
0:07:56 > 0:08:00To the rear, the new kitchen-diner will replace the lounge.
0:08:04 > 0:08:06It's a huge first project.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09The key will be a clear vision of what they want it to look,
0:08:09 > 0:08:11but also feel, like.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14Tell me a bit more about your taste, the things you love.
0:08:14 > 0:08:18I can see the jukebox in the corner there, it's quite an amazing object.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22What's most amazing is that it's next to a pretty ordinary sofa...!
0:08:22 > 0:08:26It stands out like a sore thumb, but is this your vision?
0:08:26 > 0:08:27Is that the stuff you really love?
0:08:27 > 0:08:29The materials we haven't really thought of.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32Maybe we feature the jukebox into this room...
0:08:32 > 0:08:35But it's all pretty open right now in your minds?
0:08:35 > 0:08:39- You haven't made any hard and fast decisions, even about the layout? - No.
0:08:39 > 0:08:43'Beginning with so few ideas and little experience could create
0:08:43 > 0:08:47'a disaster that costs them every penny of their hard-earned savings.'
0:08:48 > 0:08:52I worry that once we start, like most projects,
0:08:52 > 0:08:55there's always something that turns up. We just don't know,
0:08:55 > 0:08:58so that worries me that we have no contingency.
0:08:58 > 0:09:00Nicky is right to be worried.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03Moving ahead without enough money to cover a new kitchen or
0:09:03 > 0:09:06bathroom fittings is a risky strategy.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09I think the biggest challenge for them is paying for,
0:09:09 > 0:09:11with their budget, their whole ambition.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14They've got to reconfigure this entire house.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17All of that sounds like more than 50 grand by anyone's recognition.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20I think getting that plan right is going to be a challenge.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30With the builders days from starting,
0:09:30 > 0:09:32I need to meet with Piers to find a fresh way of reconfiguring
0:09:32 > 0:09:36this bungalow into a unique home for the money they have.
0:09:38 > 0:09:42You just get the impression it's not a building that's really
0:09:42 > 0:09:46addressed any pleasure of any spaces, it's not giving them
0:09:46 > 0:09:49any qualities and in fact, it just feels like a rabbit warren -
0:09:49 > 0:09:51a whole series of little corridors.
0:09:51 > 0:09:55They had a plan done by a designer and that's been a really positive
0:09:55 > 0:09:58step for them, but I'm not sure it's really solving their problems.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00The building is a rabbit warren at the moment,
0:10:00 > 0:10:03but what's interesting about the proposal is that it turns
0:10:03 > 0:10:06the house around 90 degrees, which I think is a really good thing.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09The problem with this plan is there's still this rabbit
0:10:09 > 0:10:12warren to get into this room, which I think is a little bit crazy.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15It also seems like three bathrooms in three separate places...
0:10:15 > 0:10:18What this needs is to perhaps rationalise the bathrooms.
0:10:18 > 0:10:20I'm starting to get to know Ronnie and Nicky
0:10:20 > 0:10:23and I think there will be some challenges getting them
0:10:23 > 0:10:27to move further away from quite conservative tastes and I think
0:10:27 > 0:10:30that's partly because they've always lived in rental accommodation.
0:10:30 > 0:10:34It sounds like they need to be taken to the edges of their comfort zone.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41Piers needs to explain to Ronnie and Nicky why their current plan is
0:10:41 > 0:10:47so expensive and how he feels it can work better and cost less to build.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49Hi, Nicky - how're you doing?
0:10:49 > 0:10:55What's strange is that you're moving this wet area from here to here
0:10:55 > 0:11:00and you're making another corridor and moving walls around,
0:11:00 > 0:11:03but you've ended up with something that is very similar.
0:11:03 > 0:11:08Their initial design is based on the desire to move the bathroom.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11But keeping it in the same place and instead transforming
0:11:11 > 0:11:15the house around it could save them enough to finish this project.
0:11:16 > 0:11:20Moving bathrooms can cost thousands, so I suspect moving this
0:11:20 > 0:11:23bathroom will cost 3,000 or 4,000 quid at the least.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27This is the cost of their kitchen, right here, and let's leave it here.
0:11:30 > 0:11:34Using Ronnie and Nicky's plan to move the front door
0:11:34 > 0:11:38to the side of the house, Piers proposes to keep the bathroom
0:11:38 > 0:11:40in place and enlarge it.
0:11:40 > 0:11:44He then proposes a radical rethink of the corridors,
0:11:44 > 0:11:46removing all the right angles.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53This solution will transform their rabbit warren corridors
0:11:53 > 0:11:56into interesting spaces and dramatically improve
0:11:56 > 0:11:58the flow around the dark centre of this house.
0:12:00 > 0:12:02I've tried to make the building more interesting
0:12:02 > 0:12:06in that these spaces are more dynamic in my mind than the building
0:12:06 > 0:12:10you have at the moment that is these funny, long, dogleg corridors.
0:12:10 > 0:12:14I quite like the idea of using the angle you've put there to
0:12:14 > 0:12:17- continue it on. - Is this going to cost more money?
0:12:18 > 0:12:21It's no more expensive to have angles.
0:12:21 > 0:12:26They make corridors places rather than just routes to get from A to B.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29You guys are here to make a really interesting family
0:12:29 > 0:12:32home that is different from your neighbours, personalised for you.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35I think the sense of fun and informality
0:12:35 > 0:12:40that bungalows are about needs to be embraced with spades.
0:12:40 > 0:12:44But has Piers pushed them too far too quickly?
0:12:44 > 0:12:49See, I'm a little bit nervous to, at this stage, change the plan.
0:12:49 > 0:12:51You've got to change this,
0:12:51 > 0:12:53- because you don't have enough money to finish.- We've got to.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56I know, but I'm thinking, "My God, what will the builders say?"
0:12:56 > 0:13:00They've got a long road ahead. The hard work now begins.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03Sitting down and working out how to change a fag packet sketch
0:13:03 > 0:13:07into something that is structurally feasible,
0:13:07 > 0:13:09constructionally feasible and affordable.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12Finalising the plans isn't the only thing that Ronnie
0:13:12 > 0:13:15and Nicky have to worry about.
0:13:15 > 0:13:16For the duration of the build,
0:13:16 > 0:13:20they'll have to move out of the bungalow and into a caravan.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25Ronnie has the tricky task of manoeuvring it into place.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28Slowly, slowly.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31Whoa. Are we jammed?
0:13:31 > 0:13:32We've got the caravan in,
0:13:32 > 0:13:35but it's stuck between the wall and the shed here.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39While the boys wrestle with the caravan, Piers is trying to
0:13:39 > 0:13:43work out why Nicky finds it so hard to challenge her builders.
0:13:44 > 0:13:48- You're worried about upsetting a builder.- I am!
0:13:48 > 0:13:50I think I'm worried because we've already done the quote
0:13:50 > 0:13:54and we're ready to move out and I'm thinking, "Can we fit this
0:13:54 > 0:13:57"all in in the time frame that he was hoping to start?"
0:13:57 > 0:14:01Here's a woman who's been to Afghanistan and put her life on the line and earned all this money
0:14:01 > 0:14:03and you're coming back, "I don't want to upset the builder".
0:14:03 > 0:14:06- You're just asking him to do his job.- Yeah.
0:14:07 > 0:14:09But with the builders already on site,
0:14:09 > 0:14:12Nicky will soon have to make some pretty big decisions
0:14:12 > 0:14:15if they want to create the best home they possibly can.
0:14:17 > 0:14:22- There we go.- Quality building! Oh, my goodness. Look at that.
0:14:24 > 0:14:25What else could go wrong?
0:14:25 > 0:14:30If the rest of the house is like this, we've got some serious problems.
0:14:31 > 0:14:35Ronnie and Nicky are not alone in struggling to modernise a bungalow.
0:14:37 > 0:14:41Between the world wars, there was a bungalow building boom.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47The origins of the modern-day bungalow are more glamorous
0:14:47 > 0:14:48than you might think.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51Popular in California and the Hollywood Hills,
0:14:51 > 0:14:53where they were homes for movie stars,
0:14:53 > 0:14:56single-storey houses were a stylish vision of the future.
0:14:58 > 0:15:01By the 1960s and '70s, they were where aspirational Brits could
0:15:01 > 0:15:04park their car and relax in the generous rooms.
0:15:05 > 0:15:09The defining feature of the bungalow is that it's all on one level.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12That's of tremendous benefit. In a building this size,
0:15:12 > 0:15:16you've probably got 80 or 90 square metres all on one ground floor.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19Compare that to a typical Victorian terrace, two-up,
0:15:19 > 0:15:23two-down worker's cottage style, that might be 70 or 80 square metres
0:15:23 > 0:15:26on two floors, with a huge staircase taking up a load of space.
0:15:28 > 0:15:32And it's not just about internal space - often detached,
0:15:32 > 0:15:36but with large front gardens, bungalows afford privacy.
0:15:37 > 0:15:40Which allows them large windows that flood rooms with light.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45But all that comes at a cost.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48Each bungalow uses a lot of land - a precious
0:15:48 > 0:15:50and increasingly expensive resource.
0:15:51 > 0:15:53Which is why so few are built today.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59Ronnie and Nicky have the ambition to transform
0:15:59 > 0:16:02a labyrinth of rooms into a home where their family can settle,
0:16:02 > 0:16:06but when two families come together under one roof, the challenge is to
0:16:06 > 0:16:09create a space that can be the heart of the home
0:16:09 > 0:16:10for everyone living there.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18Our second project is in Gloucestershire, where a couple's
0:16:18 > 0:16:23dream of a beautiful family bungalow is much closer to a DIY nightmare.
0:16:26 > 0:16:30Nigel, Kim and her two children have lived together for just over a year.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35They first met at a jive dance class two years earlier.
0:16:37 > 0:16:39Nige probably made the first move
0:16:39 > 0:16:43and I really wasn't interested in another relationship at all.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46I definitely didn't impress Kim with my footwork!
0:16:46 > 0:16:49We were friends and dance partners for quite a while and then
0:16:49 > 0:16:51we finally got together.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56At the time, Kim was renting a house with her two young children.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01While self-employed engineer Nigel was four years into a DIY
0:17:01 > 0:17:05renovation of his three-bed 1970s bungalow.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11It is quite slow work, doing it yourself.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14You often come home to do some work and don't feel like it.
0:17:14 > 0:17:16Just a long, laborious job.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21It was a shock, seeing the house for the first time.
0:17:22 > 0:17:26It was a building site and it smelt of cement.
0:17:26 > 0:17:27There was no home!
0:17:29 > 0:17:32But a change in Kim's circumstances brought them together.
0:17:33 > 0:17:37My landlord wanted to sell his house, so we needed to be out.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41And suddenly I found myself homeless!
0:17:44 > 0:17:47The couple turned adversity on its head.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50Kim and her children moved in to Nigel's half-built home.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55Since then, they've been camping out in one room with
0:17:55 > 0:17:59cardboard for carpet and breeze blocks for walls.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02We just have this one space that we live in.
0:18:02 > 0:18:05Everybody is on top of one another, aren't they?
0:18:05 > 0:18:07It's also an accident waiting to happen.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11I suppose it isn't very safe, is it?
0:18:13 > 0:18:16Now determined to make more of the house usable, they've scrimped
0:18:16 > 0:18:18and saved £7,000.
0:18:18 > 0:18:23Nigel is planning to take time off work to tackle the project,
0:18:23 > 0:18:26but almost every part of the house needs money spending on it.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31- £7,000 has got to stretch... - Quite a long way.- A long way.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34If the money runs out, that's that! We're stuck.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37We're in limbo and we need to progress it on.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41Finding a clear answer to such an overwhelming
0:18:41 > 0:18:43number of problems is an enormous challenge.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49It will be up to Piers to guide Nigel and Kim how
0:18:49 > 0:18:52and where to spend their precious budget.
0:18:52 > 0:18:54But living amongst the chaos
0:18:54 > 0:18:59and doing the work themselves can make solutions hard to see.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02My major worry here is that this project is drifting.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04I think Nigel and Kim are too close to it.
0:19:06 > 0:19:07They need to stand back
0:19:07 > 0:19:11and think, what's the best way to go about finishing this building?
0:19:13 > 0:19:17Nigel and Kim are refusing to see this project as a whole.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20Instead, they're choosing to chop it up
0:19:20 > 0:19:23into a series of individual rooms.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25This room actually works better
0:19:25 > 0:19:27if the fireplace and the TV stay over there.
0:19:27 > 0:19:31It's more work you're making for yourself to bring it over here,
0:19:31 > 0:19:35put it in the corner, it probably doesn't work as well, etc.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37Rather than create work in rooms they don't use,
0:19:37 > 0:19:41they should look for cost-effective ways to finish the vital
0:19:41 > 0:19:45areas of the house they live in all the time.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47I get that you're going to be here a long time, I'm not suggesting
0:19:47 > 0:19:51you do anything in a half-baked way, but so many things need to happen.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54I mean, everything needs to happen. I'd be wanting to finish
0:19:54 > 0:19:56other things with those hard-earned pennies.
0:19:57 > 0:20:01Piers thinks their £7,000 would be more wisely invested
0:20:01 > 0:20:03in the kitchen-diner.
0:20:03 > 0:20:05This is the area the family uses most
0:20:05 > 0:20:07and where Nigel has done more work.
0:20:07 > 0:20:11My first question is why you don't finish this space first?
0:20:11 > 0:20:13I think that space we've been in
0:20:13 > 0:20:16is a luxury that you almost can't afford to have yet,
0:20:16 > 0:20:18because you're here.
0:20:18 > 0:20:20This is the bit that, for me,
0:20:20 > 0:20:23needs sorting and is actually where the heart of the house is.
0:20:23 > 0:20:27Rather than starting on the lounge, Piers wants to present them
0:20:27 > 0:20:30with a way to finish the work they've started.
0:20:30 > 0:20:36This space for your dining is potentially fantastic.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39But living amongst all the chaos, Nigel
0:20:39 > 0:20:41and Kim crave more usable space.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44So Piers is struggling to convince them.
0:20:44 > 0:20:48Seven grand is a big chunk of money and you want to get the most
0:20:48 > 0:20:51bang for your buck and that, you can do almost any time.
0:20:51 > 0:20:53Even if it took another year, two years to do,
0:20:53 > 0:20:54it wouldn't be a disaster.
0:20:54 > 0:20:56I so want a lounge!
0:20:56 > 0:21:01For so long now, Piers, we've been living in this one space.
0:21:01 > 0:21:05Which is why fixed in our head is to do the lounge,
0:21:05 > 0:21:07so that we can go in there and go... SHE SIGHS
0:21:07 > 0:21:09But I...
0:21:09 > 0:21:12I mean, I... You know, it's your house and your decision,
0:21:12 > 0:21:14but it has to be an either/or, doesn't it?
0:21:17 > 0:21:19I don't know, maybe... I feel that
0:21:19 > 0:21:21maybe you need to go and have a little think.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30At the moment, I'm not really sure how that went.
0:21:30 > 0:21:34I've gone in there and I've really set the cat among the pigeons
0:21:34 > 0:21:37because I've debunked this whole notion of doing that front
0:21:37 > 0:21:42room first and really, I think it may be too much for them.
0:21:42 > 0:21:46Piers's suggestions have thrown all our plans out of the water!
0:21:46 > 0:21:48For the minute.
0:21:48 > 0:21:54Whichever option we go for in the end, we need to crack on.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57HAMMERING
0:21:59 > 0:22:00Back in High Wycombe, Ronnie
0:22:00 > 0:22:05and Nicky are making great headway with stripping out their bungalow.
0:22:05 > 0:22:09Everything at the moment is to do with the build, it's 24/7.
0:22:09 > 0:22:11Before we go to bed at night, me
0:22:11 > 0:22:13and Ronnie are talking about tiles and doors
0:22:13 > 0:22:15and internal doors!
0:22:16 > 0:22:18It's all-consuming!
0:22:18 > 0:22:22Big projects like this are subject to building control approval
0:22:22 > 0:22:25and appropriate structural calculations.
0:22:26 > 0:22:29With the bones of the building beginning to be revealed,
0:22:29 > 0:22:33builder Billy can start to see what he's actually working with.
0:22:34 > 0:22:38With having a look around and seeing it's been a DIY job previously,
0:22:38 > 0:22:40we're not sure what we're going to find.
0:22:40 > 0:22:44Undeterred, Ronnie has spotted an opportunity to gain extra
0:22:44 > 0:22:47space by removing an old chimney breast.
0:22:47 > 0:22:51Because we've saved money on the drains, we can take this out,
0:22:51 > 0:22:54take the chimney down, which means we can lose this wall
0:22:54 > 0:22:56and this wall and this wall
0:22:56 > 0:23:01and all of this extra bit becomes part of our en-suite, here.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04And it's not just Ronnie who has bathrooms on the brain.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07Obviously we don't have a shower in here,
0:23:07 > 0:23:09so me and Ronnie are having showers at work
0:23:09 > 0:23:14and the kids are sort of going around people's houses.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18Ronnie and Nicky are making big sacrifices to
0:23:18 > 0:23:22transform their problem bungalow into an amazing family home.
0:23:22 > 0:23:26But I'm worried their desire to just get it finished will make them
0:23:26 > 0:23:28lose sight of how good it could be.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33As a curator at the V&A, my job is to seek out exceptional
0:23:33 > 0:23:36and inspirational design and I've come across a bungalow
0:23:36 > 0:23:40conversion that I think could really raise their aspirations.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44From the front, it's an ordinary bungalow...
0:23:47 > 0:23:49But at the rear, it's something else.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53This house was designed by the architects Blee Halligan.
0:23:56 > 0:23:59The extraordinary addition at the rear has avoided all
0:23:59 > 0:24:03the problems that plague Ronnie and Nicky's extension.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06A previously dark and oppressive bungalow has been
0:24:06 > 0:24:10transformed into an exciting, contemporary family home.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14It's a million miles away from the bog-standard design
0:24:14 > 0:24:16that the couple are used to.
0:24:18 > 0:24:20'This is a real risk, especially for Nicky,
0:24:20 > 0:24:23'so she might see this and completely reject it all, thinking
0:24:23 > 0:24:27'this is for kind of sophisticates and the 1% and not for me -
0:24:27 > 0:24:30'I want to change that opinion on her part.'
0:24:30 > 0:24:32So, follow me.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36The architects have opened up the original building,
0:24:36 > 0:24:38eliminating all corridors.
0:24:40 > 0:24:41Wow, look at that!
0:24:43 > 0:24:46Instead, they've created a journey from the front door...
0:24:47 > 0:24:51..through to the main living area at the back.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54This has then been zoned into three simple areas -
0:24:54 > 0:24:56kitchen,
0:24:56 > 0:24:58dining area
0:24:58 > 0:25:00and living space.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05My hope is that Ronnie and Nicky will take inspiration from the
0:25:05 > 0:25:09big, architectural ideas here and use them in their own renovation.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17They've got the lights that we want!
0:25:17 > 0:25:20That's exactly the ones we're looking at!
0:25:20 > 0:25:24And they've got the blackboard idea, look, which we were thinking of!
0:25:24 > 0:25:27I'm interested in little details like that.
0:25:27 > 0:25:29Yeah, that's really cute, those little pots.
0:25:31 > 0:25:33I think Ronnie and Nicky are kind of enthusiastic,
0:25:33 > 0:25:35but they went immediately for fixtures and fittings,
0:25:35 > 0:25:38lights, for bits of the kitchen.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40I'm not interested in those things, that's just shopping.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43I'm interested in how you make a space that creates a life for you,
0:25:43 > 0:25:45that's a background to the life you want to live.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48Ronnie and Nicky, I can see you're enthusiastic about this,
0:25:48 > 0:25:51you found lots of details to enjoy.
0:25:51 > 0:25:55Yes, the problem is, you can't just lift this and put it on our house,
0:25:55 > 0:25:58so we have to take little ideas and I'm particularly interested...
0:25:58 > 0:26:00I don't think you DO have to take the little ideas.
0:26:00 > 0:26:03I think we can take the BIG ideas. Look at this place!
0:26:03 > 0:26:05Nicky, tell me how you feel, standing in this place.
0:26:05 > 0:26:10I love all the little quirky things. I found a nice bread bin!
0:26:10 > 0:26:12It's the bread bin that's the problem!
0:26:12 > 0:26:14Let's zoom out for a second.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17Let's take a look at this beautiful space over here.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25Ronnie, sit on that beanbag.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29- Tell me how you feel right now. - This is...
0:26:29 > 0:26:32I want to feel relaxed with the family in the kitchen and
0:26:32 > 0:26:37dining area - connected, even though we might be doing different things.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39I'd like this sort of arrangement where you've got the kitchen
0:26:39 > 0:26:42and you've got the dining room where they can be sitting
0:26:42 > 0:26:44doing their homework, colouring, whatever.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47So what you want really, is exactly what this place provides.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50Light, the connection with the outside,
0:26:50 > 0:26:52- connection with your family. - Definitely.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55And it all flowing into one sort of...
0:26:55 > 0:26:57you know, heart of the home, really.
0:26:58 > 0:27:01I think it's been so interesting here with Ronnie and Nicky,
0:27:01 > 0:27:04that sense of them coming into a place that clearly
0:27:04 > 0:27:07intimidated them, it felt a bit too expensive, a bit much,
0:27:07 > 0:27:09perhaps a bit too architectural,
0:27:09 > 0:27:12but over time, they came to love it.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15They came to understand just what it did for the people who live here.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18How it presents a wonderful background to family life.
0:27:18 > 0:27:20It's just the same as what they want,
0:27:20 > 0:27:22just in a slightly grander form.
0:27:30 > 0:27:33At our other bungalow project in Gloucestershire, Nigel
0:27:33 > 0:27:34and Kim have made their decision
0:27:34 > 0:27:37and are forging ahead with their plans for the lounge.
0:27:37 > 0:27:41Although Piers's ideas were great, we've decided that we will
0:27:41 > 0:27:44stick to our original plan, which was to do the lounge.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47We don't have a bottomless pit of money to spend
0:27:47 > 0:27:51and do everything how we want it, so we're sticking to our original
0:27:51 > 0:27:52route, which we think is best for us.
0:27:52 > 0:27:57For Nigel and Kim, their priority is a family room to retreat to
0:27:57 > 0:27:59before they think about tackling the rest of the house.
0:27:59 > 0:28:02But taking on the lounge is a mammoth task,
0:28:02 > 0:28:06with structural work, electrics, heating, new windows,
0:28:06 > 0:28:09doors and all the finishes to complete.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12It's not going to be easy on their seven grand budget.
0:28:12 > 0:28:15And to add to the pressure, with each job they tackle, a new
0:28:15 > 0:28:18and potentially costly problem is revealed.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21The king post is actually slightly bowed.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24It's lower in the middle than it is at either end.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27Over time, the main ceiling joist has twisted,
0:28:27 > 0:28:30so Nigel is reinforcing it with a piece of steel.
0:28:30 > 0:28:32If you're OK with that...
0:28:32 > 0:28:34With so much work stretching ahead of them,
0:28:34 > 0:28:38- they've enlisted the help of Kim's stepdad.- Down she comes.
0:28:39 > 0:28:43So many builds collapse because of lack of project management.
0:28:43 > 0:28:48Time and money easily get eaten up waiting for trades and materials.
0:28:48 > 0:28:50With this in mind, Kim has decided to draw up
0:28:50 > 0:28:54a schedule of works to keep their build on course.
0:28:54 > 0:28:59I put this together because to start with, it was all in Nige's head.
0:28:59 > 0:29:01We only have a finite amount of time
0:29:01 > 0:29:04and with any project, there needs to be a critical path.
0:29:04 > 0:29:08Despite Kim's hard work, Nigel has got other plans.
0:29:08 > 0:29:10He's decided instead of getting on with the flooring,
0:29:10 > 0:29:12ceiling and electrics,
0:29:12 > 0:29:16he'll focus all his energies on rebuilding the fireplace.
0:29:17 > 0:29:22After Piers came, we realised the best thing to do was to keep
0:29:22 > 0:29:25the fire in the centre of the building.
0:29:25 > 0:29:28But I wanted to have a new fireplace built...
0:29:30 > 0:29:33And for Kim, the pressure of living on a permanent building site
0:29:33 > 0:29:35is finally taking its toll.
0:29:35 > 0:29:38It's very wearing to live in mess.
0:29:40 > 0:29:43And also, the brick dust - just incredible.
0:29:43 > 0:29:45I've given up doing the dusting at the moment
0:29:45 > 0:29:47because there's just no point.
0:29:50 > 0:29:52Oh, my God - there is such a mess everywhere.
0:29:56 > 0:29:58Back in High Wycombe, Ronnie
0:29:58 > 0:30:01and Nicky's chimney is causing them problems, too.
0:30:01 > 0:30:05Ronnie's hasty decision to remove an old fireplace from the kitchen
0:30:05 > 0:30:09- looks like it might be unravelling. - Nick, you all right, pal?
0:30:09 > 0:30:12How quickly could you turn around some calcs?
0:30:12 > 0:30:15Billy needs to call in the help of a structural engineer because
0:30:15 > 0:30:19he has discovered the chimney breast was built in a non-standard way.
0:30:22 > 0:30:24The lower part of the wall was actually laid on two
0:30:24 > 0:30:26bits of floorboards, so as we took the chimney down,
0:30:26 > 0:30:30it lost all of its support and became really unstable.
0:30:30 > 0:30:34The structural engineer will be able to advise Billy on how to
0:30:34 > 0:30:37support the wobbling chimney stack.
0:30:37 > 0:30:39They've just spanned from chimney breast to chimney breast,
0:30:39 > 0:30:41it's not brilliant.
0:30:41 > 0:30:45Ideally, we want to get away from using steels if possible.
0:30:45 > 0:30:46If possible!
0:30:48 > 0:30:52Extra steel supports would mean yet more expense and a greater
0:30:52 > 0:30:56drain on budget, potentially putting the whole build in jeopardy.
0:30:56 > 0:30:59Let's take some measurements.
0:30:59 > 0:31:01But it looks like both the engineer's visit
0:31:01 > 0:31:04and any work he suggests is going to take a large
0:31:04 > 0:31:08and unexpected bite out of Ronnie and Nicky's funds.
0:31:08 > 0:31:12It can make you a bit nervous because you don't know the full extent of what it's going to cost.
0:31:12 > 0:31:14It's going to delay the time a bit if it means ordering steels -
0:31:14 > 0:31:17they won't be in for two or three days,
0:31:17 > 0:31:19so it could put a little hole in the job.
0:31:19 > 0:31:22Which is the last thing this family wants to hear,
0:31:22 > 0:31:27- currently camping out on their own back lawn.- Is that enough? Yeah?
0:31:29 > 0:31:31However, they won't be moving out any time soon,
0:31:31 > 0:31:34because work has been further delayed by a week.
0:31:34 > 0:31:39A wooden support costing £675 is needed to support the chimney.
0:31:39 > 0:31:42Slide it along.
0:31:42 > 0:31:44This is an expensive build.
0:31:44 > 0:31:48The majority of the budget is going on moving the front door to the side
0:31:48 > 0:31:52of the house, knocking down internal walls and putting in the bi-folds.
0:31:56 > 0:31:59So any additional expenses, like the wooden beam,
0:31:59 > 0:32:01have had to come out of savings they've already made,
0:32:01 > 0:32:05which they were hoping to spend on the kitchen.
0:32:05 > 0:32:11- I think we've got about £5,000 now. - We can't get a kitchen for £5,000.
0:32:11 > 0:32:15To make matters worse, Nicky has fallen in love with a design from
0:32:15 > 0:32:19a high street kitchen company and the quote has come in at 12 grand.
0:32:21 > 0:32:24It's vital that Piers can come up with ideas to create
0:32:24 > 0:32:27a kitchen that the couple can actually afford
0:32:27 > 0:32:29or the whole build will be pointless.
0:32:31 > 0:32:35So this is the space, which is great. Where is the kitchen going?
0:32:35 > 0:32:39At the moment, we're looking at a kitchen that goes around here.
0:32:39 > 0:32:42- Yes.- We've kind of looked at having a mobile island.
0:32:42 > 0:32:44I didn't realise. I said, "Oh, I like this one",
0:32:44 > 0:32:47and so we got a quote for the most expensive out of the catalogue.
0:32:47 > 0:32:51When I first came here, I remember you telling me that there was no budget for a kitchen.
0:32:51 > 0:32:55- There was none left for the kitchen. - But you've magically found 12 grand now!
0:32:55 > 0:32:57No, we haven't got 12 grand -
0:32:57 > 0:32:59we've got somewhere between five and £9,000.
0:32:59 > 0:33:03Piers needs a bold plan to sway Nicky from her glossy
0:33:03 > 0:33:07- magazine kitchens. - This is such a long run of wall.
0:33:07 > 0:33:11I suppose I'm wondering why you don't just run one simple
0:33:11 > 0:33:15run of cupboards or worktop all along there...
0:33:15 > 0:33:17and stick your fridge there,
0:33:17 > 0:33:20and that's then free to have your table.
0:33:20 > 0:33:26Your splashback can be, you know, a piece of glass spray-painted behind.
0:33:26 > 0:33:27I would keep it very simple.
0:33:27 > 0:33:30Big expanses of colour, big expanses of material,
0:33:30 > 0:33:33floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall. It's such a kind of poppy house,
0:33:33 > 0:33:37with your jukebox, big open spaces, big windows.
0:33:37 > 0:33:41Sort of '50s colour somewhere in this would be great.
0:33:42 > 0:33:46Simplicity is key if Ronnie and Nicky are to get the kitchen
0:33:46 > 0:33:47they want.
0:33:47 > 0:33:51It's just how you get ordinary things to meet other things
0:33:51 > 0:33:54that transforms a building from being something very
0:33:54 > 0:33:56standard into something really exceptional.
0:33:56 > 0:33:59Don't just get something off-the-peg and leave it as it is,
0:33:59 > 0:34:03you must tweak it somehow, or it will look like an off-the-peg...
0:34:03 > 0:34:04Like everyone else's.
0:34:04 > 0:34:08And this isn't like anyone else's house on the street now.
0:34:10 > 0:34:13I think his ideas for a totally bespoke kitchen,
0:34:13 > 0:34:16- some of them are really interesting. - That's different to our plan, isn't it?
0:34:16 > 0:34:20- You're more open...- You're my quality control, aren't you?
0:34:20 > 0:34:22The woman always wins in the end!
0:34:22 > 0:34:24Yeah, that's true!
0:34:31 > 0:34:35It's been nearly two months since Piers last visited Nigel and Kim.
0:34:35 > 0:34:38Most of the ceiling is up, but the lounge still isn't looking
0:34:38 > 0:34:42that different, apart from a brand-new fireplace.
0:34:42 > 0:34:46With £500 on labour and bricks, 1,400 on a new wood burner
0:34:46 > 0:34:49and a grand on a chimney flue, they've spent
0:34:49 > 0:34:51nearly £3,000 on this one thing,
0:34:51 > 0:34:53leaving little to finish the room.
0:34:56 > 0:34:59So Piers is heading over to get things back on track.
0:35:01 > 0:35:03- So that's the fireplace.- It is.- Yes.
0:35:05 > 0:35:07I'm worried by Nigel and Kim spending pretty much
0:35:07 > 0:35:12half their budget on rebuilding that fireplace and a new wood burner.
0:35:12 > 0:35:14I'm worried that, in a way,
0:35:14 > 0:35:17it's distracting them from finishing this room.
0:35:17 > 0:35:18I need now to help Nigel
0:35:18 > 0:35:23and Kim finish it in a way that is great and full of light.
0:35:23 > 0:35:28I want to find one thing that really could transform that room.
0:35:29 > 0:35:32Accepting Nigel and Kim's passion for this room,
0:35:32 > 0:35:35Piers wants to help them create a beautiful space
0:35:35 > 0:35:39and he thinks the answer may lie in the doorway to their garden.
0:35:39 > 0:35:43- How much are these to replace? - They'll be quite an expensive thing.
0:35:43 > 0:35:45We've had some quotes up in the 2,000-3,000.
0:35:47 > 0:35:50Replacing these old doors with something new could make
0:35:50 > 0:35:53a real difference. But the off-the-shelf units
0:35:53 > 0:35:55they've been looking at will blow their budget.
0:35:55 > 0:35:59You don't need to go the whole hog and buy brand-new French windows.
0:35:59 > 0:36:02A standard glazed door with a chunky timber frame
0:36:02 > 0:36:05and then a fixed piece of glass with no frame at all,
0:36:05 > 0:36:08something like that, which would be very nice.
0:36:08 > 0:36:11There's certainly potential in this room for something special,
0:36:11 > 0:36:15but with only £4,000 left to do flooring, windows, doors,
0:36:15 > 0:36:17heating and decoration,
0:36:17 > 0:36:19it's incredibly tight.
0:36:20 > 0:36:21Piers wants to show them
0:36:21 > 0:36:25that bespoke joinery could cost less than an off-the-shelf equivalent.
0:36:28 > 0:36:31For me, every project needs things that are bespoke and I don't think
0:36:31 > 0:36:36that bespoke is high-end, luxury, unaffordable - it's just making
0:36:36 > 0:36:40things in places like this that are everywhere, up and down the country.
0:36:40 > 0:36:44Making things better than those that you can buy out of a catalogue.
0:36:44 > 0:36:48Piers introduces them to expert joiners Pete and Steve.
0:36:52 > 0:36:55So what's the advantage then,
0:36:55 > 0:36:57of getting something bespokely made
0:36:57 > 0:36:59rather than getting it off the shelf?
0:36:59 > 0:37:03The skills going into this particular window are much
0:37:03 > 0:37:06higher than a mass-manufactured window.
0:37:06 > 0:37:08You can get it exactly the right size.
0:37:08 > 0:37:11If you get something off-the-shelf, obviously it's a set,
0:37:11 > 0:37:16- standard size and then you have to alter the opening.- OK.
0:37:16 > 0:37:19And what about speed, because if I walked into the builders'
0:37:19 > 0:37:21merchants, I could take it home.
0:37:21 > 0:37:22If we have the glass ready,
0:37:22 > 0:37:26we can have this window made in 2½ hours.
0:37:26 > 0:37:28Wow! That's really quick!
0:37:28 > 0:37:32Workshops like these offer a personalised service
0:37:32 > 0:37:34and will fabricate any design.
0:37:34 > 0:37:36Piers's idea for these made-to-measure external
0:37:36 > 0:37:39doors should be pretty straightforward.
0:37:39 > 0:37:41What would something like that cost, do you think?
0:37:41 > 0:37:45This glass obviously has to be toughened and double glazed
0:37:45 > 0:37:47and then an FLB,
0:37:47 > 0:37:49framed, ledged and braced door,
0:37:49 > 0:37:52I'd say you'd probably be looking at about £700.
0:37:52 > 0:37:56Far cheaper actually, than a set of sliding patio doors that
0:37:56 > 0:38:00you might get from your local builders' merchants.
0:38:02 > 0:38:06I thought bespoke was going to be really expensive, and actually
0:38:06 > 0:38:10the cost is surprisingly much lower than off-the-shelf.
0:38:10 > 0:38:12And it opened up some more ideas to us,
0:38:12 > 0:38:14which we hadn't thought about, either.
0:38:14 > 0:38:18There's more stuff that we need to just mull over and chat over!
0:38:21 > 0:38:23But three weeks later, reality bites
0:38:23 > 0:38:25as urgent household bills
0:38:25 > 0:38:29have dramatically eaten into Nigel and Kim's contingency fund.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33The car needed major work to it.
0:38:33 > 0:38:35The other car needed work to it!
0:38:35 > 0:38:37The washing machine broke.
0:38:37 > 0:38:41There's been quite a few others like that which are all big bills
0:38:41 > 0:38:45that come along and just eat into the buffer fund.
0:38:45 > 0:38:49It's always a case of we don't want to spend the money for the room
0:38:49 > 0:38:53if we're going to struggle for paying the bills.
0:38:53 > 0:38:55With their savings now drastically depleted,
0:38:55 > 0:38:59it's looking like they won't be able to complete their dream project.
0:38:59 > 0:39:02It means just slowing down the pace slightly
0:39:02 > 0:39:05and perhaps holding back off some of the things.
0:39:05 > 0:39:07If we just spent everything that we had,
0:39:07 > 0:39:10there would be nothing left to live on.
0:39:18 > 0:39:21Back at Ronnie and Nicky's build in High Wycombe, the majority
0:39:21 > 0:39:25of the structural work is complete, but it's been a costly process.
0:39:25 > 0:39:28They've decided that to get the kitchen Nicky really wants,
0:39:28 > 0:39:31they will need to spend their contingency money.
0:39:31 > 0:39:34Things are going to be tight, and they still have to buy fixtures
0:39:34 > 0:39:37and fittings for their kitchen and bathroom, which can be costly.
0:39:41 > 0:39:44All the way through this, the money is a concern, to be honest.
0:39:44 > 0:39:48At the beginning, I was concerned that we'd end up with
0:39:48 > 0:39:51the house how we wanted it, but no kitchen or bathroom.
0:39:51 > 0:39:56We've reached a point now where I know we can fit them all...
0:39:56 > 0:39:58How close to finished they'll be,
0:39:58 > 0:40:00what standard the kitchen will be,
0:40:00 > 0:40:03that's all still a bit of a question.
0:40:03 > 0:40:07With so much work to do to finish and with their money running out,
0:40:07 > 0:40:11Nicky and Ronnie are in danger of being unable to complete the build.
0:40:11 > 0:40:14Nicky desperately wants to realise her dream kitchen.
0:40:14 > 0:40:17Piers has a bold solution which could give them
0:40:17 > 0:40:20quality without the cost.
0:40:20 > 0:40:23I just hope they are ready to open their minds.
0:40:25 > 0:40:28Today might be quite challenging because in a way,
0:40:28 > 0:40:32when you go into a bathroom showroom or a kitchen showroom,
0:40:32 > 0:40:37you're actually lulled into a sense of calm and serene safety.
0:40:37 > 0:40:41What I want to do now is find a way to encourage them
0:40:41 > 0:40:43to really think out of the box.
0:40:44 > 0:40:49So, we're in a bathroom showroom and I can feel my skin crawling
0:40:49 > 0:40:51because these places fill me with horror.
0:40:51 > 0:40:55What I want to do is take you out of here past all these - look,
0:40:55 > 0:40:5880 quid a pair, 60 quid a pair...
0:41:00 > 0:41:05So here are, I think, my favourite all-time bathroom fittings,
0:41:05 > 0:41:10and this is about the most perfectly formed tap you can buy.
0:41:10 > 0:41:15That should be in the Design Museum. That's three quid to you.
0:41:15 > 0:41:17Look at the quality of the milling on the inside of that tap
0:41:17 > 0:41:19and how nice that is.
0:41:19 > 0:41:22- Yeah.- That is a man thing!
0:41:22 > 0:41:25I also really like the fact that it's just not pretending to
0:41:25 > 0:41:28be glitzy or showy, it is what it is.
0:41:28 > 0:41:31When you shut that valve it has a nice positive feel.
0:41:31 > 0:41:35It's a bit like shutting a door on a really well-made car or something.
0:41:35 > 0:41:39- You do need to get out more, though.- I do! - LAUGHTER
0:41:39 > 0:41:41I do!
0:41:41 > 0:41:45Undeterred, Piers wants to convince them
0:41:45 > 0:41:48of the beauty of fittings usually hidden from view.
0:41:48 > 0:41:51I mean, this looks fantastic exposed.
0:41:51 > 0:41:55- So if you imagine that with that tap...- I'm not sure.
0:41:55 > 0:41:59- What works ready well... - Do you like it?- I love copper.
0:41:59 > 0:42:01I think copper is really...
0:42:01 > 0:42:05Copper and bronze, they are just warm-coloured metals.
0:42:05 > 0:42:09- It looks unfinished. - I don't think copper does.
0:42:09 > 0:42:13I don't know, it might look like the plumbers haven't
0:42:13 > 0:42:15kind of finished the job, know what I mean?
0:42:15 > 0:42:17There's two things there - one,
0:42:17 > 0:42:19I wouldn't worry what anyone else thinks, and two...
0:42:19 > 0:42:23But I do worry about what everybody else thinks!
0:42:23 > 0:42:26Well, we do all sorts of strange things with buildings now.
0:42:26 > 0:42:29If you go into any Victorian house almost anywhere in the country,
0:42:29 > 0:42:33the boards will be stripped and that's a strange phenomenon.
0:42:33 > 0:42:35Stripping boards,
0:42:35 > 0:42:38things that were typically covered up or concealed or painted
0:42:38 > 0:42:42and there's nothing to say how a house must look, or should look.
0:42:42 > 0:42:46Maybe I've lived too long in an MoD house and everything has been
0:42:46 > 0:42:50the same and now I don't know how to break out of that.
0:42:52 > 0:42:54It's been a little bit tricky at times.
0:42:54 > 0:42:56I've really felt her assistance.
0:42:56 > 0:42:58But I think it is a really important point,
0:42:58 > 0:43:02how do you go beyond what you know? How do you go beyond the obvious?
0:43:02 > 0:43:06How do you go beyond all the things you see in every normal showroom
0:43:06 > 0:43:07up and down the country?
0:43:07 > 0:43:11And that is what I've been trying to get them to embrace.
0:43:11 > 0:43:14I also want them to get excited by the unconventional,
0:43:14 > 0:43:18the extraordinary. And in a way, I really see that in Ronnie.
0:43:18 > 0:43:20And I have worked on Nicky.
0:43:20 > 0:43:23And I think that she's suspicious still,
0:43:23 > 0:43:26but I think she's part of the way there.
0:43:26 > 0:43:30- Doesn't that look fantastic? - Yeah, it looks quite...
0:43:30 > 0:43:34- Yeah, you're convincing me more, seeing it in the flesh.- Here you go.
0:43:34 > 0:43:39- Thank you. There's your tap! - Thanks, love!
0:43:39 > 0:43:43You know, it's opened my mind up to trying new materials
0:43:43 > 0:43:47and trying different things. Not just off-the-shelf, I suppose.
0:43:47 > 0:43:51Maybe using a bit of imagination to create stuff.
0:44:00 > 0:44:03Nigel had been working on the renovation of his bungalow
0:44:03 > 0:44:04alone for some time.
0:44:04 > 0:44:05But when he met Kim
0:44:05 > 0:44:08and they formed a new family unit it was clear that something had
0:44:08 > 0:44:11to be done about a house that didn't provide for their needs.
0:44:11 > 0:44:15Nigel and Kim had been stuck in their bungalow building site,
0:44:15 > 0:44:18desperate for a family space to escape the dust
0:44:18 > 0:44:21and chaos permeating every crevice of their home.
0:44:21 > 0:44:25Just two months ago they focused their energies on the task
0:44:25 > 0:44:27of remodelling their lounge.
0:44:27 > 0:44:29But with their savings dramatically drying up,
0:44:29 > 0:44:32their family sanctuary was in danger of never been finished.
0:44:32 > 0:44:36It's time for Piers and I to see how they got on.
0:44:36 > 0:44:38- Hi, Nigel. Hi, Kim.- Hiya. - How's it all been going?
0:44:38 > 0:44:41- How have you been getting on? - It's been going!
0:44:41 > 0:44:44- You've made some progress. - We've made some progress.
0:44:44 > 0:44:48- Nigel, how has it been for you? - Busy. I've been getting SOME sleep.
0:44:48 > 0:44:51It's moved on quite considerably. Want to come and have a look?
0:44:51 > 0:44:53I'm looking forward to seeing what you've done.
0:44:53 > 0:44:55- Come on, then.- Great.
0:44:55 > 0:44:59Previously, this junk-packed room was in complete chaos,
0:44:59 > 0:45:01with no ceiling, flooring,
0:45:01 > 0:45:04installation, wiring or central heating.
0:45:04 > 0:45:05It was a mammoth task,
0:45:05 > 0:45:09especially as Nigel was bravely tackling the whole job alone.
0:45:09 > 0:45:11Ah, look at this!
0:45:17 > 0:45:21- This is some transformation, I must say.- It's fantastic.
0:45:21 > 0:45:24It feels fresh, it feels bright, it feels completely different.
0:45:24 > 0:45:29- Well, it's a usable room! - Yes, it is.- No boxes.
0:45:31 > 0:45:33You're not quite finished, but you're in a state
0:45:33 > 0:45:37where you can start to see this as a usable family space.
0:45:37 > 0:45:39It's slow but sure, but it's coming together.
0:45:39 > 0:45:41It is a living room for the house.
0:45:41 > 0:45:46The once cut-off, abandoned room has been cleverly connected to
0:45:46 > 0:45:48the heart of the home by opening up the wall,
0:45:48 > 0:45:50creating a through flow of space.
0:45:51 > 0:45:54Being able to see from one corner of the house to the other is great.
0:45:54 > 0:45:57But it's also really nice getting the light from there into here.
0:45:57 > 0:45:59You can sit here with a view of the garden that way,
0:45:59 > 0:46:01you've got one that way.
0:46:01 > 0:46:02It feels right, yeah.
0:46:04 > 0:46:07Nigel and Kim went with Piers's advice to keep the fireplace
0:46:07 > 0:46:10in the centre of the building as an important focal point.
0:46:10 > 0:46:14And now finished, its curved backdrop is a dramatic
0:46:14 > 0:46:18and eye-catching feature with its bold steel mantelpiece.
0:46:19 > 0:46:21I think your fireplace is very nice
0:46:21 > 0:46:25and I like the way you actually circulate around it.
0:46:25 > 0:46:28It just helps make this series of rooms not just a series of boxes,
0:46:28 > 0:46:31but actually a series of lovely spaces.
0:46:31 > 0:46:34- I also really like this mantelpiece. - It's a beautiful fireplace.
0:46:34 > 0:46:38Kim and Nigel had a budget of £7,000, but with their fireplace
0:46:38 > 0:46:42eating up nearly three grand of this, how have their funds survived?
0:46:42 > 0:46:45What was your budget for this work and how much have you spent?
0:46:45 > 0:46:46It was 7,000.
0:46:46 > 0:46:48We've spent five.
0:46:49 > 0:46:52We haven't spent money on the patio doors.
0:46:52 > 0:46:55The joiners that you took us to, we loved what they did
0:46:55 > 0:46:58and we are going to get them to make those doors.
0:46:58 > 0:47:01- Yeah.- It'll be great. - We definitely want to do that.
0:47:01 > 0:47:03By doing all of the work himself,
0:47:03 > 0:47:06Nigel has been able to make incredible savings.
0:47:06 > 0:47:10And with £2,000 left to decorate and finish this room,
0:47:10 > 0:47:14they have money to commission those chunky timber external doors.
0:47:15 > 0:47:19Finally having space to relax in has cleared Nigel
0:47:19 > 0:47:23and Kim's minds and they are ready to think about what to do next.
0:47:23 > 0:47:26Even though the materials here are unfinished, you don't need to
0:47:26 > 0:47:30- do much more. You can just paint it and move in, really.- We could.
0:47:30 > 0:47:32- I'd like a finished room. - Yes, I can see that.
0:47:32 > 0:47:35I can see at all costs you will get a finished room.
0:47:35 > 0:47:37We will have a finished room, yes!
0:47:40 > 0:47:43Piers has made a lot of suggestions which have been great,
0:47:43 > 0:47:45but also we know what we were trying to achieve.
0:47:45 > 0:47:49And it's made us make the decision about what we don't want,
0:47:49 > 0:47:52which is just as valid and just as important as what we do want.
0:47:54 > 0:47:56The simple move which Nigel and Kim did
0:47:56 > 0:48:00was to open up the heart of the house with a big opening,
0:48:00 > 0:48:03and what that means is there feels a natural inevitability to
0:48:03 > 0:48:06the way those spaces flow together, and I think that's really good.
0:48:08 > 0:48:11Nigel and Kim may have yet to complete their build,
0:48:11 > 0:48:13but it's a fantastic result.
0:48:14 > 0:48:18And this was always going to be about more than just architecture.
0:48:19 > 0:48:22This was about creating a space where their new family unit
0:48:22 > 0:48:23could come together.
0:48:23 > 0:48:26And I think in the lounge room now you begin to see that space
0:48:26 > 0:48:27taking shape.
0:48:27 > 0:48:30It has beautiful light, a fancy fireplace
0:48:30 > 0:48:31and a connection to the rest of the house.
0:48:31 > 0:48:34This is going to be a really good sanctuary for that family
0:48:34 > 0:48:35into the future.
0:48:43 > 0:48:47Back at Ronnie and Nicky's, it's four months since the build began.
0:48:47 > 0:48:51The plastering is in progress and the insulation's going in,
0:48:51 > 0:48:53and the money has all but run out.
0:48:55 > 0:48:59Ronnie is trying to save on costs, so he's decided to single-handedly
0:48:59 > 0:49:02fit underfloor heating throughout the whole of their home.
0:49:02 > 0:49:05But he's never tackled a job like this before.
0:49:07 > 0:49:09So that's four metres...
0:49:09 > 0:49:12I've got about 1,000 metres to lay.
0:49:13 > 0:49:15What am I doing?!
0:49:16 > 0:49:20He soon realises, though, it's a far bigger job than he thought.
0:49:20 > 0:49:24It's become apparent this isn't a one-weekend job,
0:49:24 > 0:49:29this is an every-night-for-at-least two-weeks job.
0:49:29 > 0:49:33After weeks living in cramped conditions in a caravan,
0:49:33 > 0:49:35NIcky is looking forward to finally moving out.
0:49:35 > 0:49:38It's a lot of packet food at the moment.
0:49:38 > 0:49:42You know, I don't feel that we are living very healthily.
0:49:42 > 0:49:46The other day I was just thinking I was looking forward to
0:49:46 > 0:49:47being in my own bed.
0:49:47 > 0:49:50A proper toilet, that would be nice.
0:49:50 > 0:49:53I'm too old for living in a caravan at my age.
0:49:55 > 0:49:57Ronnie will need to pay a trained plumber to connect
0:49:57 > 0:49:59the underfloor heating to the main system,
0:49:59 > 0:50:04but he's making a £2,000 saving by labouring himself.
0:50:04 > 0:50:07It's not a simple task, though, and he's having to work
0:50:07 > 0:50:10long into the night after a hard day's work to get the job done.
0:50:10 > 0:50:15I really wish I could pay someone else to do it, to be quite honest.
0:50:15 > 0:50:19And this novice's job has been made trickier by Piers's angled corridor.
0:50:19 > 0:50:21Thanks, Piers, that was a great idea,
0:50:21 > 0:50:23having these lovely angled walls(!)
0:50:23 > 0:50:26It's created a nightmare for the underfloor heating.
0:50:29 > 0:50:32The pressure of sort of keeping it going,
0:50:32 > 0:50:35it's coming to the end of the line, really, now.
0:50:35 > 0:50:38And now we are both working in the house every night.
0:50:38 > 0:50:40We can't afford a decorator,
0:50:40 > 0:50:43so I'm doing that and Ronnie is doing the underfloor heating.
0:50:43 > 0:50:46So that's our life for the next few weeks.
0:50:52 > 0:50:55Having lived in basic military accommodation for nearly
0:50:55 > 0:50:5820 years, Ronnie and Nicky were late buying their first house.
0:50:58 > 0:51:01But having moved into their bungalow,
0:51:01 > 0:51:04they realised it wasn't the dream family home they had hoped for.
0:51:04 > 0:51:06Just 22 weeks ago,
0:51:06 > 0:51:09their bungalow was a rabbit warren of narrow corridors
0:51:09 > 0:51:14and poorly proportioned rooms, with a dark and windowless central core.
0:51:14 > 0:51:17A small and cramped kitchen meant the family had nowhere to gather
0:51:17 > 0:51:21and the pokey family bathroom was in the middle of the house
0:51:21 > 0:51:23directly facing the front door.
0:51:23 > 0:51:27Their idea was to remodel the entire house, but never having done
0:51:27 > 0:51:31anything like this before, their life savings were on the line.
0:51:31 > 0:51:33It's not been straightforward.
0:51:33 > 0:51:37A complete overhaul was needed and it's been a steep learning curve.
0:51:37 > 0:51:39We are back today to see the end result.
0:51:39 > 0:51:41- Hi, guys.- Hey, guys.
0:51:41 > 0:51:42- How are you doing?- Hi.
0:51:42 > 0:51:46- How are you?- Nice to see you. - How's it been going?
0:51:46 > 0:51:50- It's been so busy, hasn't it? - Yeah. We are absolutely worn out.
0:51:50 > 0:51:54- Have the results been worth it, though?- Yes, absolutely.
0:51:54 > 0:51:57It's been more than worth it. I can't actually believe it's our house.
0:51:57 > 0:52:00I can already see fundamental changes,
0:52:00 > 0:52:02because we are meeting outside your new front door.
0:52:02 > 0:52:05But I'm interested in how it's affected the layout of the house.
0:52:05 > 0:52:08- Absolutely.- Well, come on in. - Fantastic.
0:52:10 > 0:52:14- Look at this! Wow!- This is amazing.
0:52:17 > 0:52:20It's an incredible transformation.
0:52:22 > 0:52:25The thing I'm most excited about is that you're not faced with
0:52:25 > 0:52:28a toilet, as you were in your original layout.
0:52:29 > 0:52:33The fundamental problem with this bungalow was its dark centre.
0:52:33 > 0:52:35This has been completely eradicated
0:52:35 > 0:52:40and is now a wonderful connection of spaces, funnelling light throughout.
0:52:40 > 0:52:43A result of Piers's plan to remove hallways
0:52:43 > 0:52:45and dramatically angle walls.
0:52:46 > 0:52:49This angle is a subtle thing, but for me it works really well,
0:52:49 > 0:52:53because what it does is make this a generous hallway instead of just
0:52:53 > 0:52:57a corridor, and it leads you down into the bedroom area.
0:52:58 > 0:53:00The new entrance is now at the side of the house
0:53:00 > 0:53:04and the old front one is bricked up.
0:53:04 > 0:53:06By changing the whole layout,
0:53:06 > 0:53:09the enlarged bathroom is no longer an eyesore.
0:53:09 > 0:53:12- Wow! That's quite a difference. - This is much more generous.
0:53:12 > 0:53:17And in the process they saved thousands of pounds.
0:53:17 > 0:53:19We solved the light problem with a sun pipe.
0:53:19 > 0:53:21So it does get some natural light, which seemed
0:53:21 > 0:53:24so unlikely in the plans. But it is nice, yeah.
0:53:26 > 0:53:29And I can see, through your own resourcefulness,
0:53:29 > 0:53:31using unconventional supports for your sink.
0:53:31 > 0:53:34You inspired me to look at normal, everyday things and use them
0:53:34 > 0:53:37differently. They are becoming a feature of the house now.
0:53:37 > 0:53:40- I can tell you're proud of it, too. - He loves it!
0:53:42 > 0:53:45Before, their kitchen was awkward and confined,
0:53:45 > 0:53:48with rooms beyond which were never used.
0:53:48 > 0:53:51But they dreamt of that big family kitchen diner.
0:53:54 > 0:53:56Well, they finally got it.
0:54:01 > 0:54:05- This is fantastic in here! - It's a really beautiful space.
0:54:05 > 0:54:07It's so generous and so light
0:54:07 > 0:54:09because of this connection with the garden.
0:54:09 > 0:54:11It's just delightful, I think.
0:54:11 > 0:54:15Piers's open-plan design carries on to a contemporary, light
0:54:15 > 0:54:17and airy living room.
0:54:17 > 0:54:19This is a very coherent house.
0:54:19 > 0:54:21I can see to the end of the garden.
0:54:21 > 0:54:24I can see through your living room and I can see back down here.
0:54:24 > 0:54:27And that's why it feels so big and spacious.
0:54:27 > 0:54:31Everybody who visits thinks that we've built an extension
0:54:31 > 0:54:33because they think there is more space.
0:54:35 > 0:54:38Ronnie and Nicky have embraced Peirs's design inspiration
0:54:38 > 0:54:40with clever touches,
0:54:40 > 0:54:45such as adding wheels to create a flexible central island, making use
0:54:45 > 0:54:49of copper piping to fashion taps for the utility room.
0:54:50 > 0:54:54And creating a glass splashback echoing the colour of their jukebox.
0:54:56 > 0:54:58I think it fits really beautifully in there.
0:54:58 > 0:55:00It is still a conversation piece,
0:55:00 > 0:55:03but it somehow doesn't feel like it's theming the whole place.
0:55:03 > 0:55:06And nor does it dominate the whole room, which it did before.
0:55:09 > 0:55:11I really like the way you seem to have taken on board
0:55:11 > 0:55:14so much from this process.
0:55:14 > 0:55:17We've been able to choose what we want and what colours
0:55:17 > 0:55:19and how we want the kitchen.
0:55:19 > 0:55:21We wanted to make different things that suit us,
0:55:21 > 0:55:24so even if it's something we bought that we can adapt slightly -
0:55:24 > 0:55:27put wheels on, make it our own and make it do what we want from it.
0:55:27 > 0:55:33Ronnie has embraced your love of different kind of design!
0:55:33 > 0:55:36- But that's really impressive. - It's been quite a revelation for me.
0:55:39 > 0:55:44The kitchen eventually cost £4,500, which came out of a separate
0:55:44 > 0:55:48pot of money, but was nowhere near their original 12 grand quote.
0:55:48 > 0:55:50It's a brilliant result, but tell me
0:55:50 > 0:55:53if you've done it for the original budget you set for yourself.
0:55:53 > 0:55:56If you remember, our original budget was just over
0:55:56 > 0:56:0249,000 for the building work, but we've overspent by £180.
0:56:02 > 0:56:05That's not a bad overspend! Pretty impressive.
0:56:05 > 0:56:06That's pretty amazing,
0:56:06 > 0:56:09because this type of refurbishment costs around £800 or £900
0:56:09 > 0:56:13per square metre and you've done this for about half that.
0:56:13 > 0:56:15But it's not just about the numbers, is it?
0:56:15 > 0:56:17You've got the house you really wanted.
0:56:17 > 0:56:20Yeah, I'm completely thrilled with how you've tackled this job
0:56:20 > 0:56:22and completely transformed your attitude
0:56:22 > 0:56:24to design in the process and with a brilliant result.
0:56:29 > 0:56:33After years without a house to call their own, Ronnie and Nicky
0:56:33 > 0:56:37finally have their perfect home to enjoy with family and friends.
0:56:37 > 0:56:39Come on in!
0:56:39 > 0:56:40Oh, it looks amazing!
0:56:40 > 0:56:43ALL EXCLAIM
0:56:43 > 0:56:46Ronnie and Nicky have done something amazing here, because
0:56:46 > 0:56:49they took the bull by the horns and transformed this building.
0:56:49 > 0:56:50They really ripped the heart out of it
0:56:50 > 0:56:53and put it back together again in a much better way.
0:56:53 > 0:56:56And they've done it through being really clever
0:56:56 > 0:57:00- and really resourceful.- It's been such a lot of work, hasn't it?
0:57:00 > 0:57:03But we've got the sort of family home we wanted. I'm so pleased.
0:57:03 > 0:57:06- I couldn't be happier with it. - Yeah, I'm all emotional.
0:57:08 > 0:57:10We've finally got our dream, haven't we?
0:57:10 > 0:57:14Yeah, we got the home we wanted and a lovely area and great friends.
0:57:14 > 0:57:16You're getting emotional, aren't you?
0:57:16 > 0:57:19I think it's fantastic that they just...
0:57:19 > 0:57:21Don't you start cos you'll set me off!
0:57:27 > 0:57:30What sets this project apart, though, is how Ronnie and Nicky
0:57:30 > 0:57:33have embraced a whole new way of thinking about interior design.
0:57:33 > 0:57:35It no longer feels like they are camping here
0:57:35 > 0:57:36as if it were a rental property.
0:57:36 > 0:57:39It feels like they've thought about how they want to live
0:57:39 > 0:57:41and oriented the spaces around that.
0:57:41 > 0:57:43The result is a beautiful place where their family can share
0:57:43 > 0:57:46meals, relax together, cook and enjoy the outside.
0:57:46 > 0:57:49I think it's a great result and I'm proud of them.
0:57:56 > 0:57:59Next week, Mikyla is facing an enormous challenge,
0:57:59 > 0:58:02needing to make more space for her children...
0:58:02 > 0:58:06- We're all under each other's feet. - ..and her new partner.
0:58:06 > 0:58:09It's becoming more and more apparent it's a problem.
0:58:09 > 0:58:11And Rita is stuck in a design dead-end,
0:58:11 > 0:58:15desperate to escape her kitchen disaster.
0:58:15 > 0:58:19The kitchen is dilapidated, it's ugly...
0:58:19 > 0:58:23But with only £3,000, she's going to have to take some big risks.
0:58:23 > 0:58:25People in a New York loft will pay good money
0:58:25 > 0:58:27- to have a floor like that.- Yes!