0:00:02 > 0:00:05Last year, Piers Taylor and me, Kieran Long,
0:00:05 > 0:00:09brought ingenious architectural tricks and innovative design
0:00:09 > 0:00:13to people building their own home from scratch
0:00:13 > 0:00:15for less than £100,000.
0:00:15 > 0:00:16Come on, baby.
0:00:16 > 0:00:18How much money have you got left?
0:00:18 > 0:00:20Let's see.
0:00:20 > 0:00:24This year we're bringing our £100K House experience to people
0:00:24 > 0:00:26that own a home already...
0:00:26 > 0:00:27It's dilapidated,
0:00:27 > 0:00:29it's...a dump.
0:00:29 > 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 > 0:00:46- What you want really is exactly what this place provides.- Yeah.
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, really.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55But with their life savings at stake...
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 always wanted,
0:01:03 > 0:01:05but believed they could never have?
0:01:07 > 0:01:09This better fit.
0:01:16 > 0:01:20Tonight, two owners stumped for solutions to big problems.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24Rita's kitchen needs a total overhaul.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27The kitchen is dilapidated, it's ugly.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29But with only three grand to spend,
0:01:29 > 0:01:32will she be willing to work with what she's got?
0:01:32 > 0:01:35People in a New York loft would pay good money for a floor like that.
0:01:35 > 0:01:36Yes?!
0:01:36 > 0:01:40And another tight budget needs to transform Mikyla's
0:01:40 > 0:01:43overcrowded house so that it works for her kids...
0:01:43 > 0:01:45We're all under each other's feet.
0:01:45 > 0:01:47..plus her new partner.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50It's becoming more and more apparent it's a problem.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00Ten years ago divorced mum of two Mikyla
0:02:00 > 0:02:04bought a damp and dilapidated three-bed semi in Harrogate.
0:02:05 > 0:02:09Her hard work and determination transformed it into a family home
0:02:09 > 0:02:13for her and her children, Miles and Jasmyn.
0:02:14 > 0:02:19Money's been really tight and every penny has gone into either floors,
0:02:19 > 0:02:22carpets, re-plastering,
0:02:22 > 0:02:26and the poor children had to spend about four months with no floors downstairs,
0:02:26 > 0:02:28living on microwave meals
0:02:28 > 0:02:30for a period of time until the cooker got fitted.
0:02:33 > 0:02:35With the house completed in her own unique style,
0:02:35 > 0:02:39a new chapter of her life began when she found love with Steve.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44We used to work together and then were friends for about two years.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47We're into the same things as well.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50We're both kind of arty and Mikyla's a free spirit.
0:02:50 > 0:02:52- Aren't we? - Yeah, I think so, definitely.
0:02:55 > 0:02:56Musician Steve moved in.
0:02:58 > 0:03:02The house, fit for three, is now bursting at the seams.
0:03:02 > 0:03:04I think you grow with your space
0:03:04 > 0:03:08and it's been a family of three for, like, ten years
0:03:08 > 0:03:11so we've got used to the space, we've spread out,
0:03:11 > 0:03:14and now it's difficult to condense that
0:03:14 > 0:03:17so that someone else's stuff can come in.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22The heart of the home is their cramped middle room.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25It's like a dining room, a family living room,
0:03:25 > 0:03:31a practice room for Steve, a jack-of-all-trades room, really.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34And her retro diner-style kitchen
0:03:34 > 0:03:36has definitely taken its last orders.
0:03:36 > 0:03:39It's very short on work surface space.
0:03:39 > 0:03:41If there's two of us in the kitchen,
0:03:41 > 0:03:45it's quite cramped. There's no floor space. It's very difficult.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49It's clear that this house was designed for a different time
0:03:49 > 0:03:52in Mikyla's life.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55It's difficult for Steve moving into a house that I've done
0:03:55 > 0:03:59to my taste, so I would like to make it more his home.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01But obviously it's my kids' home too
0:04:01 > 0:04:05and I don't want to just turf some of their stuff out.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11Rising property prices in their area means that, like many of us,
0:04:11 > 0:04:14Mikyla and Steve cannot afford to move,
0:04:14 > 0:04:18so their only option is to transform the house they have.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21We can't overrun. One shot, that's it.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26By combining their savings and getting a loan,
0:04:26 > 0:04:29the couple have scraped together £11,500
0:04:29 > 0:04:32to cover all the work they think they need.
0:04:33 > 0:04:38It's quite a big gamble, isn't it, really? But it's an investment
0:04:38 > 0:04:42in us living here for a long period of time, that's the thing.
0:04:44 > 0:04:45Making this home work for them
0:04:45 > 0:04:49as a family is vital for Mikyla and Steve.
0:04:49 > 0:04:53The trouble is they have no idea how to do it on their tight budget.
0:04:57 > 0:04:58- Hi, Mikyla.- Nice to meet you.
0:04:58 > 0:05:00- Hello, Steve.- Come through.
0:05:00 > 0:05:04Thanks very much. This is a nice, cosy hallway.
0:05:04 > 0:05:06That's a nice way of putting it.
0:05:07 > 0:05:09Built at the turn of the 20th century,
0:05:09 > 0:05:14these houses were originally for skilled manual workers.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17Like many houses of this age, they're long and thin,
0:05:17 > 0:05:22with rooms functioning as corridors and limited options to extend.
0:05:25 > 0:05:29So this is dining room-cum- second living room.
0:05:29 > 0:05:30This is where we always eat,
0:05:30 > 0:05:33we watch TV and spend a lot of time.
0:05:33 > 0:05:35It's quite a cramped room, isn't it?
0:05:35 > 0:05:38- Definitely.- For performing all of those tasks.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41Rather than an area to relax in,
0:05:41 > 0:05:44the most used part of this home is the most chaotic.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47This really has to work better, doesn't it?
0:05:47 > 0:05:49Much better, yes, definitely.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52Show me the kitchen. Let's have a look in there.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55This is my favourite room. It's a very '50 style
0:05:55 > 0:05:58- and I absolutely love it.- I can see you love colour, you love neon,
0:05:58 > 0:06:00the pop culture of this era.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03- It's a good job I like it!- Yeah! - No, I do quite like it.
0:06:07 > 0:06:11It may be cute, but it doesn't fit their needs.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14If I'm making tea and Miles is getting cereal out of the cupboard
0:06:14 > 0:06:17and going backwards and forwards to the table,
0:06:17 > 0:06:19it's all very congested.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22- Does it cause stress, does it cause conflict?- Sure, yeah,
0:06:22 > 0:06:24it can get a bit hectic in here.
0:06:24 > 0:06:26I wish it was just slightly bigger
0:06:26 > 0:06:29because I think it's quite a heart of a house.
0:06:30 > 0:06:33If this new family wants its house to work long term,
0:06:33 > 0:06:36the 11.5 grand budget is going to have to transform
0:06:36 > 0:06:40chaotic spaces into usable ones.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47With no contingency and no chance of moving,
0:06:47 > 0:06:50Mikyla and Steve have one shot at getting this right.
0:06:56 > 0:07:00I think there's lots we could do here, Piers, but I'm really concerned.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03For £11,500 it's just not enough to reconfigure a whole family house.
0:07:03 > 0:07:07There's a tough call to make and I suspect they can't have it all.
0:07:07 > 0:07:09My instinct is that
0:07:09 > 0:07:11here's a family that's coming together for the first time
0:07:11 > 0:07:13as a new unit, and where do they hang out?
0:07:13 > 0:07:15Where is their family space?
0:07:15 > 0:07:19Where is the space they can sit in and dine together?
0:07:19 > 0:07:22If they're really clever with structure they may be able to extend.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26The middle room and its connected kitchen
0:07:26 > 0:07:29are the key problem areas in this house.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32Currently used as a dining and family room,
0:07:32 > 0:07:34the central space is also a corridor
0:07:34 > 0:07:37into the kitchen, which limits its usefulness.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42I think really what we need to do is really unlock
0:07:42 > 0:07:45this space for them so it's genuinely usable and communal.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50Piers heads to Harrogate determined to find a way to give Mikyla
0:07:50 > 0:07:53and Steve the family space they crave.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57I am feeling anxious because I know what it's like.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00I've been in a similar position to Mikyla and Steve.
0:08:00 > 0:08:02I've been married twice.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05I've had my new partner coming to a situation where there are
0:08:05 > 0:08:08existing children and the dynamic is going to change completely.
0:08:08 > 0:08:12- Hi, Mikyla.- Hi.- How are you doing? - Good, thanks. Nice to meet you.
0:08:14 > 0:08:15It's really important that
0:08:15 > 0:08:20I balance what's possible with making the house better for them.
0:08:20 > 0:08:24This is the one we probably use most, this room and the kitchen.
0:08:24 > 0:08:28It's immediately obvious to Piers that the solution can't be
0:08:28 > 0:08:31provided within the existing structure of the house.
0:08:32 > 0:08:37So, I guess my initial feeling is this is a space you can
0:08:37 > 0:08:39incorporate into the kitchen.
0:08:39 > 0:08:43You take this wall out and you put a roof on with lots of roof lights
0:08:43 > 0:08:45and doors that open up completely.
0:08:45 > 0:08:47Take the window out
0:08:47 > 0:08:50and be able to walk from that space straight into here.
0:08:50 > 0:08:52Yeah, and out into the garden.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56And it solves a problem, which is that this area is a pinch point.
0:08:56 > 0:08:57There are four of you
0:08:57 > 0:09:00and you're using the smallest room for everything.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03You're eating in there, you're sitting in there,
0:09:03 > 0:09:06and this is only a space you can use when the weather is good.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09- I'd say we use that space more than that space.- Yeah.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16Piers wants to show the couple that it's worth sacrificing
0:09:16 > 0:09:20part of their garden to create a home that works for the family.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23So that's the kind of footprint of the building.
0:09:23 > 0:09:25We're suggesting you build an extension that is
0:09:25 > 0:09:27there, basically.
0:09:28 > 0:09:33You cut there and effectively the table moves out here.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38Then you cut out that amount of space, introduce a standard lintel
0:09:38 > 0:09:43between there and then you have one big kitchen dining room.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46It gives you a way of using these spaces effectively.
0:09:46 > 0:09:51The average extension costs in excess of £20,000.
0:09:51 > 0:09:53The couple have barely half of that.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55Will they feel it's worth the risk?
0:09:55 > 0:09:58I think it's quite hard to visualise how it's going to look
0:09:58 > 0:10:01because I still feel it's going to feel like three rooms, really.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04And the gardens aren't huge in these houses.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07Not that I use my garden all the time,
0:10:07 > 0:10:11but I don't know whether it's going to work for us.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16They have some tough decisions to make.
0:10:17 > 0:10:20This is the space we'd have.
0:10:20 > 0:10:25- Right.- But that gets the sun all the time and this gets no sun at all.- Yeah.
0:10:25 > 0:10:27When you've got a budget, you've got to prioritise.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30They've got to sort out the circulation downstairs
0:10:30 > 0:10:33and the living space downstairs before they do anything else.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35I still am struggling to visualise,
0:10:35 > 0:10:38because it looks like a very small space out there,
0:10:38 > 0:10:40how much space we're going to get.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42I think the idea's good in principle,
0:10:42 > 0:10:45it's whether it's going to give us enough room.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50With Mikyla worried about losing an already limited garden,
0:10:50 > 0:10:53this build might fall at the very first hurdle.
0:11:00 > 0:11:04Our second property predicament is in Birmingham.
0:11:04 > 0:11:0664-year-old charity worker Rita
0:11:06 > 0:11:11has spent the last six years making her Edwardian terrace perfect.
0:11:15 > 0:11:17The first thing I did was the living room
0:11:17 > 0:11:21and I knocked two rooms into one, we decorated, did the floors,
0:11:21 > 0:11:26knocked down the chimney stack and installed a fireplace.
0:11:27 > 0:11:29Sat back then, had a bit of a rest.
0:11:31 > 0:11:35But there's one room that's hard to believe is even in the same house.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45The kitchen is a sort of sick colour.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47It's dark, it's dingy,
0:11:47 > 0:11:49not good.
0:11:49 > 0:11:51The cabinets are total rubbish.
0:11:51 > 0:11:52They're falling apart.
0:11:52 > 0:11:56It's dilapidated, it's ugly,
0:11:56 > 0:11:58it's...a dump.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02When I look at other places in the house
0:12:02 > 0:12:05I've known what I wanted to do.
0:12:05 > 0:12:09When I look at the kitchen, I'm foxed.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12And it's not only ideas that Rita's short of.
0:12:13 > 0:12:17I've got about three grand to spend on the kitchen,
0:12:17 > 0:12:19which I think is a bit tight.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24An average spend on a standard fitted kitchen
0:12:24 > 0:12:26is upwards of £8,000.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29Rita has only £3,000 plus a bit of contingency,
0:12:29 > 0:12:32so can only afford the cheapest of kitchens.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34But they don't inspire her.
0:12:34 > 0:12:38The kitchens that I can afford I don't really like.
0:12:38 > 0:12:43I resent spending thousands of pounds on something
0:12:43 > 0:12:46that I don't like and doesn't give me any pleasure.
0:12:49 > 0:12:53With Piers on his way, Rita is imagining what he might suggest.
0:12:53 > 0:12:57What wouldn't I like?
0:12:57 > 0:13:01A lot of poured concrete, probably,
0:13:01 > 0:13:04but I don't think an architect would stray into that.
0:13:06 > 0:13:10So Piers's challenge is to make this kitchen nightmare
0:13:10 > 0:13:12fit with the rest of Rita's beautiful home.
0:13:13 > 0:13:18I've got to do something and I need a bit of help.
0:13:18 > 0:13:22- Hi, Rita.- Oh, hi, Piers. - Nice to meet you.- Good to meet you.
0:13:22 > 0:13:24- This is nice.- Yes, it is.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27- It needs restoring, but... - I quite like it as it is, actually.
0:13:27 > 0:13:30- Do you really?- I think things get over restored.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33There's this notion that everything needs to be spick and span.
0:13:33 > 0:13:38- I like things that do have character.- Oh!
0:13:40 > 0:13:41For inspiration,
0:13:41 > 0:13:45Piers is keen to take the idea of a kitchen back to first principles.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49Historically, a kitchen was a table in the middle.
0:13:49 > 0:13:53- That's where they prepared food. - Victorian kitchens.- Absolutely, yeah.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56And now we have this space where we are supposed to do all that.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59I think we need to get away from the whole notion that kitchens are
0:13:59 > 0:14:03this wide, this deep, and the same proportions, you know.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05That's what's been bedevilling me.
0:14:07 > 0:14:11Piers believes the key to this kitchen is a bold bespoke design.
0:14:11 > 0:14:15What about rethinking this whole space? That actually you got
0:14:15 > 0:14:18rid of everything here and you just went back
0:14:18 > 0:14:22and made beautiful islands that had space to walk around it,
0:14:22 > 0:14:25but in that had a cooker and a sink
0:14:25 > 0:14:30and underneath had cupboards for all your stuff.
0:14:30 > 0:14:34I like freestanding kitchens, but I couldn't think how it would work.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39But in order to achieve it on a budget, Rita is going to have
0:14:39 > 0:14:40to take some risks.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46What's under here? What's under this floor?
0:14:46 > 0:14:47It's concrete.
0:14:47 > 0:14:51- And how do you feel about concrete? - I'm not fond of concrete, no.
0:14:51 > 0:14:55What's interesting about concrete is that it has a very bad reputation,
0:14:55 > 0:14:58whereas in fact, that's a nice colour.
0:14:58 > 0:15:01People in a New York loft pay good money to have a floor like that.
0:15:01 > 0:15:03Yes?!
0:15:03 > 0:15:06It needs a sand, it needs a seal,
0:15:06 > 0:15:09but it does go an amazing almost duck egg blue.
0:15:09 > 0:15:11It's really lovely. Really lovely.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17Ditching the vinyl to reveal the concrete floor,
0:15:17 > 0:15:20Piers has ingeniously uncovered the basis for a cost-effective,
0:15:20 > 0:15:22contemporary kitchen.
0:15:22 > 0:15:26Yeah, he's come in and torn up the rule book, really.
0:15:28 > 0:15:30Having never considered concrete,
0:15:30 > 0:15:32Piers needs to show Rita how it could work.
0:15:35 > 0:15:39The great thing about concrete of course is that it can be any shape.
0:15:39 > 0:15:43And it actually is incredibly cheap to make a really durable worktop.
0:15:43 > 0:15:46I like the idea of an irregular,
0:15:46 > 0:15:48flowing shape.
0:15:48 > 0:15:52Still not quite sure about concrete everywhere.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56Piers's design is daring and should be affordable,
0:15:56 > 0:15:58but will Rita go for it?
0:15:58 > 0:16:02Part of me still feels a certain amount of trepidation.
0:16:02 > 0:16:06I'd like to see the materials and how they look.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09Piers is passionate that Rita takes the plunge
0:16:09 > 0:16:11and accepts his radical proposal.
0:16:16 > 0:16:20My job now is to make sure she can actually do this.
0:16:20 > 0:16:21And not just for her.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24I want to show that anyone up and down the street can do this.
0:16:24 > 0:16:26So this has to be a lesson
0:16:26 > 0:16:29on how to do a really good kitchen on a budget.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39Back in Harrogate, Mikyla and Steve are still wrestling
0:16:39 > 0:16:42with Piers's idea of transforming the back of their house.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47I think expanding the space here will bring us
0:16:47 > 0:16:49together more as a family unit,
0:16:49 > 0:16:51but the only reservation I have,
0:16:51 > 0:16:55it's very hard to visualise how much space we're going to gain,
0:16:55 > 0:16:58because when you look out there
0:16:58 > 0:17:00at what is a patio at the moment, it doesn't look much.
0:17:03 > 0:17:04It's a common worry,
0:17:04 > 0:17:08but properly executed, an extension can transform a home.
0:17:09 > 0:17:13People build extensions simply because they need more space,
0:17:13 > 0:17:17but also because most of the housing stock of the UK looks something like this.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19They are quite narrow houses. You can't go sideways
0:17:19 > 0:17:22because you're in someone else's garden, and you can't go up
0:17:22 > 0:17:25except into the loft, so the only option is to go backwards.
0:17:26 > 0:17:30To make a successful extension, like this one in Greater Manchester,
0:17:30 > 0:17:35it's crucial not just to make more space, but to define its use.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38These steps down into the dining area really help to define
0:17:38 > 0:17:42a space that is expressly for dining, that's all it's really for.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45There's a beautiful view out onto the garden. It's lit from above.
0:17:45 > 0:17:47It's a lovely area.
0:17:47 > 0:17:51Even in larger extensions like this, maximising the space is key.
0:17:51 > 0:17:55Integrating features like this bench allow the designer to make use
0:17:55 > 0:17:58of every last millimetre.
0:17:59 > 0:18:03The glassy extension is almost like a cliche of contemporary architecture,
0:18:03 > 0:18:06and you can see why when you stand in a beautiful space like this.
0:18:06 > 0:18:11With skylights and windows oriented in different directions,
0:18:11 > 0:18:15this extension is flooded with light and connected with the outside.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19One of the things this building does really well is create a clear
0:18:19 > 0:18:22pathway from front to back of the house.
0:18:22 > 0:18:26It brings materials through, it brings you through to this light-filled space.
0:18:26 > 0:18:28For Mikyla and Steve, that's a real challenge.
0:18:28 > 0:18:30They've got this grim little corridor
0:18:30 > 0:18:34and they are constantly having to walk through the dining room to get to the back of the house.
0:18:34 > 0:18:36Solving that problem of circulation
0:18:36 > 0:18:38is going to be really critical and a real challenge for them.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53Four weeks later, Mikyla and Steve have bitten the bullet
0:18:53 > 0:18:56and decided to go with Piers's plan for an extension.
0:18:58 > 0:19:00It will slope up like that.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04Piers's vision for Steve and Mikyla's home
0:19:04 > 0:19:07is to create a flat-roofed extension
0:19:07 > 0:19:11over the current patio. The whole rear of the house will become
0:19:11 > 0:19:16open plan, with different zones for cooking, eating and lounging.
0:19:18 > 0:19:20Multiple openings will solve the problems with flow
0:19:20 > 0:19:24and the sleek jewel-like design will be a beautiful addition
0:19:24 > 0:19:26to the remaining garden.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31Piers firmly believes that in the right hands,
0:19:31 > 0:19:35all this can be delivered within the couple's 11.5k budget.
0:19:37 > 0:19:40Today, I need to make sure there are no misunderstandings,
0:19:40 > 0:19:44because I suspect the first conversation with the builder will be
0:19:44 > 0:19:47that it can't be done with their budget, this is going to cost more.
0:19:47 > 0:19:49So the critical way is to find a way it can be done.
0:19:52 > 0:19:54Hi there, how're you doing?
0:19:54 > 0:19:59My thought is to have a sloping roof because it's a cheaper option.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02I mean, the point of a flat roof was that it would be
0:20:02 > 0:20:05a kind of jewel-like thing that was very different from
0:20:05 > 0:20:07the rest of the house. We're using an EPDM,
0:20:07 > 0:20:11solvent-welded membrane that just goes over the whole thing.
0:20:11 > 0:20:15EPDM is an extremely durable synthetic rubber roofing membrane.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18It's popular with architects because it's versatile
0:20:18 > 0:20:21and can be made into interesting shapes.
0:20:21 > 0:20:23I'd rather use the products I use day in, day out,
0:20:23 > 0:20:26rather than use DPM that I've never used before.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29I think in a way that is the problem, though.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32You're only going to do what you've already done.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34It's a classic dilemma -
0:20:34 > 0:20:37builders' desire to use tried and tested methods
0:20:37 > 0:20:40versus architects pushing boundaries.
0:20:40 > 0:20:45When the budget's tight, cost often becomes the decisive factor.
0:20:45 > 0:20:50- How much is a metre of tiles?- 8.99. If that.- You've got tiles in here,
0:20:50 > 0:20:54felt lats. It's a cheaper option than...
0:20:54 > 0:20:57It's not just the roof that's in question.
0:20:57 > 0:21:01Piers' idea of a free-flowing, open-plan space also needs
0:21:01 > 0:21:04large openings in the existing walls.
0:21:07 > 0:21:09I suppose I felt to make this one room you'd actually
0:21:09 > 0:21:14lose all of that, so this was a complete walkthrough to the kitchen.
0:21:14 > 0:21:16It's just the structural integrity.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19I would like to build up here, the wall.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22I worry that if you build that up, you know,
0:21:22 > 0:21:24it's not really going to be one space.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27That can act as a column and it's supported there
0:21:27 > 0:21:30and that beam can just continue right the way across.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33Piers' solution is a longer lintel that spans
0:21:33 > 0:21:35the length of the kitchen wall.
0:21:35 > 0:21:40Without it, the space created could be cramped and less functional.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43My only concern with that is when it comes down to building control.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46Building control will be happy if it works structurally.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48I mean, you need to chip in here, guys. It's your project.
0:21:48 > 0:21:50I do like the idea that Piers is saying
0:21:50 > 0:21:53of having the whole thing open. If we block it all off it's going to be
0:21:53 > 0:21:56like this separate room issue again, isn't it?
0:21:56 > 0:22:00For this build to succeed the couple need to take control,
0:22:00 > 0:22:05so it's great to see Steve fighting for the integrity of the design.
0:22:05 > 0:22:09But there is still one huge stumbling block.
0:22:09 > 0:22:11So what about budget? How much is that going to cost?
0:22:13 > 0:22:16It's a small budget and if you feel that...
0:22:16 > 0:22:20It's pulling it to the tight budget. It is a tight budget.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25Builders will try and do what's perhaps the most straightforward.
0:22:25 > 0:22:29Initially I was hung on to this idea of making this incredibly beautiful,
0:22:29 > 0:22:32bright, glowing lantern here. But actually I realised that I needed
0:22:32 > 0:22:35to let go. The project would never happen if I hung on to that,
0:22:35 > 0:22:38because Mikyla and Steve aren't experienced enough to know
0:22:38 > 0:22:40how to go about that project on their own.
0:22:45 > 0:22:49Despite uncertainty around cost, and no final design,
0:22:49 > 0:22:51the builders start work.
0:22:51 > 0:22:55Any significant work that we do to our homes must be approved
0:22:55 > 0:22:58and signed off by building control.
0:22:58 > 0:23:03I think it's really exciting that the work's suddenly started coming along.
0:23:04 > 0:23:08I'm not sure how it's going to be when I start my new job next week.
0:23:08 > 0:23:12But, you know, Dan and Mick know what they're doing, so, you know,
0:23:12 > 0:23:15they'll just have the free run of the house for whatever they need to do.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18But it's going to be interesting coming in every night
0:23:18 > 0:23:19and seeing it being further on.
0:23:21 > 0:23:23With no-one around to make the decisions,
0:23:23 > 0:23:27Dan and Mick are moving forward with the build and the design.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31Since Piers was last here the main change we've come up with
0:23:31 > 0:23:34is the two unused outbuildings, we're going to try and incorporate
0:23:34 > 0:23:37to a room for Steve to have a producing studio of his own.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40Hopefully Piers will like the changes. I know it's not
0:23:40 > 0:23:43to his exact plan but it's giving them an extra space.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48Adding this extra room is hugely ambitious
0:23:48 > 0:23:50on an already tight budget.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53The danger is Mikyla and Steve could run out of money
0:23:53 > 0:23:55before the project is complete.
0:23:55 > 0:23:59When they said they could open up and turn the outhouse into a studio,
0:23:59 > 0:24:02I think that was a bit, "Are you sure you can do that for the price?"
0:24:08 > 0:24:12Back in Birmingham, Rita is keen to get cracking with her kitchen
0:24:12 > 0:24:17and has contracted local builder Martin to start clearing the site.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20I'm going to take a photograph just so I can remind myself
0:24:20 > 0:24:23how horrible it was.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26Goodbye, old kitchen. On with the new.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30Rita's still not convinced that adding a contemporary
0:24:30 > 0:24:34concrete kitchen to her Edwardian house is the answer.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37I want to prove by being brave with the materials she chooses,
0:24:37 > 0:24:41she could add her own stamp to her period property.
0:24:41 > 0:24:44I've come to see a project today where a young architect has been
0:24:44 > 0:24:47completely fearless. With a palette of modern materials he's added
0:24:47 > 0:24:49something amazing to the back of a period house.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56Architect Simon Astridge has created this kitchen
0:24:56 > 0:24:58with just four materials -
0:24:58 > 0:25:03concrete, plywood, brickwork and stone.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09In terms of materials, of course the most striking thing is this
0:25:09 > 0:25:10extraordinary concrete wall.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13This is the structure of the building, it's holding up the roof.
0:25:13 > 0:25:16But it's also unfinished and allowed to be itself.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19I really love it, it has its own kind of beauty,
0:25:19 > 0:25:22a beauty that's about imperfections as well as perfection.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24And on top of it is standing this plywood roof.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27Again, it's the real material that holds up the roof,
0:25:27 > 0:25:29expressed quite directly.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34Choosing to keep the construction materials on show
0:25:34 > 0:25:36is not a million miles away from the qualities
0:25:36 > 0:25:39we appreciate in older buildings.
0:25:39 > 0:25:42Imagine a place with exposed beams, exposed brickwork
0:25:42 > 0:25:44and stone chimney breasts and so on.
0:25:44 > 0:25:48You accept imperfections in those traditional materials and you accept
0:25:48 > 0:25:51them just the same here. They're just as beautiful and I think
0:25:51 > 0:25:52they'll last just as well.
0:25:54 > 0:25:59Coming up with a bespoke design using a few simple authentic
0:25:59 > 0:26:03materials could revolutionise Rita's kitchen.
0:26:03 > 0:26:06I think this project is a really important reference point for Rita
0:26:06 > 0:26:09because what it does is it takes a simple palette of contemporary
0:26:09 > 0:26:13materials and goes completely to the final mile with them.
0:26:13 > 0:26:17It really expresses them clearly and gives them their own character.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20This is a building that I think stands up even better
0:26:20 > 0:26:22than the Victorian house that it adds to.
0:26:22 > 0:26:24And Rita has the possibility to improve her house.
0:26:24 > 0:26:28She shouldn't be reticent, shouldn't be scared of it. She should be ready
0:26:28 > 0:26:30to add a new contemporary layer that can be even more exciting
0:26:30 > 0:26:31than what's there.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41Down in the woods near Piers' workshop, he and Rita are working
0:26:41 > 0:26:46on a half-size template for her bespoke concrete kitchen island.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49I think we need to get a shape that we're comfortable with.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52Creating individual design like this requires
0:26:52 > 0:26:56a degree of experimentation and an open mind.
0:26:56 > 0:27:00- How are you feeling about that shape?- Um...yeah.
0:27:00 > 0:27:02OK, let's start again.
0:27:03 > 0:27:05This is crazy!
0:27:08 > 0:27:12- Maybe if it was just rectangular. - The whole thing?- Yeah.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19Yes, that's getting more of a flow to it.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22- Sort of breathes a little bit better, doesn't it?- Yeah.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29At last Rita is getting on board with the idea.
0:27:31 > 0:27:35Wow. Oh, this is beautiful, isn't it?
0:27:35 > 0:27:38- I'm liking this.- Good.- Very, very much.- I'm really excited
0:27:38 > 0:27:40that you're excited.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43Yeah, can't wait to try it full-size in the kitchen.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46- I'm looking forward to it. - Good.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51Agreed on a shape, it's now time to see
0:27:51 > 0:27:54if it will actually work in Rita's kitchen.
0:27:54 > 0:27:57So that becomes the space for the oven.
0:27:57 > 0:28:02The island needs to incorporate all of her white goods and a sink.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05- And then your sink... - On the curve, as it were?
0:28:05 > 0:28:08But on top of this, Rita's keen to have a generous seating area
0:28:08 > 0:28:11at one end.
0:28:11 > 0:28:13And it's starting to look cramped.
0:28:16 > 0:28:18That's not looking very big, is it?
0:28:18 > 0:28:22No, I don't think all the appliances will fit.
0:28:22 > 0:28:25- That's what I'm feeling worried about now.- Yeah.
0:28:25 > 0:28:29The dining zone is tiny, not at all what they had envisaged,
0:28:29 > 0:28:30but increasing the counter size
0:28:30 > 0:28:33would completely overwhelm the kitchen.
0:28:33 > 0:28:36It's surprisingly tight when you come to set it all out.
0:28:36 > 0:28:38If there was just, you know, a few feet more, it would make
0:28:38 > 0:28:41- all the difference, wouldn't it? - Yeah, it would.
0:28:41 > 0:28:45Design can be a difficult process of trial and error
0:28:45 > 0:28:48and Piers is struggling to find the answer here.
0:28:48 > 0:28:51- It's crucial decision time, really, isn't it?- It is, isn't it?
0:28:56 > 0:28:59I'm not usually indecisive but I'm dithering here.
0:28:59 > 0:29:02I really want to get this right for Rita. It's got to work.
0:29:02 > 0:29:06And I can't quite get the shape right. I think I need to go away
0:29:06 > 0:29:08and just sleep on this.
0:29:18 > 0:29:22Back in Harrogate, Mikyla and Steve's extension
0:29:22 > 0:29:24is beginning to take shape.
0:29:26 > 0:29:29But it's not all going smoothly.
0:29:30 > 0:29:34When we've took this roof off we found the timber beam
0:29:34 > 0:29:38that was supporting the roof - see where it's all sort of degrading?
0:29:38 > 0:29:40And the brick is fully loose.
0:29:40 > 0:29:42It'll just pull out.
0:29:42 > 0:29:45It's just pure rotten.
0:29:45 > 0:29:49And that is what is carrying the weight of up here.
0:29:49 > 0:29:51The beam must be replaced.
0:29:51 > 0:29:54It's more disruption on a project where the budget
0:29:54 > 0:29:56is already stripped to the bone.
0:29:56 > 0:29:58It's dangerous.
0:29:58 > 0:30:00It has to be rectified now.
0:30:00 > 0:30:03But it's not just unexpected structural issues that are
0:30:03 > 0:30:06causing problems with this build.
0:30:06 > 0:30:10Overwhelmed by the task, it appears Mikyla and Steve are allowing
0:30:10 > 0:30:11Mick and Dan to take charge.
0:30:15 > 0:30:18Piers needs to convince them of the value
0:30:18 > 0:30:21of keeping control of their build.
0:30:21 > 0:30:24This project that Mikyla and Steve are doing could easily be
0:30:24 > 0:30:28just a very ordinary space. I think they really need to do something
0:30:28 > 0:30:30more than just make walls and a floor.
0:30:30 > 0:30:34It needs to be considered as an incredible space of its own.
0:30:34 > 0:30:39Extraordinary buildings need extraordinary attention to detail...
0:30:42 > 0:30:44..and this building has that in spades.
0:30:49 > 0:30:52So, this is one tiny extension,
0:30:52 > 0:30:55designed by an amazing architect.
0:30:55 > 0:30:59And there is nothing in here but a table and this built-in seating.
0:30:59 > 0:31:02- Wow.- Really lovely. Really nice.
0:31:02 > 0:31:07Created by Gianni Botsford, this minimal glass box extension
0:31:07 > 0:31:11is a simple idea, beautifully executed.
0:31:13 > 0:31:16What's interesting about this building is that
0:31:16 > 0:31:19the proportion of it, the shape of it, is quite ordinary
0:31:19 > 0:31:22and it's the detail that makes it extraordinary.
0:31:22 > 0:31:25I love the way this is all one material.
0:31:25 > 0:31:28So, this is one piece of Corian right the way down
0:31:28 > 0:31:30under the seat to the ground.
0:31:30 > 0:31:33And then, the one colour. The saturating it in one colour
0:31:33 > 0:31:35is fantastic.
0:31:35 > 0:31:38I like that idea, the little... Them lights up there.
0:31:38 > 0:31:41Like you say, that's not been left to chance, has it?
0:31:41 > 0:31:44The one light, that is so beautifully focused on this table.
0:31:44 > 0:31:46They have thought so carefully
0:31:46 > 0:31:50about how to position that one light. You do not chuck lights in.
0:31:50 > 0:31:54- Yeah.- I mean, everything is considered. I really like the fact
0:31:54 > 0:31:56that the glass is not just clear glass. It does have what is called
0:31:56 > 0:32:01a frit - the slightly wider spacing there won't be accidental.
0:32:01 > 0:32:03That is exactly where your eye is.
0:32:03 > 0:32:08The frit markings, echoing the shape of the willow leaves,
0:32:08 > 0:32:11and the sunken seating area all create an intimate relationship
0:32:11 > 0:32:13with the outside.
0:32:13 > 0:32:16Architectural tricks of the trade, like these, raise this project
0:32:16 > 0:32:18into something extraordinary.
0:32:18 > 0:32:20I definitely got the feeling of being
0:32:20 > 0:32:24in the garden when I came in here, which is what you described to me
0:32:24 > 0:32:25how ours would feel.
0:32:25 > 0:32:29Mikyla was worried about sacrificing some of her garden,
0:32:29 > 0:32:34but here, she can see first-hand how an extension can connect
0:32:34 > 0:32:35to outdoor space.
0:32:35 > 0:32:38This is small, two-thirds the size of yours,
0:32:38 > 0:32:40- but it feels big and generous. - Absolutely.
0:32:40 > 0:32:43If this was entirely solid, it would be completely different.
0:32:43 > 0:32:46The light here is almost everything, really.
0:32:48 > 0:32:52Even the smallest extensions can be made unique and,
0:32:52 > 0:32:56if given a specific use, can transform a home.
0:32:56 > 0:32:59The strategy, I think, is right now. It's the right building
0:32:59 > 0:33:01in the right place and will unlock some important things.
0:33:01 > 0:33:04It's the detail now of how that space really works
0:33:04 > 0:33:06that we need to get right.
0:33:08 > 0:33:10I'm so pleased to have brought Mikyla and Steve here,
0:33:10 > 0:33:14because I really think they have seen, and experienced,
0:33:14 > 0:33:16how fantastic this is. The singularity of vision
0:33:16 > 0:33:18is the beauty of this.
0:33:18 > 0:33:20And that is what they need to hang on to -
0:33:20 > 0:33:22this perfect execution of a big idea.
0:33:28 > 0:33:33Back at the build, Mick and Dan have sorted the new steel
0:33:33 > 0:33:36for the back of the house and are pressing on with building
0:33:36 > 0:33:37the extension.
0:33:38 > 0:33:43Piers has encouraged Mikyla and Steve to pay attention
0:33:43 > 0:33:46to the crucial details of their build,
0:33:46 > 0:33:48but life is getting in the way.
0:33:49 > 0:33:52I think what I'm finding difficult at the moment
0:33:52 > 0:33:54is the fact that I'm not here much.
0:33:54 > 0:33:56So, those little conversations that you need to have,
0:33:56 > 0:33:59I'm finding it a struggle to have because, when I come home,
0:33:59 > 0:34:02they've gone and, when I leave in the morning early,
0:34:02 > 0:34:03they are not here yet.
0:34:04 > 0:34:07And Steve isn't able to help much, either.
0:34:07 > 0:34:10He's never done anything like this before.
0:34:10 > 0:34:12I'm not very good at this DIY stuff, at all.
0:34:12 > 0:34:16I don't have a monkey's. Don't have a clue.
0:34:18 > 0:34:22I'm not going to lie, so I can only try and wing it,
0:34:22 > 0:34:24cos I really don't have a clue.
0:34:25 > 0:34:29Rather than being inspired by the white cube extension,
0:34:29 > 0:34:33Mikyla is feeling totally overwhelmed.
0:34:34 > 0:34:38- Push it down to me. - The visit that we went on
0:34:38 > 0:34:41showed us what an amazing space it was like. And, then, I suppose,
0:34:41 > 0:34:43coming back down to earth.
0:34:43 > 0:34:45It's a bit like looking at a designer handbag
0:34:45 > 0:34:49and thinking, "I'd love that." But then, your budget is not designer,
0:34:49 > 0:34:51so you are not going to get that standard of finish.
0:34:51 > 0:34:54I suppose that's a hard compromise to come to.
0:34:56 > 0:34:58Oh, hi, Piers, it's Mikyla.
0:34:58 > 0:35:03With Mikyla doubting the whole project, she reaches for help.
0:35:03 > 0:35:07I've seen it progressing rapidly, as I have been coming home from work
0:35:07 > 0:35:10in the evenings, but it feels, like, a lot smaller.
0:35:10 > 0:35:13The wall has had to come in quite a lot.
0:35:13 > 0:35:16I'm not really getting the feeling that we are going to be able
0:35:16 > 0:35:19to work with it, like we were quite excited about.
0:35:19 > 0:35:23At the moment, I'm not feeling inspired, basically.
0:35:23 > 0:35:28I'm just really worried that it's not going to feel quite
0:35:28 > 0:35:33as exciting a project as I thought it was to start with.
0:35:33 > 0:35:35It's losing its way a bit.
0:35:43 > 0:35:44Back in Birmingham,
0:35:44 > 0:35:49Rita has yet to settle on a final design for her kitchen and she is
0:35:49 > 0:35:53fed up with the thought of more time spent living in chaos.
0:35:53 > 0:35:56I'm surrounded by kitchen innards.
0:35:56 > 0:35:57SHE SIGHS
0:36:01 > 0:36:04Rita wants a lot from this. There has got to be a kitchen worktop
0:36:04 > 0:36:08and a place to sit and eat and I think there just isn't space.
0:36:10 > 0:36:14So, it's back to the drawing board as Piers searches for a solution
0:36:14 > 0:36:19that is exciting, functional and can be done on Rita's £3,000 budget.
0:36:19 > 0:36:23Wrapping round the edge is this very simple concrete worktop.
0:36:23 > 0:36:28It just expands where the cooker is and turns the corner in a beautiful
0:36:28 > 0:36:30sculptural way that just looks fantastic.
0:36:30 > 0:36:35And then, below it, very standard carcasses, with plywood door fronts
0:36:35 > 0:36:37running through in a very uniform way.
0:36:37 > 0:36:41So, she has concrete, she has plywood and, then, it feels a,
0:36:41 > 0:36:43kind of, better solution for that space.
0:36:46 > 0:36:49With a new design finally in place, the project can get moving
0:36:49 > 0:36:54and the cupboard units, costing £865, are going in.
0:36:54 > 0:36:56But Rita has a holiday booked,
0:36:56 > 0:36:59so will be away whilst the build is happening.
0:36:59 > 0:37:05The one thing that's stressing me out a little bit is the fact that
0:37:05 > 0:37:09I'm due to go on holiday and the concrete, the finish,
0:37:09 > 0:37:10is a matter of taste.
0:37:10 > 0:37:17Cos I want it finished not raw, not highly polished, shiny,
0:37:17 > 0:37:19but with a bit of a sheen to it,
0:37:19 > 0:37:24so that I don't come back and say, "Uh, don't like it"!
0:37:25 > 0:37:28Left to get on with it, Rita's builder follows
0:37:28 > 0:37:30Piers' plan for the concrete worktop.
0:37:30 > 0:37:34Onto the standard carcasses he puts a plywood base,
0:37:34 > 0:37:35to support the concrete.
0:37:35 > 0:37:39He then sketches the worktop's unique wavy edge
0:37:39 > 0:37:43and makes a formwork for the concrete, using flexible plywood.
0:37:43 > 0:37:46This is then nailed to blocks, to maintain its form.
0:37:46 > 0:37:50Areas are sectioned off, to keep them clear of concrete.
0:37:50 > 0:37:53These are where the hob and sink will eventually sit.
0:37:53 > 0:37:57And finally, chicken wire is used to reinforce the concrete
0:37:57 > 0:37:59and stop it cracking.
0:38:01 > 0:38:06With Rita away, Piers wants to be on site, to oversee the process
0:38:06 > 0:38:08and check the finish for her.
0:38:10 > 0:38:13- Hi, Martin. All right? - Hello, Piers, how are you doing?
0:38:13 > 0:38:18- Very well. So, ready to pour in, is it?- We're ready to go.- Great.
0:38:20 > 0:38:23The concrete is spread and smoothed down, to fill the mould.
0:38:23 > 0:38:26Martin's leaving this in its natural state, but colourings,
0:38:26 > 0:38:29pebbles or even glass chippings can be added,
0:38:29 > 0:38:31to change the final appearance.
0:38:31 > 0:38:35And, once dry, the surface can be ground, to create a smooth finish,
0:38:35 > 0:38:38or left in its rough tactile form.
0:38:38 > 0:38:40It's looking great. Looking great.
0:38:40 > 0:38:43Martin knocks the bottom of the concrete,
0:38:43 > 0:38:45to ensure the water and bubbles rise.
0:38:45 > 0:38:48It's really important to get the water up,
0:38:48 > 0:38:52so you get a smooth surface, but not smooth like glass.
0:38:52 > 0:38:55It's a beautifully undulating, smooth surface
0:38:55 > 0:39:00that has real character. That kind of surface is what we want.
0:39:00 > 0:39:04So, very slightly uneven, but smooth. That looks great.
0:39:06 > 0:39:10A designer concrete worktop could cost thousands of pounds,
0:39:10 > 0:39:14but this low-tech solution will come in significantly cheaper.
0:39:15 > 0:39:18Two bags of cement, eight bags of ballast
0:39:18 > 0:39:20and, probably, two mixes in that machine
0:39:20 > 0:39:23and that's a concrete worktop.
0:39:30 > 0:39:33Back in Harrogate, work on Mikyla and Steve's extension
0:39:33 > 0:39:37is progressing, but their lack of control over the project
0:39:37 > 0:39:40risks creating a compromised space.
0:39:40 > 0:39:43There are lots of decisions not being made
0:39:43 > 0:39:45and they are losing control of this build.
0:39:45 > 0:39:48I'm here to see if we can help them take back a bit of that control.
0:39:52 > 0:39:56Mikyla and Steve knew that this extension was going to be tight,
0:39:56 > 0:40:01but now the external wall is built, it feels smaller than they imagined.
0:40:01 > 0:40:04When we came to actually physically measure the space, before all
0:40:04 > 0:40:07that was in there, it was, literally, six foot seven by,
0:40:07 > 0:40:10sort of, eight foot. I think it's really important that this
0:40:10 > 0:40:13is a usable space, because I feel, at the moment,
0:40:13 > 0:40:16that it is going to be a luxury walk through to the kitchen.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19And that is far from their original vision of a place
0:40:19 > 0:40:21the family can eat together.
0:40:22 > 0:40:26Are we all going to be huddled round a table, moving the chairs,
0:40:26 > 0:40:28so people can get round? That is what I'm feeling like.
0:40:28 > 0:40:32- I'm feeling very closed in with it. - I'm hearing that your big priority,
0:40:32 > 0:40:35that dining space, has got to be really usable. That is the heart
0:40:35 > 0:40:38of your home. Together, it's where you're all going to spend time.
0:40:38 > 0:40:41I do think a bench seat in the reveal that is left behind that
0:40:41 > 0:40:44thing can really work. If you ever wanted to have a bigger dinner,
0:40:44 > 0:40:46you could have people sat along there.
0:40:46 > 0:40:50It can be useful in so many different ways, I really think that.
0:40:50 > 0:40:52It is definitely more space-efficient than having chairs.
0:40:52 > 0:40:57If you, kind of, design your whole space around your existing table,
0:40:57 > 0:41:02- you might not be making the most of the possibilities.- Yes, I agree.
0:41:02 > 0:41:05To make this room as good as it can be, the more openness you can provide,
0:41:05 > 0:41:06the better.
0:41:06 > 0:41:10A space-saving bench seat will maximise this tiny space,
0:41:10 > 0:41:14just as the bespoke furniture did in the tiny cube extension
0:41:14 > 0:41:18that Piers showed them, but with their 11.5k budget almost exhausted,
0:41:18 > 0:41:22they need a clever way of creating that look for next to no money.
0:41:25 > 0:41:27To do extraordinary things, you really do need to think
0:41:27 > 0:41:31out of the ordinary and we can just go shopping in ordinary places
0:41:31 > 0:41:34for ordinary things. But for the extraordinary,
0:41:34 > 0:41:35you need to go the extra mile.
0:41:38 > 0:41:42Piers has an innovative, cost-effective idea that could help
0:41:42 > 0:41:45Mikyla and Steve fit out the interior of their extension.
0:41:45 > 0:41:50I have brought you to a car body shop in north London.
0:41:50 > 0:41:53- Should I have brought my car with me?!- You should've brought your car!
0:41:53 > 0:41:57What is interesting about places like this is that they exist all over
0:41:57 > 0:42:00the country and these guys have a double life. On one hand,
0:42:00 > 0:42:03they are repairing cars and, on the other hand,
0:42:03 > 0:42:07they also do extraordinary things with material, so this is a chair,
0:42:07 > 0:42:11for example, that somebody has made and these guys
0:42:11 > 0:42:13- will be spray-painting this. - Right.- And not just
0:42:13 > 0:42:16spray-painting it, but spray-painting it
0:42:16 > 0:42:17in the most amazing way,
0:42:17 > 0:42:19so it looks a little bit like this.
0:42:19 > 0:42:23- Wow.- Beautiful, seamless, almost polished thing.
0:42:25 > 0:42:28The high-gloss lacquer effect from spray-painting
0:42:28 > 0:42:32gives an even coating, impossible to achieve by brush,
0:42:32 > 0:42:35and can be applied to almost any material.
0:42:35 > 0:42:36This is MDF
0:42:36 > 0:42:41that has been painted by these guys into something that looks
0:42:41 > 0:42:46- very like the table that we were sitting at...- Yeah. It feels almost
0:42:46 > 0:42:47exactly the same.
0:42:47 > 0:42:51It does. The sunken seat and table used a material that is around
0:42:51 > 0:42:55£300-£400 a square metre. This stuff can be done for about
0:42:55 > 0:42:59- £35 a square metre.- Really? - So, it's about a tenth of the cost.
0:42:59 > 0:43:01Fantastic. Yeah.
0:43:04 > 0:43:06It might take a bit of hunting,
0:43:06 > 0:43:09but finding a car body shop willing to spray your furniture
0:43:09 > 0:43:13can not only be cost effective, it can also be any colour you like.
0:43:13 > 0:43:19- What do you think of the yellow? - Really nice. Really nice.
0:43:21 > 0:43:23- Pink?- I love that.
0:43:25 > 0:43:26It looks great, yeah.
0:43:28 > 0:43:32The transformation from a really ordinary bit of MDF into something
0:43:32 > 0:43:35- extraordinary is fantastic, isn't it?- It is. It's fantastic.
0:43:35 > 0:43:39Really, really cool. I'm really tempted by the pink, really!
0:43:39 > 0:43:42- The pink looks great. - I don't know about Steve!
0:43:42 > 0:43:45- Steve is probably not as tempted. - The other day, I was a little bit
0:43:45 > 0:43:48apprehensive that the joy, the delight, had somehow been lost
0:43:48 > 0:43:51in the expense of getting the project happening and now, I feel
0:43:51 > 0:43:53- that's really come back in. - Absolutely.
0:43:53 > 0:43:56I think it's going to be more individual again,
0:43:56 > 0:43:58which I was a bit, like,
0:43:58 > 0:44:00- it's not really necessarily going to be...- Us.- Yeah.
0:44:02 > 0:44:07And back on site, Mick and Dan have made great progress.
0:44:07 > 0:44:10It's finally possible to understand how the new arrangement of space
0:44:10 > 0:44:12is going to work.
0:44:13 > 0:44:16All the walls have been taken out that need taking out.
0:44:16 > 0:44:19We've knocked the window out, opened the doorway up to bring space
0:44:19 > 0:44:22into the living room. We've opened this into the kitchen.
0:44:22 > 0:44:24It will look amazing when it's finished,
0:44:24 > 0:44:26but it's just getting it there.
0:44:28 > 0:44:30We've got a plan, yeah, but on track? I don't know about that!
0:44:40 > 0:44:43In Birmingham, 48 hours after the concrete was poured into
0:44:43 > 0:44:47the worktop's wavy mould, it's the moment of truth,
0:44:47 > 0:44:50as builder Martin carefully unveils it.
0:44:53 > 0:44:54He is also tackling the messy,
0:44:54 > 0:44:56and noisy, job of grinding
0:44:56 > 0:44:57the concrete floor.
0:44:59 > 0:45:02With a couple of coats of protective sealant,
0:45:02 > 0:45:04it starts looking more like the New York loft finish
0:45:04 > 0:45:06that Piers hoped for.
0:45:07 > 0:45:09Once back from her holiday,
0:45:09 > 0:45:11Rita supervises the finishing touches.
0:45:11 > 0:45:14I think it was ideal to go away
0:45:14 > 0:45:16whilst it was all being done, actually!
0:45:16 > 0:45:19But there's loads to do.
0:45:19 > 0:45:23Surfaces to seal, doors to finish.
0:45:23 > 0:45:26And with each job finished comes a new discovery.
0:45:26 > 0:45:28I haven't yet worked out how you open them.
0:45:28 > 0:45:31It's just the right... Oh - look, I did it first time.
0:45:38 > 0:45:41Rita's kitchen was a disaster.
0:45:41 > 0:45:42With cupboards falling off the walls,
0:45:42 > 0:45:45flooring that had seen better days
0:45:45 > 0:45:47and the Seventies decor,
0:45:47 > 0:45:50this kitchen was way past its sell-by date.
0:45:50 > 0:45:53Frustrated by her dilapidated kitchen,
0:45:53 > 0:45:54Rita desperately needed guidance
0:45:54 > 0:45:58to transform it into something beautiful and out of the ordinary.
0:45:58 > 0:46:04But realising that on her budget of just £3,000 was going to be no easy task.
0:46:04 > 0:46:07Piers suggested a radical design
0:46:07 > 0:46:09using materials we usually cover up.
0:46:09 > 0:46:11And whilst Rita took some convincing,
0:46:11 > 0:46:14she finally went with a concrete kitchen.
0:46:14 > 0:46:17Piers and I are here to see the result.
0:46:17 > 0:46:20- Hi, Piers.- Hi, Rita. How are you?- Great.
0:46:20 > 0:46:23- I'm dying to see how you've got on. - Oh... I am so happy.
0:46:23 > 0:46:26- You won't believe it.- Great. - Come and have a look.- Great.
0:46:30 > 0:46:32Wow. This is beautiful.
0:46:38 > 0:46:40It's absolutely fantastic, it's so...
0:46:40 > 0:46:42So much colour, and so many of your beautiful objects
0:46:42 > 0:46:44and things around on display.
0:46:44 > 0:46:46And then most of all of course
0:46:46 > 0:46:48all these wonderful textures and materials
0:46:48 > 0:46:51that seem to fit together really well.
0:46:54 > 0:46:57'The standard units have been customised with plywood doors,
0:46:57 > 0:47:00'costing just £65 for materials.
0:47:00 > 0:47:02'The concrete worktops have been varnished
0:47:02 > 0:47:04'with a protective sealant.
0:47:04 > 0:47:05'Costing under £400,
0:47:05 > 0:47:09'they are a budget-friendly way of achieving a bespoke design.'
0:47:11 > 0:47:13One of the wonderful things about using this material
0:47:13 > 0:47:16is that you know it was made here, it was cast here
0:47:16 > 0:47:19especially for you, and this very curve was kind of chosen for you.
0:47:19 > 0:47:24Yes, Piers helped me to design it, to get the curve in, and get it
0:47:24 > 0:47:29positioned exactly right, so it's beautiful visually and practically.
0:47:31 > 0:47:34'Instead of splashing out on expensive flooring,
0:47:34 > 0:47:36'Rita has gone with Piers' idea
0:47:36 > 0:47:39'of exposing the long-hidden concrete one.'
0:47:40 > 0:47:43I'm quite impressed with just how far you've gone
0:47:43 > 0:47:44down the road of using these materials
0:47:44 > 0:47:46in quite a rough and ready way.
0:47:46 > 0:47:50I remember being asked originally, "What DON'T you want?"
0:47:50 > 0:47:53And I said, "I don't want anything too concrete."
0:47:53 > 0:47:58Because I was thinking of something brutalist, drained of colour,
0:47:58 > 0:48:01oppressive. But how wrong was I?
0:48:01 > 0:48:03For me, there's a real beauty
0:48:03 > 0:48:07and a richness to these materials that is true to this building.
0:48:07 > 0:48:08And something slick
0:48:08 > 0:48:11- and overfinished just wouldn't have worked here.- Yeah.
0:48:11 > 0:48:14But this is, you know, in a way a reflection of how versatile
0:48:14 > 0:48:17something like concrete is.
0:48:17 > 0:48:20'By losing the large fridge-freezer and decluttering,
0:48:20 > 0:48:22'Rita's opened up the space
0:48:22 > 0:48:25'and created a new dining area in the bay window.'
0:48:25 > 0:48:29This now feels like a super light- filled space, and the natural light
0:48:29 > 0:48:32on these natural materials is something of real quality.
0:48:32 > 0:48:36Yes. And that's what I wanted, I wanted a light kitchen.
0:48:36 > 0:48:37And this has delivered on it.
0:48:41 > 0:48:44Tell me, did you bring this in for your £3,000 budget?
0:48:44 > 0:48:47Well, I've actually spent closer to 5,000,
0:48:47 > 0:48:50but that includes things that were originally
0:48:50 > 0:48:56excluded from the work, like having a fresh door, and the appliances.
0:48:56 > 0:49:02But the actual carcasses, all the rest came in at three grand.
0:49:02 > 0:49:05So basically what you see here, you can buy for £3,000.
0:49:05 > 0:49:07- That seems pretty amazing value. - Yeah.
0:49:07 > 0:49:10It also comes as a big relief to know that you can do this
0:49:10 > 0:49:13for about £3,000, and not have to go and spend £6,000
0:49:13 > 0:49:18or £12,000 on a comparable kitchen from a high-street kitchen designer.
0:49:18 > 0:49:23Absolutely. It really kind of opens my eyes to...
0:49:23 > 0:49:26we don't have to accept the conventional.
0:49:26 > 0:49:28And it's a space that can evolve and can grow with me
0:49:28 > 0:49:30and I can have fun with it.
0:49:30 > 0:49:34I think that was what I feared would be lacking with a kit kitchen.
0:49:34 > 0:49:38Whereas this kitchen is great. It makes me smile.
0:49:43 > 0:49:44What's interesting for me
0:49:44 > 0:49:49is how much Rita has really opened up to this process of design.
0:49:49 > 0:49:52What she's done is really do something quite outrageous,
0:49:52 > 0:49:55she's taken raw concrete and raw plywood
0:49:55 > 0:49:58and a bare concrete floor, and she's put it in a terraced
0:49:58 > 0:50:01house in Birmingham, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
0:50:01 > 0:50:03And I think that's pretty amazing.
0:50:06 > 0:50:10What's important about Rita's kitchen is not that it's low-cost,
0:50:10 > 0:50:14but that it's tailored to her. She's got something that she really wants.
0:50:14 > 0:50:16It's really a sign of what design can do,
0:50:16 > 0:50:20and she's now got a beautiful piece of design that is tasteful
0:50:20 > 0:50:23and does fit in with all the beautiful things she owns.
0:50:23 > 0:50:25But it also enables her to live better in her house
0:50:25 > 0:50:27and that's what I'm really happy about.
0:50:33 > 0:50:36In Harrogate, work on Mikyla and Steve's extension
0:50:36 > 0:50:37is almost complete,
0:50:37 > 0:50:40and the builders are fitting the new bifold doors.
0:50:43 > 0:50:46Inspired by their trip to the car body shop,
0:50:46 > 0:50:49Mikyla and Steve have decided to take a DIY approach
0:50:49 > 0:50:53to getting a sleek finish on benches for their new dining area.
0:50:53 > 0:50:56- STEVE:- Yeah. I quite like it.
0:50:56 > 0:50:58- Do you like it this colour?- Yeah.
0:50:58 > 0:51:02- Looking good. It's definitely yellow, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:51:02 > 0:51:07I think my DIY skills have improved about 2% through this project.
0:51:07 > 0:51:09It's not been great with all the chaos in the kitchen
0:51:09 > 0:51:12cos you use the kitchen all the time.
0:51:12 > 0:51:15We probably should have gone on holiday for most of the time!
0:51:15 > 0:51:16Put it this way,
0:51:16 > 0:51:19I won't be doing any more DIY for a pretty long time.
0:51:19 > 0:51:20- The rest of my life.- Exactly.
0:51:24 > 0:51:25Four months ago,
0:51:25 > 0:51:28this house in Harrogate was bursting at the seams.
0:51:28 > 0:51:30With rooms acting as corridors,
0:51:30 > 0:51:33it simply wasn't a practical family home.
0:51:33 > 0:51:35When her new partner Steve moved in,
0:51:35 > 0:51:39Mikyla knew she had to improve her semidetached Victorian house,
0:51:39 > 0:51:41because a home that was working well for three
0:51:41 > 0:51:45was causing friction for a family of four.
0:51:45 > 0:51:47The main problem was downstairs,
0:51:47 > 0:51:49where the dining room-cum-lounge
0:51:49 > 0:51:51served as a thoroughfare into the poky kitchen,
0:51:51 > 0:51:53and the house lacked a decent space
0:51:53 > 0:51:55where the family could come together.
0:51:55 > 0:51:57Building an extension to the back of the house
0:51:57 > 0:51:59was their preferred solution,
0:51:59 > 0:52:03but doing that on their £11,500 budget was going to be tough.
0:52:04 > 0:52:06Piers came up with a cost-effective plan
0:52:06 > 0:52:08for turning Mikyla and Steve's house
0:52:08 > 0:52:10into a fully functioning family home.
0:52:11 > 0:52:15Today we're back to see how far they took his ideas.
0:52:16 > 0:52:17- Hiya, guys.- Hello.
0:52:17 > 0:52:20How you doing? Nice to see you.
0:52:20 > 0:52:21So how's it been going?
0:52:21 > 0:52:24Well, it's been dusty and messy, it feels like a long time,
0:52:24 > 0:52:27but, yeah, we've finally got there.
0:52:27 > 0:52:28But are you pleased with the end result?
0:52:28 > 0:52:32- Yeah, definitely.- Great.- Come and have a look.- I'd love to see.
0:52:37 > 0:52:40Wow, this is such a... such a different space.
0:52:47 > 0:52:51'Before, the dining room-cum-living room was dark and dingy.
0:52:51 > 0:52:56'But with the end wall removed, it now flows into the new extension,
0:52:56 > 0:52:59'and the downstairs has been made open-plan.'
0:52:59 > 0:53:02- I just remember it being a world of clutter.- Lots of furniture.
0:53:02 > 0:53:04I mean, it's really changed here.
0:53:04 > 0:53:07Yes, it has. We were using this for lots of different functions
0:53:07 > 0:53:09but now it's become like a family space.
0:53:09 > 0:53:12The fact we've got rid of a load of clutter helps, I think.
0:53:12 > 0:53:15It doesn't give me a headache when I come in!
0:53:15 > 0:53:19It feels so light. And all of that light is coming from there.
0:53:22 > 0:53:25'The extension has made an enormous difference.
0:53:25 > 0:53:28'Going with Piers' idea of knocking through from the kitchen,
0:53:28 > 0:53:32'the family now has a modern kitchen-diner.'
0:53:33 > 0:53:35Well, this is just amazing, isn't it?
0:53:35 > 0:53:37I mean, what a complete transformation from that
0:53:37 > 0:53:40yard of a back garden into a really usable space.
0:53:40 > 0:53:41Yeah, absolutely.
0:53:41 > 0:53:45There was a couple of points when I couldn't really visualise
0:53:45 > 0:53:48how big it was going to feel, I felt it was very small.
0:53:48 > 0:53:51But obviously now that it's all done and it's painted
0:53:51 > 0:53:55it's pulled the three spaces together as sort of one,
0:53:55 > 0:53:59it sort of flows through, it feels fantastic.
0:53:59 > 0:54:02The best thing about this space is the abundance of roof lights
0:54:02 > 0:54:04that bring light in to where it's needed,
0:54:04 > 0:54:05and also the simplicity of the white paint
0:54:05 > 0:54:08taking the floor right the way through from here into that room -
0:54:08 > 0:54:12all of those things make this seem special, but also just...
0:54:12 > 0:54:15It's a very sensible and straightforward thing to do in the nicest possible way.
0:54:15 > 0:54:18I've been coming down quite early in the morning
0:54:18 > 0:54:20and it's been bathed in light, it's been lovely.
0:54:20 > 0:54:24'The old unused outhouses have been incorporated into the extension,
0:54:24 > 0:54:28'and reinvented as a music room for Steve and all his gear.
0:54:30 > 0:54:33'With the space fully utilised and the flow of the house improved,
0:54:33 > 0:54:36'has family life changed as well?'
0:54:36 > 0:54:38Has it removed some of the tension?
0:54:38 > 0:54:41It has. It's meant that we can spend more time together now,
0:54:41 > 0:54:44all of us, in the same space at the same time, which before,
0:54:44 > 0:54:48it would just be "Let's grab something to eat and go,"
0:54:48 > 0:54:51whereas now it's "Let's sit down, let's talk, let's spend time,"
0:54:51 > 0:54:54all in the same space but not on top of one another.
0:54:54 > 0:54:57Most people wouldn't think of doing an extension this small
0:54:57 > 0:54:59because they'd think, "What actual space does it give me?"
0:54:59 > 0:55:01But of course this gives you your house back.
0:55:03 > 0:55:05'Costing £1,500,
0:55:05 > 0:55:08'this bifold door allows light to flood inside
0:55:08 > 0:55:10'and links to the outside.
0:55:10 > 0:55:15'Mikyla's old patio may have been swallowed up by the extension,
0:55:15 > 0:55:17'but a new area has been created.'
0:55:19 > 0:55:22Wow. This is great. This is better than before.
0:55:22 > 0:55:25It feels so much more connected to the outside space now, the interior.
0:55:25 > 0:55:27It does,
0:55:27 > 0:55:30and we're using it a lot more now, because it was tucked away before.
0:55:30 > 0:55:33It's interesting how you've sort of lost outdoor floor area
0:55:33 > 0:55:35but actually it feels like more usable space out here.
0:55:35 > 0:55:37Absolutely, cos it's changed the proportion of it.
0:55:37 > 0:55:39This is a more usable proportion
0:55:39 > 0:55:42than a funny dogleg with a piece of decking at the end.
0:55:42 > 0:55:44So that's really successful.
0:55:44 > 0:55:48'This was an ambitious project for £11,500.
0:55:48 > 0:55:51'But how much has it really cost?'
0:55:51 > 0:55:54Do you feel like you've brought it in more or less on budget?
0:55:54 > 0:55:58We've gone a little bit over budget on things like flooring,
0:55:58 > 0:56:00lighting, radiators and things -
0:56:00 > 0:56:04we've probably spent near enough 2,000 on those things
0:56:04 > 0:56:07which you don't think about first but obviously they need to be done.
0:56:07 > 0:56:09I know you've spent a little bit extra,
0:56:09 > 0:56:12but you've known exactly WHERE to spend the money
0:56:12 > 0:56:14and that's on the fabric of this building -
0:56:14 > 0:56:17the doors, the windows, and those essential things. So well done.
0:56:17 > 0:56:20But also, a really complex brief has been satisfied -
0:56:20 > 0:56:22you've got a family space that you all can use,
0:56:22 > 0:56:24you've got a place for your music
0:56:24 > 0:56:27and a beautiful outdoor space that is going to be delightful in summer.
0:56:33 > 0:56:36I think when people have a modest amount of money to spend
0:56:36 > 0:56:38they often spend it on the wrong things.
0:56:38 > 0:56:41Here, Mikyla and Steve have spent money on exactly the right thing,
0:56:41 > 0:56:43which is a modest extension.
0:56:43 > 0:56:46And it's a really good investment, because what that investment allows
0:56:46 > 0:56:50is the rest of the house to thrive and breathe properly.
0:56:53 > 0:56:55By embracing Piers' ideas,
0:56:55 > 0:56:59Mikyla and Steve now have a space that works for them as a family -
0:56:59 > 0:57:01and to share with friends.
0:57:01 > 0:57:04I think we've definitely gained the space we needed,
0:57:04 > 0:57:07because it hasn't just given us the one space that we've created
0:57:07 > 0:57:11but also it's freed up the spaces in the other two rooms.
0:57:13 > 0:57:16I think the journey's been what felt like long, even though
0:57:16 > 0:57:17it hasn't been in the timescale,
0:57:17 > 0:57:19- but it's great to see the finished product.- Yeah.
0:57:19 > 0:57:23It does look really good, I'm really pleased how it's come out in the end.
0:57:24 > 0:57:26I've really enjoyed spending some time with Mikyla
0:57:26 > 0:57:27and Steve in their house.
0:57:27 > 0:57:29They can do the things they love to do finally
0:57:29 > 0:57:31and for the first time in that space.
0:57:31 > 0:57:34And that's, in a way, what this project has unlocked for them.
0:57:34 > 0:57:36Most importantly, they've got a space that they can share
0:57:36 > 0:57:39together as a family, and that was really the brief for this project.
0:57:39 > 0:57:41I'm proud of them that they've achieved it,
0:57:41 > 0:57:43and they've done it in some style.
0:57:50 > 0:57:54Next time: homeowners in desperate need of more space.
0:57:56 > 0:57:58Throwing inside, we know the rule.
0:57:58 > 0:58:00Graham's relationship is on the line,
0:58:00 > 0:58:03because of his dilapidated house.
0:58:03 > 0:58:06He wouldn't want to lose me over not getting the bathroom done.
0:58:06 > 0:58:10It does get you down. You think, "Do I want to go in there?
0:58:10 > 0:58:12"Do I want to freeze?"
0:58:12 > 0:58:13And with the stuff of family life
0:58:13 > 0:58:16overtaking their warehouse apartment,
0:58:16 > 0:58:19Ben and Mita are at their wits' end.
0:58:19 > 0:58:23There are times I feel quite annoyed and frustrated and teary.
0:58:23 > 0:58:27But can a solution even be found within their tight budget?
0:58:27 > 0:58:30Just about ready to give up on the project.