Original subtitles

Here in the UK, we do love a period property.

I never dreamt I would own a castle.

For me, it looks like a typical doll's house.

From countryside houses...

It was everything you could dream of. It was a palace.

..to timeless terraces.

I turned up and I thought, "Whoa, this is pretty cute."

But beneath the grand facades...

Hopefully, the house won't fall down. We'll see, won't we?

..these historical homes are falling to bits.

Everyone told us to tear this building down.

All over the country, an army of renovators are snapping them

up at knock-down prices.

I think we should leave it like this.

It looks old-timely.

Then facing challenges of epic proportions.

I said all along to get a new build.

This series, we meet the brave new renovators...

We're looking for a bungalow with a shed.

..and return to our familiar band of determined dreamers...

Who else has got a chapel in their house?

..all risking everything...

I thought I had a good idea what was needed.

I was quite wrong.

People think renovation is lovely, don't they?

HE LAUGHS

Oh, God, I'm trembling.

..to create the forever home of their dreams.

Oh, my God, it's so nice!

Brick by brick.

Whoa! This is amazing.

Room by room.

I still have my pinch-me moment.

We're nowhere near finished. But it feels like a house now.

We are a renovation nation.

This week, five new fearless families attempt to restore

their falling-down homes.

That's good. Today in Wales,

we catch up with Matthew and Michelle...

Leave it.

..on a kitchen reno against the clock.

How am I going to get this finished before Sunday?!

We rejoin Charlotte and Matt as their mammoth renovation

project in Cheshire...

So the last you saw this room, it had no ceiling, it had no dividing

wall between here and the bathroom.

..reaches an important milestone.

It's almost like a pinch-me moment. Like, are we actually completing it?

And in Cumbria, a country house packed with history comes back

from the brink of collapse...

You'd have thought you just had to knock it down and start again.

It was really that bad.

..in one of our most ambitious projects yet.

No option. We need the steels in first to tie things off.

It's the only way we can do it.

In the furthest north-western reaches of the Yorkshire Dales

National Park sits the village of Maulds Meaburn...

..home to a historic treasure with a fascinating past.

This is Flass House, a mansion with the neo-Palladian hallmarks

of symmetry, columns and imposing stature.

It was built in the mid 1800s by local traders in tea and,

more unusually, opium, which could account for the wealth

that was evident in the opulence of the living quarters.

But in recent years, this beautiful building became a mere shadow

of its former self, stripped of its dignity by a barrage

of vandals and urban explorers.

In 2012, Flass hit the headlines when a former owner was jailed

for growing cannabis on a suitably grand scale, leaving a trail

of thick green residue as a reminder.

But after lying derelict for several years, hope for Flass House arrived

in the shape of property-mad hairdresser Graham

and his wife, Jodie, who decided to rescue the 170-year-old house.

I doing a lady's hair in the Kendall salon. She said,

"There's a house you'd have loved come up for auction in Maulds Meaburn."

So I had a look at it and I was like, "Wow, it's brilliant."

All the detailing inside when we looked through the windows,

it was a palace.

It was a playground for the rich.

It had pearls in the coving. The plasterwork,

the marble floors.

You just can't buy it any more. They don't make it.

And now it's hopefully coming back to life.

Self-made businessman Graham isn't giving up the day job just yet.

With a chain of salons across the North West to run, seven-day

weeks are required to keep both the business

and their renovations on track.

I still work behind a chair, cutting hair every day.

Every penny we earn goes back in to bricks, mortar, electric,

cable and copper pipe and all the things we need to put it back.

Despite its former grandeur, the unloved building

was in such a state.

The rock bottom auction guide price of £460,000

was just too good to ignore.

I thought I had the bargain of a lifetime.

The valuation for rebuild was five point something million pounds

for rebuild costs, for insurance purposes, and I got it for 460.

Since taking ownership four years ago, the pair have worked tirelessly

to restore the interior living space to its original state and rescue

what they can of the period features.

And they've already completed a staggering 47 of the 59 rooms

in the main house.

It's been a lot of work, but we're definitely getting

there and really pleased with the results.

Slowly but surely, Flass House has begun to reveal its true magic,

with hidden surprises at every turn.

These type of things are just...

Sneaky little doors to hide away from.

THEY LAUGH

And at the top of the house, the turret bedroom revealed

it was hiding a clue to the building's colourful past.

I was tugging away and out popped this.

Needs a bit of love.

And you'll be able to run up to the secret room upstairs,

which we're told is referred to as the opium den.

All these ropes and pulleys would shut all this from up there,

so you wouldn't know you were in the room.

Little hidden secret room.

Fancy! I'd settle for a utility room.

It is such a lovely little space.

It'd be a shame not to use it.

It's early April. With a property of this scale,

there is always a huge list of jobs.

And this year, the couple are taking on their most ambitious reno

to date, restoring the shell of the former Camellia House, once

a magnificent glasshouse for entertaining, reinstating

the former swimming pool and creating a new pathway

from the 15-acre garden.

Ornate glazed structures were a sign of wealth in Victorian times to show

off collections of ornamental plants, including the camellias,

which gave the buildings their name.

Seen here in its heyday, the Camellia House at Flass

would have been the envy of polite society.

Today, the couple are meeting a structural engineer and a steel

fabricator to assess where to place a new steel frame.

Yeah, they can go.

Graham is hoping that new steels will rest on top of the existing

corner piers, so each one needs careful inspection.

We're basically trying to work out what's happening under here,

if there's any sort of subsidence. We'll have a bit of a dig and a root

around and see what's happening.

It's just all basically hollow under here.

If the existing pier isn't structurally sound enough to support

the steel, Graham and Jodie will need a new plan

before they've even started.

250 miles south, nestled in the lush, rolling

countryside of Monmouthshire,

is this impressive six-bedroom, Grade II listed farmhouse with two

barns and just over an acre of garden.

The 200-year-old farmhouse lay derelict for four years

before being snapped up for £537,000

by former Welsh rugby international Matthew

and Olympic triple jumper Michelle in September 2021.

It's a beautiful

spot and we've got our beautiful friends around us, beautiful family

around us and it feels like home.

But for Matthew and Michelle and their three children, Eden, Reese

and Elijah, taking on a 200-year-old farmhouse has not

been without its challenges.

Everybody will know and say, "With renovations comes a lot of money

"and you're opening up a lot of can of worms."

And we've opened up a lot of those.

Juggling day jobs with renovation proved a struggle, as Matthew

and Michelle peeled back the layers to ensure the structure was safe.

We've got some rising damp in the property.

The woodworm actually is right the way through and is eating

through this as well.

And as the old kitchen came out, money worries kicked in.

I budgeted for a roof, but I haven't budgeted for a floor, you know?

But the whole family pulled together.

Nige, bring that wheelbarrow round here, please.

Good. That's done.

Right. That's it, my girl! That's my girl.

And the farmhouse began to come back to life.

It's not a one-off game. This is about a season.

And, um, it's a long season,

so you don't want to peak too early.

Now, a year later, Matthew and Michelle

haven't stopped grafting.

The structure is sound, the rooms are clear,

and to kick off the rebuild, they've started with the beating

heart of every home - the kitchen.

Once the kitchen's completed, it's going to be a beautiful place,

but it's going to be a place of family, friends, community,

and that will be...mean a lot to me and Matt.

But as they still live in Devon, over 100 miles away,

progress is slow.

And for Michelle, life has thrown her an unexpected curveball.

Personally, over the last few months I've had a big challenge with my mum

being quite poorly and, um, having her leg amputated,

which has had a massive effect on me and my family.

It then puts even more pressure on Matt to keep all the plates

spinning, which I think he's done incredibly well with.

Luckily, today, Matthew's got company.

There's been an addition to the family - Paprika the new pooch.

So, after a refreshing drink, one man and his dog are in business.

It is weird here being without Meesh.

Normally we are here together.

But I'm also aware that, you know, I've got to just get on and do

what I need to do with regards to what needs to be done.

With most of the electrics, plumbing and plastering complete,

Matthew's main focus today is to help the kitchen fitters

finalise the layout of the new units.

Just to the left of the plug. Just inside the plug.

Yes. It's much better.

It's like a deep blue, almost grey.

Uh, Michelle's choice.

I think it'll just link with the terracotta tiles.

And we have an orange range as well,

so, um, it should work really well.

I think she's going to absolutely love it.

There are also some matching units to position in the new utility room.

With a little help from Paprika.

Leave it!

Much better. Absolutely over the moon.

Just doing that...

Magnificent. And it's a good job.

things are moving forwards in the kitchen as there's a big event

on the horizon - Matthew's 50th birthday.

I'm not worried about everything being operational and working.

I am. As long as there's a couple places to sit down, somewhere to

plug a kettle in and have a cup of tea.

With a difference of opinion on the goal,

sounds like Matthew and Michelle have some work to do before they get

this kitchen over the finish line.

Coming up...

..Graham and Jodie's excavations offer a glimpse

into the past.

There you go, you see?

It's an old Roman coin.

And in Cheshire, young parents Charlotte and Matt

juggle childcare...

I like painting that nursery.

Do you?

..with the renovation of their Georgian home.

Having children grow up in a renovation puts an added layer

of pressure on. Like, we've just been exhausted.

There's always a job to do.

In Cheshire, close to the town of Northwich, is Hartford House, built

here around 1795...

..a Georgian manor with outbuildings and 13

acres of grounds.

Eventually, the grounds were sold off for new housing.

The manor was split in three and this part became

a four-bedroomed family home.

But gradually it's gorgeous

Georgian features fell into disrepair and in 2020 it went

on the market.

That's when Matt, a supercar pimper, and Charlotte, who works for a tech

company, spotted the "For Sale" board.

We pulled up alongside, looked over the fence, saw it, knew

it was our dream house and we had to go for it.

You know, we've got to have that house.

At auction, they successfully bid £490,000.

Luckily enough, we won it.

So we was absolutely buzzing, wasn't we?

Bottle of champagne open. Yes.

Celebrating. Yeah.

But the fizz soon wore off with no money left for renovation and a ton

of work to do.

When we initially got the keys, I said to Matt, you know,

"Give me a figure, how long is it going to take?

And he was like, "About ten years."

I was like, "Whoa."

A year ago, they were deep into major structural work, and ace

DIYer Matt found himself on a steep learning curve...

The more we got into it, the more we uncovered.

..replacing the ceiling in what would become

their daughter's bedroom.

I did know the ceilings and things like that were bowed,

but I didn't realise the extent of what I'd have to do

to put them right.

But with a little help from their friends...

Right, I'm going in. I've had enough. Good, lads.

Nice and slow.

..and just the odd setback... I fell through the ceiling.

..the house was safe, but still in need of a lot more TLC.

Do you like painting? Yeah.

I like painting that nursery.

Do you?

This is my first house, so I never anticipated in a million years

I would own something like this as my starter home.

Yeah. We don't do things by halves, at all, do we? No.

It's now spring 2023 at Hartford House.

Are you excited? You got food coming?

And if living in the house during the reno wasn't enough...

Hello! ..life is now busier than ever with the arrival of baby Zayn.

I think having children grow up in a renovation puts an added

layer of pressure on. Like, we've just been exhausted.

There's always a job to do.

Most of the house is still work in progress, but Matt and Charlotte

are determined to get one major room over the finish line...

..four-year-old Scarlett's bedroom.

They've come on leaps and bounds from the shell they started

with last year.

Now with a new carpet down, walls painted and furniture built,

it's time for Charlotte's favourite bit of any reno.

Now we're on to the pieces that I like.

The decoration, the finishing touches.

Today, Charlotte's adding some new leather handles

to the chest of drawers

she's painted up to match the room's colour scheme.

For similar kind of units that we might have wanted, with kind of the

finish that we wanted,

it was, like, insanely expensive.

You were talking like, £800, £900 just for a wardrobe, whereas I think

we picked the two up for about £75.

We do everything from picking up materials, project planning,

doing the actual job and...

BABY CRIES

Must have had a nightmare.

Dreaming about the house.

We're hoping she loves it, but we have kind of kept

it in keeping with things she likes.

So we've got rainbows and unicorns dotted about, but then also kept

it in keeping with the house and done it very much

to our taste as well.

Baby Zayn needs some Mum time.

So it's Matt's turn to do a bit of wallpapering.

Quite expensive wallpaper.

It was £45 a roll.

We've bought two rolls, but I don't want to get it wrong.

From steel beams to papering feature walls...

I'm just going to whack this on.

..Matt can turn his hand to anything.

It does slide usually, but you can stretch it.

So you can overcompensate and then your patterns don't line up.

Don't be ruining my new carpet.

I know. Yeah.

Does it look straight?

It doesn't always go right for Matt.

Look, he's done it. Done it wrong.

Oh, dear. What have you done?

Cut too much out.

Oh, no. We go again, don't we?

With a new bed to build and all the decoration to complete,

Charlotte and Matt are hoping Scarlett's big surprise

will be worth the wait.

In Cumbria,

work is under way at the majestic Flass House.

Having completed 47 of the 59 rooms inside,

hairdressing empire owners Graham and Jodie are itching to start work

on transforming the 170-year-old Camellia House into

a state-of-the-art swimming pool.

Take up all the concrete on here.

Take these out.

It's just a week since the site visit threw up an issue

with his plans to build a new steel frame, and Graham has decided

to focus on investigating what's underfoot instead.

That's got to come out.

Graham hopes to salvage the huge limestone blocks that need to come

out so he can use them elsewhere, but getting them out will require

some extra careful digger manoeuvres from local contractor Derek, who's

worked on and off at Flass for over 40 years.

He's got to get a 15-tonne digger in and he's got

to be squeaky careful.

Derek. I know. Just part of the job, and I love it.

As the blocks come out, it's the first chance for a proper

look at each piece.

It's been used for something, or they wouldn't have carved that out.

But I don't think it's ornate.

While work progresses, 14-year-old son Archie gets into the spirit

of the day and is hoping to uncover some buried secrets from the past,

with a little help from Jodie's uncle, Dave.

There you go, you see? What is that?

I think it actually is a Roman coin.

It's an old Roman coin.

Even resident Roman scholar Archie agrees.

It probably is Roman. Because... I don't know what that is.

It looks like an animal on the back.

It's hard to say, isn't it? It's really cool, yeah.

It is, but you're not having it. It's mine.

LAUGHTER

As Derek manoeuvres around the listed ironworks...

Yeah, it's coming.

..each limestone slab is carefully lifted out and preserved.

Nice. No damage done.

Some massive blocks of stone.

Look at them.

They may be useful because I want to build something with them.

HE LAUGHS

Time for a cuppa and a closer look at the day's uncovered treasures.

It's Julius Caesar! It's Lucius.

Well, there you are. It's Lucius.

I don't think that's going to make us rich.

No, I don't think it will.

Three weeks later, with a new metal roof structure for the

Camellia House due to arrive in just ten days, the pressure

to be ready is rising.

While Jodie tidies up the exterior, Graham's got his detective hat

on once again.

We got this first quote in for doing the aluminium framed roof

with the glass - £373,000 - which I just can't afford.

And I've come up with the idea that we'll do it in timber.

The existing ironworks are listed and can't be moved, so the aim

is to build around them, encasing the past inside an impressive

new glazed roof.

In 1853, they built this of hardwood, and it was still here in

1975 when they took it down.

That's not too bad.

Mind out below!

But on inspection, it's clear that the old wood is all completely

rotten and will need replacing.

Oh, my God! Look at that beam behind there.

But within just a few minutes, some further prodding reveals

that the day and the budget may yet be saved.

As I've taken that big beam out, that's sat on a stone-faced facade.

So if that's the case,

this can probably stay because the stone won't have rotted.

One wall less to replace.

With an order for timber to build a new frame on the way,

as Jodie comes back to solid ground...

Don't know how to switch it off.

Well, that was awful. I'm absolutely covered!

..Graham's turning his eye to their other priority, creating

a smart new garden approach to the main house.

And they've already made a start, recycling the excavated limestone

into a beautiful flight of solid stone steps.

Down, down, down.

Put little walls up the side. Plinths for the urns.

Little new gravel road coming up to match where the fountain is.

Somebody was here yesterday. He said,

"You pay £1,000 for one of these big lumps of limestone."

So it's like buried treasure.

It's worth more than them Roman coins we found.

With a wealth of materials excavated,

and the impressive progress so far,

the completion of Graham's glorious new pathway is almost in sight.

Coming up...

..Matthew and Michelle have a difference of opinion

over kitchen fittings.

That's electrical conduit. It's different.

I'm going to have all different types of copper, brass,

this, a little bit of gold.

In Cumbria, Graham and Jodie's Camellia House takes shape.

It's got to be slid into place.

So let's hope he's got his measurements right.

And in Cheshire, Charlotte and Matt's very first

room is completed.

It's probably not the Barbie pink that she might be expecting.

In Monmouthshire, south Wales, is the Grade II listed farmhouse

bought by ex-rugby international Matthew and former Olympic

triple jumper Michelle.

It's now three months since Matthew oversaw the final layout

for the couple's new centrepiece kitchen.

Today, Michelle's made the 100-mile journey up from their current home

in Devon to see how her new kitchen is coming together.

Right.

Oh, my God, the thing's in!

It might have a temporary plywood worktop, but the units are in place,

electrics are connected and new radiators installed.

And Michelle is delighted.

Oh, my cookers are in.

This is stunning.

Gorgeous colour, though, right?

The blue's nice.

Really nice.

But for perfectionist Michelle, when you've been waiting as long

as she has for a dream kitchen, it has to be just right.

I'm not sure about... He's going to hate me for this, but I don't want

the copper with the silver.

How have we got two different colours?

The wall - that needs another paint on that.

The floor will be cleaned up.

Sounds like Michelle's to-do list is getting longer.

Time to share the good news with Matthew.

So, babe, first of all, the place looks amazing and it is the right

colour choice we made on the cookers.

They're stunning.

Stunning. However...however, I'm going to...I'm going to give

you, like, "Mm" sandwich, OK?

You know...

Right.

We've got these this colour...

..and this colour.

Copper piping for rads and plumbing.

And that's electrical conduit.

It's different.

That means I'm going to have all different types of copper,

brass, this, a little bit of gold.

Don't want that!

It's copper piping to go with plumbing. OK?

That's that. No, it can't be. It can't be that.

It can't be that carte blanche.

Ah. You sound a bit frustrated.

I am. OK, bye.

So, the reality there is, that's what happens.

Two weeks later,

it's a huge day for the kitchen.

With the units all in place,

Michelle's marble worktops are finally going in.

It's a three-man job to manoeuvre each of the 140kg slabs

of marble into the house.

As a natural product,

no two slabs of marble are exactly alike, so it's the ideal material

to create the one-of-a-kind, dramatic impact that Michelle

is looking for.

Excited to see the finished job,

Michelle's brought along one of her closest friends, Tracy.

Oh, my God, look at that.

This is the... Hi, darling!

We're still waiting for the resin to go up in there, so obviously

the last movement as possible. OK, sorry, I won't touch.

I love it, I love it, I love it, I love it. I love it!

I think she loves it. But its half finished

state is a concern.

There are no light fittings, no taps,

and in just three days' time, Michelle's arranged a party

for husband Matthew's 50th birthday to be held right

here in the new kitchen.

Trace, do you know what I'm thinking, though?

How am I going to get this finished before Sunday?

He won't mind if he comes in and it's like this.

Or even in a worse state. Oh, gosh, you're so...

You're so Matt, you know? You irritate me.

It's early June in Cumbria, and with the exploratory work

on the existing Camellia House structure complete, it's finally

time to begin the big build.

Steel's coming at 8:30.

In a few hours' time,

the new steel structure that will eventually support

a new timber frame and glass roof for the Camellia House

will be in place.

So, two main beams. Well, a four.

They're bolted together. And then the main hip that runs

on the top.

So I hope you're feeling strong,

cos we've got to lift several tonnes of stone, Jodie.

I'm not doing it. I've got a hangover.

HE LAUGHS

Though the site survey found some of the existing structure was hollow,

the original stone pillars that surround the Camellia House

are perfectly sound and will support the new steels.

Here we go.

And there's the big babies. Yay!

Oh, he's put circles in it to match the others.

This part of the house has taken forever

just to get it to this stage.

To then get the steels to come in, it'll be amazing.

This is the skeleton of the building, isn't it?

The main bit of the building.

Once bolted together, the steels will be lifted into position

using two diggers to support the enormous weight.

Without the holes, it would have probably weighed about 1.3 tonnes,

with this one piece of steel, once it's all bolted together,

It's a chunky bit.

Just over an hour after arrival, the precision job to install

the cross beam is under way,

the two diggers working in unison to avoid clipping

the listed structure.

It's a really tight squeeze, and they've also got to be careful

of the finishing stones at the top.

So it's got... Instead of being placed on top, it's got

to be slid into place.

So let's hope he's got his measurements right.

SHE LAUGHS

You've got to work together to make it...to make it right.

Time to lift the third beam into place.

This one needs careful consideration because it will sit

against the archway where Graham recently uncovered rotting timbers.

Literally, I could pull it apart with my hands.

You could just put your finger right the way through it.

No option. We need the steels in first to tie things off.

They're going to... They will take the weight of the timber.

It's the only way we can do it.

But with the years of expertise on site, this heavy-duty ballet

continues without a hitch.

And by 11:00, the steels are in place and secure.

There's minimal tolerance for failure.

That one went in really, really well.

In no time at all, we steered it in and, yeah, it's going to plan.

So far, so good.

With renovations in the Camellia House making good progress, Graham

and Jodie's project to create a grand new entrance is coming

together, with the next job to lay a smart gravel pathway

up to the fountain and beyond to the main door.

Still a bit of work to do.

We've got two more pillars to put in, but for now

I'm using the old turf.

So, a bit like carpet-laying. HE CHUCKLES

Similar to hairdressing.

HE CHUCKLES

Over the next few weeks, the heavy graft is almost done and the focus

shifts to something a little more decorative.

Because it's an Italian-style house, we wanted to keep that kind

of going even in the garden.

So we bought a shed load of olive trees, and then we're going to frame

all around this.

As you walk down, there'll be a little avenue of olive trees.

I think it's starting to really look nice.

I think it's coming together. I'm quite pleased.

When you look up to the entrance now, we've cleaned it all.

It's glistening.

And when the sun comes out in Maulds Meaburn, you have to make

the most of it.

With months of heavy work still ahead for the Camellia House,

this new pathway is one job Graham and Jodie hope will help this part

of Flass House look its absolute best during the Cumbrian summer.

In Cheshire, 228-year-old Hartford House

is undergoing major renovation.

To save money,

owners Charlotte and Matt are doing everything themselves.

Lower, lower, lower. There we go. Let's go.

All while working and parenting four-year-old Scarlett

and baby Zayn.

But today marks a milestone in their renovation journey.

The big three-five.

Yes, it's my 35th birthday today.

Um, and we are finishing our first room.

Woohoo! Finally. Yay!

Though most of the house is still a building site,

daughter Scarlett's bedroom is nearly done.

Wallpaper is up.

The new house bed is built from a kit.

She'll have a little light she can turn on,

so it should be nice and cosy.

All that's left are the finishing touches.

Oh, love that. Yeah.

I'm just pressing all the bedding.

But mum Charlotte is very aware that Scarlett's expectations

might not match her own.

I'm a little bit nervous.

Scarlett is like the ultimate princess, so it's probably not

the Barbie pink that she might be expecting.

Well, coral's a sort of pink.

I was quite happy leaving it at wood finish, but the boss has spoken.

It's almost like a pinch-me moment.

Like, are we actually completing it, or is there still going

to be something left to do?

Wow. What is it?

Oh, there we go.

ZAYN COOS

It looks so nice. I just hope she loves it.

Are you excited? Yeah.

What do you think your new room's going to be like?

A bit princessy.

A bit princessy?

Oh!

When Matt and Charlotte bought Hartford House, they gave themselves

ten years for renovations.

There's a lot to do in here, isn't there?

SHE LAUGHS

They were also determined that this dilapidated space

would be finished first for their four-year-old daughter.

Are you ready?

Wow!

Today, the space is totally transformed.

Look! Mummy!

I've not got these...

..dresses. Ah!

The house bed is fit for a princess.

The coral colour links upcycled furniture...

..to period features.

It's even got its own matching fitted kitchen.

Let me get your cup.

It's definitely a thumbs up from Scarlett.

This is your bed.

Do you love it? Yeah?

Is it amazing?

I'm happy how it's come together now. Really happy.

It feels amazing to have one room complete.

And it's Scarlett's bedroom, so, you know, she keeps it beautiful.

So we're over the moon.

BELL RINGS

Really proud of us.

Hey!

One room complete,

just another 13 to go.

We'll rejoin Charlotte and Matt later this week as their bathroom

reno quickly turns into another major demolition job.

Coming up...

..in Cumbria...

Graham turns detective on the glasshouse roof.

If you look how cracked and perished that lead is, this hasn't

been watertight for a good hundred years at least.

And in Wales...

Happy birthday, mate.

..it's cheers all round in Matthew and Michelle's

finally finished kitchen.

The house is functional, actually, because the heart of the house

is available to use.

You're not alive unless the heart's beating, right?

In Cumbria, at Flass House,

Graham and Jodie's Camellia House rebuild is in full swing.

Never a dull day.

Definitely not with these two, Itchy and Scratchy.

We've found another toy.

It's just over a month since the first steels were slotted

into place for the glasshouse.

Since then, more of the frame has been installed and it's all

been coated in rust-proof paint.

I'm pleased with it. The cast iron looks like it blends

with the steel. It's good.

Today's goal is to finish the flat portions of the roof and guttering,

ready for the glass panels to be installed,

and make the whole build watertight.

We've put some more joists in now for the flat roof,

so all the roof's now sloping away to the box gutter.

That's the original box gutter.

We're going to keep it in lead.

We're going to replace the lead that's there.

Once this roof's on, we're moving,

we're really flying. Then we can start digging.

And that's what I'm excited to see,

the pool coming into shape.

Along with new lead for the box-shaped gutters,

Graham is hoping this stretch of flat roof will be boarded

before the Cumbrian rain sets in.

So today, contractor Derek is joined by builders Craig and Dino

to try and beat the clouds.

We're in the lap of the gods. It says rain at 1:00,

so we've got sheets ready just in case the weather lets us down.

As Flass House is a listed property,

Graham's having to adhere to conservation rules with every

aspect of his renovation.

Look at the thickness of that lead.

They don't make lead like that anymore.

Thank God - I couldn't afford it.

Look how cracked and perished that lead is.

This hasn't been watertight for a good 100 years, at least.

So this is the new lead.

Each roll of lead can weigh as much as 75 kilograms,

but it is simple to score and cut to length

before being knocked into shape using a boss.

This traditional tool has been used for centuries to shape

and straighten the malleable metal without damaging it.

People think renovation is lovely, don't they?

They can be wrong.

HE CHUCKLES

As the work progresses,

morale is high.

I'm getting excited. It's going to be finished in an hour.

But the Cumbrian clouds have other plans for the afternoon.

This is a disaster! Means we've got to sheet it all up, down tools

and pray it stops quickly.

Gentlemen, it might be a long, leisurely lunch

till it stops raining, like three weeks.

A month later, it's a bright, sunny day at Flass, allowing

the waterproofing to push ahead, ready for the glass instal

in a few weeks' time.

Though the Camellia House is still a building site, the space

outside the doors is now complete.

Three months ago, this stretch of the grounds

was faded and forgotten,

just another section of uneven lawn

with an old fountain, covered in decades of grime.

Today, the classic Italian influences of the house are mirrored

with impressive new limestone steps, complete with decorative urns,

a new gravel drive edged with olive trees, drawing the eye

towards the fountain,

with its restored white Carrara marble now shining in the sun.

Cheers!

It's an oasis of calm and the perfect escape

from the busy site beyond.

It leads straight up to the main entrance,

what was a garden entrance to what was the camellia house.

And it's all original to the house.

It's all things that was already here that we've reused,

just in a different place.

I think it's worked really well.

It has worked well, yeah.

The jewel in the crown is the fountain, which took months

of cleaning and eight coats of sealant to prevent

any further decay.

Before, it was concrete, grey concrete.

It's only when we started cleaning it up we found

it was Carrara marble, which is a beautiful substance, Italian.

And it's really well crafted, when you look at it.

Little fish teeth are even there, you know. Yeah. It's well done.

It just needs a bit of gardening now and we'll be there.

So next year, hopefully... We need some gardeners.

..planted up and hedged up and it'll be a different thing again.

Obviously, there's a lot more pressing jobs that need doing,

but we had all of the materials in the woods that was going to waste

so it does finish the garden off really nicely.

It'll last now for another 150 years, hopefully.

It sounds nice as well. It's relaxing when you're out here.

Yeah, it is. It's lovely.

With months of graft still to come on the rest of the house,

taking a little time out to enjoy the fruits of their labour

is well deserved.

Four years, we've been banging away at this place

and sometimes you get despondent cos you never see the end in sight,

but we're starting to get to the other side.

If we don't sell up and move to the Amalfi coast first.

I was doing that two weeks ago,

but then the sun came out and I was fine.

Though the Camellia House is yet to see work begin on the planned

swimming pool, Graham and Jodie's efforts are slowly reaping rewards.

It's paradise down here. This is stunning.

It's still home as well.

Yeah, it is.

Later in the week, we'll follow Graham and Jodie

as they find Flass House has yet more secrets to reveal

and work on the Camellia House continues.

250 miles south, in Monmouthshire,

it's just a few days since the marble worktops were installed

in the kitchen at Matthew and Michelle's Grade II listed farmhouse.

And with the taps and lighting now up and running,

their dream kitchen is finally ready to be christened in style,

hosting friends and family

as they celebrate Matthew's big 50th birthday.

A year ago, they cleared out the dated sink and cupboards,

leaving a blank canvas to work from.

Now, with smart navy-blue shaker-style cabinets,

a striking orange range,

and Michelle's beloved marble-topped island,

it's completely transformed.

And in the room next door, they have a smart new utility room

with limestone tops and a Belfast sink.

Yeah, it's beautiful.

It's really nice.

I'm still having my "pinch me" moment that this is finally coming

to where it needs to be.

This is completed, the utilities - completed.

And the fact that you can now start putting things in the fridge,

start cooking, start washing up.

Yeah, it's a really nice feeling.

The house is functional, actually, because the heart of the house

is available to use.

And, you know, you're not alive unless the heart's beating.

And not a moment too soon -

as the first guests are arriving for Matthew's birthday celebration.

Just as Michelle imagined, the space is providing the perfect place

for family and friends to gather.

I've always said from day one that I wanted it to be a place

where everybody congregated, it to be the heart of the home,

people feeling comfortable to come here and enjoy themselves.

So, actually, it's a win-win today.

For Matthew, it's the perfect way to celebrate his milestone birthday.

I feel amazing, really, now.

A bit overwhelmed.

Very grateful...

..and very happy, actually.

I kind of have got what I wanted.

And best friend Steve does the honours with a toast

From my family, from everybody else,

happy birthday, mate. You're a mate. CHEERS AND APPLAUSE

I love you, buddy.

There's so much more to do, but it feels right,

and it does feel like home.

CHEERS AND APPLAUSE

And of course, nothing's ideal. But what IS ideal?

What's perfect?

So, um...

Remember you said that... Yeah. ..cos there's lots more to do.

Next time...

..new windows for Matthew and Michelle's Monmouthshire farmhouse

create just the right impression...

I love them. They're really lovely.

I think what this does to the house,

it's going to start having a bit more of a wow factor.

..and we join two new families on their renovation journeys.

We head to Scotland, and the Isle of Gigha,

where one couple are ready to ditch caravan life forever.

Tonight, we celebrate at the thought of a level bed, a warm shower.

And in Cornwall...

It looks OK like that, doesn't it? But we're not having it like that.

..things at a Georgian townhouse reno come a little unstuck.

Why do a job once when you can do it twice?

Check twice, do once.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media