Build A New Life In The Country: Lincolnshire | History Documentary | Reel Truth History

[Music] it's this stuff of trains move to the countryside in search of a bigger house and a simpler life well that's exactly what Matt and Emma Cooper are doing they're leaving their small three-bedroom bungalow in Surrey and moving 200 miles north to the wilds of Lincolnshire where they're transforming a massive ball granary into a dream home for them and their two kids but is getting they're gonna push this couple to the limit of their endurance the tension in the air we think this would wafting around ready to knock the barn down it'd be an adventure for both of us as you know as a family it will be an adventure set the bombs cast for what its beauty and its glory is given us a few carls and tribulations at the minute [Music] normally when people decide to leave their old lives behind they're looking for something better but Matt Nauman already have what most people aspire to they've got a lovely house in a pretty village surrounded by their friends and family so why on earth do they want to leave it all behind it's simple for the price of a bungalow in Surrey Matt and Emma get this massive barn in Lincolnshire which comes with its own mod and several outbuildings and they can afford all this on the income from Matt's telecoms business allowing Emma to give a per busy job at a local cafe and become a full-time mum to their two children it's now October and three weeks ago this couple started turning their dream into a reality we were looking for about seven or eight months basically that around several areas and we sort of started casting in it a bit further and further afield because we couldn't find what we were looking for and something like this with a bit of land and this came up and it was idea this is a massive life change for you isn't it yeah I guess it was kind of I mean we've got two young children and that was a sort of critical thing we're in sorry at the minute I'm talking the sorry at the minute water crops the prices are very high and to actually take the next step at the ladder if we wanted to have more children or grow into a bigger property we'd been looking at sacrificing quite a lot financially and also what we reject our money we get fed up with life just completely changing chasing your tail where we are now we're both working full-time to young kids don't want to do it anymore just want to have a life together a lot of people have ambitions of changing their life but never do it makes you different you know you can think about things forever exactly life's too short you better do it regretting everything you didn't do I'd see me regret trying to do this they're not trying to do could you get one chance in life mmm gotta make change you gotta make changes so this is it in the rain [Music] Matan Emma's dream of a new simpler rural life revolves around this enormous 18th century granary which comes with five acres of land this is some of your plans for this part lies basically where we're standing in kind of like they're through to the kitchen big open plan kitchen downstairs bathroom cloakroom our utility with my rear on the right here so where's your main entrance the house this huge barns divided into two massive rooms scry in there these arches are really beautiful only yeah I mean the quality of this pretty fantastic owner yeah what are your plans for this space there's gonna be kind of a home cinema room drop-down cinema screen at the end of the wall sound quality sound Matt and Emma want to transform this rustic old granary into a luxurious modern family home you'll enter into an impressive double height hallway upstairs a suspended walkway will connect the two halves of the building on one side will be a bathroom and three bedrooms and across the other side of the walkway will be a study and the master bedroom with picturesque views across the Lincolnshire countryside on the ground floor there'll be a modern urban plan kitchen flooded with light from two large glass doors and beyond the centerpiece of the house a huge urban plan living dining room packed to the rafters with the latest home technology this will be a sure piece from Matt's telecoms business it's an ambitious project and Matt and Emma have funded it with a massive mortgage on this building and their three-bedroom bungalow in expensive Surrey so it's a big old project that you're taking on as a no how much did you actually pay for the property 190 yeah that's even get anything like that down and sorry you wouldn't get a one-bedroom flat for that how much have you got to renovate the house 140,000 have you got any experience in building projects like this no not really we've extended that I mean where we live in the bungalow I think it is we wanted to do that you can build anything so we're knocked over now January you might move in well it's uninhabitable but then completely finished for very much Joan 100% hundred percent yeah we're gonna have to work 24 hours a day to do it and yeah I never really thought much definitely but March is just seven months away Matan Emma's plans to turn this rundown barn into a high-tech home are great but this building is a wreck and with winter just around the corner Matt's got his hands full getting it ready on time something tells me it's gonna be tough [Music] [Music] it's mid-october in Lincolnshire Matt and Emma Cooper are a month into their ambitious plan to transform this huge granary into a dream home Matt runs his own telecoms business he's worked out he can afford to take four months off to make the building habitable by the end of January but he's not just laboring he's also managing the whole project based near the barn while Emma still living in their bungalow in Surrey Emma's looking forward to leaving her busy job managing a local cafe and moving up to Lincolnshire to become a full-time mum to two-year-old Cassie and four-year-old Archie that's the point in my life where I've had kids and this is where you'd almost think like hey what do I do want to do with my life you know I'm at the age of 30 you know and and this seems like a really good thing to do because it's somewhere completely different it'd be an adventure for both of us as a you know as a family it will be an adventure the key to finance on that adventure is their bungalow they've remortgaged it to raise a hundred and ninety thousand pounds to buy the barn with 140,000 pounds they're borrowing to do it up this gives them a walking debt [Music] what I need to know Matt is how are you finance in this project we borrowed against the bungalow to buy the place in the state that's in now and as we own it in its state we've been able to borrow against it to actually do it up and build it against the bungalow to buy the granary yeah and then you've borrowed one hundred and forty thousand against the granary yeah to do it up yeah that's three hundred and thirty thousand pounds worth of borrowings and it is that's a massive about money yeah is yeah it's a big risk but you know we fell in love with the place and it's you know it's a dream to actually do it and you know yes we really will be enough alike well I mean that's where the main pressure is really because the the rent from the bungalow you're quite staffed the mortgage so we've got to rent it out and quickly because if we don't then we're really living on borrowed money to the max that's quite amazing that tiny little bungalow down and doggin mmm there's paying for half of this bill yeah because of the rental income yeah so that rental income is absolutely essential isn't it yeah it's essential if we want to keep both the properties on definitely but the bungalows already been on the market for two months and Matt and Emma still have no offers with Matt's business on hold there's nowhere they can afford for Emma to give up her job until they rent the bungalow Emma's moved to Lincoln sure is on hold indefinitely matt has only built a small extension before project managed and a build on this scale would be a very steep learning curve with big risks financially and emotionally on top of that he's hoping to make the place habitable for his family in just four months Matt first new job is managing the build of a brand new roof starting with the trusses I think just try and lift it with the straps on it Matt shouldering the responsibility of operating the crane that will lift the trusses in a position with each truss weighing half a ton it's a huge responsibility tense isn't it can you feel the tension in the air please big this would wafting around ready to knock the bomb down as Matt lifts the first truss up into position we get dramatic evidence and as an experienced [Music] Matt's forgotten to put down the crane stabilizers and almost tipped it over it's a very lucky escape for Matt and the bomb [Music] two hours later with stabilizers down mat soldiers on and gets the first two roof trusses into position the truce is sitting on timber plates that run along the walls of the barn but the plates aren't level it's not level 25 it's not level along them so when you know obviously when you see the trusses are gonna go Matt's quick fix solution is to bang on another piece of timber to make the plate level it does the job but it's far from ideal a week later the roof trusses are on Matt's plan is to get the roof finished and tiled but a visit from the building inspector again brings home is inexperienced Building Control about the stability of the building they were just concerned that loading it up with heavy pan cars in this state without having the structure on the first floor the beams in to hold it in a sort of center whether it put too much outward force on it so I've got this right because you've got the old walls you've got the roof trusses on if you put the tiles on those walls at one day yeah so just how unstable was this building that it moved quite a lot how much where you could push it and it waved a wave that you a little bit the building inspectors insisted that all work stops until Matt's installed the first floor beams that will tie the building together and make it structurally sound but there's good news from Surrey after three months on the market at long last they've rented the bungalow with the tenants arriving in three weeks Emma's handed in her notice at the cafe and is packing for her move to Lincolnshire yeah I just wanted to get involved I'm so distant from the whole thing I really don't feel part of it and I need to I think everyone has to be involved in something if if it's gonna be a dream if it is a dream you will have to have it the same dream and I've kind of lost sight of it a bit because I'm just been down here waiting for it to happen but I need to kind of be there [Music] Emma might want to be on site more but right now Matt probably wishes he wasn't as he starts the mammoth task of tiling the roof he discovers the battens he pyramid to fix haven't me laid properly [Music] but the distance between they sleep it's a would hang the tiles on is too close together they when you hang the tiles I don't lock together quite properly it's a big mistake I'd replace the battens however Matt chooses the cheaper but far more time-consuming option of cutting the task to size by hand all 2540 of them including breakages [Music] thailand this roof takes my full weeks working every hour God sends I can't afford to get sort of pissed off about it but I'm not very happy about it I would rather obviously it was right and we'd just lie in the tiles but that ain't happening inside not a lot I can do about it [Music] [Music] but at least the families reunited after three months living apart Emmer and the kids are finally moving up to their new life in Lincolnshire their new homes a plastic log cabin this coal mine yes we've got big kitchen you an arching you've got a proper bed what do you think Cassie that's quite good man the cabins just a stone's throw from the barn for the first time in a month Emma's gone to see the building site that Matt's hoping will be their home in only five weeks time at the deck or blast laughter they were just for having for the beams in they would just bring them in to put them into position but they hadn't put the room still so much to do it's just hard to conceive that you being here I'm not surprised it's barely more than a shell Matt still trying to get the building watertight before the wind whether clauses in he needs doors windows my favorite internet way to push things on Matt's paying a carpenter to install though [Music] the handmade hardwood frames fit perfectly and go in in just a few hours but there's been a mix-up mats and experience means he hasn't ordered them large panes of glass without them this building can't be made watertight spit ad hoc in fairness the original schedule it shouldn't have taken quite this long to get the glass but it all comes back to project management again doesn't it y'all haven't organized this build and all the logistics of having windows and materials turnin up that's a 1 there needa you saying it's my fault yeah it has been a bit of a logistical nightmare and it's all part of the learning curve so I you know I've got my hands up and say yeah a percentage of that is mine my doing because I don't really didn't really know what I was doing I still don't you know it's all new now because everyday we move on a stage and it becomes me I really admire Matt's honesty but I'm worried his lack of experience it's beginning to jeopardize this build but for the kids their new life is just one big adventure Emma's settled the men at the local nursery it's a five minute drive from the barn and a world away from the hustle and bustle of the school run in Surrey compared to the one back in Surrey that was kind of modern and high-tech this is a little on a working farm you know it's grace you know they say that kids are the easiest way to to get to know people and to kind of break the barrier because they're at school you know feels like we're part of the community while the kids are at school Emma throws herself into the barn conversion the barn will be heated by a ground source pumped that draws the natural warmth out of the earth this means laying an incredible two and a half kilometres the coiled plastic pipe Matt confident they can master this hugely complicated task keep on going baby kids would love this yeah yeah this is why well I'll leave it alone Argus all right doing that and now you've coming into fear but it soon becomes clear that this giant twisted hose pipe has a mind of its own but Matt's fighting back it's a pain in the backside nightmare I'm gonna have nightmares about this the rest of my life and if it don't work there will be murder [Music] bring that friend round make it tangled it that splits with [ __ ] right um kinky after several hours even the laid-back Matt's beginning to wish they'd never started [Music] Matt and Emma eventually call it a day and calling the professionals once again Matt's attempts to cut corners has cost him time and money but a week later there's a dramatic development and it changes everything for this couple yeah we've got some new some we yeah number three's on this way baby obviously it wasn't quite planned to happen and so soon but stupidly with it always happens didn't we mention it start practice we talked about it that week on Friday and then Emma was pregnant on Saturday it's fabulous news but there's no way of pregnant Emma can roof it in a half-finished barn and it's forced Matt to rethink his plans he's now given himself another two months to try and completely finish the barn it's still an ambitious deadline but with no income and a very tight budget it's a deadline this couple can't afford to miss [Music] [Music] it's the middle of February Springs here and Matt and Emma Cooper are still converting this huge barn to start a new life in the wilds of the Lincolnshire countryside Matt's put his telecoms business on hold to project manage the bills five and a half months on he's installed a roof and first floor but they've got no bathroom no kitchen and no staircase and with no glass and some of the windows the barn still isn't watertight I think I think it's lack of experience that has probably put it behind because Matt it's a complete optimist in every single way and then I think he's just like you know he's a classic salesman you know yeah well get it done one through this you know boss boss push it in here that'll take a day a couple of hours for that job but jobs have taken them longer to do it's a fact that Matt is actually taking on and he wants to do everything himself really but as me I'd much rather just say what let's get someone else to come and do it you know he's learning so much about everything Emma's five months pregnant and Matt eager to get the family out of the cramped Caravan and into the barn in just six weeks I think he's got a mountain to climb to meet his deadline but Matt's nothing but optimistic things are moving on what's deceiving about this stage is that it doesn't move quite quickly yeah there's all the finishing off that takes a long time he's entirely all the pasture and all the fitting there's a lot to do stone you know originally the schedule that I first put together was based on me not being here and chucking more money at it from working and living what happened was you know it worked out a lot more cost-effective for me to be here and kind of let the schedule go that I suppose like the timescales lapse and and save money actually doing it and laboring and learning as well that's quite interesting Lucas you're said if you'd carried on working in your normal job you'd earn more money to put into the bills mm-hmm so the fact your been hands-on is slowing down the build program now it's flying it down but in terms of cost it's not you know it's probably more effective so you're saving money but it's taking longer yeah but by the end it's gonna spend the same amount of money I don't know it's like I said George I'm enjoying it your way this is quite serious isn't it I mean Emma's pregnant another baby on the way yeah you've got to get in here yeah but you think because of your of your own experience you've been too optimistic with the schedule I'm a sucker for being optimistic always because that's the way I do things I suppose at the end of the day I don't like to be pessimistic about anything and at the end of the day you know beating me up as much to your life I'm still gonna be optimistic I've got to because if not I'll end up taking a running jump at career day now to push the project on Matt's hired a couple of carpenters to fix the plasterboard walls while a local plumbing firm offering the bathrooms and the first fix electrics are also going in [Music] the paid professionals are making good progress but they're costing Matt a thousand pounds a day with major structural work still to be tackled it's got to be tight to bring this project in on budget but Matt's all confident you'll get into the barn on schedule he's agreed to leave the caravan in just five weeks time if the barns not ready on time the family could be homeless I need to get in here because you know every minute I'm not in it is costing me more money in rent and stuff like that I don't need to be fired so I need to get in here we need to get in there you know I think we'll have a bathroom or maybe food some water some heat in thermoelectric you know essential kitchen [Music] much decision to plow all these extra resources into the build is paying dividends the plaster boards are and at long last you can see the rooms but just as the builds progressing there's bad news for Emma she's aggravated an old injury in her back and it's put her out of action within days her back so bad she can't even drive the build and the child can't [Music] you know to add to their problems the cost of hiring all the extra help means they're now down to the last thirty five thousand pounds of their budgets but with just a month till they get kicked out of the caravan they can't afford to slack in the pace Matt's working every hour to get in but Emma's back isn't healing and she's now confined to the caravan just how painful I mean keeping you up yeah I'm not sleeping I've got painkillers but they're only weak ones because being pregnant and everything can you walk I can walk for about 30 seconds but then I have to take to the floor it's not like a nightmare yeah it's really very painful had to a nice little bungalow I'm talking and you had my son life down there and your friends were down there and your family were the errands I mean this is the other thing that's getting me so I really really miss my friends you know I really I just you know I do not know anyone up here and you know I'm finding that really hard but it's kind of reached this point now West it has become so exhausting Matt and I are just both exhausted by it it's just it sucks every ounce of energy we have doing this did you ever imagine it would be like this I never imagined it'd be half as tough but now but now I really one thing I do realize is that we took on something absolutely mammoth I had no idea I'm feeling more worried about everything now I'm worried about money and worried about what I've left behind reality is is kind of amazing home Matt decides to throw money at the bills to get Emma in the family into a comfortable new home on the deity's promised sue eagles to the bank and borrows another fifty thousand pounds but there's a phenomenal amount of work still to do there are walls to be plastered underfloor heating to be installed and the second fix electrics and plumbing are only just going in misters goods this looks fun yes it looks fantastic yeah so what's the bedroom it's good I like this room yeah and we've got a window is blocked up there which is like about connecting yeah well there's lots of progress but he was supposed to be finished by the end of next week it's nearly two weeks eight days that's eight days until the end of the month and you said I will be finished by the end of March whatever it takes you've got to be out the caravan in a week yes in fact in one week's time you'll hold us mmm scary yeah we've been evicted and a waiting care too much yeah but what are you gonna do because this place is not gonna be finished in a week we're just gonna thrive what I think Oh crazy and see what happens all right I don't think we're gonna be a million miles off I think we could end up with a habitable space but if you just had to summarize what's left to do yeah give me a little list second place electrical second fix plumbing kitchen it's a big responsibility isn't it yeah do you find Anna quite tough to be absolutely honest some days what they feel like right you know maybe you are under massive pressure I've got a massive responsibility to my family to my wife and the mortgage lender to you know to pay the bills and and get this done so yeah we've got crackle Matt's moving heaven and earth to make this barn habitable but it's far from finished there's no water there's no heating and the place is not even watertight with only one week before his family are kicked out the caravan he's gotta somehow turn this building site into a family home but a week later there's some news that puts everything into perspective Emma's been rushed to hospital Matt's at her bedside and Emma's parents have come up from Surrey to look after the kids and help pack up the caravan and he said you've got a prolapsed disc don't do anything go lie down flat for two days until it goes down but it's not got any better I've got worse now she has no feeling in her leg or foot yeah very worried because of you know because of her obviously and you know kids they just the poor kids the poor boys just don't understand what's happening around them you know I mean emma has been literally flat on her back for the last three days on the floor from Saturday morning I mean literally seven o'clock on Saturday morning she rang us you know insisting almost that we came so we did we sort of dropped everything and came it turns out it's just as well it's all fit traumatic and we don't quite know what's going to happen when Matt finally gets back from hospital the news isn't good Emma's back injuries so bad the doctors have no option but to operate life has been turned upside down I don't really know what's going on there's no real plan because it's all too early in day to plan what's gonna happen I'm just not suck it and see see what happens over there next couple of days really in mic adjustments where necessary our spies I feel torn now because I feel like I should be with her I feel like I need to be over there and [Music] it's just stressful I think the bombs cast for all its beauty and its glorious he's given us a few trials and tribulations at the minute with the outcome of the operation uncertain Emma's parents take the kids back to Surrey leaving Matt alone with the barn once again just how tough of the last few weeks been for you support em just been been worse nightmare ever at the end of the day I've never seen her in this much pain there's what I've seen her in the past few weeks and that's been the worst thing of it all this I can't help it you know not watch to give birth naturally without any drugs any medication or anything twice and the pain doesn't even compare you know the main concern has been what's the effects on the baby that's the main stress factor I suppose out of all of it is you know is everything gonna be alright at the end of the build sort of pales in significance yeah I mean really as I mean at the end of the day I've had to make sure of the finances are there to pay the bills or how to make sure the materials are here and stuff like that I've been flitting to and from the hospital and turn from the nursery and to and from home to make sure everything's going to plan but at the end of the day this place you know without Emma and the kids here it doesn't mean anything you know it might as well you know people born better and flats or whether I say I'm one of it because you know without them it's nothing so it has kind of brought everything into perspective mmm just that to say right well you know relief and adds to it to a degree we communicate but at the end of the day my main concern has been getting up back to some sort of fitness and because you haven't been on slide things have slowed down a little bit AMD yeah what impact does that have another finances finance is a pretty shot to be honest with you you know we're getting to the end of the pot and really there's not you know I mean I've costed everything out as best I can and there's a few things that I might have to make compromises whereas with everything else so taking into account all the stress that you've had over the last few weeks and the delays you've incurred but when do you think this house is eventually going to be finished I think we've realistic we've got give yourself a month know if it means me being it on midnight two o'clock in the morning paint and decorating whatever it takes I will be here for weeks slaving my backside into the ground to get bedtime after a delicate operation Emma's doctors discharged her from hospital and she returns to her parents in Surrey to convalesce and Matt gears up for one last to avoid push to get his family into their new home so they can stop the new lies but this couple are now deep in debt Matt's left his business on hold for two months longer than plans if he doesn't finish the bills and get back to work soon he won't be able to afford the repayments and could risk losing the bond it's the middle of May in Lincolnshire nine months ago Matt and Emma Cooper began transforming an 18th century granary into a dream home they're deep in debt and for the last two months at pregnant Emma's been convalescing at her parents house following a major operation on her back undeterred Matt rushed on desperately trying to turn a building site into a family home when Matt and Emma took on this project I don't think they had any idea what they were letting themselves in for the last nine months have been tougher than they could have possibly imagined but matt has battled on and through hard graft he's kept the dream alive and after everything they've been through I've come to see if it was all worth how's it going all right yeah two months ago Matan Emma's vision of a modern kitchen was a long way off but the transformations amazing absolutely stunning and I love this work top yeah the orange it's quite a brave move as a proponent but you've gone for a very contemporary kitchen and then all the building haven't you yeah but it works it actually works because you've got the balance right you know you've kept the exposed timber beams here at higher level yeah and you've got a beautiful you know slate floor yeah which has got a bit of texture yeah a little bit rugged dilemma how are you feeling now touchwood the staircase looks great doesn't it yes yes this guy it's so dramatic isn't [Music] you betcha it's not it's beautiful quite light and bright it's a relaxing area to lay and look out the window [Music] this is cool all this glazing is just stunning it yeah it's fantastic it's worked really well this is just it's just knockout Matt and Emma have built a stunning family home that incorporates the latest in modern design without destroying the character and feel of this lovely old building the bomb is now flooded with light and with five bedrooms and three bathrooms there's plenty of space for the family to grow into this is a wonderful house but to build it Matt and Emma have mortgaged their bungalow in Surrey to the hilt to afford their dream life they've now got to clear some of that debt so this is the most beautiful house but how much did it cost you we've done 190,000 thousand pounds of your original budget but you financed this Bill's through borrowing against the bull oh yeah can you afford to keep those two properties now this one and the bungalow I know you're gonna sell it yeah basically it will allow us to live here and not have heart attacks every time we get them finally well it's worth sacrificing that's not how are you get rid of it it's in the past go on yeah move on and this is your future Yeah right for the bungalow Matt and Emma have built themselves a special home and once the sale of the bungalow goes through the equity will allow them to have their mortgage matsing comes now more than enough to live on and it looks like this couple can afford to live the quiet simple life they came to making sure to enjoy so Emma how do you see I see I see um I think I'm you know I'm probably just gonna try and keep the bass going you know they build up the family home you know what with another baby on the way you know I want to get vegetable patch going and just kind of create a bit of a good life I suppose you know I'd love to get some chickens so much what is the house mean to you now nice part of my heart and soul really I mean at the end of the day I was given you know I've given a lot of energy to this place for Emma and the children and myself as a family but you know you want to live in it and enjoy it and spend time together and appreciate it and grow into it so you're just looking for the symbol life to be with your family again this is what the whole thing has been about but what an exciting start to your life now yeah [Music] the reality you've taken on a project like this is always going to be harder than expected but the rewards can be far greater Matt and Emma have built themselves a magnificent home but more importantly they're well on the way to getting the lifestyle they've always yearned for next week Marilyn and Terry take on the might of nature friendly life in Northumberland height 16 tennis and in front of all unaware [Music] [Music]

Channel: Banijay History

Views: 285,457

Keywords: history, facts, interesting, documentary, history documentary, documentary history, history channel, world history, full documentary, top documentaries, documentaire, documental, documentary film, free documentary, full length documentaries, documentaries, factual, documentary full, build a new life in the country, george clarke, charlie luxton, building a house, build a house, building, renovation, home renovation, diy, home restoration, before and after, home improvement, epiosde 1

Id: IuoM7X0M-JE

Length: 45min 34sec (2734 seconds)

Published: Sat Oct 12 2019