Church Conversion Success Story - The Restoration Man - S02 EP11 - Home Renovation

over the last few years I've been up and down  the country championing ambitious restoration   projects and the brave heroes who've taken  them all you know are saving it you know   it will be house it will last appeal come  for a lot of things yes in this series I'm   going back to visit long after the dust has  settled welcome to a different world I want   to find out how these spaces work as homes  to live in and it's working really nicely   with your buildable isn't it restoration is  one of the biggest challenges out there to   too much to lose but if you get it right  the results can be life-changing we just   didn't want to live in a normal Terrace  house again oh my gosh there's no excuse blood sweat tears I've seen it all but what I want   to know is when they all moved in  is the dream still alive [Music] [Music] today I'm returning to this Gothic  Revival Church in Gamble's B to   catch up with intrepid restorers  Phil Evans and you won the girl   [Music] they love the building so much they  gambled absolutely everything remortgage in their   existent property to the hilt to raise the 128  thousand pounds they needed to buy the church how   big a risk is it we will be mortgaged and long and  if something goes wrong you know that's it music but with so little money left to actually do the  restoration the project soon became the challenge   of a lifetime oh yeah I got ya the whole side is  shot they managed to complete the restoration but   they were left teetering on the edge to financial  ruin probably enough to sell the place we've just   simply spent too much money we've spent far too  much money and after all they've been through the   church was hit by a month's rainfall in one day  my god you've been through us you've really have   and just hoping there's a chance they've managed  to keep the church as their family home it all   started when Phil and Joanne first saw this  lathe Gothic Revival church in 2010 nestled   in the sleepy village of Gamble's B which is at  the foot of the penance that was built in 1860   for more than 100 years it served its parish  but for the last eight years it's lain empty   when it was put up for sale with residential  Planning Commission Phil and Joanne saw it as   a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create their  dream home we decided to come and see it because   we've seen it advertised in the Internet and  then as soon as we drove into the village we   really loved it you sit there at home and you  look at the TV think I could do that we've taken   a beautiful building we want to bring it into the  21st century and make sure that it's you know that   the job that we do should cause it for another  hundred years the family live 80 miles away and   Phil regularly travels to China to sell scientific  glass products which can keep him away from home   for weeks at a time Joanne also 31 is an Accounts  Manager but is currently on maternity leave with   their three-month-old daughter had a [Music]  while Phil and Joanne have donor properties   before they've never tackled a restoration of this  size it's unusual for a young couple with work and   a small child to take on something this ambitious  I've come to meet them to find out how realistic   their plans are hi mr. I mostly hurry yeah well  those things hello man how are you alright tell   me a little bit about what you've bought Victorian  period and greats who listed and for me I think   it's just absolutely beautiful building we're  really passionate about Victorian architecture in   particular I think or else it's not you know the  most decorative sort of church you've ever seen it   captures you know nice aspects of that sort of  architecture in that period well each sentence   well the building so the building is really  important but also there's gorgeous buildings   everywhere but it's been part of the community in  a village when we saw this place it was just you   know there was no question that it was it's just  perfect before the project has even started fill   in Chauhan had to make an important decision with  both of them living and working over 80 miles away   and truly they've chosen to remain in their house  while the builders going on but they need someone   to oversee the project excited they've decided  that their future brother-in-law Alex will project   manage the whole restoration although alex is  a trained architect he's new to the business   of over say in an on site building project he's  going to live in the caravan next to the church   just kind of coming up towards October the dark  nights the miserable weather exactly gonna move   in a caravan through the entire winter the church  is a grade 2 listed building that comes with the   restricted Planning and Building Commission with  its 52 foot high spire the footprint of over 1,100   square feet and set and just over a third of an  acre of land this building is full of potential   [Music] well here we are oh wow there's an  incredible gods are burning in space actually   really you're gonna keep this yeah I'm gonna keep  back here just make demands that the kids stop   doing that and stop doing that as well hey this  yeah stunning I mean the fact that you've got   this beautiful curve right at the end of the  best quite unusual actually there's not that   many churches have got this this building offers  fantastic scope for conversion but I do have some   concerns the church is nearly 144 years old and  I think Joanne and Phil have taken a big gamble   buying it without having a structural survey on  the roof conspire although they've paid for the   church outright by remortgaging their house in  Chorley they need to access a self built mortgage   to do the renovation but the bank won't give them  the funds until the building is watertight with   normally left in the kibbeh they've had to take  out a high interest loan of 25 thousand pounds to   do the roof but I'm worried it won't be enough do  you have any idea how much this is gonna cost you   the basic building a hundred thousand one hundred  thousand that's something you see there's some   contingency in there with contingency no that's  without continued some 120 no no no that's there   we've got separate contingency and we've got  that's to get to the basic building we've then   got further about 25 to actually then you know  kitchens and all sorts of things to say so your   budget is 125 grand plus a contingency of about  twenty ten twenty okay so you one four five one   two five we're gonna bring it under is this can  be the first restoration project I ever see where   the contingency money has never spend yes ready  it's everything we during this transition period   we will be mortgaged and loaned to the hilt it's  all the equity we've built up over for all the   way that we've done over the last twelve years  together and if something goes wrong you know   that's it music we lose everything Phil and Joanne  said that they're designed to convert the church   into the dream home came about over a couple of  glasses of wine the plans were then drawn up by   Alex on the ground floor will be a large hallway  connecting to a study WC and clogged room this   will lead onto an enormous space that would be  the main living area that will include a double   high dining room stall and the kitchen in the  church as nave on the first floor there'll be   a master bedroom with ensuite plus two further  bedrooms that have their own separate bathrooms   I think the ground-floor spawn upstairs if just a  couple of things you probably can't make the most   of bedroom bigger because the way that the beams  are I'm assuming that's why you've done it this is   a and but feels really small the dimension there's  two point emily is wise and because it's quite a   deep space it's gonna feel very kind of narrow and  quite confined maybe we utilize some of the spire   to create I don't know an upstairs library or you  know like a chill-out area above the bedroom yeah   obviously a small space could feel bigger if  you get if you do something with the ceiling   if you lift the ceiling up a small room can have a  bigger drama to it so you're right you've got the   spire above if you put a little staircase up to  there or you put glass on there or do something   to get his tomb the spire down art space it's  gonna always met with smaller bedrooms to make   them bigger normally lift the ceiling higher  it's as simple as that a couple of things you   mentioned that work with sort of new new ways  to tackle problems so we're certainly going to   take those on board and have a look inside the  church when you see what is it what is possible this couple have just taken on an unbelievable  amount seriously they've put everything on the   line financially in terms of their time and  actually in terms of their quality her life   for the next seven or eight months and they've put  so much trust and Alex to deliver this for them I   think it's I actually think to be honest it could  be too much for him I hope it's not but with all   the terrible weather that's going to come in this  part of the world over the next five six months   and the building being in the condition it's  in I'm just worried that it's gonna be too much   [Music] when I visit site my earlier  concerns about their inexperience or   proving true and I find out they strip  the reef without giving any thought to   the weather seriously I'd get some Todd  polo up those cookies you can because if   the lads are taken that side off tomorrow  I said there are gonna be yeah I mean even   the builders would be like no you can  get wait a bit it's fine it'll dry out [Music] this is a classic example of what you  shouldn't really be doing on a Belles   the weather is going to have a massive  impact on this project and because it   costs that haven't built a big tin roof a  big protector over the top of the church   before the strip back the old tiles let strip  the tiles off and now the water is absolutely   flooding in which means all the pews this  amazing rickety organ and everything let's   just get them absolutely naked it's a  bit late but Alex finally makes a call [Music] brilliant that's really good thank you  so three three rolls 25 by 4 meters that clear   plastic Isis basically what we're doing we're  getting sheets of heavy-duty plastic basically   and we're going to try and cover up the hole of  the exposed bits of roof just to just try to keep   it dry basically and then what we'll do is wrap  some around the spire as well just to try and keep   it dry basically with Alex at last organizing the  weather proofing Phil takes me up to see the spire   but once I'm up there it's clear that the timber  is in a terrible state Phylis the spires boost   to say the least is oh yeah my god yeah that's  100 gnarled solid oak as we peeled it back with   you we realize that this side must have basically  taken the brunt of the weather and the whole side   is shot what you can do what are we gonna do or  we're still we're still weighing up the options   get someone like a good engineering to check it  out to really look at the temporary supports and   what its gonna need cuz that's gonna be really  well designed the last thing you want is to pull   out some they support them the whole thing cause  that'd be a disaster for everything I'm really   concerned that Phil's twenty five thousand  pound high interest loan to fix the roof and   spire it's not going to be anywhere near enough  if the money runs out the bills will grind to a   halt below st. John's is a humble rural church all  buildings have a history and I'm intrigued to see   why it's biddy consecrated in the first place and  planning permission granted to turn it into home the local records show that Fillinger ones church  was built in the middle of gamble speed in 1868   but what I can't quite understand is the mother  church for the area which is st. Michael's Church   there has been a church on the site since the 11th  century is only two miles away at such a small   rural population I can't understand why they built  another church so close the style of our Anglican   Church may give us a clue the Gothic Revival  architecture consists of a tall spire Lancet   windows and butcher sirs which support the outside  walls this architectures a throwback to the Church   of England's medieval roots and was a reaction  to a time of uncertainty when the established   Church of England was under threat from new  foods such as Methodism which were popping up   all over the country trying to cater for the new  urban masses of the industrial revolution because   just looking at this old Ordnance Survey map of  Gamble's be the mystery of st. John's Church is   beginning to unravel just 50 yards away from our  church is a site where John Wesley the founder   of Methodism built a chapel in 1784 when this  humble building was expanded nearly 80 years   later the local Anglican vicar felt compelled to  respond by building st. John's so it looks like   our Gothic Revival church was built by the Church  of England to rival its neighbouring impostor to   find out how the Church of England reacted to  the threat of these new faiths I've come to   Oxford the centre of the Anglican faith in the  19th century to see one of the finest examples   of Gothic Revival architecture which was built  just nine years before our church in gambles be   what is unbelievable building it is so stunningly  designed finished around 1859 by one of the best   Gothic Revival architects George Gilbert scholars  this is one of many churches built through the   boom time of 19th century church construction  the undergone charge was feeling threatened   by other religions like Methodism buildings  like this reasserted the Anglican Authority   a leading expert in ecclesiastical architecture  is Oxford University's professor Dermot McCormick   it's such a powerful strong architecture isn't  it oh yes I mean it's trying to make a statement   the Church of England is the big beast on the  block there are other churches around but this   is the business and this is the church which  is inherited medieval architecture but I mean   Catholics the Free Church is the Methodists they  are all now competitors and the Church of England   once to say no we are still the Church of the  nation and how much would a building like this   have cost back in 1859 well I happen to know that  exited college chapel was 15,000 pounds in there   money of course there must be one of George  Gilbert Scots best yes just so magnificent   Victorian self-confidence isn't it we have to  say that all the other churches were hugely   raising money at the time for their churches and  that's why there was this enormous building boom   I suppose of the 19th century yeah it just  shows how there's architecture really worked   you can see where the money was spent this is  really the church ring and at its most triumphal [Music] four months into the renovation  the roof is still not watertight and the   build has been plagued by horrendous weather  today is a big day but the crane that's been   ordered to lift the renovated spire to the top  of the tower is struggling to get through the   rod that's blocked by snore and if that's  not bad enough when Phil came back from a   trip to China he found out that the new spiral  roof has cost an estimated 40,000 pounds which   is 15 grand over what he budgeted for how much  have you spent my fellow bills today's today at   seventy five thousand maybe eighty thousand  I need obviously things happening today seventy five to eighty going in already yes this  spires not just back and taking up a good chunk of   the budget it's taking of all the contingency  on is eating into although bits of the budget   now yeah I've got the roof fish yet thusly it's  not even on the spy is not even on you've got to   do electrics plumbing God knows whatever else  yeah fitting floors the lot and I'll tell you   the brutal honest truth for anything gonna do  it what are you worried about possibly running   out of money I think we are we are gonna run out  of money it's how far we get how long in your way   of the next year four months I could easily be  probably two to three weeks and months two to   three weeks a month over the next three or four  months possibly a day that would be the worst   case but that's what you know that's just what  it could be so when I'm standing here going you   should be here I think gonna happen I'm not  letting you jump on a plane I fly 6,000 miles   [Music] although things look really bleak  Phil's pushing ahead and with the support   of his neighbors they're attempting  to get a spire in its rightful place   [Music] minion it's all happening we've got  goodness everyone clear cars out the way what I love about it like all the  community from the farmer next door   to the gritty guys to the train  guys everybody has come together   to make this work for the train  today that's how big a deal it is the Korean has finally got through the snow  but they're now racing against the clock so   you know at about 20 past 3:00 it's actually  bit lighter than I thought it would have been   at this time you're going to try and lift your  spire on top of the frame take it out and market   lift it off again put the firm in place lift the  spire on top before the Sun completely disappears more a bit of optimism we've been a  bit delusional dozen really broken the left has to be done in two stages first   there's the photon frame  which provides the support then the spire is lifted and rests on  top actually we can rotate it as well   slightly to get it past the purlins  let me just cut some more off it or agonizingly the measurements are a couple of  inches out and the team are frantically trying   to cut the frame down to size and coax it in  the place without damage in the 144 year old   brick gables Oh but through two inches gone gone  that's it that's it that's it and over that's it   you take the Reg you tight you're clear you  really tight the side again you know Phil thankfully the frame is now safely in place but  fixing the problem has cost them the list at   the daylight we've got the main bit of the frame  up on the top which is fantastic that have fits   ideally we'd love to get the whole spire up and  drop that on as well I think it's too dangerous in cumbria the second day of sub-zero temperatures  has dawned and another day's crane hire can be   added to the cost of putting the spire into place  as he has to work phil has left Alex in charge [Music] [Music] finally the old spire sits on a  new supporting structure but it's come at   an enormous price in the new year back home in  Charlie Phil and Joanne are really struggling   with their budget well the spire meant that we  were we didn't get as much done which means we've   got a limited amount this time to get to the next  stage as well so it's just all having a knock-on   effect isn't it we're together now we'll having  to basically plan really strictly plan forward   now work so that we only have the right people  on site to get us to our next milestone which is   first fix with Phil and Joanne wrestling with  their finances I'm interested to find out how   our church st. John's was originally funded the  records will be here at Lambeth Palace in London   [Music] Methodism was on the rise and when the  local Methodist chapel was expanded that was   seen as a threat to the local Anglicans gambles  bees vicar Reverend Brown decided they should   build their own Anglican Church in the village he  applied to the Church of England commissioners to   fund the building of st. John's but he was  rejected twice and saw the Reverend turns to   a wealthy benefactor this incredible document  here seems to be a deed which shows in effect   the transfer of land from the Duke of Devonshire  back over to what I think would just be the parish   really with the land given to them Reverend Brown  said about raising the cash to build his church so for look at the Diocese of Carlisle here we  have adding him st. John Gamble's be finish cost   of building 1075 pounds and 19 shillings from  what sources were these funds derived voluntary   contributions 1075 pounds that's around 49,000  pounds in today's money that's a significant   song for a small farming community to raise  it certainly shows the passion and commitment   local people had to protect their faith it's  February 2011 and I'm back to see how st.   John's is progressing after all of that snow and  the freezing cold weather before Christmas we've   now got this howling wind in terms of red five  months ago the roof was near to being finished and   gobsmacked to see that it's still not completed  and they've already started building the interior   morning how are you it's always good to see the  boss back on site a lot labor as well all right   X I always thought going on upstairs you've got  all the insulation in you're starting a pattern   out up there as well which is great you're  right it's nothing to feel I wouldn't quite   call it home yet but you starting to understand  you start to understand the proportions of the   rooms too aren't you yeah about your ceiling  heights in this scale of rooms and how it's   all starting to come together now it's gonna  work either we're gonna use this proof yeah   the weather hasn't done you any favors has it  not at all to be honest so you need to get that   roof finished ASAP yes that'll put by far that  stands out is that's the critical part is the roof the layout of the master bedroom is going to  be a tight squeeze I want to see a full into   wine have taken onboard my tip to use the  spire to create the illusion of more space   those are the safest in the world so this is  your own suite it's all right this is spos'n   suite from the last year and then this is  your monster bed space this is the master   bed space which is possibly the smallest room  in the entire house but then you look up that's   unbelievable yes well chuck on board what you  said and we're gonna create a mezzanine floor   half way here so you could actually sit and  read and take a look out in the view as well   so lean so it's by it being the smallest room on  plan it's probably gonna be the most interesting   you know come to Cumbria problem absolutely I  mean that saw three-dimensionally dramatic with   the restoration moving on I want to find out from  Phil and Alex how the finances are shaping up all   right numbers I've got to talk money your original  budget was the dreaded 125 okay yes Spencer for   to date to date everything we've got here now  ninety five thousand pounds it's 95 grand your   Spanish that's everything in everything on site  everything on say yeah movie but all materials   yeah a lot yeah that's pretty good have you  really just did your cost plan to face the   reality of what's left to do on the build or are  you telling me you're going to do everything else   for 50 grand I've left I'm gonna try my best to do  everything else for 30 grand Phil's confidence in   his completion figure is hugely optimistic it's  vital at this stage to work out exactly what's   needed to finish the build 34 34 and a half let's  say it's 35 grand just for argument's sake does   it keep some a seed you that means you'll have  brought the whole lot in 430 K even everything   finished if you do all this for 135 grand I'll  send you a case of champagne [Laughter] [Music] I'm still unbelievably frustrated about so  many things on this building project the   fact that it's still not Windham watertight is  frankly ridiculous and they put in all these new   building materials inside which have been damaged  because the still water coming in through that   very unfinished roof there is a chance that has  stopped at any local corner there's a [ __ ] of   light at the end of the tunnel because the budget  there's still a bit of money there and the boys   seem to be project manager better than they have  before the risk for them now is is there enough   money left to finish the entire project five  months later and Fillinger ones restoration   project is in dire financial straits Phil is  now spending three weeks out of four working   in China and Joanna's had to go back to work  to raise funds morning you yeah well yes it's   good so what's going on with the money yeah we  had to get some additional landing oh how much   I'm another 25 it's not an extension of your  mortgage is a loan I'm public that's a loan   [ __ ] that's how your interest rates yeah  what can you just extend the mortgage but a   lower interest rate yeah it's just not it's not  something we can do in the property because it's   not habitable yet yeah that's the only land  or extend an esteemed has been a habitable   home otherwise it's too much of a risk for that  that's right and how do you get to that point if   they won't lend it's more small about the money  okay George what's that I know but what can we do the build so far looks fantastic but the  pressure but Phil and Juwan have put each   other under borrow and that extra  money as a loan it's just incredible   there's absolutely no doubt about it  restorations not for the faint-hearted with Phil working in China and with all  the budget gone to ones taken over the   project from Alex to raise some cash she's  auctioning off 16 of the original church   pews in top condition these could be worth  a lot of money problem is when the roof off   when the roof was leaking leaking and Meagan  leaked it with water coming in everywhere some   of them got water damaged at all which means  they're going to get even less money rylann   517 is the first of the church pews mr. Scott  points with the one at the front and 24 26:38   just don't even say it anymore because  my bike to lo'gosh gonna bite the vaguely by the end of the auction all the peers  are Souls but for only 450 pounds Juwan   calls fell to give him the bad news they  didn't go for as high as we wanted the   auctioneer and various people have said you  know if they had have been a bit cleaner they   probably would have went for more they  would have expected them to get more join and Phil are just under massive financial  pressure now they've got to make every single   penny count and then it to make as much cash as  possible between now and the end of the bills   the biggest problem for me is that Phil's around  China she's off for work and running around all   over the world as well if there's one key  golden rule on any restoration project and   manager properly is you need to be there it's  late autumn and after more than a year of money   worries and back-breaking work Phil and Joanne  have nearly finished the church but unfortunately   they haven't been able to move them yet there's  no doubt about it that church conversions provide   some enormous challenges many of them are often  architectural but actually for Phil and Joanne   their biggest pressure has been financial when  I was last here in the summer they bored yet   another twenty five thousand pounds hope it was  just enough to get this place finished from the   outside that roof and that spire that's  brilliant how do you view it though huh   when you look at it do you think I love it or  do you look at a thing and that just costs too   much money and nearly killed the project up and  down up and down some days they arrive and look   at it think wow other times you had to see  the nail in the coffin actually pretty bad   in July and they says we've sort of run out of  money I could see that it could be finished if   the labor aspect was taken out of it hence the  overrun so basically I had two jobs and split   contracts so I resigned from one of my positions  so that I could spend more time up here as Joanne   returned back to full-time work so in doing that  you would pick the pace again I mean we've you   know the place really come on since then things  have been finished off and transformed sort of yeah we don't have a TV you should have stayed in  work mate that's gonna cost him up as well ya know   just to please me right 15 months ago what was  a dilapidated leaking Church is now an elegant   living and dining room look at us I'm actually  um I shouldn't sound so cynical barely but I'm   surprised with all the financial pressure you've  had expecting that you can get the floor is one   major achievement oh absolutely over the moon  with this floor superb this was bought on eBay   but job Lots drove to London brought it back  and had to go through the process of scraping   the bitumen off every single block ruin it through  a table saw twice through a chop saw twice seven   thousand times and where the altar once stood  has now been turned into a beautiful modern   kitchen Wow amazing absolutely fantastic isn't  it yeah is that you come through that low single   storey height just opens up to that roof space  it's beautiful and now and that's just leaving   the space alone you know just not messing around  with it you want blessed with a beautiful building I can't wait to see what they've done upstairs  especially in the master bedroom it's really   lovely yeah it's beautiful oh what a beautiful  romantic snow a cozy room right in the top of   the building we've just tried to make it more of  a wee apartment kind of overlooking Phil's done   all right please it's boys only ready look  if you got a little mini bar at bat yeah oh   my word that's amazing you like it brilliant oh  come on I mean that is absolutely fantastic Phil   and Joanne first took up this restoration over  a year ago they have vision and determination   to bring st. John's back to life has had a  powerful impact on the wider community [Music]   Iren twosome to school here and I was will  available items have done a good job you   were the last it's sad we can't use it to church  but grain that it's gonna still be well it still   looks at me as part of the community in converting  st. John's into their dream family home Phil and   Joanne have brought the hard back to the village  of Gambell speed but this restoration has left the   young couple in a terrible financial position the  build went fifty five thousand pounds over budget   a negative equity and under pressure with high  interest loans they've got some serious decisions   to make what do you do probably gonna have to sell  the place we simply can't afford to service the   debt that we now have riding on this place so  we've got a mortgage on this place with borrow   from family and we also have a personal loan each  and credit cards as well like so many people who   take an ambitious restoration projects Phil and  Joanne completely underestimated the scale of the   challenge ahead but through sheer determination  and hard work they have finished the restoration   but the future of the church remains completely  uncertain I just hope they don't have to sell it [Music] so when I last saw Phil and Joanne around  nine months ago they were in a really desperate   situation the restoration of the leg of the  church had become such a massive burden and   left them with crippling debts this is a couple  who sacrificed absolutely everything for that   building and I'm hoping who managed to keep  the church as their dream family home [Music] hello well I'm relieved to see they're here and  there's a new addition baby Hugh a playmate for   two and a half year old Haddie but the house looks  like it's been dressed for a sales brochure so   what's going on we've managed to keep all of it  such as fantastic news that was the worst case   scenario from her just thought oh my god if you  sell this I'll be devastated yeah it really was   dollar at the eleventh hour we were literally  like probably four weeks from ruining out of   everything in four weeks from Derrick debits  being called drawing down on our accounts and   nothing being there to pay them every single penny  that we had we made three mortgage applications so   one failed and one filled and then finally we  actually got the good news and we consolidated   all that horrible high interest debt that  we had and we've now just got one mortgage   repayment instead of all these different things  going on Scott is such amazing news I mean it's   still debt it's still a mortgage but that's  fantastic isn't it but that's still not that   straightforward we're still we're not actually  living here right and we're gonna holiday like   the place the Mogi we've got just two big still  for us to move up here so and so basically free   holiday let the place we can let it pay for itself  and then in a few years time is the potential for   us to move up here for good that's that's our  intention gosh you really did push it to me holiday rentals of this size in the pen  Islands fetch up to 1200 pounds a week   in peak times and they've calculated that if  they can rent the church out for 50% of the   year they'll be able to cover the mortgage  the couple have been busy dressing the   three upstairs bedrooms luckily they're all  double rooms and ensuite perfect for rental   [Music] didn't really plan that initially did  you know what kind of so what most of the space   upstairs kind of pushed his in that direction  we couldn't find a layout with a family bathroom   actually worked for us so I was sort of you know  that's a blessing in disguise that really yeah so   since I was last here a few things have changed  I mean this has appeared yep I made that you made   it yes it's one of the benefits of working in  the chemistry departments they were not the old   laboratory bench top so I pull them out of the  skip and turn them into a furniture or things   like that all recycled or reused absolutely  that's really really good in this area miss   great little snug tucked off to one side nice  and cozy just separated a little bit from the   main open plan space doesn't it which is really  cute you've got a little blinds for pictures   hung up and actually the more you walk through  it the homeliest starting to feel isn't it yep you can load to work outside everything Phil and   Joanne have spent weeks getting the  third of an acre garden beautifully   landscaped but like everything else  in this build even that was a struggle oh my word a massive like a mini lake when  we left it was a beautiful lush green lawn   with things that were about to come into flower  when we arrived we had point four acres off about   this thick brown sludge over everything I mean  we literally left here in the Monday evening I   was thinking actually I think we'll bring up some  artwork and you know maybe we'll be able to start   to dress and next weekend won't be so bad well  maybe do a bit of painting and pottering about   but my god you've been through it you really have  the locals called fire buggy and the fire brigade   pump tonight so they were eyes on-site because  if they hadn't got in the park and everything   will be gone when Phil and Juwan began their  restoration journey they believed they could   manage the bells without really being there  but as they juggled a drawn family with work   and financial commitments the reality was  very different you think you do you think   you learned a lot by taking on too much by  just stretching is all too far absolutely it   was harder than we thought but I think it's  the one thing that people get slightly bored   of me saying as I'll say the golden rule is be  there just be there if you're not there you've   got no idea what's going on absolutely I  think we've aged both aids considerably the family planned to move into the church once  they've paid off some of their debt the roof   repairs and reconstruction of the spire  blew the budget but it was an investment   worth making as it's the crown and glory of the  project and I can't wait to see that view again let's see for miles you can see for what I mean  this is this is the payoff is now yeah all the   hard work that you did you know the blood sweat  and tears that went into doing all this yeah   and you saved the building you know one of the  reasons why we fell in love with this building   is it is a beautiful building it does for me  captures in it in a sort of modest way all   other than nice extravagant bits of a Victorian  architecture the curved end the just you know the   sensible spineless it's it's a it's a you know  completely usable place I love the shape of the   building I love the size all of the besides  the guard and everything about it it's just   just right for us Phil and Joanne have somehow  managed to complete this project that realized   their dream of owning a restored family home in  the country it really is the great achievements   it's just brilliant that you've not only saved  it but you've kept it for you and your family but   it's been funny the last few days last certainly  last few weeks as I see the light coming to the   end of the tunnel actually got quite emotional  at the point that I can see my life almost coming   back now I can almost see myself having some  spare time and you know the burden of just to   be constantly on your mind all the time I can see  it almost going to an end I feel it a tremendous   sense of relief I mean I don't think I've ever  met a couple of literally gone to the wire the   absolute wire financially you could have lost  a lot really glad to keep all over the place   there's no doubt about it restoration is one of  the biggest and toughest challenges any family   could take on they take a huge amount of emotional  and financial commitment and when you look at what   fillings one have given to this belt it's been  absolutely everything it literally pushed them   to the brink of bankruptcy they risked everything  but they've done it they've come through it they   survive just about with their finances intact the  thing that makes me more happy than anything else [Music] you [Music]

Channel: Banijay Home and Garden

Views: 64,432

Keywords: Banijay, Banijay Home & Garden, British heritage, DIY transformations, George Clarke, Home and garden, Restoration Man, UK landmarks, adaptive reuse, architectural restoration, conservation architecture, dream family home, gothic church home, historic buildings, historical preservation, renovation projects, structural redesign, unique home conversion, unique homes

Id: xyWTDJCgBjw

Length: 46min 33sec (2793 seconds)

Published: Tue Jun 09 2020