Gothic Church Revival - The Restoration Man - S02 EP8 - Home Renovation

over the last few years I've been up and down  the country champion an ambitious restoration   projects and the brave heroes who've taken them  on we are saving it you know it will be house   will last me another 300 years this time I'm  going back to visit long after the just herself   welcome to a different world I want to find out  how these spaces work as hopes to live in and   it's working really mostly with your bogel  isn't it restoration is one of the biggest   challenges out there - too much too late 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 isn't that exquisite 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 traveling back to the farthest corner  of Pembrokeshire in southwest Wales to revisit   Gareth and Jill and the derelict Church that  they made into their dream family hall Gareth   is one of my all-time restoration heroes it took  on a humble abandoned church and absolutely made   it is all actually just works really well as  a home and you've got some great architectural   features I call them the king of eBay I think  I got it for someone like five hundred quid but   that's like a New York fire hydrant hey I get  presents every day but it's Church living all   that it's cracked up to be everyone thought  we'd ever get something has the dream been   shattered [Music] I'll also be uncovering some  of the church's history by visiting Oxford to   learn about the Victorians and their passion  for Gothic Revival architecture they've ripped   out everything original they've ripped out  everything that's medieval and they filled it   through a brand new medieval stuff and I discover  an extraordinary link between our unique building   in the ancient Cathedral of st. Davids one of the  most important places of pilgrimage in medieval   Europe thousands of them all trying to get to  the shrine of Sir David [Music] it all began   four years ago when Gareth and Jill spent fifty  five thousand pounds on clan reef in church they   had very little money for building work and no  experience of renovation but nothing was going   to stand in the way of their dream of a better  life for them and their two young boys Flynn and   Spike got the key I can see it together here we  are it's gonna be a party house this is gonna be   it during the restoration the family are coming  down the road at Jill's mother's house Gareth   is a sign rider but has given it up so it can  concentrate full-time on renovating the church   on the side he also earns a bit of money as a  sculptor making work to commissioned in wood   and math although he has no building experience  he's hoping his practical knowledge and can-do   enthusiasm will carry him through with normally  four builders and Gareth working alone on site   jill has taken a part-time job at the local post  office really bringing home the bacon and guess at   nobility Maurice days and if that's not enough  what with juggling the school room and feeding   the boys she's also taken another part-time job  in the evenings working at the local wine shop   on her combined income they hope they'll get  a mortgage for a further fifty five thousand   pounds which is their budget for this project  which means they could end up with a detached   family home for an incredible hundred and ten  thousand pounds there's one drawback though the   graveyard was not part of the sale and is still  in use so they have no garden and are surrounded   by burials I find this completely bizarre  because normally anything ever have a church   building that someone's going to convert this  would be deconsecrated land there wouldn't be   any graves here there'll be no dead bodies but  look at it this is a useable graveyard [Music] how are you that's honey yes this is  great yeah we liked a little shed but   it's a buildin that looks absolutely packed  with character and it looks beautiful my name   is the church footprint is 1400 square feet  of open plan space and it's a classic Welsh   country Paris Church originally built  in medieval times it was rebuilt in   the Gothic Revival style by the Victorians  in the 1850s when the roof fell in [Music] fantastic isn't it this is absolutely  beautiful building yeah what a space   with Nora detect on board and Garrett's  like a building experience I'm dying to   see their plans you were practicing I'm doing it Joan and Gareth plants have put a brand new  floor in and have an open plan downstairs   with a kitchen and dining room at the north  end hallway and large living room the spiral   staircase connects upstairs where there'll be  a master bedroom and two bedrooms for the boys   with a large family bathroom [Music] Gareth  was so eager to get going on his design that   he jumped straight in and started digging up  the church floor big mistake there's a bit of a   problem in that when we bought it we thought  we owned it yeah which we did but we didn't   realize we weren't allowed to do any work on it  so you've broken the first golden rule Gareth you   don't do work to an archaeological Birds what  means doing this is what people need to know   is that if you find an old building but before  I in hundred that it's gonna have to work let   get an archaeologist in ya and then it's gonna  be 250 to 400 quid a day that you have to pay   yeah and it can be weeks a week but you thought  you just ignore that and you just carry on and   do some building work of course did you find  them if I'm in the building originally up in   the front but the church here was the altar and  it was quite badly vandalized we're thinking of   maybe donating that to the local museum was half  of that incident well I guess sticky on the front   of the car [Laughter] [Music] super means learning  about a building's history is an important part of   any restoration project and hopefully this is  where I can help there's been a church you can   reven over a thousand years so Gareth is apply  staff a full Archaeological Survey and if a nuts   dug up could be historically significant in  the signs are the archaeologists could have   a field day I found a picture of clown reasons  medieval stone fonts in the 1925 inventory of   Pembridge as ancient monuments and Garrett's  altar cross could be from the same period according to the local press there's even rumors  of buried treasure then there's the more delicate   manner of uncovering ancient human remains from  medieval times right through to the early 1800s   royalty and aristocracy preached huge sums  of money to be buried beneath the floor of   churches and the belief that somehow they'd be  closer to God looking at the parish records I   found that for a small church can wreathen was  a very popular burial site even more unusually   it's not just locals who were buried here some  of the people come from much further afield I'm   intrigued so I've arranged to meet mark Horton  professor of medieval archaeology at Bristol   University in nearby st. David's Cathedral  founded by st. David's who was buried here   in the 6th century the cathedral was really  put on the map in 11:23 when the Pope decreed   that it should become a center of pilgrimage for  the Western world all this church was built on   the proceeds of pilgrimage the pilgrim industry  of the 12th and 13th century he was all to come   and see the shrine a lot of people do that but  this place have been kind of rammed all trying   to get to the shrine of Sir David and Glen  riesen where does that come into the picture   what can recent is on the way but it's about  10 miles away so it's almost the last stop   before you got here Thurston David it was a  kind of motorway service station on the way if Klan wreathen is a service station then it  was on the equivalent of the medieval m1 and with   all those crowds passing through and the close  association with st. Davids and now understand   why so many people chose to be buried in our  little church coming down the side passage you   see as part of it is to is to touch it yeah and  and this little hole for example your hand in or   withered arm or something like that so you can  get even closer for the same touch even before   it took off as a major pilgrim destination st.  Davids had always attracted great riches but all   that gold and silver made it a prime target for  plunderers in the 11th century the Vikings made   devastating raids on the cathedral and Marx got  a theory that once again links this place back to   Clan - but the really interesting thing is maybe  some of this stuff that was looted from the church   found its way to Vlad region are you thinking  Oh possibly do you think there's a chance that   there might be other important bones or treasure  within the grounds of cloning absolutely you can   imagine the Vikings are coming down the Irish Sea  you're going to say come and rape and pillage us   yes let's whisk stuff away and put it safekeeping  one of my little churches just around so the moats   taken things from here back to our church that's  right to stash it away barbarians but before we   all get too excited about finding buried treasure  the archaeologists need to satisfy themselves that   Garrett's excavations haven't damaged the site  Colin Harris from avid church archaeological   services has come to survey the scene if he thinks  Gareth has acted improperly there could be serious   consequences and with all their savings sunk into  the project Gareth is clearly terrified what's the   worst-case scenario if something good in your  terms with good in your terms yes I mean we can   stop the job effectively but only if it's say of  national importance would the whole thing come to   a halt well let's take a look around this is the  the chancel end where the altar would have been I   guess yeah and it's made a discovery Wow the altar  cross simply pure on the silk is this something   that Darth can keep or does it even give it to  someone has enough to go somewhere I can it stay   in this building if it was defined by a coroner's  court as treasurer and you probably wouldn't be   able to keep that okay then you may get the money  from it because it is yeah that's changed now   under the new treasurer act because I think it's  going to turn into some sort of Indiana Jones in   this place you know and it's gonna be sort of  brushing away they get to trying to find some   money to pay for this build I think how ancient  you think this is various also you outside because   it's such an interesting sport isn't it mmm catch  and gareth's project I think it's fascinating it's   Gareth theorem even more fascinated by to be  honest because he's gonna know this completely   blind he's seen an amazing building he's seen  that it's probably in a bargain for him but not   understood at all what he's got himself into  when it comes to the planners archaeologists   listed building consent I mean the list is endless  the people who are involved in this project it's   so complicated and I think it just shows that  when you take on some of the historical that   needs so much restoration involved it's a very  difficult build and he just has another clue [Music] to save money Gareth has surveyed  the building and drawn up his own plans but   architectural II I think he's missing a trick if  he's gonna make this building work for a family of   four he needs to be a lot more creative with the  space the main issues that I've got the tackle   hair of the head height so the idea that the  floor shouldn't cut across the windows and all   the rooms should be balanced and well-organized  there's also the bathroom which i think is too   big ideally what I'd like to do is squeeze in  kind of small shower room in here and actually   create better sized bedrooms for the two boys  because of the minute they're just far too small my designs might be better suited to Garrett's  family needs and I hope he feels the same but   when I turn up to site he's got other problems  we couldn't get our movie to turn down on our   mortgage it was a credit crunch and as well as  that we've got a problem with the path as well   digging up the path because the church you've got  to okay so why if they're not done that because I   didn't put the plans over didn't apply for the  path bit separately why am I worried time to   pitch my ideas to Gareth there's no doubt in  my mind that my plans make much better use of   the space but I know from experience that if  a client has set their heart on their vision   of how their home should be and it's hard work  convincing them otherwise now I've changed a lot   Garrett's plans weren't bad particularly for  someone without any experience it's right to   keep the ground floor open plan fail but I've  got two main ideas to preserve as much natural   light throughout as possible I've set back the  floor away from the large picture window on the   south side so it isn't cutting too and light  then goes both upstairs and down to maximize   space on the first floor and to give the boys  larger bedrooms I've moved the large luxurious   bathroom into one of the boys or Drewes and  move the master bedroom into the former bathroom   I like what he's done that's really cool and  I can see how it work I'm sure Jenna will love   it as well she loves it designs but we're just  trying to do it on a budget of nothing so you   can only do what we can do anything one down one  to go but will Jill shared Garrett's enthusiasm   they're not our plans they're not really what we  want out of the building and I really really want   a really nice bathroom a big spacious bathroom  with a shower and the big bath report in it I'm   afraid it's the big thumbs down ouch I guess you  can't win them all but at least she's got a clear   vision of what she wants eight months into this  project and the day of the crucial archaeological   site survey has finally arrived Gareth and Jill  have to pay for this out of their own pockets but   because they were turned down for their mortgage  they just don't have the money luckily Garrett's   stepfather has stepped in they're pulling us  the money to start today so that we can kind of   because everyone's already booked and everything  that is already you know if we have to rebook   everything and get everyone in the same place at  the same time it's not really gonna happen that's   all privileged really to be part of it because  it's such a fantastic care project really isn't   it so Gareth and Jill are paying 600 pounds a day  for archaeologists they don't want treasure from   st. David's would be nice but if they find even  one complete skeleton from an ancient burial that   would be enough to shut the site down and set off  a spiral the further costly excavations this is   the worst bare thing we're gonna head a grave  two hours in and work suddenly stops Colin has   found a bone it's intact but probably part of a  complete burial but we're not very far down but   then again as we were saying run and it may be  evil towns they didn't always bury everyone six   foot under inside there is more worrying news  they've just unearthed the foundation stone   and some more bones these suggests that either  there was material coming from where they've   been digging graves or perhaps they've been  digging graves in here and disturbed earlier   burials with no treasure in sight it's going to  be a long agonizing day the archaeologists have   gone and luckily no bodies were found we put  those big femurs and there's more good news   Gareth stepfather has not only agreed to be their  guarantor for the mortgage he's also willing to   extend his lawn after months of uncertainty Gareth  can finally get going on the bills and I can help   out with more research [Music] when the church  was rebuilt in the Victorian era they didn't   have anywhere near as much red tape to contend  with the 19th century was a time of massive   building and rebuilding of churches all over the  country in the two decades after 1830 there were   more churches built in England and Wales than in  the previous three centuries nonconformist like   the Methodists and the Baptist's were busy put of  classical star buildings modeled on Greek temples   but Garrett's church is Anglican and Anglicans  went for a style known as Gothic Revival Gothic   Revival took the idea of a medieval church and  cranked up the volume so you've got a tall pointed   arches vaulted with ceilings stone and wooden  paneling and gargoyles of plenty one of the   best examples of Gothic Revival architecture is  at st. John's College Chapel in Oxford I'm here   to meet history fellow dr. William white and ask  him why the 19th century Church was so obsessed by   all things many evil Victorians particularly  the Church of England panicked in the early   middle part of the nineteenth century that people  just weren't turning up to church so what they're   trying to do is lure people in by transforming  the churches build the brand build the brand   absolutely and one of the ways in which they do  build that brand is here and in your little church   they build Gothic and they build gothic because  what they're trying to do is to suggest that the   Church of England is the real Church is the church  that has continuity going back centuries and the   nonconformists the Methodists and the Baptist's  they can go away and building classical styles   will build a Gothic church and that way we'll show  we've always been here so what you've got here   is a really a late medieval chapel that's been  done over by the Victorians in the 1840s they've   ripped out everything original they've ripped  out everything that's medieval and they filled   it through a brand new and evil stuff I knew the  Victorians kind of went for it a little bit more   sensitive well they think they're being sensitive  what they think they're doing is they're returning   to a building to some ideal fall but they also  think that sometimes the medieval period that   people building in the medieval period they were  just wrong but they didn't have good taste or that   they didn't really understand what they were doing  and so sometimes that means you say actually all   of its got to go and that would have applied to  our church as well the medieval would have been   too swept away completely over 3,000 churches in  England and Wales were transformed in this way   part of the money came from Judah for parishioners  but the bulk was allocated on an individual basis   by the church in London William has a letter  from the then vicar of Clan wreathen pleading   for more cash so it says the roof of the parish  church fell in about three months ago fortunately   the congregation of left for church before the  accident occurred what they're trying to do is   to build a church for 300 pounds to completely  rebuild a church so how would that budget have   compared with other churches that were built at  the time I mean this is cheap as chips that's the   bargain basement of Church it's absolutely it's  about as cheap as you can get and still get a   church at the end of it it may not be a Gothic  Revival masterpiece like Saint John's but that   300 pounds built a solid little structure that  stood the test of time 150 years later and Gareth   who was also working on a tight budget has finally  got going and I'm back to check on progress really   good he's at Florin on Chester the floor yeah I  mean am i bought this spiral staircase from ebay   I think I got it for something like 500 quid  there 300 quid yeah that's a good boy that's   really good because when I'd price that was two  and a half grand I mean what's fantastic about   saying that now is it's moved on it's such a great  pace and then getting this first floor and you   get a sense of what the space is for yeah of the  concrete floor and instead of it being that sort   of bloodbath and archaeological indianajones dig  but you were doing the last time I was here I'm   really excited to see that the work has actually  begun but I'm also alarmed about the height of   the ceiling I think he's actually made the floor  height too high that's ridiculous given the kids don't work for a George George no fit  good walk through like that every time   you want to go to your bloody bathroom  you've seen Lord of the Rings cute although he's completely messed up with the  floor thankfully he has taken my advice about   the windows it pulled the floor back which is  what I wanted you to do you've pulled it back   to the sort of crushing into that end window  to get more light down in the kitchen and the   bathroom area so that when you're lying in the in  the bath you just to look through and get light   through I am slightly worried about the way he  does things you know he just thinks I'm gonna   put that floor in I'm gonna put that concrete  floor downstairs and he doesn't and then cause   I got a minute I've cocked up the arched doorway  through to the bathroom Genet a minute so that is   a massive mistake and it's something where he  just he's a bit ad-hoc he just thinks he wants   to crack on but he's not really thinking about  things absolutely clearly Jill and Gareth are   converting this Victorian walls Church into a  family home Gareth has no building experience   and is doing all the work alone meanwhile  Jill keeps two jobs going to keep the cash   coming in and looks after their young boys  living in her mother's house nearby today   we're looking at the roof which is always scary  any problem here will only add to the financial   crisis currently a shortfall of at least  fifteen thousand pounds and no contingency and when we take off the Timbers there's  a big problem this isn't just wood burn   either this is like big good more work this  roof needs the more money yeah the money [Music] the strain on their budget has taken  its toll on Jill my mind of spending and what   we've got left and doesn't really help to  save money Gareth has decided to fit the   110 new roof rafters and 3,500 reclaimed well  slates himself to compound the stress the Welsh   went a drizzle and cold have kicked in the  weather's been terrible might get two days   in a week really that's so bad his speed but then  we had really good weather over Christmas in New   Year and no one was working then you know and  I think Jill would have probably left me first   you know Christmas a new year despite Garrett's  outwardly youthful spirit and seemingly fearless   naivety his solitary obsession with the chapel  has begun to drive a wedge in their relationship   the building that was supposed to bring this  family together is tearing it apart Jill is   no longer coming the site last time she came out  yeah she hadn't been out here for a while and we   had a bit of an argument and she went storming  off and walked home from here which is about   seven miles of me driving alongside she's given  its facts to come out and pick her up to have   a fight with me on my only after enough it is  really her and I thought he's so involved what   he's doing he can't see but I need him as well  as the church needs him and I thought they'd   have to put the church on the market and we'd  have to split it because it just it just came   to a head about windows of all things but it  was it was more than that and I did I thought   it was time to walk away really I didn't realize  that even until now like how bad things were for still alone on-site Garrett's in danger of  making some big mistakes I'm really alarmed   by the wind or near the staircase the wall is  cutting it in half and it's not ideal that's a   choice here isn't it why can't you Co of this  there's a form and bring the window into this   space into the bedroom space dona don't do any  keep straight lines no I know Gareth seems to   be making some irrational decisions because  he's tired and just wants to get the building   finished I've got to keep him focused to make  this restoration something he's proud of so go   if you've got that curved piece of plywood there  and this curves around this side as well and it   goes all the way up to this level yeah which means  it doesn't affect the kind of beautiful slope with   the roof above means the walls following the  curve of the stair because the stair sweeping   round the line of the plywood and the beautiful  thing about that is is as this plywood peels away   and falls this curve that window now becomes part  of that bedroom and that's what this is all about   how do you get the light from that small arched  window into the bedroom the project at a critical   point there's no money and ever increasing  all the spend and a marriage on the rocks   the last thing I need is Gareth losing heart this  buildin is more about you than anything else it's   about your attitude or something your attitude  above and your attitude and design your attitude   the construction and problem-solving that's  completely unique and that's what's reflected   in you know literally within the storm and in  the timber and in the staircase and the stuff   that you'll pick it that's what makes us both  and special men you creating a piece of history [Music] virtually single-handedly Gareth is doing  an incredible job but is just the latest in a   long line of clam wreaths and restoration heroes  over its 1,000 year history the church has been   rebuilt several times and each time it was the  congregation that raised the money and the same   is true although the whales can wreathen is one  of a thousand medieval churches many of which are   still standing today but what happens when that  local rural community disappears like a dybbuk   cloud wreathen in 1833 the population peaked at  141 but with the mechanization of farming there   were less jobs on the land so families began  to leave to go to towns and cities and to work   on the railways by the 1950s the population  had shrunk to just 37 and in 2000 the Diocese   of st. Davids decided there was no longer a  congregation for climb - and the church was   deconsecrated but how does the church feel about  losing its magnificent heritage Alex Granville   is head of property services for the Church in  Wales and our meeting him at st. Mary Magdalen   in Winston where the congregation have raised  the money to save their church and convert it   into a community center for the village it's  quite amazing to hear the community's I still   did so much for their churches because even  at London if in church they did that way back   you know the congregation came together to raise  the funds to have it built and that still happens   today absolutely it's the same pattern of looking  after churches that it's always been really local   congregations finding the funds planning work and  getting it done and that makes it you know it's   all the more painful when the community really  can't cope with that building any longer perhaps   there is no community anymore and therefore  they have to consider closure and that makes   a very difficult matter in a thousand years of  history so it's never a decision taken lightly   when a congregation concludes it's time to finish  over the last 90 years 300 Welsh churches have   been closed thankfully most of them like st.  Mary Magdalen have stayed in community use but   what does the church think about clan wreathen  been converted into a private home well I think   our feeling is that once we we really don't need  the building as a church anymore if there is a   viable and new use for it and that's a positive  thing and that story is great that building is   there and it's there for the future and it's not  a viable use we're delighted to hear the success   that that project has been back at the church and  things are looking up chillin Gareth have put that   argument behind them and with their relationship  back on track it's all systems go on the bills I'll be back working as soon as this is all finish  so it won't be so much pressure until to bring the   money in and whatever I've said but I've got  expected to come out help me all the time you   know I'm doing this she's got a job and the boys  are there as well it's five months since my last   visit when I show up Gareth is back in his usual  good spirits and can't wait to show me his latest   bargain a ride on no and it didn't work and so  little Eve so goodbye these what up the Cardiff   room I've got my sword your lawnmower yeah to  buy these yeah for their peace cuz that you've   seen the size on the bath and I couldn't find any  taps to fit it and this guy yeah here the antique   dealer that I bought him off hadn't seen anything  like that before either way that's like a New York   fire hydrant and the monster taps oh just the  beginning he's found three hardwood doors for   the bedrooms I don't know would you take 64m okay  bye [ __ ] I'm just gonna deal with him eighty   quid for this got all the frames and fixing yeah  and today he's taken delivery of the bargain of   the century a brand new shower that cost him just  wait for it 99p I love getting parcels every day   it's eighteen months since this family embarked  on their restoration journey after a really   tough ride they've come together to celebrate  their amazing achievements so far just a ways   that you've done it there's some what a finished  thing you know it's not until this finish there   many folks only who hasn't done anything like  that before to be able to do this just kind of   learning from books and people of the internet  and things and I couldn't do it when Gareth and   Jill first set eyes on this derelict gothic  revival Church they completely fell in love   with it this was an ambitious project even for  the most experienced builder three years ago I   turned up to see if our restoration novices  transformed it into their dream family on looking at it now he's got the lead cuttings  on the roof the skylights and the windows look   beautiful the roof looks amazing actually nearly  two years ago the downstairs was damp dark and   depressive but now it's a bright open plan living  space broken up by the spiral staircase do you   know what that's quite rare that I'm lost for  words windows look the Meza staircase just looks   amazing I can fondly remember designing this with  Gareth it makes it look like the kind of floor   yeah and the wall is excepting the curved stay  fittingly what was once the chancel where the   altar sat has become the kitchen although this  is now a modern family home I love the fact the   integrity of this building is still intact and  many features have been preserved celebrating its   past history not cutting the main window and  to with the new floor and letting light both   upstairs and downstairs work to treat you standing  here yeah that's brilliant she beautiful Smith two years ago this space was empty and cold and  I for one doubted whether they would pull it off   your bedroom first but one look at the master  bedroom and those fears are gone the boys have   been given separate identical shaped rooms  kitted with bunk style beds to maximize space   that's cool the Lord of the Rings archway may  have been a mistake but somehow it fits their   quirky style instead of taking my advice and  given the boys larger bedrooms Jill clung to   her lifelong dream of having a large luxurious  family bathroom and the fire hydrant taps what   a view [Music] they bought the freehold for fifty  five thousand pounds but they went a little over   budget and spent seventy thousand on the bills  that means they've created their first true   family home for an incredible 125 grams and they  deserve every accolade for this heroic restoration [Music] the family are now  all settled in but has the   church answered their prayers for  a blissful new life in the country just a pleasure to come home to Italy we just saw  seem a lot happier after he finished the bills   Gareth continued his passion for sculpting  but he's also got a new source of income although the house looked finished the last  time I was here there was still a few things   that Gareth and Jill wanted to do oh yeah  we're gonna do a bit in the garden bit of   landscaping just make it look smarter because  it's just kind of been left on this only really   but it's not all good news the huge bathroom  that I was always against hasn't lived up to   expectations the bath with its epic taps  it's just too big and even that oversized   hot water cylinder doesn't manage to heat up  enough water for a satisfying soak the bath   has to go we've got the bathroom around the  bath so I'm gonna have to break it up to get   rid of it to get it out to put a new bath in  you're kind of knows I'm gonna do this I did   say I might try another go at the bath today  but I think he realizes what I'm up to Freddie [Music] [Music] I did he went through the window  yes so coming back to me now ready for the big man [Music] it's been two years since I celebrated  Gareth and Jill moving in now I'm back I   can't wait to find out how they're doing has  the church stood up to being a home [Music] debt collectors at first glance downstairs looks  even better than before they've replaced their   old furniture with some smart new sofas and  they've even managed to squeeze in a small desk but the major change is that they've bought  a bigger new wood-burning stove because the   old one didn't generate enough heat for the  space the first day we've burnt it for about   seven hours and we went up to the flue it's a  beast so what's it like to live in generally   yes we've been really nice no complain if it's  really good we've had dinner parties where you   know everyone can talk to each other in  the different areas and been really good yeah yeah actually it just works really well as  a home and you've got some gravitational futures   picking up the old parts of the building you  wouldn't want to lose them I think you've got   the balance absolutely right yeah I love it what  about upstairs serella look yeah leave them really   it's cuz you've been busy up there the staircase  is looking as beautiful as ever looks fantastic   yeah gathering that rest [Music] so Philip it  really nice sort of out these bedrooms then   small bedrooms how are they working out for the  kids they've been really good except Flynn got   a bit freaked out coming down the steps all the  time he likes it so steep so he does still sleep   up there now and again he's got his bed made up  there and just depends how he feels it kind of   emigrates then you know what could we do [ __ ]  for more than three massive homes - make a bigger   bedroom in a smaller bathroom possibly but you  know ask you because he can have friends around   now and he's got two pets so they can I mean you  know I have been smoking since I told you so but   it's tricky because I understand the way that you  went because you weren't into big big big big big   big bathroom which you did and then the kids  had a small small small small space you give   him the more junk he'll collect so yeah that's  true but that doesn't mean you have to give them   a cupboard so they move out quickly you're gonna  banging my head against the dwarf arch see it's   perfect height for you look at that you can walk  through though bang in your head he can't by the   way so this is it this is the new bath it's a new  improved bath it's teeny minutes you know wobbles   a bit yeah so what did you change the back got us  in earth twice as big as it should be and went to   fill the bath up and it kind of just came up  like this halfway up my leg and that was the   end of having baths we did struggle with pans  of hot water and things that boys weighted like   some bars but the Gareth of July no wouldn't have  wondered that originally big Batman gothic tops   on yeah and you've got all domestic [Laughter]  the room is amazing it really is enough you it's   just beautiful I mean it is a fantastic space I  just think it should be a bedroom you know saying   Gareth Jill and their kids settled into that  home as an absolute pleasure we should never   underestimate what they've achieved here Gareth  had never done restoration before he'd never even   done a building project before and against all  the odds with all of the pressure they were under   financially they have pulled off one of the best  restoration projects I've ever seen Gareth once   said that he never wanted to live in an ordinary  house the great news is by the him Morris family [Music] [Music]

Channel: Banijay Home and Garden

Views: 227,191

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

Id: i0SOce8g-dk

Length: 47min 9sec (2829 seconds)

Published: Tue May 12 2020