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00:00This time, a blast from the past bungalow is causing division.
00:04This house just doesn't work for me. It's a nightmare, really.
00:07And indecision.
00:09We can't agree on a plan. I'll say no, you'll say no.
00:12If we knew what to do, it could be great.
00:15That's what I'm here for.
00:16I mean, look, I could knock that down myself.
00:20However, I use my brains more than brawn.
00:22I can see why people actually burst into tears.
00:25I test Team Lovett's resolve with turnkey treats.
00:29Sam's got a big smile on her face.
00:30With views for miles and wardrobes to match.
00:34I'd have to buy more clothes to fit into the big wardrobe.
00:38It'll take more than that to beat what I'm helping bring to life.
00:41You have almost entirely gone with my plan, which thrills me no end.
00:46So can we heal the divide?
00:48It's breathtakingly different.
00:50When it's time to decide...
00:52Are you going to love it?
00:54Or list it?
00:58Lucky us.
01:02We're in the scenic countryside of Lincolnshire.
01:05We're exploring the market town of Grantham and its surrounding villages.
01:09Known for its leafy parks and speedy links to London,
01:13all wrapped up in old-world charm.
01:16It's also the birthplace of a powerful, polarising woman
01:20who always spoke her mind.
01:22Hmm, reminds me of someone.
01:24There's something strange about today.
01:26Go on.
01:27You're wearing flat shoes.
01:29I always travel in flats.
01:32You're looking rather small.
01:33I'm not used to this.
01:34I change when I arrive.
01:36You change when I arrive.
01:37You've seen me do that loads of times.
01:39Your heels in your bag.
01:40Yeah.
01:41Like Margaret Thatcher.
01:42I knew you were going to find a way to make that comparison.
01:46Birthplace.
01:47I fell into that.
01:48Of Margaret.
01:49I fell into that.
01:51And as Maggie once famously said,
01:53where there's discord, may we bring harmony.
01:57What the hell?
01:58We're here to help activities coordinator Andy
02:01and office manager Sam.
02:04And their one-year-old, Cohen.
02:08Oh no, he's going to fall off the end.
02:10We met because my mum lives almost next door to Sam's mum
02:15and I'd wave at you from my motorbike, wouldn't I?
02:18Yeah, I used to go running back in the day.
02:19Yeah, so I'd see Sam.
02:20And Andy would wave at me on his motorbike.
02:22I'm thinking, who is this guy?
02:23I don't know anyone on a motorbike.
02:24Yeah, a bit creepy.
02:24And then we got chatting.
02:26It was nice.
02:28That's it.
02:28Yay!
02:29And then we got chatting and that was about seven years ago.
02:32Four months after knowing each other,
02:33we decided to buy a house together.
02:35Well-win romance, but it was great.
02:3621 months ago, Sam and Andy bought this three-bed bungalow
02:41with the dream of creating a forever home.
02:45I'm team Listit because this house just doesn't work for me.
02:48It doesn't work for me or my wheelchair.
02:51I'm team Listit because I think this house has got great potential
02:54and I think Kirsty will be able to unlock that.
02:55When I first saw the house, I got that feeling of,
02:59wow, this could be a real family home.
03:01My initial feelings weren't great, to be honest.
03:04I find the property quite dark.
03:06This side of the house is a lack of light.
03:09The size of the garden is really great.
03:11There's a really good patio area.
03:13We're not overlooked at all and there's a big grassy area for Cohen to play.
03:16I would love a garden that was a little less maintenance but also accessible
03:22so I am limited to the patio area which is quite uneven and loose slabs
03:27so I end up getting stuck.
03:30Where Sam sees potential.
03:31Wheelchair user Andy sees problems that can only be fixed by selling up.
03:37Good boy, well done.
03:39Their first house was a two-bed terrace just down the road.
03:42We'd been living together for about three or four months.
03:45Andy had a motorbike accident which was obviously a horrible time.
03:48He was in hospital for nearly a year.
03:50One, two, three, push.
03:53That is a good one.
03:55Yay!
03:57The accident left Andy with a spinal cord injury
04:00resulting in paralysis from the collarbone down.
04:03High five!
04:04Our last house had a stair lift and that was all well and good
04:07but I needed help to get on the stair lift.
04:10It wasn't just, yeah, I could get myself...
04:11You couldn't just nip up the stairs to help.
04:12Yeah, I couldn't nip upstairs.
04:13Andy wanted a home where he could be independent
04:16and with Cohen newly arrived,
04:18Sam and Andy felt that single-level living was the way to go.
04:22And here we are now.
04:23Yeah.
04:24In this.
04:25We probably rushed into buying it.
04:27We thought a bungalow would be a solve all of our issues sort of situation
04:31and unfortunately it isn't working.
04:33Can you get through there?
04:34Yeah, just, I think.
04:36I'm constantly moving backwards when I should be moving forwards in this house.
04:38I'm constantly having to get out of people's way or ask for help to get through to places.
04:43It's a nightmare, really.
04:44Sorry.
04:45Two sides.
04:47Very good.
04:47OK, sorry.
04:48It just doesn't work with a wheelchair.
04:50There are too many inaccessible areas.
04:51I know it doesn't flow properly yet, but if we knew what to do, it could be great.
04:58Sam and Andy initially got stuck in by adding a wheelchair-accessible wet room,
05:03decorating the bedrooms and redoing the family bathroom.
05:06But they've become bogged down with indecision on how to rework the rest.
05:14We can't agree on a plan, basically.
05:16We keep coming up with ideas and I'll say no, you'll say no,
05:20and then we can't make a decision together.
05:24The bungalow's layout divides the family instead of bringing them together.
05:28The entrance is narrow and awkwardly angled,
05:31making it hard to use with or without a wheelchair.
05:33The kitchen is cut off from the reception rooms,
05:36with no natural flow, totally unfit for modern family life.
05:41Outside, the large garage doubles rather inadequately
05:44as Andy's treatment and physio room.
05:47Doing my daily routine in the garage isn't ideal because of the cold.
05:51I struggle with muscle tone and the spasticity of my arms and legs,
05:55and the cold magnifies that.
05:57We do need that extra room for the treatment room,
05:59because I don't want to lose the spare room.
06:01We need that for guests,
06:02and I've also got a desk in there which we use.
06:04Something needs to be done to make it work.
06:07Would you like a drink?
06:08I'll get you a drink.
06:09Yeah.
06:09What doesn't work for me in the house
06:11is the fact that the kitchen and living room
06:14are so cut off from each other.
06:16We don't get that much time in the evenings together,
06:19because I'm at work,
06:20I don't get home until about half five,
06:22come and go spread at seven.
06:23So then I feel like I'm missing out
06:25on some quality family playing time
06:27because I'm having to cook in the kitchen
06:29and I can't see them,
06:30I can just hear them through the hatch.
06:32We feel separated.
06:34I just feel a gap between us.
06:36We're not together as a family in the evenings
06:38when we should be together as a family.
06:41Andy regrets buying the bungalow,
06:43but it still could be a home that works for them all.
06:47I think Kirsty will convince Andy to love it
06:49because I know that she'll come up with ideas
06:51that we would just never even dreamed of doing
06:54and as soon as he sees it finished,
06:57I think we won't want to move them.
06:59I'll be too polite to argue with her.
07:01Yeah.
07:02Hmm, story of my life, mate.
07:05Here we are.
07:09There's a lot of driveway and a double garage.
07:12Hi.
07:13Hello.
07:13Hello, good morning.
07:14Hello.
07:15Nice to meet you.
07:16Come on in.
07:17It's a very posh double garage you've got now.
07:20It is.
07:20It's a posh-looking bungalow.
07:22But as you can see, not the best...
07:24Yeah, not the best after you.
07:27So, hit us with it.
07:28Who's loving, who's listing?
07:30I'm team love it.
07:31And I'm definitely team list it.
07:32Yeah.
07:33Definitely team list it.
07:34There was no ifs or buts there.
07:35That was confident.
07:37What's the story, what's going on?
07:39We've been here about a year and a half now,
07:40so it's not actually been that long.
07:42We thought it would be the answer to all of our prayers.
07:43Unfortunately, it hasn't quite been the answer.
07:46We've got a few things that don't quite work for us,
07:49but there is the potential to make it work.
07:51So, Sam, you believe it can be made to work.
07:53There is so much potential here.
07:55Yeah, definitely.
07:55You said categorically, Andy, I'm team list it.
07:59What makes you so sure that it can't be?
08:02When we viewed the house, I didn't get that feeling,
08:06the initial feeling when we came through the door,
08:09that actually this could be home.
08:11At no point did I get that, and I still haven't.
08:13I don't quite like how dark it is inside.
08:16It feels like we're in a rabbit warren at times.
08:19And the layout of the house just doesn't work with a wheelchair as it is.
08:22Everything is difficult in a wheelchair in this house.
08:26I also think the conservatory is inaccessible completely.
08:28Yeah, I've never been into the conservatory.
08:30Even though we've been here for a year and a half,
08:31there's a good step down into it, and then there's a good step out.
08:35So, flow is my passion.
08:38It's what interests me almost more than anything else,
08:41how you get in and out of a room.
08:44And a wheelchair alters how you get in and out of the room,
08:48but it's still exactly the same physics of where is the door,
08:52where is the window, where is the furniture going to go?
08:55And if Cohen's toys are everywhere, which they often are, he's stuck.
08:58I'm trapped on one side of the toys, and I need to ask for help.
09:01If they're small toys, I can deal with them, but anything large,
09:03and if there's too many, then I'm stuck behind the toys.
09:06Right. Shall we go and look around?
09:07I'd love to have a look around.
09:08OK.
09:13My challenge is to transform this bungalow into the family home
09:16Sam always dreamed of and help Andy fall in love with it too.
09:23It's a big space.
09:24It's a big space.
09:25But it just doesn't work for them.
09:26And that's ridiculous to have that as the dining area.
09:29I mean, that's...
09:30Skinny dining area.
09:31I'm surprised if you can get a wheelchair through that door,
09:34let alone the troubles at the entrance.
09:37This just doesn't work on any level.
09:40That would be totally awkward.
09:42The hallway starts at just over a metre in width,
09:45narrowing to 70 centimetres.
09:48Modern building regs usually require a minimum of 90.
09:51No wonder Andy struggles.
09:53You've got to sort this out.
09:54Kirsty's got to sort this out.
09:55I've got a budget of £60,000,
09:59which might sound like a lot of cash,
10:01but not with today's construction costs.
10:03And certainly not if walls need moving
10:05to solve the layout issues and let in more light.
10:08I'm not surprised Andy didn't like this house.
10:14It's very, very dated.
10:18New baby, accessibility issues.
10:21You know, it's never easy to navigate
10:22a new person in the family.
10:25Never mind.
10:26I couldn't have guessed you would do that.
10:28Hello.
10:28It's very dated.
10:31I mean, when did you last see
10:32a red dining room with red carpet?
10:34Moved in in a hurry,
10:35thinking they were solving some problems,
10:37but actually they've created a few more.
10:39It needs a revamp.
10:41The reception rooms and kitchen
10:43need more than just updating and replacing.
10:45The whole floor plan needs ripping up
10:47and walls need to come down.
10:49So my budget is already feeling painfully stretched.
10:53Sam and Andy have already invested £25,000
10:56in the bathroom and bedrooms.
10:57So I need to take a serious look
10:59at the ceiling price in this postcode.
11:02This stair room and ensuite bathroom
11:04is absolutely stunning.
11:06Really smart.
11:08To compete with this,
11:10the homes I find will need to have a better layout,
11:12including a more practical space
11:14for Andy's physiotherapy.
11:18It's actually quite a distance from the house
11:20at Andy's treatment room in the garage.
11:23And in the winter, this would be freezing cold.
11:26So it's unsuitable.
11:28I can definitely beat this.
11:32Fortunately, I have a cool half a million
11:34to find a home with the necessary space.
11:36The average four-bed bungalow around these parts
11:39costs £390,000,
11:41so I'm not feeling too apprehensive.
11:43It'll be a challenge,
11:44but Andy deserves better than this.
11:46Indeed, Phil.
11:47They'll have to fork out just over £18,500
11:49in legal costs and moving expenses,
11:52which in the long run is money I'd rather see
11:55stay in the family and invest it here.
11:57It's a lovely garden.
11:58It's such a nice garden.
12:00However, the uneven patio means this is another area
12:03the family can't enjoy together.
12:04The love-it to-do list is growing ever longer.
12:08It's hard to know what to prioritise.
12:10How's that budget holding up?
12:13You mind your own purse, Phil.
12:14It's a good bungalow.
12:15I think they bought it in a hurry
12:17and it's not practical for them.
12:19Hmm.
12:19It's all...
12:21Is sortable-outable a word?
12:23I know what you're talking about.
12:25It is sortable-outable
12:27if I can stretchable-outable the budget.
12:30Ah, there we have another classic all-sop-ism.
12:36Sam, what's it going to take for you to move from here?
12:39What am I going to have to show you?
12:40It'd have to be something pretty spectacular,
12:43but I think something a bit lighter would be nice.
12:45Something open plan where we can all be together as a family.
12:48I definitely want three bedrooms at least.
12:51Ideally four, but at least three.
12:53Andy, what are you going to want to see?
12:54What's on the list?
12:55I can get to every single room if I can...
12:58Yeah, I don't want to feel disabled in the house.
13:00I want to be able to...
13:01I don't want them to need help in any room
13:03with any task, ideally.
13:05Yeah, so it's things like the driveway.
13:07We can't have a gravel driveway
13:08because that's difficult in a wheelchair.
13:10Yeah, yeah. Accessible garden.
13:12Where am I looking?
13:13As long as it's within about half an hour of my mum,
13:16cos she looks after Cohen.
13:17That's quite a decent patch of lovely countryside as well.
13:19Yeah, there's some lovely areas round here.
13:21As soon as she's smiling at the thoughts of it.
13:23Come on, Andy.
13:25I swear she'll be more interested in the properties you find than I will be.
13:28Yeah, but I just like to window shop.
13:29I don't want to move.
13:31Good luck.
13:32Yeah.
13:34Well, here we go. Delicate one.
13:35We've both got a proper job on.
13:37I think some walls are going to be coming down, Phil.
13:40You're very good at that.
13:41I think, funnily enough, the search is going to be harder.
13:43And my worry is that I could find them something,
13:47but then they'd have to do more work to it.
13:48So, at what point do they just make this work?
13:51Yeah.
13:53It's going to be a toughie.
13:54It's going to be interesting.
13:54I have a lot of faith in Kirsty.
14:05I love that this home has everything that we need.
14:07We don't need to move.
14:08Team Phil, all the way.
14:09Easy win for Team Listit, definitely.
14:12In Lincolnshire, Sam and Andy can't agree on their dated bungalow.
14:16Is it really the best place for them and their son, Cohen?
14:18The area is perfect.
14:21Andy's dad lives around the corner from here.
14:23My mum is 20 minutes down the road.
14:25We've lived in this area for 20 years.
14:28I'd love to experience a new location.
14:31I'm here to help them create more space,
14:33bring in natural light, improve the flow
14:35and give the decor a modern look.
14:39If this was one open-plan space,
14:43I mean, look, I could knock that down myself.
14:45The ceiling price in this area for this type of property
14:49is around £125,000 above the bungalow's current value.
14:55So investing is a wise choice,
14:57but I need to box clever with my £60,000 budget.
15:01I've got some ideas that I want to discuss with you.
15:04So, da-dun-da-dun, turn it over.
15:08First up, by removing one wall,
15:11I want to create a larger and more welcome entrance.
15:13Then ditch the dated conservatory
15:16and extend on one level, removing the step.
15:20So Sam and Andy can finally have the family hub
15:23they've been dreaming of.
15:25And to address one of Andy's key concerns,
15:28I'm proposing a roof lantern,
15:29which will flood the space with natural light
15:31and dual bifold doors to access the garden.
15:35And with some smart reworking,
15:37I can fit in a utility space and physio room
15:39so Andy no longer needs to brave the cold garage.
15:42I should be the last person to say that.
15:48I'm amazed, but, yeah, I'll be the first, definitely.
15:50I'm so happy.
15:51The first thing that jumped out with me were the roof lights.
15:54Absolutely.
15:55It turns your house into a lighter, brighter house.
16:00The amazing...
16:00Well, you were going to up the budget for roof lights, weren't you?
16:02Yeah, yeah.
16:02So the fact that they're in, in the budget, brilliant, great, yeah.
16:06And also the fact that your physio room is now part of the house.
16:09Yeah, yeah, yeah.
16:11Is there anything that worries you?
16:13Yeah, no, I'm incredibly happy, yeah.
16:14Good.
16:15I can see why people actually burst into tears
16:17and normally you see why they're crying.
16:19But, yeah, yeah, it's a perfect family home.
16:22It is, exactly.
16:24Oh, that's good.
16:25We're already teamed with it.
16:26Wow.
16:27Let's get going.
16:28Yeah, that's the attitude.
16:29Yeah.
16:31All of the renovations I work on matter,
16:33but some of them matter just a tiny bit more.
16:37If Sam and Andy follow my plan to the letter,
16:39I can't see them going anywhere.
16:42Don't get ahead of yourself.
16:44With a £500,000 budget,
16:46it's my job to find Sam and Andy
16:48a light, bright, open-plan bungalow
16:51fit for the whole family
16:52and within 30 minutes of Sam's mum.
16:56I hope you're looking forward to viewings.
16:58I'm really excited.
16:59Tam, what's it going to take for you to list it?
17:02It just has to wow me, really.
17:03It's something that Andy would be able to move around quite easily
17:06but it's obviously the biggest pointer that we'd like.
17:09We're going to give it a go.
17:10Brilliant.
17:11We don't make it easy, do we?
17:12No.
17:13If it was easy, Kirsten, I wouldn't have a job.
17:15I don't have a job, sir.
17:19My first pick is in the village of Sutterton,
17:22a welcoming area with plenty of green space,
17:25strong community feel and a good primary school,
17:28making it an increasingly popular spot for young families.
17:32The home we're here to see is in a new development
17:34still under construction.
17:36This three-bed bungalow is on sale for £385,900.
17:41So we're starting off in Sutterton
17:44and we are half an hour from your mum.
17:47Yep, brilliant.
17:48And I've got this bungalow.
17:50It's three bedrooms.
17:51It's all finished.
17:51It's all beautiful.
17:52Brilliant.
17:53Good garage.
17:54I like this cul-de-sac bit.
17:55Like ours, it's quite quiet,
17:57so come and go out and play.
17:58Yeah.
17:59I like that.
17:59Yeah.
17:59Do you have a look inside?
18:01Come and see me, then.
18:02Yeah, brilliant.
18:02The welcoming hallway creates an inviting first impression,
18:10seamlessly leading into a bright, open-planned kitchen and living area.
18:14Flooded with natural light, this is the heart of the home.
18:18Underfloor heating runs throughout.
18:21The uninterrupted engineered wood flooring looks fantastic
18:24and lends itself to busy family life.
18:27There's a generously-sized family bathroom
18:34for guests and Cohen's bath time,
18:36which leaves the primary bedrooms en suite just for Sam and Andy.
18:44Out back, there's a large, low-maintenance garden.
18:51Hallway's nice and generous, I thought.
18:53It is.
18:54But let's hope this way.
18:56Follow me.
18:58Open-plan kitchen, dine-a-living room.
19:03Yeah, nice.
19:04Wow.
19:04A great first impression, yeah.
19:05It's really well-finished, love the floor, kitchen's great.
19:09It's exactly what you were looking for, workshop-wise, as well, isn't it?
19:12Yeah, yeah, yeah.
19:13Yeah, very my style.
19:14Look at your big smile.
19:15No, I knew this would happen.
19:18This is a similar size, actually, to our kitchen dining area,
19:22but we will have a utility room as well.
19:25It has a utility room.
19:26Have an explore, see what you think, I'll catch you up.
19:29Yeah, brilliant, thank you.
19:30Thank you, then, yeah, cheers.
19:31Each room has its own climate control, and the heating system is a state-of-the-art,
19:37an eco-friendly air source heat pump.
19:39And the bath room is just round here.
19:42It's a good size.
19:43Yeah, brilliant.
19:45This is quite a good-sized room.
19:48Yeah, it is.
19:49So this would probably be Cohen's room.
19:51It's a little bit bigger than the other one.
19:52Yeah, yeah.
19:53Well, it could be your treatment room.
19:55Well, they seem quite receptive to this.
19:58It's good news.
20:00Sam's totally invested in the search.
20:02Fantastic.
20:04I'm not fighting to open up her mind to the idea of moving.
20:07I like the window, the box window.
20:09Mm-hmm.
20:10Nice space.
20:11The en suite.
20:12Do you reckon that'd be okay for you?
20:13It's a little tight, isn't it?
20:18But we could possibly make it work.
20:22This place could really suit Sam and Andy.
20:25It's 10% smaller than their bungalow pre-renovation,
20:29but the clever layout makes it feel spacious.
20:32And with a generous garage and plenty of budget left,
20:35they could integrate it into the house.
20:38How'd you get on?
20:39What'd you make of it?
20:40What can I learn?
20:42Well, good first impression.
20:43The en suite is a little tight.
20:46I wouldn't be in my wheelchair in the en suite.
20:49I'd be on a shower chair.
20:50It's a bit bulky than my wheelchair.
20:52Got it.
20:52I love how bright and airy it all is.
20:54Our house is quite dark, really,
20:55and when you come into this, it's just so bright and airy.
20:58Even on not that nice a day, you can see how bright it is.
21:01It's lovely.
21:02Maybe the bedroom's been a little bit bigger.
21:04The bedrooms are quite big in our house,
21:05so just a little bit bigger would be nice.
21:09We both love the flooring.
21:10Yeah, I love the flooring.
21:11I definitely want to replicate that in ours.
21:13This just shows that there is better out there than what we currently have.
21:17It feels like we could be on the right track.
21:20Oh, definitely.
21:20Yeah.
21:21Yeah, yeah, yeah.
21:21It's really nice.
21:22I'm obviously going to need to find them a bigger house,
21:26but having said that, they both seem really quite buoyed up
21:29by the fact that this, at 385, isn't too far off the game.
21:34They've got more money than that.
21:36I'm going to find this something bigger and better.
21:40Bigger and better, you say?
21:41Well, that is exactly what their bungalow will be when this Renault is complete.
21:45Having rushed into buying the bungalow,
21:49hoping it would be ideal for raising their son, Cohen,
21:51Sam and Andy took time to consider my plan.
21:54Six months later, I'm happy to see work is underway.
21:57We've basically stuck to Kirstie's plan exactly as she suggested.
22:03It was a great plan.
22:04Yeah.
22:05I humbly agree.
22:07They are building the extension,
22:08which will redefine how they interact as a family.
22:12The fact that we'll be able to all be in the same room together,
22:15we'll be able to cook, eat, play.
22:19Really nice being able to get involved,
22:21even though I'm having to cook dinner and things.
22:22It'll be a real transforming place.
22:24You are cooking dinner.
22:26Sometimes.
22:27However, in the six months since I pitched my plan,
22:32building costs have risen and the budget has ballooned to over £80,000.
22:36But that still keeps them under the ceiling price.
22:39For me, the biggest transformation will be the lantern that they put in the extension.
22:44That will just let in so much light
22:47and just hopefully the ease of moving around in a wheelchair in my own home.
22:53Sam and Andy's thoughts are now turning to interior design,
22:56decisions that could further inflate the already ballooning budget.
23:00We've been to two different kitchen designers and we're going again,
23:04so we're really struggling to nail that down.
23:06We're juggling having a nice-looking kitchen and a practical kitchen.
23:10Yeah, exactly.
23:11It's a tough juggling act.
23:13It certainly is.
23:14If done correctly, it could help seal the deal for Team Lovett.
23:18In Grantham, the renovation is progressing rapidly.
23:30The builders have managed to knock down the external wall,
23:33so connected the extension to the existing kitchen.
23:36And I'm truly excited now, yeah.
23:40Realising the bungalow's potential is finally creating a bond
23:43between Andy and his home, much to Sam's joy.
23:46Now that they've taken the external wall down,
23:49we can really see the space and really see where we can place things,
23:53how the kitchen's going to look, how big the kitchen is going to be.
23:56How light it is.
23:57Yeah, definitely how light it is.
23:59The stand-up feature of the extension is the impressive roof lantern.
24:05However, rising costs may leave the garden still difficult to access for Andy,
24:09and it's a space he's eager to enjoy with his two-year-old son, Cohen.
24:15I am Team List It.
24:17With the amount of work that would still need to be done in the garden,
24:21full confidence that Phil will find that dream property.
24:25I'm definitely confident that Team Lovett will win.
24:27When we've managed to do this house together,
24:30we've actually been able to put us into this,
24:32and I think that makes a big difference.
24:35Sam and Andy want a home where they can both be hands-on parents
24:39to their son, Cohen.
24:41And my second choice in the village of Frampton offers just that.
24:45It's a peaceful countryside spot with good schools,
24:49nearby nature reserves and easy links to towns and cities.
24:52However, at 40 minutes from Grantham, I am pushing my search area.
24:58The bungalow we're here to see is in a gated community still under construction.
25:03This three-bed is listed at £400,000, well within their £500,000 budget.
25:09So I've tried to learn from that first house by bringing you here.
25:17Again, it's a small development.
25:19Good for little ones.
25:20Playing out here will be nice.
25:22And they're really pretty.
25:23I like the cladding on it.
25:24It looks really nice.
25:24Yeah, great curb appeal.
25:26Yeah.
25:26And I've seen solar panels on a few of the houses on the way in.
25:29Yes.
25:30Is that something that this house features?
25:32It will have.
25:33It will have.
25:34It will have.
25:34OK.
25:34So it's only putting solar panels on.
25:36You can see them up there when somebody's actually bought it.
25:38Yeah.
25:38OK.
25:39Brilliant.
25:39It'll have 4.8 kilowatts, which is certainly enough to run the house during the day.
25:44Yeah.
25:44And that's a big bonus.
25:46Yeah.
25:46Brilliant.
25:47But come in.
25:47Let me show you around.
25:48Brilliant.
25:48Yeah.
25:48This bungalow has everything Sam and Andy enjoyed about my first pick.
25:57The elegant flow, open-plan living, and abundance of natural light.
26:03But it's bigger, and the back garden is extra special, opening onto endless countryside.
26:12There's also the family bathroom and three good-sized bedrooms, with the main being en suite.
26:18It does lack a fourth bedroom, but they could always convert the garage with all the money they're saving.
26:28Lovely and bright.
26:29That's the main bedroom with its en suite.
26:32OK.
26:33Two other bedrooms, family bathroom.
26:37But I think this is the room that sells it.
26:39Wow, yeah.
26:40High spec, open-plan, family round the table.
26:44Definite wow factor.
26:46I'd say so, yeah.
26:47Yeah.
26:47Perfect.
26:47Good guidance.
26:48Good garden.
26:49Bi-fold doors opening up onto it.
26:51Yeah, it's a scene all the way round that looks really nice.
26:53It's nice and cosy.
26:54It's got a good cosy feel.
26:55Yeah.
26:55Have a wonder.
26:56OK, thank you.
26:59The garden and open-plan kitchen have made a great first impression, and I think the bedrooms will back it up.
27:07Nice.
27:09Good size.
27:10It is a good size.
27:11Look at that panelling and nice big windows.
27:13It's that extra height.
27:14Yeah, I like that all the way through the house, actually.
27:17Yeah.
27:17Yeah.
27:17And the en suite.
27:18Big shower.
27:19That would be workable if we removed the tray.
27:21Yeah, just removing that tray would give you a lot more space to move around.
27:24That's brilliant.
27:25That's brilliant.
27:27I'd say this is a really good, solid option for them.
27:31I know they were impressed with the development as a whole and the look and feel of it.
27:35It's a nice big space here, quite a big hallway, enough to move around.
27:40This could be your treatment room.
27:42Yeah, of course.
27:42It's a medical bed.
27:44Easily, yeah.
27:44Down here.
27:45Brilliant.
27:46Plenty of space there's for it.
27:47Yeah.
27:47There's your treatment room.
27:48This bungalow's around 20% smaller than Andy and Sam's will be once renovated.
27:54But it's not about the size, it's about the layout and the flow.
27:58The quality of finish here, easy access garden and stunning views are tough to beat.
28:06It's a really nice kitchen.
28:07It is, isn't it?
28:08Yeah.
28:09It's nice having the hob on the island so when you're cooking you can still be part of it.
28:13It's nice open views as well.
28:15I've seen how happy Cohen would be here with the view there, with the tractors, the field.
28:20It's actually quite a big kitchen as well.
28:21You don't realise how much space there is.
28:23How are you going on?
28:24Yeah, really good.
28:25I like it.
28:26Yeah, so far, so good.
28:27Yeah, yeah, yeah.
28:28I'm a big smile anyway.
28:29Good.
28:29Yeah, yeah.
28:30My question is, is it big enough as a package?
28:33I think in terms of space, it would have been nice to have that fourth bedroom, but the
28:37garage looks still a good size and it's a bit more included, whereas ours is obviously
28:41separate.
28:42With the price at $400,000, arguably you would have cash.
28:45To do something substantial with the garage.
28:47Yeah.
28:47There is still room in the budget.
28:49Yeah.
28:49So I'd still love to be able to show you something bigger that offered sort of more of the same.
28:55Because I feel like we're getting the right look and the feel.
28:57Oh, yeah, definitely.
28:58But it would be nice if it was a bit bigger and you do have a bit more space in the budget.
29:02This has definitely ticked a lot of their quite complex boxes, but I think as much as Sam has
29:11been enjoying looking around, I just feel I'm going to need to find a bit more space
29:16to properly bring around.
29:18But we're getting close.
29:19We are getting close.
29:21This property is beautiful.
29:23It's so bright.
29:25I'm really bowled over by this property.
29:27It's a good quality finish, solid build, lovely area.
29:31This is much closer to where the perfect house would be for me.
29:35Close to perfection.
29:38Mm-hmm.
29:38Team listed.
29:39Looking good, Kirsty.
29:41Looking even better is Sam and Andy's bungalow.
29:44With the roof lantern installed, it's the perfect time for me to pop by for a catch-up.
29:48So it's over seven months since I was last here.
29:54This was one of the most extreme cases of a house not working for a family on any level.
30:02It wasn't just about access for Andy.
30:04This house wasn't functioning as it should.
30:07Hopefully, the plans we came up with are going to change all that.
30:11They are nine weeks into their renovation and the shell of the extension is complete.
30:16Ooh, lovely job.
30:20Wow.
30:21They've chosen a really nice brick colour.
30:24I love the detailing with the black brick.
30:26The two-tone brick choice is a lovely feature, but it wasn't in my budget.
30:32It's a big extension.
30:35And in Sam are adding 21 square metres of floor space,
30:39which will completely change how they live as a family.
30:43Oh, my word.
30:45That's just lovely.
30:47I can't believe this space.
30:48I know, it's amazing.
30:49It is amazing.
30:50Yeah.
30:50You have almost entirely gone with my plan,
30:54which always thrills me no end in a kind of egocentric type of way.
31:00I've got these because I was aware that you wanted to have a conversation about paint colours.
31:05Yeah.
31:05We're thinking in the kitchen, we're going to go for a green.
31:08I'm not sure what kind of green, but I've got some wallpaper that I like
31:10that would be quite nice to get the green.
31:12Oh, have you got a sample of the wallpaper?
31:14I do, yeah.
31:14Can I see it?
31:15Yeah, yeah.
31:17Oh, my God, that is...
31:18That is...
31:20Yeah, it's nice.
31:21It's really nice.
31:22It's very kind of Spanish.
31:24Yeah.
31:25Yeah.
31:25So where are you putting it?
31:27So I want to put that on the back wall where the two windows are.
31:31Right.
31:31Then it's not overbearing, it's got the big windows picking up as well.
31:34OK.
31:34So I'm just going to move into the light with that.
31:38When it comes to pattern, the best results can sometimes come from bold choices.
31:43Don't do one feature wall, be brave and do the entire room.
31:46Or highlight separate areas to tie an open plan space together.
31:50Don't be boring, be daring.
31:56I got three wallpaper samples and as soon as I saw that one, I just knew it was the one
32:00that I wanted.
32:00It was perfect.
32:01I love the colours.
32:02Is there any reason not to have this bit, that bit, that bit and that bit in the wallpaper?
32:08I thought it might just be too overpowering.
32:10Well, the thing is, I don't think it'll be overwhelming on all of the walls of the extension
32:14because it's going to be mostly window.
32:17So it's not big chunks of the wallpaper.
32:20What have you decided about splashbacks or tiles?
32:23We're thinking white.
32:25So you're going to have white surfaces?
32:27No.
32:28It's going to be wooden.
32:29So the black cabinets with all wooden works.
32:31That's exactly what I have at home.
32:32It's really nice.
32:33Wooden would look so nice with the green and the orange.
32:36Yeah.
32:36Wooden worktops and you're thinking white tiles.
32:39Yeah.
32:40OK, so here's an idea.
32:42Either orange or green splashbacks.
32:45Black and orange do work well together.
32:46Well, it's the colour scheme I've chosen for my wheelchair, actually, black and orange.
32:50So, yeah, I think they work well together.
32:52Phil can find anything to compare with what that house is going to look like in the end.
33:02I will really, truly eat my hat.
33:07Well, you better look out your tastiest bonnet, Kirsty, because I think I've found a bungalow to beat them all.
33:12So this is my last opportunity to impress them.
33:19I think Sam's had a really open mind through the search, so I'm feeling pretty confident.
33:24I know that she was quite taken with open countryside views and the thought of that.
33:30And the house that I've now finally found for them, I think, absolutely nails it.
33:35I'm heading to the village of Aisthorpe, known for its good schools, close-knit community and rural setting.
33:43And it's just a short drive from the city of Lincoln.
33:48There'll be no beating this hat-eating four-bed bungalow on the market for 485 grand.
33:57So, last throw the dice for me.
33:59Yeah.
33:59OK, but I reckon I've got something that's going to impress you.
34:03Wow, OK, yes, yeah.
34:04It looks big.
34:05It is.
34:06It's pretty special, this one.
34:07Yeah.
34:07This offers everything.
34:09Oh, brilliant.
34:10But come in, let me show you around.
34:11Perfect.
34:14It's at the top end of their budget, but it has everything they're after.
34:17And it's bigger than their current bungalow will be once renovated.
34:23The kitchen diner flows into a bright, airy living space, ideal for the way Sam and Andy want to live.
34:31Mealtimes will become the quality family time they've been longing for.
34:34The stylish bathroom includes a separate shower, while four bedrooms offer flexibility, giving Andy a choice for his treatment and physio area.
34:46A well-equipped utility room provides extra storage, perfect for a busy household.
34:55And the main bedroom is an inviting retreat, featuring a walk-in wardrobe, spacious en suite, with a shower that needs only minor adjustments to make accessible for Andy, and direct access to a landscape patio.
35:09See what you make of this?
35:14Wow.
35:15Yeah.
35:15Wow.
35:16I didn't expect that, actually.
35:17I like the front, but I love the inside, yeah.
35:20I just didn't expect that.
35:21It's all the bells and whistles.
35:23It was amazing.
35:24You've got volume, you've got height, you've got space.
35:27I'm gobsmacked.
35:28I love the floor, yeah.
35:30I know, and these tiles.
35:31Wow, it just keeps...
35:32It's very much my style as well.
35:35Sam's got a big smile on her face, and I know you're trying not to.
35:38Yeah.
35:39Mm-hmm.
35:40It's a little bit of the big windows, and it's so bright, isn't it, and all open.
35:44Yeah, it's really nice.
35:44You need to see some more.
35:45I can't wait to see more, yeah.
35:46Yeah, come on.
35:46Okay, yeah, thank you.
35:50First bedroom here.
35:54Well, that's a really good side, actually.
35:56Good for your treatment room.
35:57It is, yeah, nice and bright.
35:59Yeah.
35:59You can get a wheelchair down the side, then.
36:02Well, this is cosy.
36:03So I guess this could be, like, Cohen's room.
36:06That's great.
36:06Yeah.
36:07I really like that.
36:08The windows are huge.
36:12Outside, the wraparound garden boasts lovely countryside views
36:16and a fully insulated annex.
36:19It's a great addition that helps the garden feel like a true extension of the living space.
36:30Wow, look at the dressing room.
36:31Wow.
36:32That's huge.
36:33It is.
36:33Wow.
36:34Okay, yeah, yeah.
36:35Really nice.
36:36It's like this.
36:37No.
36:37En suite.
36:38Perfect.
36:38I love the ceiling again.
36:39I love how high it is.
36:41Brilliant.
36:41You've got your own little private garden off the bedroom.
36:45That's incredible.
36:47The perfect spot to savour your morning cuppa while soaking in the view.
36:53It's just a beautiful setting.
36:54Yeah.
36:55It really is, isn't it?
36:55It's difficult.
36:56It's difficult to fault.
36:57If there are any minor changes, it's difficult with a wheelchair, but it's cosmetic, it's tiny.
37:03I'd have to buy more clothes to fit into the big world.
37:05Of course, I mean, I need a map to get around there.
37:09I could definitely imagine living here.
37:11I could, yeah.
37:11I could definitely see Cohen running around wild through the corridor.
37:15Yeah.
37:15Yeah, it's just got a really cosy feeling to it.
37:18Viewing this has definitely ticked all my boxes.
37:20I'm happy, and I can see you've not stopped smiling since we've been here.
37:27Obviously, I haven't seen what Kirsty's helped them with at home, but surely, surely, this puts the cat firmly amongst the pigeons.
37:34You can keep your cat, and I'll keep my hat, because Team Lovett have worked wonders.
37:46We're back in Grantham, 17 months after Andy and Sam first asked for our help.
37:53Transforming their bungalow from an impulse purchase to a potential forever home.
38:00I'm really excited about you seeing what they've done.
38:03OK.
38:03The problem is, it's so long ago, I know what you're like, I don't think you'll remember what the house looked like before.
38:08It's probably quite true.
38:10It really is.
38:11They really, really, they've done a lovely job with it.
38:14They really have.
38:16The temporary wheelchair ramp has been replaced with a gently sloped pathway.
38:22I hope you've noticed our first sweeping change.
38:26The ramp?
38:27Well, it's just...
38:27Yeah, it's just lovely.
38:29Hello.
38:30Good to see you.
38:30Hello, nice to see you both.
38:32We were just talking about this.
38:34It's made a complete difference to the...
38:35It's just...
38:36Yeah.
38:36So, the look at the front of the house...
38:38It looks so right.
38:39It looks like it should be there.
38:40Yeah.
38:41Yeah.
38:41Yeah, they've blended it in really well.
38:42Yeah.
38:42It's just great.
38:43Andi and Sam both longed for an open-plan home that united their family.
38:50Andi could no longer bear the dark rooms and narrow passageways.
38:54But Sam believed that with my help, we could show him the light.
38:57The new extension is now the sun-soaked heart of their home.
39:06The natural light warms the room and there's abundance of usable space.
39:10Following my plan to the letter, they have revolutionised the layout, repurposing part of the utility room and cupboards to carve out a dedicated physio space for Andi.
39:22The hallway has been opened up too, transformed into a welcoming and light-filled entrance.
39:34So, what's been happening?
39:36So, we've taken a bit from the old kitchen and made this a lot wider.
39:40Okay.
39:40And it works, Andi can actually invite people in and have a bit of space to move around.
39:44It wasn't well-designed.
39:46Absolutely, regardless of a wheelchair, it wasn't well-designed.
39:49Before, I would already be knees up against the wall now, so there was a wall here, so it was very tight.
39:55Yeah, it's...
39:56Even the hallway itself is a game-changer for the house.
39:59Yeah, yeah.
39:59I love a glass door.
40:01Yeah.
40:01It was quite expensive, but I just think if we've paid all this money to be able to see all the way through, you want to still see all the way through?
40:08Yeah, it's absolutely lovely.
40:09Because otherwise this would be dark, but actually it's not dark at all.
40:12Yeah, no, no, it's lovely.
40:17Andi never loved his home, but I think that might be about to change.
40:22I'm really happy to see that they were bold with that lovely wallpaper.
40:28What have you done?
40:30Yeah, it's a bit different.
40:32It's totally, totally different.
40:34It is.
40:34It's breathtakingly different.
40:35It's great, they followed through with my suggestions, including the roof lantern, an addition that is worth every penny.
40:44They also invested an extra £3,000 to improve the garden with a new patio area.
40:49It looks like there's been an interior designer at work.
40:57Someone's put a lot of thought and care into it.
40:59A lot of time into it, yeah.
41:00Yeah.
41:01I love putting things together, so yeah, it's been fun.
41:04The colours are fantastic.
41:06But the space.
41:07Yeah.
41:07I bet Karen likes it.
41:08Yeah, he only ever wants to be in this room.
41:11Is that his little chair, his little living room?
41:13Yeah, exactly.
41:13Living room, yeah.
41:14Yeah.
41:15As soon as he wakes up, he's like, let's go to Stention.
41:17Let's go Stention.
41:17It's always called the Stention.
41:19I love that.
41:20He doesn't want to be anywhere else.
41:21Yeah, it's great.
41:22It's so nice being able to be all together all the time.
41:24It's a beautiful room.
41:25Every detail has been considered.
41:30Sam has woven together a nature-inspired colour palette
41:33with harmonious tones and textures,
41:35while they've carefully designed the space
41:37for both beauty and functionality,
41:40including a pocket sliding door into the utility room.
41:44It works.
41:46It's great.
41:47It's just absolutely fantastic.
41:49It's nice to just shut the door on it.
41:50All there.
41:50You can shut the door on it.
41:52Yeah.
41:52And the sliding doors are working really well.
41:53Yeah, and it's surprising how
41:55noise-cancelling it is,
41:56so when the washing machine's on,
41:57it seems to shut there.
41:58You can barely hear it.
42:02Right, so this is where you can hang out.
42:04This was the utility room.
42:06Yep.
42:07And I'm now stood, sat in the cupboard.
42:10This was an old cupboard, hallway cupboard.
42:11Previously, you were having to go out to the guards,
42:13and that was workable, but not very satisfied.
42:15Exactly, yeah.
42:16You could be in here all the time.
42:17Exactly, yeah, yeah.
42:18It was a spoke room.
42:20Yes.
42:20Great.
42:21It must be a big relief.
42:22Oh, definitely, yeah.
42:23Yeah.
42:24Before, the living area was little more than a thoroughfare
42:27between the kitchen and dining space.
42:30But Sam and Andy have transformed it into a cosy snug.
42:35You've done such a beautiful job with the decor.
42:39Yeah, it's nice to keep this as a sort of grown-up room.
42:40We've tried to not have any toys in here.
42:42Yeah.
42:42Are there any things that you would have done differently
42:45to what you've done?
42:46Maybe the only thing, it mainly comes to the light,
42:49like, that is such a nice, bright room
42:51that I wish I could incorporate that in other rooms in the house.
42:54I don't know.
42:55No, I think that there are different seasons for rooms
42:58and different times of day for rooms.
43:01It's a really good place to do this colour
43:03because you're not looking for light in this room.
43:05No.
43:06It's a cosy room.
43:07Yeah.
43:07Yeah, it's a cosy room.
43:10Andy and Sam's renovation is a triumph,
43:13but I know I put a smile on both their faces
43:15with my third property.
43:17So have I tempted Sam on to team list it?
43:20Or has Kirsty convinced Andy
43:22that they already have their forever home?
43:25That third house, it surprised me.
43:27I know it surprised you.
43:28It was gorgeous.
43:29Mm-hm.
43:30Yeah.
43:31The light in the house, the high ceilings,
43:33it just felt really lovely when we went in.
43:37I had turning space everywhere in that property.
43:40In the wheelchair, I had space to turn wherever I went.
43:43So that really did nail it.
43:44Yeah, yeah.
43:45And you've done a beautiful job here.
43:47I've shown you something that works 100%.
43:49Yeah.
43:50That's gorgeous.
43:51What you do is over to you.
43:54Yeah.
43:58Sam, Andy, are you going to love it?
44:02Or list it?
44:06We're going to...
44:07Love it.
44:13Not a massive surprise.
44:14No.
44:15Sam, I think you should become an interior designer.
44:18I think you've done such a brilliant job in this.
44:21I do really enjoy it.
44:23It's just so calm.
44:26Mm-hm.
44:27I think it's a happy, it's joyful.
44:29This room makes people smile.
44:30Yeah, exactly.
44:31It's so easy to be in.
44:33Average pre-renovation valuation, 325.
44:37Yeah.
44:37What have you spent on it?
44:38All in all, not just a build, but flooring, kitchen, everything.
44:4291,000 all in all.
44:44So, a lot.
44:46You have added, unbelievably, £91,666 to the bag.
44:52And you've spent 91.
44:53Yeah.
44:54Yeah.
44:54That's amazing.
44:55That's brilliant.
44:56So, you've done really well.
44:59Yeah, good.
44:59Because you've not held back.
45:02Yeah.
45:02After a difficult journey, Sam, Andy and Cohen are finally happy with their home.
45:11Yeah, well done.
45:12Well done.
45:13And filling it with love and laughter.
45:16The difference it's made for us as a family, to be able to live in this open plan area,
45:22it's just so much easier, isn't it?
45:25Come here.
45:26Come here.
45:26Run, run.
45:27She's going to get you.
45:27Go faster, faster, faster.
45:28Come here.
45:29Come here.
45:30It's hard to imagine what it was like before.
45:32Yeah, yeah, yeah.
45:33Oh, you're too bad for me.
45:35Quick, quick.
45:36I'll hide you.
45:36I'll hide you.
45:37We're not separated.
45:38We're not apart from each other.
45:39We are together.
45:41Quick, quick.
45:44Because we are really proud of it.
45:46It's nice to be like, this is our house.
45:47This is our style.
45:48That was not our style, I promise.
45:50It was great to get that feedback that actually we have done a good job.
45:53So, that was lovely.
45:54They improved, haven't you?
45:55You've done all right.
45:56We've done well, yeah.
45:58Well, here you go.
46:00I feel a bit mean.
46:01No, congratulations.
46:02I'm actually, you know what, I feel pleased to lose.
46:07Does that make any sense at all?
46:08That's nice.
46:09It makes total sense.
46:10You've done a fantastic job on that house and they are really happy.
46:13They are really happy.
46:13And I showed them a fantastic house that they loved.
46:15So, here's to a win-win.
46:17This is a good thing.
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