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00:01G'day, Battlers.
00:03We see you out there doing everything you can for your family and friends.
00:07And we see where you've been living.
00:10That kitchen's had nothing done to it since World War II.
00:14We know times are tough.
00:15For too many hard-working Aussies, it means putting your dream home on hold.
00:20I had plans for it, but it just never happened.
00:23And that's where we come in.
00:27We are back.
00:29Hey, Norm. Over.
00:30Any diaries in virtue? Over.
00:32Bigger than ever.
00:33More battlers.
00:36More renovations.
00:38And more money.
00:40There's no more money, Norm.
00:43We are rolling up our sleeves to prove that big transformations don't need big bucks.
00:48I got her on Facebook Marketplace.
00:50She wanted $250, got her down $200.
00:54We've got just five days and $10,000.
00:57We're not just for the rich.
01:00To give deserving Aussies a home.
01:02Look, space.
01:08This is beautiful.
01:10That they can be proud of.
01:14Oh, no way.
01:16Got to make me comfortable for the rest of my life.
01:19This is budget battle.
01:20Oh, no, we're crying already and we haven't even seen anything.
01:25Tonight.
01:27We uncover some historical treasures.
01:30June 1923.
01:32Are they clear there?
01:33I get on the tools.
01:35What happened to go on TV?
01:37Oh.
01:38And we give a local hero his dream home.
01:41Woo-hoo-hoo!
01:44Love it, love it, love it.
01:45This is Budget Ballers.
01:54This week we are going to a small Aussie town that has a big place in our hearts.
01:59Well, here we go.
02:01Back to me little hometown of Birchip.
02:04Birchip's a little country town, northwest Victoria, three and a half hours out of Melbourne.
02:09On the right-hand side here is my old man's farm.
02:13Learn how to drive cars, tractors, trucks, headers.
02:16This is where it all happened.
02:18A lot of memories in this joining in.
02:21I love everything about Birchip.
02:23Just the people.
02:25He's probably the big one.
02:27Everyone just gets in and helps out when the chips are down.
02:31Everyone gets in and has a crack.
02:33Everyone's got everyone's back.
02:37It's...
02:39It's just a great little spot.
02:43But this week, we're really bringing some excitement to town.
02:47No-one knows, but we're going in to surprise Morris.
02:51He's got no idea what's going on.
02:53He's a great old fella.
02:55He does bucket loads for this town.
02:58So we're going in, and we're going to renovate his house in five days.
03:11This is Morris.
03:12I'm one of the richest people in the world.
03:14I've got no bloody money, but shit, I reckon I'm happy.
03:17You know, because I've got this beautiful town and good people around you.
03:20He, like thousands of Aussies around the country, worked tirelessly to give to their community.
03:26Not for money, not for glory, but just to lend a helping hand.
03:31He's also the local school bus driver.
03:33And these guys were the ones who nominated him for budget battlers.
03:37He does so much around town.
03:40He's a good bus driver.
03:41He beeps the horn when someone's going slow, even though he's only going 20km.
03:47Yeah.
03:48He loves his trees.
03:50Hey, I heard that there was trees growing in his gutters.
03:53Yeah.
03:54What else is wrong with his house?
03:57Uh, a bit odd.
03:59Oh, yeah.
04:00When he's not driving a bus, he's collecting bottles to raise funds for the local hospital
04:04in the centre of town.
04:05400,000 cans and stuff.
04:07That's just in this area, in a year.
04:10That's $40,000.
04:11Ten years, $400,000.
04:13It'd be bloody comfortable chairs in the bloody hockey of people's home then, wouldn't it?
04:17And when he's not raising money, you can find him, yep, you guessed it, volunteering at
04:23the local footy club.
04:26We thought budget battlers showing up in town would be front page news.
04:31But it turns out, it's the second biggest thing to happen in Birchham this week.
04:37Righto, quiet everyone.
04:39Oscar's got something to say.
04:41Mum and Dad won the Vanilla Slice competition.
04:44Hey!
04:45Hey!
04:47Yep, Sharf's Bakery have done it again.
04:49They've won the award for the best vanilla slice in Australia.
04:55Morris with the footy club, he does the scoreboard, he does the footy sheds, makes sure they clean
05:01after every game and every train and he marks the lines on the ground.
05:05So I think it's only fitting that we get Morris in the sheds after the game and we break the
05:12news to him that we're renovating his house.
05:14Yeah!
05:15It's his family.
05:17It's the ones that he cleans up after all the time.
05:19Like, it's a reminder to them of what he does when they're not looking.
05:23Why wouldn't you get the fella that's always in the background and make him the hero for
05:27once?
05:28As a lot of you guys know that we've got this TV show going around, budget battlers and
05:32we go around and we help people that are doing it tough.
05:35We're bringing the show to Birchip.
05:37In small country towns, you know, there's a lot of people who work behind the scenes, they volunteer,
05:41they do a lot of stuff around the town that's unseen.
05:45And they're the people that we sort of want to reward.
05:47And this person in Birchip is Morris.
06:01Oh, absolute shock.
06:03I said, and why me?
06:05Some towns around Australia, I reckon, are renowned for something or other.
06:07Birchip should be renowned for volunteers, you know.
06:10And I thought, why me?
06:11Because there's so many other people doing stuff around the town, but I'll take it.
06:16We know what the town's about.
06:17We know how it rolls.
06:18Everyone's got everyone's back.
06:19So if anyone's around this week and they're doing nothing, feel free to jump in and give
06:23us a hand.
06:27I've made my own way to Birchip in one of Storage King's ripper vans.
06:30So it's time to meet Normie and go and check out Morris' house.
06:37Here it is.
06:38All right, let's go.
06:38That's cute.
06:39It is.
06:40Let's go to the back.
06:47Oh, g'day, Norm.
06:48How are you, mate?
06:48Good to see you.
06:50Come in.
06:50Good to see you.
06:52How old's the house?
06:54We have done some research with the local historical society.
06:58And they used to make probably the 1920s.
07:01And because it's one of the first houses in Birchip.
07:04And as you can see, it's so close to the main street.
07:06That makes sense, doesn't it?
07:07Probably the 1920s.
07:08Yeah.
07:08And how long have you been here for?
07:10A bit over 50 years.
07:12Yeah.
07:12Your mum used to live here?
07:14Yes.
07:14Yeah, mum and dad.
07:15I remember Morris' mum from years and years ago.
07:18I still remember yesterday, I hadn't been in this house for a few years and it's falling apart.
07:27It is actually falling apart.
07:29Was this the original carpet in the house?
07:31Was this the original carpet in the house or how old is this carpet?
07:32It was here when we were here.
07:34And I bet you it was put in before that, obviously.
07:37And it was the top of the range, actually, the carpet, the way it's worn.
07:41Yeah.
07:42You have a look at that doorway.
07:43How many people over the years would have walked through there?
07:45There's not a sign of wear.
07:46They don't make it like they used to, do they?
07:48They don't make it like they used to.
07:49Right.
07:49So the carpet's at least 60 years old?
07:52At least.
07:52At least.
07:53Could be more.
07:54Yeah.
07:54And it still looks brand new.
07:56A bit like me.
07:57Oh.
07:58I just saw a leak.
08:00Did you see that drip?
08:01Yes.
08:01Did you see that drip?
08:02Yes.
08:03I didn't want to see that drip.
08:05It needs a real good makeover.
08:06There's stuff hanging off everywhere.
08:09And here's my rustic little looking bathroom.
08:14Pretty flash, eh?
08:15Yeah, Mum.
08:16I started it about two months ago and I got a bit busy doing other things, so I just sort
08:21of...
08:21It's like this.
08:23Blank canvas, isn't it, Norm?
08:24Yeah.
08:25It's beautiful.
08:25You can say that, yes.
08:26Yes.
08:27I can see the ground.
08:28Yeah.
08:29Yeah.
08:30I can.
08:31It's what we call that, a reverse skylight.
08:34I can see the light through the floor.
08:38What's your grand dream for the drip?
08:41A little friend around here, he's got an old house like this too, in the kitchen.
08:44And they knocked an archway in between the two, you know, space.
08:49Yeah, yeah, yeah.
08:50Actually feeling a bit more space, you know.
08:53I look as comfortable as it is, but it'd be just nice to have that spacious feel.
09:27You know what?
09:27Have our creative freedom.
09:29No, I reckon we'd stop at the back gate.
09:30I reckon that might be enough.
09:33Yeah.
09:34Leave this with me.
09:35I do.
09:36Yeah, I will.
09:37Yep.
09:38It's going to be a beautiful backdrop for something.
09:40Even I'm concerned, don't worry.
09:43I think we've picked the right house to do.
09:48Might have bitten off a little bit more than we can chew, but we'll just keep chewing.
09:52And then we'll finally swallow it.
10:04This week on Budget Battlers, we're in my hometown of Bircher.
10:08Also, the home of the Melly Bull and Australia's best vanilla slice.
10:12And we've all come together to bring me mate Morris' house into the 21st century.
10:18Bircher, Budget Battlers, are we ready?
10:19Yeah!
10:23There was nothing more fitting to kick the build off than the Sharps National Vanilla Slice
10:28Bakery Trophy, which is a more prestigious trophy than the Melbourne Cup, debatably.
10:34I'd agree with you.
10:35I'll put my gloves on.
10:37It's like the Melbourne Cup.
10:48We've only got five days.
10:50Don't run.
10:53Our friends at Storage King are on board once again to help us keep Morris' belongings safe
10:58and sound until after the renovation.
11:03The buzz on site for day one is absolutely incredible.
11:08Everyone loves Morris.
11:09So all the guys are turned up ready to give us a hand to try and create something special
11:16for him.
11:34I'm really torn about these carpets.
11:36What are you torn about?
11:39They're beautiful, but I'm on the fence.
11:41What?
11:41As to what?
11:42To keeping them or tearing them out?
11:44Yeah.
11:44I'm with Jess.
11:45You can't keep that.
11:47The carpet is hideous.
11:50Now, I don't know what Jess is going on about, but you can't refurbish a house and then keep
11:5630-year-old carpet.
11:57But you won't get them again in another shop.
11:59I'm sort of with Jess.
12:00Nah, I'm with Mel.
12:01It's got to go.
12:02Come on.
12:03Look, the house is old.
12:04Yeah.
12:05The carpet's a lot older than the house.
12:06I reckon the carpet was here before the house was.
12:09Morris has got these incredible carpets that have lasted the test of time.
12:12They were very expensive.
12:14They've got roses on them.
12:15And who knows whose feet's been on them?
12:18But they still look good.
12:19So why would you get rid of them?
12:22Tell me anything else that looks good after 50 years.
12:25Nothing, except for that carpet.
12:27Saw that.
12:30Saddest party's not even 50 yet.
12:31They've been stood on for 50 years.
12:34They look brand new.
12:34This room won't look new.
12:36Can you steam clean it?
12:37I reckon steam clean it.
12:39Yep.
12:39Done.
12:40I reckon pull it up.
12:41What?
12:42We agree.
12:42Steam cleaning.
12:43No, no, no.
12:44Woo, woo, woo.
12:44A 50-50 vote doesn't mean you win.
12:47Doesn't mean you lose.
12:48Jess seems to come up with these ideas and they work.
12:51And I do go with her a bit.
12:54I'll pull them up.
12:55I don't know.
12:56You will win.
12:57I'm on the fence.
12:58You are not on the fence.
12:59You can't choose to put this back.
13:01Nah, look, it's got to go.
13:02It's irreversible.
13:03I think it's got to go.
13:04It's wearing out there.
13:05Why does everything have to come up in Birchip?
13:08Why does every wall need to be...
13:09Are you showing off in front of your dad?
13:11No.
13:12Imagine if it was any other town.
13:14Norm would be so much against floor and it wouldn't be funny.
13:17But here, no, not a problem.
13:19Let's do it all.
13:21Guys, this house will be three storeys by the end of the week
13:24because we're in Birchip.
13:25I just think it is going to wear down to nothing
13:27and then we'll win another 50 years.
13:30We've got to actually go on there.
13:31Yeah.
13:31It's like an argument, you know?
13:32You've just got to let some stuff go at the end.
13:35It can't really just get better.
13:36Oh, that's you.
13:38Anyway, I'm saying no.
13:39I'm out.
13:40You get emotionally attached or detached to it.
13:43It's a no for me just saying.
13:44Go on.
13:45What happened?
13:47I changed my mind.
13:48You love old stuff.
13:50I just feel like budget paddlers might be breaking him.
13:53He came in as a strong man with strong opinions
13:56and he's leaving as a man that loves and doesn't love roast carpet.
13:59Who are you, monger?
14:03Here's the plan.
14:04The areas that we're going to focus on are the kitchen and lounge room,
14:07the bathroom, the bedroom.
14:10We're going to knock down a wall that divides the kitchen and lounge room,
14:13opening up the entire space.
14:15Add new flooring and raise the mantel so Morris stops banging his head.
14:19In the bathroom, we'll give it a total makeover adding new tiles,
14:23a vanity and lighting.
14:25In the bedroom, we'll spruce it all up with new bedding,
14:28adding a desk, getting rid of a dated wardrobe
14:31and we have a surprise coming for him out the back.
14:34Here's the budget so far.
14:36$1,000 for paint, $1,400 flooring,
14:38$1,500 to get that bathroom rebuilt and $1,500 for tiles.
14:42Spending just $5,400 so far
14:45and we have the whole town helping us, so free labour.
14:48Brilliant.
14:51I'm going to break the wall down in the living room
14:53because I think there might be a fireplace behind it.
15:00I love these old houses because they've been through so many trends.
15:03Beautiful things have been covered up
15:04that were considered ugly at the time and now seen vintage.
15:08So my new best friend for this build is the jigsaw.
15:11That's a power tool.
15:12And so you just cut things and see what's under them.
15:17So I just went exploring.
15:21Flooring.
15:25What happened to going to there
15:28and opening up the fireplace?
15:30Did you say there?
15:31Yeah, yeah.
15:32I marked it there, marked it there, marked it over there.
15:36Oh.
15:39And she's like a bad hairdresser.
15:40She just kept on cutting and she's halfway up the wall by this stage
15:44and I'm, whoa, what is going on?
15:47She's cut it up to a height
15:49and then Lee's gone in and put some MDF around it
15:51and eaten it all up.
15:52And I do have to say,
15:54yes, Jess, it looks good.
15:56Well done.
15:57It pains me to say that.
16:12I'm going to rip the wall out.
16:14You're unreal.
16:15So focus, I've told you.
16:17Keep the walls in.
16:18Too hard.
16:19The minute you're in birch, if you like.
16:22Take the wall down.
16:23Look at me, Dad.
16:23I'm like pulling walls out now, all right?
16:25Yeah.
16:26I've done a few.
16:27It'll be good.
16:46It's all right, Tiger.
16:48The carpet's coming up.
16:50All right.
16:51Bye, old girl.
16:54It's such a shame, too.
16:55It's a nice carpet.
16:56Oh, get it off.
16:58Oh, no.
16:59That makes me sad.
17:03I'm not enjoying this.
17:04Oh.
17:06Are you pushing it or pull it?
17:07I don't know.
17:09Get her the other end.
17:11We brought up the carpets and I'm devo
17:13because you can't replace them.
17:14And then...
17:15Oh!
17:17And underneath were all these old newspapers.
17:20I have a look at that.
17:21This is what I love about these old houses.
17:24Like, everything's like a birthday present.
17:27You unwrap something.
17:28We were literally looking at a museum of stories
17:31that hadn't been spoken or seen about nearly 100 years.
17:35June 9th, 1923.
17:36I don't know how clear they are.
17:38Guns and rifles.
17:40Especially send for cash price.
17:42Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
17:44This is unbelievable.
17:45And everyone was in there.
17:46It was actually on all fours reading different sections on newspapers.
17:50Oh!
17:50Your dad's here.
17:52While we're down having a look at the newspapers
17:55and everyone's having a little read,
17:57I thought, who are you going to call?
18:01Maureen.
18:03How are you?
18:04Good, thank you.
18:05Good to see you.
18:06Have a go at this.
18:07Oh, wow.
18:09My name's Maureen
18:10and I'm part of the Birchham Historical Society.
18:14So this is in 1923.
18:16Well, that's three years after the house was technically built,
18:20so that's about the time you'd be doing your floor coverings, I guess.
18:23It's unreal, isn't it?
18:24Oh, it is.
18:24And the neck there in is unbelievable.
18:26It is.
18:26I taught Norm in the library, I think,
18:29or the odd special day when I filled in for a teacher.
18:31He was in the same grade as one of my sons,
18:33so we knew each other well.
18:36We don't have any actual papers until the 1950s.
18:40Really?
18:41Yeah, anything like that.
18:43Especially our local ones is gold.
18:45We're not going to pay you anything, but we're gold.
18:50I taught you, you owe me things.
18:52No, I know, I know.
18:53You owe me things.
18:53Oh, I don't know.
18:54That's debatable.
18:56I tell you, poor Birchham.
18:57Maureen will be tearing up everyone's carpet.
18:59There's going to be a home invasion.
19:01Nothing stolen, carpet torn.
19:03Maureen's at it again.
19:06We know it's you, Maureen.
19:08Just put the carpet down.
19:16I don't like it.
19:19Oh, what?
19:21What are we doing with it?
19:33What do you want to do with it?
19:34I thought we could turn it into Morris' man bus.
19:38Like a man cave, but a bus cave.
19:41So Morris drives a school bus,
19:43and then I was scanning through Facebook Marketplace,
19:45and I saw a school bus.
19:46You know all those, like, I'm still interested,
19:47kind of posts that are still available?
19:50Is it a dating song?
19:52Are you still interested?
19:55Are you?
19:56No, not really.
19:57Okay.
19:59I got it for three and a half of Marketplace.
20:02Three and a half green?
20:04Yeah.
20:10That is awesome.
20:11You like it?
20:12I reckon this is a cracking audio.
20:14Check it out.
20:1575-incher, recliner, flooring.
20:19It's been our dream.
20:20We've always wanted to do this.
20:21I love it.
20:22I wasn't expecting that.
20:23Does it start?
20:25No.
20:26How are we going to get it there?
20:36We're in Birchit, Norm's hometown.
20:38We are renovating the home of local hero Morris.
20:42He collects bottles and donates all the money
20:44to the local hospital and aged care,
20:46a place we've been to a lot lately.
20:49My mum's up there at the moment.
20:52She's in the nursing home.
20:56I want to know the work the staff do up there.
21:00And it's a bloody tough job.
21:05Just the work they do for the elderly people is...
21:12It's amazing.
21:23Most of the town has shown up and keep showing up
21:25to help transform this house for Morris.
21:27Just look at them all.
21:28Bloody rivers.
21:29The good thing about small country towns,
21:32people like this,
21:33Warwick Concrete,
21:34they're 40 minutes away,
21:36heard of what we were doing
21:37and got on board
21:38and it's allowed us now to give him a brand new veranda.
21:42They've supplied all the concrete.
21:44Just a donation, another one.
21:46Small country towns.
21:47Got to go.
21:48Get into it, Tudge.
21:50Roger Battlers is about community
21:51and people coming together to help out other people.
21:54Always here to help the community, mate,
21:56especially with virtue.
21:57Yeah, good stuff.
21:59Good idea.
21:59We thought we'd come over
22:00and get some of their vanilla slice while we're here.
22:03Award-winning vanilla slice, dude.
22:05And the small-town spirit is pumping this week.
22:13In order to keep everyone's energy up,
22:15Healthy Life are on board
22:16to make sure we're just not living off
22:18Australia's best vanilla slices all week.
22:20I'm so glad you're here.
22:21I haven't food in three days.
22:23I've got the answer for you.
22:25OK.
22:25We've got a rainbow here for you.
22:27You're going to eat this rainbow.
22:29Oh, I never knew sausages could constipate you
22:31until I started working here.
22:33OK.
22:34Thank goodness.
22:35No fibre.
22:35It's going to save us.
22:36OK.
22:37You've got to eat the rainbow.
22:38So here we've got green, reds, oranges.
22:41You don't even have to know
22:42what vitamins and minerals are in your veggies.
22:44You've just got to remember
22:45to eat all the different colours.
22:49Fabulous dog.
22:51Oh, I've had everything.
23:00The time has come
23:02to get the bus into Maury's backyard.
23:18Oh, wait.
23:21Where are you going?
23:22I've just got to turn the wheels.
23:24You all right?
23:25Keep coming.
23:31Take no one.
23:32Over.
23:34Why?
23:36Do you want to play ice car?
23:38No, I'm trying to drive and concentrate here.
23:41You're just going straight.
23:42Quite a fair bit going on.
23:44She thinks it's pretty easy to drive a tractor,
23:46but on the power and on the brakes.
23:50You sound really up yourself.
23:52No, you just don't understand the pressure
23:54of the person in the tractor.
23:56Do you know what I'll figure it out, Norm?
23:59What's that?
24:00That tractor doesn't look too hard to drive.
24:02I reckon you just want to look at the worry shop.
24:04But we're going up the main street
24:06and there's tourists.
24:08I know that sounds funny for Bertscher,
24:09but we get some tourists.
24:10You just won the vanilla slice.
24:12Oh, I'm the truth.
24:12It was bound to happen.
24:14Hey, Norm.
24:15Have we got time to stuff off for a vanilla slice?
24:18Not with this machine, no.
24:20It's a pretty big job.
24:24What?
24:24Why did we come to Bertscher?
24:28I just think we've done damage here
24:31with this ego that we can never undo.
24:34You there?
24:35No, I'm over.
24:37My radio is broken.
24:41Have a lock of this.
24:43Oh!
24:55Bang!
24:55Like this, and it was like we were separated.
24:58Oh, pardon the pun.
25:02Lucky I bought an all-day ticket.
25:06I knew it was going to break.
25:07I was hoping it wasn't going to break in the main street.
25:10I just loved it.
25:11It was so fitting.
25:12Like, Norm, he's got us there at his tractor.
25:15Monk has run for a bobcat,
25:17pushing you from behind.
25:19Lee's jumping on the bus.
25:21You're going to the left too much.
25:23Lee was doing that.
25:24Every man was trying to outman each other
25:27for the whole day long.
25:31She's going all right?
25:32Yep, yep.
25:33All good.
25:33Keep going.
25:35Take on, Monks.
25:36Monks.
25:36Monks, stop.
25:38F***.
25:41F***.
25:41Norm, we're in Morris' yard.
25:43Over.
25:44F***.
25:44We go through a lot on budget, right, Liz.
25:47But never that.
25:48Ah.
25:50Bad luck, Normie.
25:51Yeah!
25:52You failed, so I had to take over.
25:55Oh, thank you.
25:56I knew this was going to be brought up.
25:58I knew it.
25:59All right, get back to it, you lazy shits.
26:01Ma, look at him.
26:02If he was the hero, we'd be here for an hour.
26:04Oh, yep.
26:05Now, I should have seen that time.
26:06I thought, yeah, let's do it.
26:08I've done the hard yards, too.
26:10I nearly got it there.
26:12Then Monka did it without even a...
26:14I didn't even get a chance to get on that bobcat.
26:16He jumped straight on it.
26:18Yeah.
26:19I always want to steal my thunder.
26:21It's going to be me torn to shine.
26:22I know.
26:22Being from the town of the vanilla slice, how can you lose?
26:26Oh, that's true, too.
26:27I will, mate.
26:28All right.
26:29Just go and do something.
26:33With Berger being such a small town,
26:35I wanted to get some advice off our investment mentor,
26:37Lachlan Vidler,
26:38to make sure I'm spending the money in the right places.
26:41Jess, what are you doing up there?
26:43I found this behind the wall.
26:45I'm so excited.
26:46You found this behind the wall.
26:47This is awesome.
26:48What do you think you're going to do with it?
26:49I'm just going to polish her up.
26:50We took the flu out, so it's going to be cosmetic.
26:53Does the fireplace that doesn't work
26:54and only use for aesthetic reasons, does it add value?
26:56I think it really does,
26:58and I think it becomes about what is the home,
27:00where is the home,
27:01and, I mean, we're in the country
27:02and having this as a bit of a feature piece
27:04in the living space,
27:06especially when you tidy it up,
27:07I think it'll be a nice bit of value adding.
27:08I thought it was tidy.
27:10OK, but that's good.
27:11I'll take that as that's what we need to do.
27:13What about the bus?
27:14Does that add value to your property
27:16if you tow a school bus and turn it into a man cave?
27:18Look, I'm not sure it's going to add financial value,
27:21but it's going to add life value,
27:22and I know it's going to be very, very well received.
27:25OK.
27:26This is what I love about Lachie.
27:27He gets me or tolerates me, whatever it is.
27:31He's looking for value.
27:32I'm looking for lifestyle.
27:34Like, no-one's ever said,
27:34I can't wait to add value to this home.
27:36I'm going to flip it.
27:37I'm going to put a bus in the back.
27:38Love it.
27:38Look, OK, I'll get going with this,
27:41because...
27:41All right, I'll leave you to it,
27:42because there's some work you've got to do here.
27:44OK, all right.
27:45Go on.
27:47It's good to have you on board and be reminded
27:50that putting buses in the backyard don't add value,
27:52but it's a bloody good time.
27:55On Budget Battlers, we love a hack.
27:57A money saver, something that's going to make you feel good
28:00and doesn't cost the earth.
28:01And that should come off.
28:03People usually throw these out.
28:04There's nothing wrong with this at all.
28:06You can't spend four or five grand on a new one,
28:09or use the same one and just rebirth it.
28:13A bit of sandpaping, paint, and we're there.
28:20One of my favourite hacks of the house is that white stove.
28:24Everyone's got one,
28:25and they throw it out because it's ugly.
28:26You don't have to anymore,
28:28because there is a paint that's going to cost you about $55,
28:31heat-resistant up to 280 degrees.
28:33You can schmick that thing up,
28:34and you don't need any skills to do it.
28:36My favourite hack as a skillless person.
28:41One thing that I know that is going to put a smile on Morris's face
28:44is a new bathroom.
28:45So I've headed down to Beaumont Tiles
28:47because Daz said he's got a very special surprise.
28:51Huzzah!
28:52A dress!
28:53I'm excited about this one.
28:55I'm so excited.
28:56As you know, I rang you a couple of weeks ago.
28:59I said we have a sports fan that loves Collingwood,
29:02and you said you have designed an entire bathroom around Collingwood.
29:05And I have it right here.
29:09So, keeping in the Collingwood theme,
29:13I think we do black and white walls,
29:17a black floor,
29:18and then the Collingwood stripe as a feature wall.
29:20Like the jersey.
29:21Like the jersey.
29:23Oh, my God.
29:24This town is Collingwood crazy.
29:27He's going to have the only bathroom in Virchip
29:29that is a Collingwood one.
29:31Dad, you've done it again, mate.
29:32I cannot wait to see it finish, Jess.
29:34Me neither.
29:35I reckon it's going to look stunning.
29:37It's going to be an emotional journey.
29:39It will be.
29:39I'm that excited because Darren has designed
29:42the world's first sports club bathroom.
29:46Now, none of us know how this is going to turn out
29:49except for Darren.
29:50He's a genius.
29:51Everyone else that I've mentioned it to is gone.
29:55So we're just going to have to wait and see.
29:58We also have two other areas that we need to cover.
30:01OK.
30:02We have a bus.
30:03Yes.
30:03And then we also have a house.
30:05Now, I was thinking we need a darker floorboard for the bus
30:08and we need a different colour floorboard for the house.
30:11I think it's very important that the two have different colours.
30:13OK.
30:14All right.
30:15Let's head over to the hard flooring area
30:17and have a look at some colours.
30:23How about...
30:23Yes.
30:24..that for the bus.
30:25Yeah.
30:25So it's dark, like a brown oak.
30:28That is perfect.
30:30It's a laminate, so it'd be great for the bus.
30:33I'll take it.
30:34OK.
30:34That's going to be awesome.
30:35For the house, we want to go a little bit lighter.
30:37Yeah.
30:37OK.
30:38So I'm thinking...
30:39I'm thinking...
30:42..how about we go this one.
30:46Ava stone oak is the hybrid.
30:50We're going to have the two different colours.
30:53Different colours, yeah.
30:53OK.
30:53House and the bus.
30:56OK.
30:56Beautiful.
30:57Love ya.
30:58Done.
30:58Wheels on the bus goes round and round, Dad.
31:01Easy.
31:01Love ya, mate.
31:02All right.
31:02We've done it again.
31:03Beautiful.
31:19Oh, that's beautiful, Darl.
31:20What is it?
31:21The boys had some leftover MDF.
31:23I said, can we just make some panels?
31:25Yeah.
31:25Make it look something for a grand entrance?
31:28Yeah.
31:28That's what they come up with.
31:29Nice.
31:30It just makes the entrance, the grand entrance, on a budget.
31:41Dyso, you've come down to volunteer your time to help our local legend.
31:45This is Daz's Collingwood Feature Wall from Beaumont Tiles.
31:49Yeah, I reckon it'll come together once we get a few more rows up, so it should be good.
31:53Appreciate it, Freddie.
31:55Kawaii!
32:04So I've been coming to Beaumont Tiles for 13 years, and there's one thing that's been looking me dead in
32:08the eye.
32:11Big Red, the Malley Bull.
32:13He's a big boost of a thing, and he's big.
32:21I've got six hand casting moulds, you know, the ones where you put your hands in, and then it sets.
32:26You're going to light up.
32:31I know a lot of people drive past that thing and think, oh, look at those big.
32:36But when I drive past it, I just think, God, that'd be a gorgeous light shape.
32:44What is wrong with you?
32:47Do you know what I love about everyone on this show?
32:50All the boys coming together, helping out.
32:54Huge hearts.
33:04Oh, hey.
33:05Hey, Jess.
33:06How are you feeling?
33:08I'm buggered.
33:09Are you feeling a little bit under the weather?
33:11I think everyone is.
33:12Yeah.
33:13But you can't tell anyone on site because then you look like the weakest links.
33:17Well, it's a little bit hard to get into a doctor in a regional town like this, too, isn't it?
33:22Yeah.
33:22That's right.
33:23Have you?
33:24Yeah.
33:24We've got, actually, a telehealth service, and then you can see a doctor in as little as 15 minutes, and
33:30it's 24-7.
33:31So you can just get online now, and you can chat to a doctor.
33:36Yeah, throw it at me.
33:36Yeah.
33:37Yeah, I'm just a bit run down.
33:39What would you advise?
33:41No, thanks so much, and I appreciate it.
33:44Oh, I feel better already.
33:52Well, we're going to have to find out.
33:54What's happened?
33:55We've got a major issue here.
33:56What?
33:57No one told us that there was two colours, two different colours of flooring going in this joint.
34:03We started putting the floors down, and we got halfway across the kitchen and the lounge room, and we've gone
34:08and used this brown, and we've run out of brown, because that's obviously meant to go somewhere else.
34:14We didn't know if we'd laid the wrong floor.
34:17Apparently, the other colour was meant to go into the house, and the colour that we'd laid was to go
34:22into the bus.
34:24How long to pull that up?
34:25I'm not pulling that up again.
34:28Can you just ring Darren, because sitting here trying to work out a scenario is not going to work out
34:33the problem.
34:33No time for dilly-dallying about time-wasting exercises and phrases through the mouth.
34:40Just our solution had to be bought.
34:42But, Daz, there's been a bit of an issue with the flooring.
34:47It might not be enough.
34:48Sorry about this, Darren.
34:50No, Jess, Jess, let me get onto it right now so we can get it all happening.
34:53OK.
34:54He said, no worries, I'll fix it, but you'll just have to get them from Melbourne if you want them
34:59from today, which is three and a half hours away.
35:02And we don't have that time.
35:06We had to try and work something here.
35:07You know, it's just that we didn't have that time up our sleuth to send someone down to Melbourne, pick
35:11them up and drive back.
35:12So I put a post on the local virtual community Facebook page and what do you know, me old mate
35:20Desi Rowan from the pub rings up.
35:22Yeah, being a publican, you know a lot of people.
35:24And he goes, your little mate Whopper is going to go and pick up the floorboards and he'll be up
35:29here in four hours.
35:30Yeah, we'll get an organiser.
35:32Just send me the address.
35:33Yeah, righto.
35:34Champion.
35:34Too easy, buddy.
35:36Thanks, mate.
35:36Righto.
35:37Love your work.
35:37Love your work.
35:38Bye.
35:39Bye.
35:40I don't know why everyone's so stressed.
35:45Just leave it to Norm.
35:47It's not that hard.
35:53I wouldn't mind getting a bit of solar for this place, right?
35:56So I'm going to solarquotes.com.au and you go put your postcode in there.
36:01You get quotes now and they've got a no cowboy policy.
36:04A new solar installer, an existing building.
36:08As you go through the steps, they even give you an option.
36:11Top quality, a good mix of quality and price or a good budget system, which I like.
36:15Because normally, they'll just give you a back and you think, oh, God, you know, is it a thing?
36:20But no, they give you the option of all budgets.
36:23I need finance options.
36:26Send my details.
36:28That's how you do it.
36:31Three quotes.
36:33Choose your favourite.
36:35I can get them on.
36:37Who said I'm not responsible?
36:46How could humankind not be impressed coming into one of the kindest towns in Australia?
36:50Being able to have all these options of all these beautiful people to find the kindest person on site.
36:56To restore your faith in the kindness of humanity, you come to an Australian Aussie town, right?
37:01And Bertschip has shown up.
37:03Like, we've met everyone here.
37:05Everyone's been so inspiring, helping out.
37:07Just want to reno Morris' house.
37:08We're not just renovating.
37:10We're actually looking for Australia's kindest person, as you've probably been able to tell.
37:14But we're also looking for who has that little bit extra on site here.
37:20Who is our site's kindest person?
37:23And I know everyone has worked really, really hard.
37:26So we're actually going to do two this time.
37:29And we're going to mention one special person.
37:33That you're actually going to get Boots on the Ground Award.
37:36And we're going to give you $2,000.
37:39And for that, it's you, Cormac.
37:44You're heading up to play footy in Darwin, aren't you?
37:47Actually, yeah.
37:47They're best on ground today.
37:48$2,000.
37:49What's that going to do for you?
37:50Go to the pub.
37:51Have you been here?
37:52Probably the most honest answer with that.
37:54Well done, mate.
37:55Jump over there.
37:56Come on, Cormac.
37:57Come on, Cormac.
37:58Well done.
37:59Now, we've got to announce this week's budget battle is kindest person.
38:03There's this one person that we've noticed this week has put their hand up for every job.
38:08Biggest smile.
38:09Never says no.
38:10And so this week we'd like to announce this $5,000 gift on behalf of humankind for Birdship's
38:17kindest person to Heath.
38:19Hey!
38:24Didn't expect it at all, but yeah, much appreciated.
38:27And I'll dare say the boys will see a little bit over the bar.
38:30But yeah, no, it's a very big shock, actually.
38:34It was almost like Oprah.
38:36You get one.
38:37You get one.
38:38Stop there.
38:39But you know what I mean?
38:40Like it was budget battlers Oprah.
38:49Tools now to have a break.
38:50Go to the pub for somebody.
38:52And still, no whopper with the flooring, which is the difference between us completing this
38:57house or not.
39:04Yeah, could I have eight?
39:10Who are the foreboards?
39:13Well done, whopper!
39:16Wopper!
39:18Wopper!
39:19Wopper!
39:20Wopper!
39:22Wopper!
39:23Wopper!
39:23Wopper!
39:24Wopper!
39:24Wopper!
39:25Wopper!
39:25Well done, Wopper!
39:32It's our final day at Morris' in the beautiful town of Birchab.
39:37In just five days, the entire town has come together
39:40to help transform Morris' house
39:42and give back to a valued member of the community
39:44who helps out where he can
39:46and never asks for anything in return.
39:49The Budget Battler crew are the best human beings
39:52you'll ever get in your life.
39:54And to get everyone around purely because they want to see
39:57the happiness in someone else's face
39:59of the hard work that they've done for the week,
40:01you don't get that much in life.
40:03Foreign Lee.
40:05I love it. It's addictive for me.
40:11Bloody love.
40:16One day at a time
40:19That's all I'm asking for me
40:23Help me today
40:25Show me the way
40:27One day at a time
40:32Woo-hoo!
40:34Yay!
40:37Yay!
40:44Seeing all the people made me feel ten feet tall, I'd say.
40:48Yeah. You know, just a good warm feeling, you know?
40:52Yeah, yeah.
40:53G'day, darling!
40:53G'day, Jess! How are ya?
40:55Norm!
40:55How are ya, mate?
40:56Good to see you again.
40:57Likewise.
40:58He's still here.
40:59He's still here.
41:00Yeah.
41:00You give so much to the community.
41:02Everyone knows how much you give.
41:04Like a lot of people around here, that's all right.
41:06I know, but you're just going to have to take it for one day.
41:09Okay.
41:10We all know the Birchup spirit and the small town community, how it works.
41:14Oh, yeah.
41:14And this week has just been phenomenal, the amount of support we've had to do your house.
41:19Yeah.
41:19It's been great.
41:19That's great.
41:20You give and give and give to the community.
41:23And this week, the community gave back.
41:26And we can't wait to show you your new house.
41:28Let's go!
41:28Let's go!
41:38You're ready, mate.
41:40I'm nervous.
41:42Let's open the old girl up.
41:56What's happened?
41:57Space!
41:58Space!
42:08I didn't know there was a fireplace there.
42:10We found it.
42:11We found it.
42:12We found so many expressions.
42:13A secret fireplace.
42:14Yes.
42:15Yes.
42:27What's your first thoughts?
42:29Amazing.
42:29We made the most incredible discovery under this flooring.
42:32We found perfectly preserved newspapers from the mid-1920s.
42:37Yeah.
42:37Which proves that she's at least 100 years old.
42:39She's 100 years old.
42:40And you've turned this 100-year-old, tired, poor old lady into a gorgeous-looking 24-year-old
42:46lass.
42:47It's a pity to have it all to myself, isn't it?
42:49You've got to be rude with all the safe and space you've got in your face.
42:52And the space.
42:52Yeah.
42:53Oh, look.
42:53Look.
42:54I won't be bumping me head on the mantelpiece when I'm checking me stew anymore.
42:59What's worse?
43:00Where's my nice old fridge gone?
43:02That is your nice old fridge.
43:03Oh, she's had a spray job.
43:05Yeah.
43:05Oh.
43:06The Tara sign is still there.
43:08Handmade by one of my nieces.
43:10Love it.
43:11Love it.
43:11Love it.
43:16Hey, and look, you've kept the old cupboards, eh?
43:18All the old cupboards.
43:19Once again, spruce them up.
43:21So the philosophy with us is if it's not broken, why would you replace it?
43:25Yeah.
43:25When this is the character tone?
43:26That's right.
43:27Yes.
43:28See, this is your original stove just for your purpose.
43:33So you know how everyone has those old white stoves and they throw them out?
43:36Yeah.
43:36We repainted it with heat-resistant paint.
43:38Looks like it just came out of the factory.
43:4055 bucks, mate.
43:41You are clever.
43:43Shall we sit down at the dining table?
43:45Look at the chairs.
43:46Oh, look at that.
43:48Isn't that beautiful?
43:50Yeah, maybe I'll look at your fireplace.
43:52And look at that, yes.
43:54Isn't that magic?
43:55And then you can look over at your picture of rimfire on the wall.
43:58Oh, hey, rimfire.
44:00It's actually printed onto the wall.
44:01Fair dinkum.
44:03Isn't that a ripper, eh?
44:04Yeah.
44:05Just all neat and just so stylish, you know?
44:09Neat and just so stylish.
44:10Oh, that's a good word, isn't it?
44:11Stylish, you know?
44:12Which is, oh, I'm not really...
44:14I haven't been really stylish and it wasn't very stylish before.
44:17But now it looks smicco, doesn't it?
44:20No?
44:21I haven't said this to a couple of folks for a long time at the same time.
44:25Shall we head into the bedroom?
44:27Oh, yeah.
44:28Look at this.
44:29Yeah.
44:30Bit early in the day, though, isn't it?
44:31Oh, is it?
44:32Is it like a drink?
44:43We're at Morris' house in Norm's hometown of Birchett.
44:46What's happened?
44:47Space!
44:48Look!
44:48Space!
44:49Oh!
44:50Isn't she beautiful?
44:51We've got a couple of rooms left before he sees the bus.
44:54Oh!
44:55Oh, awesome.
44:56Let's get space!
45:00Oh, oh, oh.
45:03Whoa!
45:04What a rapper!
45:11Oh, there's going to be some sweet dreams in here, isn't there?
45:14Oh, oh.
45:18The daggy old wardrobe have gone. Good riddance.
45:23And he's got a desk.
45:24I can feel like an academic.
45:26The saddle from Norm's dag.
45:29Oh, yeah? Looks like $1 million.
45:31Your old footy photos.
45:33Oh, there they are.
45:40So much love went into here, so we hope that you have a nice time.
45:43I love it.
45:45My poor old bedroom, it was a bit daggy.
45:48You only went in there, go to sleep and get out of there.
45:50But now you really want to stay in there, you know,
45:52or sit at that little desk and, you know, just beautiful.
45:57I'm a little bit nervous about you lacking this room.
45:59But it was designed custom for you.
46:02Whoa!
46:04Oh, black and white!
46:06Oh, what beautiful colours!
46:14Everything in this bathroom is dedicated to your sports team.
46:18Oh, isn't that magnificent?
46:20I believe you may be the first person that I know
46:24that has a custom bathroom built to their favourite sports team.
46:28Oh, the premiership's a cave.
46:34Good old Hollywood for me.
46:36Oh, my God.
46:39The black and white is just a...
46:41Oh, that's a masterstroke of choice of colours, isn't it?
46:44Huh?
46:44You can't get better than black and white, can you?
46:51Morris, this is Lydia.
46:52Hi, Rosie.
46:53Lovely to meet you.
46:54Pleased to meet you.
46:54House looks beautiful.
46:56I know these guys have done an amazing job, haven't they?
46:57They're so beautiful.
46:58They're amazing.
46:59I'm sure if you've noticed, can you see anything different?
47:01Anything up on the roof, maybe?
47:04They're not solar panels.
47:05They're solar panels.
47:06Woo-hoo!
47:06Isn't that all right?
47:08Three sides of your roof now are covered in a big old solar panel system.
47:12Oh, how good.
47:12To make the most of all this beautiful Mallee sun that you get.
47:15But that's not it.
47:17There's more.
47:17There's more?
47:18There's more.
47:19The excess solar that they capture will be stored in your battery,
47:22and at night, that'll kick in, and that'll power your home instead.
47:25So thanks to this great big new solar system that you've got on your roof
47:27and the new battery, we were able to actually fully electrify your home.
47:31So no more gas bills now.
47:33Woo-hoo!
47:33That's right.
47:34So hopefully your costs will come right down now,
47:36and your energy efficiency will increase.
47:39A couple of extra dollars to spend at Dears Ryan's Powerpoint.
47:44You've been a bit older, old pensioner, you know?
47:46The old dollars don't always stretch all that far.
47:49And now, no more power bills.
47:51Woo-hoo!
47:52You know, but not just that.
47:53Yeah, it just feels good.
47:55Probably, you sort of feel better for the environment too, don't you?
47:58You know?
47:59Oh, stay in the bloody crows.
48:07Ha-ha!
48:09Oh!
48:10Whoa-ho!
48:11Oh!
48:12Holy mackerel!
48:14I'll be jigging!
48:25Oh, that's gobsmacking.
48:28Clegan heard that, yeah, had a man came coming, so they went all in.
48:31Frigid edge.
48:34Do you reckon you'll spend much time here?
48:36I think I might bring my swag out here and just stay here.
48:41I've got the bus for three and a half, eight foot marketplace.
48:44Came with three skylights.
48:45Oh, three skylights.
48:47Look, I love the house.
48:48There you go.
48:49Oh, look at that bus.
48:50Gobsmacked me completely.
48:52It wasn't your proudest moment to make it, but it's my proudest moment to show you.
48:55What's that?
48:56You have the world's first malleable load lampshade.
49:01Oh, no, no!
49:04They are exact replicas.
49:06I moulded them in town.
49:09It's amazing.
49:10I don't know where the hell I'll ever get out of there on a Saturday afternoon or a Sunday afternoon
49:13now.
49:14I might be late for the bus to drive the school bus.
49:18With a budget of less than $10,000, it just proves that with some help from your mates and some
49:23creative ideas, you don't have to spend a fortune to have nice things and be reminded that you loved.
49:29But has it added any value to the property?
49:32Yeah, well, when I first went through on Sunday, I was a little bit concerned, actually.
49:37The amount of work they had in front of them, but the way the house has come up, it's impressive.
49:42G'day, mate.
49:43How are you, buddy?
49:44All right.
49:44It's all right.
49:45Oh, I'm just checking out your handiwork.
49:47There's some really good stuff here with your bathroom and your kitchen that have been redone, and they're the money
49:52areas, really.
49:53On my estimates, I think you've lifted the value by a good 50%, so half again on what it was
49:59worth before I come through, and then afterwards, yeah.
50:03$10,000 cash really doesn't go that far anymore, like a few doorknobs and you've nearly spent your $10,000,
50:08but they've pulled it off really well.
50:11Five days' work, it's amazing what they've achieved.
50:15Let's check out how we went on the budget.
50:17We've added the paint for the oven and fridge, $35 for Whopper's dinner at the pub after he delivered the
50:23floorboards for free.
50:24Total cost, $9,045.
50:28My best budget battler bargain has to be the bus.
50:31Three and a half grand for that beauty, and to have it created into an extra space, I just love
50:35it.
50:37My best budget battler bargain has to be the fridge and oven paint.
50:42If it still works well, then why would you chuck it out?
50:49You lot, with all your expertise and this magnificent job you've done here, I just want to say thank you.
50:55But also, you put a real buzz in the town this week with your enthusiasm and everything, and we've loved
51:00having you.
51:01Well done.
51:02All right, guys.
51:04And to all those magnificent local volunteers and other people who have donated items and services, you have left a
51:13real legacy in the virtual community.
51:15And you'll say, how?
51:18Well, I'll tell you.
51:19When I fall off the perch, not too soon, I hope, they'll need a little bit of money to pay
51:25for me funeral, fix up me tab down at Dears Ryan's pub, and settle with my bookmaker, Mr. Muzz.
51:33Whatever's left, when the house is sold, every other dollar will go straight to the auxiliary of the Birch of
51:39Hospital, and we're on lodge.
51:43Oh, thank you so much.
51:48So, when you get a bit older, and you're up there in aged care, and sitting in a beautiful rocking
51:52chair up there, you can say to your grandkids, I helped pay for this.
51:57Yes.
51:58But in the meantime, if you don't mind, I'll be the custodian.
52:02Now, not so much in my house, but our house.
52:07Yeah, when he said he was going to donate money to the hospital, it was...
52:18That just goes to show how amazing he is.
52:24My mum's up there at the moment.
52:28She's in the nursing home.
52:32Look, this is the sort of bloke Morris is.
52:37He's all about community.
52:40We turned up here to make Morris' life better.
52:47And he's...
52:49He's gone and made the bloody hospital better.
52:52Wasn't the point of the week, Morris.
52:54We were here to work for you.
52:55Righto, Bircham.
52:56What do you think about that?
52:57Yeah, Morris!
53:01The community loves you, mate.
53:03Oh.
53:04And I think Australia's just fallen in love with your community.
53:07It's a good town, isn't it?
53:08We just want to say, thank you for having us.
53:14What do we do now?
53:15Pub.
53:16Pub.
53:17Go to the pub?
53:17Yep.
53:18Yeah.
53:18Right, let's go.
53:19You've been budget battled.
53:22Let's go.
53:23All right.
53:23This is the slowest I've ever seen is go to the pub.
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