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Help! I Bought It at Auction with Sarah Beeny - Season 1 Episode 6
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00:00Let's get on with the auction today.
00:03235, 240.
00:04Every year, tens of thousands of properties
00:07are sold at auction.
00:09Meredith Bidder, well done.
00:10From modest two-up, two-downs to waterfront mansions.
00:14We are throwing the kitchen sink at this now.
00:19More and more first-time buyers are seeing it
00:22as their golden ticket onto the property ladder.
00:25It's so exciting!
00:26Yes!
00:28But these quick buys are often far from perfect,
00:32hiding some nasty surprises.
00:35You haven't been in? No, not yet.
00:36Hey, let's go in.
00:38I'm Sarah Beeney, and I've been buying, building,
00:40and transforming homes for 35 years.
00:43And I'm fascinated by the world of auctions.
00:46In this series, I'll be offering a dose of realism.
00:49You've got all these lovely, flamey ideas,
00:51and I'm pouring water on like that.
00:53As brave new owners take their homes
00:55from derelict to diamond.
00:57I will be moving in at the end of this month.
01:01What I'll be moving in to, of course, remains to be seen.
01:05And we'll go behind the scenes
01:07of some of the country's biggest auction houses.
01:11Great bidding, guys. Perseverance paid off.
01:14Discovering whether property auctions are a risk too far...
01:18...or a great way to get the home of your dreams.
01:22I am really proud of myself. This is my first home.
01:30This week, two couples who've spent more than they planned at auction
01:35take on the restoration work themselves.
01:39A million-pound purchase hides a shocking surprise.
01:43If this isn't well-supported, the wall could collapse.
01:47A family racing to move in.
01:50As soon as this is completed, we can have a house together.
01:54And I really can't wait for that, to be fair.
01:56And a new life for a piece of naval history is on hold.
02:01At the moment, the sticking point is the sewerage system.
02:04So you're a bit stuffed.
02:08First, I'm heading to South London.
02:11In Brixton, a well-finished period townhouse
02:14can go for upwards of £1.5 million.
02:19So to buy a home here requires a significant investment.
02:26Which is what consultant Christy and accountant Matt did
02:29when they bought this 1870s Victorian terrace.
02:35We met travelling when we were 23.
02:38When we came back from Australia,
02:40we were living apart for quite a few years.
02:42But then we decided it just made so much more sense
02:45to just move in together.
02:47After losing out on, like, four houses, we were like,
02:49OK, we've got to try something different,
02:51cos this just isn't working,
02:52we're getting blown out of the water every time.
02:53Yeah.
02:54That's when we started looking at auctions.
02:57In the auction catalogue, they found this.
03:00A seven-bed, two-bathroom home
03:03with an auction guide price of £750,000.
03:09There was four open house viewings for this property
03:12before it went to auction.
03:14I was texting Matt, like,
03:15you have to come see this, you have to come see this.
03:19Full of original features,
03:21Christy and Matt instantly fell in love with the property.
03:26Auction day.
03:27I don't think I'll ever forget that day in my life.
03:30Matt was at the computer, ready to go.
03:33It was just a button, it was like bid, it was like confirm, yes,
03:37and then it would, like, pop up again.
03:39It's like, you've been outbid.
03:41It went right up to our maximum.
03:43And then Matt was like, do we go once more?
03:45And I was like, yes.
03:46And I pressed it.
03:48And then I stepped back and then he was like,
03:51going, going, going, gone.
03:53And then I was literally just there, like, I couldn't even speak.
03:55I was like, I cannot believe that's just happened.
03:58To cover their £1,010,000 winning bid,
04:02the couple have had to spend all their £400,000 savings
04:06and take on a huge mortgage.
04:10And then we looked around and we were like, oh,
04:12there's a lot of work to do here.
04:16With no money left for renovating,
04:19they need to do all the work themselves.
04:23This project could take Christy and Matt years to complete.
04:30Spread across four floors, every room is in need of extensive refurbishment.
04:36Their plan is to start at the top of the house
04:38so they have somewhere finished to live as they work their way down.
04:44In the loft, the previous builders had cut through supporting beams,
04:48leaving the building structurally unsound.
04:52The beams have started twisting because they were struggling to hold the weight.
04:59Repairing the damaged roof trusses, replacing the windows
05:03and fitting steels in the floor has already taken the couple several weeks to complete.
05:12Progress has been slow.
05:14And with their only funds coming from whatever's left over each month,
05:17they're wondering how to move the project forward
05:20to save them living in the middle of a building site any longer than necessary.
05:26We moved in on the 27th of November and I cannot describe how cold it was in this house.
05:34There's no heating anywhere.
05:35Oh, gosh.
05:37Okay.
05:37One day I came into the kitchen and to my absolute horror and surprise,
05:42there was a fox on my kitchen counter and we were like death staring each other.
05:49And he was like, you're in my kitchen. And I was like, you're in my kitchen.
05:52But yeah, he just mugged me off. And then after about half an hour, ran out the front door.
05:58So the fox can't really tell whether it's the garden or not inside.
06:03Hopefully when it's modernised, they'll be able to feel the difference.
06:06Yeah, yeah.
06:09With little renovation experience,
06:11they have big ambitions to completely restore this Victorian gem that's gone to rack and ruin.
06:20Christy's quite into designing and I quite like doing things with my hands.
06:25But you haven't got any money left for the renovation. You're basically spending...
06:29Just pay as you go.
06:31Just pay as you go. I love it.
06:33Just pay as you go.
06:34So are the things that you just go, well, we can't do that till next month,
06:37because we haven't got money.
06:38Yeah, exactly.
06:39How much have you spent so far?
06:4114,000 so far.
06:43Gosh, only 14,000?
06:45On renovations, yes, because obviously we've done 95% of the work ourself.
06:50So you really, literally are doing everything.
06:52We are literally doing everything.
06:54Yes, everything.
06:55Yeah.
06:57Most of their time has been spent stripping the walls back to brick
07:00and carrying out emergency repairs in the loft.
07:03But Christy and Matt aren't sure what to do next.
07:08Actually, it's a big space up here, isn't it?
07:12So what are you going to do with this space?
07:14I was maybe going to ask for your expertise on what to do.
07:17We've been toying with the idea of a sort of games room, maybe an office.
07:22At the moment, I would do nothing if you don't know what you want to do with it,
07:27because I don't think you'll use it as a games room.
07:29It's an awfully long way up the stairs.
07:30Yes. In my opinion, seven bedrooms and two bathrooms is a little bit bedroom heavy.
07:38Ideally, you'd have a shower room up here.
07:40Okay.
07:40So that it would be a guest floor.
07:42Whilst you wouldn't necessarily do it at the moment,
07:45you probably want to kind of slightly pre-plan the plumbing for that and the wiring.
07:49You know, just kind of slightly be thinking before you seal it all in.
07:53Yeah, absolutely.
07:55While decisions up here are on hold,
07:58fitting a bathroom on the floor below is a priority.
08:02This is the bathroom, and as you can see, it's quite small at the moment.
08:09Christy and Matt plan to push the existing wall back and create a large walk-in shower.
08:16Everything's out at the moment, so moving the wall is not a particularly big job.
08:20What's it going to look like?
08:21I was thinking about an enclosed shower, which I would love some guidance on,
08:27because I'm not sure how to do a lighting where the roof is slanted like this,
08:32and doing sort of enclosed spaces.
08:34So there's a lot of opportunity in a space like this to use shadow light,
08:38so you don't see the source of the light.
08:40Okay, yeah.
08:40So a skirting that goes around the floor,
08:44but then it lights the floor rather than you see the source of the light.
08:47That would be really good in this kind of room,
08:49because it's such a small window.
08:51Yeah.
08:51And it's quite hard to get enough light in here.
08:55Their plan for the first stage in this huge project
08:58continues with the renovation of two of the bedrooms.
09:02This is going to be our bedroom next.
09:04What are you planning on doing in here?
09:06The plan for here is to keep the fireplace as it is,
09:10because it's so stunning, and I think it would be really nice to try
09:14and put some of the detailing back in from the Victorian time to suit the room.
09:20Okay, so panelling and decorative plasterwork,
09:23and just kind of bring a little bit more intrigue into the room.
09:28Yes, exactly that.
09:28To match the rest of the house, to be honest.
09:29Yeah.
09:31It's the start of a mammoth challenge to get two bedrooms and a bathroom done
09:36on a pay-as-you-go budget working around full-time jobs.
09:40This is going to test Christy and Matt to the limit.
09:45They took a massive punt when they bought this house,
09:49but they put the time in and they put the effort in,
09:53and so that means they're not having to put the money in.
09:56But only time will tell if that remains to be true.
10:00It felt really nice to have someone who knows what they're talking about
10:03kind of validate some of the ideas we've got.
10:06A lot of reassurance is exactly what we think.
10:08Sometimes we just feel like we're going a bit rogue.
10:10I'm definitely going to take forward thinking about how to future-proof some of the rooms,
10:16and also what she said about the lighting in the bathroom.
10:20So we're really looking forward to hunkering down
10:23and actually achieving quite a lot over the next few months.
10:30Coming up, red tape could ruin a family's renovation plans.
10:35I'm surprised this is listed. It's of no architectural relevance.
10:40Or historical, I would argue.
10:52Tens of thousands of properties are sold to aspiring homeowners at auctions every year.
10:59250,000, the third and final time.
11:02Your property welcome.
11:04And I'm helping some of them as they try to turn their dreams into reality.
11:10In the village of Holbrook in Derbyshire is Holbrook Hall Estate.
11:16In the 1980s, the stables were converted for residential use.
11:22And last year they were bought by first-time auction-goers, finance assistant Heather
11:27and company director Dave, to be their new home with Heather's daughter Sienna.
11:34It must be our first house, wasn't it?
11:35First house, yeah, first time living together. First, yeah. And we went for a big project.
11:42I still am living with my dad in Leicester, and Heather lived just round the corner from this house,
11:49so that's how we knew about the house.
11:52The five-bedroom property had a guide price of 450,000 pounds.
11:58But as the auction got closer, the couple realised there was a problem.
12:03We knew that we wouldn't be here for the auction day because we were going to Ibiza.
12:08The day of the auction, we went down to the poolside, constantly watching the clock.
12:14So that we didn't miss it.
12:17It was just an emotional rollercoaster, wasn't it?
12:21Heather and Dave's winning bid of £520,000 was £20,000 over what they'd hoped to buy it for,
12:29leaving just £50,000 to renovate.
12:31We knew it was very, very, very tight.
12:36But you've got to make it work, so that's what we're going to do.
12:44Heather and Dave have ambitious plans for the stables.
12:50They want to move the kitchen into what was the old sitting room.
12:55And turn a downstairs bedroom into a comfy front room.
13:00Upstairs, they're going to create stunning new ensuite bathrooms for two of the four bedrooms.
13:06To complement the family bathroom, which will be ripped out and modernised.
13:13Along the way, they plan to remove much of the 20th century decor and highlight original features.
13:19Like the stonework and wooden beams.
13:23This is a Grade 2 listed property and with that does come a lot of constraints that we didn't really
13:30appreciate.
13:33So Heather and Dave, planning delays mean they're still not into their listed building a year after buying it.
13:42Having missed their first Christmas here, now they want to be in in just four months
13:47to make sure that doesn't happen again.
13:52So the question is, how can they make that wish come true?
13:57So how much in cash did you have?
13:59The deposit, if that.
14:01Yeah.
14:02And all of it on a mortgage?
14:03Yep.
14:04Basically?
14:05Yep.
14:05Yeah.
14:06Gosh.
14:07Yeah.
14:07That's quite brave.
14:09Not only is it quite brave because it was a bit...
14:12Well, you don't have the money and it was quite expensive.
14:14Yeah.
14:15But also, it is listed, isn't it?
14:17It is.
14:18Yeah.
14:18I'm surprised this is listed.
14:20It's of no architectural relevance.
14:23Yeah.
14:23Or historical, I would argue.
14:26The joinery is 70s windows.
14:28It's been pebble dashed in the 1970s, 80s.
14:32I'll be really honest, if I was you, I would apply to delist this.
14:37Yeah?
14:37It's something that we're not really thought about.
14:40Yeah, we didn't know that it was an option, really.
14:41It's probably more valuable when you come to sell it one day if it's not listed.
14:45If it's not listed.
14:46And it gives you flexibility to do anything you fancy, you know?
14:50Yeah.
14:50Yeah.
14:51A £50,000 budget with the constraints of a listed building.
14:55And on this scale, this is not going to be an easy fix.
15:01So, who's doing the work here, then, with the money you've got left?
15:05Me.
15:05Dave?
15:06Yeah, it is.
15:06Yeah, it is.
15:08We've got an electrician, haven't we?
15:09Yeah, I've got an electrician to do the actual wiring up the fuse boards and stuff like that.
15:14But running cables, I'll be doing that.
15:16And are you...
15:17Is this what you do?
15:18Are you...
15:19No, no, I definitely...
15:20No, I'm just a DIYer.
15:22Okay.
15:24This sprawling home is spread across 280 square meters.
15:30Trying to tick off every job before moving in would kiss goodbye to being in by Christmas.
15:37I think they need to take a different approach, like focusing on the essentials and moving in ASAP.
15:44I think you can get in quicker than you think and it will be easier once you're here.
15:49Easier.
15:49Yeah.
15:50You want to get in and camp in your building site.
15:53Yeah.
15:54And just do the minimal amount.
15:56Yeah.
15:56And then see how you get on.
16:00If they're going to live here while continuing the renovations,
16:03they'll need somewhere to sleep.
16:06Oh, thank you.
16:10Oh goodness, this is a lovely big room, isn't it?
16:14What's the wall?
16:15So this is going to be like a partition for the en suite.
16:19So it's an open plan bathroom.
16:20Yeah.
16:20We're not allowed full height partitions because of the listing.
16:25Oh, why?
16:26Because the conservation officer didn't like a subdivision of an existing large room.
16:31So we're going to put glass at the top of there.
16:35Basically, he doesn't want us to evolve any further.
16:37He wants the house to stay as it is now.
16:38Yeah.
16:40It's nice to hear a different opinion, isn't it?
16:42Because it's things that we haven't really thought about and it puts a different perspective on it.
16:48She was saying, live in your building site.
16:51It's quite a positive way of thinking about it because we've been trying to put off
16:55living in the building site and doing as much as we physically can before we get in.
17:00We do need to live in it so that we get a feel for the house and
17:03we can make decisions as we continue to develop the property.
17:08A dream house, but just a small pot of money for renovation
17:12and they want to move in as soon as possible.
17:15They've got a long way to go to make this a reality.
17:19There's a big mortgage on this and there's a lot of work to do.
17:22My big question is, is it's listing?
17:25I think it's holding the building back and I think it's holding the family
17:29back and that has no value.
17:36Listed buildings are of special architectural or historical importance and have legal protection.
17:42This means that the government has guidelines that you have to follow
17:46if you want to alter or renovate them.
17:49If you're buying a listed building at auction, it's a good idea to speak to the conservation officer
17:54at the local council first, get a survey and read the full listing description in the national register
18:01to be across any restrictions.
18:06In Brixton, South London, Christy and Matt have been living on their building site for nearly a year
18:13as they renovate around their full-time jobs.
18:16They were hoping to complete two bedrooms and a bathroom in 10 weeks, but they've hit an unanticipated problem.
18:25The lime plaster was peeling off in large blocks into my hand
18:32and the further down I went into the beam, the more I could peel parts of that out and back.
18:38I started having a serious panic because if this isn't well supported, the wall could collapse.
18:46They're carrying out emergency repairs, repointing the brickwork and properly treating for dry rot
18:52before swapping out the rotten timbers for a steel beam.
19:01Lime mortar will move with the building and prevent cracking, so it's breathable
19:07and it's also more eco-friendly, which is a big plus for us.
19:12We've chosen a more heritage method because our house is heritage.
19:21With only evenings and weekends free, replacing the beam could set Christy and Matt back several weeks,
19:27meaning there's no chance of getting all three rooms ready on schedule.
19:34Here you go.
19:36I'm sure there'll be some bricklayers crying at this, but I just want to make sure it's solid
19:41rather than making it look pretty.
19:44Finding this rotten beam is just such a good example of the experience we've had renovating this house
19:51because every time we peel back a wall, we've just never known what we're going to find.
19:57So yeah, just hugely slowing us down, which is a bit frustrating.
20:07From sea forts to underground bunkers,
20:11the
20:12Auctions regularly offer up decommissioned military buildings that attract the most creative of buyers.
20:19But they sometimes come with a cautionary tale.
20:24Ten miles north of Blackpool and Fleetwood,
20:27sits this Grade II listed former naval radar training station.
20:34On its own stretch of beach with panoramic views of Morecambe Bay and the Irish Sea beyond.
20:45It was bought at auction almost two years ago for £97,000
20:50by architect Ian Garnall, but his vision is grinding to a halt.
20:56So this is it?
20:57Yeah.
20:58I mean, crazy as it is, it's a really iconic building in the most amazing position.
21:03I mean, there's only one of them, I'm sure. There's not another one of these in the world.
21:07I just couldn't resist really.
21:10Built in 1961, the building served as a base for teaching the latest radar technology.
21:17But for the last two years, it's been left empty.
21:21Something Ian's hoping to change.
21:24Do you have any idea what you want to do with it?
21:26Yes. So we want to turn it into either a live work unit or residential apartment,
21:31like a one of a kind, like mega flat, where we can have people who enjoy it.
21:35And what's the problem with that?
21:37At the moment, the sticking point is the sewerage system.
21:40So it doesn't have a foul connection and there is no foul in the road around here.
21:45So you're a bit stuffed.
21:46We are a little bit at the moment.
21:48In its previous life, any student who needed the loo
21:52might have popped over the road to the local hotel.
21:56But that won't do for the luxury pad Ian's aiming for.
22:01What a view. That is so beautiful.
22:04I'm not surprised that you saw it and just thought, I have to have it.
22:08It blows your way, doesn't it? Yeah.
22:12I mean, high tide, the boats are literally 100 metres away from you, if that's nice, yeah.
22:17Yeah.
22:19Ian's plans for inside will match the stunning view.
22:24The interior will be divided between a super king-sized bedroom
22:28with an ensuite on one side and a living room and kitchen on the other.
22:35It has so much going for it.
22:38But without environmental and planning consent,
22:41this building and Ian's dream for it will vanish with the tide.
22:47Coming up with a sewage system that gets planning consent
22:50could cost Ian thousands of pounds and take months.
22:53But there might be an alternative.
22:58You could, in the short term or even the long term, use what's called a dry flush loo.
23:03Yeah.
23:04It looks like a loo and then when you do your business,
23:08it has a bag in it, like a dog poo bag.
23:10And then as you press it, the button, it seals it up and then another bag
23:15comes out the top, it sort of goes through.
23:17And then those all go through to a container at the bottom.
23:19And a bit like a caravan, you have to take that away manually and empty it.
23:24Like, how often does this need emptying?
23:26And do you have to refill the bags weekly, daily?
23:29Is it...?
23:30It depends how often you go.
23:31Wow.
23:33A dry flush loo could be a solution.
23:36But because of the building's listed status,
23:39everything will need to be carefully discussed with the conservation officer,
23:42as well as building regs and the planning department.
23:46Can I ask you an honest question?
23:48Yeah.
23:48If you'd known how difficult it was to get sewage, would you have bought it?
23:52Yes.
23:53Do you mean that?
23:53I'm still confident we'll get there.
23:55OK.
23:55Hopefully in, like, a year's time, you'll come back and you'll go, wow.
23:58Brilliant. And I'll need the loo and it'll be perfect.
24:02Probably.
24:03Probably.
24:05Buying unusual properties like this at auction should be approached with caution.
24:12But I do think this building deserves to be saved.
24:17Iain's not going to be able to buy this building again in this position.
24:20It's really iconic.
24:22And if you can solve the engineering problems of the lack of sewage,
24:28then it has got legs.
24:31Meeting Sarah was fantastic.
24:33Following her advice, we'll definitely be looking into it.
24:36It's something we haven't seen on the market before.
24:38So we'll speak to the manufacturers and see if there's a solution that will actually work for our building.
24:44And her ideas, hopefully, could actually be the ones that get us through the planning.
24:54Coming up.
24:56Basically, the window's too big.
24:58Heather and Dave's stable Renault runs into problems.
25:02I'm worried because I did all the measurements.
25:04The actual window on the pallet looked rather large compared to the hole it's going to go into.
25:16It has never been easier to buy at auction.
25:21Not letting this one go.
25:223.06.
25:24Last year, more than 30,000 auctions were live-streamed or held online.
25:293.20 twice.
25:32Shut up.
25:33Third and final time at 3.20.
25:37Congratulations.
25:38Well done.
25:39But with the excitement of bidding, it can be easy to pay more than you planned.
25:46Like Christy and Matt in Brixton, who paid more than they'd intended
25:50and are now persevering on a shoestring budget.
25:55Their new steel beam is in.
25:59The new stud wall for the second bedroom is being built.
26:05The walls are being insulated to the highest spec.
26:09And they're excited to show what else they've been up to.
26:13This is the attic which we spoke about when you were here visiting.
26:19We definitely did take on board that you mentioned to future proof.
26:23So we're going to try and keep space available so that we could make an ensuite at some point.
26:30You'll see something looking very new here.
26:34It's that shiny black thing.
26:36Christy and Matt are doing this house so well.
26:40They are doing this because they want it to stand for another 150 years without a problem.
26:46This is the bathroom. There has been very little change in here and is unlikely to be before the end
26:54of the year, which is pretty sad.
26:56They'll do it in their own time. And I love the fact that it's about more haste and less speed.
27:04This is the two bedrooms we discussed when you were with us as well.
27:09We had our first go at plastering a wall, which was good fun. I think it actually looks all right.
27:16Plastering is a really hard skill, particularly for the first time.
27:19You can always use a thousand grade lining paper and line over the top of it.
27:24That will kind of even out some of the lumps and bumps in it.
27:27And a patterned wallpaper covers many ills.
27:31This is the main bedroom. We plastered everywhere in here, with the exception of the external facing wall.
27:41What's brilliant about them in many ways is that they're having as much fun in the process as they are
27:49going to have with the outcome.
27:51And that is the way to do a renovation like this and enjoy it.
27:59In Derbyshire, it's been a year since Heather and Dave got the keys to their 18th century home.
28:07They had planned to complete all the work before moving in, but I'm glad to say they are now aiming
28:13to get in as soon as possible.
28:16This will be our temporary kitchen, which needs a corner off the toilet so we can use the toilet and
28:22the kitchen at the same time.
28:24As well as a temporary kitchen, they're focusing on four rooms.
28:36Heather's invited all the family around for Christmas Day, so yeah, we need to be in.
28:44One essential job is replacing the rotten windows.
28:50The first batch of seven have arrived at a cost of £13,000, more than a quarter of their whole
28:57budget.
28:59After getting help to fit the first two, Dave will do the rest himself to save on cash.
29:06You have to put the time in, don't you, to get the dreams that you want,
29:09and we wouldn't have been able to buy this any other way.
29:13I had my worries, because I did all the measurements.
29:16The actual window on the pallet looked rather large compared to the hole it's going to go into.
29:24Boy, it fitted.
29:26I wasn't panicking at all.
29:30One down, six to go.
29:33But there's a problem with the sitting room window.
29:37Dave's got his measurements wrong.
29:39Basically, the window's too big.
29:41It's the same size as the original one, but the original one didn't have a trickle vent.
29:47Dave has spotted a solution.
29:51I suppose it would take the kerbstone off the bottom and then fit the window so it lowers it.
29:59Once the window's all in, build it all back up underneath the window, giving it support.
30:04Fortunately, this is the only window causing problems.
30:08With the family desperate to move in, the last thing they want is any hold-ups.
30:13As soon as this is completed, we can actually move in together and have a house together.
30:19And I really can't wait for that, to be fair.
30:22I'm really looking forward to it.
30:28More of us than ever are choosing to buy and sell at auction.
30:3398, thank you. 99.
30:35But the auction house has always been a destination for property investors.
30:40Round me up to 100, somebody, please.
30:43At auction house SDL's latest sale in Nottingham, a team of 60 are busy making sure the 1,000 bidders
30:50are online, on the phones and ready to go.
30:56It's going to go.
30:59That's all yours.
31:00It's your property.
31:01Congratulations.
31:02Well done.
31:03Today's catalogue, worth an estimated 20 million pounds, has grabbed the attention of developers across the country.
31:11You watch it live. When you want to bid, tell me and I'll put my hand up on your behalf.
31:16They're all looking to buy.
31:18160.
31:19165.
31:21165 on the telephone.
31:22But only if the price is right and there's a profit to be made.
31:27175 online, 175, 180.
31:30It's just too much for the price.
31:32One rule.
31:32Yes or no?
31:34No.
31:34Fair warning then.
31:35That's fine.
31:37193,000 pounds.
31:41The next lot with a guide price of just 37,000 pounds is this three-bed split-level apartment in
31:49Grantham.
31:50It's caught the attention of a developer with 55 properties in his growing portfolio, 29-year-old Jack Gill.
31:58I find that when mortgageable properties, properties that need a significant amount of work, it's more about how many rooms
32:05I can get in there that's of an adequate size.
32:10Looking at the floor plan on this property, I could tell that I would be able to get at least
32:15five ensuite bedrooms within this property.
32:19Where are we going to start for it?
32:2230,000 pounds is bid straight in.
32:24As the auction begins, five hopefuls are online, including Mr G, Jack, as well as bidders on the phone.
32:32Don't think you're on your own with people not wanting to jump in first.
32:35Taking the ones, make it nice and easy.
32:3730,000 pounds is bid.
32:3931 I have now with you, Mr G, online.
32:4335 I have now.
32:4436 is bid.
32:4637, 38.
32:48The competition is fierce.
32:50Who will come out on top?
32:52Miss B, I need 62 from you, please.
32:5762,000 pounds is bid.
32:59You've both been brilliant bidders.
33:01But Mr G, it is with you, sir.
33:04I think you may have it at 67,000 pounds.
33:10It's going to go.
33:13It goes to you, Mr G.
33:15Well bid, sir.
33:17And congratulations.
33:23At 67,000 pounds, Jack bagged the house for 23 grand less than his ceiling price.
33:31And after getting the keys, work on his 56th property is progressing well.
33:38Around nine years ago, I actually saw an advert.
33:41It was on Facebook just about a course to sort of get involved or get started in property.
33:46And I attended it, I got my all into it, and the rest was history.
33:52So, does Jack still think his latest auction buy is another good investment?
33:58There's a lot of work to be done here, but it's nothing that I would shy away from.
34:03It's in the town centre location of Grantham.
34:05It'll be affordable living, and by the time I'm finished with it, it'll be a fantastic property.
34:14It's been seven weeks since I first met Heather and Dave.
34:19Right, a cup of teas first.
34:21Priorities.
34:22Yeah.
34:24They're ticking off the job so they can move in as soon as possible.
34:29They fitted more windows.
34:33The temporary kitchen and toilet are done.
34:38Sienna's room is shaping up nicely.
34:40My favourite bit about it is the bird mural.
34:45I'm very excited about it.
34:48And they're keen to share how far they've come on.
34:52Let's see how they're getting on.
34:53The bathroom has had lots and lots of progress.
34:57We've now got the basin and the tap is in, and as if by magic,
35:08we actually have water.
35:10I think for Heather and Dave, the important thing was to get finished enough this house
35:16so that they can get in and live together.
35:19And that is the priority.
35:21So a bathroom, that's one thing.
35:24As it stands, we're not going down the delisting route because we've gone down all the correct avenues
35:30to be able to carry out the works that we wanted and got all the planning permission.
35:35Personally, I think it would be worth investigating because it might be fine at the moment,
35:40but the next thing that they want to do, they're going to have to go through the whole process again.
35:44And they've made some good progress.
35:47They are going to be getting in there.
35:49It's not far away.
35:50They just need to push over the finishing line.
35:54Coming up.
35:56We'll just cut that off and hopefully we'll slot in.
35:59Has the risk of overspending at auction paid off?
36:03See how it fits?
36:05We're getting closer.
36:14It's been four weeks since I last checked in on Chrissie and Matt in Brixton.
36:19Oh, yeah.
36:22Replacing the crumbling beam has put plans for the bathroom on hold.
36:26So they're turning all their attention to their new bedroom.
36:32Chrissie is putting her passion for period interiors to good use, restoring the original fireplace.
36:38It was so fun putting the paint stripper on, but the mess it created to try and
36:44actually get the paint off was quite crazy.
36:47The final result proves the mess was worth it.
36:52It came off the tiles really, really nicely and quickly.
36:59While Matt is restoring the original 150-year-old flooring.
37:05You can go there.
37:08New pine doesn't match aged Victorian floorboards, so it's either a trip to the reclamation yard,
37:14or, as Chrissie and Matt have done, borrow it from another room before sanding and varnishing everywhere.
37:21That looks perfect.
37:29In Holbrook, Heather and Dave are also putting the finishing touches to their rooms,
37:34with just a few days left before they move in.
37:39I've given notice on my rental accommodation,
37:41so the ultimate deadline is for me moving out to be able to get me and Sienna moved in.
37:50Dave's working hard to get their dining room finished, so they have somewhere to eat together.
37:57We're getting closer.
37:59There's light at the end of the tunnel. We're very, very, very close to getting there.
38:04There's a method in me madness.
38:06Much better.
38:10Sienna, myself and Dave are all just as excited as each other, so we're really looking forward to it.
38:15While the prospect of moving in is getting closer for Heather and Dave,
38:21in Brixton, Chrissie and Matt are celebrating their own milestone.
38:27Ten weeks ago, they'd already faced delays caused by emergency repairs to the roof.
38:34Unfortunately, the delays kept coming.
38:37If this isn't well supported, the wall could collapse.
38:42Working evenings and weekends on their pay-as-you-earn budget,
38:47they've struggled to complete stage one of their project on schedule.
38:53But now, one key room in this long-term renovation is finally finished.
39:00And it looks great.
39:04We feel absolutely delighted.
39:06Everywhere else is a building site, so it's really nice to have somewhere that feels calm and an escape.
39:16The original floorboards and fireplace have been lovingly restored.
39:26Traditional style sash windows fitted and Victorian panelling installed.
39:33But they haven't just decorated. They've repaired and replaced walls, insulated and plastered it all themselves.
39:44We have faced so many unexpected challenges throughout the journey that we've had,
39:49so having somewhere at the end of it that's showing a little bit of how the rest of the house
39:55is going to look is really, really motivating.
39:57A bit of an oasis, isn't it, to try and get away from the carnage from the rest of the
40:02house.
40:05With minimal funds the couple of years away from completing this renovation.
40:10We've been spending on average about £2,000 a month.
40:14And I think we've now spent about £22,000.
40:18I don't know if it looks like we've spent a lot, but we've learned so, so much and we're quicker.
40:24Yeah, we are quicker.
40:27But no matter how long it takes, it's clear Chrissie and Matt are loving the process.
40:38And if this first room is anything to go by, it'll be worth the wait.
40:43You have to be a bit delusional if you take on a renovation, otherwise you won't get through it.
40:48I think by spring next year, we should have at least, we'll have three rooms done, which would be good.
40:57I'm going to hold myself to it.
40:58Oh my God, you've said it now.
41:07Unlike Chrissie and Matt, Heather and Dave in Derbyshire were more reluctant to move into an unfinished home.
41:14A year ago, they bought these Grade II listed former stables for £520,000.
41:23£20,000 more than they hoped they'd get it for.
41:28With just £50,000 to renovate, it left the couple having to do most of the work themselves.
41:34A big ask for a big project.
41:37You have to put the time in, don't you, to get the dreams that you want.
41:40And we wouldn't have been able to buy this any other way.
41:44The home could take years to complete.
41:47Instead, they refocused on getting a handful of key rooms ready, so they could move in as soon as possible.
41:55Heather's invited all her family around for Christmas Day, so, yeah, we need to be here.
42:03And nearly three months later, just before their festive deadline...
42:10Merry Christmas.
42:16The transformation from what it was when we bought it at auction to now is massive.
42:22Really chuffed with the finish.
42:24What they've achieved is proof positive that sometimes taking a gamble pays off.
42:36It's come out better than expected.
42:39How we've managed to expose the beam really brings a bit of a character to the room.
42:43From the day we got the keys and we walked in and there was water pouring in through windows.
42:49God, it's a million times better.
42:53Their bedroom was a bare shell, waiting to be transformed.
43:00What they've created is a beautiful, inviting space.
43:15The wood panelling and feature wall bring a period charm to their designs, although the ensuite is still on their
43:26to-do list.
43:28I still love the idea of having the bath in the corner of the room.
43:31So once it is finished, it would be really nice, wouldn't it?
43:34Yes, it will be lovely.
43:36The family bathroom was a bit of an eyesore.
43:42But now it's a showstopper and an amazing testament to Dave's DIY skills.
43:50Every time I come in, I still keep looking around and I'm a bit like, oh wow, I can't believe
43:54it looks like it does.
43:57We wanted it to be quite bougie, didn't we?
43:59With the chandelier and like the gold accessories.
44:03I can't wait to get in the shower.
44:06Or the bath for that matter.
44:11The other vital room upstairs was Sienna's bedroom.
44:17It's bold and beautiful, but what's the verdict from its new occupant?
44:23I'm actually sleeping in here tonight and I'm just very excited.
44:30I just love my bedroom so much.
44:37The couple have spent a lot of time and effort getting these rooms ready.
44:41But how much of their savings have they used?
44:46We had about 50-something budget.
44:49Now we are literally month-by-month basis, but we have got the kitchen, it's in storage.
44:56We have the new heating system on its way and all the wiring that needed changing is done.
45:03So we've done all the main groundwork.
45:07They had a lot stacked against them, a listed property they hadn't viewed in person,
45:13a tiny renovation budget, and all the while living apart.
45:20It feels like the end is near.
45:24The whole thing's been a bit of a roller coaster.
45:28Until everything's done, I think it is going to be up and down,
45:31but we didn't expect anything else, did we, to be fair?
45:34Yeah. It's a dream house, isn't it? Well, it will be when it's done.
45:38There's no way we could have done this unless it was at auction, was there?
45:42It's what's made it achievable, otherwise it never would have been, not in a million years.
45:54House before wedding.
45:56One couple are putting everything on the line.
45:58A new series of location, location, location starts next Wednesday at 8.
46:02But next tonight, the story that shocked the world.
46:06When the deadliest nerve agent to ever be created was used on British soil.
46:10In Salisbury Poisoning's The Untold Story.
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