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George Clarkes Building Home - Season 2 - Episode 02: Ynys Môn
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00:05Wherever life takes you, whatever adventures you embark on, you never forget where you've
00:11come from. You may leave your place of home, but home never leaves you. And for many, the
00:18pull of being drawn back to our hometowns, cities and villages is proving too strong
00:24to ignore. Whether they want to be closer to loved ones or need more space for their growing
00:30families or just yearn for familiar faces and a sense of community, I'm going to follow
00:36people who are taking their biggest gamble yet. Uprooting their lives. Stretching their
00:46finances. It's going to cost you double. Probably going to cost me a hundred to do it all. And
00:52testing their relationships. What's our compromise? We replace the whole thing. No, that's not
00:57a compromise. As they're lucky enough to return home to some of the most beautiful parts of
01:02the country to build wonderful homes of their dreams. I knew from five years old, I always
01:08wanted to live in that house. From a Victorian cottage that needs rescuing to an inherited
01:13wreck that may push them to the edge. You know, there aren't any plan Bs. And new builds
01:19frauds with complications. There's bits I just can't watch. Going home may prove harder
01:26than you think. If you want your dream home, you've got to work for it. But if you persevere
01:33and rise to the challenges, that is outstanding. Going home might just be the best move you ever
01:42make.
01:50The island of Anglesey, on the tip of North Wales, is one of Britain's most beautiful
01:56spots, full of dramatic, rugged shorelines. Home to sheep and cattle farmers, the island
02:04was separated from the mainland by a narrow stretch of water, until the iconic Menai Suspension
02:10Bridge was built in 1826.
02:18After high-flying careers in London and Manchester, Steve and Tina made the decision to cross the
02:24bridge and return home to Anglesey, where they both grew up.
02:28And just to the right there, that's where we capsized sailing 30 years ago. That's where
02:33you capsized sailing 30 years ago. Yeah, brilliant. Happy days.
02:40We're very fortunate to call this home. The couple bought an abandoned 18th century farmhouse
02:49that was beyond repair. They've knocked down the ruins of the building and started work on
02:59a brand new home. I've crossed the straight to find out more.
03:11Hello, hello. So lovely to meet you. Good to meet you, too. How are you doing, mate?
03:16How are you? Nice to see you. Likewise. Lovely to meet you.
03:20What a beautiful, beautiful spot this is. Yeah. Why is it all special and what does it
03:26mean to you? Our first date was here 31 years ago.
03:29Your first date here. I knew how to push the boat out in those days.
03:36Let's see a picture of 31 years ago. You'll love this. You'll actually love this.
03:40Oh, no. There we go.
03:43Look at you two. There we are.
03:45Tina was 18. I was 17. That's a fantastic picture, that.
03:50This cafe where Tina and Steve first dated as teenagers is now where their teenage daughter,
03:56Lucy, works part-time. Nothing says coming home quite like that.
04:02Lovely to meet you. Oh, my God. Look at the size of that.
04:07What's it like being in Anglesey? I love living here. I love going on walks around here at night.
04:12I love to see, like my mum as well. And it's nice to make some nice local friends.
04:17You've obviously been coming here quite a lot for weekends and holidays. Yeah.
04:21But what's it like moving here? I think it's just, it feels like I've finally got, like,
04:27one place and it just feels like proper home. Well, so lovely to meet you.
04:32Well, you must be super proud. Yeah, we are super proud.
04:35Why did you make the big decision to come back home? Because it is a, it's a big decision,
04:39isn't it, to do that? I think whilst I always wanted to leave, I always knew that I wanted to
04:44return.
04:45Did you? Yeah. Particularly because we're from an island.
04:47Island, there's almost a connection with the land. You know, it's quite visceral, but also the sea.
04:53I'm a big sea lover. So I think I knew that I would come back. It was just a question
04:58of when.
04:58We are from this area. Our families are from this area. You always hear, home is where your heart is.
05:06And for me, that's as simple as that.
05:08Once we made the decision that we were going to do it, we'd seen a ruined smallholding,
05:13a dilapidated farm that we've known for 30 years and ultimately came up for sale.
05:19Shall we go and see the house? Yeah. Come on, let's do it. Let's do it.
05:24For barrister Tina and school administrator Steve, the site of their new home may be on a remote hillside spot,
05:32but it's also where they strolled on that date three decades ago.
05:38How's it feeling now that you've bought a place where you can literally see the coastal footpath
05:42where you had your first date together?
05:44Yeah, I... In fact, that was one of the most emotional connections about the purchase
05:49because when we first completed, I remember just having a moment
05:52and just standing there and thinking, this is literally the circle of life.
05:56Absolutely true. Come on, let's see some more.
06:00With the rubble of the old farm cleared aside,
06:03work's begun on the house that will bring them full circle,
06:07back to where their lives and love started.
06:10The construction has been overseen by their friend and local builder, Jamie.
06:16Hello, hello. Hello. How are you doing?
06:17How's it going? You OK? Very nice to meet you. How's it going?
06:20Yeah, it's getting there. We're just putting the internal walls, laying everything out
06:23so we can actually see the shape and size of the rooms now.
06:27All starting to go up. It's fantastic.
06:30When's he going to be finished?
06:31Roughly from here, approximately 12...
06:33Yeah, about 12 months, give or take.
06:36It's so weather-dependent. You're so exposed here as well, aren't you?
06:39Yeah. One day it could be nice and sunny, the next day it could be 50, 60 mile an hour
06:42winds.
06:43And that's why it was important to have somebody who was local
06:46who understood the constraints of the site
06:48and understood, you know, just how windy and exposed it is.
06:54Tina and Steve are taking a walk on the wild side, building their new home in a very exposed location.
07:01But it's worth it, because what they have planned is exquisite.
07:06The house will effectively consist of two distinct parts.
07:10A main building, faced with the original farmhouse stone, to give it a traditional look.
07:16Inside, the first floor will be home to two bedroom suites,
07:20one for them and one for their daughter Lucy.
07:23While on the ground floor, there will be a guest bedroom, along with a study and snug.
07:30And connected by a stunning glass link, there's something very special.
07:35A second, ultra-modern glazed space, housing the heart of the hall.
07:43So this will be our living area, kitchen, diner.
07:46And then there'll be a sort of, there'll be a log burner, and then an evening sitting room.
07:51Oh, and the best thing ever, at the end here, a hot tub.
07:56Just there, with that view.
07:59I mean, come on, absolutely unbelievable, I have to say.
08:02We've designed it so that certain windows, you can see these kind of iconic images of the local land spot.
08:09Oh, but so you're literally framing them with certain window positions.
08:13It's clear that this is a very considered and well-designed build,
08:18but bespoke homes on this scale aren't cheap.
08:21And if you don't mind me asking, how much is your budget?
08:24It's £800,000.
08:26£800,000.
08:27And you're going to need it, because it's not a small property.
08:30Tina is project managing this bill.
08:33Are you managing the finances as well?
08:35Yeah.
08:35You're watching the budget and everything else?
08:37Yeah. It's a team effort, he supports me.
08:39No, of course, I get that.
08:40And you need that, because everybody needs a rock, and he is my rock, so if I have a moment...
08:44I've been called a lot worse than a rock, so...
08:47No, no, you're a brilliant team. What a great project.
08:51For me, it's so heartwarming, and it's so beautiful that you've come back home,
08:55and that you've got such a powerful connection to the place and the people that are here,
08:59and now you're building a new home to create a new chapter in your lives.
09:03Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
09:04It's powerful stuff.
09:05Yeah, it is.
09:06It's beautiful, actually. Absolutely beautiful.
09:15It's an ambitious build, and despite great progress on the block work,
09:20it has already run into its first problem.
09:23Work has ground to a halt on the dramatic glass extension.
09:28There have been some issues with the steel, so we've had a couple of months hiatus, really,
09:34with nothing being able to progress on site.
09:37The steels will form the framework of the modern extension,
09:41but some of the upright beams were built the wrong length.
09:45It took weeks and cost thousands of pounds to fabricate new ones.
09:50It's a bit of a shame, really, because we've had some really good weather
09:54that they haven't really been able to capitalise on.
09:58And, yeah, it's been a bit difficult, really,
10:01because obviously there's a financial implication,
10:03and there's an implication in terms of being weatherproof further down the line.
10:10But today, they can, at last, crack on with installing the new steels
10:14that will form the vertical framework of the extension.
10:18For us to have that steel frame go up
10:21and really capture those views and frame the views,
10:25that's what this home is all about.
10:26It's about the sea and having that view
10:29that we're going to hopefully enjoy for the rest of our lives.
10:43So exciting!
10:48There she goes, girder number one.
10:50Feels quite emotional over a steel girder.
10:55Really feels like we're breathing new life into this side.
10:58We should have bought a bottle of bubbly to crack against that girder.
11:01Absolutely.
11:03Although the steels are now in,
11:05the delay has inevitably pushed the rest of the project further down the year,
11:09meaning the builders will be battling the wind and rain.
11:13It will make completing this ambitious project even harder.
11:30On the wild edge of the Welsh island of Anglesey,
11:34returning locals Tina and Steve
11:36are months into their £800,000 dream build.
11:41It's November, but construction has been delayed.
11:45The weather has turned into some of the worst Steve's ever experienced.
11:50Wow.
11:51Don't think I've ever seen a little mouse swamped in waves before.
11:58Flipping it.
12:01Carmelhead beyond my build.
12:03Scaries has disappeared.
12:06Wowsers.
12:11Pretty much rained all last night,
12:13and we just keep getting the back end of all those storms
12:17coming up through the jet stream.
12:18So we've just got to be getting blocked by a block.
12:22So, come rain or shine,
12:25the block work for the traditional stone farmhouse is continuing.
12:30The second floor is well underway,
12:33and the labourers, led by builder Jamie,
12:36have begun the retaining walls of the modern glass extension.
12:41The main house will be clad in stone,
12:44salvaged from the 18th-century ruin Tina and Steve demolished.
12:50Cladding the walls is a complex jigsaw puzzle
12:53to make every piece fit perfectly.
12:56We've only got one stonemason on the job,
12:58so he's doing all the stone work,
13:00so obviously that will take a bit of time
13:02because we're just relying on one person for that.
13:05With Carl the stonemason working alone,
13:08battling short days and high winds,
13:10it's another delay.
13:12But this is too crucial to Steve and Tina's vision
13:15to compromise on.
13:23It's time I head back to Anglesey
13:25to take stock of how Tina and Steve
13:27are managing the delays.
13:32This is looking good.
13:34Really good.
13:35The stonework's been going up.
13:36You can see they've got it just to the height now
13:38where you need the scaffold to turn up and they can carry on.
13:40But are you as far on as you wanted to be?
13:42Well, no. No, we're not.
13:44We're probably about four or five months behind
13:46where we thought we would be by now.
13:49You do need to get wind and watertight as fast as possible.
13:52I know that's the bleeding obvious.
13:54Can we go inside and have a look?
13:55Absolutely.
13:55Come on, let's start.
13:56What makes this such a striking build
13:59is that it's a combination of both the traditional stone building
14:02and the impressive glass fronted extension.
14:06Currently, the house and glazed annex
14:08are two separate structures.
14:12So what's the plan then between this part of the building
14:15and the big wing at the back?
14:17So this is basically a glazed link.
14:20Yeah.
14:21And I almost wanted that, you know, that space in between?
14:24Yeah, yeah, yeah, definitely.
14:25We are very exposed here.
14:26Yeah.
14:27And so my concern was just to make sure
14:29that we had a high-quality product.
14:31You can go for one option,
14:32which might be quite thick frame,
14:35tends to be a little bit cheaper.
14:36And then once you go for the kind of very fine,
14:39high-quality, minimal system,
14:41it costs a fair bit of money.
14:43I did fatal error of looking at the Rolls-Royce
14:47of architectural glazers
14:49with that really fine, minimalist look,
14:51and that was, you know, looking at £50,000.
14:54So it's...
14:55£50,000 for the glass between that bit of structure
14:59and that bit of structure.
15:00Yeah, so we've reduced the spec,
15:01but not to the extent
15:04that it feels like a compromise too far.
15:06The temptation here is to try and build
15:07in a way that makes you feel cocooned.
15:10We want to feel that exposure to where we are.
15:13Absolutely.
15:14Can we see some more?
15:15Yeah.
15:15Yeah.
15:16I mean, I have to say,
15:17this is my favourite part of your entire scheme.
15:21I mean, look at it.
15:22Even just standing here in a steel frame,
15:25it's absolutely beautiful, isn't it?
15:28When we bought the property,
15:30there used to be the barn,
15:31to the old farmhouse
15:33with a...
15:33It was like a zinky roof.
15:35It's lovely that it's a nod
15:36to what was here before, isn't it?
15:38And it is a nod.
15:38This is going to be kitchen,
15:40dining, bit of living?
15:42Yeah.
15:42And there's all this glazing?
15:43Yeah.
15:44Where you see space,
15:46that's going to be glazed.
15:49Crikey.
15:49Yeah.
15:50But we wanted to make sure that, again,
15:52you not only capture the view,
15:54but you feel that you're sitting in it.
15:56And you will.
15:57Yeah.
15:59Using so much glass
16:01is definitely a bold
16:02but brilliant design decision.
16:06With a house like this,
16:08you have to capture
16:09these magnificent views.
16:11And Tina and Steve
16:12are following
16:13an illustrious tradition.
16:16In 1949,
16:18Philip Johnson's legendary glass house
16:21revolutionised architecture
16:23by harnessing dramatic
16:25floor-to-ceiling glass.
16:27It led to another cutting-edge building,
16:31Mies van der Rohe's
16:32seminal Farnsworth House,
16:35harnessing the landscape outside
16:36as the key design feature
16:38indoors.
16:41By really embracing
16:43this style for their extension,
16:45Tina and Steve
16:46will be immersed
16:47in stunning scenery.
16:50To what I really admire,
16:52Tina and Steve's
16:54drive for perfection.
16:56They want this to be
16:57absolutely right.
16:58But my biggest worry is
17:00that that drive
17:02to get everything
17:02absolutely right
17:04to the highest spec
17:05costs more money
17:07and takes more time.
17:09And they need this place
17:10wind and watertight
17:11as fast as possible.
17:17It's April,
17:18a year since the start
17:19of the build.
17:20But for Steve,
17:22coming home
17:22isn't just about
17:23building a new house.
17:25It's about reconnecting
17:27with his family's roots.
17:29They've farmed on this island
17:30for generations.
17:32So he's putting
17:33the 30 acres
17:34that came with the home
17:35to good use.
17:38It's been so wet
17:40that I should have had
17:41all my flail mowing,
17:42my harrowing done
17:43before the end of February.
17:47My grandfather,
17:48he was a dairy farmer
17:49in the middle of the island.
17:50And then on my father's side,
17:52yeah, they're also farming stocks.
17:53So I've got cousins
17:55on the south of the island.
17:56They're dairy farmers.
17:57It's part of the culture out here,
17:59part of being on the island.
18:01You know, coming back,
18:02you're part of the heritage.
18:04You know, I think back
18:05to all the people
18:05that have worked on this land.
18:07And we're just a blip
18:09in humanity.
18:10So it's my little impact
18:12of maintaining the place
18:14and just keeping it fertile
18:16for as long as I possibly can.
18:21This is where I was brought up.
18:23The fields that you can see
18:24literally in front of you
18:27are my grandfather
18:28and grandmother's farm.
18:30Well, it was their farm.
18:31My grandfather,
18:32he was a huge influence
18:34in my life.
18:35It makes me very proud
18:36of where I'm from.
18:38I feel home.
18:40Yeah, just amazing.
18:44Steve and Tina's love
18:46of the island
18:46is sustaining them
18:48as construction
18:49inches forward.
18:53Despite the persistent
18:54wet and windy weather,
18:56Jamie's team have been busy.
18:58Along with everything else,
18:59they're building
19:00a standalone garage
19:01and office for Tina.
19:04But work on the
19:05modern glass extension
19:06is still running behind.
19:09They need to fit
19:10the huge French oak trusses.
19:13Tina and Steve know
19:14exactly what they want
19:15for the house
19:15and these trusses
19:17form part of that.
19:19Visually, it splits the room up,
19:20you know, into probably like
19:22kitchen, dining room,
19:23living area, you know.
19:25They're actually
19:26just for show, really.
19:27They make the room
19:28look really good.
19:29It's another example
19:31of how no expense
19:32has been spared
19:33in the pursuit
19:34of this couple's vision.
19:36But getting your house right
19:38and getting on
19:39with your life
19:40often don't go together.
19:43You know,
19:44living in our
19:45current house,
19:47one toilet,
19:49one bedroom
19:49with a teenage daughter,
19:51it's been really tough,
19:53really tough.
19:53I think we now
19:54cannot wait
19:55to have an element
19:56of normality
19:57by being in the new house.
20:00But if Tina,
20:01Steve and Lucy
20:02want to get their house
20:03finished and liveable
20:05any time soon,
20:06they're going to need
20:07the builders
20:08and the weather
20:09to deliver.
20:22In Anglesey,
20:24Tina and Steve
20:25have returned home
20:26to the Welsh paradise
20:27they grew up in
20:29to create
20:30a dream home.
20:33After 14 months,
20:35the shell of the house
20:35is nearly complete.
20:38The roof is finished
20:39and triple-glazed windows,
20:41designed for exposed
20:42locations like this,
20:43have been installed
20:45in the main home
20:46and the modern way.
20:48It's progressing
20:49really well.
20:51The rooms
20:51are taking shape,
20:52so the structure
20:54of the site,
20:54it's all coming together
20:56and looking really good
20:57so far.
20:59All that needs
21:00to be done
21:01is to join
21:01the two buildings together
21:03with Tina and Steve's
21:05very expensive
21:06glass link.
21:08Well,
21:09it's a huge day today.
21:10It's quite symbolic
21:12because one of the main
21:14features of the house
21:15is the link corridor
21:17between the two buildings
21:18because it acts as
21:20old farmhouse
21:21going into the new
21:23part of the home
21:24and that's going
21:25in place today.
21:26So,
21:27nerve-wracking
21:28but exciting
21:29at the same time.
21:31I'm high enough up,
21:33am I, yeah?
21:33Installing these
21:34huge panes of glass
21:35weighing up to
21:36780 kilos
21:38would be tricky
21:39at the best of times.
21:41But this site
21:42has extra challenges.
21:45Because of the lay
21:46of the land,
21:47the only place
21:48the crane can be
21:49is on the other
21:50side of the main house.
21:51So the crane operator
21:53is flying blind.
21:55You know,
21:56trying to navigate
21:57such a heavy pane
21:59of glass
21:59from the other side
22:00of the building
22:01with no view of it
22:03must be really,
22:04really difficult
22:05on the other side
22:05of the crane.
22:07So, yeah,
22:08it's all a bit
22:08stressful at the moment
22:09and there's bits
22:10I just can't watch.
22:18How much weight
22:19have you got on that?
22:26At last,
22:26the team get
22:27the first of the
22:28side panels
22:29and stalls
22:29in the walkway.
22:31Oh, my life.
22:33Nerve-wracking.
22:35You're coming for it,
22:36get quiet.
22:37But the most difficult
22:38job is still to come.
22:40The roof panes
22:41are twice as big
22:42and now the wind
22:43is starting to pick up.
22:46If it gets above
22:4722 miles an hour,
22:48the job
22:49will have to be abandoned.
22:51The breeze
22:52is getting up
22:52a little bit,
22:53which is not
22:54helping matters.
22:56And those things,
22:58with the weight
22:58and the size of them,
22:59they're going to act
23:00like sails.
23:01So I'm just hoping
23:03that the wind
23:03doesn't catch them
23:04and they don't hit anything.
23:07It's a very delicate
23:08manoeuvre.
23:09One false move
23:11and the whole thing
23:12could come crashing down.
23:14Literally.
23:15The issue I can see,
23:16there's not much
23:17manoeuvrability
23:18between the house
23:19and the areas
23:20that they need
23:20to rest the pane
23:21of glass on.
23:22So it's got to be
23:23quite precise.
23:23So if this wind
23:24picks up even more,
23:25it's going to make
23:26it more difficult.
23:33I can't watch.
23:34Bring it over
23:35or do you want it
23:36to send it up the roof?
23:37There is just
23:38six millimetres
23:40of spare space
23:41between the size
23:42of the glass
23:43and the gap
23:44it is fitting into.
23:46But after some
23:47nerve-wracking moments
23:48and precision
23:50back and forth,
23:52the last thing
23:53the last eight
23:55square metre panel
23:56is in.
24:00There's Tina
24:00in the window.
24:04It's a thing
24:05of beauty.
24:05From my perspective,
24:06it's almost like
24:07a piece of artwork.
24:09You know,
24:09it's such a
24:10wow factor
24:11of the house.
24:11And also,
24:12it feels like
24:13it's somehow now
24:15more than just
24:16the sum of its parts,
24:17it's become a home
24:18suddenly.
24:19With the house
24:20starting to feel
24:21like a home,
24:22the couple
24:23turn their attention
24:23to the carefully
24:25planned interior design.
24:28Starting with
24:29a sweeping staircase
24:30for their triple
24:31height entrance hall.
24:33So,
24:33I've just driven
24:34five hours,
24:35got up at the
24:35crack of dawn,
24:36literally,
24:37to North Yorkshire
24:38to the company
24:40that will be making
24:41our bespoke
24:42beautiful staircase.
24:44Tina is here
24:45to see
24:45Orna Richard.
24:46We've got everything
24:47laid out here for you.
24:48You've got the
24:49detailed designs
24:50and visuals
24:51and this is the
24:53view through the
24:54front door.
24:54That was the money
24:55shot that you wanted.
24:56You wanted to make
24:57it feel
24:58just an amazing
24:59but not overpowering
25:01staircase.
25:02Absolutely.
25:03The simplicity
25:04of it
25:04is the beauty
25:05of it.
25:06So,
25:07one of the decisions
25:07we need to make
25:08is on the
25:09balustrade
25:10uprights
25:11and here's
25:12two samples
25:13that we've forged.
25:14A more rustic,
25:15more highly burnished,
25:18this darker
25:19and smoother
25:20in texture.
25:21Are these
25:21hammer marks?
25:22Yeah,
25:22we forged that
25:23on our power hammer.
25:25Definitely this.
25:26The more hammer marks,
25:27the more that I can see
25:28the toil of the
25:28craftsperson,
25:29the better.
25:30OK.
25:32Blacksmith Sam
25:33is managing
25:34the forge
25:35that will make
25:36Tina's uprights.
25:37It reaches
25:38temperatures
25:38of 1,200 degrees.
25:41There's a dull red,
25:42then it's too cold
25:43and we're looking
25:44for like a bright
25:45orange,
25:46yellow colour
25:47and then it's
25:48ready to forge.
25:50The rods
25:51need to go
25:52straight under
25:52the industrial
25:53hammer
25:53where Sam
25:54expertly fashions
25:56them with the
25:57unique rough luck
25:58Tina wants.
26:01There is one
26:01of your uprights.
26:03Wow.
26:03That is absolutely
26:05incredible.
26:06I feel like it
26:06was a real privilege
26:08to see you at work
26:09and just to see
26:10that process.
26:13How are you?
26:15You OK?
26:15How are you doing?
26:17All right?
26:18With the build
26:19feeling like it's
26:19turned a corner,
26:21Tina and Steve
26:21are throwing a party.
26:26It's a chance
26:26to remember why
26:27they returned
26:28to Angotsea.
26:32This day
26:32is about
26:34us as a couple
26:35coming home.
26:36It's about
26:37being back in the area,
26:38back in the community,
26:39back near our families.
26:42These three
26:43amazing specimens
26:44are my nephews.
26:46Hello!
26:47Coming home for me
26:48is about belonging.
26:49It's that Welsh word,
26:50here I.
26:53And everyone has
26:54their own personal
26:55definition of what
26:56that means,
26:56but for me
26:57it means belonging.
26:58Yeah!
26:59Yeah!
27:04Woo!
27:10With the party over,
27:12the builders
27:13need to get back
27:13to the pressing matter
27:15of finishing the home.
27:18There is still
27:18a huge amount to do,
27:20but at least
27:21the work
27:21has moved indoors.
27:24Which is just
27:25as well
27:25as August rain
27:27sweeps in
27:27from the Irish Sea,
27:29turning the site
27:30into a mud bath.
27:34Just look at the weather
27:35in Anglete today.
27:37It's absolutely
27:39biblical.
27:39We're being battered
27:41by the wind
27:42and rain.
27:46Hello, hello!
27:47Nice to see you,
27:47by the way.
27:48Yeah, you too.
27:49Hello, Mick.
27:50How are you?
27:50Give me a hug as well.
27:53Today is brutal.
27:55Welcome to Wales.
27:57It's unbelievable,
27:58isn't it?
27:58Can we go inside?
28:00Come in, come in.
28:02But the good news is
28:03you've got all your glass
28:04in, haven't you?
28:05I mean, everywhere.
28:05And, of course,
28:08this little number.
28:09Ooh!
28:10That looks brilliant.
28:12Are you that, George?
28:13That looks amazing.
28:15The bold use of glass
28:17is also in evidence
28:18in that glazed extension.
28:21The amount of glass
28:21you've got in there
28:22is amazing as well,
28:23isn't it?
28:23And I love
28:23the timber trusses.
28:25But
28:26there's still a lot to do,
28:28isn't there?
28:29Yeah, I mean,
28:30we've got to a stage now
28:31where, you know,
28:32we're sort of 15 months in.
28:34And
28:36yeah.
28:36How are you feeling about it?
28:37Come on, be honest about it.
28:38I must admit,
28:39at this stage,
28:42it can feel a bit
28:43overwhelming.
28:44I mean,
28:45there's a million decisions.
28:47You know,
28:47this is our home.
28:48You know,
28:48I want to get us in.
28:50You know,
28:50there aren't any
28:51plan Bs.
28:53And how are you feeling,
28:54Matt?
28:54Well,
28:54I feel Tina's stress
28:55in terms of
28:56Tina's been an amazing
28:58project manager
28:58on this,
28:59you know,
28:59on this whole build
29:00and getting to the stage
29:01where it is now
29:02is amazing.
29:02But, you know,
29:03you've just got to take
29:04every day as it comes.
29:05As my grandfather
29:05used to say,
29:06just, you know,
29:07don't worry about things
29:08that haven't happened yet.
29:09Just deal with it
29:10today and the day.
29:11Just keep going
29:11and get it done.
29:13Yeah.
29:13We'll go upstairs?
29:14Yeah, let's go.
29:14Come on, I've not seen
29:15upstairs at all.
29:18The upstairs
29:19is where Tina and Steve
29:20will have their luxury
29:22double-height bedroom.
29:24Oh, this is great up here,
29:25eh?
29:27Whoa!
29:28That's beautiful,
29:29isn't it?
29:29We're having a bath
29:30up there.
29:31Well, we had to make
29:33the most of the
29:33vertical height in here.
29:35We were going to put
29:35the bath in the bathroom,
29:37but ultimately...
29:38Who puts a bath
29:39in a bathroom these days?
29:40It's a ridiculous
29:40idea.
29:41You know,
29:41what a stupid idea
29:42that is,
29:43when you can put it
29:44on a mezzanine
29:44above your bed.
29:45Absolutely.
29:46Although it's still
29:47bare bones inside,
29:49it's clear Tina and Steve
29:51are building a wonderful
29:52piece of architecture,
29:54but it could be pushing
29:56their £800,000 budget.
30:00You must have spent
30:01a fortune.
30:02I'd say we're already
30:03around the 25% to 30%
30:05mark of over budget
30:07at this stage.
30:07At this stage?
30:08Yeah.
30:09Mm-hmm.
30:09Mm-hmm.
30:10And how much do you
30:11think you might be
30:13over budget by the
30:14finished stage?
30:16Mm-hmm.
30:16In your...
30:1740%.
30:19I mean, the...
30:20The issue with the
30:22steals, I mean,
30:22that took a big chunk.
30:24Yeah.
30:24And it had a massive
30:25knock-on effect,
30:25as you can imagine.
30:26I mean, I'm assuming
30:27it's not a limitless pot.
30:29Er, no, it's not
30:30a limitless pot.
30:31So, ultimately, I'm at...
30:34You know, I am at that
30:34stage where I need to
30:37finish this.
30:37It's time, it's money,
30:40it is genuinely stress.
30:42Yeah, I mean, it's
30:42draining.
30:45Since the day we bought
30:46this, I've been here
30:47every day.
30:48On site?
30:48Yeah.
30:49But there was a point a
30:50few weeks ago where I
30:51didn't want to come here
30:52for a couple of days
30:52because it was just...
30:53I didn't want to fall out
30:55of love with it, so I just
30:56stayed away.
30:59Yeah.
31:01We are where we are.
31:02Just be careful, though.
31:03I'm a little bit worried
31:04about you.
31:05You're under big pressure,
31:06so just...
31:06Just be careful.
31:08This is a legacy,
31:09and if we'd compromise
31:11on a window and a view,
31:12that would have niggled us
31:14for the rest of our lives.
31:16Despite all the difficulties,
31:18Tina and Steve are not
31:20letting go of their
31:21perfect home.
31:22I think for them,
31:24any compromises to the
31:25house could tarnish their
31:27love for this corner of
31:29Anglesey.
31:37It's three months later,
31:38and work on the interior
31:40is moving forward.
31:42We're in the middle of
31:43plastering, so it's quite
31:45exciting.
31:46But inevitably, when you
31:47have an eye for detail,
31:49you can see what is still
31:52required, and there's still
31:53a way to go.
31:58Notwithstanding Tina's
31:59worries over the spiral
32:00and budget, the couple's
32:02determination to create
32:03the perfect home means
32:05they are refusing to
32:06compromise on design
32:08details.
32:09And one of those big
32:11details is a statement
32:13chandelier Tina and Steve
32:15have commissioned, but
32:16it's got knock-on effects.
32:19Ultimately, it has meant
32:20that, yeah, the whole
32:22ceiling around the
32:24area has to come down,
32:25having been plastered
32:26beautifully.
32:27It's a pretty heavy light,
32:28light, and the ceiling
32:29needs reinforcing.
32:30That's the real issue
32:31here.
32:39Oh, I knew you could do it.
32:40I can trust you.
32:41It does feel a bit like one
32:43step forward, three steps
32:44back, but sometimes it's the
32:47pain you have to go through
32:48to get what you want at the
32:49end of the process, and
32:51frankly, once I'm living here
32:54and we can switch on a really
32:56beautiful chandelier, then it
33:00will be worth it.
33:03despite overshooting their
33:05deadlines and their
33:06budget, will Tina and
33:08Steve's painstaking
33:10attention to detail and
33:11dedication to
33:12craftsmanship bring them the
33:15wonderful home they want
33:16after all?
33:29It's February in Anglesey, and
33:32Tina and Steve have been
33:33building their dream home for
33:35two years.
33:37And after months of painful
33:39construction delays, the
33:41couple are at last able to
33:42enjoy themselves.
33:43Beautiful.
33:44See that geometric pattern.
33:46I cannot wait to see these
33:48down.
33:49It's time to express their
33:50creativity with the
33:52interiors.
33:53The most exciting part for
33:54me now is basically the
33:56finishes.
33:57And they're filling the
33:58house with stylish patterns
33:59and confident colours.
34:02This is essentially the
34:04evening sitting room, and
34:06it's got this amazing
34:07chessboard-like pattern,
34:09which I love.
34:11And that colour is
34:13continuing into
34:14the kitchen.
34:16Spoiler, but there's an
34:18element of pink going on in
34:19this kitchen.
34:20Wow, Jamie.
34:22Has anyone ever ordered a
34:24pink kitchen from you
34:25before?
34:25No, this is definitely
34:26the first.
34:28I'm going to set a trend
34:30here.
34:30Yeah.
34:33Wow.
34:34Oh, I love that.
34:35Oh, my gosh, I absolutely
34:37love this.
34:38This is exactly what I
34:40imagined.
34:42And what I love about it is
34:43it's all handmade locally.
34:46Literally, it's just across
34:47the water there.
34:48So I can see where the
34:50kitchen's made when I stand in
34:51this kitchen.
34:52And more of Anglesey is
34:54coming into the house.
34:56Local artist Lisa was
34:58commissioned by Tina and
34:59Steve to create a chandelier
35:01for the nine-metre-high
35:03hallway.
35:05Hi, Lisa.
35:06Hi.
35:07How are you?
35:08Oh, my gosh.
35:10Well, no, it's amazing.
35:12Yeah, that's amazing.
35:14I love the fact that they're
35:16all different shapes.
35:17They're all different.
35:17I love that.
35:19They're individual pieces of
35:21joy.
35:22Have we got spares just in
35:23case?
35:23It's not even funny.
35:25It's not even funny.
35:27Whoa.
35:28You all right?
35:29There are.
35:31Up we go.
35:37You know, I'll grow them on.
35:38This is a moment.
35:40Ta-da!
35:41Just so we're clear, my
35:42involvement in this process
35:43is the hanging, so the
35:45cleaning is Steve's.
35:48So is this the second one
35:50down, is that for longer
35:51ones?
35:52Yeah.
35:52Yeah.
35:52For me, what I love about
35:54this is this is really the
35:56best of Anglesey, the best
35:58that Anglesey has.
36:00This sort of build on
36:02Anglesey, using local trades
36:05as much as possible and the
36:08skills that are here on the
36:09island, you know, I feel that
36:11that is going to be one of the
36:12greatest achievements.
36:13It's about the people, the
36:16place.
36:16Here we go, the last piece.
36:18Let's get a photo.
36:19Lisa, I think we should share
36:21this moment.
36:21Okay.
36:22Get the champagne on.
36:24Yeah.
36:25Ready.
36:26Here we go.
36:28Beautiful.
36:29Ta-da!
36:39Seven months later, and let's
36:41hope the mood is equally
36:43celebratory.
36:44I'm back to see the fruits of
36:46all of Tina and Steve's
36:48efforts.
36:49Now, their love for this land
36:51is absolutely fierce, which is
36:54just as well, because they might
36:56have given up at any point on
36:58what became a very long and
37:00costly build.
37:01Now, nearly two and a half years
37:03later, they are finished, and I
37:06cannot wait to see what this
37:07perfectionist couple have created.
37:12Where once there was a ruined and
37:14half-collapsed farmhouse, there's
37:17now a stunning new home.
37:19A brilliant mix of a dramatic
37:22modern glass extension, jutting
37:25proudly out towards the sea, and a
37:28classic country home built to honour
37:31the original farmhouse.
37:33Good morning.
37:34Good morning.
37:35How are you?
37:36Well, you should be very happy,
37:37I hope.
37:37You've got a gorgeous house in the
37:38most beautiful location ever.
37:40I have to say, walking down the
37:41lane and seeing us sitting
37:44beautifully with the sea in the
37:46background, it's so fantastic.
37:47It looks like an old house, but
37:49it's all new.
37:51That's down to the fabric of the
37:53old house, because this is the
37:55stone that was here.
37:56It may have taken a dedicated
37:58local craftsman many weeks to
38:01meticulously lay these original
38:03stones, but it was worth all the
38:05time, expense and commitments.
38:09There are stones there that I sort
38:11recognise from, like, gateways and
38:13things like that.
38:13You know, there's sort of gate holes
38:15and sort of bolt holes in them.
38:16I think it's beautiful.
38:17It's so clever to have built a full
38:20new-build house, but the front of it
38:22looks like an old building that's
38:23been here for 300 years.
38:25Can we go in?
38:25Follow me in.
38:26Go on.
38:27After you.
38:29I'm very excited about this.
38:31Welcome.
38:32Oh, my God.
38:36Behind that traditional farmhouse
38:38facade lies a hallway that's as
38:40unexpected as it is breathtaking,
38:44revealing the scale of Tina and Steve's
38:48ambition is outstanding, and you've got all the light
38:52beautifully coordinated with the artwork.
38:54But for me, that chandelier is so special.
38:58You can see the colour palette that she's used.
38:59It's very much inspired by the landscape, isn't it?
39:02Absolutely.
39:03Here, we've obviously got the sea, the blues, the green, the fields, but the yellow represents
39:08for me the gorse, which is indigenous to this area.
39:11It is stunning.
39:13And I have to say, the staircase, my words.
39:17What a beautiful detail that is at the base of the stair, and it literally just spirals
39:23up the most gorgeous handrail.
39:25The detailing's fantastic, isn't it?
39:27Very simple.
39:27Although they're steel, you know, they have, like, a real lightness.
39:31And of course, I want to just sit at the top and run down.
39:35This stunning staircase is another example of where Tina chose craftsmanship over compromise.
39:43Working with the best tradesmen to create the level of perfection she was after in every
39:49single detail.
39:51The staircase leads to something equally impressive.
39:54Two double-height bedroom suites, daughter Lucy's on the left, and Tina and Steve's on the
40:00right.
40:02That is a fantastic space.
40:05It is literally view, view, view out of the sky.
40:10But you've got that really high pitch.
40:12It's got to be one, two, three, four, five and a bit metres.
40:17Paddle stairs take you up to the mezzanine, home to an indulgent copper bathtub.
40:23The skylight was positioned after we knew where the bath was going, so that we could actually
40:27have Pollyhead Mountain.
40:29And when you're sat in the bath, you can see that view.
40:32And the company that made it talk about customer service, they've actually put hot and cold
40:36in Welsh on the taps.
40:37Have they?
40:37Yeah.
40:41They couldn't have done any better.
40:43Beautifully planned, beautifully detailed, beautifully crafted.
40:46And the thoughtful craftsmanship of this home continues as you journey from the traditional farmhouse into the modern glass structure.
40:57Installing the giant sheets of triple glazing was one of the most challenging parts of this build.
41:03And there's bits I just can't watch.
41:05But the result is a seamless mix of house and nature.
41:11It's a lovely transition, isn't it?
41:13And you just come through and it's like, wow.
41:16It's just a slice of minimal glass.
41:19A moment, you know, after the storm when you have that first ray of sunshine and you suddenly get a
41:25rainbow.
41:26And that sometimes is how it feels for me as I walk through because it's almost, I always find that
41:31I want to pause.
41:32It's just quite incredible.
41:35Can we see the kitchen?
41:36Yeah, let's go through.
41:39But the real star of the show lies just beyond the glass link.
41:43The magnificent open-plan family living room and kitchen diner.
41:49With its ornamental wooden oak trusses and floor-to-ceiling windows.
41:54What an unbelievably brilliant piece of architecture that is.
42:02What makes this so successful isn't just the board structure, but also the wonderful features the couple have put in
42:10it.
42:12Look at that.
42:12You've got one colour for the island unit, one colour for that unit over there, a different colour for that
42:18part of the kitchen, and a different colour for that.
42:21Four distinctive different colours on four sections of the kitchen.
42:25That is brave.
42:26Brave slash mad.
42:29The colour isn't confined to kitchen units.
42:32It explodes and dazzles from tiles to carpets.
42:36But the colours that really beguile are the ones outside.
42:41For me, this is what this place is about.
42:45Look at that.
42:45You've got cows on the headland, ferrying the distance.
42:50You sit there in an evening and you can see everything coming at you.
42:54You've got storms that come off the sea.
42:56And you've got your hot tub.
42:59There you go.
43:00His dream's come true.
43:01That's all he wanted.
43:02That's all I wanted.
43:04Sitting in that and watching the sun going down here, I think that's just, for me, it's just special.
43:10This place has taken 16 months longer than planned, but a new-built house can be done to schedule or
43:18done without compromise.
43:20And there was never any doubt what Tina and Steve would prioritise.
43:25Hey, Lizzie, how are you?
43:26Hey, I'm good.
43:27Let's say we've come full circle.
43:28I'm sure you served me something at the cafe two and a half years ago.
43:32Come and join us.
43:32Come and have a seat.
43:33It's lovely to have all the family together.
43:36How has it been as a kind of build process?
43:39Privilege, a pleasure and a pain.
43:41Oh, all the three Ps.
43:43And a roller coaster.
43:45Toughest bit?
43:45Toughest part of the build?
43:47There was a particular moment when I felt the weight of it all and the money had run out.
43:51And at that point, I had to get a bridging loan.
43:53Has it all been sorted out?
43:55Yeah.
43:55The finance is done, bridging lawn's gone.
43:58Yeah, yeah, yeah.
43:59Your budget was £800,000 to do the bills.
44:03What have you spent in the end?
44:04All in?
44:05Mm.
44:06Come on.
44:07Yes, north of that rather large figure that's quite scary to say out loud.
44:11Begin with a one.
44:13You went to, like, over a million quid.
44:15Yeah.
44:16I'm not surprised.
44:17Big build, big project.
44:19Tina and Steve were never going to settle for a cheap, quick build when they could create
44:25a sensational home worthy of the breathtaking location.
44:30I think it's taken a great deal of tenacity and determination.
44:34It's like a work of art, like living in a work of art, so...
44:38It's very special.
44:40I'm going to hand-off to you.
44:41What's it like for the two of you being back home, making the return?
44:45Coming back to Anglesey.
44:47I've got lots of family on the island.
44:49We both have.
44:49And it's that connection to a place.
44:52It's so strong.
44:53I feel, you know, so privileged to be in a position to be a backup here.
44:59There's an inner peace somehow that comes with being somewhere where you feel connected,
45:03whether it's the land, the people, the place.
45:05And I think just being able to see the horizon and the sea, and I'm in nature, and it's really
45:11very special.
45:13And well done on the house, because even though it was expensive, it's really beautiful.
45:17So, cheers.
45:18Congratulations.
45:19Really, really well done.
45:21Welcome home.
45:22Cheers.
45:22Deal.
45:23Cheers.
45:30Tina and Steve have created something quite extraordinary here.
45:33Yes, it might have taken over a year longer than they'd planned and cost a lot more money,
45:39but in the big, grand scheme of things, it just doesn't matter.
45:44They've come back home, and they've built a forever home that is absolutely full of heart,
45:50and it captures so much about them, their family, their friends, and Anglesey.
45:57It's incredible.
46:00Next time, in suburban Hillsborough Sheffield.
46:03Oh, my God.
46:05But you've absolutely ripped everything out of it.
46:09A single mom faces a monumental job and relentless rain.
46:14It was really heavy rain, and all the windowsill, everything was wet through.
46:19To turn her grandparents' beloved house of 60 years into a cool modern home fit for her
46:25and her son.
46:26That is really beautiful, actually.
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