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Château DIY (2018) Season 11 Episode 30
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00:00Across France, there are thousands of spectacular chateaux.
00:07Many are neglected and run down.
00:11Up and over.
00:13Now, they're being revived by intrepid owners.
00:19It's all a bit Wild West, in my opinion.
00:22Perfect is the goal.
00:24Who are taking huge risks.
00:27That's not very strong.
00:28To restore these precious buildings.
00:32Creating beautiful homes.
00:36Oh, incredible.
00:39And businesses.
00:41Look at this, belly rubs.
00:44There'll be triumphs.
00:46We're in.
00:47We're in.
00:48And tribulations.
00:50This is the bit I was worried about.
00:53But despite the challenges.
00:55It's not sticking.
00:56It's not sticking.
00:58Those who have made the leap.
01:00I'm liking the look of this.
01:03Get to live the dream.
01:04First place.
01:05Thank you very much.
01:06Thank you very much.
01:07As custodians.
01:08Congratulations.
01:10Of their very own magnificent castle.
01:16Today.
01:17Are you ready to screw at it?
01:18Ready to screw it up.
01:20New chateau owners have a crisis of confidence.
01:24Every job, you're wondering why you ever started it in the first place.
01:28The sheer weight of it.
01:29It's dangerous and it's very long.
01:31Another couple are forced to make high-risk manoeuvres.
01:35I don't want it pushing him off the scaffold.
01:38And at this chateau, good soaring temperatures ruin a big day.
01:44We're battling with extreme heat.
01:46It's 39 degrees this weekend.
01:54In Brittany, in northern France, stands the majestic Moulin du Cuenon.
02:01Once abandoned, this former watermill comes with five floors, concrete silos, rusting turbines and treacherous trapdoors.
02:15Since early 2024, Donna, a former property developer from Hartlepool, and Paul, a retired construction manager from Scotland, have been
02:26transforming it into their forever home.
02:29It's been night and day between what we bought and where we sit today.
02:34And I think we're getting to the stages now that you can start to see what the spaces will become
02:38because we've demolished walls and we've added floors where none existed.
02:42We know it's a really good point in that we've got a roof, you know, we've got a terrace, we've
02:48got room shapes now.
02:50It's surprising how much you can achieve in a year.
02:56Located just 12 miles from the coast, Donna and Paul bought the derelict property and the land opposite for less
03:04than £100,000.
03:08Last time we saw them, they were building a 4.6-metre-wide bedroom balcony.
03:15Do you want a stick of dynamite?
03:16It would help, but it's less controlled than I am, so...
03:20Projecting from the back of the old concrete silos, Paul and Donna would like the steel balcony to appear to
03:28be floating.
03:29But to achieve that kind of delicacy is tough work.
03:34This beam's getting heavier every time I lift it.
03:36I can imagine.
03:39Yay!
03:41And today doesn't look any easier.
03:45We've put in some joist RSJs before that can't lever out from the structure.
03:50We need another one at the front.
03:52It's relatively heavy, so we need to cut that first to length and then we need to get it up
03:55there and then also get that in position.
03:57So the height's obviously a challenge, but Donna doesn't do scaffold, so she won't be on the outside of the
04:04building.
04:06Across the bridge from the property are several more silos and sheds, but instead of containing grain and flour, they
04:15now hold something much more solid.
04:18We've got a RSJ, a steel beam.
04:21It's six metres long, so we need to cut it to 4.6 metres, get it across there, get it
04:26up one floor,
04:27or get it out on the balcony, and then we need to configure a way how we're going to fix
04:32it to the existing beams as well.
04:43Even cut down, the steel beam will weigh around 100 kilos.
04:58One smaller beam.
05:02I just need to get over to the mill now.
05:06Oh, it's a lot lighter than it was.
05:13You need a hand?
05:14Yeah, can you just move the pallet truck out the way when I lift the beam?
05:18Cavalry arriving.
05:20You should have...
05:21You could have done with the cavalry and all the king's horses and all the king's men over there.
05:24Well, you should have shouted me.
05:26I was too busy cooking your dinner.
05:28Right.
05:33Wait!
05:39With jobs like this, it's handy to have strong muscles and a good sense of humour.
05:50Paul likes to use the pallet truck as a scooter, you know, when it's empty, and it's always full of
05:56fun,
05:56and I think that makes the difference when you're working hard, and most times we work seven days a week,
06:02so if you don't have that, you feel the pain.
06:06But getting a heavy steel beam safely out onto the scaffolding will be no laughing matter.
06:19Set amongst rolling countryside, famed for its vineyards in Western France,
06:25stands the breathtaking 19th century Chateau de Brieves.
06:31The former Cognac distillery stands in 35 acres,
06:36while inside it boasts 25 stunning rooms.
06:42It has been home to antiques dealers Sarah and George
06:46and their two children, Tati and Alexei, since 2011,
06:52after the couple bought it for £415,000.
06:57Over the past few years, the family has worked hard transforming it into a luxury wedding venue.
07:03I love this Chateau for the absolute beauty.
07:08It's got beautiful light, it's got beautiful features, it was advanced for its time.
07:15You do feel proud. You're restoring a piece of history, but you're living in it.
07:21It is a dream. It is hard work, of course it's hard work, but we wouldn't change it for anything.
07:27No, we wouldn't.
07:30Located just eight miles from the town of Cognac,
07:36the last time we saw them, they were squeezing major tree surgery.
07:41Oh my goodness, wow!
07:43Wow!
07:46Between weekend weddings.
07:49The timing isn't ideal, but you have to go with the flow.
07:52Oh!
07:54Oh!
07:54Oh!
07:56Oh my God!
08:00Today, the last wedding of the season is on their mind,
08:04and they want every moment to be memorable, including the table plan.
08:10The couple for this wedding, they're really interesting,
08:12and they like something a little bit quirky and a little bit different,
08:16so that's why we're trying to bring something different into their tablescape.
08:21So this afternoon, we're going to go to a local antique shop and try and find pots and baskets
08:27and things you can put flowers in, something different.
08:29Yeah.
08:29So it's not a kind of cookie-cutter wedding, it's...
08:33It's a bit unique.
08:34Yeah.
08:35A one-off.
08:35It would be lovely.
08:42The antique stealer Jean-Claude is in a small village just outside Cognac.
08:49Let's see what we can find.
08:50And George has been visiting him for nearly 20 years.
08:54Salut!
08:55Hello!
08:56Ça va?
08:57Ça va?
08:58Je dois parler en anglais.
09:04I'm looking for greens, yellows, pinks.
09:09What's the palette for the flowers?
09:12Oh, colourful.
09:13Yeah, colourful.
09:14So we don't want too many colours in it.
09:16No.
09:16But we want country, rustic-ish, but also gorgeous.
09:22I quite like the look with the bottle.
09:23I know we've got some at home.
09:25Well, we could do the same look, though.
09:26We need about eight items.
09:32But we have...
09:33I mean, for example, we have got things like the bottles at home,
09:36so we could add that in.
09:37I like those.
09:39Peut-être, oui.
09:40And it isn't long before George goes into haggle mode
09:44for two copper jugs and a wicker log basket.
09:49I think it's too expensive.
09:58No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
10:01Someone's driving a hard bargain.
10:04Anything else, darling?
10:06Having found everything they need,
10:08George goes in to seal the deal
10:10before they head back to the chateau.
10:13George has disappeared into the office with Jean-Claude.
10:17And, well, I think he might be having a little glass of wine
10:20to get a better deal.
10:22OK, that was good.
10:24$3.50 the lot.
10:25Two copper distillation jugs,
10:29a big old log basket,
10:31then two confie pots
10:33and two drip yets.
10:37So, these two.
10:39Yes.
10:40And I've got one there as well.
10:41Yeah.
10:42So...
10:42We had a really great visit to Jean-Claude's brocante.
10:46I was really tough with what we bought.
10:48So was I, yeah.
10:49Ah, OK.
10:49Merci.
10:50Elle est là.
10:51Là-bas, OK.
10:52La hausse, no...
10:52No, merci.
10:54Yeah, it should look gorgeous.
10:55But there's less than four weeks to go,
10:59and Sarah and George's brocante theme
11:01is just a small part of a very big day.
11:09Still to come,
11:11new Chatelain face up to reality...
11:14I don't think there has ever been a quick job at the chateau.
11:17Heed!
11:19..and even experienced DIYers meet their match.
11:24See, sign out.
11:25Nothing small or light, is it?
11:27Nope.
11:36In the lush countryside of the Occitanie region of south-west France
11:41stand the stunning 19th-century Chateau de Picon.
11:47Set in seven acres,
11:50this charming home boasts 31 elegant rooms.
11:55A large glass orangerie.
11:58And breathtaking views.
12:01Today, it's owned by newlyweds Jane,
12:05an intellectual property manager,
12:07and Rory, a part-time plumber and actor.
12:11Good boy.
12:11Being here with Jane has been a really nice way
12:17to settle into our married life.
12:19It's in a joyous environment
12:21that we're turning into our dream home together.
12:25We do have the odd moment of a clash,
12:28but we're always terribly optimistic.
12:31It's a lot less stressful than the daily grind, I think.
12:36And it's very nice to be with Jane doing it.
12:40Just an hour and a half from Doulouse,
12:43the pair bought the property for £470,000 in 2024.
12:51Since then, they've been busy renovating the Chateau's two-storey jete.
12:58With one bedroom complete,
13:01last time we saw them,
13:02they had just started work on its kitchen.
13:06This is the bit I was worried about.
13:08And now the plumbing and appliances are in,
13:11the couple have turned their attention to decorating.
13:15I'm going to tile around the edge of this window.
13:18So I've got this aluminium angle metal that I've got,
13:22and I think it'll do quite nicely,
13:24just to slide on over the top,
13:26so that'll just sit on top of the tile like that as the window edge.
13:31That should tidy it up neatly, I think.
13:37Meanwhile, Jane's got her eye on the pantry cupboard's shelving.
13:42Lining paper, it doesn't fare terribly well over the years.
13:47I can see why people do it,
13:48but it's not as good as having a nicely painted,
13:51a nicely varnished piece of wood.
13:54Slowly but surely, I've been taught the technique.
13:58And, yeah, it comes off in one piece if you just do it slowly.
14:04That's brilliant.
14:04Look at that beautiful wood underneath.
14:08I was thinking of painting it, but now I'm not so sure,
14:11because the grain is actually really nice.
14:13So it might just be sanded and varnished.
14:15What do you think, Rory? Just sand and varnish?
14:18Or you could colour wash it.
14:20Yeah, that's a good idea.
14:21Colour wash it and then varnish it,
14:23so that if you want it, a lighter colour in there.
14:26Mm.
14:27And then you get to preserve the wood grain.
14:29Colour wash would be nice.
14:35I've got a few in this corner now, so we're working our way up.
14:39When you get a nice long run of tiles that you don't have to cut,
14:42then you start getting results quick,
14:44and that's the most satisfying part.
14:52They've got a lot of adhesive still left,
14:55where we took the sticky back plastic off.
14:59But aesthetically, I think this is the way to go.
15:02Two on down, three to go.
15:05Yeah, I'm actually struggling to get the adhesive in now,
15:09because I'm up underneath this unit,
15:11and this unit does have to come back down
15:14for me to finish the tiling, but it's quite tricksy.
15:18It looks brilliant.
15:20Thank you, darling.
15:23Well, I'm really pleased with what we've got done.
15:26I've run out of metal strip to actually finish it.
15:28But what I've got so far has got the aluminium pieces in place,
15:32and so I'm really happy with that.
15:34I'm really pleased with how it looks,
15:35and so I just need to clean up some of my mess.
15:38It's been a good day,
15:40but they'll need to pick up the pace
15:42if they want the gite finished in time for their first guests.
15:51Back near Cognac, at Sarah and George's.
15:56It's the day before the last wedding of the season,
16:00and the temperature's rising.
16:03We're battling with extreme heat.
16:05It's 39 degrees this weekend.
16:07Yeah.
16:07So it's very, very hot.
16:10There's always things, you know, behind the scenes
16:12that we have to manage, but the heat is a big problem.
16:15And then that's one, two, three metres.
16:21To try and keep things cool,
16:23they're pinpointing where the shade will be
16:26during tomorrow's ceremony.
16:28Well, we're in the shade still now,
16:30and it moves this way, so it should be perfect.
16:31Perfect.
16:32And Eleanor will set up the seats perfectly for tomorrow.
16:37Perfect.
16:38That works.
16:39All the people who are sitting here will all be in the shade.
16:42Good job done.
16:43Good job done.
16:46Daughter Tati, who now handles all the wedding flowers,
16:50is trying to keep cool in her cellar workshop
16:53while getting ahead with the decorations.
16:57Tomorrow, it will be a little bit rushed
16:59because I'm battling against the heat,
17:00and flowers and heat don't mix.
17:03For now, I'm feeling relatively confident.
17:05Tomorrow might be a different story.
17:07I'll be running around like a headless chicken,
17:09but I'll keep my composure.
17:13Having already bought a stash of pots and jugs,
17:17they're raiding George's antiques barn
17:20to unearth more treasures
17:21for their brocante-themed table plan.
17:27That's what they used to store the cognac in,
17:30and it's very local to us.
17:32Yes.
17:33Anything else colourful?
17:35I think these are nice for the colour.
17:37Yeah, nice pink colour, very wedding-y.
17:41You know what they are?
17:42Fly catchers?
17:43Yes.
17:43Or wasp catchers, maybe?
17:44Well, either.
17:45Late 19th century.
17:46Are they?
17:47Yeah.
17:48Yeah, we could put a few of those around.
17:50Yeah.
17:50Very good salvage mission.
17:52This is going to be gorge.
17:54As the brocante table plan involves fresh flowers,
17:57it will be a last-minute build tomorrow.
18:01That's a nice stash.
18:04But for now, there's just one more job to do.
18:08A rehearsal with the happy couple, Verity and Simon.
18:13It only started feeling real, I think,
18:15when we got here this morning.
18:17So now that we've got family and friends here,
18:19everyone mingling from all the different parts of our lives,
18:21we're very excited now.
18:22Yes.
18:23Yeah.
18:23Roll on.
18:24Yeah.
18:27There's also a special guest who needs to practice her cue.
18:31Good girl!
18:33Hazel, the couple's official ring-bearer.
18:38We've ticked a lot of boxes.
18:39I feel that we're ready.
18:40It's just, you know, hot.
18:42It is hot.
18:43Ready for a beer, definitely.
18:45Yeah, and a swim.
18:46In that order?
18:47No, swim first.
18:48Whatever, whatever.
18:49Swim first, then beer.
18:50Yeah.
18:50And then start again tomorrow.
18:53Big day tomorrow.
18:55Wedding day tomorrow?
18:56Yeah, I know.
18:57Sarah and George are looking forward to the last wedding of the season,
19:01but when sweltering heat, fresh flowers and animals are involved,
19:06anything could happen.
19:14240 miles further north,
19:17Donner and Paul are using an electric winch
19:20to lift an almost 100 kilo steel joist up to the bedroom.
19:25So handy, this winch, isn't it?
19:28It is handy, yeah.
19:29Best thing we've ever bought.
19:32But as the joist is not only heavy,
19:35but over four and a half metres long,
19:38it's still not going to be easy.
19:44I'm going to pull the beam up through the first floor
19:47and halfway up the second floor,
19:48and then I'm going to jump upstairs,
19:50and then Donner will lower it down,
19:51and we'll pull it onto the first floor
19:53just so we can get it near the master bedroom.
19:56For now, though, it's a case of
19:59Beam me up, Scotty.
20:01Right, off we go.
20:05I was a bit nervous when we were moving
20:07kind of really heavy objects,
20:09but luckily the mill was built to do that as well,
20:12so obviously we've put in a modern winch,
20:15but it's handy to have all these trapdoors in every floor,
20:19so they come in really handy
20:21when you're trying to move materials up and down.
20:27Once the beam's upright,
20:30it's time for some manual manoeuvring.
20:33OK.
20:34Yep.
20:38Whoa.
20:42Right.
20:43Come down.
20:45Bit more.
20:51Down.
21:02With the beam safely on the first floor...
21:05Right.
21:06..the couple now need to drag it
21:09to the back of the building.
21:13Watch your fingers and ankles.
21:15And toes.
21:16Yes.
21:17Yes.
21:23All right, if I go this way...
21:26Two-six on.
21:35See-saw now.
21:36Nothing small or light, is it?
21:38Nope.
21:45To help, Paul falls back on some ancient engineering.
21:51Do it like the Egyptians.
21:53Hee!
21:55Hee!
21:56Hee!
21:58But getting the beam into the bedroom
22:00turns out to be the simple bit.
22:03That'll do.
22:04Right.
22:05I think we've got enough angle to get a turn,
22:07but it'll be tight.
22:08You're going to have to get there
22:09as tight out that way as possible,
22:11otherwise the weight of it's going to go...
22:12Yeah.
22:13Well, you can be ballast on the end.
22:14Dig a hole down the little...
22:16Yeah.
22:16Everything else you can...
22:17Ballast?
22:17What are you trying to say?
22:21If you can just hook that through the both on
22:23and then we'll tie the orange one to this one.
22:28Just try that for size there.
22:31If the beam tips over,
22:33the straps may hold it,
22:36but they won't stop Paul from hitting the ground.
22:39The sheer weight of it, it's dangerous and it's very long,
22:42so, yeah, I don't want it pushing him off the scaffold.
22:46Once it goes out there,
22:48it can easily go whichever way it wants to go,
22:52so, yeah, it's a bit dangerous.
22:54Can't put it off any longer, I can't delay it any more,
22:56we need to try and get the beam out now,
22:58so this is the trickier part of today's activity,
23:02so hopefully we've minimised any risks.
23:07That's it.
23:08All right.
23:09Ready?
23:10Yeah.
23:12Un, deux, trois.
23:18Still to come.
23:19During the wedding ceremony,
23:21I'm going to release the dog.
23:23There are missed cues.
23:25It's not my signal, is it?
23:27Go.
23:28Oh, my God, go.
23:29And dodgy decisions.
23:32So you're going to have to take it a bit further
23:33to get it away from here.
23:35Careful.
23:36Well, it's not going to go anywhere else.
23:38You might.
23:45In Western France,
23:47at Sarah and George's,
23:48it's the day of the wedding
23:50and there's a ceremony and party to prepare.
23:53I think they're, yeah, really gorgeous.
23:57Yeah, no, they really are.
23:58Oh, today's wedding day for Verity and Simon.
24:01So exciting.
24:02Lots of getting readies, lots of comings and goings,
24:05and it's incredibly hot.
24:08Incredibly hot.
24:09Incredibly hot, yeah.
24:11During the wedding ceremony,
24:12I'm going to release the dog.
24:14That's my job.
24:15And I hope she goes in the right direction.
24:17Isn't she carrying the other rings?
24:19Yeah, she's a ring bearer.
24:20Yeah.
24:21So let's hope she does go in the right direction.
24:24It's a whirl of activity.
24:26And though it's too hot to prepare
24:28the table's floral display in advance,
24:31Tati is in full flower mode for the ceremony.
24:38That's the boss.
24:41We?
24:42A worried Sarah urgently needs George's help.
24:46Is he?
24:48I'll have a look.
24:54Looking for a dog collar for the dog with flowers on it,
25:00which we've lost, but I'll find it.
25:07Crikey.
25:08Oh, wow, it's huge.
25:09Are you sure it's that?
25:09Yeah, it is.
25:10OK.
25:11It has to be, doesn't it?
25:12Yeah.
25:12Found the collar for the dogs.
25:16Thank goodness.
25:17That's my role.
25:18He's only got one job, really.
25:22Oh, dear Lord.
25:25The emergency is over just in time.
25:34Ladies and gentlemen, please stand for our beautiful bride.
25:45Good girl.
25:47Oh, that looks beautiful, doesn't it?
25:49And we now bear witness to what their relationship has become.
25:53What do you reckon, sweetheart?
25:55Are you ready for your big moment?
25:56No pressure.
25:58As today, they will affirm this bond publicly and formally.
26:08Let's just hope she goes in the right direction.
26:12It's not my signal, is it?
26:14Eleanor.
26:15Oh, God, it is.
26:16Today, the honour and responsibility of looking after the rings has fallen to Hazel.
26:23Hazel, please come forward.
26:25Put the dog mode on.
26:26Go.
26:26Oh, my God, go.
26:27Right, come on, Hazel.
26:28Hazel, come on.
26:35Yay!
26:38Oh, she's made it.
26:41Oh, lovely.
26:41Just lovely.
26:42What a good dog.
26:43Oh, she's adorable.
26:46Oh.
26:48Yep, perfect.
26:49Good dog.
26:50I now have the greatest pleasure in pronouncing you husband and wife.
26:54You may kiss.
26:55Yeah.
26:57Sarah's dog handling duties are done and the new Mr. and Mrs. can head off for photos and
27:05a cocktail celebration with guests.
27:09I love you so much.
27:10You look so beautiful.
27:12Oh, thanks, honey.
27:13The ceremony may be over, but Sarah and George now need to create a stunning display with their
27:21brocante-style table plan.
27:34200 miles further south, Rory has finished tiling and is now hoping to improve the kitchen's
27:42ventilation.
27:44We've had a lot of problems with condensation penetrating and rusting up the beading on
27:49the corners of the walls.
27:51So I'm just trying to get rid of the old cement that's used to seal up the large extractor fan
27:57that used to be in here.
27:58Once that's out, we can replace it with much more breathable lime plaster.
28:05Lending a hand and his expertise today is Rory's friend, Darren, an experienced builder.
28:13Hello.
28:14Greetings.
28:21So it looks like there's the render on the outside and then under that there's a cement render.
28:25There's a cement render, yeah.
28:30But the different renders aren't the only surprise.
28:34There's a pipe with a legging on it.
28:39God.
28:40So that's where the hot and colds go up.
28:42Is it?
28:43Yeah.
28:44So that was lucky.
28:45Yeah.
28:46They've come outside the original skin of the building and they're going up through a brick
28:51layer.
28:52Very peculiar.
28:53Yeah, so we don't want to go any further that way.
28:55No.
29:01I don't think there has ever been a quick job at the chateau.
29:05Every job, you're wondering why you ever started it in the first place.
29:10Still unsure what the internal render is made from, Darren suggests that Jane does a quick
29:17experiment.
29:18If it fizzes up with vinegar, then it's lime water rather than cement.
29:26Moment of truth.
29:30Yeah.
29:32That's fizzing.
29:33So this is a piece of lime.
29:35Darren's helped us discover that perhaps the render that we feared was cement render may
29:41actually be a lime render, in which case the building might not be suffering as much as
29:46we first thought it was.
29:49While Darren and Rory use bricks and lime mortar to fill the hole, Jane continues her work on
29:56the cupboard.
29:58I'm going to paint the inside of the pantry to match the new colour that I'm doing for
30:02the walls in here and obviously make it all clean and nice.
30:05And then I'm going to paint the door frame.
30:10Tidying up and prettifying a dingy corner.
30:15With the hole nearly filled, Rory spots a potential issue.
30:21The lime may or may not react with the old wires there, so I'm going to put it inside a
30:27sexually hot water pipe.
30:29That'll protect the wires whilst they're in use.
30:32And if the lime decides it wants to try and eat through this, which I doubt it will, it'll
30:36take a long time doing it.
30:38And that should do it.
30:45I'm really pleased.
30:49That's very true.
30:51Well done, Darren.
30:52Well done, Darren.
30:53Well done.
30:54Thank you so much.
30:55Would you like a cup of tea?
30:56Oh, a cup of tea would be lovely.
30:59Despite a few hiccups, the pipework for a new, more powerful extractor is in.
31:06And the pantry cupboard's makeover is well on track.
31:09But Rory and Jane still have a lot to do before it'll be ready for guests.
31:20At Moulin du Cuenon.
31:23Donna and Paul now need to get the 4.6-metre steel beam for their new balcony out through
31:34the glass doors without tipping it over the side and taking Paul with it.
31:41Let's rearrange this timber and put it here, just so we can move it off that one.
31:44That one?
31:44Yeah.
31:45Cos it's probably not doing much at the moment, honey.
31:47Just to give you some space.
31:51I think we'll get that, actually.
31:53One, two, three.
31:57One, two, three.
32:00One, two, three.
32:03Right, I'm on the beam.
32:05OK.
32:06So you're going to have to take it a bit further to get it away from here?
32:09Yeah.
32:10OK.
32:11As the beam weighs around 100 kilos, the couple are playing a very delicate and dangerous
32:18balancing act.
32:20Wait there, hon.
32:21I'll come down and lift it out.
32:22OK?
32:23Yeah.
32:23Just steady it.
32:29Ready?
32:30Yeah.
32:31To me.
32:31OK.
32:32Swing it out.
32:35All right.
32:36Take that strap off.
32:38Do you want to use it?
32:39No.
32:41Be careful.
32:43Well, it's not going to go anywhere.
32:44You might.
32:47I'm going nowhere, sweetheart.
32:59That's OK.
33:03Ooh!
33:06Gosh.
33:11Oh, well done.
33:16Even after it's tied in place, Paul's not taking any chances.
33:23Right, I'll put a couple of tacks in it.
33:25Hold it.
33:27Pass me the weldy stuff.
33:32Thankfully, it's in.
33:33I'm just going to stick a couple of tack welds in it, just to secure it overnight.
33:37The small, temporary welds will safely hold the beam until Paul's ready to move on to the next
33:45stage.
33:51Got a couple of tack welds in place.
33:52It needs a permanent weld.
33:54But I think it's enough to actually take the strap off so we can close the doors.
33:58So, yeah, I think it was a good job, actually, to get that done.
34:01And it could have gone a lot worse.
34:02Thankfully, it didn't.
34:03But more importantly, I'm happy that I'm still on the scaffold and not on the heap at the bottom of
34:07the scaffold.
34:09I think Donna was relieved as well, so, yeah, so happy that that's done and enough to get
34:17the deck on tomorrow, which is good, and then it'll look like a balcony then.
34:23Now, though, it's time for a little bit of TLC.
34:27Yeah, good.
34:28Look, it looks more like a balcony now than it did this morning.
34:32Don't tell you to hear.
34:35You can have a little while in your balcony if you want.
34:38Not yet.
34:40For both Donna and Paul...
34:43Just going to have a drink.
34:44..it's a day they'll never forget.
34:47When you're trying to manhandle something that weighs probably more than both of us put together,
34:54um, yeah, and then it's going out a window, yeah,
34:58I don't think we could have made it more scary, actually.
35:02It was all under control.
35:03But thankfully, it kind of, yeah, it went, yeah, as planned.
35:09As planned, yeah.
35:10It went as planned.
35:12Unfortunately, the ordeal isn't over.
35:16There's obviously more to do.
35:17We've got the actual flooring to put down hopefully tomorrow, but a very successful day.
35:22There's always more to do.
35:24There's always more to do, yeah.
35:25And the balcony's steel floor is even bigger than the beam.
35:34Still to come.
35:36Moment of truth.
35:38Rory's feeling boxed in.
35:40I don't even know whether it's this way round or the other way round.
35:43Teamwork.
35:44Four.
35:45I've got four.
35:46And things reach boiling point at Sarah and George's.
35:50Shall we zoom off, cos the guests are going to come in a minute?
35:52I know, I know.
35:59Over at Rory and James, the Gite kitchen's new extractor fan is in.
36:04But the pipework needs tidying before it's good enough for guests.
36:10I'll make a framework the wood can screw to, then it'll just sort of fit around that loosely.
36:22Now I'm going to drill a few holes, put a few screws in, hold it in place.
36:26Then I can do the same again with the other bit of wood and create the L-shaped bracket of
36:31boxing,
36:32which hopefully will fit perfectly up there.
36:35If I did my measurements correctly yesterday when I was very tired.
36:40While Rory crosses his fingers, Jane's hoping to solve another damp problem,
36:47but this time around the window.
36:50This paint is a pigment that penetrates the surface,
36:53so it shouldn't just immediately flake off.
36:56It should adhere and sort of soak in and stabilise everything.
37:04I think he's doing brilliantly.
37:06People think, oh, a bit of boxing in, well, that doesn't sound difficult.
37:10But actually, to get everything lined up and join various things together,
37:14it's difficult, it's definitely difficult, and he's done really well.
37:17Moment of truth.
37:20Let's... I don't even know whether it's this way round or the other way round,
37:22but I'll try and offer it up and see what it looks like.
37:33We're sort of looking like that.
37:35Good.
37:36Are you ready to screw it in?
37:39Ready to screw it up.
37:47Yeah, I'm quite pleased so far.
37:49We can sand this down, finesse it a bit,
37:52and then it's ready to be primed and painted.
37:55Great.
37:56It's nearly there.
37:58Are you ready?
38:01As soon as the boxing's safely up,
38:04it's time for the last few bits to be put in place.
38:09OK.
38:16It's on, Jane.
38:17It's on.
38:18Hopefully for good.
38:25It's now looking like a kitchen, and it's looking a lot better than I remember.
38:30If we look back on what we've achieved, it has been enormous.
38:34So, we're so close now.
38:37Just a few more hours to finish as much as we can.
38:43We're working into the night.
38:45Burning the candle at both ends.
38:53The next day, Rory and Jane's work is done.
38:58And what only a few weeks ago was a damp, tired old kitchen,
39:05cold, unwelcoming, and in desperate need of attention,
39:12has been transformed into a bright, warm space
39:17with classic cabinetry,
39:21golden oak worktops,
39:25contemporary colours,
39:28and a large island for their guests to gather around.
39:34It's amazing being in here and having it as a working kitchen.
39:38We've worked really hard.
39:40It's absolutely lovely.
39:42It's going to be the centre of our jeet.
39:47Shall we sit down?
39:49Yes, let's.
39:54I'm very pleased.
39:55I'm really pleased.
39:56Your tiling, the cupboards,
39:59it's just looking really nice.
40:00We didn't know if we'd be able to get this
40:03even in the room, did we?
40:05Mm, yeah.
40:06It's completely different from what we inherited.
40:10Yeah.
40:10And it's exactly what I wanted.
40:12And I definitely think this is the nicest this room has looked
40:15in at least 50 years.
40:18Yeah, definitely.
40:20So, well done us.
40:22Well done.
40:22Well done.
40:23Cheers.
40:24Cheers.
40:26But Jane and Rory have plenty more jobs to do
40:31before they can welcome their guests to Chateau de Piquon.
40:43Four hours away at Chateau de Brèves,
40:47it's 39 degrees,
40:49and the wedding guests are celebrating in the shade,
40:53while George, Tati and Sarah race to create a unique table plan
40:58that will show the seating arrangement for the wedding breakfast.
41:07setting it up so the mixture of things we brought in the brachante look nice,
41:13and then to make it look really good,
41:17and we're going to use the flowers.
41:19Four.
41:19I've got four.
41:20You get four?
41:21Yeah.
41:21What are we?
41:21Four.
41:26So far, so good.
41:27Yes, definitely.
41:28It's coming together.
41:31Table 1, table 2, table 3, table 4.
41:42This one.
41:43That's good.
41:45I like that.
41:49Now the pots are prepared,
41:51it's time to bring the flowers out of the cool cellar into the open.
41:57My helpers?
42:09Looking good, Tati?
42:11Getting there.
42:11Yeah, that's what I think.
42:12It's getting there, yes.
42:14Well, they can come forward.
42:15Yep.
42:16That's it.
42:17I like that.
42:19Just try one, maybe.
42:23Done.
42:24I think really good.
42:25Teamwork.
42:28What do you think, darling?
42:29Absolutely divine.
42:30Yeah, I think you've done a good job, actually.
42:31I think you've done a good job, actually.
42:32Shall we zoom off, because the guests are going to come in a minute?
42:34I know, I know.
42:35Yeah, just hope they enjoy it.
42:37I'm sure they will.
42:38Come on, then.
42:39Really, really tough for that, so, yeah.
42:41Really unusual and even more gorgeous than I ever expected, so, tough.
42:47Their first ever Brocante-inspired table plan
42:51has been brought to life with an abundance of fresh blooms
42:55and quirky antiques.
43:07We had zero vision for the table plan.
43:10Yeah.
43:10It's more gorgeous than we ever could have imagined.
43:13Yeah.
43:13Everything just looked absolutely picture perfect.
43:15We just loved it so much.
43:18It was beautiful.
43:18And they've all done a very good job.
43:20Very good job.
43:21Made us very happy.
43:23With their main responsibilities over,
43:26Sarah and George can breathe a sigh of relief
43:29as the celebrations flow.
43:32It's such a huge thing in their lives,
43:34and sometimes, you know, people can take that for granted,
43:37but it is a huge part of their lives,
43:39and it's something that will stay with them forever.
43:42For us to be part of it, it really is very, very special.
43:45It means a lot to us, yeah.
43:46And they've rounded off their wedding season with great aplomb,
43:52along with animals and antiques,
43:54and on one of the hottest days of the year.
44:05Next time...
44:06Stop! Stop!
44:08..a 50-kilo balcony hangs in the balance.
44:13Ooh! We've got a massive jolt there.
44:16There's DIY disharmony.
44:18Jolian is measuring, re-measuring, lasering,
44:21I'm just getting a clue on, bashing it on the wall.
44:23And a daring demolition.
44:26I am having the best time.
44:29Hit it! Hit it!
44:35Hit it!
44:37Hit it!
44:38I had it!
44:42Hit it!
44:45Hit it!
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