Introduction
It’s 5 am on Friday 9th June. I’m stood outside my house on a lovely sunny morning. I’ve had about 3 hours sleep and am waiting for my old friend Freddy to collect 4 huge sections of bespoke carpentry for the Eltham episode of ‘Love Your Home & Garden’. It’s reveal day and marks the end of the longest and most challenging of the 3 builds, and I can’t wait for this day to be over.
We have had 10 weeks to refit the ground floor of this post war 3-bed semi detached house. We are building a new side extension and removing all but 1 of the internal walls. Oh, and we are removing the entire back and side of the house. This is a huge challenge; we would normally expect to have at least 16 weeks for a job of this size.
We have been up against it from the start but the team has worked hard and I’m impressed that we have got as far as we have. This, of course, will have all been for nothing if we don’t deliver the build by 5 pm today.
As I look up at the blue sky Fred hurtles around the corner, I wonder if he fancies driving to Spain! I get into the car and resist the temptation to flee convincing myself that everything will go my way today.
The Family
This episodes build is for another very deserving family, the Seesurruns. I was lucky to have spent a lot of time with Rajeev, Manisha and Aryan in the run up to the show. They are a truly lovely family who had been through a terrible experience yet approach life with joy and warmth. It’s plain to see that they love Aryan dearly and show no signs of self-pity or bitterness, despite the fact Aryan born with Dystonic Quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy, which means he will require a lifetime of care. I can’t wait to get started and play my part in changing their lives.
10 weeks to reveal
Like all residential builds, the work progresses quickly. The team is in good spirits and very excited about the project. The conservatory is demolished by the end of the first day and by the end of the week most of the external demolition is completed.
It’s a great start but by the end of the week, there is already a problem. Due to the filming schedule, we had to start works before full plans had been produced, and now that we have the design we realise the build is over budget.
We are working with Bradley Van Der Straeten on the project, who (although it may sound like it), is not a person (well not 1 person anyway). This is the name of an architects’ firm who are the designers for this episode. The name is an amalgamation of the founders’ names George Bradley & Ewald Van Der Straeten.
George and Ewald have done incredibly well to get a full set of plans to us in just a few days (it normally takes weeks), so we all spend the weekend trying to figure out a way to deliver their design with the budget we have. It’s a very long weekend.
9 weeks to reveal
All ahead, halt!
George, Ewald and I meet with the production company and we all present our ideas to bring the design back on budget. It’s a good meeting and together we reach a solution that will deliver a fantastic build for the show. Everyone is happy.
Amazingly, George and Ewald are able to produce a set of drawings by the end of the week, but until then we can’t really do anything onsite, so we have a week off. We just can’t afford to lose a week, and I wonder how the hell we are going to deliver this build by the 9th June.
8 Weeks to reveal
We are back onsite with a new design but the delays have hurt us. We are only 2 weeks into the job and are way behind schedule, plus it’s Easter this weekend, which means both this week and next are 4-day weeks. Normally a cause for great celebration, but in this instance it just makes me want to cry.
To top it all off, the 24th April (just 2 weeks away) is our first big filming day with Alan Titchmarsh, and I need something for the director to film. I have the overriding sensation that if I don’t figure this out by the end of the day, it will be my career that shall need resurrecting come Easter Monday.
I leave the site, turn off my phone and head for a walk around the local park. On my return, I have a plan. It’s ambitious, daring and risky but if it all comes together we will be back on track. The plan necessitates that in just 4 days we are going to have to install 2 major structural pieces of steel, remove the back of the house and pour all foundations, thus transforming the house enough for the filming day on 24th.
We immediately put the plan into action. Things start well as we are using machines to smash down walls and dig really big holes, it’s great, and we are all in our element.
In order to meet the deadline, we decide to do things slightly differently; instead of pouring the foundations and then fitting the steel, we’ve decided to hang the steel first and then pour the concrete. This eliminates the need to wait for the concrete to dry before we fit the steel. It’s the only way we will get everything done by Thursday afternoon.
Everyone is behind the plan Thames steel manufacture and deliver the beams for us in just 2 days, and Concrete Singh (I love that name) agree to give us the last pouring slot on the Thursday afternoon. Amazingly, everything goes to plan and by Thursday 5 pm we have done it. There is still a long way to go but we have won a major battle in this war. It’s the perfect way to start a long weekend.
7 Weeks to reveal
We have 4 days to get the build ready for our first big filming day so we concentrate on taking down the ceilings and demolishing a wall up stairs. The gardeners are in full flow and it’s really beginning to take shape.
Edgar (our trusty labourer), and I decide to work on Saturday just to get everything cleaned up and the site ready for the big day. I manage to convince a contact to send us a grab lorry at short notice to help tidy up and by 2 pm the site is ready for lights, cameras & Mr. Titchmarsh.
6 Weeks to reveal
Filming onsite is a strange and unfamiliar experience for me. I’m both builder and TV presenter and find it difficult to balance the 2 roles. The team is in good spirits but the reality of making a TV show whilst simultaneously building a house soon begins to have an impact.
There is a lot of waiting around, and we are asked to stop work as we are making too much noise, and then asked to start again, but without making noise so that we are not standing around in the back of a shot.
This is also my first filming day with Alan, and as I stand next to him waiting for filming to start I notice the crowd of people just staring at me; cameramen, my team, directors, producers, and architects are just stood there, looking at me. I immediately begin to feel very nervous but before it can take hold Mike (the Director) shouts, “Action” and suddenly I’m doing it, I’m co-presenting with Alan Titchmarsh. Brilliant.
5 Weeks to reveal
Another bloody bank holiday means yet another 4-day week! We still have to fit 2 large steel beams and actually build the extension, which is a lot to do in just 4 days. Lee, Steve and the boys crack on and by the end of the week, things are looking good.
It’s a happy Friday although I am wondering how the gardeners’ digger is going to get out of the garden, now that the steels beams are in. Steve says it’s fine, and I take him at his word. It’s Friday 4 pm and I’m not looking for problems, I’m sure they will find me soon enough.
4 weeks to reveal
We are feeling the pressure. We have 1 month until reveal and there is still no roof on the extension. The guys work around the clock and by the end of the week, it’s all beginning to take shape, although there is a slight issue with the position of the fancy roof lights (or skylights) we are fitting. I speak to the BVDS to let them know and George and Ewald arrange to meet us onsite next week to go through the plans.
In the meantime, the guys finish what they can, and somehow manage to get the gardeners digger into the front garden. They even send me a photo as proof. I can’t quite figure out how they have done it, but I don’t ask. It’s Friday 4 pm and just like last week I’m not looking for problems, I’m sure they will find me soon enough.
3 Weeks to reveal
It’s midday on Wednesday before we reach a decision with BVDS on where to put the roof lights. This means we have exactly 2.5 days to build the roof structure, internal walls/floors and apply the waterproof membrane. This has to be completed by Saturday as it’s due to rain on Sunday for almost a week so this is our last chance to get the roof watertight and stay on schedule.
I get to site on Friday pm to see that everything has been finished. It’s a key point in the job, and the roof membrane can be fitted on Saturday so all is good in the world.
2 weeks to reveal
“Here comes the rain, again,” and it’s causing us problems. Due to the tight schedule, I’ve had to do this job in reverse, applying internal finishes (plastering, painting, flooring, kitchen, etc.) before the property is watertight.
We have a 5m hole in the back of the house and if the water gets into the property it’s all over. The sliding doors which will plug the 5m hole in the back of the house are not due to be installed until 3 days before the reveal day. So I have to build a temporary roof to the rear of the property to protect the interior and allow the external rendering to go ahead.
1 week to reveal
After a day filming with Colin (Series Producer), he takes me aside and in his own very charming way lets me know that he doesn’t think we will be ready in time for the reveal. We discuss moving the reveal date back, but I resist this and instead ask for 90 minutes to meet with the guys and draw up a plan that will convince him we can finish on time.
I drive off to meet the guys for lunch and together we draw up a plan of action that is going to save the show. After presenting the plan to Colin he seems relatively happy and asks for daily updates on our progress. There are going be some late nights, but we always knew that would be the case.
48 Hrs. to reveal
When I remember what stage this job was at just 3 weeks ago, it’s a real testament to the team that we are almost ready. There is just 1 thing that worries me; we don’t have the 5m of bespoke cupboard units that Sue and Fred are making for us offsite.
At this late stage, if we don’t have these cupboards we don’t have a TV show, it’s that simple. So I jump into a taxi and head over the workshop. I arrive to find most of the units erected. The internal shelving needs to be fitted and then the units need to be painted.
I’ve asked for them to be spray painted as it’s the best finish but we need to apply at least 3 coats of paint. Due to drying times, we won’t be able to deliver the units to site tomorrow for installation. We have no option, we will have to deliver and install the units on the day of the reveal. I call Colin to give him the news.
24 Hours before reveal
Apart from the gaping 5m hole where the cupboards should be the job is really coming together. We are almost there. We have quite a few things to finish but we are on top of it and are all staying late. We have painters, carpenters, plasterers and a team of cleaners from Serna Cleaning onsite.
I offer to buy everyone pizzas as a ‘Thank you’ and it’s almost midnight before we leave. I get home just after 1 am and set my alarm for 4:45 am. I’m hoping it’s going to be a good day tomorrow.
The video below was taken at 9pm the night before the reveal
Day of reveal
As Fred and I race around the A406 to the workshop he tells me that everything is finished and looking great. The Woodstock joinery team has pulled it out of the hat, in just 3 days they have manufactured the cupboards that will be at the center of the redesign of the home. I’m amazed and so pleased. But it’s way too early for congratulations, and we drive in convoy to the site.
As before, the reveal day is crazy. People everywhere, filming, working and cleaning all on top of each other. Yet again everyone pulls together and once more I’m amazed at how much we get done on the last day. By the time of the press shots, the house looks amazing, simply stunning.
It’s another successful build, Rajeev, Manisha, Ayran, their friends and family love the house and there are tears of joy and screams of happiness from its interior. I say goodbye to the family and as I get into my taxi, I sit in a meditative silence all the way to Euston Station. Tomorrow I’m due on the Super Stage at the Ideal Home Show in Manchester, and I’ve not even written the presentation yet. I’m following in the footsteps of George Clarke (The Restoration Man) so I’m going to have to put on a good show. I’m not too worried though; I’ve got a 2hr train ride to figure it out
If you missed the episode
https://youtu.be/EYuYeW925qw