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00:00Today's Property SOS has been a long time in the making.
00:04I'm at a place where we do need to get it resolved.
00:07And expectations are high.
00:09It's full of magic. I'm sure one day it's going to be done.
00:13For both of us, they want it to be an office, a bedroom and cinema room.
00:19So while I met with fierce resistance on the road...
00:22All I'd ask from you, Adi, is just an open mind.
00:25She's shaking her head!
00:28I'm banging my head against a brick wall at home.
00:31How solid does it feel? Phil, are you knocking?
00:35One of us will need to perform a miracle.
00:38It is beautiful.
00:40To seal the deal.
00:42Thank you. What are you doing that for?
00:44And resolve this debate once and for all.
00:47Are you going to love it?
00:49Or are you going to list it?
00:51Today, we're in Hertfordshire.
00:59In the town of Stevenage.
01:03I'm ashamed to say I know almost nothing about Stevenage.
01:07Do you want me to fill you in?
01:09Well, have you got any Phil's Fun Facts?
01:11No-one born in Stevenage? Yes.
01:13Who is from Stevenage? He's a good driver.
01:15I know who. His name is on the tip of my tongue.
01:18In fact, I once saw him on a plane.
01:20Can I give a clue? No, I know his name.
01:22Oh, I can give you all the information, but no, come on, I can do it.
01:25Lewis Hamilton. Well done! Come on!
01:30I might not be as quick as Lewis Hamilton,
01:32but I always get there in the end.
01:37Today's couple at Love It or List It Loggerheads are Adi and Steven.
01:42I am so excited to have Kirstie on my side, you know,
01:45Tim Love It, to convince Steven to stay put.
01:49I don't know what magic Kirstie can perform to convince me,
01:53or shall I say a miracle?
01:58Steven and Adi live in this three-bedroom new build
02:01with their two children.
02:03I love this house because of its location.
02:06We have built a network of friends.
02:09That's not something you build overnight.
02:13I want to list it because we have grown the house
02:16and the house is lacking space.
02:18The space that Steven is talking about, we've got that space.
02:23We just need to be very creative with it.
02:25The couple have been knocking the issue back and forth
02:28for three long years.
02:30Well, that's totally out!
02:32We have been having this debate for so long
02:35and I'm at a place where we do need to get it resolved.
02:40Risk officer Adi and support worker Steven
02:43bought the house off plan ten years ago,
02:46just after the birth of their son Nathaniel.
02:50Since then, they've welcomed daughter Jane too.
02:56I prefer a bigger garden, at least for the kids to run around
03:00and play football if they want to, or tennis if they want to either.
03:05It's not just outside where Steven wants more space.
03:09Inside, they need more bedrooms for grandparents visiting from Nigeria.
03:14In a year, I could say around five to six months,
03:17we do have family coming over,
03:20and what that means for Jane is having to move
03:24or share her brother's room.
03:27Since the kids were born, their grandparents have been visiting
03:30for around three months at a time.
03:33That's another raisin toast.
03:35You see?
03:36So with that, we don't have to bother.
03:38She's got her room already, and we've got a guest room.
03:41I like Steven's style.
03:43Never missing a chance to big up Team Listed.
03:47The layout of the house isn't working for this family of four,
03:50not least as a multi-generational home for half the year.
03:54Downstairs, there's a kitchen-diner, lounge and WC,
03:58and up top, the family bathroom
04:00and three double bedrooms with the en-suite.
04:03The lack of space inside and out is a big issue for Steven,
04:06but his bete noire is the en-suite and its lack of ventilation.
04:12The en-suite in my bedroom, there's no window there.
04:16Can't have my bath there.
04:18I've never had my bath there ever since we moved in here.
04:21Not once.
04:23So what I did was to just convert it to a walk-in wardrobe.
04:28That's a new one on me.
04:32Addie occasionally worked from home during lockdown
04:35and continues to do so.
04:37To give her additional space,
04:39the couple spruced up the garage as a study.
04:42We've got the garage space, but it doesn't work for me all the time.
04:47Yes, as children will do, they've taken over and made it their playroom.
04:53So I end up going to the kitchen.
04:56Definitely something has to change there.
04:58That's the main reason why I said if we went looking for somewhere,
05:02obviously, you know, everything is done.
05:04We just have to be creative, my love. It's possible here as well.
05:07Yeah, it's just...
05:11Three years of indecision over whether to renovate or relocate
05:14needs to come to an end.
05:16Time to sort it out.
05:18Hello. Hello.
05:20Hi. Hello.
05:22Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you.
05:24Come in, please.
05:26Who wants to love and who wants to list?
05:29I want to love it.
05:31I want to list it.
05:33Addie, what is it about the house that you love?
05:35The location, the schools, the gym, the shops.
05:39I also love the fact that we have large rooms in the house.
05:43I also see a lot of potential in the house.
05:48It's like a blank canvas and I just have to put my stamp on it,
05:52which I have been yearning to do for the past nine years, to be fair.
05:56There's just so many things that I see here
05:58and maybe that's the problem that I've been having with Stephen
06:01is because it feels like today I tell him,
06:03oh, wait, you know what?
06:05The deck in there, we could create a shed there
06:07or we could move the washing machine to the toilet downstairs
06:11and he's like, OK.
06:13And then tomorrow I could change my mind and say we could create it here
06:16because I see potential in the house.
06:18We do discuss about having a utility, which we don't have yet.
06:22Yes, but we could create it.
06:23So where would you create it? That's a problem.
06:25In the downstairs toilet. It's very big. You could have a shower room there.
06:28So you're coming up with lots of different ideas
06:30but actually you need a plan with Kirsty.
06:32Yes, which is why, you know, I'm confident it could sway you.
06:37And Stephen, why don't you think that it works or could be made to work?
06:41I think we need to list it because we need a bigger place
06:45and I think we need a bigger garden as well.
06:47My main concern is the master bedroom, the ensuite.
06:51There's no window there.
06:53So ever since we've been here, I've never used that toilet.
06:57So you've got one family bathroom and one ensuite
06:59and you've never used the ensuite because it doesn't have a window.
07:02Never.
07:03Is there anything you think we haven't talked about?
07:05Storage, storage, storage.
07:07New houses, new houses, new houses.
07:09Yeah, that is a big problem.
07:11You don't see it. When you look round a show home, you don't see it.
07:14You just see the show home and you don't think...
07:16If I could have a T-shirt which said,
07:18where are you going to put your ironing board?
07:21Exactly!
07:23My dream job is to work with house builders on clever storage solutions.
07:30Wow. We need to have a look around.
07:32OK.
07:33Kirsty's idea of a dream job leaves a lot to be desired.
07:37As does the layout of this house.
07:39It's a perfectly decent size,
07:41just not for a growing family and visiting relatives.
07:45For six months of the year, parents are here.
07:48That's a lot.
07:49I can see how they make it work.
07:51Yes.
07:52But it's not really sustainable.
07:53No, it's not sustainable.
07:55It's not just about the lack of bedrooms.
07:57The ones they have already aren't working well enough.
08:00Large bedroom with ensuite, but that has a wall.
08:07You could have a window.
08:10Oh, I think that's the worst designed ensuite I've ever seen.
08:14Adding a window is a relatively easy fix,
08:16but then where do Stephen's clothes go?
08:19This home, like many modern homes, is a storage disaster zone.
08:24I have a healthy £45,000 budget
08:26to make this house work for three generations,
08:29but I'm starting to think that can be done
08:31without building upwards or outwards.
08:34What's that room?
08:35Oh, that's the dancers' loo, which is actually enormous.
08:38So, back of this cupboard, Phil,
08:41this space could be utilised.
08:43That whole space?
08:44Yeah.
08:46This is actually a discovery.
08:49You could get a washing machine, a tumble dryer,
08:52a sink, a shower and a loo in this space.
08:55This is the key to this house.
08:58Solved it already.
09:01She's at the top of her game today.
09:04Not just today, Phil, every day.
09:07This mojo is flowing nicely, thank you, unlike this kitchen.
09:11The focus really has to be, like, find a place to put the fridge
09:15so that this can be a more generous family space.
09:18Yes.
09:19And with grandparents visiting as much as they do,
09:21I bet that's used a lot.
09:23Find a different place for the fridge and you're done.
09:25No, no, there's other things that need doing.
09:28This home is falling short in so many areas
09:31and my to-do list is getting longer.
09:34We've talked about the garage a lot.
09:36Let's have a look at that.
09:38I'm going to stay here, knock on the wall in the garage.
09:41Of course, Your Ladyship.
09:43Three bags full, Your Ladyship.
09:45Phil, are you knocking?
09:47No, not yet.
09:50How solid does it feel?
09:52Can you hear it?
09:53I can.
09:55It feels pretty solid, though.
09:57As solid as my chances of a listed victory.
10:00There's decent space here,
10:02including a study, a playroom and a general dumping ground.
10:06They even keep a chest freezer in here.
10:08This area looks to me like a not properly utilised space.
10:12It's doing a reasonable job now, but it could do a better job.
10:15There's all sorts that can be achieved in this space.
10:17You're figuring it out already?
10:23I love it when the cogs are turning.
10:27I also love it when I get a massive listed budget.
10:30There's more than £800,000 to play with.
10:33But if they spend that, moving and legal expenses plus stamp duty
10:37will set them back just over £35,000,
10:40money that is much better spent here.
10:42A guest bedroom has to be the priority.
10:45But will that really be enough to make this a forever family home?
10:48I'm not convinced.
10:50So, you've figured it all out?
10:52There's all sorts of tweaks that can be done to this house.
10:55But I can't get away for six months of the year.
10:58You've got visiting relatives. Yeah.
11:00And that's a lot of people in a house that's not built for it.
11:04What's that thing you always say?
11:06Lots to think about. You always say lots to think about.
11:09Lots to think about. Always lots to think about.
11:12What would it take, Adi, for you to come over to Team Listed?
11:15What would I need to show you?
11:17Definitely an utility room.
11:19How many bedrooms?
11:21Four, at the minimum.
11:23Bathroom's obviously quite an issue here.
11:25An ensuite with a window.
11:29Big enough space within the house and outside the house.
11:33You know, I used to say to my wife,
11:36big enough to host a tennis court.
11:38But just kidding.
11:40If it's big enough to host a tennis court and with affordable price,
11:43why not? I'll go for it.
11:45Don't you worry. Yeah.
11:47We'll see. The infant movement.
11:49Clever, that Chris Spencer. Yes.
11:52They certainly want a lot if they were to move,
11:55but I've got the money to put it off. How are you feeling?
11:58I need one carpenter, an electrician and a plumber.
12:01Line them all up and tell them to get on with it.
12:03You're always so chipper about these things.
12:05It's not that straightforward.
12:14I love this house because it's got so much potential that we can unlock.
12:18We've lived here for nine years now,
12:20and I think it's time for us to move.
12:24In Stevenage, love it or list it is the name of the game.
12:30Adi and Steven are playing to win.
12:32At stake is their three-bedroomed home.
12:35I believe that she would be convinced.
12:38With Phil magic, I'm sure wonders can be done.
12:43Before Phil starts waving his wand around, it's my turn.
12:46It really is quite big in here.
12:50I have a love-it budget of £45,000
12:52to give them the guest bedroom they desperately need for visiting relatives,
12:56solve their storage issues and improve ventilation in the en-suite.
13:02There is very little storage, so I want to just say,
13:06right, storage, storage, storage.
13:09If you turned over...
13:12Should Adi and Steven take a look?
13:15Should Adi and Steven take on my ideas,
13:17the biggest job would be transforming the garage
13:19into a guest bedroom with en-suite.
13:21And when it's not being used by relatives, it could be Adi's study.
13:25Replacing the back entrance with bi-fold doors
13:28would allow natural light to flood the room,
13:30and a new doorway would connect it to the rest of the house.
13:33All the stuff that's currently stored in the garage
13:36would be moved to a new shed in the back garden.
13:39The space in the downstairs toilet could be better utilised
13:42by making it into a laundry room slash WC with new storage units.
13:46In the kitchen, moving the radiator
13:48will make room for the fridge-freezer to sit neatly next to the worktop.
13:52Improving the flow whilst installing bench seating
13:55with much-needed storage on the opposite side is a no-brainer.
13:58Upstairs, adding a window in the en-suite
14:01would reduce the risk of damp and mould
14:03when it is being used as a shower rather than a walk-in wardrobe.
14:07I love it.
14:10Unlock the potential of this house.
14:12There is a lot, there is a lot, and I'm very pleased.
14:16This guest bed study will have some clever carpentry,
14:20which will mean that when this isn't a bedroom,
14:24it really can be a fantastic study.
14:27Stephen, do you think if this had a window which fully opened,
14:31you would use the en-suite?
14:33Oh, definitely, yes.
14:35Nine years, going to be free.
14:38That will be the first bath ever.
14:43Kirstie came out with some great ideas,
14:46but at the moment, I'm still 100% realistic.
14:49For me, I'm so excited and looking forward to starting
14:53and getting on with the plan.
14:56There's no doubt Phil is going to be able to find some fab houses,
15:00but it's everybody's dream to totally redo their storage,
15:04and that is what just might crack it for me.
15:08Stephen and Adi have given me a listed budget of £800,000,
15:12which is about £200,000 more than the price of an average four-bed in Stevenage.
15:17So we have a lot to play with, but one of the key criteria
15:21is being within a 30-minute drive of the kids' school,
15:24so I can't go wild just yet.
15:26You want a bit more space.
15:28Oh, definitely, yeah.
15:29Inside and out.
15:30Inside and out, yes.
15:32They're talking, you want it somewhere big enough for a tennis court.
15:36Oh, why not? If I can get one affordable.
15:39All I'd ask from you, Adi, is just an open mind.
15:42Come and consider it.
15:44She's shaking her head!
15:50My first pick is a four-bedroom, double-garage, detached house.
15:54On the market for £620,000, it's well under budget,
15:58but it's the location that's key.
16:00Only a five-minute drive from their current home.
16:04So I'm easing you in gently with this.
16:06OK.
16:07Because we're only a few minutes from yours, aren't we?
16:09Definitely, yes.
16:10So same lifestyle, same clubs for the kids, no change.
16:15OK.
16:16You just get a bigger house with a double garage.
16:20OK.
16:21And it's electric.
16:24That's nice. I like it.
16:26How about that?
16:27That's beautiful.
16:28Let's get on in.
16:32The kitchen-diner is almost 75% bigger than their current one.
16:36Plenty of space to cook, entertain and bring the family together.
16:41There's a front reception room, office space for Adi and downstairs WC.
16:47The main reception room opens up into a conservatory,
16:51so plenty of room for kids and adults to have their own space.
16:55There's no utility,
16:56but I'm sure this could be easily remedied by converting the garage.
17:03We have one reception that way,
17:06one reception that way leading out to the conservatory,
17:10but this is the real hub of the home in here.
17:13Genuinely, big kitchen-diner.
17:16OK.
17:18Everybody can congregate in here, all the family together,
17:22plenty of space.
17:24OK kitchen, I must admit, it's spacious, it's got the space.
17:29Yeah, I'm not really feeling it that much.
17:31I think I'll go with that.
17:33I think I'll stay in the lounge as well, it's not that spacious.
17:36But then you've got two lounges plus the conservatory.
17:39Yeah, I can see that, but...
17:41And the double garage.
17:42And the double garage is a plus, is a plus.
17:45Have a squiz round, see what 620 would buy you close to home.
17:49Brilliant. Have a wonder. Thank you.
17:52A bad first impression is hard to overcome,
17:55but this house has so much to offer.
17:57The lounge is quite small.
17:59It is, indeed.
18:00Including the conservatory,
18:02the house offers almost 250 square feet more living space
18:06than their current home.
18:08Upstairs is the family bathroom and four bedrooms,
18:11no need for Nathaniel and Jane to share here.
18:14And the main bedroom has an en suite.
18:17That's why it's small as well.
18:19Yeah, the room is...
18:21Yeah. It is small.
18:23It is.
18:25Well, like I said, I'm not really feeling this one.
18:30Definitely some reservations here from Addie.
18:33I mean, she really doesn't want to move,
18:35but this has got four bedrooms
18:37and it's even got a window in the en suite.
18:40I am trying.
18:43The back garden is much bigger than Addie and Stephen's,
18:47but it certainly can't fit a tennis court.
18:50I have to admit, I've failed to serve up an ace with my first pick.
18:55What can I learn from here, then?
18:58It needs to be bigger.
19:00Yeah. All the rooms are very small.
19:02I can find you bigger things.
19:04They'll be further away and they'll cost more, but they will be bigger.
19:07OK. I'm looking forward to it.
19:09No, you're not, but...
19:11I'm excited.
19:13I'm excited.
19:15This was very much about easing them in,
19:17or at least easing Addie into the whole idea of moving,
19:20because she is absolutely resolute she's not going anywhere.
19:23This was supposed to be simple choice,
19:25just up the road, same lifestyle,
19:27the right numbers of rooms, comfortably affordable.
19:30It hasn't hit the mark, but what it has enabled me to do
19:33is search confidently up towards the top end of their budget
19:36in order to get them more space and move them a bit further away.
19:40So that's the plan.
19:42The plan? Sounds to me like you're flying by the seat of your pants, Spencer.
19:46You leave my pants out of this, Kirsty. Thank you very much.
19:50My plan, however, is coming together nicely.
19:53Just over four months since I presented my plans,
19:55the garage doors are gone.
19:57Obviously, we've done the brickwork, put the window in,
20:00but we're going to have to take this floor up to insulate it properly.
20:03OK.
20:05No planning permission is required as it's within permitted development,
20:08but do always check with your local authority
20:11Natural light, insulation and ventilation are also needed
20:14in order to meet building regs.
20:1630-inch door should fit in pretty comfortably.
20:19Do you think that will be sufficient?
20:21Yeah. The width and the height?
20:23The height was the thing that I was worrying about,
20:25but that looks like it's going to fit in nicely.
20:28The next stage is to break through into the living room
20:31to create the internal access.
20:33There are some days I feel like, yeah, it's getting there,
20:37and there's some days I just feel, oh, this is too slow
20:40because I just want the new look now.
20:45I guess because in my head I've been thinking about this for a long time,
20:49I just feel like, what's going on?
20:51But we have made a lot of progress.
20:54While Addie and Stephen have ploughed ahead with the garage conversion,
20:57they have had to tweak the overall plan.
21:00Adding the en suite would have meant digging up the driveway
21:03to connect it to waste drainage, so that's been ditched.
21:06They've also decided against the garage bifolds
21:09and converting the downstairs WC into a utility room.
21:12Instead, Addie wants to use the budget for a swanky new kitchen.
21:16Fair enough, but will it be enough to tempt Stephen onto Team Love It?
21:20The changes in the house, they are affecting Stephen a little bit,
21:26but with all the changes going on at the moment,
21:30and because of my love for the area,
21:33I don't think they stand a chance convincing me to list it.
21:37Well, with the houses I've got lined up,
21:39I think Team List It's still in the game.
21:50In Stevenage, Hertfordshire,
21:52the renovation is turning the head of my List It teammate.
21:56It's looking beautiful.
21:58By the time everything is finished, it will look wonderful.
22:01But I am still on Team List It.
22:06That's my man, Stephen.
22:08No matter what you do, you cannot expand the land,
22:11whereby the children can run around, play football
22:14and not worry about kicking the ball against the glass
22:18because it's far further away into the garden.
22:21Addie is equally resolute.
22:23I am confident that Team Love It is on a winning track, no doubt about it.
22:28The work has begun on the new kitchen
22:30that will solve their storage conundrum and seal the deal for Team Love It.
22:34I feel I've got something else coming his way.
22:37Right back at you, Addie, because I've got a treat in store today.
22:42So how are things at home? How's the build?
22:45We're getting there.
22:47Do you sense that you can kind of imagine
22:50what the space will be when it's done yet?
22:53I can, and to be honest, Phil,
22:55I've always been imagining it for years, right?
22:58It's time for a move. Definitely.
23:01It's time for a change.
23:03It's time for a change.
23:05Yeah, we're changing the place.
23:08I'm changing things up on the search too, going bigger and better,
23:13but I'm pushing the boundary of their search area.
23:16My next pick is in the small town of Stottfold,
23:19under 20 minutes in the car from the kids' current school in Stevenage,
23:23which is known as an outstanding school in the local area too.
23:27We're here to see this five-bedroom, three-storey detached house.
23:31It's modern with a traditional feel
23:34and on the market well below budget at £725,000.
23:38This is ten years old. OK. It's in great nick.
23:41This is looking big.
23:43It presents really well,
23:45not least because of its position on the estate,
23:48looking over the playground.
23:50It looks big, so let's see.
23:52Let's have a look. Here we go.
23:56The bay-windowed lounge is larger than their current one.
24:00The kitchen-diner is also bigger and leads to a huge conservatory,
24:04great for multi-generational family gatherings.
24:09The second reception room is set up as a cinema.
24:12This will get the kids on to Team Listed.
24:15There's no utility, but the double garage is ripe for renovation.
24:20I really like the layout of this house.
24:23You've got a proper, formal, small adult living room there.
24:27Sort of snug cinema room, kids' TV, breakout room there.
24:33But the kitchen stretches right across the back of the house.
24:37Wow. This is nice.
24:39OK. This is nice.
24:41They've got it set up as a bar at this end.
24:43I'd put the dining table up there. I'll do the dining table.
24:46But then you've got the conservatory.
24:48It is spacious.
24:50The house is twice as big as yours.
24:52Well, it does look it.
24:54The kitchen is 97% bigger than yours.
24:5897%? Wow, yeah.
25:02You're looking very resigned.
25:04Yeah, I would say. I would say.
25:07Good start, and I'm confident it's going to get better.
25:11On the first floor, the largest bedroom,
25:14with fitted wardrobes and ensuite,
25:16would be fantastic for family visitors.
25:18OK, so...
25:20It's quite big.
25:21Really spacious.
25:23And it's got enough storage as well.
25:25So far, so good.
25:28The smallest bedroom would make a great study
25:31with a lovely open outlook.
25:33And daughter Jane could get an upgrade with a larger bedroom,
25:37as could Nathaniel.
25:40As for Addie and Stephen,
25:42they could have a whole floor to themselves,
25:45with a dual-aspect bedroom that's almost twice the size of theirs.
25:50And across the hall, a dressing and shower room.
25:53No-one can claim I'm not delivering on space here.
25:59It's good. Great London, I must say.
26:01It is good London, yeah.
26:03This could be the master bedroom, actually.
26:05So imagine you're waking up in the morning,
26:08you're coming down here, getting yourself ready for the day.
26:11From there, you walk straight in here, isn't it?
26:14Wow, yeah. What do you think?
26:16Space, good. Layout, good as well.
26:19And I told you I was coming with an open mind, and yes, I am.
26:25OK.
26:27Come on, Addie, I can see we're starting to win you over.
26:31And wait till you see the garden.
26:33The house itself, is it enough space? Is it big enough?
26:36Well, it's bigger than where we live now at the moment.
26:39I still want a bigger garden, to be honest with you.
26:42But aside from that, it's got everything.
26:45There's a lot of potential, I must admit.
26:48I'm pleased that it's been a worthwhile exercise
26:51coming a bit further out in the search for space.
26:54Yes.
26:55Still some thinking to do, yeah, cos we have to come further out.
26:58Of course. Of course.
27:00Have to look at logistics and all that, but, yeah, I am...
27:04It's not far away from Stevenage, anyway.
27:06It's just a 20-minute drive.
27:08So I think it's doable in terms of taking the children to school
27:11or, you know, swimming or whatever.
27:13And we can always get swimming around here as well.
27:17He's thought it all through, you see.
27:19He's got an answer for everyone. In his mind.
27:22Addie may not be on Team Lister yet,
27:25but the scales are tipping in my favour.
27:28It's been a really useful exercise coming out of Stevenage
27:32and showing them a bigger house.
27:34They've now got some proper debate and discussion to have,
27:37which means I reckon things are looking up for Team Lister.
27:43Addie and Steven are eight weeks into their build
27:45and after years of swapping about when grandparents come to stay,
27:49their home is getting the layout re-jig it desperately needs.
27:54They've really got on with it.
27:56And look, the garage doors are no more.
28:00It's fully insulated as a habitable room
28:02and is ready for its final fit-out.
28:07This is neat.
28:09And it means you get that extra light in the sitting room.
28:12This is a great space.
28:14While Steven's out at work,
28:16Addie's asked me to come and help with the layout.
28:18It was meant to be a guest bedroom and study,
28:21but the plans have changed.
28:23They want the piano in here.
28:25They want it to be an office, a bedroom and like a cinema room.
28:29It is a configuration conundrum.
28:31Yes, it's a whole new room, but it's only 167 square feet,
28:35so it's time for that age-old solution, the sofa bed.
28:39I mean, ideally, the sofa would go here
28:44so that when it's a bed, it gets as much length as possible.
28:49That also means you could have a desk either here or here,
28:55which could still be used when the bed was out.
28:58Sofa there, desk here or here, piano there, TV swings out.
29:04Ditch the freezer.
29:07I can see why Addie wants to get the most out of this new room,
29:10but with space at a premium,
29:12we've got to plan it down to the last millimetre.
29:15I've been in here measuring up,
29:18and if we're going to get the piano in here
29:22and a sofa bed and a desk,
29:25if the sofa bed's the whole of that width, it can go.
29:29I mean, how...?
29:31Thinking of it now, yeah, it's quite big,
29:34cos I wasn't thinking of the sofa bed there.
29:36What were you thinking?
29:38That was my struggle, cos I was thinking, OK,
29:40if the piano was here to my front and the study was there,
29:44where's the space, where do I put the bed, you know?
29:47And that's a good-sized sofa bed.
29:51Also, I think the other thing you have to think about
29:54is when you're lying in bed, what do you want to see?
29:57Cos you want to feel it's a nice room. Yeah.
30:00You can have a really nice blind in that space.
30:05What I would do here
30:08is I would have a nice net,
30:12which is from here,
30:15you just have that internally there,
30:18and then the blind, which just goes down to there.
30:22I think this room will look sensational.
30:24Yeah, I'm pleased to hear that.
30:26It's going to be a really good addition.
30:29To the house, yeah.
30:31And it's a proper, proper multi-purpose room.
30:36There's no doubt Stephen wants to go,
30:38but what's going on in there makes it such a great family space
30:42for the whole family, the extended family included,
30:46and that's what could clinch it for Team Love It.
30:50I'm making my final pitch for a list it victory,
30:53pushing the budget and taking Addie out of her comfort zone,
30:57but for a house that has the wow factor.
31:00By taking it further out, by going to the top of budget,
31:03sowing you as much space as you possibly could get inside and out,
31:06that's it. You wouldn't have to move again.
31:09Mm-hm. Would say, would say,
31:11cos with the work that we're doing at the moment,
31:13it's creating what we want.
31:15I think we're kind of nibbling round the edges,
31:17just sort of tweaking it. Yeah.
31:19But I'm going to try and wow you.
31:21You'll be surprised, Phil, when you see what we're doing to the house.
31:24You'll be surprised when you see this next house.
31:27And I trust you, Phil.
31:29We're travelling 30 minutes from their home
31:32to the village of Lower Stondon,
31:34which in the past decade has seen a building boom with modern housing.
31:39I'm banking on this six-bedroom, three-storey detached house
31:43to seal the deal.
31:46Now, this is a bit special.
31:48It's a big, big house.
31:50We have come further away. It does stretch the budget.
31:53It's on at 825.
31:55But I promise you, it's in beautiful condition and it's got everything.
32:00Looks good. Merci.
32:02Come on in. Yeah.
32:04I'm making big promises that this house delivers.
32:09Downstairs, the lounge is one of the largest we've seen so far,
32:13and this is the impressive kitchen-diner.
32:16So space, big tick.
32:18And I'm finally able to deliver on the utility.
32:22The second reception room is already set up as a study.
32:27And the conservatory looks onto a stunning garden.
32:32Stephen said he wanted a bigger one.
32:34I was listening, my friend. This is glorious.
32:38Come on in.
32:40And prepare to be impressed.
32:42Wow.
32:44Office.
32:46Beautiful, generous living room.
32:48Wow. Huge.
32:50Downstairs louver. Come and have a look at this.
32:53Wow. OK.
32:55This kitchen is good.
32:57It's top of the range. It's very high-spec.
33:00It is really good.
33:03This is actually what I expect once we do the work at home in our kitchen.
33:09So I'm really... I'm quite...
33:11There's obviously nothing like this size.
33:13Ah, OK.
33:15I can see the garden as well. It looks quite big.
33:18I want to show you the garden.
33:20Oh, sorry. Now you're talking.
33:24Outside, not only is it huge, but extremely well-tended.
33:29A space for a kick-about with the kids and entertaining family and friends.
33:35Wow, that's a very big garden.
33:38It gets bigger. You haven't seen it all yet.
33:41Wow.
33:43This is a tennis court.
33:46I reckon it might be two tennis courts.
33:48OK.
33:50Well, I agree with you. It's quite big.
33:52It's big. It's good.
33:54This definitely, you know...
33:56Yeah, it's good so far, yeah.
33:59It gets better.
34:03Have a look. Six bedrooms, four bathrooms.
34:07Stephen is loving it.
34:10On the first floor is the family bathroom and five double bedrooms,
34:15two of which are en suite.
34:18There's enough bedrooms for both sets of parents to come and stay.
34:24On the second floor is the main bedroom with a super swish en suite,
34:29a double sink vanity, a freestanding bath and a walk-in rainfall shower.
34:36Wow, this is beautiful.
34:38Yes, it is. It is.
34:41So this should be the master bedroom, yeah?
34:43Yes, definitely.
34:49Wow.
34:51This is nice.
34:53Wow, look at the sink.
34:55Yeah, this is good, actually.
35:01OK.
35:02This is beautiful.
35:04I love the wet room.
35:05I give it a feel. He's done well with this one.
35:08Beautiful.
35:09I love it.
35:11It's like having a spa hotel in your own home.
35:14And I'm not done yet. I've got a final surprise in the garage.
35:19I think this would be the best bit.
35:21Wow.
35:23Propagation.
35:26Ah, this is beautiful.
35:29Indoor, outdoor games.
35:31Yeah, yeah, yeah.
35:33This particular property is getting me thinking.
35:37Good. That was the idea.
35:39Yeah.
35:40It is a demonstration of the kind of space that you could get.
35:43Wow.
35:44Ah.
35:46What are you doing that for?
35:48The team this is getting!
35:50I'm impressed. I'm impressed.
35:56Well, there's no doubt the search is finished on a high.
36:00It's a fantastic house for them, really, really suitable.
36:03I can't help feeling they're going to go back home tonight
36:06and think it's really rather small,
36:08and it might be time for a move.
36:12Pride comes before a fall, Pip,
36:14and you'll be knocked off your feet by the transformation at home.
36:26Four months after the renovation began,
36:28we're heading back to Addie and Stephen's three-bedroom home
36:31in Stephenage to settle this love-it-or-list-it debate once and for all.
36:37Remind me who Stephenage's top son or daughter is.
36:41I can't remember.
36:43We must have discussed this in the beginning when we first came here.
36:46Does Amanda Holden come from Stephenage?
36:49Is that a complete flower?
36:51It could be a complete flower, but I know you fancy Amanda Holden,
36:54so you just, like, think about Amanda Holden all the time.
36:57Sorry, what was that, Amanda?
37:01Only joking, Kirsty.
37:03I wouldn't swap you for the world.
37:05Me too.
37:07Unless Matt Smith ever goes into property TV.
37:10Are you just going to stand there, or is someone going to ring the doorbell?
37:13I'll ring the doorbell, but...
37:15Oh, no, you're going to say the house doesn't look any different.
37:18Oh, God, you're predictable. I'll ring the flaming bell.
37:21Obviously, it's very different inside.
37:24Hello! Hello!
37:26How are you? Please come in.
37:28Thank you so much.
37:31Stephen wanted more space inside and out
37:34for his young family and visiting grandparents.
37:37But where he saw problems, Addie saw potential.
37:43The new layout brings flow, functionality and flexibility to this home,
37:48creating enough space for three generations.
37:55Blimey! This is just extraordinary.
38:00The feel of the kitchen was ruined by the awkwardly placed huge fridge freezer.
38:05Simply moving the radiator allowed for a complete redesign.
38:09The fridge is now neatly placed on the other side.
38:12There's also tonnes more storage,
38:14and the kitchen feels so much more welcoming.
38:18This kitchen is not one centimetre bigger than it was
38:21when I first came here, correct?
38:23It looks twice the size,
38:25and it is your really clever use of white.
38:34The kitchen had been untouched since they bought the house almost ten years ago.
38:38Now the drab brands have been banished,
38:41and Addie's finally put her stamp on it.
38:44This kitchen feels brighter, lighter, and it doesn't feel cold.
38:49It feels more welcoming.
38:51It's not the biggest kitchen in the world,
38:53but I can see you have an enormous number of cupboards.
38:56Yes, we do. More maximised, trust me.
38:58There's great storage in this place now.
39:01The last time we had things all over the place.
39:03Now everything is where it should be.
39:05Has it made life in the kitchen, functioning in the kitchen,
39:08entertaining, cooking, etc, easier?
39:10Yes, definitely.
39:12He's cooking now. He didn't used to cook.
39:14Stephen!
39:16Stephen? What's going on?
39:19I do cook.
39:22That's a sure-fire sign Stephen's list it resolve is cracking.
39:27The couple have also improved the storage by adding the shed I suggested,
39:31and they've installed electricity so they can keep the chest freezer in it.
39:36The garage was a dumping ground for odds and ends, and a kids' playroom.
39:40It was also Addie's study, but there was no internal access.
39:46It now flows off the living room and is connected to the house.
39:51This is very smart.
39:53This is lovely.
39:56By following my plan, Addie and Stephen have a multi-purpose space.
40:00It can be the guest bedroom they desperately needed,
40:03kids' hobby room or Addie's study.
40:05And by adding the window, heating and insulation,
40:08it now meets building regs and counts as an extra room.
40:13What happens in here now? Everything?
40:16Phil, you can see this is an office, a piano practice place.
40:20It will be a telly-watching place when the TV comes on.
40:24So everything's... Pretty much everything.
40:26..going on in here. Yeah.
40:28But it then becomes quite hard for anybody to work at home or play music.
40:32The truth is, when anyone is working,
40:35the likelihood is, at that particular point in time,
40:38it's the kids that play the piano. They're off to school.
40:41So, most likely, we're not going to be using the three things at the same time.
40:45Yeah, fair enough. It's busy, but I totally get
40:47you're not going to be playing music, sleeping and working at the same time.
40:50Exactly, we wouldn't. Which only leaves the en suite to wait.
40:53Oh, dear. Yes. About time. Let's go and have a look at that.
40:57Let's go see that. Yeah.
40:59Stephen's bête noire was the windowless en suite.
41:02As there was no ventilation,
41:04they had never used the shower room for its intended purpose.
41:07It was Stephen's walk-in wardrobe.
41:11But it's looking a lot sweeter now.
41:13Fitting the window cost £1,800.
41:17But anything which reduces the risk of damp and mould is money well spent.
41:22Now you can have a shower and open the window and the water vapour is gone.
41:26To be honest with you, there's nothing as good as having a natural light in. Yeah.
41:30And, obviously, the fresh air as well after bath. Yeah.
41:33I mean, you can't compare that to anything. No.
41:35And, likewise, it protects you having mould.
41:39Of all the things that people have done to their homes,
41:42this is one of the ones that I'm most pleased about.
41:46It's not always the big things which make the greatest differences.
41:50They had a budget of £45,000 and have come in ten grand under.
41:55I have to hand it to you, Kirsty.
41:57Your ideas to create more space are ingenious.
42:00But I know Adi felt the lure of Team Listed.
42:05The garden of a million-pound house.
42:08Nice and beautiful.
42:10An amazing place for your parents to come and stay.
42:13Kitchen that you said was all that you'd ever dreamt of.
42:16The kitchen is similar to what I have in terms of, you know...
42:19In its look. In the modern, yeah.
42:21It has a modern look, so bigger, I must admit.
42:24But the layout is pretty much similar,
42:26where you have the kitchen and the dining together, so that flow was there.
42:31With the new one we're going to look at, we've got everything there.
42:36But here, I think, obviously we've lost something, which is a garage.
42:41And not having space, which obviously I still want.
42:44It's easy to see you've done what you can here, you've made it work for you.
42:48But the last one, that's a forever home.
42:50You were never going to run out of space.
42:52And it could have been the answer to your dreams.
42:55Which brings us to the point.
42:58OK.
43:00Pre-renovation valuation on this house was £438,000.
43:06The post-renovation valuation is £506,000.
43:12You spent £35,000, and the difference is £67,000.
43:18So for every pound you've spent, you've basically got £2 back,
43:22which is, that's the Holy Grail.
43:24You see? Hats off.
43:26I'm so pleased with that, actually.
43:28Because I did try to keep things into perspective,
43:33because at the end of the day, we're not sure what we're going to do.
43:37Right, well, I think the moment has come to find out what happens next.
43:41Stephen, Adi.
43:44Are you going to love it?
43:47Or are you going to list it?
43:51We are going to...
43:55..list it.
44:01You have me worried. You really have me worried.
44:04What changed your mind?
44:06Great work done on the house.
44:08Massive change.
44:10It's working for us as a family now.
44:13But there's a lot out there, so...
44:16Are any of the houses that we looked at genuinely under consideration?
44:21The third one definitely is under consideration.
44:24Have to look my other area.
44:26If there's anything that I can do,
44:28any negotiations or discussions with agents,
44:30will you please let me know?
44:32Yeah, definitely, definitely. Yes, yes, we'll do.
44:34Congratulations. Thank you very much.
44:36Well done. Thank you.
44:39I don't think we would have been able to get here
44:42without the help of Phil and Kirsty, personally,
44:45because just using the unsuit window as an example,
44:49it's taken us almost ten years to get that there.
44:54I'm glad she changed her mind after going out there,
44:58seeing that, look, we can get something we want
45:02without having to lose anything.
45:05And, yeah, I'm glad she came to join the enlisted team.
45:08Thanks to Phil.
45:10You're taking this winning thing quite seriously, aren't you, Phil?
45:14I am. I'm looking forward to my jug of ale.
45:17Thank you very much, darling.
45:19Well, I think it's a really good win,
45:22so here's to enjoying the process.
45:26Enjoying the process.
45:28Enjoying the process, wherever it takes you.
45:32I heard a saying on the way here.
45:34We? What saying?
45:36There's a saying,
45:38victory is sweetest when you've known defeat.
45:42LAUGHTER
45:44And I've known a bit of defeat, so this tastes particularly sweet.
45:49If you'd like our help deciding whether to love it or list it,
45:53apply online at...
46:02.