Gavin Allen y Jane Fitzsimons convierten una antigua capilla en una vivienda moderna.
Gavin Allen and Jane Fitzsimons converts an old chapel to a modern living.
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00:00This week, new meets old, as we see a state-of-the-art chapel conversion here in the Tamar Valley,
00:07a hidden corner of the countryside where Devon meets Cornwall.
00:12You could say that this part of the country is a well-kept secret.
00:17It's quiet and exceptionally beautiful.
00:20It's away from the main tourist routes and hasn't seen the property development that much of Devon and Cornwall have.
00:30Gavin Allen and Jane Fitzsimons live in Birmingham and are a typical professional couple.
00:37They both work long hours, spending their time in the office or on the road.
00:42Gavin, who's Cornish born and bred, is a senior management consultant and spends his time moving from one client to the next.
00:50Jane, who's pregnant with their first child, is originally from Northern Ireland.
00:55She's a sales manager for a technology company and divides her time between her clients and the Birmingham office.
01:02They own this house in Birmingham, where they've been living together for eight years.
01:07They plan to continue living here for the duration of the build, whilst visiting the site every other weekend to keep an eye on progress.
01:14Although they'd wanted to move to the south-west for some time, they couldn't find the right house.
01:23Then they found this disused Methodist chapel, which they bought at a local auction.
01:28The plan is to move here and eventually work from home.
01:33Hello there.
01:33Hi, guys. How are you?
01:34Not too bad.
01:35Great. Nice to see you. How's the baby?
01:37Yeah, fine, I think. Still in there, which is good.
01:39Fantastic place. Absolutely beautiful.
01:42No, it is nice, especially on a clearer day. It's a bit misty.
01:44Well, yeah, but nevertheless, it really is fabulous.
01:47Yeah.
01:48These are your front door keys.
01:49This is, eh?
01:49I don't believe it. Look at that. That's what you get when you buy a house like this. Look at that. Solid.
01:54Shall we go in and have a look?
01:55Yeah.
01:57Oh, look. How old is it, the place?
02:01Built in 1997.
02:02All right, so that's relatively new, really, as churches go.
02:07This is basically as we found nothing's been changed since we've been here.
02:11Wonderful. Huge space, isn't it?
02:12Yeah.
02:13That's what appealed to us when we first saw it, was these sort of beams and just the whole feeling of light and space, really.
02:19What are these strange white things on the walls?
02:21The hands. This is to help with, I think, controlling the damp, basically.
02:25You turn that on, the air sort of actually comes up and circulates around the building, helps carry the heat.
02:30So, if it isn't cold enough in January, in the middle of the service, you just wake the concentration up.
02:37This side of the building's going to be accommodation, but this side is going to be open, so we can see all the way up to the roof.
02:45Fantastic.
02:46A lot of glass.
02:46A lot of glass.
02:47It's going to be a very light house when it's done, isn't it?
02:49Well, it's because the view is one of the best things about here, as well as the space inside the building, so it seems a little shame to block the view out.
02:57Well, look, should we downstairs?
02:59You say that the space extends right under the main floor?
03:04Good, great.
03:06Are these cobbles?
03:07Yeah.
03:08They're fantastic.
03:10Yeah.
03:10Where are you going to keep them?
03:11I'm going to keep them and either use them in some of the other flooring area where the garden's going to be, or potentially even in walls or whatever, but we're definitely going to keep them and use them.
03:20Okay.
03:20This has been used as, what, a garage or something, has it?
03:22No, a play school.
03:23This was a play school.
03:24Oh, my God.
03:25As you can see from the paintings of the walls.
03:26Cornish play school.
03:28They bring them up tough, don't they, aren't they?
03:30Very exciting space, isn't it?
03:31It is, with so much.
03:32Show me.
03:33Yeah, show me through here.
03:34You said that there are three voids in here.
03:37Yeah.
03:37Very much like this.
03:39But you've got, I think it's the structure of walls for the outside.
03:43But we can't get in then?
03:44Not at the moment.
03:44Not at the moment.
03:45But we will, we will do, because we're having sort of doors put in either side and rooms.
03:49It's great, this.
03:50It's kind of very cool, isn't it?
03:51Very still.
03:52Yeah.
03:53Good for a wine cellar.
03:55Don't start things now.
03:57We've got enough to think about without paying for a wine, haven't we?
04:00I think we'll need that cup of some money to wine after we pay for this.
04:03So you don't need a cellar for that.
04:04Although the interior will change completely, the outside will only have new windows added
04:11and a sun deck offering magnificent views of the Tamar Valley.
04:17Inside the main body of the chapel, some of the floors will be removed, giving a clear view
04:22from basement to roof.
04:23One side of the space will be left open, and the other will have a grand staircase leading
04:29up to a block of bedrooms and a library and office.
04:34There will also be an indoor sunken garden beneath the stairs.
04:39The old Sunday school will become the main living area, and above that will be the master
04:43bedroom.
04:44The brief is to create a light, spacious interior without altering the original shell of the chapel.
04:51The chapel and land cost £83,000.
04:57They've arranged a mortgage of £120,000 to cover the cost of the build.
05:03For you, Gavin, is there a sense of coming home?
05:05Is it sort of, you know, coming full circle?
05:08I suppose that's quite a romantic way of putting it, but I never really liked living in, away
05:14from home.
05:15I feel like quite an attachment to the area.
05:16The difference for me, I call Birmingham home, you call Cornwall home.
05:19So that's a slight difference in feeling.
05:21Your father's down, there's tenants down the road.
05:23Yeah, that's handy.
05:25Yeah, my brother lives in Plymouth as well, so, yeah.
05:28It is nice, being able to do this.
05:30So, had you thought of self-build?
05:32We'd started to look into it, but probably not in that much detail.
05:35So it was a bit of an impulse decision when we saw it, and we thought we'd go to the auction
05:39and just see, well, what the hell, you know.
05:41And how did you choose an architect?
05:43How did you get hold of one?
05:44We saw, I think we saw about eight, eight in the end.
05:48It was between him and sort of one other guy, we were very torn between the two.
05:51We just felt that David, in the end, was the one that we felt we could probably have arguments
05:55with and still get on with at the end.
05:58When you see some of David Shepard's work, it's not hard to see why Gavin and Jane chose
06:03him.
06:04He built this house overlooking the Plymouth Sound.
06:06Where possible, he likes to use local materials.
06:13Outside, the house is made from local stone, cemented together using the clay dug from the
06:18foundations.
06:19The interior uses local timber, which combined with metal fittings and a large glass roof,
06:26give the house a strong contemporary look.
06:29The most striking feature is the indoor garden and stream.
06:39A selection of desert plants, surrounded by rammed earth walls, give it an almost Mexican
06:45feel.
06:46Not only was David architect, but he also project-managed the build, something that he plans to do for
06:53Gavin and Jane.
06:54So, effectively, they're putting the whole build, including the finances, in his hands.
07:00I visited him at an artist's studio he's recently converted.
07:04How much is trust important to you in working with a client?
07:08Paramount importance.
07:10Trust, because you're dealing with someone's money, they're almost their life savings.
07:15I mean, the biggest investment that most people make in their life is in their house.
07:19And you're responsible for hundreds of thousands of pounds, literally.
07:24And I always feel rather humble dealing with that kind of money.
07:28I mean, it's probably not a huge amount of money if you're working on stock exchange,
07:33but it's someone's personal money that they've saved really hard for or worked hard for.
07:38And you've got to convert that into a built product that they'll also be very pleased with.
07:42Why are you being Mr. Project Manager on the job?
07:46I don't consider myself a Project Manager.
07:48I consider it just as being an extension of my job as an architect.
07:53So, for you, it's a natural extension of that.
07:55Do you do that every time you work on a project?
07:57More often than not, because, particularly in this part of the world,
08:02people have a reasonably limited budget.
08:05And therefore, if you're employing other consultants on a project,
08:09it could become prohibitive.
08:10It gives me total control as well of what is being done
08:14and to whom we are going to for various tenders.
08:18One of Gavin and Jane's concerns was radon,
08:21an underground gas found particularly in granite.
08:25It can permeate into buildings through their foundations,
08:28and in concentrated amounts it may cause lung cancer.
08:31First readings show the levels are over the accepted limit.
08:35If it's confirmed, a ventilation system will need to be installed
08:39to suck the gas out of the house.
08:41This will cost £2,000.
08:43But it's better to be safe than sorry.
08:48Particularly, shortly afterwards,
08:50Jane gives birth to their first child, a boy called Sam.
08:54This is the cause of all the problems.
08:56Sam arrived, when was it, 11.47 on Tuesday.
09:01He came actually a week early.
09:03I'm a delight.
09:04And came home yesterday afternoon.
09:08And I spent most of the time, luckily, asleep since then,
09:11which we're really relieved about.
09:13But he's totally oblivious to it.
09:15He doesn't give his stuff, does he?
09:16It's only us that are bothered about it.
09:18Make him jump.
09:19As project manager, one of David Shepard's first jobs
09:26is to arrange the building contractor.
09:29With them on board, the first thing to do
09:31is to tear out all existing unwanted features in the chapel.
09:36It'll prepare the way for the new design,
09:38but also gets to the heart of the building
09:41and makes sure it's in good condition
09:43to provide a solid base for the new house.
09:46It's the equivalent of building the foundations
09:48in a new build.
10:10The demolition has revealed the enormous amount
10:14of unused space that David intends to incorporate
10:17in the new house.
10:19Now the basement is exposed,
10:21he takes the opportunity to check the plan
10:23for a radon barrier with the building inspector.
10:26And what I'm slightly concerned about
10:27is your radon requirements,
10:29insofar as radon barriers and things like that.
10:32There aren't any.
10:33There aren't any?
10:34Not for a conversion, no.
10:36Oh, right.
10:37If you're replacing all the floors,
10:38we'd normally recommend you put radon in at that stage,
10:40but there's no requirement to do it.
10:42Right.
10:42Not having to install major radon defences will save money,
10:46but for caution,
10:48they're still going to install a basic protection system.
10:51There's basically three levels.
10:58Gavin and Jane are making their first visit
11:01since demolition began.
11:02they can really start to appreciate the size of the house
11:06they will one day live in.
11:14I think once the stairs are in the middle there,
11:16I think it's going to make a real big feature,
11:18I think it's going to be brilliant.
11:20I think our bedroom's going to be huge,
11:22just try and have a picture of that better than I love here,
11:24because obviously the roof's been taken out.
11:27Gavin and Jane are keen to get an update from David
11:30as to how the two major parts of the build,
11:33the staircase and the windows, are progressing.
11:36David has had an idea to make the banisters out of glass,
11:39but although dramatic designs are one thing,
11:42cost is another.
11:45We've got a plimmery price.
11:48It's going to cost you probably,
11:50including the glass handrails,
11:52which I have to be in laminated glass,
11:56and then all the spaces as well.
11:58It's going to cost about $8,000.
12:02And what was it we had in the budget for it?
12:06Five and a bit, I think.
12:08But that's an estimate, is it?
12:09Is that an estimate based on somebody just looking at it?
12:12No, from the drawings,
12:13in their experience they could give you a reasonable quote.
12:16Just because we've saved some money on the radon,
12:19I don't want to think we're just going to burn it up on something else.
12:23No.
12:24You know, I understand things do cost money,
12:27but, you know, you understand what I'm saying?
12:32Yeah.
12:32If I'm saving money, I want to see it in my pocket
12:35rather than it going on to another contractor, if I can.
12:39Well, yeah.
12:40$18,000 for the windows.
12:43And what did we budget?
12:44$24,000.
12:45$24,000.
12:47Which is pretty good.
12:48Is that down to, obviously, it's a simpler design now as well?
12:51Yes, it is.
12:52It's a combination of the two then, really?
12:53I'm going to be really boring now.
12:55Coming back to the cost again, then.
12:58The original $24,000 was just for the carpentry, was it?
13:03Correct.
13:03Right.
13:04Okay.
13:04So that is a like-for-like comparison?
13:07That's right, yeah.
13:08Comparison.
13:09Yeah.
13:10She's got glazing.
13:11I know, I bore you to death when I ask anybody.
13:14I have to know.
13:16I can't sleep at night.
13:17Once we've actually clarified all the costs,
13:19both for the stair and the windows,
13:21then we'll know exactly how much we've got left in the pot.
13:26It's difficult because, you know,
13:28I'm left with the job of being like a QS as well,
13:32as well as the contracts manager,
13:33as well as the architect, it seems.
13:35So it's going to take a bit of time to get all that together,
13:38but we can save money.
13:39I know that.
13:40I mean, you know, we're starting to do it.
13:41I mean, we know what figure we've got to work to,
13:43and that's the most important thing.
13:47This build is altogether rather complicated.
13:51It combines a very adventurous design
13:54with an old building and on a tight budget.
13:57And David's got two hats to wear.
13:59He's responsible for all the creative input
14:02and for the financial and project management.
14:05What with Gavin and Jane determined not to overspend,
14:09I'd say he's got a very tough job.
14:12Gavin and Jane bought the chapel at an auction like this one in Plymouth.
14:34At 18,500, the starter.
14:36At 18,500, 18,750.
14:39Auctions are not for everybody.
14:40You've got to think fast and make decisions under pressure.
14:44One false nod could be a fatal mistake.
14:46However, if you can keep your head,
14:49then you could find yourself coming away with your dream home
14:51and at a bargain.
14:53People are wary of auctions with good reason
15:01because you can run the risk of either ending up with a property
15:04that's nothing but problems
15:06or one you didn't even want in the first place.
15:09But they do have their good points.
15:11They're quick.
15:12You can move in just four weeks after the gavel goes down.
15:15And by avoiding the estate agent,
15:17they're cheaper too.
15:18$39,500, the last time.
15:21Mike, how easy is it to buy a property at auction?
15:24Very easy.
15:25Very easy indeed.
15:26It's a very simple and clinical operation,
15:28but it does mean that you've got to prepare for yourself very well indeed.
15:32Because once the gavel goes down,
15:34you can't come back to the owner or to me and say,
15:37well, I'm sorry, I didn't realise there was dry rot
15:39or I didn't realise the extension had got no planning consent.
15:43You ought to know these things.
15:45You ought to have found them out before the auction.
15:46The most important thing is you've got to be a cash buyer.
15:51Because once the gavel goes down,
15:53you've got to pay a 10% deposit today
15:55and within four weeks, you've got to pay the balance.
15:58If you don't, just as in private treaty sales,
16:02you've got penalties,
16:03which can mean that you can lose your deposit
16:05if you don't get it right.
16:06What techniques do you use as an auctioneer to get the bidding up?
16:10Let me tell you.
16:11An auctioneer, the only qualifications really for an auctioneer
16:13is two years at RADA because most of it is the technique
16:19of trying to persuade the audience that you have a bidder
16:22when in fact you haven't got a bidder.
16:24Nine were here, 29,000 I have over here, 29,000.
16:28But once I get up to the reserve price, I mustn't do it.
16:31Right.
16:31And therefore, it's open to the market,
16:34open to what is happening in the room.
16:36So, if you think that buying at auction is for you,
16:39then remember three things.
16:41First, get your money sorted out well in advance.
16:44Second, make sure that you know the property
16:46and you know everything about it.
16:48And third, know your limit and don't bid above it.
16:52Gavin and Jane did have a survey before they bought the chapel,
16:58although it was just a basic one.
17:00But old buildings are always unpredictable,
17:03as Andy McGoldrick, who runs the building company,
17:06knows all too well.
17:09On the whole, the project's gone very well.
17:11It's, um, we're pretty much on budget and on programme.
17:15Is it reasonable to assume that when you work with an old building,
17:17you are going to find hidden things?
17:19I mean, there are going to be problems of damp
17:20and a few structural problems that you can't discover?
17:22Very much so, yeah.
17:23It's one of the risks you stand.
17:26The standards that the modern buildings are made to these days
17:29are obviously far superior
17:31because they know all about things like damp and dry rot
17:33and all the rest of it.
17:34So they've designed out of the newer buildings.
17:37But with an older building such as this,
17:38whilst it's got tremendous character and a lovely old stone
17:42and all the rest of it,
17:43the big danger is you don't know what you're going to find.
17:46With demolition underway, they discovered a big problem.
17:51A steel lintel supporting an entire structural wall
17:54has corroded beyond use and needs to be replaced.
17:58It's too early to tell how expensive this will be,
18:01but the build presses on.
18:04This morning, we're off to pick up the timber
18:06for the long-awaited staircase,
18:08which is the centrepiece of the design.
18:12David does like to use local materials,
18:15and the staircase is no exception.
18:17It's going to be made out of Douglas fir
18:20that's grown in woodland just minutes away from the chapel.
18:24I hadn't expected the staircase to be so massive.
18:28I mean, look at the size of these timbers.
18:30They're huge.
18:31But by the end of the day,
18:32they're going to be completely unrecognisable.
18:38Once the bark has been cut off,
18:42the wood is sawn into blocks that will become the steps.
18:45With the skin off,
19:01you can really appreciate the beautiful colour
19:04and the grain of the Douglas fir.
19:06And with a bit of planing,
19:07these beautiful grey lumps will be ready
19:10to put into the staircase.
19:11It took the sawmill weeks
19:16to find trees tall enough
19:17to make these supporting beams for the staircase.
19:20They stand at over 30 feet.
19:32Back at the chapel,
19:34the builders are working on the internal walls,
19:37putting up the frames of the bedrooms
19:38that will be behind the stairs.
19:57It's full of scaffolding.
19:59It's three months since the build started.
20:02The timber has been cleaned,
20:04revealing it in all its glory.
20:07Gradually, the house is starting to resemble the end product,
20:10but with scaffolding,
20:11it's almost impossible to tell what goes where.
20:14Gavin and Jane had to do their best to explain it to me.
20:17The verticals are going to go all the way up to the roof.
20:19So what's the hole?
20:21That's the dungeon for Sam, so.
20:24So what's down below?
20:25There's a playroom down below.
20:26Yes, a playroom.
20:26It's going to be fully sealed so we can flood it.
20:29You can just watch it stand here
20:31and like the Titanic,
20:32watch it fill up with water.
20:33I mean, how child-friendly is this house going to be?
20:36We are going to have to invest in a number of stair gates,
20:38I think,
20:39bearing in mind where all the angles the stairs come from
20:41and things like that.
20:42Yeah, would you just come and explain this to me?
20:43Because I'm still not quite convinced
20:44as to how the stairs are going to work.
20:46Okay.
20:47Well, it's quite tricky to describe this,
20:49but basically the stairs start in the basement
20:51down below us there
20:53and basically open outwards
20:55towards the front and back of the building
20:57to this level that we're actually on
20:59where the bedrooms are
21:00and it's a platform between, at that level
21:03and then they go back in
21:04and join up at the next level of the bedrooms.
21:06Like a big diamond?
21:07Like a big diamond, yeah.
21:07Okay, so it's not that difficult structurally.
21:10No.
21:10And where's baby sleeping?
21:11In the room just here on our left-hand side.
21:13What, just on this one here?
21:15Right, just here.
21:19Generally, is the build going as you expected it to?
21:23Well, the quality of the work so far
21:24appears to be pretty good.
21:25You know, we're pleased with that
21:26and the speed, I mean, they're really cracking through it.
21:28So you're on schedule?
21:29Yeah, we're on schedule, yeah, at the moment.
21:31So how's the financial side of things?
21:33Unfortunately, we're slightly over
21:35of where we'd like to be at the moment
21:36due to some unforeseen circumstances
21:39like replacing some joists
21:40and some damp-proofing the things we had to do.
21:43But we're hoping to get some of that back
21:45at the next stage of the project.
21:48And if we can't get all of it back
21:50then obviously we're just going to have to
21:51try and find some extra funds.
21:53Okay, but is that going to be a problem,
21:54finding extra money?
21:55Well, it depends how much we have to find
21:56but we've got some ideas.
21:58So who's organising the finances?
22:00Who's running the finances of the project?
22:02We are, aren't we?
22:04Well, David's doing obviously the day-to-day management
22:06but when it comes down to it
22:08the ones that really care about the money
22:10is us obviously because it's our money.
22:12So we're working very closely with David on that.
22:15So are you happy?
22:18I mean, I'm happy with the quality of the work
22:20and the speed that they're doing it.
22:22I guess the thing that always causes stress
22:24certainly causes stress
22:25people like Gavin and I
22:26is obviously the money side of things.
22:28And I think I'll feel a lot better
22:30once we've done the windows and the stairs
22:32because they're sort of big, big chunks
22:34of the money we've got to spend.
22:36And then I'll sort of feel
22:37we've got, you know,
22:38the biggest amount of cash out of the way.
22:41Do you feel you've spent a lot already?
22:42We feel we've spent a lot.
22:43We've spent a lot
22:44but we're still a long way away, aren't we?
22:45Yeah.
22:46It feels.
22:49In the new year,
22:51one of those big chunks,
22:53the staircase, starts to go in.
22:58The staircase that's coming in now
23:00is an incredibly strong visual
23:02and structural part of the building.
23:03It's linking the rooms
23:04on the ground floor and upstairs
23:06but it's also linking this open space here
23:09and the closed spaces
23:10which are the bedrooms over there.
23:11It's going to turn it
23:12from a building
23:13into a house.
23:14Is that a bit tight still?
23:26Do you want to take a bit more off?
23:27Yeah.
23:29Ready?
23:30Hold it.
23:30Because of the early overspend,
23:45Gavin and Jane have taken control
23:48of the money management,
23:49formulating spreadsheets
23:51at home in Birmingham
23:52and communicating with David
23:53over all build costs.
23:55They are skilled in financial management
23:59but it's going to be hard
24:01to claw back some of the overspend
24:03that this old building has caused them.
24:07The major problem
24:08with converting an old building
24:10is that you can't plan
24:11for all those hidden faults
24:13until you start building.
24:15You can have a contingency fund
24:16but that can easily get swallowed up
24:18in all the things you don't see.
24:20Things like keeping the building standing
24:22and waterproof.
24:24Before work started,
24:26these basement walls
24:27which support the whole building
24:29were totally concealed
24:30so it was impossible to tell
24:32that they were leaking water badly
24:33or that the entire ground floor
24:37needed to be replaced
24:38because of dry rot.
24:43And to cap it all,
24:45the steel lintel that was here
24:46that supported this huge wall
24:49had to be ripped out
24:50and replaced by this concrete one
24:52at enormous cost.
24:53In fact,
24:54when the last invoice came in,
24:56Gavin and Jane found the lintel
24:57ended up costing
24:58£6,500
25:00meaning the unforeseen costs
25:03have totaled £20,000
25:04a huge sum
25:06that has soaked up
25:07all their contingency fund.
25:09Part of the problem
25:10is their mortgage.
25:12It's paid in four stages
25:14at agreed points in the build.
25:16The £20,000 overspend
25:18has meant that
25:18without getting a short-term loan
25:20they won't have the money
25:22to progress
25:23to the next stage
25:24of the build.
25:25This in turn
25:26would mean
25:27that they'd be unable
25:28to get the next payment
25:29from the mortgage company.
25:31More importantly,
25:33Gavin and Jane
25:33have analysed
25:34the budget in detail
25:36and are concerned
25:37that even more overspend
25:38is inevitable.
25:40Stopping the project
25:41has now become
25:42a very real option.
25:44I would describe it
25:45as very, very, very stressful
25:47at the moment
25:47and it feels
25:50very much like
25:51we're under continual pressure
25:52because the decisions
25:54we have to make
25:54are very difficult ones.
25:58And as a Cornishman
25:59it's affecting my pocket
26:00which
26:01always stresses me.
26:04I mean
26:05we're sort of thinking
26:05that was any sort of build
26:06as like a game of poker
26:08or something
26:08and at the moment
26:09the stakes were getting
26:10nearly a little bit
26:10too high for us
26:11and that's where
26:12we've got to try
26:13and get somewhere
26:14where we've got
26:16the right balance.
26:17I think we're at the point
26:18at the moment
26:19where if somebody
26:20came up to me tomorrow
26:21and said
26:22I'll take it off your hands
26:23I would just say
26:24take it.
26:25But I know
26:26at the moment
26:27we're going through
26:27a real low
26:28and I've got to try
26:28and keep it in perspective
26:29but that's certainly
26:30how I feel at the moment.
26:31It's one extra thing
26:33that I think
26:33I could do without
26:34and
26:35you know
26:37once we see an end in sight
26:38whatever that end is
26:40it's going to be a lot better.
26:42But at the moment
26:43we don't know what it is
26:43and it makes it
26:44very hard to deal with.
26:47It's not worth
26:47going through
26:48what we're going through now
26:49because there's so much
26:51more at stake
26:51than just a chapel.
26:55Things like
26:56the things that are at stake
26:57are
26:58Sam's future
26:59my future
27:00Jane's future
27:01ever having the time
27:03to enjoy it
27:03because we're going to be
27:04working
27:04all the hours
27:06until we're 65.
27:09And it's not
27:09I mean
27:10there always has been
27:11there was
27:11an excitement about it
27:13there still is an excitement
27:14about it
27:15to a certain extent
27:15about what
27:16what it
27:16could be
27:18but
27:20there are things
27:21that aren't worth
27:22giving up for
27:23for it.
27:26Walking around the site
27:27there's a palpable
27:29air of tension here.
27:30Gavin and Jane
27:31are in Plymouth today
27:32meeting David Shepard
27:33trying to decide
27:35how
27:35and if
27:36the build
27:37will proceed.
27:38Gavin and Jane
27:39are trying to
27:40hammer out
27:41a revised budget
27:42with David Shepard
27:43so they can get
27:44an increased loan
27:45from the mortgage lender.
27:46For now
27:47there's enough money
27:47to keep the workers
27:48on site
27:49for three weeks.
27:51They're putting
27:51all their efforts
27:52into finishing
27:52the staircase
27:53which
27:54as a crucial part
27:55of the structure
27:55must be completed.
27:57David believes
28:00the staircase
28:00will raise
28:01the value
28:02of the building
28:02and help
28:03to get the extra money.
28:06It's now
28:07almost completed.
28:09As the steps
28:10climb higher
28:10the design
28:11can at last
28:12be appreciated
28:13but on a day
28:14that should have
28:15been a celebration
28:16news about
28:17the new loan
28:18arrives.
28:19It's Monday evening
28:23and I'm in Birmingham.
28:25Now on Friday
28:26Gavin and Jane
28:26received a phone call
28:27from the building society
28:28to say that they
28:30would not stump
28:31up all the money
28:31that Gavin and Jane
28:32needed to complete
28:33the build.
28:34Now this could throw
28:35the whole thing
28:36into jeopardy.
28:37However
28:38this morning
28:38there was another
28:39phone call
28:40which could be
28:41a reprieve.
28:42Who knows?
28:43I've come to find out.
28:46Sir Jane
28:47what has happened?
28:49It's more like
28:50what hasn't happened?
28:51It's been pretty awful
28:52actually.
28:54As you know
28:55we had applied
28:55to the building society
28:56for more money
28:57because of the
28:58unexpected things
28:59that came up
28:59and whatever.
28:59How much money?
29:00£54,000.
29:02That's a huge amount.
29:04We got the
29:05or I got the call
29:06Friday afternoon
29:07at quarter to five
29:08on the M40
29:10on the way back
29:11from a training course
29:12to say basically
29:13that they couldn't
29:14give me the £54.
29:15So of course
29:16you can imagine
29:17at quarter to five
29:18on a Friday
29:18you can't do anything
29:19about it to Monday morning
29:20so it's been quite
29:21a sort of tense weekend.
29:24Now I've come
29:24all this way this evening
29:25because you've had
29:26another phone call.
29:28Well I called them
29:29this morning.
29:30They've basically
29:30agreed to release
29:31a total of
29:31157 and a half.
29:34So you're how much
29:35short of what you need?
29:36£16,000.
29:37And that's to do
29:38the whole thing?
29:39Yeah.
29:39So what are you going to do?
29:41Not do the whole thing.
29:43Exactly.
29:43So we already
29:45have sort of
29:46pre-empted
29:46we mightn't get
29:47all the money
29:47so we've already
29:49sort of put together
29:50a short list
29:50of things potentially
29:51we could cut out.
29:52So why has it
29:53gone so far over?
29:54Because you've
29:55overspent 20,
29:57OK that's 15 more
29:58than your reserve
29:59but you're asking
30:00for an extra
30:01£54,000.
30:02Why so much?
30:03The rest of it
30:04basically comes out
30:05from things
30:05that were under-budgeted
30:06is what's behind it.
30:09We've gone through
30:10the spreadsheet
30:11in real detail
30:11with both the builders
30:12and David
30:13and everybody else involved.
30:14We found out
30:15that basically
30:15the engineers
30:16that we got in
30:17to budget it
30:18I think what they did
30:20was basically
30:20use standard values
30:21from the reference books
30:22they have
30:23and basically
30:23they didn't take
30:24into account
30:25the complexities
30:25involved in an old building.
30:28So the windows
30:29which as you know
30:30it was going to be
30:30a big part of the budget
30:31were probably under-budgeted
30:33by about
30:33you know
30:34just under £10,000.
30:36The stairs
30:36were under-budgeted as well.
30:38All the big bits
30:39that we knew
30:39were going to cost
30:40were under-budgeted.
30:41Gavin and Jane
30:42worked out
30:43with David Shepard
30:44that the combination
30:44of overspend
30:45and under-budgeting
30:46means they need
30:47£54,000 more
30:49to complete the build.
30:51The mortgage lender's
30:52final offer
30:52is £38,000.
30:54They now have to work out
30:55how they can lose
30:57the £16,000
30:58from their build budget
30:59which means
31:00some very serious
31:01penny-pinching.
31:03Now last time
31:04I came down
31:04to the chapel
31:05you weren't there
31:05you were in a heavy meeting
31:07all day
31:07with David
31:08so how
31:09is your relationship
31:10with him now?
31:11Is it strained?
31:13Um
31:13it's different
31:14obviously it started off
31:15in that we're so actively
31:17involved with the finance
31:17now it is a different
31:18sort of relationship.
31:20It's still very open
31:22and it's still very clear
31:23because it's got to be
31:23if we want to get through this
31:25and he is totally committed
31:26to helping us get
31:27through it
31:28I mean he knows
31:29that you know
31:29we started it together
31:30and we've got to end it together
31:31as well you know
31:32for better or worse
31:33a bit like a marriage
31:34I suppose in a way.
31:35So you've had
31:35lots of frank discussions?
31:36Oh yes
31:37very heated discussions
31:38emotional ones
31:39you know
31:39from both sides
31:40you know
31:42but you've got to do that
31:44to get through it.
31:45So is it no longer
31:46your grand design?
31:47Has it turned into
31:48a nightmare?
31:50A grand folly?
31:51Yeah.
31:54Yes and no
31:55I mean
31:55David keeps trying
31:58to gee us up again
31:59by telling us
31:59how wonderful
32:00the stairs look
32:00and stuff
32:01and at the moment
32:01I really don't
32:02give a toss
32:03what they look like
32:03to be perfectly blunt
32:04you know
32:06in one way
32:06if somebody came
32:07to me tomorrow
32:07and said
32:08we'll take this
32:08off your hands
32:09I'd be quite pleased
32:10there still is
32:11an underlying thing
32:12though that
32:12you know
32:13it's a project
32:14we started
32:15and I still want
32:15to finish it
32:16as long as
32:16it's not going
32:17to kill us doing it
32:18Gavin and Jane
32:20have obviously
32:21got a lot
32:22on their plate
32:23but of course
32:24David Shepard's
32:25also involved
32:26so I've come
32:26to Plymouth
32:27to see him
32:28to get his side
32:29of the story
32:29so far
32:35you've been
32:35the architect
32:36and you've been
32:36the project manager
32:37on the job
32:38do you think
32:39that the two jobs
32:40are exclusive
32:41that one person
32:43can't do both
32:43yes
32:47is the answer
32:48to that
32:48and the reason
32:49being
32:49is that
32:50we did look
32:52at the possibility
32:53of having
32:53a quantity surveyor
32:54and his role
32:56is to monitor
32:56the costings
32:57of the project
32:58I'm in fact
33:00doing that job
33:00although we're trained
33:02to actually monitor
33:03costs
33:03perhaps not
33:04in the degree
33:05that one should
33:06and hence
33:08that's why
33:08the quantity surveyor
33:09is a quantity surveyor
33:10and I'm an architect
33:10how has your relationship
33:12changed with them
33:14through the building
33:15through this crisis
33:16like a kind of marriage
33:18we've had
33:19incredible
33:20disagreements
33:22and particularly
33:22the meeting
33:23that we had
33:23that went on
33:24all day
33:24and some of the night
33:26that was very
33:28put a great deal
33:30of pressure
33:30on them
33:32more than me
33:32I think
33:33purely on the basis
33:33they drove all the way
33:34down from Birmingham
33:35stayed with me all day
33:36and drove all the way back
33:37whilst Gavin and Jane
33:39attempt to resolve
33:40the finances
33:41they've ordered work
33:42on site
33:42to halt
33:43Andy McGoldrick
33:44decided it would cost
33:45more to move
33:46off site
33:47and back again
33:48so he's taken a risk
33:49and kept work
33:50ticking over
33:51in the hope
33:51that money will come soon
33:53typically
33:54where money is concerned
33:55Gavin and Jane
33:56waste no time
33:57in sorting it out
33:58go ahead then
33:59to get the money
34:00that we need
34:01great
34:02okay well
34:03that's good news
34:04I'll have to tell Gavin
34:05obviously
34:05when he gets in
34:06so thanks for that
34:08and what I'll do
34:09I'll give you a call
34:10over the next hour
34:11so we can start arranging
34:12how we move forward
34:13thanks a lot
34:14bye
34:14so that was good news
34:17anyway
34:17that was
34:19as you know
34:19we had problems
34:20with our original lender
34:22who was a building society
34:23in that they
34:25they basically couldn't give us
34:27the rest of the money
34:27that we needed
34:28to finish the project
34:28so we really had no
34:30other route to go
34:31but to find another lender
34:32to get the money
34:33so we've been
34:34talking to various banks
34:35and building societies
34:36and we just found out
34:38that the bank
34:38that we've gone for
34:39can actually
34:40give us the money we need
34:41so
34:42which is brilliant
34:43so we've got the money
34:44to move forward now
34:45so that's good
34:46now they have
34:48the extra 54,000
34:49Gavin and Jane
34:50have decided
34:51no building work
34:52will be given clearance
34:53until they have got
34:54full quotes
34:55they hope this will prevent
34:57any further
34:58unexpected overspend
34:59I've put some budgets
35:00in
35:00alright well
35:01if they are
35:01if there's still big amounts
35:02as we said in the letter
35:04that we won't
35:06just ride off
35:07and see yonder
35:07just because we've got a plan
35:08until we know
35:09what the overall cost is
35:10and we've got quotations
35:11to back it up
35:11we'll go with that
35:13we should end the rest of those
35:14by the end of the week
35:15hours after the meeting
35:17urgent work is underway
35:19fixing the roof
35:20and putting new
35:21vellux windows in place
35:22because the mortgage valuation
35:24placed more emphasis
35:26on the stairs
35:27than the roof
35:28the build has been
35:29back to front
35:30the roof leaked
35:31and some steps
35:32became mouldy
35:33if you're choosing
35:35a mortgage
35:35remember that the surveyor
35:37is the key
35:38to releasing your funds
35:40he must understand
35:41what you're trying to do
35:43for example
35:44Gavin and Jane
35:45had decided
35:46not to build the decking
35:47in order to cut back
35:49on overspend
35:50the new surveyor
35:52recommended by David
35:53pointed out
35:54that for a build cost
35:55of under £3,000
35:57£7,000
35:58would be added
35:59to the building's value
36:00some quotes
36:04still have not come in
36:05and without them
36:06Gavin and Jane
36:07won't release the money
36:09for Andy McGoldrick
36:10director of the building firm
36:12the delays
36:13are proving frustrating
36:15how's it all going Andy
36:16because you haven't finished yet
36:17it hasn't gone smoothly
36:19but then again
36:21you always get problems
36:22each building
36:24each job
36:24has its own
36:25individual problems
36:26you were just brought in
36:27to do
36:27first of all
36:28the groundworks
36:29weren't you
36:29and your role
36:31has increased and increased
36:32until finally
36:33you've emerged
36:33as it were
36:34as a sort of third
36:34third member of the group
36:36you know
36:36there's the architect
36:37there's the client
36:37there's you
36:38what are the key things
36:40that you need
36:41out of these people
36:41communication
36:42and trust
36:43undoubtedly
36:44in a nutshell
36:46those two items
36:47did you find the experience
36:48of not being there
36:50until the last lap
36:51frustrating
36:51yes
36:52very much so
36:53it was a very difficult
36:56line to tread
36:57we're used to having
36:58almost complete autonomy
37:00you land on sites
37:01you get the spec
37:02you've got the drawings
37:03you know exactly
37:04where your responsibilities
37:05do and don't lie
37:06this has been
37:07more of a learning
37:09experience all the way
37:10because you don't want
37:12to tread on the
37:12the architect
37:14client relationship
37:15but there are also
37:17times when you
37:18you know
37:19will one of you
37:19please make a decision
37:20you know
37:21so it's
37:23yes it has been
37:24frustrating
37:24so what's your story
37:25so far
37:26insofar as what
37:28insofar
37:29this troubled build
37:31well it has been
37:33in trouble
37:34but not anymore
37:35you're happy
37:36reasonably so
37:38I'm just a bit
37:39concerned about timing
37:40we're obviously
37:41going to go over time
37:42and it's going to
37:43take a few more weeks
37:45before we get it
37:46sort of complete
37:47particularly with the
37:48major structural problems
37:49we had initially
37:50and we've always been
37:51trying to retrieve
37:52that position
37:52which seems to be
37:54an upending
37:55non-ending struggle
37:56but the build
38:01is also late
38:02because the last
38:03quote for plumbing
38:04doesn't arrive
38:05until early May
38:06at last the build
38:08can continue
38:08at full speed
38:09the heating
38:10and electrics
38:11are underway
38:12and all the window
38:13frames have been
38:14completed
38:14except for the
38:15master bedroom
38:16windows
38:16where the holes
38:17are still being
38:18made
38:18to begin with
38:24this chapel
38:24was going to be
38:25finished by
38:26Christmas
38:27then
38:28it was going to be
38:29ready in March
38:30we're now at the
38:32end of May
38:33now
38:34this project has
38:34always been very
38:35ambitious
38:36and the design
38:36is very exciting
38:38but it is running
38:39five months
38:40behind schedule
38:42so it's time to see
38:43how far they've got
38:45hi there
38:49hi
38:51how's it going
38:52how's it going
38:53great
38:54it's um
38:55looking around
38:56not hugely finished
38:58where I'm standing
38:58but it is plastered
39:00you know
39:00it's getting there
39:01isn't it
39:01windows are about
39:02to go in
39:02yep
39:02yeah
39:03show me the rest
39:04of the house
39:04show me um
39:05what condition
39:06that's in
39:07well this is
39:11more like it
39:12isn't it
39:12this is
39:13this is a
39:13transformation
39:14it's come on
39:15quite a bit
39:15hasn't it
39:16it's fabulous
39:17yeah it looks
39:18almost finished
39:19is it
39:19no
39:20easy answer
39:22no we've got
39:24a lot to do
39:25yeah
39:25I mean it should
39:26be at least
39:26another couple of
39:27weeks don't you
39:27think
39:27oh at least
39:28yeah
39:29I don't care
39:30anyone really
39:30as long as it
39:31comes in
39:32you know
39:32and we're not
39:33destitute for the
39:34rest of our lives
39:34yeah
39:35I mean but it
39:36it does work
39:38doesn't it
39:38I mean it's a
39:39stunning design
39:40there's no doubt
39:41and the stairs
39:42are amazing
39:43yeah
39:43completely make
39:44the space
39:44and it's light
39:46and it's much
39:47lighter than
39:47when I saw it
39:48last before the
39:48glazing went
39:49yeah
39:49and that's made
39:50a big difference
39:51to having clear
39:51glass
39:52it works beautifully
39:53show me the
39:54show me the garden
39:54okay
39:55oh this is nice
39:59this is um
40:00sort of gently
40:01sloping away
40:02isn't it
40:02it's pretty isn't
40:03yeah
40:03and the streptococcus
40:05is fantastic
40:07it's lovely
40:07isn't it
40:07the colours are
40:08beautiful
40:08and even though
40:09it's sunken
40:10it must get a
40:11fair bit of light
40:12because you've got
40:12these windows all
40:13the way around it
40:14and the door there
40:15when that's open
40:16and you've got
40:17these four skylights
40:18as well
40:18yeah
40:18blast it with
40:20quite a lot of
40:21light
40:21yeah
40:21that's what
40:22they're there for
40:23really
40:23that's why you put
40:24the garden
40:24yeah
40:24yeah
40:25it works
40:26beautifully
40:26this is your
40:28heavenly garden
40:29mm-hmm
40:30yeah
40:30this was
40:31heaven is
40:31it's gonna get
40:32I guess
40:32can I have a look
40:34around the rest
40:34of the house
40:34yeah
40:35go ahead
40:35yeah
40:36thanks
41:04even when the
41:10banisters are in
41:11I wonder how
41:12practical these
41:13stairs will be
41:14for a young
41:15child
41:15despite the size
41:27of this house
41:28I can't get over
41:29how small
41:29the bedrooms are
41:31I suppose
41:32architects so
41:33often consider
41:34bedrooms as
41:35secondary spaces
41:36but I prefer
41:38myself to have
41:38a bedroom that's
41:39large enough to
41:39throw your clothes
41:40on the floor
41:41and have a
41:42cupboard
41:42I can understand
41:49a baby's room
41:50being small
41:50but surely not
41:52the master bedroom
41:53that's positioned
41:54over the open
41:55plan living room
41:56this room
42:02it isn't the
42:03largest room
42:03in the house
42:04I'd have thought
42:04for your master
42:04bedroom you'd have
42:05kind of created
42:06this huge space
42:07well we probably
42:08would have liked
42:09it one ideally
42:09but the reason
42:10it's the size it
42:11is is we couldn't
42:12have the floor
42:13any lower because
42:13of the heights
42:14of the windows
42:14down below
42:15so that reduces
42:17usable space
42:18and we had to
42:19have this wall
42:20here because of
42:20the divide
42:21so this is basically
42:24the size we had
42:24and we did give
42:25one of the clear
42:26instructions we
42:26gave to David
42:27at the start
42:28was not to cut
42:28across any of the
42:29chapel windows
42:30but I still think
42:31it was going to be
42:31a workable room
42:32anyway
42:32and the view
42:34makes up for it
42:35it's just wonderful
42:35waking up in the
42:37morning looking down
42:38the valley
42:38it's going to be
42:38lovely
42:39the office space
42:44is open and light
42:45and just seeing
42:47how the living room
42:47kitchen and great
42:49hallway work together
42:51makes me appreciate
42:52the tremendous space
42:54this house has
42:55converting any
42:58older building
42:59inevitably involves
43:00some kind of
43:01compromise
43:02and in a typical
43:03chapel conversion
43:04you find the
43:05building chopped
43:06into layers
43:07so that you get
43:07large room
43:09rooms with
43:09low ceilings
43:10but you also get
43:12to see the windows
43:13sliced through
43:14by all the floors
43:15now David's
43:16solution to this
43:17is to divide
43:18the building
43:18vertically
43:19which means
43:20although you do
43:20get small
43:21little rooms
43:22over on that
43:23side of the
43:23building
43:23you do get
43:24to see large
43:25windows here
43:26plus you get
43:27a sense of
43:28all that soaring
43:28height
43:29on the whole
43:30I think it's
43:31a pretty good
43:31compromise
43:32but I still
43:36have one more
43:37question about
43:38the design
43:38of the building
43:39come and
43:41share me the
43:41playroom
43:42okay
43:43yeah
43:43Sam's little
43:44room down here
43:44where we're
43:45walking
43:45this used to
43:46be a great
43:46black void
43:47didn't it
43:47I remember
43:48we saw it
43:48it's now
43:49it's the
43:50opposite of that
43:51it's like a dungeon
43:51thing
43:51it's wonderful now
43:52this is a very
43:53decent sized room
43:54isn't it
43:54to contain him in
43:56he's playing down
43:57here you're upstairs
43:57reading the paper
43:58he falls over
43:59or tries to
44:00climb out the
44:00window
44:01what are you
44:01going to do
44:02because you've
44:02got to run all
44:03the way down
44:03the other end of the
44:03house
44:04all the way down
44:05here
44:05over your gravel
44:06drive
44:06sort of a
44:07self-healing
44:07kind of problem
44:08isn't it
44:08before the time
44:08we get there
44:09it'll probably be
44:09alright
44:10or we just lean
44:14over and shout
44:15at them
44:15hey shut up
44:16we're trying to
44:16read the paper
44:17yeah
44:17how many kids
44:19have you had
44:19before
44:20none
44:20we may never
44:22have any more
44:23again
44:23if we could be
44:24far enough
44:24away we might
44:25not even hear
44:25him anyway
44:26you hope
44:28I think this
44:31house is
44:32beautiful
44:33I have nothing
44:35else to say
44:35really than that
44:36I think it
44:37really is
44:38beautiful
44:39and I was
44:40just wondering
44:40how you both
44:42feel about it
44:42I was wondering
44:46when the question
44:46was going to
44:46come
44:47for a short
44:48interview
44:48happy with the
44:51house
44:51I guess
44:51yeah
44:52happy with the
44:53house
44:53not with the
44:53process
44:54the design bit
44:55was fine
44:56that all went
44:57well
44:58and that we
44:58gave David
44:59criteria
45:00and you know
45:00I think he did
45:01an excellent job
45:02with trying to
45:03sort of achieve
45:04the design criteria
45:05the issue was
45:06the cost criteria
45:07and that's where
45:08I guess it all
45:09started to
45:09crumble
45:11here you were
45:12in Birmingham
45:13he was down
45:13here running
45:14this job
45:14designing
45:15for a period
45:17do you think
45:19the fact that
45:19you were that
45:20far away
45:20made a
45:21significant
45:22difference
45:22didn't help
45:23yes
45:25because we
45:25didn't have
45:26a decent
45:26project manager
45:27down here
45:27with the benefit
45:28of hindsight
45:29what advice
45:30could you give
45:31to somebody
45:32who was
45:32coming into
45:33the same
45:33situation
45:34as you
45:34direct
45:35communication
45:36is the
45:36key thing
45:37we deal
45:40directly
45:40with Andy
45:41McGoldrick
45:41and if
45:42there's
45:42something
45:43that we
45:44don't know
45:44we ask
45:45him
45:45and we
45:47get to
45:47the point
45:47where you
45:48actually
45:48know
45:49specifically
45:50what the
45:51answer is
45:51that you're
45:51looking for
45:52because we're
45:53not building
45:54people
45:55so how we
45:56ask a question
45:56needs to be
45:57interrogated
45:58so you get
45:58to the bottom
45:59line of what
45:59we're after
46:00I think
46:01interview a load
46:02of architects
46:02which is what
46:03we did
46:03I think it's
46:04the right thing
46:04to do
46:04interview
46:05and if you
46:06shortlist
46:06go and see
46:07the work
46:07they've done
46:08speak to
46:09the people
46:09who they've
46:10done it to
46:11because again
46:12we would
46:13definitely have
46:13had a different
46:14picture if we'd
46:14spoken to
46:14the house
46:15that David
46:16took us to
46:17because we know
46:18they went
46:18significantly over
46:18budget as well
46:19effectively taking
46:21references
46:21and what kind
46:23of preparation
46:23did you do
46:24before you
46:25engaged
46:25David
46:26in terms of
46:27what
46:27well in terms
46:28of I don't
46:28know
46:29understanding
46:29about how
46:30to go about
46:31having a
46:32house built
46:32for example
46:33we'd got
46:34some of the
46:35building magazines
46:36and stuff
46:37that home
46:38building one
46:39that was quite
46:39useful
46:40because that
46:40does a lot
46:40of case studies
46:41and things
46:41and went
46:41through a lot
46:42of that
46:42I mean
46:43I contacted
46:43some of the
46:44architects
46:46the RBA
46:47and stuff
46:47and asked
46:47their advice
46:48I mean
46:49did none of
46:49them mention
46:49the fact
46:50that to have
46:51an architect
46:52also work
46:52as your
46:52project manager
46:53is not a
46:54good idea
46:55actually no
46:56they don't
46:57actually specifically
46:57say that
46:58you have to go
46:58with
46:59you know
47:00at some point
47:01you have to
47:01make a decision
47:01and we did
47:03that
47:03and it was
47:04a wrong one
47:04as it turned
47:05out
47:05Gavin and Jane
47:08spent
47:09£83,000
47:10on the site
47:11so far
47:12the build
47:13is £54,000
47:14over budget
47:15with costs
47:15coming to
47:16£174,000
47:17the total
47:18is £257,000
47:21but it does
47:22look as though
47:22it will be
47:23financially
47:23worthwhile
47:24as early estimates
47:25put the final value
47:26of the chapel
47:27between £260,000
47:28and £300,000
47:30but of course
47:31building your own
47:32house is about
47:33more than money
47:34in a nutshell
47:36two words
47:36a project manager
47:37you need
47:39some kind of
47:40interface
47:40between
47:41the architects
47:43that's what I want
47:44it to look like
47:45the clients
47:47that's what I can
47:48afford to build
47:48and the builder
47:50that's what can
47:51physically be done
47:52would you do it again
47:53would you project manage
47:54a job like this again
47:56as well as design it
47:58do you think
47:58do you think
47:58that the work is
47:59you always
48:00you always called it
48:01project management
48:01but I always say
48:02it's architecture
48:03it's always having
48:04control
48:04to be the lead
48:05consultant
48:06that's important
48:07that's important
48:08one for the overall
48:09aesthetic
48:09for the overall detail
48:10for the overall
48:12comprehension of the
48:13building
48:13it's not a project
48:15manager
48:15that is the
48:16architect's job
48:17how much do you
48:22think the dream's
48:23going to be
48:23in the end
48:24compromised
48:25if at all
48:25by what's happened
48:27I think
48:28look
48:29with most bad
48:30things
48:30you end up
48:31getting over it
48:32I'm not overjoyed
48:33because we're still
48:34halfway through it
48:35and there's loads
48:35of things to do
48:36and too much has
48:37happened to be
48:38overjoyed
48:39I think once
48:41the builders go
48:42and we can actually
48:43sort of be in it
48:44properly
48:44and it's a home
48:45you know
48:45everything's in
48:46not necessarily
48:47fully decorated
48:48but you know
48:48we've got enough
48:49in it that we feel
48:49it's a home
48:50then we can start
48:51to enjoy it
48:51there's no doubt
48:53in my mind
48:54that Gavin and Jane
48:55should have
48:57employed a full-time
48:58project manager
48:59on this build
49:00but the great
49:01irony of self-building
49:03is that you never
49:04really understand
49:04how to build a house
49:05until it's over
49:06it's a complicated
49:08jigsaw of skills
49:10design
49:11communication
49:12and trust
49:13so you do need
49:15all the professional
49:16help you can get
49:17but it's you
49:19that keeps the
49:20jigsaw together
49:21which means
49:22being on top
49:23of everything
49:23and everyone
49:24ultimately
49:26only you
49:27can drive
49:28your vision
49:29forward