Episode Information Property Ladder: Elm & Wysall

Date Published:

11/06/2008

From barns to windmills, the UK is conversion crazy. The trouble is they have a very nasty habit of turning into nightmare developments.

In this episode of Property Ladder, two sets of developers who have fallen for the old world appeal of two very different properties. But they do have one trait in common: they're about as far away as you can get from being successful 21st century homes.

Carpenter Vaughan and his partner Jackie are jumping in at the deep end with their first property development. Their 18th century thatched cottage in Elm, Cambridgeshire, might ooze chocolate box charm, but the entire roof needs rethatching and inside it's completely outdated. With so much work to do, it will need a business-like approach to make the most of the development.

But with these two would-be developers both falling in love with the quaint charm of this cute cottage, will they be able to keep their business caps on and put profit before personal interest?

The property is spread over two floors. Upstairs the three bedrooms and family bathroom need updating, but it's the layout downstairs that's causing the biggest problem.

A fourth bedroom, two receptions rooms and kitchen are all wrapped around one large central area. Jackie and Vaughan's plan is to move the kitchen into the back reception room, with a dining room to the front. This leaves only one place to put the family sitting room - in what's basically an oversized hallway. They're investing £110,000 to update this 18th century cottage, a mammoth task.

Jackie and Vaughan aren't the only ones being seduced by an old property - 70 miles away in Wysall, just outside of Nottingham, Steve has just bought a wonderful Victorian chapel. Steve is putting all his faith and all his money into the conversion. He's even sold his home and shop to fund the development.

Chapels lend themselves to fabulous contemporary design, but Steve's plans couldn't be more different. The building consists of the main chapel and dilapidated school room behind.

Steve plans to create a whole new floor slicing through the 10ft high windows, while upstairs he's creating a master suite, a bathroom and two further bedrooms.

Downstairs he's planning a study, fourth bedroom and lounge, and at the back he's cutting the schoolroom by a third to create a kitchen diner, leaving enough space for a small garden.

However if Steve's idea is to develop a traditional three bedroom house, buying a chapel may not be such a good idea. He's got £300,000 to spend in total (including buying the chapel), and is looking to sell for £400,000.