Sarah Beeny and her team of specialists head to the Murphy family's chocolate box cottage in Cheshire.
Mum Andrea fell for its period charms but now the cracks are appearing and she and husband Steven are terrified the character features hide a multitude of problems.
They're right to be worried, as an investigation reveals a host of problems: floors so poorly laid their children could end up falling through them, a dangerous roof and most worryingly, a first for Sarah: a very real risk of fire.
Like many period properties built before modern fire regulations, a combination of flammable materials and poor construction means that smoke from a fire in the living room would fill the kids' bedroom above in minutes. It's an emotional discovery for the doting parents of two boys aged seven and four.
With the budget gone replacing the roof they need Sarah's level-headed advice and DIY savvy to understand their home and take charge of it.
Lack of a structural survey
Cracks
Damp and rot
Woodworm
Leaking roof
Other serious faults and
A host of DIY and decorating jobs
Chartered Structural Engineer
Simon Pitchers - Craddy Pitchers Davidson
01275 371 333
www.craddypitchers.co.uk
www.IStructE.org
Joiner
Robert Houghton - Houghton Joinery Services
01925 232462
07917842828
Damp Expert
Stephen Hodgson - Property Care Association
www.property-care.org
Arboricultural Consultant
David Evans - The Arbor Centre
01225 351 849
www.arborcentre.co.uk
Geotechnical Consultant
Chris Eaton
Consultant Geotechnical Engineer
www.geoeng.co.uk
Geotechnical Engineer
Simon Bailey
Site Vision Surveys
www.svsltd.net
Electrical Consultants
NICEIC (National Inspection for Electrical Installation Contracting)
Tony Cable and Pete Angel
www.niceic.com
0870 013 0382
Research Facility
The Fire Service College
01608 650831
www.fireservicecollege.ac.uk
Suppliers
Electrician
Adam Day
www.electricsfixed.co.uk
07756541478
Electrical Wholesalers
TN Robinsons
www.tnr.co.uk
Electrics
O'Callaghan Electrical Services
Heaton Mersey/Heaton Chapel
0161 4429629
07957 400832
Plasterers
Arly Property Services Ltd
www.arlypropertyservices.com
garysmeaton@ymail.com
0161 222 7841
07772 747 946
Bathroom Installation Specialist
Luke Pomirski
www.bestlookbathrooms.co.uk
07915455665
Roof
IH Gallagher Roofing
www.gallagherroofing.co.uk
0161 941 7316
Window Fitter
Irlam Glass
www.irlamglass.co.uk
0161 775 2524
07590 073445
Damp/Woodwork Experts
Peter Cox
0800 030 4701
www.petercox.com
Wood Burning Stove Installation
Jamie Sharman
01925 751 403
07753 760 103
jamiesharman@yahoo.com
www.sharmansoflymm.co.uk
Joiner
Opus
07816 127633
www.opusbuildingandjoinery.co.uk
Skip Hire
Winwick Road Skip Hire
info@winwickroadskiphire.co.uk
01925 446645
Fitted Wardrobes
The Fitted Wardrobe Company (London)
0800 880 6868
info@thefittedwardrobe.com
www.thefittedwardrobe.com
Tiles
The Tile Supermarket
www.thetilesupermarket.com
sales@thetilesupermarket.com
Ensuite
Better Bathrooms UK Limited
0844 484 7678
www.betterbathrooms.com
Paint
Johnstone's Paint (living room and master bedroom)
PPG Architectural Coatings UK Ltd
www.ppg.com
Dulux (all other paint inside & out)
http://www.duluxdecoratorcentre.co.uk
Family Bathroom
Plumb World
www.plumbworld.co.uk
Boys Dinosaur Wallpaper
Jolly Jurassic
0845 1236805
www.harlequin.uk.com
Wallpaper (living room, hall, master bedroom)
Graham & Brown
0800 328 8452
www.grahambrown.com
Bunk beds, mattress, duvet covers, rug
Dreams
www.dreams.co.uk
Curtains & Blinds (all blinds and master bedroom)
Xcross Interiors
www.xcrossinteriorslymm.co.uk
xrossinteriors@live.co.uk
01925 758298
Radiators
Screwfix
www.screwfix.com
Kitchen Velux
VELUX Company Ltd
01592 778 225
www.velux.co.uk
sales@velux.co.uk
Carpets (boys' room, hall, living room)
Bridgewater Flooring & Blinds
www.bridgewater-flooringandblinds.co.uk
01925 755 805
Bedstead & Mattress (master bedroom)
The Original Bedstead Company
www.obc-uk.net
0207 3511 955
Windows
Glyn Gary Windows
sales@glyngary.co.uk
01925763836
Stained Glass & Reclaimed Doors
Synergy
www.synergystainedglass.co.uk
0161 682 5333
07766 277609
Window Ledges
5murf@live.co.uk
07720 437859
Builders' Merchants
Travis Perkins
01925 632223 – Warrington branch
www.travisperkins.co.uk
