The Restoration Man

reviewed by a Surveyor

 

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If you need help and advice with regard to building surveys, structural surveys, structural reports, engineers reports, specific defects reports, dilapidations or any other property matters please free phone 0800 298 5424

 

The Restoration Man is aired on Channel Four with Series One broadcasting nine episodes and Series Two seven episodes produced by Tiger Aspect Productions Limited. The Restoration Man series takes the viewer across the length and breadth of Britain as restoration projects are taken on of various sizes to neglected and often derelict buildings. The series is hosted by architect George Clarke who is passionate about architectural heritage following the trials and tribulations of enthusiastic owners who bring these crumpling properties back to life for future generations.

The programme is sixty minutes in duration with advertisement breaks interspersed and moves at a steady pace through the renovation works.

 

Presenter

George Clarke

George Clarke is an architect who brings his professional knowledge of buildings and design to the television programme The Restoration Man. An expert in his field George is passionate about architectural heritage and this is evident in each episode as he explores each restoration project adding his advice and expertise where required. As an architect George has a sound reputation for innovation and has a wide portfolio from refurbishments to new builds to high profile developments to residential projects.

Born in Sunderland George knew from a young age that he wanted to be an architect and later went on to study his passion at the University of Newcastle and University College London. Firstly in partnership with business partner he formed Clakre;Desai then more recently George has branched out on his own forming his new company George Clarke and Partners.

George has an authoritative air about his television presenting naturally due to his knowledge of the property market and building trade as well as of course design. Property programmes George has presented include Property Dreams, Dream Home Abroad, Build a New Life in the Country and The Home Show which cover an eight year period and have the common theme of looking at property with George at the helm giving his expert advice and guiding the viewer through the scenario of each show.

With an expert as a presenter this gives the viewer the comfort that the programme is informative rather than a light hearted look at the projects undertaken by the various participants. George interspersed his architectural suggestions with drawings and delves deeper into the history of the buildings to be renovated in The Restoration Man series. George is not at all pushy but quietly reassuring and knowledgeable with a gentle approach to the projects depicted in each programme.

A Surveyor always looks at the detail in a property and likewise George with his architect background understands the possibilities and issues with renovating buildings and brings his wealth of knowledge to each episode.

 

Programme format

Each programme of The Restoration Man uncovers a building that has previously been forgotten and introduces the viewer to the project that the new owners are to take on board. The building to be renovated is shown with sweeping camera shots and aerial views where appropriate as well as more close up shots of the work to be carried out highlighting areas such as woodworm or wet rot that will need to be addressed.

In some episodes in Series Two The Restoration Man revisits restoration projects that have been previously featured to get an update on the project and to see if the owners dreams have come to fruition.

The Restoration Man follows a wide range of properties to be brought back to life by the new owners such as a disused Victorian church, a tiny Crux framed field house, derelict military towers and an old watermill for example.

George Clarke is the anchor to The Restoration Man not only following the plans and building work taking place but also looking into the history of the building and getting a feel for what the property would have been like when it was first built and used for whatever purpose it was built for originally. There are many buildings on the English Heritage At Risk register and George champions his mission to bring many of these historical buildings back to life for future generations to enjoy.

As Surveyors we carry out full structural surveys on many ages, types and styles of buildings and are asked to help with advice on renovation and refurbishment projects. The Renovation Man is a must view television programme and with George at the helm the viewer can discover how some new owners take on the dream of bringing a property back to life.

 

Titles

The titles to The Restoration Man are simple with George firstly introducing the viewer to the property project for the episode to be renovated and brought back to life then there are snap shots of the series participants talking about their projects with then a slightly more detailed outline of the restoration for the episode with the owners interviewed and shots of the building and renovation work. The graphics to the show are pictures of properties with a historical style scroll depicting Restoration Man in an old style font with George as a cartoon character as superman rescuing the building!

 

Music

Nick Harvey has created the atmospheric classical music for The Restoration Man series which is fitting for the historical buildings featured in the series. The music for the titles is fun and upbeat which contrasts to the relaxing soft flowing music for the programme.

 

Programme example

Series 2 Episode 4 Engine House, Oxfordshire

The Restoration Man programme begins with the viewer being informed that throughout the United Kingdom thousands of historic buildings lie forgotten and neglected often tangled up with red tape or abandoned by owners who cannot afford the repairs, some are in danger of being lost forever. This is the theme of The Restoration Man series which as Surveyors we are reviewing.

The aim is to put new life into old properties when taking on a Listed building you become its guardian to pass the building on to future generations.

George Clarke the presenter is an architect and is passionate about our architectural heritage and wants to help restoration warriors on their journeys as they reclaim, recycle and make these buildings useful again.

 

 

Uffington

In Series Two, episode four the village of Uffington in rural Oxfordshire site of the famous white horse hill is featured; it is a sleepy village now but once played its part in the Industrial Revolution.

As Surveyors over the years we have carried out many residential building surveys in Uffington and the surrounding villages and note there are some larger properties in Shotover Corner for example in this picturesque area.

The viewer is introduced to the project which is a building that was built in the mid 19 th century as an engine house and is the only building left of what was once part of a vibrant brick making manufacturer. A couple with three young children have a vision to restore the building into a dream home, at the moment they live in rented accommodation, the husband's job is a Bursar at an Independent School. The couple are passionate about their Engine House project as well as their four horses so the 6 acres of land which comes with the building is an added attraction. The couple purchased building and land for £365,000 and are seeking a mortgage of £220,000 to complete the work.

Every building has a story to tell, if the couple understand the history it may shape how their restoration journey, George Clarke is on a mission to find out more about the origins of the Engine House. With our clients as Surveyors we too always advise if they are planning on altering, amending or adding to their property to research the building further and use appropriate materials for their alterations.

 

First site visit

George makes his first site visit, the engine room the couple have purchased has sound brickwork (a structural engineer has looked at the property and foundations are really good) but clearly the down side is that it does not have a roof. AsSurveyors and can advise on structural issues and it is always advisable to have a full structural survey of a property before committing to purchase.

Every project has a plan of duration and the couple feel that in 8 months or may be longer, they will be able to live at the Engine House getting a few rooms renovated first to enable them to move in; an ambitious plan. The couple's budget of £220,000 is not only to renovate the building to convert it into a house but also to build a garage and car port, fencing, garden, services in short everything.

The Renovation Man programme uses graphics to show the property. The Brickworks closed in 1923with the Engine House then being used as an agricultural barn. The Engine House has a footprint of 2100 sq ft. When the couple purchased the property it was divided into two rooms with Planning Permission to build a single storey extension. There is a raised wooden area of flooring which wobbles, the brickwork wobbles and timber bracing holding up gable end wobbles they need to get roof on quick!

 

 

Detailing

At present the couple have purchased a shell with the Engine House holding many mysteries, there are eyebrow features over windows; curved brickwork to window pillars with lime mortar but inside window brickwork has cement mortar. The detailing shows the level of crafting in an industrial building with these tiny details it makes a simple building sing. We survey many different types, styles and ages of property and always find it interesting when we come across, in our role as Surveyors, fine examples of detailing.

 

History of a property

As an architect George loves piecing together a buildings history a story/mood board is shown in an effort to uncover the buildings history with the plot probably having many other buildings on it as part of the brick yard. Keen to find out how the brick yard actually operated and who it supplied bricks to George is on a quest to uncover the buildings history.

Like many stately homes that had their own clay pits the Uffington brickworks was built by the Earls of Craven in the 1840s to produce bricks to create their own buildings on their estates. However by the late 19 th century this brick yard like many owned by stately homes had turned into a thriving business to meet the demand to build more and more houses. By looking into the archives George wants to find out how that demand grew and what it was like to work in the Uffington brickworks.

 

 

 

New plans for the Engine House

George delves deeper to find out the couples plans for the Engine House although the Engine House is of historic interest it is not a Listed building therefore the couple have some flexibility with the Local Authority Planning Department. As Charteredn Areas and always advise that they must always satisfy the Local Authority Planning Department should they wish to change the property.

Graphics show how the couple would like their house to be; downstairs they plan to build a double extension to incorporate a living room, divide the space into a large kitchen, family room and vaulted dining room, utility room and cloakroom. George does not think this is the best use of the space available suggesting that the dining hall space moves with all drainage in one position with family room, utility room, toilet, then kitchen/breakfast/dining which will gain light from three sides of the house the couple like new suggested layout.

Upstairs the couple plan to squeeze in five bedrooms and two bathrooms however again George suggests that by changing the position of the stairs and putting in a central corridor the master bedroom and guest room gain en suites there is then room for a family bathroom and three bedrooms for their children with these all positioned together. The verdict from the couple is again that George has come up with a good idea; they are so close to the project that it is refreshing to see another angle. As Surveyors we are always happy to give advice on design alterations of a property and it is always a good idea to get a fresh approach as the work will be costly and will be in place for many years to come.

 

 

Gaining a mortgage

In order to gain a mortgage to satisfy the bank the couple have six weeks to get a roof on the property and make the building wind and watertight but only have £25,000 of savings to carry out the work! Without a roof there will be no mortgage but a new roof will cost more than £25,000. The couple have very tight financial constraints to release money from bank to carry on, if bad weather arrives before they get the roof on the structure will become worse. To cut costs the couple plan to carry out much of the preparation work themselves and have purchased a digger for £12,000 rather than hiring one. The husband will continue his job as a Bursar but the wife has left her job as a teacher to become project manager for the build which is a brave move to take on project with such a huge challenge to make it wind and water tight to gain a mortgage to continue work to make into their dream home.

   

The Roof and Local Authority Approvals

George makes a second visit to the Engine House the roof timbers and protective felt in place but no tiles but this has been sufficient to have the mortgage granted with only a few days to spare.

As with all projects of this nature the Local Authority Planning Department has to be consulted with regard to how the building is to be changed including gaining approval for the material to be used for the roof. The couple wish to add a slate tiled roof and have taken an example of the slate tile to Planners but it will take eight weeks to hear back their decision. As Surveyors we are often surprised how people do not look into the time scales required by the Planning Department when renovating or extending a property. The couple have decided to take a gamble and have started to put slates on the roof ; this is a risk as if Planning Department decide they are not allowed to use the slates then the couple will have to remove them which will be costly and time consuming.

Additionally the couple have still not submitted the changed plans with George's new lay out they require a pre planning enquiry for amendments on design, and with no feedback, or date when that will come back this will hold up the project. When then the feedback comes back the couple will then have to put in a formal application for amendments which will take a minimum of eight weeks to hear the Local Authorities view plus there is still the decision on slates for the roof!! Without all their Planning Permission sorted out there is a chance if this is not done very quickly the build could grind to a halt!

 

 

History of bricks

George as a grandson of a builder is keen to find out more about the history of bricks themselves. About 2000 years ago the Romans brought bricks to Britain but when the Romans left they took their brick making skills with them so for the next 700 years we lived in houses made of timber or for the wealthy in a castle made of hand carved stone. All this changed in the early 16 th century when Henry VIII decided to build himself a palace at Hampton Court . Hampton Court was turned into a palace by Henry VIII in 1528 and is one of the finest examples of early brickwork in Britain . George meets with the Curator of Historic buildings to find out more about the evolution of building in brick. At Hampton Court Palace you can see a pattern book of building in brick with all the different patterns, textures, different periods and different ages. The use of bricks was all about showing off your status, partly showing off by the size, by the material brick, and partly by the detail as the chimneys show that there are fireplaces which can be heated by coal this again is all about money and showing off!

When studying to become a Surveyor many years ago now we were always fascinated about the history of buildings and how building methods changed over the centuries.

 

 

Hierarchy of bricks

One hundred and fifty years after Henry VIII's reign William III asked Christopher Wren to demolish Hampton Court Palace and rebuild it. Luckily there was no money so instead Wren decided to celebrate bricks with the Royal apartments on the east side of the Palace. In this area three different types of brickwork was used to demonstrate the three different statuses of the three different floors. On the ground floor there is purpley dark brickwork which when you look at closely is quite rough, then on the first floor where the Royal apartments where there is very high quality, sharp bright red brickwork then above this brickwork there is a style that is a bit in between the two styles. Royalty were on the first floor, with some kitchens, offices and some smaller Royal apartments were on the ground floor then courtiers where right at the top. The hierarchy of the brickwork relating to the different areas makes the building read much more dramatically. The use of brickwork as a symbol of status in the 16 th century with one brick for everywhere, here different bricks tell you different stories.

To appreciate the sheer scale and beauty of Hampton Court George is taken to the roof where you can see how Hampton Court sits within the estate of huge parks to one side and the Thames looping around palace and park. From this viewpoint you can see millions of bricks; there are said to be twenty six million bricks documented by Henry VIII's builders with each brick being made by hand. Many of the bricks would have been made on site partly from clay dug out of the park with Hampton Court rising out of the ground it sits upon; architecture and landscape absolutely connected with each other.

The Engine House and Hampton Court have this in common both evolved from their local clay.

As Surveyors we always find it interesting when local materials have been used to create buildings and when advising clients on amendments and extensions it is always preferable to match building materials as much as possible.

 

Planning Department

The Local Planning Officer is on site his major concerns are:

1.  Is the restoration sympathetic to the buildings history?

2.  Is the proposed extension agreeable?

3.  Are the roof tiles acceptable?

4.  Ensure the buildings original character is retained.

In our structural building surveys we always list any areas of concern or any issues as in list form it is very clear what needs to be addressed.

The Planning Officer is concerned that the size of the extension and moving its position will need fresh Planning Permission i.e. the couple will be required to fully resubmit their plans.

The roof tiles the sample is of good quality and the Planning Officer is absolutely fine happy with the tiles.

 

Thieves break in

Thieves break in and cut out and remove all electrical wiring which highlights a major problem as the building in an isolated rural position and the couple live more than an hour's drive away the Engine House is left vacant for long periods of time.

Four weeks later the thieves strike again.

 

Moving into the Engine House

With the couple at crisis point as cash running out and they are still waiting for Planning Permission should they move in and finish the work themselves?

George sees that the couple have added Velux windows and solar panels on the roof they have asked for Permission to do this with their Planning Application but Planning has still not be granted for amendments.

As Surveyors we would not recommend taking this gamble as it is important to satisfy the Local Authority and if you do not meet their requirements it can be very difficult.

The couple decide to move in within two to three weeks which will be slightly camping on site with no hot water. George is amazed as if you move in too quickly it can be disruptive as the builders want access and it can cost more time and more money.

 

Uffington Brickworks

 

Restoration is not just about bricks and mortar it is about understanding a building. Uffington brickworks which was built in the 1840's not only served the estate but soon supplied bricks to other builders because of the huge expansion of building throughout Oxfordshire in the 19 th century. Small brickworks like Uffington became small businesses with tenant brickmakers employing workers to turn out thousands of handmade bricks a week.

 

The history of brickmaking

George visits a traditional brickmakers in Suffolk to help to understand what life was like a in brickmakers.

Research tells us that brickmaking was a closed community unlike today's corner shop to make the businesses work families often employed their children to do the menial jobs. George meets with an Oxford historian who tells him that in the 1851 census brickmaking was a top twenty job for young boys with between 20,000 to 30,000 children employed on the brickyards. It was hard, dirty work, carrying clay on your head, adult would make brick, then child would carry wet brick which was heavy to stack it to be fired. Children as young as five but mainly eight or nine years old were working dawn to dusk the same hours as adults.

Records show children were working in Uffington brick yards. Kilns were another job for children staying up all night to make sure that the fires where still alight. Often children were employed by their own parents or other grownups to help them so the master brickmaker could not be prosecuted as he would say oh well it's the parents that bring them to work I just employ the parents! This was quite crafty and is reflected in the Third World today in China and India children are very significant present on building sites for example working very much like children in Britain did in brickworks many years ago. Today the developing world continues to exploit children working in the Third World.

 

Back at the Engine House

The husband has given up work to concentrate working on the house feeling that it is cheaper than employing a builder. The couple have moved the children's school so they are educated nearby the house and the builders are racing against the clock for the family to move in.

As Surveyors we come across some major renovation projects and always sympathise with the dilemma whether to move in before work is complete or to wait.

 

Ironbridge Gorge

George takes the family to the Brickmaking museum in Ironbridge Gorge in search for missing eyebrow bricks above their windows. The brickmaker tells them they were called bull nose bricks and were hand carved to achieve the shape. They bring a sample with them and are told where it is dark is where it has caught the weather, if they wish to recreate this colour then wash down the brick with sour milk and the bricks will age in about three weeks.

Most buildings to do with brickworks were an advert for their bricks with all their latest bricks used in the building such as different coloured bricks, different textured bricks etc all used and would look gorgeous when first built. Bricks will tell you everything about how the brick was made and if you analysis them they tell the story of the history of the building.

The Ironbridge Gorge Museums

The Ironbridge Gorge Museums are in Coalbrookdale, Telford and are a series of museums along the valley next to the River Severn spanned by the world's first Iron Bridge . The museums celebrate the birthplace of industry where visitors can learn about the Industrial Revolution with demonstrations from fashioning china and glass to tile decorating. A fascinating place to visit and somewhere as Surveyors we have visited in the past and found most informative.

 

Family move in

Eight months on the family have moved in albeit living as a family in a building site! It is a builder's nightmare when client moves in as they have to work around them accessing areas with more difficulty than if the site was empty.

There is still no hot water! Planning Permission still not through!

A letter arrives from the Council and Planning Permission has been Granted; if not they would have had to alter so much of their work. Fired with renewed energy to complete their new home there is still much work to be done.

 

What would the Uffington Brickworks have looked like in the past?

Unravelling the history George creates a picture of the site how it may have looked. Sadly after WWI small brickworks like Uffington were unable to compete with mass produced bricks and ceased. Thankfully so did child labour as social reform and legislation brought in in 1933 making it illegal to employ children under the age of thirteen however its legacy lives on.

Anywhere within 20 mile radius there are dozens of buildings with red bricks many made from Uffington clay.

As Surveyors we carry out full structural surveys across the length and breadth of the UK and are always fascinated by the use of local materials used in buildings both small and large.

 

Final visit to the Engine House and a transformation

It is just over one year since the couple started work at the Engine House there is still landscaping, a garage and car port to be completed but inside the family have a delightful family home.

The kitchen / diner is stunning and in keeping with the style and age of the property there is an elegant hallway with reclaimed bricks literally part of the landscape, the bricks were made here, shaped here and reused here. The family living room has a reused beam which has been reclaimed and upstairs there are three children's bedrooms and bathroom, master bedroom and guest bedroom with en suites.

The outside areas are still to be completed and the extension is to start next year. The missing eyebrow bricks have been made are now in place.

George presents the family with a book of the history of the brickworks and details of various stages of the build together with his picture of what it used to be like at Uffington brickworks framed as a gift.

Starting with four abandoned brick walls the couple have uncovered a site of huge and fascinating industrial heritage with rich social story behind it. The couple saved the building battled against planning, huge financial pressure and learnt to build at the same time to realise their dream home. The modest style adopted is fitting and is not grand but is beautifully crafted reusing the industrial materials it has been a family build leaving their mark on the building.

A Surveyors view on the renovation: perfect.

There is a taster for next episode.

 

In summary

The Restoration Man series is a fascinating insight into the many derelict and abandoned buildings around the country which are then taken on to create new living spaces for owners up for a challenge. The Restoration Man is not only a lesson in restoring but also looks at the history behind the buildings featured and the social history of Britain which can be told behind many of these interesting buildings.

George Clarke is an excellent presenter gently guiding the viewer through the project introducing them to the challenges ahead and following the projects progress. The Restoration Man calls upon experts to help with the project and George investigates the history behind the building which is fascinating and informative.

Our Surveyor's view point on The Restoration Man episode and series is it is a must watch property programme packed with information not only on building but the history of buildings and building methods too.

 

References

Channel4.com

YouTube.com

DailyMail.co.uk

TigerAspect.co.uk

GeorgeClarke.com

 

If you found this article on The Renovation Man interesting you may also be interested in the following articles on our 1stAssociated.co.uk website:

 

Do Surveyors Value Property?

Cheap Building Surveys or being wrongly advised by your Building Surveyor

Buying a Property at Auction

Structural Surveys

Structual Survey, What does a Surveyor do?

Structural Report

 

 

Independent Surveyors

If you truly do want an independent expert opinion from a Surveyor with regard to building surveys, structural surveys, structural reports, engineers reports, specific defects report, dilapidations or any other property matters please contact 0800 298 5424 for a Surveyor to give you a call back.

 

Independent commercial property surveyors

If you have a commercial property, be it leasehold or freehold, then you may wish to look at our Dilapidations Website at www.DilapsHelp.com and for Disputes go to our Disputes Help site www.DisputesHelp.com.

 

We hope you found the article of use and if you have any experiences that you feel should be added to this article that would benefit others, or you feel that some of the information that we have put is wrong then please do not hesitate to contact us (we are only human).

The contents of the web site are for general information only and is not intended to be relied upon for specific or general decisions. Appropriate independent professional advice should be paid for before making such a decision.

 

All rights are reserved the contents of the web site is not to be reproduced or transmitted in any form in whole or part without the express written permission of www.1stAssociated.co.uk

 

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