- 4 days ago
Chateau DIY - Season 11 Episode 24
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00:00Across France are thousands of breathtaking chateaux.
00:06Many fallen into ruin.
00:08Oh, wow.
00:10Oh, gosh.
00:11There will be a stretch of our skills.
00:14Are being restored by brave new owners.
00:18We've started now, so we can't stop.
00:21They're taking on the challenge
00:25of saving these forgotten buildings.
00:28It's just the trickiest room to work in.
00:33Creating incredible homes.
00:35Oh, wow.
00:37It works, doesn't it?
00:38It does.
00:39And businesses.
00:42There'll be successes.
00:44That looks superb.
00:46High five.
00:47And setbacks.
00:49I'll just watch as the giant hole opens up in our barn.
00:52But with great challenge.
00:54It's just peeling off.
00:56And I've never had this happen before.
00:58Comes great reward.
01:00It was a complete shell.
01:02And now it's becoming a home.
01:05As they get to live the dream.
01:08Cheers.
01:09As kings and queens of their very own castle.
01:16Today.
01:17See all the bees coming out?
01:18One Chatelain has some unwanted guests.
01:22Did you get stung?
01:23Yeah.
01:24In the eye.
01:24Just in there.
01:26Another couple.
01:27Believe it or not, this was my Christmas present from Paul.
01:32Has a DIY disagreement.
01:34I wasn't too amused.
01:36And will a third be chateau ready for their first ever wedding.
01:42Let's see what tomorrow brings.
01:44I'll be doing lots of praying tonight.
01:54In Brittany, in northern France, is the 19th century Moulin du Cuenon.
02:02Closed over 40 years ago, the abandoned water mill towers over two medieval bridges, comes with five open plan floors,
02:15enormous concrete silos, and is the second property in France.
02:21That experienced renovators Donna and Paul have taken on.
02:27This time though, it's personal.
02:30In the previous project, because of its business orientation, I think, well, it wouldn't really quite fit there because it's
02:36not what the general public want.
02:38Whereas here, there's nothing really stopping us.
02:39And I think that freedom also excites us as well.
02:42So we can just do whatever we want to do for us.
02:45Yeah.
02:46And, you know, to hell with everyone else.
02:49Yeah.
02:50So it's going to be very quirky.
02:53No doubt.
02:56Located a few miles south of Mont Saint-Michel, Donna and Paul bought the whole property in early 2024 for
03:05less than £100,000.
03:08And it wasn't long before they felt the full force of nature.
03:13When we purchased the mill, the water was high, but we took encouragement from that because it never actually came
03:18inside the building.
03:19We thought, OK, we'll probably get away with not doing a great deal of defensive work here.
03:23But we recently returned from holiday and there was about two feet of water in the basement.
03:29Rather, it happened now, isn't it, before we actually start fitting it out.
03:37Subsequently, Donna and Paul have turned their attention to the sous-sol, the basement area at the back of the
03:44property, installing new windows and getting a close-up view of the local wildlife.
03:52Catching sight of a coipu or a ragandale just outside on the tree trunk.
04:01Today, they're back, and the river is once again playing a part in their plans.
04:12We've got a door to go in this elevation, but the lintel is lower than we had anticipated.
04:17And rather than kind of lower the door, because we've had the flooding issue before, we're now considering whether we
04:22move it to the left-hand side, which actually has a higher lintel.
04:25But on the upside, I can get the jackhammer out and we can demolish this big lump of concrete here.
04:30It also means they can now brick up the massive hole where the door was going to be.
04:38That is, as soon as Paul's done his demolition.
04:47Upstairs, Donna also has some jackhammering to do, but on a smaller scale.
04:53Believe it or not, this was my Christmas present.
04:57Well, one of my Christmas presents from Paul.
05:00As you can imagine, I wasn't too amused at the time when I opened it, but now I've kind of
05:05started doing my walls with it.
05:07It's digging out all of the old grout and concrete and everything else.
05:11It's saving so much of my time.
05:19Removing the loose mortar and grout from the sandstone walls, though, proves far easier than Paul's task for the day.
05:30I did a bit more with my miniature jackhammer and got my sandstone wall nearly complete now.
05:38Yeah, and I think we've sorted, kind of sorted, what we're doing with the door and window in this location
05:43in the basement in the Sioux Salt.
05:45And then that just leaves us with a large lump of concrete, which we're working on as a, you know,
05:50kind of job of not get that finished and put my feet up.
05:52But it's a hard piece of concrete, so...
05:55I had a feeling it would be.
05:56Yeah, it'll take me slightly longer than I had anticipated to get this out, but, you know...
06:01Everything was made to last in them days.
06:03Watch this space. It won't beat me. I won't get it out, so...
06:05Yeah. I'll just see you in the morning.
06:09Yeah.
06:10It looks like it's going to be a long night ahead for this demolition duo.
06:21Nestled amongst the countryside of Limousin in central France lies the enchanting Chateau de la Grière.
06:30Its graceful towers and fairy-tale turret create the wow factor,
06:36while inside it boasts 12 bedrooms and two grands salons.
06:42It became home to Sharon, a retired district nurse, and Tim, a former construction manager, in 2022,
06:53when they bought it fully furnished for £500,000.
06:58There's a sense of surrealism living in a chateau.
07:02Every time I go out and I see it, I think, wow, that's amazing.
07:07And I've done it a fair few times now over two and a half years, but it never loses its
07:11power.
07:12There's a sense of unpredictability.
07:15We never know what we're going to find, what we're going to come across.
07:17There's still areas that we haven't seen.
07:19Yes.
07:20Which is always exciting, slightly nervous, what we're going to come across.
07:24But it's part of it.
07:29Located 25 miles south-east of Limoges,
07:38Tim and Sharon had just completed their first guest room.
07:44Well done, you did it.
07:46Good job.
07:46Turning a neglected, drab space into a floral extravaganza,
07:54with a matching en suite inside one of the chateau's circular towers.
08:05Today, their first paid booking is just six weeks away,
08:09and they still have another en suite bedroom to transform.
08:15So I'm on my own today in the chateau working,
08:18because Tim isn't very well.
08:20He's got an upset stomach.
08:22So today, it's taking the coving down,
08:24wallpaper off the walls,
08:25and removing the skirting boards.
08:28So they're my jobs for today.
08:30Get those done.
08:35Voila!
08:43Oh, my lord.
08:47It's insects.
08:49You never know what you're going to find, do you?
08:54Last piece.
08:59And it didn't break.
09:02OK, taking off the wallpaper.
09:20My biggest stress is Tim,
09:22because he's so particular,
09:26and I'm so not particular.
09:30Tim turns a blind eye to what I'm doing until he has to see it.
09:34But we couldn't have retired and done nothing.
09:37That's why we've taken on this job.
09:41However skilful her scraping, it's slow going.
09:45So Sharon decides to speed things up
09:48with a half mix of vinegar and water.
09:55Well, that's maybe slightly better.
10:00Look, there we go.
10:01Now we're in business.
10:04There's a bit of return for my hard work.
10:06It's when you get no return for it.
10:09You've just got to not mind the smell of vinegar.
10:14Sharon's made a start,
10:16but there's a long way to go
10:18before it's anywhere near ready for paying guests.
10:27Still to come...
10:29I hope we've done enough to please them.
10:31..there are wedding jitters...
10:33..because you don't want an upset bride on their wedding day.
10:37So that nest is absolutely huge.
10:40And stinging critters.
10:42And it is not dormant.
10:44For us to get them out is going to be an age of piece of work.
10:55Situated amongst the sweeping pastures of south-west France
10:59is the impressive Château d'Aaronne,
11:03a striking property with three and a half acres.
11:08It boasts 17 rooms and several outbuildings.
11:14In 2023, the Château charmed international fund manager Carlton
11:20and wife Alicia,
11:23who, after living in nine different countries,
11:26decided it was the perfect place to put down roots
11:29with their three children.
11:32You need to have a lot of energy.
11:34A lot of energy and a positive attitude
11:38because there are some days where you just think,
11:40why are we doing this?
11:42I also think it gives you some humility
11:44as well because we're all capable of rising to every challenge,
11:48but you do sometimes think,
11:50oh, God, I'm useless.
11:51But then the next day you manage to solve it.
11:53So it's an interesting journey.
11:59Located not far from the Pyrenees,
12:01the couple purchased the Château
12:03for £690,000
12:08and have recently been getting ready
12:11for their first ever wedding reception,
12:14being held here for a young local couple.
12:17We've got to finish the last set of Vole shutters
12:21and this is a critical one for the wedding.
12:24Last time we saw them,
12:26they were sprucing up the Tower bathroom suite.
12:29After the paint's dried,
12:31I've got some gold strips
12:32just to give it a little bit more pizzazz.
12:36And preparing the Château's barn for the reception,
12:39which the wedding party will decorate.
12:43But with just a few days to go,
12:45there's been a change of plans.
12:50We had this idea
12:52that we were going to live out the rest of our days here
12:55and then my husband got a job offer
13:00that was basically too good to miss.
13:05But it means the whole family
13:07relocating 10,000 miles away to Fiji.
13:12So while Carlton and the children have gone ahead,
13:15Alicia has stayed behind
13:17to ensure the Château's wedding ready.
13:21The moment we've been sort of working towards,
13:25it's a very bittersweet moment
13:27because this is the first wedding
13:30and potentially the last.
13:37Top of Alicia's long list of jobs to complete
13:41is the Tower bathroom.
13:44So these were really old units
13:46that came with the house.
13:47The doors have been upcycled.
13:51I decided against the gold trim.
13:55So now I'm just putting the doors back on.
13:59The wedding party arrive in two days' time.
14:02They're going to stay here for three nights.
14:05And so this is final finishing touches.
14:10There we go.
14:11Not too bad.
14:13It looks better than it did before.
14:16Not perfect, but not too bad.
14:22Next, Alicia needs to finish off
14:24one of their biggest jobs,
14:27transforming the Château's ancient barn,
14:29which has just been used for storage,
14:33but is now a rustic, blank canvas,
14:36ready to be turned into the perfect party space.
14:41Once Alicia has tidied up the three-metre-high tulle backdrop...
14:46There's patchy areas,
14:48There's patchy areas,
14:49so I'm just trying to even it all out
14:52so that it sits well.
14:55I really wish Carlton and the kids were able to be here
14:59because everybody's done their little bit
15:01and it's a shame that they don't get to see the end.
15:05I hope we've done enough to please them
15:08because you don't want an upset bride on their wedding day.
15:12I'm more excited than nervous,
15:14but I think a little bit of nerves is healthy.
15:20I'm pretty happy with that.
15:23I think it looks nice and even.
15:25It covers what it's meant to cover
15:27and it has a nice wedding feel to it,
15:30so I'm really, really happy.
15:32I think job done.
15:35But with the wedding party on their way...
15:38Ah!
15:40Alicia can only hope everything goes without a hitch.
15:52Five hundred miles away in Brittany,
15:55Donna and Paul have been busy in their basement.
15:58The lump of concrete has been demolished
16:00and the couple have fitted new windows
16:02and a door above the floodline.
16:06Their workload, though, has just got bigger.
16:10We're on the piece of land at the back of the property.
16:13The task for today is to block up this opening.
16:17There's also a crack a couple of feet to the right
16:21and we kind of feel that we might as well
16:24kind of take that opening to that crack.
16:28I'll probably demolish the wall.
16:30Donna will be mixing up some mortar in the interim
16:32and then I'll be laying the block with my young assistant here.
16:40As they're hoping to transform the basement into a swimming pool,
16:45ensuring everything is watertight is critical.
16:50But first, Paul needs to get the big guns out.
17:05They look like bullet holes.
17:19Once Paul's demolished the cracked concrete on the side...
17:26It's time for a bit of landscaping.
17:31We're trying to stabilise this area a bit more,
17:34so we're using all the rubble to do that.
17:38With the river just metres away,
17:41they'll need to lay a new concrete base for the wall.
17:45So we'll clear this out, see what's loose.
17:47If it's loose, we're just going to remove it.
17:48There's no point building a new wall and a poor foundation.
18:06Is that all right?
18:08What we've done, we've just taken off all the loose mortar and stone
18:11and then we put a shutter on the outside.
18:13We've also put in some bars just to add a bit of a key
18:15for the small foundation that we're going to build.
18:19Donna's going to mix up some concrete
18:21and then we're just going to try and level that
18:22so we've got a level platform to start our block work.
18:26You want this quite thick here?
18:28Yeah, I don't want it too wet.
18:40This particular job may have just begun,
18:43but the couple have achieved an extraordinary amount
18:46since they bought the property just over a year ago.
18:50The Sousal, when we first arrived, was a pretty awful place.
18:56Now, with all of the windows and the door,
18:58it's a wonderful place to be.
19:00I could happily get a deck chair out there
19:02and sit and just enjoy the river, you know?
19:04No, you can't.
19:15We've got the kind of foundation done for the new wall,
19:18so we'll let that go off and then we can get some mortar on it
19:21and then start with the block work.
19:23It's a good start,
19:25but there's still a long way to go before the Sousal's sorted.
19:37In Limousin, Sharon and Tim are racing
19:40to finish the bedroom and bathroom of their last guest suite
19:44before their first booking arrives.
19:49Unfortunately, we've had a turnaround today.
19:52I'm better from yesterday
19:53and now Sharon is laid in bed not feeling so good today,
19:56so we'll start taking the bathroom out today.
20:01But also, there's an urgent job
20:04he needs to deal with in the bedroom.
20:07Hello, mate. I'm Wayne.
20:08Morning, mate. Hello, Wayne. You all right?
20:09Yeah, good, thank you.
20:11Armed with special equipment,
20:13the local chimney suite's been called to investigate
20:16whether they have a live bees' nest.
20:23And first, he needs to check
20:25whether it's blocking the chateau's main chimney.
20:29Yeah, that's come right through, mate.
20:32It's good news,
20:34but there's still a nasty surprise waiting.
20:38See all the bees coming out?
20:40There we go.
20:41Did you get stung?
20:42Yeah, in the eye.
20:44Yeah, I'm just in there.
20:47Do you think there's obviously a nest in there, then?
20:50Until we get the camera up, we don't know.
20:55And it doesn't take long to spot it.
20:59See, there's the top of the chimney.
21:01See that white dot there?
21:02Yeah.
21:03What I can see, I think,
21:04is movement at the very, very, very top,
21:07near the light.
21:09That's part of the nest.
21:10That's the nest.
21:11There you go.
21:12Oh, look at them all.
21:12Look at them all.
21:13Can you see them?
21:13So that nest is absolutely huge.
21:16Yeah.
21:17And it is not dormant.
21:19No.
21:20The simplest way to stop them coming down
21:22is you get yourself a chimney sheep.
21:25Yeah, so a chimney sheep.
21:27What's a chimney sheep?
21:27This cushion that goes up your chimney,
21:29and nothing comes down.
21:34They've been there longer than we've been here,
21:36so they've probably more entitled
21:38to being in the chateau than we are.
21:40For us to get them out fully,
21:42and probably safely,
21:43and be able to give it somewhere else
21:45is going to be a major, major, major piece of work,
21:49which we're not in a position to do, I don't think.
21:51The bees have kept Tim busy today,
21:54and with a plan in place to safely quell
21:57the buzz around the bedroom,
21:58the work on their last guest suite can continue.
22:07Still to come, at Alicia and Carlton's...
22:11I cannot wait to see what the barn's going to look like.
22:15..wedding preparations are in full flow.
22:20And Tim's next project...
22:22Building things is fun.
22:24..confirms what buying a chateau is all about.
22:28It's like being a kid again.
22:36In south-west France, at Alicia and Carlton's,
22:40the chateau is buzzing with activity.
22:43The wedding party have arrived earlier than planned,
22:46and they're in full swing, setting up the barn,
22:50so I'm just going to try and not disturb them too much,
22:53but get on and finish the last things that I have to do.
22:57There's still a lot to prepare,
22:59and the clock is ticking to get the place looking its best
23:03before the bride and groom arrive.
23:06So this magnolia tree, as much as I love her,
23:10she drops leaves all year round.
23:19Getting there, and you bet you anything,
23:24a big gust of wind will come and blow a ton more down,
23:28cos that's normally what happens.
23:33But elsewhere, it is roots, not leaves,
23:37that are causing headaches.
23:39The mother of the bride wanted to plant her own flowers
23:42into the pots, but she can't get them deep enough,
23:48because the roots are still there,
23:50and they're in there solid.
23:54So it's up to Alicia to roll up her sleeves.
24:00Wee-hee!
24:01Yeah.
24:02So we've got the roots out.
24:06While the mother of the bride gets busy planting,
24:10Alicia swaps her gardening gloves for housekeeping duties.
24:20Everything's done.
24:23Yeah.
24:24I'm happy.
24:30It's taken weeks of work.
24:33But the chateau is finally wedding-ready.
24:37The uninspiring tower bathroom,
24:40now revamped with a bold modern look.
24:46The gold flecks of the new floor tiles,
24:49complementing the dramatic wallpaper,
24:52while the tired vanity unit is now fit for a bride.
24:59Outside, the grounds have been swept clean,
25:02and the chateau's shutters,
25:04given a fresh lick of paint.
25:07The whole house,
25:09fully prepared for a fairy-tale wedding.
25:14L'entrée est magnifique.
25:20And the bride and groom,
25:23Marie and Loïc,
25:24are utterly delighted.
25:27To do the essayages,
25:28it will be perfect.
25:29You don't look at it, by the way.
25:31No, I don't look at it.
25:56Oh, super.
25:58Oui.
25:59Une nouvelle à pied.
26:01C'est un upcycle.
26:04C'est du recycler, ça, non ?
26:06Oui.
26:06Ah, oui.
26:06Oui.
26:07C'est très bien.
26:09Impeccable.
26:09Super.
26:10Avec la vue.
26:11C'est magnifique.
26:17Oui, on aime beaucoup.
26:19On adore.
26:19On a beaucoup de chance de le faire ici.
26:22We're lucky.
26:24Je laisse le clé de la maison
26:26et je souhaite un bon mariage.
26:32Merci, Alicia.
26:32Merci beaucoup, Alicia.
26:41Merci beaucoup, Alicia.
26:44Let's see what tomorrow brings.
26:46I'll be doing lots of praying tonight.
26:50With the final touches in place
26:52and guests beginning to gather,
26:55Château d'Aaron is almost set
26:58for the big day itself.
27:05Back in central France,
27:07at Sharon and Tim's,
27:09now the chimney is safely blocked,
27:11the bedroom is free of bees
27:13and the couple are fighting fit,
27:15they can crack on
27:17preparing for their first paying guests.
27:21Today we're carrying on with the bedroom
27:23because those guests are
27:25probably packing their cases.
27:27I like each room to have something different.
27:29For this particular room,
27:31I think it's really nice to have a window seat,
27:33so that's going to be its feature,
27:35is a lovely window seat.
27:36It's got such a nice view.
27:37We've got timber that we've taken down
27:39from different areas
27:40that are going to reuse for this
27:42because it's all going to be hidden away
27:43and as long as the timber's good,
27:45doesn't matter if it's got paint on or not,
27:47it's usable
27:48and we like to reuse things in this place if we can.
27:57I love doing what I do
27:58in the chateau
27:59because I love to do...
28:01If nobody sees what I've done,
28:04I've done a good job.
28:07If I come through
28:09and bring everything up
28:10nice and level and straight,
28:11at the end when you come
28:13to put the finishes to it,
28:14it works,
28:15it's nice,
28:16it fits.
28:27Tim is also planning
28:28to redo some of the electrics,
28:31so he's asked Sharon
28:32and her sister Cheryl
28:33to help
28:34by feeding three cables
28:37through a seven-metre-long pipe
28:39or conduit.
28:42He's already threaded
28:44a thin metal wire through.
28:46All Sharon and Cheryl
28:47need to do
28:48is make sure
28:49all three cables
28:50are firmly
28:51attached to it
28:53and pull.
28:56Ready?
28:57Great.
29:03Tim and myself
29:04did this once
29:05and I merrily yanked
29:07the whole thing through
29:07and we were like
29:08half a metre
29:10to the end
29:11and it snapped
29:12because I pulled it too much.
29:14We had tea in silence
29:15that day.
29:18It's, uh,
29:19it'd be quite difficult,
29:20actually.
29:31Is it nearly at the end?
29:33No.
29:34It's longer than you think,
29:35isn't it?
29:36It is.
29:40Stay there!
29:41I can't
29:41because you couldn't
29:42pull it too tight.
29:45Don't want it to snap.
29:48I'd hate to lose it
29:49right at the end.
29:53That's enough?
29:54Yay!
29:55Yay!
29:56Woo!
29:57Yay!
30:00You got it all?
30:01Yep.
30:02I don't want this job
30:03though.
30:04I should have
30:04mecked it up
30:04so I don't get
30:05given it again.
30:06But it's another
30:08of the guest suite's
30:09tasks
30:09wound up.
30:15That's it.
30:17And Tim
30:18hasn't exactly been
30:19sitting down
30:21on the job
30:21either.
30:22It's, uh,
30:23it's a very enjoyable
30:24thing.
30:25It's sort of
30:25one of those things
30:26that you go back
30:27to when you were
30:27a child
30:28to build things
30:28and I think
30:30that's why people
30:30or all my mates
30:32stay in the building
30:33industry
30:33is because
30:34building things
30:35is fun
30:35and it's like
30:36being a kid
30:36again.
30:39I think it adds
30:40a nice little
30:41touch of interest,
30:42don't you?
30:42It's not just
30:43a root with a bed
30:44and a wardrobe.
30:45It's got a fireplace,
30:47now it's got a lovely
30:47little window seat.
30:48I think it's a
30:49really nice touch.
30:50Going to try it?
30:51I will,
30:52if I may.
30:57Nice.
30:58I can see you
30:59laid there
31:00with your dress
31:01on and your
31:01glass of rosé.
31:03Yeah,
31:04it's very nice.
31:06Good job.
31:07Yeah,
31:07good job.
31:09Sharon and Tim
31:10have the foundations
31:11of a window seat
31:13for their guest suite.
31:15Now,
31:15the decorating
31:17can begin.
31:28At Moulin du Cuenon,
31:31Donna and Paul
31:32are beginning
31:33some basement
31:34block work.
31:36The concrete
31:36has gone off,
31:37it's not permanently
31:38set,
31:38but it'll help me
31:39get a bond
31:39with a mortar,
31:40so I'm going to
31:41crack on
31:42and get the
31:43first course laid.
32:01Are they laying
32:02OK?
32:03Yeah,
32:03just the first
32:03course is trying
32:05to get it.
32:06In situ.
32:08This area
32:08more or less
32:10disappears in the
32:10winter when
32:11the water is
32:12extremely high,
32:13but, you know,
32:14the plan is to
32:15make more use
32:16of this area,
32:17so, you know,
32:18we'll, even in the
32:19winter, we'll be
32:19able to sit out
32:20on the various
32:21balconies or on
32:22the terrace above
32:23and still appreciate
32:24our surroundings.
32:26All right.
32:27You can go back
32:28and fill these
32:28for me, hon.
32:29Yeah.
32:38They're heavy
32:38to move about,
32:39aren't they?
32:40Yes.
32:41Yeah.
32:42But Paul's
32:43backache will
32:44be worth it,
32:45as these solid
32:4720-kilo blocks
32:48may have to
32:50withstand the
32:51full force
32:52of a flood.
32:53So, hopefully,
32:55irrespective of
32:56whatever height
32:57the water goes,
32:58we won't get
32:58any ingress
33:00if the river
33:01does flood again,
33:03Paul's new dam
33:04shouldn't be busted.
33:13So, that's the
33:14first course done.
33:15I'm just going to
33:16drill some reinforcement
33:17into the structure
33:18and then that'll
33:19act as a tie
33:20into the block work.
33:23Once they're
33:24embedded in the
33:25mortar,
33:25the metal ties
33:27will strengthen
33:28the join between
33:28the old
33:29and new wall.
33:43I don't know if it's me,
33:44but these blocks
33:45seem to be getting
33:45heavier every time
33:46I lift one up.
33:48It's a job, though,
33:49that needs to be done
33:50sooner rather than later.
33:53The kind of time
33:54pressure on this
33:55is for the renderer
33:56to come.
33:58He's due to come
33:59in about 8 to 10
34:00weeks' time
34:01and we have to have
34:03this wall all built
34:04and water sealed ready
34:06and there's various
34:07other bits of repairs
34:09and that we need to do
34:10ready for him
34:11to make it all
34:12beautiful.
34:32It's looking good.
34:34Is that you
34:35doing the job today?
34:36Yeah, I think that's me,
34:37Dan.
34:37I don't want to put
34:37too many courses on
34:38otherwise the mortar
34:39will just squeeze out
34:41their heavy bricks
34:41so we've got a good start.
34:43It hasn't been a bad
34:44place to work today,
34:45has it?
34:46No, it's been fine.
34:47It's always a nice day
34:48when I'm working
34:49beside you.
34:55A few more days' hard work.
34:59The wall is built,
35:01a new window has been fitted
35:03and as soon as Paul
35:05has finished pointing,
35:07it'll be time
35:08for the next stage.
35:11Can't wait to see
35:12this rendered.
35:13It'll be kind of
35:14a beige, creamy colour
35:17which is, it's just
35:18going to transform it,
35:19isn't it?
35:20It's just going to
35:20look wonderful
35:21and make the grey
35:23windows really pop.
35:26Goodness, forget it.
35:27If I keep playing
35:27with it, I'll fall out.
35:29There's a lot more
35:30work to do at the back
35:31but what they have done
35:33in a year
35:34is extraordinary.
35:40What was once
35:41a solid concrete silo
35:44now has a magnificent
35:4680 square metre roof terrace.
35:49The reinforced walls
35:51studded with 18 windows.
35:54The interior flooded
35:56with light
35:57for the first time
35:58in its history
35:59but Donna and Paul
36:01can't rest on their laurels
36:04just yet.
36:05At least we're ready
36:06to get the stills
36:08and things like that on
36:09and finish the balcony
36:10and do the terrace
36:13and put the slid tops on
36:15and then...
36:16All right, I get it, I get it.
36:17I mean...
36:18Let's go do one
36:19of these five tasks
36:20then, yeah?
36:22One.
36:24For now, though,
36:26Donna and Paul
36:27can consider their work
36:29here in the sous-sol,
36:30a job well started.
36:36Still to come.
36:38I just do the donkey work
36:39and Cheryl will make
36:40the choices.
36:40That's not entirely true.
36:42I do ask for your opinion.
36:44Tim and Sharon agree...
36:46But I normally go with my gut.
36:47...to disagree.
36:49Salut!
36:49Oui, ça va, et vous?
36:52And the big day
36:53has arrived
36:54at Alicia and Carlton's.
37:03In central France,
37:05at Chateau de la Grieire,
37:08Sharon and Tim
37:09have a decorating deadline
37:12to get their guest suite
37:13ready for their first paid booking.
37:16I brought a bed
37:17a week ago
37:19and I'd like to get
37:20the headboard into the room
37:21because I've got
37:21some wallpaper samples
37:22on the wall
37:23and I want to see
37:24what they're going to look like
37:25together.
37:26I just do the donkey work
37:28and Cheryl will make the choices.
37:29That's not entirely true.
37:31I do ask for your opinion.
37:33Sometimes you make me think twice
37:35but I normally go with my gut.
37:40Any one of them
37:41stand out for you?
37:42The green one
37:43isn't the right one.
37:44Yeah, OK, yeah,
37:45I agree.
37:46But I'm not sure
37:47about all the others.
37:48I think out of all those
37:48in the process of elimination,
37:51they're pastels,
37:52they're nice,
37:52they're gentle.
37:53I was going to say,
37:54it's a soft feel.
37:55And it's what I want in here.
37:56It's got a calm feel to it.
37:57It's got calm,
37:58it's got a soft face,
37:59it's got the light.
38:00OK, so can we sign that one off?
38:03I think we can, yeah.
38:04Good job.
38:05One job down.
38:06One decision made.
38:07Well done.
38:09Yeah, OK.
38:16Wallpaper chosen,
38:18Sharon has another
38:19decorative project in mind.
38:21This mirror was in the bedroom
38:24that we're doing now,
38:25so it was already in there.
38:26And I do like to keep a piece
38:28and work around it.
38:29And I'm going to paint it
38:32and then I'm going to maybe
38:34put some other
38:35contrasting colour on it
38:37and just see how it looks, really.
38:41It's a subtle colour.
38:43It's quite muted.
38:44And I think that will go nicely.
38:46A calm feel to it
38:47with the bedroom,
38:48with the nice sunlight
38:49coming through.
38:50I don't want anything
38:50too gaudy,
38:53too bright.
38:57I like to do a bit of art.
38:59I like to upcycle things.
39:01I'm not sure I'm
39:02any good at it,
39:04but I like the opportunity
39:05to show off
39:08my artistic streak.
39:10I've got these
39:10lovely ornate pieces
39:12attached on the front,
39:14so I'm going to think
39:16what sort of colour
39:16can I put on this?
39:17Maybe a gold
39:18to lift the mirror,
39:20bring it to life.
39:24That's it.
39:27Once dry,
39:29Sharon can add
39:30some chateau sparkle.
39:32I like the mirror
39:33as it is.
39:34I think for the bedroom,
39:36it might get a little
39:37lost in the wallpaper,
39:39so I've been thinking,
39:40how can I make it
39:41pop a little more?
39:48The gold is actually
39:49looking better
39:51than I thought it would
39:53against the muted colour.
39:57When we get our first
39:58paying guests
39:59and subsequent guests,
40:01I would like,
40:01when they come into
40:02the chateau,
40:03to feel like they're
40:03stepping into history.
40:05It's not a regular house,
40:06it's not a hotel,
40:07it's a chateau,
40:08and I want them
40:09to absolutely embrace it
40:11and live the chateau.
40:14When this mirror's finished,
40:16I think it's going to look
40:16really nice for the bedroom.
40:18It's got a subtlety,
40:19it's got a peacefulness,
40:20and that's what I want
40:21for the bedroom,
40:21peace.
40:22So I think this is going
40:24to fit in really lovely.
40:27The mirror, though,
40:28is only a small part
40:30of Sharon's vision.
40:32It's still taken a bit
40:34of imagination
40:34to figure out
40:35how it's going to end up.
40:38It is,
40:39but we've been here
40:40and done this before.
40:41It's going to have
40:42a couple of weeks
40:42and we won't be far off
40:43starting to think about
40:44putting some wallpaper on,
40:46putting some tiles on.
40:48We're getting closer.
40:50But with their first
40:51paying guests due soon,
40:53all Sharon and Tim can do
40:55is hope everything
40:56goes to plan.
41:02300 miles away,
41:04in southwest France,
41:06it's the morning
41:07of Alicia and Carlton's
41:09first ever wedding reception.
41:12They stayed the night,
41:13all of the guests
41:14and the houses held up.
41:16There were no phone calls
41:17through the night
41:18saying anything
41:19had gone wrong.
41:20The family and friends
41:22of the lucky couple
41:23have also been busy
41:25decorating the barn.
41:27Yesterday I got
41:28a little bit of a glimpse
41:30of some of the tables
41:32and things,
41:32but it wasn't dressed yet.
41:34So I'm excited to see it.
41:36Hello, Sharon!
41:38Salut!
41:39Oui, ça va, vous?
41:47Untouched for years,
41:49Alicia and Carlton's
41:51rustic barn
41:52was a dusty
41:53and neglected
41:54dumping ground.
41:55But after a lot
41:56of hard work
41:57by the whole family,
41:59the space
42:00has been
42:01transformed.
42:05Alicia's white
42:07gauze curtains
42:08provide the perfect backdrop
42:10for the wedding
42:11party's decorations,
42:13making the barn
42:15a beautiful setting
42:16for the celebration
42:18ahead.
42:19Oh, pretty.
42:22Very pretty.
42:24The flowers look great,
42:26the stairs look great.
42:27It's got the rustic
42:28and it's got the elegant.
42:31It's really transformed it.
42:36Everything that I've been
42:38dreaming of
42:38for the last,
42:40gosh,
42:40I'm not sure
42:41how many years
42:42has finally come
42:43to be.
42:44I'm proud of
42:46what we were able
42:46to do
42:47to help
42:48Marie and Loic's
42:49wedding day
42:50take shape.
42:51I'm really looking forward
42:52to them, you know,
42:53really enjoying themselves
42:54and, you know,
42:56having the best time
42:57of their lives.
42:59And now,
43:00they're back
43:01from the ceremony.
43:03The party
43:04can begin.
43:19C'est étonnant.
43:20Le cadre.
43:21Le cadre est exceptionnel.
43:23C'est une maison
43:23de maître
43:24fabuleuse
43:25qui est spacieuse,
43:26qui a été rénovée
43:27avec beaucoup de goût.
43:29C'est un endroit
43:30extraordinaire.
43:31Vraiment.
43:32C'est le plus beau jour
43:33de notre vie.
43:34L'endroit est magnifique.
43:35Alicia a été super.
43:40Je vous souhaite
43:42une bonne nuit,
43:44une bonne vie.
43:47Et, oui,
43:48profitez bien.
43:48Merci beaucoup,
43:49merci, Alicia.
43:50Merci.
43:51Avec plaisir.
43:54With the day
43:55running like a dream,
43:56it's time to leave
43:58the guests
43:58to their celebrations.
44:01My job is done.
44:02They are happily married,
44:05enjoying,
44:06celebrating
44:06with their friends
44:07and family.
44:08There's nothing more
44:09for me to do,
44:10so time for me
44:11to leave.
44:14Alicia and Carlton's efforts
44:16have paved the way
44:18for a blissful wedding day
44:19at the Chateau,
44:21setting the stage
44:22for memories
44:23that will last
44:24a lifetime.
44:29Next time,
44:31nerves run high.
44:32I'm a little bit worried
44:33that it's suddenly
44:34all going to go down
44:35in one hit.
44:37There are pre-wedding jitters.
44:39I think I need to rewrite
44:41the wedding vows.
44:42Thou shall not do
44:43so much manual work.
44:46And a risky demolition.
44:49It's holding.
44:50It's holding,
44:51but for how long?
44:56It's holding.
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