Escape to the Chateau DIY (2018–2021): Season 3, Episode 8 - Episode #3.8 - full transcript

Dick Strawbridge:
I'm Dick Strawbridge.

And along with my wife, Angel,
and our two children...

Angel: I got him!

Dick: we're nearly 5 years
into restoring

this once-abandoned chateau.

There's something quite
sort of majestic about it.

Look, like even the clouds.

Dick: It's been demanding...

yet truly fulfilling.

Angel: It's making me feel
a bit mushy

and like a bit emotional.



Dick: And with thousands of
chateaus in France,

we're not the only Brits buying
into the French fairytale.

Man: Oh, my goodness.
It's amazing.

Dick: So Angel
and I are once again

helping our fellow ex-pats...

This is a big old build.

Dick, voice-over: as they embark
on a brand-new set

of chateau adventures.

Oh, oh!

Dick, voice-over:
It'll be a rollercoaster ride.

Whoa!

Woman: [Gasps] No. No.

Dick, voice-over:
But no matter what...

I'm just going to
try and not cry.



Dick, voice-over:
these plucky Brits...

Woman: Are we doing this with
all the technological

accomplishments of the ancient
Egyptians?

Dick, voice-over: are determined
to transform

once unloved buildings into
the most spectacular homes...

Woman: That is amazing.

Dick, voice-over: and live
the dream as custodians

of their very own castles.

Today, this owner enlists help
with her final B&B suite...

Woman: It's not coming off
at all.

Man: Nothing.

Dick, voice-over: that's been a
long while in the making.

Woman: We have to find another
solution

or that room is not
going to get done.

Dick, voice-over: I offer up
some engineering advice...

Right. Give me a dimension for
your water feature.

It'd probably be about
12 square meters.

That is not small.

Dick, voice-over: Although
things don't go exactly to plan.

Man: Whoops.

Ooh. Belinda's
going to go mad.

Get rid of the evidence.

Dick, voice-over: And a couple
call in their friends

to help speed up
chateau renovations.

Man: It's going, it's going,
it's going.

Everyone breathe in. Yes.

We got a cooker.

Dick, voice-over: And a smashing
time is had by all.

Woman: Oh.

[Gasps]

Uh-oh.

[Chuckles]

Dick, voice-over:
Around a 150,000 Brits

have made a permanent move
across the Channel.

And some of them are
lucky enough to end up

calling one of these wonderful
places home.

This is the charming
15th-century Chateau Mareuil,

which South London couple
Belinda and Lee

launched as a holiday let and
events business last summer.

Lee: As you come down the drive
and you see this beautiful...

Belinda: It's so pretty.

Lee: building, you think,
I can't believe--

- I own that.
- I own that and I live in it.

Dick, voice-over:
Lying 40 miles from Limoges,

the chateau includes
a castle keep

that acts as their main
event space.

Lee had to repair the roof
because of storm damage.

Lee: This is Hairy Maclary,
scary from the dairy.

Dick, voice-over: Now they're
planning to create

a new outdoor event space

in a raised garden area
behind the chateau.

Belinda: It was a former
watchtower, we believe.

It's now really an
overgrown, tired space

which we want to turn into
something beautiful.

Dick, voice-over: To do that,
Belinda and Lee

are planning to
build a water feature,

and they need to get it
finished in time

for an exciting upcoming
booking--

their first ever wedding.

Belinda: We have to get
the water feature finished

in time for the early summer.

It's promised, basically, as
a feature of the chateau.

They want to use it.

So, there's a--there's
a deadline for us.

We have to get it done in time.

Lee: This is so typical of us
as well,

both in making a commitment
and not quite sure

how it's all going to work out.
Belinda: We can do it.

It's no problem.
It'll be done.

Lee: We'll do it.
Belinda: Yeah.

Dick, voice-over: Large water
features can be tricky,

and as these two have
no experience,

what they need is a
bit of engineering know-how.

I know just the chap.

Hello. How are you?

Belinda: Hi, Dick.
Lee: Hi, Dick. Yeah.

We're great. Thank you.

Talk to me about this
water feature.

What are you trying
to achieve?

Belinda: OK. You talk to that
because this is your project.

Lee: OK. Well, what
it is we got--

Dick: It's your fault, Lee.

Lee: So what I want to try and
do is put a small water feature

in the center of the tower to
draw people down to it.

Belinda: We just want to make it
a more tranquil,

user-friendly,
pretty, green space.

Dick: Right. Give me a dimension
for your water feature.

Lee: It'd probably be about
12 square meters.

Dick: That is not small.
That's huge.

During the summer months,

you're going to have
a lot of evaporation on it.

Belinda: Yes. Actually,
that's a very good point.

Lee: Yeah. Yeah.

Unless of course you have
most of it

subterranean and
reduce your surface area.

Now, do--you want--you want
moving water?

Lee: Well, the whole idea of
moving water

is literally just
like a recirc.

Now, recirculating sounds easy,

but if you want to
recirculate from the bottom

of a feature to the top of
the feature

and it's, say, 5 meters,
that's quite a lot of work.

If it's a meter, it's a
lot less work.

And lot--and if
it's a lot less work,

you need lot less energy,

and so from
your perspective, a solar--

I take it you've got no
electricity over there?

Belinda: No.
Lee: No.

Dick: So a small solar panel,
a battery

that can store the energy,

that sort of thing is
completely doable.

Belinda: That's great.

Lee: No, that's been really good
advice, actually, Dick.

Thank you very much, because
certainly,

I didn't think about
the evaporation.

I didn't think that we could
get solar-powered pumps

that could do what you've just
described.

And the idea of
putting the storage--

more water storage in a smaller
surface area,

you might have actually
saved us quite a lot of effort

and a considerable amount
of money.

So thank you very much.
Belinda: Yeah, thank you.

- Yeah. That's really good.
- OK. You two keep smiling.

Lovely to chat to you.
You take care.

Lee: Thank you very much.
Thank you.

Belinda: Bye.
Dick: Take care. See you.

Belinda: Bye-bye.
Dick: Bye.

Dick, voice-over: It's back to
the drawing board

for Lee and Belinda.

Armed with my advice,

I'm excited to see
what they come up with.

Lee: If we were using this for
weddings,

so you have bride and
groom standing here,

smack in the middle of the
garden is this water feature.

Belinda: Yeah. It's gonna be in
the way, isn't it?

So is your thinking to just
make a smaller water feature?

Lee: Well, this is--this is
the clever bit, right?

This is what I was thinking now.
You see this scrub area here.

So supposing we make
a small reservoir here

with rocks on it.
Belinda: Right.

Lee: Supposing there was
a service going on,

you have the celebrant...
Belinda: Right.

Lee: that was standing in front
of the water feature.

So in the background,
you got this very gentle
trickle of water.

Belinda: Yeah. And a pretty
statue. Yeah.

Lee: Your man here with
his book of words.

Belinda: With his book, mm-hmm.

Lee: Groom, bride.
Bride, groom.

You've got the processional
route straight the way down.

Belinda: Exactly,
straight down the stairs.

You could probably get 50 people
down there.

Lee: 50 people down here.

Belinda: That's a far better use
of the space.

Yeah, it's great.

Dick, voice-over: I think
they've made a good call.

But with that first
wedding already booked in,

they need to make a start
on clearing

this overgrown garden sharpish.

This is the beautiful
16th-century Chateau de Lalande,

boasting 60 acres of land, a
moat, and even its own chapel.

It's home to Brit Stephanie

who runs it as an event space
and B&B.

Stephanie: We started doing
bed and breakfast here
about 6 years ago.

And now we're very busy.
So it's fantastic.

And we need more rooms.

Dick, voice-over: Located in the
heart of the French countryside,

Stephanie has started
refurbishing her fifth

and final guestroom ahead
of peak season.

Stephanie: It's like a journey
back in time

with everything that we
peel off.

We want to be able
to operate the B&B business

at full capacity for the first
time in 13 years.

Very exciting.

But more excitingly
for me is to see a room

that I've always liked very much
and--

but that I've never quite been
able to work out

finally getting done.

Oh, it's perfect. I love it.
I love it.

Dick, voice-over: To add
an en suite,

Stephanie's created a loo

in what used to be
a bedside cupboard.

Innovative, but a bit
of a squeeze.

So my wife Angel gave Stephanie
an idea--

distressed mirror tiles to give
the illusion of space.

We can do this with a bit of
paint stripper

and some bleach.

That's looking great.

Stephanie: Angel has been
really, really helpful.

So we're going to
have an experiment today

and see if we can do them and if
we can put them up in the room.

Dick, voice-over: With holiday
season almost upon her,

Stephanie has
recruited mom Isabel

and close family friend Gerry to
get the job done.

Stephanie: You know it's going
to be a good day

when the disposable gloves
come out.

Dick, voice-over: As neither has
done this before,

it's down to Stephanie
to show them the ropes.

Stephanie: I'll try to explain
the process to you.

These are ones
that I did with Angel.

So first, we remove the top
layer,

which is this plastic-y
backing.

Isabel: OK.
Stephanie: Then after that,

we try to remove this silver
layer. There, can you see?

Isabel: Oh, yeah.
I can see it quite clearly.

Stephanie: The mirrored layer
there. You see it, Gerald?

Dick, voice-over:
To get rid of the backing,

it's on with
the paint stripper.

Stephanie: It's very gloopy
and quite fun

and slightly silvery and
pretty and sparkly.

Isabel: This seems
a very quick process.

Stephanie: Well, this is
the beginning, Mommy.

We haven't really done
anything yet.

Isabel: Easy.
Stephanie: Wait until we have

to get the backing off with
the scraper.

Isabel: OK.

Stephanie: See if you're still
saying easy then.

Isabel: One thing at a time.

Dick, voice-over: Stephanie's
friend Michael is painting on

some trompe l'oeil paneling,

an illusion that
looks like real wood paneling.

Michael: I've never ever done
this kind of thing before.

I've seen what it looks like,
so I've got an idea,

but how to do it,
I have no idea.

So I'm just going to have to
make it up as I go along.

I think if I
get the shading right,

the shadows and the highlights,
you know,

when you walk in, it will
give that kind of impression

that there is wood paneling.

Whatever it looks like,
it's going to be better

than just a plain, flat wall.

It's like a trick of the eye.

That's why
it's trompe l'oeil,

and that's what it means, it
means to like trick the eye.

There we go.
Not too bad.

Best seen from a
distance, though.

Dick, voice-over:
It tricked my eye.

Outside though, Stephanie,
Isabel, and Gerry's results

are altogether less
convincing.

Stephanie:
It's not coming off at all.

Gerry: Nothing.

The first coat of paint stripper

has been completely
catastrophic

in that it's done
absolutely nothing at all.

And we have to find another
solution

or that room is not
going to get done.

Gerry: The tiles are not
distressed,

but we are distressed.

Dick, voice-over:
Like every chateau owner,

Stephanie has built up a stock
of DIY products

and has got her hands on a
stronger stripper to try.

Stephanie: This says, don't
use on plastics.

Gerry: Yeah, that's
the whole idea.

If it says don't use on plastic,
then we use it on plastic.

Put it on. Let's--we're going
to have to--

Stephanie: Don't use on plastic,
put it on. OK.

Gerry: Let's go.

Stephanie: Do you want to just
try on a couple to start?

Gerry: I can actually feel it
bubbling.

Oh, look at that, Stephanie.

Isabel: Is it bubbling?

Stephanie: What?
Gerry: Look, already.

Stephanie: I don't believe it.
Whoo-hoo.

Isabel: That is incredible.
Stephanie: Yippee.

We're saved, Mommy.

Dick, voice-over:
Success at last.

Stephanie:
I love paint stripper. [Sighs]

Gerry: Oh, I've done, one, two,
three, four,

and I'm into my fifth.

Stephanie: I'm on my first,
and I'm bored.

Anyone wants a cup of tea?

Dick, voice-over: Don't put your
feet up yet, Stephanie.

There's still a
long way to go.

This is the glorious
19th-century Chateau Thuries.

It's been home to Gloucester
couple Jayne and Steve

since they quit their
jobs in the UK last year.

Jayne: We're not working.

We haven't got an income coming
in, so we're--

Steve: We're not working.
Can I just interrupt there?

We're not working?

- No.
- I beg to differ on that one.

Jayne: Well, we are working.

We're probably working harder
than we've ever worked

in our lives, actually.

But we're not getting
paid for it, are we?

Dick, voice-over: Located near
Toulouse in southern France,

they've spent the winter

renovating the chateau's
ground floor

to have its 3 rooms ready
for the B&B in a month's time.

Jayne: Oh. It's a nice bit.

Dick, voice-over:
The dining room, salon,

and hallway
are now decorated,

but with a raft of finishing
touches still to do,

Steve and Jayne are counting
the cost of the work.

Jayne: The money situation,

I think things are going to be
very tight, actually.

But as long as we start earning
something

by, you know, the time
when we open,

then that's--I think we'll
able to just about hang on.

If it goes on any longer than
that, then we're in trouble.

Dick, voice-over:
To save cash, they've called

in the cavalry for the weekend.

Jayne: Can we just go through
this list, then,

of what who's doing what.

We've got all our friends, and
they've all come out to help us,

and they've got
a multitude of skills

between them, so it's just
perfect.

Right. So weeding the terrace.

Woman: I don't mind
doing that.

Jayne: I think you girls--
Woman: Yeah, we started it.

- We girls are on the weeding.
- Yeah. You can do it.

Leaf blowing?
Man: Yes.

Jayne: Is that you, Jonathan?

Yeah, I think you said you were
going to do that. Right. OK.

Can you put the knob on,
on the staircase?

Yeah, that'd be great.

Dick, voice-over: To reward
their friends' hard work,

Jayne's planning
a special meal.

The only problem
is they don't have an oven yet.

Jayne: We've got a new cooker
arriving later,

but it weighs a ton, and there's
absolutely no way

that we could just lift it
in on our own.

Steve: We're just gonna really
maximize their muscle power.

Jayne: Yeah.

Dick, voice-over: There are just
two days to get everything done,

and Jayne and Steve now have
a mission of their own.

Steve: All right. I think I have
everything I need now.

Dick, voice-over: The salon
will be the guests'
main relaxing space.

and there's one finishing touch
left to do.

Steve: So when we first came
into this room,

it was cloth over battening,
and underneath that,

we think is the original
wallpaper, and it was so nice,

we thought we could just
keep a little bit of it
and frame it just,

you know, as an
original part of the house.

And this was the only area that
we thought suitable,

but it did have a little bit
of damage.

So what I've done is
with a Stanley knife,

I've just cut a little bit
of paper

which I'm going to glue and then
put it on there,

hoping that it will
disguise it.

Dick, voice-over:
Great idea.

Framing wallpaper is right up
Angel's street.

Steve: This is my theory
here is if that goes like that,

I don't think anyone's going to
see that. It's going to be--

Jayne: Well, I think they are.
Steve: Are they?

Jayne: Yeah, because you
can see that bit.

Steve: It's cut off, Jayne.
I don't think--

Jayne: That's all right.
That--I like that.

That's perfect.

Steve: Well, you put it on,
I'll spray this glue on.

And you--let me just spray
the glue on

and you stick it on.

Jayne: OK.
Steve: OK?

Jayne: Yeah.

Steve: OK. That's all yours.

It's a bit wet.
It'll be all right.

Jayne: Yeah. When it's
dry, it'll be fine.

Oh!
Steve: Oh.

Jayne: Hang on.
I'll just shape my fingers.

Steve: Yeah, I would.
Jayne: And that goes on there.

Steve: Come on, Jayne, no one's
going to see that.

Perfect. Parfait.

I mean, if you're
standing there,

no one's going
to just go right up to it.

If you look at
the whole thing now

and you didn't know that that
was damaged, you wouldn't know.

Jayne: Yeah. Actually, when
that's dried,

I think that'd be fine.
Good. OK.

All right. Good.
Steve: All right.

Now the difficult bit.

If you just hold up that corner.

Jayne: I can hold it.

Steve: And then...

Jayne: Yeah. You need to go
up a little bit more.

Steve: Up and over to you,
then down.

Now down.
That's it, it's on.

That's parfait.
Jayne: Parfait.

Steve: So actually, I need
to get--oh.

Jayne: Oh.
Steve: Is it on?

Jayne: Yeah.
Steve: Is it?

I think it's really nice.
Jayne: Yeah. Good.

Steve: I love it, actually.
Jayne: Good. OK.

Steve: Another job finished.

Dick, voice-over: It's great to
save original features

to remind people what
the chateau was like.

That's one job down.
But the heat is still on.

Their new oven, which
they bought second-hand from
some expats, has arrived.

Jayne: Well, right on cue
because we've been--

we're just debating the best way
to bring it in. Steve thinks--

Man: Where do you actually
want it?

Jayne: In the kitchen.

Steve: I think if I show you--
Jayne: Obviously.

Steve: We want to take it
through the front door

because the double doors
through the dining room
through double doors,

and then that tricky bit will
be then getting into the kitchen

without taking any walls down
or door frames off.

If we've measured it wrong...

Jayne: We're stuffed.
Steve: Yes.

Dick, voice-over: Back at
Chateau Mareuil,

with their first
wedding in just a few months,

Lee and Belinda are making a
start on their water feature.

Lee: OK. So from the Skype
call we had with Dick,

I've worked out now, flow rates,
pump height,

heater height, and the size of
the pool we need.

Dick, voice-over: Instead of
a 12-meter square pool

in the center of the garden,

their new plan is for a
smaller rockery feature

tucked away in the corner.

That means less evaporation,
less maintenance,

and more space for
the upcoming wedding ceremony.

Belinda: Is that where
you want it?

Lee: Yeah, I think so.
Belinda: OK.

Dick, voice-over:
That's the area marked out,

but Lee can't start digging
the hole

for his water reservoir
just yet.

Lee: Well, what we're going to
do now,

I'm going to start
ground clearing.

Belinda: You're not going
to clear these plants
today, are you?

Lee: Yeah, it's all coming out.

Belinda: No, no, because those
are going to go into bags.

We're looking after this.
- Well, we need some black bags.

Belinda: So don't dig them out
now.

Lee: They're going to
be relocated.

They're not being destroyed.

Belinda: Can't you do some
other stuff first?

Lee: No, this has got to be
cleared.

If we're going to do
this today,

let's get some black bags
and then just get these out.

Belinda: I'll go and go get
some bags.

Saving everything is
really important to me.

It's in--it's on an emotional
level, I think,

for me, totally, so just to see
that little plant down there

with its tiny little
green shoots,

and the idea of Lee digging it
up, it's just heartbreaking.

Dick, voice-over:
Better look away, Belinda.

Lee: Oops.

Oh, Belinda's going to go mad.

Get rid of the evidence.

I broke all the roots off of
that one, couldn't be helped,

I'm trying to save them.

Dick, voice-over:
Best try not to do it again.

Lee: Ah, it's dead, look.

Dick, voice-over:
You better watch out, Lee.

Belinda: Here's some bags.

Just be careful to get as much
root as you can really.

Lee: Oh, they've come out
with good root.

Belinda: Oh, gosh, that's good.

Lee: Look at the root ball
on there.

Dick, voice-over:
See what you can do.

Belinda: Let me get that in
right here.

And that will keep--the
plastic will keep it nice and...

Lee: Yeah, nice and moist.

Belinda: Moist, so it won't
dry out.

Lee: So, if you move those
to one side...

Belinda: OK. What about that
that you pulled out the corner?

Where did you put that?
Lee: That was dead.

Belinda: It wasn't.

Lee: It was dead.
No, it was dead.

Belinda: What about that?

Lee: That's dead.
Belinda: How do you know?

It's got green on it.
It's got green shoots
coming out of there.

Lee: Well, then it's still dead.
Belinda: That is not dead.

Lee: Well, it's still
there, then, isn't it?

Belinda: Please.

Lee: I have not done anything.
I've loosened it.

Dick, voice-over: Lee, change
the subject and move on.

Lee: I think what I'm going to
try and do

is start digging some of
this out

because the rest of
that can be cut easily.

So did you want to
help, did you say?

Belinda: I could put
the first...

Both: Spade in the ground.
Belinda: Like the Queen.

Lee: Oh, the Queen.
You could be the Queen.

Go on then.

The first spade in the ground

for our new water feature.

Belinda: Oh, dear. Hold on.

Oh, actually, that's not bad,
is it? Oh.

Lee: I know, it's soft.

Put--chuck it over there.

Belinda: Where?
Lee: Over the back.

That's where it's
all got to go.

Belinda: Pfft! Ha ha ha!

Lee: Oh, I can leave.

I'm going to go and have
a cup of tea.

Can you just carry on?

Let me know when
it's all done, will you?

Do you want to do some?

Lee: Yeah. Go on,
I'll have a go.

Let's see.

I've never--in all the years
I've known and married you,

I've never seen you put a spade
in the ground.

Dick, voice-over:
An hour or so later,

despite the odd stubborn
stone...

Lee: That is solid.

Dick, voice-over:
the hole is ready.

Lee: Let's have a look and
see how deep we go. 380.

Belinda: So you definitely
got 400 here.

Lee: Yeah. So it's 50 mil.
That's that much.

Belinda: Yeah.
Lee: It's nothing.

Belinda: I mean, today was
the easy bit, really,

so digging the hole,
that's not difficult,

even I was able to help
with that.

I think the next bit,

which is going to be actually
making the water feature

and making it work, that's going
to be a lot more challenging.

And the idea of it working
and actually water

coming out of that pump
is fantastic.

Dick, voice-over:
Good job, you two,

but the next step is
a tricky bit.

210 miles north, Stephanie,
Gerry, and Isabel

are distressing mirror tiles

for the en-suite loo in
the final B&B room.

Isabel: I am not having a good
time. It's truly hard work.

Dick, voice-over: Bad news
then I'm afraid, Isabel,

you're only halfway there.

Next up is the bleach.

It's supposed to eat through
the silver layer.

Isabel: Oh, it's doing that.
Is it?

Stephanie: I think so.
We've got the bleach on.

The mirrors are
definitely distressed.

I've got some scrape-y marks on
the front of your mirror.

Mine's the worst of all,
scraping all over.

Isabel: Oh, no.

Dick, voice-over: I reckon Angel
would be impressed.

Let's hope Michael's painted
wood panel effect

is going just as smoothly.

Michael: It's going
really well.

I stayed up late last night
and got most of it done.

I'm just at the stage now

where I'm just putting a few of
the shadows in.

Stephanie:
Oh, wow. Look at this.

Oh, Michael, you're a genius.

Michael: Oh, thank you
very much.

I just hope you like it.
Stephanie: Thank you.

I love it. I love it.
Michael: You like it?

Stephanie: I really love it.
You're so clever.

Michael: Thank you very much.

Dick, voice-over:
Cracking job, Michael.

Stephanie's being busy in
he guest suite, too.

There's now trellis on the
walls of the en suite loo.

Stephanie: I'm trying to
make it look a bit garden-y,

and then here
we're going to have

the distressed mirror tiles
that we did,

and I found a really
pretty cut out MDF panel

which we painted in
the same color as the trellising

to go in front so that you just
get the reflection of the mirror

without for men having to just
stare at themselves

whilst they're using the loo.

Gerry: I'm never without
my measuring tape.

Dick, voice-over: All they need
to do now is measure up.

Stephanie:
So...let's do this.

I tried to ban anyone from using
a spirit level in this house

because people just naturally go
to a spirit level

to put paintings
or anything up,

and then I come in,
and it looks as though

the painting is completely
crooked

because nothing else is
straight, no wall is straight,

the floors are like this,
the ceilings are like that.

So we can only do things
by eye here.

Otherwise, it looks weird.

Mommy is going to be so
impressed with us Gerry.

We're going to get major
brownie points for this.

Gerry: Stephanie, I'm going to
need you to come in

and pass them to me...
Stephanie: OK.

Gerry: 'cause I'm going to have
to stand on the loo.

Stephanie: Sure.

Here you go.

Oh, excellent.

OK. Ready with the last one.

Gerry: Wonderful.
Stephanie: This is the moment.

Gerry: Well, this is
the easy part.

Stephanie: It's amazing
how it changes

the space so quickly,
a mirror.

Gerry: Yeah, I'm pleased
with that.

Stephanie: Yeah, it looks good,
looks really good.

Gerry: And you stay there,

and I'm going to put that up
again, Stephanie,

and you tell me what
you think.

Stephanie: OK.

OK.

Gerry: I think I've got
to come down.

Stephanie: Come down, yeah.

That's great.
That's really pretty.

OK. So that's fixed,
so I can go and eat.

Gerry: So you're leaving
me here now?

Dick, voice-over:
A woman after my own heart.

Just make sure you're back here
after dessert

to get this room finished.

In southern France, Jayne,
Steve,

and a battalion of their friends

are in the final push to have
the whole chateau ready

in less than one month's time.

Jayne: Isn't it beautiful?

Dick, voice-over: The most
pressing job is to get

the new oven into the kitchen.

Otherwise, there'll be
no thank-you dinner.

Jayne: This cooker is huge,
so we definitely need

all hands on
deck for this beast.

Dick, voice-over: But just
getting this thing

off the trailer is a challenge
in itself.

Steve: Well, that was--

Man: Well, what we don't want to
do is lift it

by the handle here.
Second man: OK.

Man: Let's go in, let's go.

Dick, voice-over: Watch out
for those freshly-decorated
walls, chaps.

Steve: It's going, it's going,
it's going.

Man: Everyone breathe in.
Yes.

Steve: We got a cooker.

That's great.

It's gone through the door,
that's the main thing.

Man: Come down gently.

Second man. Aw!

Steve: Look at there.
Man: Hey.

Steve: Can you stay and help
with some furniture?

[Laughter]

Man: Oh, just plug it in.

Dick, voice-over: Success.

And the news that dinner is on

seems to have
boosted team productivity.

However, there's plenty on
Steve and Jayne's plate

in the dining room before they
can all sit down to eat tonight.

Jayne: Right. So you're going to
put that other curtain pole up.

Steve: Yeah.

Jayne: And then we'll get
the curtains up.

Steve: Yeah.
Jayne: OK.

Steve: OK.

Jayne: What we're doing is we're
going to hang these curtains up

and see whether
the curtains look OK

with that great big piece of
furniture,

because we'll then have to make
a decision on whether we move

that piece of furniture once
we've got all the guys here.

Dick, voice-over: Before Steve
could put up the curtain pole,

he needs to remove an old
bracket. Simple enough.

Jayne: Oh.

[Gasps]

Uh-oh.

[Laughs]

Steve: Oh, what a shame.

That's the first disaster that's
ever happened.

Sorry.

Jayne: It's all right.

Steve: I'll tape that up.

Jayne: Yeah.
Steve: I'll do a bit of taping.

Oh, what a shame.

I should've
just pulled it off.

Jayne: Well, we're going
to have--I mean, there's
loads of panes

of glass
that are broken in those.

Steve: I know, but
that one wasn't.

These ones are
broken over here.

And I go and break the one which
wasn't broken.

Sod's law.
Jayne: Yeah.

Steve: I'll just put some tape
on it.

That'll just temporary hold it.

Dick, voice-over: They'll need
to get it fixed properly

before paying guests see it.

Jayne: That looks gorgeous,
doesn't it?

Ha ha ha!

Bit of masking tape
up on the windows.

Dick, voice-over: For now, they
just need to press on.

Steve: All right. Just tighten
up the other lug, and that's it,

you're ready to put them up.
Jayne: Fabulous.

Steve: Here you go.

Do you want me to hold
the bottoms or anything?

Jayne: No, it's all right,
I got them sorted.

Steve: Sure?

We're doing two more.

Jayne: Yep.

Steve: I'll lift it up

and you can move the ladders
away, just sit.

Moment of truth, Jaynie.
I'll let you deal with that.

Jayne: I think it's fine,

and I think it's more balanced
with those two cupboards...

Steve: I agree, no, I agree.
Jayne: than one cupboard.

Steve: It's actually better than
I thought it was going to be.

Jayne: I love the curtains.

I think they look great
in the salon,

and they're the same,
exactly the same.

I thought I wanted to
have them running through,

you know, the front
of the house,

and I'm really pleased
with them.

Really gorgeous.

Love them.

Dick, voice-over: Cracking job.

Now to get the rest of the
downstairs ready for tonight.

At Belinda and Lee's,

with their first-ever wedding
on the horizon,

they're cracking on with
the water feature.

Belinda: So that's--you're
going to get

the water flowing through
it today?

Lee: Today we're going to
have the water flowing.

Belinda: Oh, fantastic.

Dick, voice-over:
With the reservoir in,

Lee's bought a solar-powered
pump for a £109.

I just hope he's got
his sums right.

Lee: All we want from
the water feature

is really a simple
trickle of water.

I can't say...
[Laughter]

If you look at it now, it looks
like we just taped

a load of rocks in the corner
and put a hose pipe on it.

This reinforced bar here,

which is just laid on at
the moment--

I've got some rebar
there that I want to put on

to take the weight of the box,
but we can't do that

until the water's in
and the pump's working.

Belinda: How are you going to
get the water down here?

Lee: Yeah, that's a bit of
a problem.

We're going to have to
get our hose and fill buckets

and just chuck buckets of water
in there, I reckon.

Belinda: OK. Mind you, it's not
that big.

It won't take that much,
will it?

Dick, voice-over:
It might not be big,

but it's a bit of a trek from
the nearest tap.

Lee: It's going to take forever
doing it like this.

Dick, voice-over: Eventually,
with the pool full

and spirits un-dampened,

they can turn their attention
to the pump.

Belinda: Right.
So how does it work?

Do you want to look
at the instructions?

Lee: No, I'm a man.

I don't look at instructions
until it goes wrong.

Belinda: Lee, it's freezing,
why have you just taken all
your clothes off?

Lee: Because I don't want to get
my sleeves wet.

I've got to stick
my arm in that pool.

Here we go.

We immerse the pump in
the water,

push it down firm
onto the sucker pads

so it stays where it is,

and now is the
switch-on moment.

Dick, voice-over: All Lee needs
to do now is connect the pump

to the solar panel, and...

Belinda: Oh my goodness, Lee.
Lee: Hey.

Belinda: It's working.
Oh, that's amazing.

Lee: There, it does work.

Belinda: That's so simple,
isn't it?

Lee: It's simple.

Belinda: That's brilliant.

No, this is actually genius.
I'm really happy with this.

Dick, voice-over: Now, using
rocks from the chateau grounds,

they can start building.

Well, it's getting there.

Belinda: Lovely, right.

Lee: I think it's time for a cup
of tea. What do you think?

Dick, voice-over: I'd say that's
a brew well earned,

but make sure you come
back down here afterwards
to finish the job.

Back at Chateau de Lalande,
with mom Isabel out,

Stephanie and Gerry are busy
getting the last

B&B suite ready ahead
of peak season.

Gerry: [Indistinct]

Stephanie: Gerald, that nail
is too long.

Gerry: No, no, you try and
putting that up there

and tell me what you think.

How is it looking?

Stephanie: It's fine, actually.
Gerry: Is it OK?

- Yeah, it's OK.
- That's amazing, isn't it?

I think it may need to go up
a wee--a wee dod.

Wee dod? Try up a bit?
Gerry: A wee dod up.

It's feeling really good to
get this room done,

and even though it's gray
and miserable outside,

it's like sunshine in here.
I love it.

Dick, voice-over:
The room is almost there,

just one important finishing
touch left.

Stephanie: Every room in
the house needs a painting
by my father.

Gerry: Yep.

Stephanie: Right.

Gerry: No--don't you want
to go up?

Stephanie: I can--I can reach,
I think.

Or can I?

Yes, I can.
Get on, yeah.

Gerry: You on?
Stephanie: Yeah.

Gerry: Fantastic, down.

I think that looks good.

I think that's about the right
level on the door.

It has an emotional attachment
for me, this room,

because it's the first room I
stayed in at the chateau,

but now when I'm
finishing it,

now that daddy's painting is up,
it feels like home.

Yes.

Dick, voice-over:
With Isabel due to return,

Stephanie and Gerry take stock.

Stephanie: I love it, Gerald.
It's superb.

Gerry: When Mommy comes,
do you think

she's going to be pleased
with what you have achieved?

Stephanie: I think she'll love
this room,

especially now Daddy's
painting is up.

If Mommy's happy,
we'll be happy.

Gerry: If Mommy's happy,
that'll be a miracle.

Dick, voice-over:
With a bit of help,

Stephanie's fifth and final
guest room is ready.

No longer the dated 1960s feel,

but instead, a grand and stylish
chateau boudoir,

complete with trompe l'oeil
wood paneling effect.

The bijou loo is now
a trellis gem

with the Angel-inspired
distressed mirrors

adding space and depth.

Isabel: Oh, this is wonderful.

The light.

Oh, it's like a golden egg.

Stephanie: It's a golden egg?

Isabel: Yes. It's wonderful.

Oh! Oh, that is exquisite.

Stephanie: You like it?
Isabel: Oh, absolutely.

It's beautiful, sweetheart.
Wow.

Stephanie: Daddy's painting
is up.

Isabel: Yes.

Hmm, oh, that's lovely.

Now, I wouldn't have thought
of this.

But it is delightful.

Oh, I love it.

I really love it.
Well done.

Oh, well done.

This is absolutely lovely,
and it's such a relief

because this is the last one
to prepare.

We are--all the other 4 are
more or less done,

but this one really needed a lot
of care and attention.

And it's done, just done.

We're good to go on renting
this now.

I absolutely love it.

I think this is now my
favorite room.

Dick, voice-over: 13 years
after buying this place,

Stephanie finally has her
5 B&B suites finished.

Now she can look ahead

to her first full capacity
holiday season

and more income for all the
other projects she wants to do.

In central France,
Lee and Belinda

have almost finished their
rockery water feature.

Belinda: Oh!

Lee: Yeah, told you, didn't I?

Dick, voice-over: Their first
wedding is in

just a couple of months' time,

and it's essential
it looks the part,

but as it stands, Lee is
not so sure.

Lee: What I've done so far is
I've relocated all the rocks

from up on the pile up there
and brought them down up.

I've just literally in no
particular order,

apart from the big ones at the
back and those pieces of wood.

All this lot on the front
has literally

just been dumped there
and not arranged.

Belinda: So basically,
I think what we should
do is try and find,

you know, stones with these sort
of rather softer edges

and just make those flat
to the ground

to make it look like
it's emerged rather
than being plunked.

Like this, sort of, rather more
feathered at the bottom.

Lee: Yeah.

Belinda: Much better, much,
much, much better.

Lee: Well, it looks much better.
Belinda: Done.

Lee: That looks much softer.

Belinda: Oh, Lee, that is
so much better.

The edge is softened,
it's--the size of that feature

is now much more in proportion
to the rest of this garden.

So, no, I'm pleased
with this.

Dick, voice-over: I would say,
I do think the rockery

does need a bit of a frou-frou.

Lee: Get a deep enough
hole down there.

Dick, voice-over:
By using materials from
their own grounds,

Belinda and Lee
have created a unique water
feature for next to nothing.

Now to see it in action.

Should we do the grand
switch on then?

Belinda: Oh, yeah, go on then.
I can't wait.

Lee: Ready?
Belinda: Yep.

Both: 3, 2, 1.

Belinda: I can hear something.

Oh, look there it is.
Lee: Oh, yeah.

Belinda: Oh, that's lovely.

Lee: The simple things
in life, innit?

A trickle of water
out of a spout.

Right there.

Belinda: This is really
important to us

because in about
10 weeks' time,

we've got our first
wedding here

and we really want this
garden to be ready for them.

And I think also, you know,

it's another string to our
bow, really,

in terms of the number of
outdoor areas that we now have.

We got about 5 different
exterior areas to use,

which is great, you know.

Dick, voice-over: It's exactly
what they wanted.

But the work ahead for
their first chateau wedding

has only just begun.

At Chateau Thuries, after
a weekend of hard graft,

Jayne and Steve are
doing the finishing touches

before a thank-you meal for all
their band of helpers.

They're still beavering away.

Jayne: Set it down.

It's a little bit busy.

But the girls are doing a good
job in the kitchen.

I have to say, they're
sort of getting on with it.

I'm trying to set the table.

But yeah, we'll get there, you
know, it's coming out at 5:00.

And then the fun begins.

Lovely.

Parfait.

Dick voice-over:
Over the past 4 months,

Jayne and Steve have moved
mountains

to transform the
chateau's ground floor.

The once dingy dining room
wallpaper

has been covered
and freshly painted

to create a bright and
sophisticated space.

The hallway is unrecognizable

with a newly-restored mosaic
tiled floor.

And the neglected salon is now
an elegant reception room,

complete with
repaired wood paneling.

I think their guests will be
impressed,

but for now, it's
strictly friend's eyes only.

Jayne: So come on, have
a look and see

what we've been
doing in the salon.

Steve: All our hard work.

Man: Wow.
Woman: Wow.

Man: Fantastic.
Woman: It's amazing.

Second woman: It looks
absolutely stunning.

Man: Well done, guys.
Third woman: Beautiful.

Woman: Love the panels.
Jayne: Thank you.

So this room is finished now,
I'm really glad to say.

- Is that the old wallpaper?
- That's the old wallpaper.

Steve: It's the original,
the wallpaper.

Jayne: Yeah, and we--all we've
done--because we wanted--

we wanted just save a little bit
of the flavor of the old room.

Woman: You didn't paint
this, did you?

Jayne: No, that is actually
vintage wallpaper,

and basically, instead of having
it all as one big picture,

we decided that we'd just put
it as panels on the wall.

Man: It looks very modern.
It looks very modern.

Jayne: Anyway, cheers,
everybody.

I just want to say, thank you
so much for all your help.

Steve: Thanks for all your
muscle power, guys.

Jayne: Here's to you.
Steve: Here's to you, guys.

All: Cheers.

Man: Well done,
Steve and Jayne.

Dick, voice-over:
With that, everyone can
retire to the dining room

for a very well-earned feast.

Jayne: Get stuck in.
Looks delicious, actually.

I can't thank you guys enough.

What amazing
friends you are.

It's right there.

Man: We've had a great weekend.

4 couples have come over,
we've done a lot of work.

Woman: And we've ended it with
a wonderful meal

and lots of fun
and friends and wine.

Second woman: When you walk in,

there's real warmth
to the place and a real,

you know, friendliness.
Yeah, love it, just loved it.

Second man: Oh, it's been great.

Tired after a long few days.

We're hoping we might get a free
holiday after this.

After all the hard work,
this might be,

you know, way to get some of
that back.

Third woman: I think these
working holidays could catch on.

Second man: I think so.
It's been fun.

Can I just propose a toast to
Jayne and Steve?

Thank you so much for letting us
come and help you,

and we love it, and
we hope everything goes well.

Jayne: Oh, thank you so much.

All: Cheers.

Dick, voice-over:
To renovate the ground floor

in the time they've had,

even with a bit of help, is
a fantastic achievement.

Steve: I can't believe we're
in this situation.

Jayne: No, I know.
If you think back,

the state of the place when we
moved in.

Steve: Oh, it was terrible.

Jayne: And where we are now,

and the fact that we can see the
finish line.

It's a pretty good
feeling, actually.

Steve: It's actually
turning into a beautiful
house, I have to say.

Because, you know, we've never
lived anything like this before.

It's much more grander than I
thought it would be, actually.

Jayne: It's a chateau.
Steve: It's a chateau, yeah.

Dick, voice-over:
Yep, it's a chateau.

But you're not at the
finish line yet.

Now you have to get your
business up and running.

Next time, Lee and Belinda try

to repair their new garden event
space...

Lee: We don't need the
instructions.

Only when it goes wrong.

Trust me, I know what I'm doing.

Dick, voice-over:
and end up in a tangle.

Lee: Oh.

Belinda: Don't tell me you've
done it wrong.

Lee: I've done it wrong.

Dick, voice-over: Stephanie
tackles a greenhouse renovation.

Stephanie: OK, You can open
your eyes.

Isabel: Oh!

Dick, voice-over:
And with the first guest
due in a matter of days...

Steve: No. No, Jayne. Now you've
got it all over the gravel.

Dick, voice-over: Jayne
and Steve have their work

cut out to be ready in time.

It could turn out looking
awful, couldn't it?