Find It Fix It Flog It (2016-2022): Season 2, Episode 9 - Episode #2.9 - full transcript
The homes of Britain are stacked
with old possessions.
Now I've got my first item.
What looks like junk can actually be
worth a pretty penny.
I've just got a little bit excited.
Cor, I haven't seen one that big,
darling, for a while.
Henry Cole and Simon O'Brien
are here
to help turn that clutter
into hard cash.
We're going to get great
money for them.
For Henry and his mechanic...
I don't think you should be looking
at that, mate.
...it's all about restoring
retro relics and vintage classics.
Oh, yes!
Whilst upcycling genius Simon
and his restorer love turning
everyday objects
into fantastic furniture.
Well, that's perfect.
Well, look, feast your eyes.
I reckon you've done great things.
Can we go on the fire engine.
Yes, you can, Simon.
Despite their different approaches,
they make the old turn into gold.
Going back with you, Alan,
is £6,380.
Wow! What am I going to
with all that?
Today, Henry's looking for
a haircut.
Short back and sides, sir,
would you?
Simon gets romantic.
Hey!
He kissed me!
And at the valuation,
there's high praise indeed.
Only you could take a box of wood
and make something this beautiful.
I think you've done
a really good job.
We've been driving now
for, what, two-and-a-half hours?
We're nearly halfway there now
as well.
The Dukes of Junk are
in the Welsh Valleys.
We're going to South Wales, mate.
We're going to the valleys,
the Valleys.
Yes, we're going to Tredegar.
Tredegar was one of
the founding locations
of the Industrial Revolution
in South Wales.
Home of the world-famous brass band
where iron is smelted
and coal is dug.
Well, I should say iron used to be
smelted and coal used to be dug.
Well, now, Cole is on his way back,
but this time with O'Brien in tow
and they're in search of a renewable
resource - good old junk.
We are going to see
some lovely fellas
and they are people
after our own hearts,
they reclaim Welsh slate.
As well as reclaiming Welsh slate.
Yeah. Do they reclaim anything
slightly automated?
No.
The boys are visiting two locations
to reclaim and redo items,
and Simon has chosen a yard
owned by Lewis and his dad
which specialises in Welsh slate.
But over 20 years, they've
accumulated a lot of other stuff.
I think it's a shame
things just being thrown
in a bin and chucked away
and gone into landfills. I think
they all deserve a new life.
Half the things there, there's
nothing wrong with them,
they can all be used again.
So, I can't see why they shouldn't.
Lewis is hoping that Henry and Simon
will find a new use
for some his junk
that he hasn't had the heart
to throw away
and perhaps make some cash to take
the staff out on a big night out.
No idea what they might find,
there's so much of a mess here,
I don't know what's here myself.
I'll hoping we'll have plenty
of money at the end.
Hi, man. Are you OK?
How are you doing, OK?
Hi, Lewis. I'm Henry.
Good see you, man.
Hey, Lewis, this is cool,
how long have you been here?
A while now, 20 years. Not myself,
my dad's been here for 20 years.
If it's all right with you, Lewis,
what we'd love to do, Simon and I,
have a little rummage about
and hopefully identify
a couple of items each and try
and make you some money from them.
Yeah, hopefully, yeah. Sound good?
Yeah, brilliant stuff.
We'll get rummaging, mate.
Cheers. You get back to it.
Cheers, Lewis.
So the boys are off on the hunt,
but something about Lewis
feels familiar.
Do you know him?
No. I'm not sure I do,
but his face rang a bell.
BELL RINGS
LAUGHS
You can't have that,
you've just got to polish it.
Look at that!
Though beautiful, this time
the bell doesn't toll for Simon
and he's spotted something
way more fitting.
Yeah, just grab those.
These are really nice. Keep hold
of them. Oh, and claimed!
Ah, yes.
This barber's chair is
a genuine antique,
as Simon is quick to realise.
I can date that
to the very year it was made.
Can you? Yeah.
That is a barber's chair from 1891.
How do you know that?
Because if you lift the seat up...
Yeah. ..it says 1891.
Hey!
You had me going there,
just for one second.
These kind of barber's chairs
were vastly popular
in the late-19th century as
they were the literal centrepiece
of an industry that was vital in the
days before domestic razor blades.
There's a little bit of damage
there, but I would call that patina,
not damage. Yeah, so would I,
but that's beautiful.
I might just polish that up, man.
That's surely worth decent money.
Can I have a sit?
Short back and sides, sir,
would you?
If that's all right. Yes, sir
about time you had, sir.,
So Simon's off the mark,
but with Henry, sometimes the best
items get underneath his feet.
This is just right under my nose,
as always.
A little metal cabinet thing.
I guess it's dentist
or something like that.
It feels medical, doesn't it?
It does do.
It's got that '50s kind
of vibe going on.
Yeah, kind of industrial thing.
Yeah. I like it.
That's cool. That's very me as well.
It's very metal very kind of,
you know, functional.
That's well cool. Bingo!
Yet again, a little bit of love,
lots of profit.
That's one all, isn't it?
It's one all, mate.
This is a massive site,
shall we carry on?
Yeah, let's press on.
This's really nice, I like that.
It's like an alien landscape,
ain't it?
It is. Yeah, and it's lashing with rain.
It is. Oh, that's lovely.
Don't you think? Yeah.
That's right up my street, you know?
A little bit of paint on it.
It'll be beautiful.
It would, but it's almost too easy,
ain't it?
So what's there?
Mate, see the tile on the back?
Yeah. This was once a glorious,
glorious parquet floor.
Parquet flooring has been around
since the 17th century
and it's name is derived from
the French word "parcette",
meaning little park.
I can't believe that people
pull this stuff up.
I'm guessing a lot of this stuff has
come from buildings that were being
torn down and these guys have had
the sense
to buy it and bring it here.
To reclaim it. And reclaim it.
An ever-creative Simon has
a CRATE idea for the flooring.
Can I borrow something of yours?
Yeah, yeah. Oi! Now look, I'm going
out in the rain, you stay there.
You're OK. You look good in that,
mate. Look.
What? See this?
Yeah, it's a pallet thing.
Yeah, just an old pallet crate, right?
Yeah, OK. But can you imagine if
that was covered
entirely in parquet floor
tiles?
I am going to show that
those beautiful old blocks,
with an old pallet,
can become a thing of beauty.
I'm really excited about
those blocks because they're going
to come up beautiful
and once they're polished up,
that could be
the most transformative item
I've done for a very long time.
Can I have my hat back? You can have
your hat back because I am done.
So Simon is done.
Over to you, Henry.
Anyone for snooker?
Hang on a sec.
I would say give us a hand,
but it's a leg.
But petrolhead Henry's thoughts
rarely stray far from the forecourt.
I could cut that off,
get rid of that.
Yeah. Turn that into a lamp because
that's like around the same width as
one of those petrol pump globes.
What's he going to do - put some
kind of petrol pump thing on top.
He just can't stop himself, can he?
I wouldn't be surprised if he puts
wheels and an engine on it as well.
So Henry's found his second item
which will marry his
two driving forces -
wood and motors.
So we're inspired. Yeah. Shall we go
and inspire Lewis with our finds?
I think we should, mate, come on.
It's still raining.
Come on, let's go.
Simon, I want my hat!
The boys are brimming with
confidence about their finds,
but will Lewis will be receptive
to the boys' rummaging?
Lewis, now look, that cabinet
you're standing by, where did you
get it from?
Came out of an old school, it did.
I didn't know what it was used for.
Perhaps in the science lab or
something? Yeah, could be.
Yeah, maybe. Anyway, I think
that's a lovely piece
and I'd love to take that.
Yeah, no problem. That, I think,
I'm right in saying,
is from a snooker table, is it?
A snooker table, yeah. OK.
Well, it won't be for much longer.
Do you know those globes you get
on petrol pumps, old petrol pumps?
Yeah. Well, I want to take one of
those and turn that into a lamp.
Only you could take a beautiful
piece of hardwood like that
and turn it into auto memorabilia.
Yeah, it's got to be, man. There's
a big market for auto memorabilia,
mate, man caves!
Now, my choice. Well, the first one
just jumps out at you, doesn't it?
Yeah. Barber's chair.
Just absolutely lovely.
There's a real market for that
kind of stuff now, you know.
My second item, I've gone out there
a little bit.
You see these parquet floor blocks
and I'm going to turn it,
hopefully, into a beautiful
coffee table.
That's the plan.
So they are our items, mate.
Absolute pleasure, mate.
Lewis, at this moment,
I'm going to make a swift exit.
So thanks so much for a lovely day.
Oh!
Cheers, mate.
Coming up...
Henry loses a leg.
Oh, it's gone!
Simon's on the
straight and narrow.
But it's just the kind of thing
I love to do to keep me
out of mischief.
And they both share
an intimate moment.
Your crown jewels have just
fallen out, mate.
I've always wanted to show you
my crown jewels.
The sultans of scrap Henry Cole and
Simon O'Brien
are turning trash into cash.
That's surely worth decent money.
They've both found
two items each
and are ready to start
fixing them up to flog on.
Simon's back in his home town
of Liverpool,
showing off his haul to his restorer
Gemma Longworth.
Quite comfy there? I am, yeah!
Gemma is Simon's upcycling Queen,
and when it comes to re-purposing
the every day, Gemma's your girl.
But what will she make
of Simon's picks?
OK.
On first impressions...
Yeah. I don't know
whether I love it or hate it.
It's weird, isn't it?
It's kind of Victorian, industrial,
over-engineered, chunky,
but there's something lovely
about it as well.
Yeah. We're not going to need
to spend too much on it,
and I think it's
quite a saleable item.
I actually think these are
just as fabulous.
Do you? Yeah. I know they look just
like bits of wood with tar on them,
but, in actual fact, what they were
was a very beautiful...
...parquet floor. Oh, right!
I'm going to make a gorgeous
parquet floor coffee table.
That's a nice idea.
A lot of work.
But you know it's just the
kind of thing I love to do
to keep me out of mischief. Right.
Well, then, you can carry on, then!
OK.
And he does,
smashing the pallet crate to size.
After removing
the heavy wooden planks,
Simon measures up a lighter plywood,
which will form the structure that
the parquet blocks will be glued to.
Right, that's the measuring done,
now for the cutting and the tea.
There's no time for refreshments, Simon,
as you have to cut and build
the new outer shell of the crate.
Suddenly, what was an old crate...
...is now a nice, smooth box
to lay our parquet flooring on.
Meanwhile, Gemma's got no time
to sit down,
as the barber's chair
needs a basic brush up.
I'm just using some leather cleaner,
trying to get it back
to its nice rich plum colour.
Leather cleaner
is great at recolouring areas
that have been exposed to sunlight,
so it's perfect for the leather part
of this chair.
For the metalwork,
Gemma tries a different tack.
I'm just using some black polish
to go over the metalwork,
just to clean it up
and make it look nice and new.
Gemma's polish
is a graphite-based paste,
more commonly used to blacken
fire grates and stoves,
it can be picked up
for around a tenner.
Whilst Gemma polishes
the barber's chair, in Oxford,
a man who could do with
visiting one, Henry,
is revealing his restoration
projects to Guy Willison,
his long-time friend
and restoration right-hand man.
So what do you reckon, man?
I think this is posh.
Yeah, I like this.
Now what would you do with that?
I think we should get Daz
to do it a lovely colour.
I think a sort of spearmint, peppermint,
and some white frosted glass
to go with the white top.
I love it.
Moving onto the next item...
Now, look, right, I think we should
get industrial about things,
and automotive-y.
Henry's plan is to convert
his old snooker table leg
into a vintage
auto memorabilia-inspired lamp.
We're going to have something
for every self-respecting
man-cave dweller.
I can see what he's getting at,
I think it'll look beautiful,
I don't think it'll make a penny.
With Guy suitably fired up,
they send the medicine cabinet off
to be powder coated,
allowing them to tackle
the snooker table leg.
Cue the sawing!
That's going really well.
Isn't it? Not bad.
I tell you what, it's moving around
a bit, but you're doing great, man.
It's not quite on the ground,
but it's...
Oh, that's good enough. Yeah.
Just watch me carpet!
Oh, it's... Oh, it's gone!
That's it! Oh.
Oh indeed, Henry.
The leg lamp has its base.
And next it needs some power.
So that is the next thing, drill the
holes through there for the flex.
Go! I'm off.
Come on, mate. Yeah, I can smell you
from here.
Back in Liverpool, Gemma
has discovered the true condition
of the cushion
on the barber's chair.
Looking at it,
it's in a pretty bad way.
I was hoping
I could just use fabric...
...and recover it.
But, looking at this,...
...the whole thing's
going to need redoing.
But like any good restorer,
she doesn't just junk the lot.
Gemma saves the reusable parts.
Finally I've got down to the frame.
I can start working now.
Gemma starts at the bottom
by attaching new webbing
to hold the cushion together.
Webbing can be bought from
haberdasheries and craft shops.
Once the webbing is stapled taut,
she reattaches the old springs.
I'm just using some string to hold
these springs into place
while I'm reupholstering it.
Neat little trick there, Gemma.
Now on with some padding
and a brand-new fabric for the seat,
and you can enjoy a
well earned sit down.
All done for a comfortable £20.
Well, that's not too bad at all!
It looks nice and comfy.
Good as new.
Whilst Gemma takes a load off,
next-door Simon
and local handyman Phil
are getting sticky by creating a
pattern with this parquet flooring.
We're going for
the herringbone pattern...
...on the top of the table,
and, then,
we're just simply glueing them down
with an industrial strength resin
glue, and it's actually working.
The use of parquet
became hugely fashionable
after it was installed at
the Parisian Palace of Versailles.
I'm always surprised when it works.
Simon's herringbone pattern
is fitting like a glove,
and once they're all tightly packed,
Simon saws off the excess.
So we're now into
the fiddly fine detail,
just putting on these top edges,
but it's getting there.
This is looking good.
Back in Oxford,
Henry's busy waxing his leg.
I'm just using brown polish,
my favourite thing.
Often, you know, you need
three, four, five coats.
However much you want to do,
how much love you want to
give it is up to you, obviously.
After Henry's polished the leg,
Guy makes a base and sets about
creating a light fitting.
Whilst Guy adds power,
the medicine cabinet's
getting powder
by professional powder-coater Daz.
So Darren's team
plaster it in peppermint
and place it in the oven,
melting the powder
and giving it a glow.
I think it's really happening.
I don't know what else he's going to
do to it,
but it looks great.
Meanwhile, in Liverpool,
Gemma is sitting pretty
with the barber's chair.
I've cleaned all this up
and I was going to put
a patch over these tears,
but I think it's going to be
more noticeable.
So I'm just putting a little bit
of leather glue inside,...
...and that'll at least prevent it
from tearing any more.
With the newly upholstered
cushion added,
the barber's chair is now finished.
Oh, perfect!
Surely this has got to be worth
a fortune?!
With work on the items rescued
from Lewis's yard well under way,
it's Henry's turn to find
a shed load of junk.
So he's taking Simon down the road
to Newport, South Wales.
I'm going to give you a little treat
in a little garage,
just here in a residential street.
That does sound like a little treat.
It is, mate. Actually, hopefully,
it might be quite a big one.
Come on!
Henry's choice of location
is a garage
owned by collectors of clutter
Sian and Richard,
who have shared a passion for
boot sales and house clearances
for 30 years.
I can come in from a house clearance
and generally fill the hall,
the living room, the kitchen,
some of the bedrooms, the garage.
Prize antiques, you can call them.
Junk, I call it. Yeah.
And everything's up for grabs,
as Sian and Richard
are about to move house.
We're more than happy for Simon
to take everything he wants
out of here. Yeah.
They can come round and stay
for a fortnight.
Yeah. I don't mind.
Richard? Good morning.
Sian, hello. How's it going?
Good to see you guys.
Yeah, good, man.
We're going to have a good rummage
around your stuff,
and, hopefully, make you some money.
That sounds great, yeah. Brilliant.
What would you spend it on,
do you think?
There's a little lad at
our local auctions who's very ill,
and anything we get from today will
be going to a charity for children.
Well, how much motivation
do you need?
Great stuff. Cheers, guys.
So the boys are off, and
Simon is quick to lay down the law.
If this...
Is full of motorbikes,
there will be death.
Ha-hey!
Huh?
He kissed me! I've been waiting
for a hug for three years...
Wowzaroo!
Wowza-what, Simon?
What this location lacks in space,
it is more than makes up for
in oddities.
Where am I going? Where am I going?
Where am I going?
Mine, mine, mine, mine, mine!
Cor blimey, I should never
have suggested this, should I?
Is this a present for me?
Yeah, go on, then. Happy Christmas.
Oh!
Oh, it's a projector-y thing.
They're lovely,
these old projectors, aren't they?
No, they're cool, man,
that's what it's all about.
It's gorgeous, innit? Hitchcock and,
you know, Charlie Chaplin and stuff.
This Bolex Model G is from the 1930s
and was used predominantly
for home movies.
Do you know what I'm thinking?
What? Wouldn't that be a lovely base
for a lamp?
Yeah, OK. If I get that right,
that could be a one-off item
for a film buff
which will make really good money.
Simon's first item is in the can.
But before he can source a sequel,
Henry strikes box office gold.
What do you think? Well, let's just
have a quick look here.
So, it's a sweet little box.
I mean, you and I know that stuff
like this is eminently saleable.
Yeah. Yeah, why not?
Hey, rock and roll.
We're only about six feet in.
You know, sometimes when you pick
stuff up, you get it slightly wrong.
Ooh! Blimey!
Hang on, it's got stuff in it...
Has it? Yeah, because the...
...bottom's fallen out.
Your crown jewels
have just fallen out, mate!
I always wanted to show you
my crown jewels!
Well, I was kind of interested
in this little box...
I love stuff like that. You know?
Home-made, but rather sweet.
It's kind of like yours...
But far away.
I like this little box.
Good! Hey, this is box wars!
Yeah, it's like a boxing match!
So it's big box versus little box,
but heavyweight Henry's
spotted something
that might deliver a knockout.
What do you reckon on that, mate?
Eh?
It's a nice form, isn't it?
Do you know what I like about it?
They're usually much bulkier,
aren't they?
Yeah. Can I try it? Yeah, of course,
sir. Take a seat, sir. There you go.
Of course, the test of any good seat
is what?
Well, if it's comfy. Correct.
Is it? It's really comfy. And it's
kind of Captain Swivel, innit?
I could be the captain
of my very own ship.
Hmm? I like it, mate.
Aye-aye, Captain Henry!
These leather chairs normally
retail for around £200,
so Henry's got plenty of
profit potential with his pick.
I think we are two-all, aren't we?
Yeah, we are, we're done.
Happy days, man!
What a lovely little garage! Didn't
I give you a nice afternoon, mate?
I've had a lovely day. Come on,
then. I think it's this way.
It was a nice afternoon,
and with two items each,
Henry and Simon can show off
their picks to Sian and Richard.
Light. Camera. Action.
I'd love to take
that little old projector there.
I then went for
that lovely little box, there.
And I'm going to make sure
that it is worth more value
than Henry's first item.
Mine's slightly bigger,
needs a new little sort
of beading on the front.
And I'm going to just sand her down
and then paint her a nice colour,
I think.
Now, moving on, the chair.
And, I think,
if we get the right material,
it could look glorious again.
Yeah. Yeah, it would be nice to see.
Are you ready? Let's get boxing.
Coming up...
Gemma gets a shock.
Oh, no!
Guy gets a surprise.
Open them.
Oh, wow!
And, at the valuation,
will the lads
get Lewis a load of cash?
That's one of my favourite items
I've done for a long time.
Henry Cole and Simon O'Brien are
finding, fixing, and then flogging -
turning reclaimed items
into real money.
Your crown jewels have just fallen
out, mate.
They've both picked two items
from Sian and Richard's
and are ready to restore.
Back at his base in Oxford,
Henry's showing Guy
the fruits of his garage search.
What do you reckon? You have some
explaining to do.
The only thing I can think
that might save us...
Yeah. If we just clean-up
this existing leather.
Yeah. And the only deal
with these two sections.
Now, we know Paul,
who does motorcycle seats.
He should be able to just replace
this section on both sides,
but it's not going to match
because you'll never match this.
Anyway, look, moving on.
Come over here.
I would have to say with this,
good from far,
far from good. Yes.
Yeah. I think we should paint this
in a nice Cotswold light green,
put some nice brass handles
on the ends.
I could up a brass plaque
for the lock at the front.
Yeah. And I think
that could look rather lovely.
Yeah. All I know is if we put posh
handles on it, it puts the value up.
Yeah. OK, mate. That's it.
Are you happy? Yeah, I am with this.
With the seat heading off
to his leather expert,
Guy then gets busy
grinding off the old metalwork,
sanding it down
and applying a new undercoat.
But Henry is beginning to regret
his choice.
It's not very nice, is it?
No. But what can we do?
We've just got to paint it
and try and tart it up.
OK. What do we do with a box
that doesn't cut the mustard?
Turn it into a toy box,
or something like that.
So, with Guy's childlike suggestion,
the boys are starting a new game,
turning a battered old box
into one fit for kids.
Meanwhile, in Liverpool,
fresh from his garage treat,
Simon's revealing his items
to Gemma.
OK. Where should we start?
This one, yeah? Go on, then.
OK. It is what it is.
It's a box, isn't it?
Gemma, throw everything at it.
I will. I'll do my best.
Fighting talk. All right.
OK. Now then...
There you go.
That goes there.
It's a projector.
It's in good condition.
It is. How about getting a nice,
chrome light fitting on the top?
With then just a skeleton
of a lampshade.
Yeah. Then we get some spools
and some film
and run the film off the spools
and around the lampshade.
That is a very nice idea.
That will look really good.
Let's make a movie.
Brilliant.
OK, guys. Lights, camera, filler.
I've treated the box for woodworm
and then I filled
all the little holes with filler.
Although the box seems to be more
filler than wood at this point.
Even the bottom has fallen out.
So now I'm going to sand it down
before I can paint it.
Gemma sands the box
ready for painting
but this item is even more
troublesome than she first thought.
At this point it's going to be
easier to just get a new box,
but that's not
part of the challenge, is it?
So, I've got to work
with what I've got.
Whilst Gemma
leaves the filler to dry,
Mark, the electrician,
has arrived.
Perhaps Gemma will have more luck
with this character.
OK, Mark. I need this turning
into a lamp.
So, can you put the bulb fitting up
here and then rewire it for us?
Yeah, not a problem. Is that OK?
Yeah. Well, I'll give that to you
and you can take that away.
Thank you. Thank you.
Back in Oxfordshire, Henry has
a cunning plan to outbox Simon's.
He's called in
local restorer and designer Kate
to give Henry's box
a top-notch finish.
Well, what do you reckon?
I think we could do a better job
with the paintwork.
If you look carefully,
you can see the brush mark.
Well, you carry on. I'm going
to help Guy with the motorbike.
OK. See you later.
Kate uses a roller
to get a perfect gloss finish.
Next she turns her attention
to the inside.
Revitalising the wood
with a light wax.
Fantastic!
Henry is never afraid to use
a professional in a restoration,
so has sent his leather chair
to motorbike seat maker Jez,
who hopes to make
an invisible repair
to the worn leather chair arms.
Firstly, Jez cuts foam
to fill in the hole,
then he attaches a matching
new leather to the chair.
So, I'm going to avoid
this area here,
so when I pull the leather over,
it won't stick inside the grooves.
So now I'm going to be shaving the
visible edge, same as this side -
down to paper-thin -
so there isn't a step.
After a close shave
for this leather,
it's time to stretch it over the arm
and hammer his points home.
And this chair is done.
A pretty cool looking chair.
It's going to look nice
in someone's home.
Back in Liverpool,
Mark the electrician has arrived
back with the film projector.
And the plot has taken
a darker turn.
This doesn't look like a lamp.
Is that asbestos in there?
It is, I'm afraid. Oh, no!
So, there's nothing
we can do now, is there?
We can't drill, we can't tamper
with that at all.
No, I'm afraid not,
without taking to an expert.
OK, then. It's going to have
to stay as a projector.
If disturbed,
asbestos breaks into fibres
that can cause serious
and fatal illnesses if inhaled.
It's a real shame
about the projector.
It would have been a lovely lamp.
Just goes to show that
when you're looking at old items,
you really don't know what you're
messing with until you get inside.
See you later, projector.
I won't be messing
with you any more.
Well, Gemma,
think about how much time
you'll be able to dedicate
to Simon's lovely box.
I'm painting this white first,
so that when I put my colour on it,
it makes it
a little bit more vibrant
and then,
if I do want to distress it,
it will have
another paint underneath
to give it a bit more texture.
Having allowed the white to dry,
Gemma goes with a dark blue
as the base colour
and then lets her imagination
run wild.
This is what I love doing best.
Just being creative, having a bit
of fun, and playing around with it.
With work on the second set of finds
well under way,
the boys have to finish off
today's first finds.
After sawing an old table leg,
polishing it and adding
a light fitting,
Henry's now ready to put the cherry
on top of his man cake.
Just stay there. OK.
Shut your eyes. OK.
Don't peep. This better be good.
Open them.
Oh, wow!
Give us a hand, sir.
Now that is a replica
of a classic petrol pump.
That's fantastic. Ethanol power.
Come on then, mate. OK.
Oh, hang on. Is that...?
Might that go...?
Watch the ceiling. Watch the bulb.
Here we go.
Please fit.
Oh, yeah, it does.
Come on then. Right, the big reveal.
OK. Are you ready? Yeah. Go on.
Yay! Look at that, mate.
That is different.
We've done something incredible.
You're never going to see
one of those again.
And there may be many reasons
for that.
It might be a hit with Henry
but it still has to sell.
Luckily, Henry has
a potential customer in mind.
Are you ready for this?
I'm going to put the light on.
OK. Let's have a look.
300 quid.
300 quid?
Oh, don't be like that, mate.
You're always like that.
Come on then.
It's really nice. It's really nice.
I'll tell you what... 250.
Can we make it simple
and meet in the middle?
Yeah, go on, mate. 275?
That's the middle, isn't it?
Middle enough.
That's like three hands in the deal.
I know. You'll be very happy
with it, mate.
It looks really nice.
A nice old thing.
Buoyed by their successful sale,
it's time to unwrap
their medicine cabinet,
which is returned a minty fresh new
colour from the powder coaters.
That's what we ordered.
Yeah, yeah. It ism, isn't it?
That is beautiful.
Now then, this is
the beautiful, the stunning,
the lovely
Ali-framed door with...
You've been polishing
your knobs again, haven't you? Yes.
That looks lovely.
A bit of Bakelite action. Yeah.
So, doctor's orders
are to put in their shelves,
screw on the knobs,
fix the doors,
and then this medicine cabinet
will be right as rain
for the valuation.
That is a serious transformation,
isn't it?
I love it. Yeah.
That's worth serious money,
isn't it? It's beautiful.
Happy? Very happy.
Good.
Henry being happy
can only mean strife for Simon.
Back in Liverpool,
with Gemma having finished
restoring the barber's chair,
it's now time to move on
to Simon's second selection.
After picking the parquet,
he deconstructed a crate,
added plywood and glued the blocks
into a pretty pattern.
Now it's up to handyman Phil
to smooth it over with a sander
and then, with Gemma's assistance,
add some wax.
This is just a clear finishing wax
that we're putting over
the top of it.
It's going to treat
and protect the wood
and make it look lovely and shiny.
I'm actually impressed.
When you came in with
those few little pieces of wood,
I was a bit...
But it looks really good.
It may look good
but will it make money?
All will be revealed
at the vital valuation.
Simon's choice of location
was Lewis's yard,
and he's about to find out
how the boys have fared.
Good to see you.
Good to see you, mate.
Hey, look, he's scrubbed up well,
hasn't he?
You know what I mean? But do you
think they scrubbed up well?
Go and have a look.
Just a bit of a clean-up and just
a reupholstered the seat itself.
Yeah, but it came up well, too. Yeah.
Now, that is something
completely different.
Yeah, I didn't expect that one.
That's what's in Henry's head.
Worries you, doesn't it?
Yeah. Petrol.
Come and join us.
So, what do you reckon?
Yeah, really good.
But this is the point, you see.
You boys have got the eye.
Yeah. You know what to gather
and all we do is just put the...
Put it together for us. The icing
and the cherry on the cake, innit?
But have we made you any money?
Was it worth
getting your glad rags on for?
Let's find out, shall we?
We now get our valuer in.
That's Elisicia.
Elisicia Moore
runs a fashionable London store
specialising in upcycled furniture
and has a good eye for the
true market value of restored items.
OK, I'll start. Let's jump
straight in with an old pallet crate
and some parquet flooring.
What do you think?
Only you could take a box of wood
and make something this beautiful.
I think you've done
a really good job.
The first item was a crate filled
with wooden parquet flooring.
Just £20 went on glue,
materials and wax.
It's bang on trend, not just the
parquet style but also the colour.
I think it would be fair to expect
an estimate of £240
for the coffee table.
Wow.
So we're underway with a not too
shabby chic £220 profit.
Yeah, happy with that?
I wasn't expecting that, yeah.
Yeah. Quite good.
Moving on. So, this is quite a
find, isn't it?
Yeah, it's a lovely piece.
Late 19th-century barber's chair.
Next is the antique barbers' chair
which was reupholstered
and cleaned for a bargain £20.
As it is, I think it would be
reasonable to expect,
for a quick sale,
an estimate of £400
for the barbers' chair.
I thought it was worth a bit more.
But do you know what?
It is worth a bit more because
it sold and it sold for 420 quid.
Unfortunately,
Simon's buyer later pulled out,
but the chair was sold
and the producers decided
to make up the difference.
So, the barbers' chair
has made Lewis a brilliant £400.
Go on, then.
Do your worst, Elisicia.
I can't, it's too pretty.
It's lovely. Yeah.
Aluminium dentist side table.
The old, shabby medicine cabinet
cost £80 to upcycle.
What is even better about this
is its complete.
It has all the shelves, the enamel
tray which is not chipped at all,
which is a miracle in and of itself.
It's got the Art Deco Bakelite knobs
and you've restored it perfectly.
Perfect colour, it's wonderful.
I think a fair estimate
and for a quick sale,
I would say £225
for the side cabinet.
I've flogged it, Lewis, for 200.
So, the sale might be under value,
but it's still a profit of £120.
All right, next.
It's quite impressive.
It started as a table leg,
wasn't it? Yeah.
Around £175 went on a base,
electrical fittings and
the glass top to turn the table leg
into a petrol-themed lamp.
I can see this being really popular
with motoring enthusiasts
and they will pay lots of money
for the sort of thing.
It's a one-off,
it does look really good.
I think...
Again, for a quick sale,
£275 for the light.
Say that again to me?
275 of your finest British pounds.
Yeah, I tell you what,
the reason why I'm happy
is on two counts, Lewis.
One - she's valued it at that,
and two - I've flogged it for that.
And just like that, Henry has lit up
Lewis for a £100 profit.
Adding that all up and
taking away all our costs,
you're going home with 840 quid
to the lads in the yard.
How's that sound? Good, yeah.
Yeah, happy with that? Yeah.
The boys have done brilliantly,
making Lewis £840.
And, can I just say that
the biggest transformation today,
is you, from when I last saw you
in your high-vis jacket?
All right.
Just one man's trash is another
man's treasure, as they say.
But I'll go back to the yard,
I'll see the boys and then just give
them all a drink out of it, perhaps.
We can go down the pub together.
Coming up, Henry's very confident.
Box challenge for Simon and I.
Guess who's won
without seeing Simon's box?
Us? Bang on, son!
But at the valuation,
will his confidence be misplaced?
There is a lot of creativity
gone into that
and I don't want to dampen that,
it's just not my taste.
Henry Cole and Simon O'Brien
are converting clutter into cash.
Simon's choice of location
made Lewis £840.
How's that sound? Good, yeah.
Yeah. Happy with that?
Yeah.
So the pressure is on for
Henry's location,
Richard and Sian's
Newport garage.
Henry sent the chair he picked
to be reupholstered...
...and now it has returned -
but Henry is up in arms.
It's not gone particularly well.
I think we should've specified these
to be a different colour. Yes.
Chin up, boys. There's always a fix.
Look, if I put some neutral boot
polish on these and shine them up,
we may get away with it.
So, the boys crack on.
Henry's using a clear polish
to attempt to make the new leather
as shiny as the old leather,
whilst Guy restores the seat
to its former glory.
Can you compare...?
You see that versus that.
Yeah, there is a difference.
That looks older.
I think it looks all right.
I mean, for what it is. Yeah.
Well, only time will tell, son.
With the chair finished,
Guy summons up a little childlike
enthusiasm for the toybox.
The box had a rough start...
What do we do with a box
that doesn't cut the mustard?
Turn it into a toybox or something
like that?
...and now it's Guy's turn
to do what Guy does best...
...metal.
I think these nice, simple handles
are a nice finishing touch -
and when we get the brass plaque on,
I think that's just a really nice
detail on the box.
So Guy gets busy
with the finishing touches,
and the box is
ready to reveal to Henry.
What do you reckon?
Guess who's won without seeing
Simon's box?
Us. Bang on, son!
Whilst Henry thinks he's landed the
knockout blow in box wars,
in the Liverpool corner, Gemma
hasn't thrown in the towel yet.
She's turned the battered box blue -
but she's not satisfied
it's a winner in box wars.
I've cut out some little bits of
paper from wallpaper,
and I'm going to decoupage them
onto this box.
The final flurry is some stencils.
I'm throwing everything at this box.
Including gold leaf -
and that's her final punch
in the box wars.
This may be over the top for some
people, but just not for me.
Let's see if it's over the top
for the expert,
as it's time for the valuations.
Richard and Sian wanted to clear
some space ahead of a house move
and make some cash for charity
at the same time.
Please feel free. There they are.
There you go.
Four items. Go and have a look,
have a wander about.
Interesting. Ooh!
Yeah, don't dwell on the projector.
Come back and join us.
You might want to come back,
actually, on that.
OK, so now, the projector,
I had this lovely idea -
but an electrician got hold of it,
took the top off to rewire it
and found asbestos,
at which point he screwed the top
back on and stepped away.
Sometimes you have to hold your
hands up and you live and learn.
I'm sure you'd love to know how much
they're kind of worth now.
With two decades' experience,
auction house owner Adam Partridge
can accurately value anything.
Well, look, Adam, should we just
start with the chair, then?
What do you reckon on that?
Since it's a sensitive
and presumably fairly economical restoration...
It cost £55 to repair
and polish the chair.
What I will say, as a positive,
it's a very commercial item,
isn't it?
Always sell well
when we get them through auction,
so they're easy things to sell.
So, with that in mind, I'm
going to put a generous figure
of £120 as a value on it.
So the chair spins a profit of £65
for Sian and Richard.
I'm glad you're satisfied with that.
Yeah, we are. Let's move onto the
box now before you change your mind.
Well, again, in the same vein
as the chair,
it's a very, very commercial item.
Which cost just £30
for paints and metal work.
I think it's nice, and you've chosen
a decent colour on it.
To me, that should be worth £100.
Onto part two of box wars.
You're next... If it's battle of the
boxes, then you've won, haven't you?
Because...
Well, for me, it's not my taste.
I have to put that to one side
a little bit.
It may not be to Adam's taste,
but Simon only spent £10 on
transforming this box.
There is a lot of creativity
gone into that,
and I don't want to dampen that.
It's just not my taste, so I'm...
It's still worth 30 quid,
though, isn't it?
Oh, I think if you saw that
in a shop,
they'd be asking a lot more. Correct.
All right, 40.
I'll go £40 as a value.
Any more than that, and I think
what remaining credibility
I have left as a valuer
will be gone.
So, with £30 profit,
Henry wins box wars
with a complete and total knockout.
Now, projector.
The projector is, conventionally,
a pretty hard item to sell,
a fairly unsaleable item in the
current market.
Spot on, Adam.
As the projector contains asbestos,
it is in fact illegal to sell on.
Fortunately, the electrician
didn't charge.
Richard, Sian, I'm sure you want
to know how much you're getting.
So, in total, taking away our cost,
you're taking home £165.
Brilliant! Well done.
So, Henry's choice of location
netted Richard and Sian £165
for the good cause.
They look a lot better than
they did.
Much, yeah. Much better.
They've put a bit of work
into them.
It is nice to see them back out
on the market.
And it's the money for the charity
as well.
But with Simon's choice of barn
making a massive £840,
he is victorious.
I absolutely battered you.
When the gloves were off...
Hey, talking about hands and gloves.
What? Did you like the hand?
I did like the hand.
Yeah, you've got to admit that is
my little consolation.
That was very, very clever indeed.
Yeah, yeah.
Just not as good as the parquet tile
coffee table... Yeah, yeah.
OK, mate...
I don't want to listen to all that.
...which did it for me!
OK, you won, all right, all right!
Subtitles by Ericsson
with old possessions.
Now I've got my first item.
What looks like junk can actually be
worth a pretty penny.
I've just got a little bit excited.
Cor, I haven't seen one that big,
darling, for a while.
Henry Cole and Simon O'Brien
are here
to help turn that clutter
into hard cash.
We're going to get great
money for them.
For Henry and his mechanic...
I don't think you should be looking
at that, mate.
...it's all about restoring
retro relics and vintage classics.
Oh, yes!
Whilst upcycling genius Simon
and his restorer love turning
everyday objects
into fantastic furniture.
Well, that's perfect.
Well, look, feast your eyes.
I reckon you've done great things.
Can we go on the fire engine.
Yes, you can, Simon.
Despite their different approaches,
they make the old turn into gold.
Going back with you, Alan,
is £6,380.
Wow! What am I going to
with all that?
Today, Henry's looking for
a haircut.
Short back and sides, sir,
would you?
Simon gets romantic.
Hey!
He kissed me!
And at the valuation,
there's high praise indeed.
Only you could take a box of wood
and make something this beautiful.
I think you've done
a really good job.
We've been driving now
for, what, two-and-a-half hours?
We're nearly halfway there now
as well.
The Dukes of Junk are
in the Welsh Valleys.
We're going to South Wales, mate.
We're going to the valleys,
the Valleys.
Yes, we're going to Tredegar.
Tredegar was one of
the founding locations
of the Industrial Revolution
in South Wales.
Home of the world-famous brass band
where iron is smelted
and coal is dug.
Well, I should say iron used to be
smelted and coal used to be dug.
Well, now, Cole is on his way back,
but this time with O'Brien in tow
and they're in search of a renewable
resource - good old junk.
We are going to see
some lovely fellas
and they are people
after our own hearts,
they reclaim Welsh slate.
As well as reclaiming Welsh slate.
Yeah. Do they reclaim anything
slightly automated?
No.
The boys are visiting two locations
to reclaim and redo items,
and Simon has chosen a yard
owned by Lewis and his dad
which specialises in Welsh slate.
But over 20 years, they've
accumulated a lot of other stuff.
I think it's a shame
things just being thrown
in a bin and chucked away
and gone into landfills. I think
they all deserve a new life.
Half the things there, there's
nothing wrong with them,
they can all be used again.
So, I can't see why they shouldn't.
Lewis is hoping that Henry and Simon
will find a new use
for some his junk
that he hasn't had the heart
to throw away
and perhaps make some cash to take
the staff out on a big night out.
No idea what they might find,
there's so much of a mess here,
I don't know what's here myself.
I'll hoping we'll have plenty
of money at the end.
Hi, man. Are you OK?
How are you doing, OK?
Hi, Lewis. I'm Henry.
Good see you, man.
Hey, Lewis, this is cool,
how long have you been here?
A while now, 20 years. Not myself,
my dad's been here for 20 years.
If it's all right with you, Lewis,
what we'd love to do, Simon and I,
have a little rummage about
and hopefully identify
a couple of items each and try
and make you some money from them.
Yeah, hopefully, yeah. Sound good?
Yeah, brilliant stuff.
We'll get rummaging, mate.
Cheers. You get back to it.
Cheers, Lewis.
So the boys are off on the hunt,
but something about Lewis
feels familiar.
Do you know him?
No. I'm not sure I do,
but his face rang a bell.
BELL RINGS
LAUGHS
You can't have that,
you've just got to polish it.
Look at that!
Though beautiful, this time
the bell doesn't toll for Simon
and he's spotted something
way more fitting.
Yeah, just grab those.
These are really nice. Keep hold
of them. Oh, and claimed!
Ah, yes.
This barber's chair is
a genuine antique,
as Simon is quick to realise.
I can date that
to the very year it was made.
Can you? Yeah.
That is a barber's chair from 1891.
How do you know that?
Because if you lift the seat up...
Yeah. ..it says 1891.
Hey!
You had me going there,
just for one second.
These kind of barber's chairs
were vastly popular
in the late-19th century as
they were the literal centrepiece
of an industry that was vital in the
days before domestic razor blades.
There's a little bit of damage
there, but I would call that patina,
not damage. Yeah, so would I,
but that's beautiful.
I might just polish that up, man.
That's surely worth decent money.
Can I have a sit?
Short back and sides, sir,
would you?
If that's all right. Yes, sir
about time you had, sir.,
So Simon's off the mark,
but with Henry, sometimes the best
items get underneath his feet.
This is just right under my nose,
as always.
A little metal cabinet thing.
I guess it's dentist
or something like that.
It feels medical, doesn't it?
It does do.
It's got that '50s kind
of vibe going on.
Yeah, kind of industrial thing.
Yeah. I like it.
That's cool. That's very me as well.
It's very metal very kind of,
you know, functional.
That's well cool. Bingo!
Yet again, a little bit of love,
lots of profit.
That's one all, isn't it?
It's one all, mate.
This is a massive site,
shall we carry on?
Yeah, let's press on.
This's really nice, I like that.
It's like an alien landscape,
ain't it?
It is. Yeah, and it's lashing with rain.
It is. Oh, that's lovely.
Don't you think? Yeah.
That's right up my street, you know?
A little bit of paint on it.
It'll be beautiful.
It would, but it's almost too easy,
ain't it?
So what's there?
Mate, see the tile on the back?
Yeah. This was once a glorious,
glorious parquet floor.
Parquet flooring has been around
since the 17th century
and it's name is derived from
the French word "parcette",
meaning little park.
I can't believe that people
pull this stuff up.
I'm guessing a lot of this stuff has
come from buildings that were being
torn down and these guys have had
the sense
to buy it and bring it here.
To reclaim it. And reclaim it.
An ever-creative Simon has
a CRATE idea for the flooring.
Can I borrow something of yours?
Yeah, yeah. Oi! Now look, I'm going
out in the rain, you stay there.
You're OK. You look good in that,
mate. Look.
What? See this?
Yeah, it's a pallet thing.
Yeah, just an old pallet crate, right?
Yeah, OK. But can you imagine if
that was covered
entirely in parquet floor
tiles?
I am going to show that
those beautiful old blocks,
with an old pallet,
can become a thing of beauty.
I'm really excited about
those blocks because they're going
to come up beautiful
and once they're polished up,
that could be
the most transformative item
I've done for a very long time.
Can I have my hat back? You can have
your hat back because I am done.
So Simon is done.
Over to you, Henry.
Anyone for snooker?
Hang on a sec.
I would say give us a hand,
but it's a leg.
But petrolhead Henry's thoughts
rarely stray far from the forecourt.
I could cut that off,
get rid of that.
Yeah. Turn that into a lamp because
that's like around the same width as
one of those petrol pump globes.
What's he going to do - put some
kind of petrol pump thing on top.
He just can't stop himself, can he?
I wouldn't be surprised if he puts
wheels and an engine on it as well.
So Henry's found his second item
which will marry his
two driving forces -
wood and motors.
So we're inspired. Yeah. Shall we go
and inspire Lewis with our finds?
I think we should, mate, come on.
It's still raining.
Come on, let's go.
Simon, I want my hat!
The boys are brimming with
confidence about their finds,
but will Lewis will be receptive
to the boys' rummaging?
Lewis, now look, that cabinet
you're standing by, where did you
get it from?
Came out of an old school, it did.
I didn't know what it was used for.
Perhaps in the science lab or
something? Yeah, could be.
Yeah, maybe. Anyway, I think
that's a lovely piece
and I'd love to take that.
Yeah, no problem. That, I think,
I'm right in saying,
is from a snooker table, is it?
A snooker table, yeah. OK.
Well, it won't be for much longer.
Do you know those globes you get
on petrol pumps, old petrol pumps?
Yeah. Well, I want to take one of
those and turn that into a lamp.
Only you could take a beautiful
piece of hardwood like that
and turn it into auto memorabilia.
Yeah, it's got to be, man. There's
a big market for auto memorabilia,
mate, man caves!
Now, my choice. Well, the first one
just jumps out at you, doesn't it?
Yeah. Barber's chair.
Just absolutely lovely.
There's a real market for that
kind of stuff now, you know.
My second item, I've gone out there
a little bit.
You see these parquet floor blocks
and I'm going to turn it,
hopefully, into a beautiful
coffee table.
That's the plan.
So they are our items, mate.
Absolute pleasure, mate.
Lewis, at this moment,
I'm going to make a swift exit.
So thanks so much for a lovely day.
Oh!
Cheers, mate.
Coming up...
Henry loses a leg.
Oh, it's gone!
Simon's on the
straight and narrow.
But it's just the kind of thing
I love to do to keep me
out of mischief.
And they both share
an intimate moment.
Your crown jewels have just
fallen out, mate.
I've always wanted to show you
my crown jewels.
The sultans of scrap Henry Cole and
Simon O'Brien
are turning trash into cash.
That's surely worth decent money.
They've both found
two items each
and are ready to start
fixing them up to flog on.
Simon's back in his home town
of Liverpool,
showing off his haul to his restorer
Gemma Longworth.
Quite comfy there? I am, yeah!
Gemma is Simon's upcycling Queen,
and when it comes to re-purposing
the every day, Gemma's your girl.
But what will she make
of Simon's picks?
OK.
On first impressions...
Yeah. I don't know
whether I love it or hate it.
It's weird, isn't it?
It's kind of Victorian, industrial,
over-engineered, chunky,
but there's something lovely
about it as well.
Yeah. We're not going to need
to spend too much on it,
and I think it's
quite a saleable item.
I actually think these are
just as fabulous.
Do you? Yeah. I know they look just
like bits of wood with tar on them,
but, in actual fact, what they were
was a very beautiful...
...parquet floor. Oh, right!
I'm going to make a gorgeous
parquet floor coffee table.
That's a nice idea.
A lot of work.
But you know it's just the
kind of thing I love to do
to keep me out of mischief. Right.
Well, then, you can carry on, then!
OK.
And he does,
smashing the pallet crate to size.
After removing
the heavy wooden planks,
Simon measures up a lighter plywood,
which will form the structure that
the parquet blocks will be glued to.
Right, that's the measuring done,
now for the cutting and the tea.
There's no time for refreshments, Simon,
as you have to cut and build
the new outer shell of the crate.
Suddenly, what was an old crate...
...is now a nice, smooth box
to lay our parquet flooring on.
Meanwhile, Gemma's got no time
to sit down,
as the barber's chair
needs a basic brush up.
I'm just using some leather cleaner,
trying to get it back
to its nice rich plum colour.
Leather cleaner
is great at recolouring areas
that have been exposed to sunlight,
so it's perfect for the leather part
of this chair.
For the metalwork,
Gemma tries a different tack.
I'm just using some black polish
to go over the metalwork,
just to clean it up
and make it look nice and new.
Gemma's polish
is a graphite-based paste,
more commonly used to blacken
fire grates and stoves,
it can be picked up
for around a tenner.
Whilst Gemma polishes
the barber's chair, in Oxford,
a man who could do with
visiting one, Henry,
is revealing his restoration
projects to Guy Willison,
his long-time friend
and restoration right-hand man.
So what do you reckon, man?
I think this is posh.
Yeah, I like this.
Now what would you do with that?
I think we should get Daz
to do it a lovely colour.
I think a sort of spearmint, peppermint,
and some white frosted glass
to go with the white top.
I love it.
Moving onto the next item...
Now, look, right, I think we should
get industrial about things,
and automotive-y.
Henry's plan is to convert
his old snooker table leg
into a vintage
auto memorabilia-inspired lamp.
We're going to have something
for every self-respecting
man-cave dweller.
I can see what he's getting at,
I think it'll look beautiful,
I don't think it'll make a penny.
With Guy suitably fired up,
they send the medicine cabinet off
to be powder coated,
allowing them to tackle
the snooker table leg.
Cue the sawing!
That's going really well.
Isn't it? Not bad.
I tell you what, it's moving around
a bit, but you're doing great, man.
It's not quite on the ground,
but it's...
Oh, that's good enough. Yeah.
Just watch me carpet!
Oh, it's... Oh, it's gone!
That's it! Oh.
Oh indeed, Henry.
The leg lamp has its base.
And next it needs some power.
So that is the next thing, drill the
holes through there for the flex.
Go! I'm off.
Come on, mate. Yeah, I can smell you
from here.
Back in Liverpool, Gemma
has discovered the true condition
of the cushion
on the barber's chair.
Looking at it,
it's in a pretty bad way.
I was hoping
I could just use fabric...
...and recover it.
But, looking at this,...
...the whole thing's
going to need redoing.
But like any good restorer,
she doesn't just junk the lot.
Gemma saves the reusable parts.
Finally I've got down to the frame.
I can start working now.
Gemma starts at the bottom
by attaching new webbing
to hold the cushion together.
Webbing can be bought from
haberdasheries and craft shops.
Once the webbing is stapled taut,
she reattaches the old springs.
I'm just using some string to hold
these springs into place
while I'm reupholstering it.
Neat little trick there, Gemma.
Now on with some padding
and a brand-new fabric for the seat,
and you can enjoy a
well earned sit down.
All done for a comfortable £20.
Well, that's not too bad at all!
It looks nice and comfy.
Good as new.
Whilst Gemma takes a load off,
next-door Simon
and local handyman Phil
are getting sticky by creating a
pattern with this parquet flooring.
We're going for
the herringbone pattern...
...on the top of the table,
and, then,
we're just simply glueing them down
with an industrial strength resin
glue, and it's actually working.
The use of parquet
became hugely fashionable
after it was installed at
the Parisian Palace of Versailles.
I'm always surprised when it works.
Simon's herringbone pattern
is fitting like a glove,
and once they're all tightly packed,
Simon saws off the excess.
So we're now into
the fiddly fine detail,
just putting on these top edges,
but it's getting there.
This is looking good.
Back in Oxford,
Henry's busy waxing his leg.
I'm just using brown polish,
my favourite thing.
Often, you know, you need
three, four, five coats.
However much you want to do,
how much love you want to
give it is up to you, obviously.
After Henry's polished the leg,
Guy makes a base and sets about
creating a light fitting.
Whilst Guy adds power,
the medicine cabinet's
getting powder
by professional powder-coater Daz.
So Darren's team
plaster it in peppermint
and place it in the oven,
melting the powder
and giving it a glow.
I think it's really happening.
I don't know what else he's going to
do to it,
but it looks great.
Meanwhile, in Liverpool,
Gemma is sitting pretty
with the barber's chair.
I've cleaned all this up
and I was going to put
a patch over these tears,
but I think it's going to be
more noticeable.
So I'm just putting a little bit
of leather glue inside,...
...and that'll at least prevent it
from tearing any more.
With the newly upholstered
cushion added,
the barber's chair is now finished.
Oh, perfect!
Surely this has got to be worth
a fortune?!
With work on the items rescued
from Lewis's yard well under way,
it's Henry's turn to find
a shed load of junk.
So he's taking Simon down the road
to Newport, South Wales.
I'm going to give you a little treat
in a little garage,
just here in a residential street.
That does sound like a little treat.
It is, mate. Actually, hopefully,
it might be quite a big one.
Come on!
Henry's choice of location
is a garage
owned by collectors of clutter
Sian and Richard,
who have shared a passion for
boot sales and house clearances
for 30 years.
I can come in from a house clearance
and generally fill the hall,
the living room, the kitchen,
some of the bedrooms, the garage.
Prize antiques, you can call them.
Junk, I call it. Yeah.
And everything's up for grabs,
as Sian and Richard
are about to move house.
We're more than happy for Simon
to take everything he wants
out of here. Yeah.
They can come round and stay
for a fortnight.
Yeah. I don't mind.
Richard? Good morning.
Sian, hello. How's it going?
Good to see you guys.
Yeah, good, man.
We're going to have a good rummage
around your stuff,
and, hopefully, make you some money.
That sounds great, yeah. Brilliant.
What would you spend it on,
do you think?
There's a little lad at
our local auctions who's very ill,
and anything we get from today will
be going to a charity for children.
Well, how much motivation
do you need?
Great stuff. Cheers, guys.
So the boys are off, and
Simon is quick to lay down the law.
If this...
Is full of motorbikes,
there will be death.
Ha-hey!
Huh?
He kissed me! I've been waiting
for a hug for three years...
Wowzaroo!
Wowza-what, Simon?
What this location lacks in space,
it is more than makes up for
in oddities.
Where am I going? Where am I going?
Where am I going?
Mine, mine, mine, mine, mine!
Cor blimey, I should never
have suggested this, should I?
Is this a present for me?
Yeah, go on, then. Happy Christmas.
Oh!
Oh, it's a projector-y thing.
They're lovely,
these old projectors, aren't they?
No, they're cool, man,
that's what it's all about.
It's gorgeous, innit? Hitchcock and,
you know, Charlie Chaplin and stuff.
This Bolex Model G is from the 1930s
and was used predominantly
for home movies.
Do you know what I'm thinking?
What? Wouldn't that be a lovely base
for a lamp?
Yeah, OK. If I get that right,
that could be a one-off item
for a film buff
which will make really good money.
Simon's first item is in the can.
But before he can source a sequel,
Henry strikes box office gold.
What do you think? Well, let's just
have a quick look here.
So, it's a sweet little box.
I mean, you and I know that stuff
like this is eminently saleable.
Yeah. Yeah, why not?
Hey, rock and roll.
We're only about six feet in.
You know, sometimes when you pick
stuff up, you get it slightly wrong.
Ooh! Blimey!
Hang on, it's got stuff in it...
Has it? Yeah, because the...
...bottom's fallen out.
Your crown jewels
have just fallen out, mate!
I always wanted to show you
my crown jewels!
Well, I was kind of interested
in this little box...
I love stuff like that. You know?
Home-made, but rather sweet.
It's kind of like yours...
But far away.
I like this little box.
Good! Hey, this is box wars!
Yeah, it's like a boxing match!
So it's big box versus little box,
but heavyweight Henry's
spotted something
that might deliver a knockout.
What do you reckon on that, mate?
Eh?
It's a nice form, isn't it?
Do you know what I like about it?
They're usually much bulkier,
aren't they?
Yeah. Can I try it? Yeah, of course,
sir. Take a seat, sir. There you go.
Of course, the test of any good seat
is what?
Well, if it's comfy. Correct.
Is it? It's really comfy. And it's
kind of Captain Swivel, innit?
I could be the captain
of my very own ship.
Hmm? I like it, mate.
Aye-aye, Captain Henry!
These leather chairs normally
retail for around £200,
so Henry's got plenty of
profit potential with his pick.
I think we are two-all, aren't we?
Yeah, we are, we're done.
Happy days, man!
What a lovely little garage! Didn't
I give you a nice afternoon, mate?
I've had a lovely day. Come on,
then. I think it's this way.
It was a nice afternoon,
and with two items each,
Henry and Simon can show off
their picks to Sian and Richard.
Light. Camera. Action.
I'd love to take
that little old projector there.
I then went for
that lovely little box, there.
And I'm going to make sure
that it is worth more value
than Henry's first item.
Mine's slightly bigger,
needs a new little sort
of beading on the front.
And I'm going to just sand her down
and then paint her a nice colour,
I think.
Now, moving on, the chair.
And, I think,
if we get the right material,
it could look glorious again.
Yeah. Yeah, it would be nice to see.
Are you ready? Let's get boxing.
Coming up...
Gemma gets a shock.
Oh, no!
Guy gets a surprise.
Open them.
Oh, wow!
And, at the valuation,
will the lads
get Lewis a load of cash?
That's one of my favourite items
I've done for a long time.
Henry Cole and Simon O'Brien are
finding, fixing, and then flogging -
turning reclaimed items
into real money.
Your crown jewels have just fallen
out, mate.
They've both picked two items
from Sian and Richard's
and are ready to restore.
Back at his base in Oxford,
Henry's showing Guy
the fruits of his garage search.
What do you reckon? You have some
explaining to do.
The only thing I can think
that might save us...
Yeah. If we just clean-up
this existing leather.
Yeah. And the only deal
with these two sections.
Now, we know Paul,
who does motorcycle seats.
He should be able to just replace
this section on both sides,
but it's not going to match
because you'll never match this.
Anyway, look, moving on.
Come over here.
I would have to say with this,
good from far,
far from good. Yes.
Yeah. I think we should paint this
in a nice Cotswold light green,
put some nice brass handles
on the ends.
I could up a brass plaque
for the lock at the front.
Yeah. And I think
that could look rather lovely.
Yeah. All I know is if we put posh
handles on it, it puts the value up.
Yeah. OK, mate. That's it.
Are you happy? Yeah, I am with this.
With the seat heading off
to his leather expert,
Guy then gets busy
grinding off the old metalwork,
sanding it down
and applying a new undercoat.
But Henry is beginning to regret
his choice.
It's not very nice, is it?
No. But what can we do?
We've just got to paint it
and try and tart it up.
OK. What do we do with a box
that doesn't cut the mustard?
Turn it into a toy box,
or something like that.
So, with Guy's childlike suggestion,
the boys are starting a new game,
turning a battered old box
into one fit for kids.
Meanwhile, in Liverpool,
fresh from his garage treat,
Simon's revealing his items
to Gemma.
OK. Where should we start?
This one, yeah? Go on, then.
OK. It is what it is.
It's a box, isn't it?
Gemma, throw everything at it.
I will. I'll do my best.
Fighting talk. All right.
OK. Now then...
There you go.
That goes there.
It's a projector.
It's in good condition.
It is. How about getting a nice,
chrome light fitting on the top?
With then just a skeleton
of a lampshade.
Yeah. Then we get some spools
and some film
and run the film off the spools
and around the lampshade.
That is a very nice idea.
That will look really good.
Let's make a movie.
Brilliant.
OK, guys. Lights, camera, filler.
I've treated the box for woodworm
and then I filled
all the little holes with filler.
Although the box seems to be more
filler than wood at this point.
Even the bottom has fallen out.
So now I'm going to sand it down
before I can paint it.
Gemma sands the box
ready for painting
but this item is even more
troublesome than she first thought.
At this point it's going to be
easier to just get a new box,
but that's not
part of the challenge, is it?
So, I've got to work
with what I've got.
Whilst Gemma
leaves the filler to dry,
Mark, the electrician,
has arrived.
Perhaps Gemma will have more luck
with this character.
OK, Mark. I need this turning
into a lamp.
So, can you put the bulb fitting up
here and then rewire it for us?
Yeah, not a problem. Is that OK?
Yeah. Well, I'll give that to you
and you can take that away.
Thank you. Thank you.
Back in Oxfordshire, Henry has
a cunning plan to outbox Simon's.
He's called in
local restorer and designer Kate
to give Henry's box
a top-notch finish.
Well, what do you reckon?
I think we could do a better job
with the paintwork.
If you look carefully,
you can see the brush mark.
Well, you carry on. I'm going
to help Guy with the motorbike.
OK. See you later.
Kate uses a roller
to get a perfect gloss finish.
Next she turns her attention
to the inside.
Revitalising the wood
with a light wax.
Fantastic!
Henry is never afraid to use
a professional in a restoration,
so has sent his leather chair
to motorbike seat maker Jez,
who hopes to make
an invisible repair
to the worn leather chair arms.
Firstly, Jez cuts foam
to fill in the hole,
then he attaches a matching
new leather to the chair.
So, I'm going to avoid
this area here,
so when I pull the leather over,
it won't stick inside the grooves.
So now I'm going to be shaving the
visible edge, same as this side -
down to paper-thin -
so there isn't a step.
After a close shave
for this leather,
it's time to stretch it over the arm
and hammer his points home.
And this chair is done.
A pretty cool looking chair.
It's going to look nice
in someone's home.
Back in Liverpool,
Mark the electrician has arrived
back with the film projector.
And the plot has taken
a darker turn.
This doesn't look like a lamp.
Is that asbestos in there?
It is, I'm afraid. Oh, no!
So, there's nothing
we can do now, is there?
We can't drill, we can't tamper
with that at all.
No, I'm afraid not,
without taking to an expert.
OK, then. It's going to have
to stay as a projector.
If disturbed,
asbestos breaks into fibres
that can cause serious
and fatal illnesses if inhaled.
It's a real shame
about the projector.
It would have been a lovely lamp.
Just goes to show that
when you're looking at old items,
you really don't know what you're
messing with until you get inside.
See you later, projector.
I won't be messing
with you any more.
Well, Gemma,
think about how much time
you'll be able to dedicate
to Simon's lovely box.
I'm painting this white first,
so that when I put my colour on it,
it makes it
a little bit more vibrant
and then,
if I do want to distress it,
it will have
another paint underneath
to give it a bit more texture.
Having allowed the white to dry,
Gemma goes with a dark blue
as the base colour
and then lets her imagination
run wild.
This is what I love doing best.
Just being creative, having a bit
of fun, and playing around with it.
With work on the second set of finds
well under way,
the boys have to finish off
today's first finds.
After sawing an old table leg,
polishing it and adding
a light fitting,
Henry's now ready to put the cherry
on top of his man cake.
Just stay there. OK.
Shut your eyes. OK.
Don't peep. This better be good.
Open them.
Oh, wow!
Give us a hand, sir.
Now that is a replica
of a classic petrol pump.
That's fantastic. Ethanol power.
Come on then, mate. OK.
Oh, hang on. Is that...?
Might that go...?
Watch the ceiling. Watch the bulb.
Here we go.
Please fit.
Oh, yeah, it does.
Come on then. Right, the big reveal.
OK. Are you ready? Yeah. Go on.
Yay! Look at that, mate.
That is different.
We've done something incredible.
You're never going to see
one of those again.
And there may be many reasons
for that.
It might be a hit with Henry
but it still has to sell.
Luckily, Henry has
a potential customer in mind.
Are you ready for this?
I'm going to put the light on.
OK. Let's have a look.
300 quid.
300 quid?
Oh, don't be like that, mate.
You're always like that.
Come on then.
It's really nice. It's really nice.
I'll tell you what... 250.
Can we make it simple
and meet in the middle?
Yeah, go on, mate. 275?
That's the middle, isn't it?
Middle enough.
That's like three hands in the deal.
I know. You'll be very happy
with it, mate.
It looks really nice.
A nice old thing.
Buoyed by their successful sale,
it's time to unwrap
their medicine cabinet,
which is returned a minty fresh new
colour from the powder coaters.
That's what we ordered.
Yeah, yeah. It ism, isn't it?
That is beautiful.
Now then, this is
the beautiful, the stunning,
the lovely
Ali-framed door with...
You've been polishing
your knobs again, haven't you? Yes.
That looks lovely.
A bit of Bakelite action. Yeah.
So, doctor's orders
are to put in their shelves,
screw on the knobs,
fix the doors,
and then this medicine cabinet
will be right as rain
for the valuation.
That is a serious transformation,
isn't it?
I love it. Yeah.
That's worth serious money,
isn't it? It's beautiful.
Happy? Very happy.
Good.
Henry being happy
can only mean strife for Simon.
Back in Liverpool,
with Gemma having finished
restoring the barber's chair,
it's now time to move on
to Simon's second selection.
After picking the parquet,
he deconstructed a crate,
added plywood and glued the blocks
into a pretty pattern.
Now it's up to handyman Phil
to smooth it over with a sander
and then, with Gemma's assistance,
add some wax.
This is just a clear finishing wax
that we're putting over
the top of it.
It's going to treat
and protect the wood
and make it look lovely and shiny.
I'm actually impressed.
When you came in with
those few little pieces of wood,
I was a bit...
But it looks really good.
It may look good
but will it make money?
All will be revealed
at the vital valuation.
Simon's choice of location
was Lewis's yard,
and he's about to find out
how the boys have fared.
Good to see you.
Good to see you, mate.
Hey, look, he's scrubbed up well,
hasn't he?
You know what I mean? But do you
think they scrubbed up well?
Go and have a look.
Just a bit of a clean-up and just
a reupholstered the seat itself.
Yeah, but it came up well, too. Yeah.
Now, that is something
completely different.
Yeah, I didn't expect that one.
That's what's in Henry's head.
Worries you, doesn't it?
Yeah. Petrol.
Come and join us.
So, what do you reckon?
Yeah, really good.
But this is the point, you see.
You boys have got the eye.
Yeah. You know what to gather
and all we do is just put the...
Put it together for us. The icing
and the cherry on the cake, innit?
But have we made you any money?
Was it worth
getting your glad rags on for?
Let's find out, shall we?
We now get our valuer in.
That's Elisicia.
Elisicia Moore
runs a fashionable London store
specialising in upcycled furniture
and has a good eye for the
true market value of restored items.
OK, I'll start. Let's jump
straight in with an old pallet crate
and some parquet flooring.
What do you think?
Only you could take a box of wood
and make something this beautiful.
I think you've done
a really good job.
The first item was a crate filled
with wooden parquet flooring.
Just £20 went on glue,
materials and wax.
It's bang on trend, not just the
parquet style but also the colour.
I think it would be fair to expect
an estimate of £240
for the coffee table.
Wow.
So we're underway with a not too
shabby chic £220 profit.
Yeah, happy with that?
I wasn't expecting that, yeah.
Yeah. Quite good.
Moving on. So, this is quite a
find, isn't it?
Yeah, it's a lovely piece.
Late 19th-century barber's chair.
Next is the antique barbers' chair
which was reupholstered
and cleaned for a bargain £20.
As it is, I think it would be
reasonable to expect,
for a quick sale,
an estimate of £400
for the barbers' chair.
I thought it was worth a bit more.
But do you know what?
It is worth a bit more because
it sold and it sold for 420 quid.
Unfortunately,
Simon's buyer later pulled out,
but the chair was sold
and the producers decided
to make up the difference.
So, the barbers' chair
has made Lewis a brilliant £400.
Go on, then.
Do your worst, Elisicia.
I can't, it's too pretty.
It's lovely. Yeah.
Aluminium dentist side table.
The old, shabby medicine cabinet
cost £80 to upcycle.
What is even better about this
is its complete.
It has all the shelves, the enamel
tray which is not chipped at all,
which is a miracle in and of itself.
It's got the Art Deco Bakelite knobs
and you've restored it perfectly.
Perfect colour, it's wonderful.
I think a fair estimate
and for a quick sale,
I would say £225
for the side cabinet.
I've flogged it, Lewis, for 200.
So, the sale might be under value,
but it's still a profit of £120.
All right, next.
It's quite impressive.
It started as a table leg,
wasn't it? Yeah.
Around £175 went on a base,
electrical fittings and
the glass top to turn the table leg
into a petrol-themed lamp.
I can see this being really popular
with motoring enthusiasts
and they will pay lots of money
for the sort of thing.
It's a one-off,
it does look really good.
I think...
Again, for a quick sale,
£275 for the light.
Say that again to me?
275 of your finest British pounds.
Yeah, I tell you what,
the reason why I'm happy
is on two counts, Lewis.
One - she's valued it at that,
and two - I've flogged it for that.
And just like that, Henry has lit up
Lewis for a £100 profit.
Adding that all up and
taking away all our costs,
you're going home with 840 quid
to the lads in the yard.
How's that sound? Good, yeah.
Yeah, happy with that? Yeah.
The boys have done brilliantly,
making Lewis £840.
And, can I just say that
the biggest transformation today,
is you, from when I last saw you
in your high-vis jacket?
All right.
Just one man's trash is another
man's treasure, as they say.
But I'll go back to the yard,
I'll see the boys and then just give
them all a drink out of it, perhaps.
We can go down the pub together.
Coming up, Henry's very confident.
Box challenge for Simon and I.
Guess who's won
without seeing Simon's box?
Us? Bang on, son!
But at the valuation,
will his confidence be misplaced?
There is a lot of creativity
gone into that
and I don't want to dampen that,
it's just not my taste.
Henry Cole and Simon O'Brien
are converting clutter into cash.
Simon's choice of location
made Lewis £840.
How's that sound? Good, yeah.
Yeah. Happy with that?
Yeah.
So the pressure is on for
Henry's location,
Richard and Sian's
Newport garage.
Henry sent the chair he picked
to be reupholstered...
...and now it has returned -
but Henry is up in arms.
It's not gone particularly well.
I think we should've specified these
to be a different colour. Yes.
Chin up, boys. There's always a fix.
Look, if I put some neutral boot
polish on these and shine them up,
we may get away with it.
So, the boys crack on.
Henry's using a clear polish
to attempt to make the new leather
as shiny as the old leather,
whilst Guy restores the seat
to its former glory.
Can you compare...?
You see that versus that.
Yeah, there is a difference.
That looks older.
I think it looks all right.
I mean, for what it is. Yeah.
Well, only time will tell, son.
With the chair finished,
Guy summons up a little childlike
enthusiasm for the toybox.
The box had a rough start...
What do we do with a box
that doesn't cut the mustard?
Turn it into a toybox or something
like that?
...and now it's Guy's turn
to do what Guy does best...
...metal.
I think these nice, simple handles
are a nice finishing touch -
and when we get the brass plaque on,
I think that's just a really nice
detail on the box.
So Guy gets busy
with the finishing touches,
and the box is
ready to reveal to Henry.
What do you reckon?
Guess who's won without seeing
Simon's box?
Us. Bang on, son!
Whilst Henry thinks he's landed the
knockout blow in box wars,
in the Liverpool corner, Gemma
hasn't thrown in the towel yet.
She's turned the battered box blue -
but she's not satisfied
it's a winner in box wars.
I've cut out some little bits of
paper from wallpaper,
and I'm going to decoupage them
onto this box.
The final flurry is some stencils.
I'm throwing everything at this box.
Including gold leaf -
and that's her final punch
in the box wars.
This may be over the top for some
people, but just not for me.
Let's see if it's over the top
for the expert,
as it's time for the valuations.
Richard and Sian wanted to clear
some space ahead of a house move
and make some cash for charity
at the same time.
Please feel free. There they are.
There you go.
Four items. Go and have a look,
have a wander about.
Interesting. Ooh!
Yeah, don't dwell on the projector.
Come back and join us.
You might want to come back,
actually, on that.
OK, so now, the projector,
I had this lovely idea -
but an electrician got hold of it,
took the top off to rewire it
and found asbestos,
at which point he screwed the top
back on and stepped away.
Sometimes you have to hold your
hands up and you live and learn.
I'm sure you'd love to know how much
they're kind of worth now.
With two decades' experience,
auction house owner Adam Partridge
can accurately value anything.
Well, look, Adam, should we just
start with the chair, then?
What do you reckon on that?
Since it's a sensitive
and presumably fairly economical restoration...
It cost £55 to repair
and polish the chair.
What I will say, as a positive,
it's a very commercial item,
isn't it?
Always sell well
when we get them through auction,
so they're easy things to sell.
So, with that in mind, I'm
going to put a generous figure
of £120 as a value on it.
So the chair spins a profit of £65
for Sian and Richard.
I'm glad you're satisfied with that.
Yeah, we are. Let's move onto the
box now before you change your mind.
Well, again, in the same vein
as the chair,
it's a very, very commercial item.
Which cost just £30
for paints and metal work.
I think it's nice, and you've chosen
a decent colour on it.
To me, that should be worth £100.
Onto part two of box wars.
You're next... If it's battle of the
boxes, then you've won, haven't you?
Because...
Well, for me, it's not my taste.
I have to put that to one side
a little bit.
It may not be to Adam's taste,
but Simon only spent £10 on
transforming this box.
There is a lot of creativity
gone into that,
and I don't want to dampen that.
It's just not my taste, so I'm...
It's still worth 30 quid,
though, isn't it?
Oh, I think if you saw that
in a shop,
they'd be asking a lot more. Correct.
All right, 40.
I'll go £40 as a value.
Any more than that, and I think
what remaining credibility
I have left as a valuer
will be gone.
So, with £30 profit,
Henry wins box wars
with a complete and total knockout.
Now, projector.
The projector is, conventionally,
a pretty hard item to sell,
a fairly unsaleable item in the
current market.
Spot on, Adam.
As the projector contains asbestos,
it is in fact illegal to sell on.
Fortunately, the electrician
didn't charge.
Richard, Sian, I'm sure you want
to know how much you're getting.
So, in total, taking away our cost,
you're taking home £165.
Brilliant! Well done.
So, Henry's choice of location
netted Richard and Sian £165
for the good cause.
They look a lot better than
they did.
Much, yeah. Much better.
They've put a bit of work
into them.
It is nice to see them back out
on the market.
And it's the money for the charity
as well.
But with Simon's choice of barn
making a massive £840,
he is victorious.
I absolutely battered you.
When the gloves were off...
Hey, talking about hands and gloves.
What? Did you like the hand?
I did like the hand.
Yeah, you've got to admit that is
my little consolation.
That was very, very clever indeed.
Yeah, yeah.
Just not as good as the parquet tile
coffee table... Yeah, yeah.
OK, mate...
I don't want to listen to all that.
...which did it for me!
OK, you won, all right, all right!
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