When asked to be involved with the Tonight with Trevor McDonald programme I was, as much of the population, mostly unaware of the plight of homeowners in the North of England facing compulsory purchase orders and the very real threat of losing their homes to the demolition ball. The extent of the proposals sickens me. Initially I felt strongly about preserving excellent housing stock that, certainly in the South of England, would be prized above modern housing and priced accordingly, however, having met just a small handful of local residents during the project I am now more concerned about the affect to the communities and people who appear to have little chance of making the Government see sense.
When introduced to 29 Powis Street I was, in all honesty, not at all hopeful that we could achieve our total refurbishment within the given time frame of three weeks. I would usually allow a minimum of twelve weeks for a project of this scale. But television is a wonderful vehicle in achieving the impossible (two series on 60 Minute Makeover and I am still in awe of how so much is achieved within a genuine hour!)
The house appeared to be structurally sound although the internal plastering was ‘blowing’ and the electrics looked decidedly unsound. My greatest fear was for the condition of the roof as this would certainly have pushed us over our budget had it required replacing. The floor joists to the ground floor were very damp and it was clear that serious attention was required to make good. In all the house was in a pretty dank and sad condition, but the potential, as with all these properties, was there. Our surveyor’s report brought a cheer in the office as we learned that the roof was sound and although it would require a damp-proof course and new floors to the ground floor we had escaped many of the ‘nasties’. There was no active woodworm to be found or dry rot. I am quite sure that if you were to take a cross-section of houses in a given street, 29 Powis Street would represent average-poor condition in terms of refurbishment costs.
The plan of attack was drawn-up and our site manager, Tim Foley, did a marvellous job ensuring that the refurbishment adhered, almost, to schedule. The costs we achieved were in no way assisted by our television status. We were very careful to ensure that all costs were accounted for and that the correct level of refurbishment, particularly thermal insulation, was achieved. There is a big debate raging with regard to UPVC v. original/replacement timber sash windows. It is no secret which side I fall on. In terms of costs, environment issues and aesthetic considerations aside, there is little difference between installing UPVC units and refurbing existing sash windows. To add secondary glazing to bring the thermal efficiency rating in-line with double-glazing would increase costs by approximately £1,500 for this property.
We had to carry out rather more work to the drainage to the rear of the property than first anticipated but, that aside, there weren’t too many unforeseen problems. I genuinely believe that if we had more time to complete the re-furb we could have kept within the budget of £18,000. There is absolutely no reason why a whole street of terraced houses of this nature couldn’t comply to modern standards whilst maintaining their historical integrity within this budget. I believe Mr. Prescott has tried to date unsuccessfully, to correct the vat issue with regard to older property refurb’s. It would certainly have massive implications countrywide if the Grade 2 listing zero-rated status was extended to pre-war properties. There would, in my opinion, be no economic reason to support demolition if vat were taken out of the equation.
For speed and efficiency we used standard products throughout. The few ‘design features’, the roll-top bath for example, I squeezed in to the budget as I thought it prudent to give the house a ‘wow’ factor as the point was to prove that these properties are desired and sought after, as indeed they should be. In order to create desirable properties it is imperative to retain the historical integrity and as far as possible retain original features. Incorrect and poorly chosen windows, doors, roof tiles etc must be replaced in order to bring cohesion to a street and maximise its potential. Inside there is much scope to alter the layouts and provide inspiring and modern homes that would appeal to any buyer.
The Government’s position on varied housing baffles me. There are many cases of exciting terraced house conversions that support the theory that a little imagination goes a long way. The energy tied up in these houses alone should be enough to persuade a Government keen on improving our emissions that it does not make sense to demolish them.
I wish the Residents Groups much luck and hope that all your hard efforts pay off.
Julia Kendell – July 2005 | 
