My Brilliant Builder!

Pictures kindly supplied by Lane Fox, Winchester

The story of the homeowners, their five children and a house which had not been touched for 50 years.

If you've ever renovated a house which has not been changed for decades, you will know how brave you need to be to face the challenge of old wiring, rusty pipe work and rotting floorboards. Sam Blakey, a homeowner from Winchester had such confidence in her builder that she gave him just nine weeks to renovate her new home for her family of five.

The project was a four storey renovation of an 1880s, brick, flint and stone house which, when the Blakey's bought it, was two self-contained flats with the original cast iron bath, Victorian boiler and clay pipe work.

As soon as the sale was completed, Winchester-based builder, John Arengo-Jones, put his 10 man team on the job and nine weeks later the property was transformed into a lovely family home and had not cost the earth.

Sam says: "We got an original quote for the drainage of £17,000. Once John had reviewed the plans and re-channelled the pipe work the bill came in at hundreds rather than thousands."