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Series 11, Episode 5
Thursday 7 November 8.00pm
Rookie architect Nick is aiming to solve Australiaâs housing crisis by showing that good design is affordable for everyone.
In an antidote to the cookie-cutter project homes that are springing up across Australia, Gold Coast couple Nick and Trent aim to build a home with style, character and fun, for the same price as a mass-produced home, and at the same pace too; in only four months. Yes, four months.
Itâs a massive task, even bigger when you consider that Nick is designing this house himself. Bigger still, itâs his very first design, and heâs recovering from PTSD. Challenges donât get much bigger than this.
For 12 years, Nick worked in the Royal Australian Air Force, serving as an Air Intelligence Officer. Coping with some critical and classified assignments, Nick returned home carrying on as normal. But friends and family knew Nick was anything but normal. Quiet and withdrawn, owing to huge amounts of stress, Nick suffered a stroke and required a heart implant.
Eventually Nick was medically discharged from the Air Force and faced an uncertain future. But the silver lining was that he retained a lifelong passion for drawing and designing buildings. So as part of his rehab, he retrained in architecture.
Now he has a new mission; to prove that good architecture is available and affordable for everyone. Helping him along the way is builder Michael, also constructing his first new build. Together they form a great team, but will they win the battle against time, budget and unexpected Gold Coast rain? This could well be mission impossible.
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Series 11, Episode 6
Thursday 14 November 8.00pm
Returning to 6th generational family land, Sam along with wife Selina, build an off grid forever home for their three sons from beloved Canberra Red bricks.
Living on the land can be a powerful draw, especially when itâs land thatâs been in your family for over six generations. Which is exactly the case for schoolteacher Sam.
Having grown up on the 600-acre sheep farm on the outskirts of Canberra, Sam has a dream to return to his childhood playground, along with his sweetheart, fellow schoolteacher Selina and their three young boys. The plan is to live alongside his parents and brother in an inspirational fully sustainable home, made with recycled bricks. But not just any bricks, over 14,000 original Canberra Red bricks, now considered a prized collectorâs item.
Inspired by their own Tiny House build during Covid lockdowns, the family are relying on their bowerbird resourcefulness to find as many second-hand bricks and recyclable materials as possible, to build their forever home; one that may continue being home to their autistic son Sebastion long into the future. Having spent the first eight years of his life as non-verbal, family life has always been challenging. But now 12-year-old Seb is on the cusp of high school and has dreams of his own to be a farmer, so the race is on to get the house built and the whole family settled in before the new year starts.
The problem is the remaining finance for the project is tied to the sale of their existing suburban home, and with interest rates continuing to rise and house prices in their area falling, it couldnât be a worse time to sell.
Coupled with the stresses of the build and their need to move the family of five into their Tiny House with no running water and an outside loo in the middle of winter, will they be able to cope? Or will it all become too much?
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Series 11, Episode 7
Thursday 21 November 8.00pm
Sydney couple Anna and Celeste are hoping to transform a rundown Victorian terrace into a modern celebration of colour and character, with not a white wall in sight.
How do you take a rundown Victorian terrace in the Sydney suburb of Surry Hills, and transform it into a home brimming with bold colours and character? Thatâs the challenge couple Anna and Celeste have given their architect Dean, who was briefed to design a home that is an extension of their animated personalities, while also celebrating their relationship in a city that embraces the LGBTQIA+ community.
The challenges begin from the start with narrow back lane access meaning the delicate site demolition is a painfully slow process, taking twice as long as originally estimated. However, the headline grabbing feature of the home are two proud very pink pavilions that will ensure the house stands out from the crowd. But will they be able to choose a shade of pink that doesnât cause a stink with the neighbours?
After 12 months, Anna and Celste have a home that is strait laced at the front but lets loose at the back. A mixture of blues, yellows and reds form a vibrant colourful cacophony, interspersed with brick, stone and wood to bring some calm to the party. Will they find that balance between vibrant celebration and homely harmony? Designing a house with no white walls is one thing, but living in it is an entirely different matter.
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Series 11, Episode 8
Thursday 28 November 8.00pm
Natalie and Stuart promise to save the soul of their âfixer-upperâ, but face obstacles with eccentric renovations that risk upsetting the old owners.
Interior designer and former Olympic snowboarder Jo and commercial builder husband Josh take on a mountainous challenge when they decide to build their family retreat high on a remote ridge in Victoriaâs Strath Creek. Deep in sheep country on a block they were told was impossible to build on, Jo and Josh have plans to create two modern and sculptural Australian farm shed-like structures â one for sleeping in, the other for living â that sit harmoniously in the landscape.
With a budget of just $500,000 the focus is on thermal efficiency and creating elegant, liveable spaces, while outside they want a giant, seamless corrugated steel shell for each of the buildings to give them a unique, sleek look. But within weeks of starting the build the challenges mount; the outer steel shell proves to be impossible to manufacture on their limited budget, and progress onsite is hampered by the remote location and horrendous weather.
Despite the stress, Jo perseveres with her plans to create a peaceful and harmonious home thatâs fitting for such a spectacular location and designs some low cost but beautifully handcrafted elements that Josh must try and construct. Will it be enough to elevate the project from merely a couple of uninviting steel sheds to an inviting holiday haven that theyâll eventually call home?
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Series 11, Episode 9
Thursday 5 December 8.00pm
Rookie architect Nick is aiming to solve Australiaâs housing crisis by showing that good design is affordable for everyone.
In an antidote to the cookie-cutter project homes that are springing up across Australia, Gold Coast couple Nick and Trent aim to build a home with style, character and fun, for the same price as a mass-produced home, and at the same pace too; in only four months. Yes, four months.
Itâs a massive task, even bigger when you consider that Nick is designing this house himself. Bigger still, itâs his very first design, and heâs recovering from PTSD. Challenges donât get much bigger than this.
For 12 years, Nick worked in the Royal Australian Air Force, serving as an Air Intelligence Officer. Coping with some critical and classified assignments, Nick returned home carrying on as normal. But friends and family knew Nick was anything but normal. Quiet and withdrawn, owing to huge amounts of stress, Nick suffered a stroke and required a heart implant.
Eventually Nick was medically discharged from the Air Force and faced an uncertain future. But the silver lining was that he retained a lifelong passion for drawing and designing buildings. So as part of his rehab, he retrained in architecture.
Now he has a new mission; to prove that good architecture is available and affordable for everyone. Helping him along the way is builder Michael, also constructing his first new build. Together they form a great team, but will they win the battle against time, budget and unexpected Gold Coast rain? This could well be mission impossible.