The four-part series begins this week on BBC One in Scotland.
Three years ago, 26-year-old Cal Hunter from Hull, and 23-year-old Claire Segeren from Toronto, set out to buy a flat in Glasgow – but one fateful mistake changed everything.
At the auction, Cal accidentally bid on the wrong unit, and they ended up with Jameswood Villa, an uninhabitable property in Dunoon on the Cowal peninsula.
The young couple faced a daunting list of problems with their new acquisition which had lain empty for more than 30 years – foundations needed repairing, a new roof would have to be installed, masonry above a bay window had collapsed and all the timber works inside the 19th century building were rotten.
Ignoring expert advice to demolish the house, the Millennials decided to sustainably bring it back to life instead. Despite never having renovated before and with just £10,000 in the bank they learn as they go with the help of an army of volunteers.
This first episode follows the intrepid duo at the start of the monumental task. They decide to live in a caravan in the grounds while they undertake the first challenges, including clearing the huge amount of debris in the building and making the structure secure by raising the roof.
Their story becomes a social media hit and they’re soon receiving offers of help and cash from all over the world, raising £3000 to help fund the initial works. To remove the old slates on the roof, they enlist the help of some of these international volunteers, providing them with basic accommodation and the opportunity to join them on trips around the area when they have down time. Cal and Claire are also indebted to close neighbours who supply them with soup and encouragement as they try to turn the longstanding eyesore into an asset.
After saying goodbye to their helpers and extending 30 steel props to raise the roof, Cal and Claire face a race against time to get some cover on before the heavy rain moves in.
Narrated by Gail Porter, Accidental Renovators, airs Friday 16 September, BBC One Scotland, 7.30 – 8.00 pm
