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Patrick meets a couple in Londonderry attempting to restore a Georgian estate into their new country home. But after decades of decline, it’s one of the most daunting restoration projects Patrick’s ever encountered.

Civil engineer David, artist Sam and their three children have outgrown their current home and decided to upsize by buying a grade 2 listed Georgian property known as Ballinacross House. They’ve had to contend with a series of frustrating delays due to planning issues and Covid lockdowns before work can even begin. When work finally gets going, it’s not long before the challenges start mounting up, as they find out much of the original timbers holding the house together are riddled with woodworm and wet rot.

But Sam and David are determined to salvage, reuse and restore as many original features as possible, even repurposing some of the old, rotten house timbers into a family kitchen table. As well as restoring the original Georgian home – featuring multiple bedrooms, a cinema room and a lavish kitchen – they’re also adding a spectacular two-storey glass extension linking the old part of the house with the new.

Several outbuildings must also be brought back to life including a dilapidated three-story tannery. Once used to produce leather, it will be transformed into an art studio and gallery for Sam.