DIY SOS: The Big Build delivered an emotional episode on Tuesday (May 31) as the team headed to Longframlington in the north of England. This week's edition of the popular BBC makeover show tackles the case of the Owen family, who deal with various health problems day-to-day. The show, which returned a couple of weeks ago, sees Nick Knowles return as the main presenter after being replaced by Rhod Gilbert in a Children in Need edition.
The family want more space to support daughter Bobbie, who has a severe brain condition that results in epileptic fits. Bobbie requires around the clock care but unfortunately, that isn't the only problem that the family contend with.
Mum Mary was previously bitten by a tic and developed Lyme disease, which was left untreated and caused a stroke. Lack of mobility for Mary makes navigating the house's uneven floors a challenge. Before her stroke, she was very active and tells DIY SOS host Nick: “I’ve not been the physical Mum that I wanted to be”.
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In recent years, the family have also had to deal with Mary's great grandmother, Doreen, getting dementia. Carol, Mary's mother and Doreen's daughter, has had to move in to a separate property to support her mother. The family want everyone to live under the same roof. With numerous health problems to contend with, the Owen family are desperate for the help of DIY SOS.
The team have a large job on their hands with s mall rooms, uneven floors and a lack of dedicated space causing problems. The family also require space for an indoor tent, which they use as Bobbie's 'safe space'. "The tent keeps everyone safe and helps to bring Bobbie down,” Dad Gareth said.
With a job described as, "one of the biggest ever", by one of the DIY SOS plasterers it was a tough job for the team. However, they managed the job and the house has been transformed.
Made bigger to accommodate every family member, meaning they can all be together again, the older family members now have their own living space. Bobbie's safe space has been transformed and the family became very emotional while seeing the house.
Carol gasped: "It's Bobbies space!...it is just perfect." and repeatedly called the house perfect, she added: "Happy? Who wouldn't be happy!"
Doreen exclaimed: "Thank you all very very much...it's beautiful!" while Carol said: "Now I can look after Mary and look after Mum."
Mary said: "It's so lovely...its absolutely gorgeous, I can't believe it...I can see us all sitting there together." She added: "There's nothing I don't like...we can make this house work forever. It's perfect."
