George Clarke's Remarkable Renovations: Woman renovates police station

August 4, 2021

Woman, 26, who bought £185,000 Victorian police station transforms it into a chic two-bed home in just two years on George Clarke’s Remarkable Renovations – and only went £10,000 over modest £50,000 budget thanks to DIY

First-time buyer Rachel Roberts set her sights on the old police station in West Yorkshire in September 2018
She was determined to ‘put her own mark’ on the place – turning it into a bright, airy and spacious abode
Alongside her builder boyfriend Mike, Rachel spent two years renovating the now Insta-worthy house

A woman who bought a Victorian derelict police station for £185,000 has revealed her unrecognisable transformation of the property into a glamorous two-bed home on George Clarke’s Remarkable Renovations.

First-time buyer Rachel Roberts set her sights on the old lock-up – which came complete with two jail cells – in Scissett, West Yorkshire, in September 2018, and was determined to ‘put her own mark’ on the place – turning the once damp, rotting and dark building into a bright, airy and spacious abode.

Alongside her builder boyfriend Mike, who mostly worked full-time on the project, the 26-year-old spent two years renovating the now Insta-worthy house, while still opting to showcase the stone flooring, jail bars and roof beams of the original build.

Thanks to the DIY work, ‘tight Yorkshire lass’ Rachel, who was ‘determined to spend as little as possible’, only went between £10,000 to £20,000 over her £50,000 budget after encountering mould in the ceiling and deciding to replace the roof of the property.

The makeover of the police station, which was built in 1853 before closing in 1969 when local forces were streamlined, appears on the Channel 4 programme tonight, at 9pm.

First-time buyer Rachel Roberts set her sights on the old police station (pictured) – which came complete with two jail cells – in Scissett, West Yorkshire, in September 2018, and was determined to ‘put her own mark’ on the place – turning the once damp, rotting and dark building into a bright, airy and spacious abode

Thanks to the DIY work, ‘tight Yorkshire lass’ Rachel (pictured left with the presenter), who was ‘determined to spend as little as possible’, only went between £10,000 to £20,000 over her £50,000 budget after encountering mould in the ceiling and deciding to replace the roof of the property

When George first met Rachel, who owns an online clothing brand, in September 2018, she and her boyfriend had already started work by ripping out certain walls and making the build more open plan.

‘I have bought a former police station,’ Rachel admits with a grin on her face. ‘It just looks amazing and I just thought what a better way to get on the property ladder than buying a police station.

‘I wanted something that I could put my own mark on, I just love old properties and old stone,’ the fashion designer added.

Rachel is thought to have stayed with her mother while working on the build alongside her fashion business, and eventually ‘pressured’ her boyfriend builder to work full time on the project.

‘He’s not worked on anything like this before but he’s learning along the way,’ says Rachel about her partner.

The makeover of the police station, which was built in 1853 before closing in 1969 when local forces were streamlined, appears on the Channel 4 programme tonight, at 9pm. Pictured, one of the jail cells after the makeover

When George first met Rachel, who owns an online clothing brand, in September 2018, she and her boyfriend had already started work by ripping out certain walls and making the build (pictured before) more open plan

Rachel is thought to have stayed with her mother while working on the build (pictured before) alongside her fashion business, and eventually ‘pressured’ her boyfriend builder to work full time on the project

The eager first-time buyer explains how she doesn’t have a clear budget in mind, but would prefer to stay towards £50,000 rather than reaching up to £100,000.

‘I haven’t set a budget,’ she admits. ‘I’d obviously like it as cheap as I possibly can, because I like a bargain, because I’m from Yorkshire. I’d like to limit it to around £100,000 but if it was more towards £50,000 that would be fantastic.

However, with her plans to have a living room at the front of the house, new kitchen to the rear and a wall removed in the hall to open up space, presenter George suggests ‘with the scale and ambition, you couldn’t do this for 50 grand unless you compromised on materials and what’s the point of that.’

Rachel agrees, saying: ‘It needs to honour this house, it needs to be just as good as.’ And she’s even got the locals onside, with one elderly neighbour saying: ‘I like to see old buildings used not just knocked down and a new modern thing put up.’

The eager first-time buyer explains how she doesn’t have a clear budget in mind, but would prefer to stay towards £50,000 rather than reaching up to £100,000. Pictured, the hallway after the transformation

But two months after, Rachel discovers that the ceilings are mouldy and instead decides to leave the beams exposed – but for that to be done, the roof needs to be rebuilt.

She explains: ‘We’ve found out that the ceilings that we were going to leave up have actually gone a bit mouldy. We had decided that we were going to take them down and put new plasterboard up and have fresh ceiling…

‘Now I’ve seen what it looks like with the exposed beams, I’m thinking we should leave it as it is, and try and have the bedrooms with exposed beams above but I don’t think Michael’s keen on the idea,’ she adds, before her partner replies: ‘What are you going to gain from it apart from looks?

‘Looks are important… it’s why I’m with you,’ jokes the homeowner, before speaking towards the camera and saying: ‘But I think it’s a good idea. So that usually means that’s what’ll happen.’

But two months after, Rachel (pictured left) discovers that the ceilings are mouldy and instead decides to leave the beams exposed – but for that to be done, the roof needs to be rebuilt

‘We might have to sacrifice something else along the way but I think it’s worth doing it like this purely for the wow factor,’ she adds, while re-roofing it alongside Mike and a friend.

Eventually, Rachel is eager to move in so agrees to bring more help along in June 2020 to finish the project, and one month later she is visited by George who is blown away by the ‘amazing’ finished home.

When asked how much she’s spent on the build, Rachel admits it’s probably around £60,000 to £70,000, while the impressed presenter says: ‘Enjoy the house and honestly you should be super proud of it because it’s amazing, it really is.’

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