Stacey Solomon has been praised by fans after a heartfelt episode of Renovation Rescue saw her transform a couple’s home after a horrific few years.
In the second episode of the new Channel 4 series, which aired on Wednesday, the presenter visited Darryl and Jo in South Devon after their passion project turned into an absolute nightmare.
From dodgy builders, redundancy and a terrifying health scare, the couple were left heartbroken after already spending a whopping £300,000 on the house renovation.
And as Stacey met the couple, she was tasked with making the final £30,000 of the pair’s budget go the extra mile as she helped the couple discover how they could do some of the remaining jobs themselves.
In an emotional episode, Jo broke down in tears as they sat in the (almost) completed house, as she reflected: ‘It has been so horrible and you kind of lose yourself a little bit as well, but to be able to now share it with the kids and just enjoy it. It is going to take a little while to just realise that we can.’
Stacey Solomon has been praised by fans as ’empathetic and caring’ after the presenter helped heartbroken couple create their dream home in emotional episode of Renovation Rescue on Wednesday evening
In the second episode of the new Channel 4 series, the presenter visited Darryl and Jo in South Devon after their passion project turned into an absolute nightmare
Darryl and Jo had done up three homes together so were no stranger to the renovation process.
However, after beginning the process in 2020 they realised within months that all was not as it seemed and things quickly turned sour.
Darryl explained: ‘Firstly we had a leaking roof which meant we had water all over the floor.’
Jo then added: ‘But when that started to happen, we also started to question what else was really happening.’
After calling in a building inspector, the pair found out that much of the work that had already been completed did not meet building regulations and they had to start the work again from scratch.
However by then the couple had already handed over £127,000.
‘All that money that we had paid, it just dead. Straight in the skip,’ confessed Darryl.
And if that wasn’t hard enough, the couple also experienced an especially tough year as Darryl was made redundant and Jo suffered a serious health scare when she caught Covid.
In an emotional episode, Jo broke down in tears as they sat in the (almost) completed house, as she reflected: ‘It has been so horrible and you kind of lose yourself a little bit as well, but to be able to now share it with the kids and just enjoy it’
From dodgy builders, redundancy and a terrifying health scare, the couple were left heartbroken after already spending a whopping £300,000 on the house renovation
The couple spent £300,000 on the renovation after they spent £127,000 on inadequate building work and were forced to start from scratch during the nightmare project
‘Beginning of April I got Covid and was really poorly actually, in the end I was off work for about four months, I was in hospital about three times. Oxygen, cannisters at home and it knocked us for six really,’ admitted Jo.
Fighting back tears, Darryl added: ‘It was horrible because you didn’t know… it’s difficult to talk about. You didn’t know where you [Jo] were going. You took her to the hospital and you had to say goodbye, it was a challenging time. It was tough.’
At the beginning of the episode the house looked completely run down, however by the end the couple, with the help of Stacey, had transformed the property into a stunning space with an incredible open plan kitchen and living area.
‘Omg I am so happy for you guys, I want to move in!’ cried Stacey as she saw the finished result.
Coming in just about on budget, the presenter explained: ‘I do believe you have probably saved minimum between £6,000-7000 by making your own fitted furniture, wallpapering, decorating, fitting your kitchen, laying all of your floors. That’s incredible.
‘When I first met you both you had fallen out of love with this house? Have you fallen back in love with it?
Crying Jo explained: ‘It’s like going forward, it’s like the next step. And its been so horrible and you kind of lose yourself a little bit as well.
‘But to be able to now share it with the kids and just enjoy it. It is going to take a little while to just realise that we can.’
Darryl added: ‘What we’ve got here is something special and something that is us and its been a journey, but this is the start of us being able to look at it in a different way.’
Fans were overcome with emotion after watching the episode as they praise Stacey and her efforts.
As Stacey met the couple, she was tasked with making the final £30,000 of the budget go the extra mile as she helped the couple discover how they could do some of the remaining jobs themselves
Coming in just about on budget, the presenter explained: ‘I do believe you have probably saved minimum between £6,000-7000 by making your own fitted furniture, wallpapering, decorating, fitting your kitchen, laying all of your floors. That’s incredible’
The finished house looked incredible as it featured a stunning open plan kitchen and living area
The couple fitted the kitchen and lay the wooden floors themselves, thanks to Stacey’s help
Stacey wasn’t afraid of getting stuck in as she helped the couple fit their own cupboard doors
Fans were overcome with emotion after watching the episode as they praised Stacey and her efforts
They wrote: ‘I absolutely LOVE @StaceySolomon totally empathetic, caring, encouraging lush woman. & absolutely mint a diy, makes me want to get me creative on’.
‘@StaceySolomon oh I love this programme. Although it makes me either want to rip my house apart or move’; ‘I just [heart emoji] Stacey Solomon’.
‘Hi Stacey what a wonderful programme tonight, you gave two people hope ,they were broken hearted ,you are so kind warm and caring when you mend someone’s home you mend their heartbreak too, love and blessings’
Another joked: ‘This is just what I needed to fill the void of #sortyourlifeout #RenovationRescueC4 I’ve a massive list of “handy man jobs” I need done if you’re ever bored @StaceySolomon’.
‘I’m wondering if they took the original builder to court to try and get their money back. Also, I think, they should name and shame’; ‘I’m here for a @StaceySolomon DIY channel. Like 24/7 just Stacey helping homeowners.’
