Checking out the best-ever home improvement TV shows

The home improvement business in the UK has boomed over recent years. This surge in property development has also seen the rise of a number of TV shows dedicated to the theme of property, how to improve it, and increase its value.

Here, DAL Windows, who provide double glazing in Newcastle, take a look at some of the best:

George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces

The Sunderland native trained as an architect after leaving school and has been a staple feature on our TV since his appearances on Dream Home Abroad in 2004. His Amazing Spaces series has followed the presenter as he delves into the world of small builds. Cameras have captured amazing transformations, including floating homes, a jet plane-turned-classroom, a luxury treehouse and a hobbit house in New Zealand.

DIY SOS

Nick Knowles is the man at the helm of this TV gem. His team, with the help of some local superstars, are seen to make home improvements to those who need them most – literally answering the SOS call of members of the public. Whether it’s to help someone with a disability to have a better quality of life or rectifying home improvement mishaps, Knowles and the team provide the feel-good factor for the small screen.

Ground Force

Who remembers Alan Titchmarsh and Charlie Dimmock gracing our screens between 1997 and 2005? The gardeners first burst onto the BBC screens in September ’97 and quickly got to grips with providing the British public with garden spaces to be proud of. With decking and water features galore, greenery across the nation was transformed in front of our eyes.

Grand Designs

The ingenuity of the public is on hand as Kevin McCloud reveals unique projects. The works of art can wow even the hardest to please. A glass home perched on the top of a Welsh cliff and a domed house built into a hillside are just two examples of these, well, grand designs on offer.

60 Minute Makeover

It does as it says on the tin. These 60 minutes of entertainment follows a team of designers as they try to give a home a makeover in literally an hour. Originally at home on ITV, Claire Sweeney, Terri Dwyer and Catherine Gee all took the reins previously, while Peter Andre is now steering the ship. The experience is unbeknownst to the lucky recipient and the team are on hand, alongside a crowd of onlookers, to capture their reaction. Bravo, team! Bravo!

Changing Rooms

Who can forget the dream team of Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and Carol Smillie from the mid-nineties ‘til early noughties? With the concept of the show allowing neighbours to switch keys and transform a room in each other’s property under a budget and time constraint, the BBC series proved extremely popular during its lifespan. Whether you watched it to pick up DIY tips, boost your imagination, or just to cynically watch as certain neighbours didn’t like their new room, it was prime time TV at its finest for many years.

The list could be endless, with several shows surely feeling aggrieved not to have made our final pick. However, why not pull up a pew and use some of that TV time to catch up on the past greats!