Kirstie Allsopp says Love It or List It’s strict deadlines prompts homeowners to start work on their house: ‘I think at the time they’re cursing us and thinking “Ugh, why did we do this?”‘
Kirstie Allsopp has claimed that strict deadlines on her television prompts homeowners to start renovations they have been thinking about ‘for years’.
The television presenter, 53, who resides in Notting Hill, London, has been the face of Channel 4’s Love It or List It for a decade with her co-host, Phil Spencer, 55. Since then, she has helped numerous couples renovate their houses and alter the spaces they already have to fit their changing needs and differing family sizes.
On Friday’s episode of Love It or List It Super Builds, she and Phil looked over some of the more challenging projects she has undertaken throughout the years and revealed that those featured in the show will be told when the camera crew is due to come back and film progress.
In 2022, they helped Sarah and Caradog expand their four-bedroom home in Swansea to ensure they had enough space to host their ever-growing social circle, along with adding more bathrooms to their property.
Kirstie and Phil initially visited their home in May 2022, then came back to film an update six months later in November 2022 before also visiting them two months after that in January 2023. Just over a year after their first visit, the property experts came back to see the final makeover in June 2023.
Kirstie says that this rigorous filming schedule forces indecisive homeowners to actually start the work they have been dreaming, rather than continue to put it off.
‘The challenges were pretty tricky,’ she said. ‘We come and see people who have been thinking about doing things for years -‘ Phil interrupted and said: ‘But not actually making a start.’
Kirstie then continued: ‘And then we set the hare running and say “We’re going to come back then” and “We’re going to come back then”. I think at the time they’re cursing us and thinking “Ugh, why did we do this?” But at the end, everyone always says [they] wouldn’t have got it done.’
Phil Spencer (pictured, left) and Kirstie Allsopp (pictured, right) have helped numerous couples renovate their houses
Sarah wanted to list their four-bedroom 1920s semi-detached house as it became too small and unfit to hold their growing family, as they now have a grandchild.
Although their eldest has moved out, Sarah works from home and their 21-year-old is planning on moving back after finishing university.
While Sarah thinks it is up for them to up sticks, Caradog believes they could renovate their current property to fit their needs.
‘We’ve developed the property to the point where it really feels like home, we’ve got so much attachment to it,’ he said.
The couple told Phil and Kirstie that they wanted at least two bathrooms and a larger space where they could entertain their loved ones.
In 2019, Caradog was diagnosed with bowel cancer, but was left with a permanent stoma bag after battling the disease. He said: ‘There’s never a good time to be in the bathroom in a busy house.’
Kirstie said she was ‘amazed’ that they were able to cope with having one bathroom between them all for 15 years.
The pair had a renovation budget of £75,000 and a moving budget of £500,000 in 2022. However, Kirstie argued that moving and legal costs would come to £7,869 and stamp duty would be £18,000.
Kirstie Allsopp and Phil Spencer initially visited Caradog and Sarah (pictured) at their home in May 2022
On Friday’s episode of Love It Or Lose It, Kirsty and Phil (both pictured) looked over some of her more challenging projects she has undertaken throughout the years
She presented them with a plan to remove two walls in the dining room and kitchen to make an open plan space and wanted to convert the downstairs bedroom into a utility and WC.
With their extensive budget, Kirstie even suggested they could extend and create a garden room to maximise their space.
She suggested Sarah and Caradog borrow space from two of the bedrooms to create an en-suite, but the couple ended up giving up space entirely from just their room to create their personal bathroom.
They were also able to make a loft conversion which became Sarah’s office, giving them extra storage space and a guest bed to host friends and family.
Speaking in 2025, Phil commended Kirstie on her house transformation, telling the presenter: ‘You did them a phenomenal job and the challenges were many and varied. They needed an extra bedroom, an extra bathroom and a bigger kitchen and they didn’t make the house any bigger.’
Sarah and Caradog viewed other houses with Phil to see if they could be swayed into packing up and starting afresh in a new home. He showed them a redbrick semi-detached home in Sketty for £429,995, but they said they would prefer it if the kitchen and dining room were more connected.
He also took them around another house by Swansea Marina priced at £425,000 and spread across four levels, however, it didn’t have a garden.
Although the pair enjoyed looking around neighbouring areas to see what they could get within their budget, they eventually decided to ‘love it’ and stay in their newly revamped home.
