Understand
DIY SOS volunteers rebuild unsafe Southampton home for deaf couple
Overview
A profoundly deaf couple from Southampton, Ahmed and Rifat Ali, who lost £72,000 on condemned and unfinished building work, had their home completely rebuilt by hundreds of volunteers for the BBC show DIY SOS. Over 150 tradespeople completed six months of work in seven days last October, incorporating specialised technology such as flashing lights and display panels to help the deaf parents manage their home safely.
Key points
- Ahmed and Rifat Ali from Bitterne, Southampton, were left living upstairs with their three children after losing £72,000 to botched building work.
- More than 150 volunteers and tradespeople stepped in to rebuild the unsafe ground-floor extension over a seven-day period.
- The newly renovated home features specialized technology, including alarms with different coloured flashing lights and display panels to assist the deaf parents.
- Show presenter Nick Knowles and designer Gaby Blackman praised the overwhelming community spirit and generosity of the volunteers involved in the build.