This house was pretty ugly when we first moved in and it was completely run-down and unloved,’ says Hayley. ‘The previous owner, a 90-year-old man who had been a chain smoker, had neglected the place and every room needed an update. But we knew the place had the potential to become a beautiful family home and, to be perfectly honest, we couldn’t have afforded a house this size that was already done up.
Part of the reason Luke and I weren’t daunted by the massive undertaking is that we did a complete reno on our previous home, learning some serious DIY skills along the way. Our other house wasn’t in as bad condition as this, but we did completely update every room, including replacing worktops, tiling, and installing a new bathroom. It meant we knew we could tackle most of the work here ourselves and
