A Hertfordshire-couple has recently gone viral for transforming their old house into a luxurious dream house.
After getting married, Lizzy and Phil bought and moved into their home in 2014. Their home renovation took five years to complete as the couple juggled their full-time jobs with their DIY project. They had to complete the renovation work over the weekends and evenings.
They spent roughly £100,000 on the renovation project and did 90 percent of the physical labor. The couple told LADbible that they did most of the work, including "digging the foundations, plumbing the entire house," and converting the garage into four rooms, which was too narrow to accommodate a modern car. They also took care of fitting the kitchen, bathrooms, underfloor heating throughout the ground floor, and installing the pool.
"During the lockdown, we tiled 100sqm of the back garden. It was back-breaking but a great achievement over the period."
Worth the sacrifice
Since they did almost everything by themselves, it is not surprising that they had gone through some stressful situations throughout the project. The couple said that they had to spend six months without heating since the gas was already switched off. They had a year spent with no proper back on the house and constant dust everywhere.
The couple also had to make some sacrifices to save money for renovation. However, those inconveniences and sacrifices are all behind them now. The outcome of their hard labor has been appreciated by those who saw the shared photos of their refurbished home.
The renovated house has full home automation, Lizzy said. That automation includes scene lighting and room-by-room smart heating. Also, the update included whole-house audio and integrated audio-visual system. The updated home now includes a two-story extension plus a swimming pool. The facade of the old house also got a fresh lick of white paint.
They got a lot of help online, they said. Doing research and looking for inspiration on Instagram, Pinterest, and Houzz helped them gain confidence and give their project a go. They do advise that people should decide on what color they want for their house at the onset of their planning. They said they regret painting the house neutral only to repaint later with their preferred color. As they eventually realized, repainting the house is a mammoth job.
Lizzy said that joint planning allowed them to gain a much bigger footprint in their extension and that their neighbor, who is a bricklayer, helped build both extensions at the same time. She is also proud of their garden, which she said was a blessing. The garden sits on a valley, which is a very relaxing place that is filled with wildlife.
"We love so many parts of the house, as we've made it into our space, which works really well for us."
