A couple bought a fixer-upper country house on Facebook Marketplace, and then things got really exciting.
Moving house is a big deal, but for Chris and Becky, the trouble started before they even began packing. They wanted to make a house their forever home, but their plans to move to Wales fell apart when the sale chain broke.
Without a house, they had to look for a new place fast, even though they thought they were done looking in Wales. Chris shared: "We had already sold our house so we found ourselves homeless. Our friends Sarah and Ian offered us a place to rent in Hay-on-Wye while we continued our search, which was lucky and kind because the Covid lockdown made things pretty tricky," reports The Mirror.
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They thought they would move to Tenbury Wells near the Welsh border, but that didn't work out either. But sometimes you miss out on houses because they're not right for you, and the perfect one is still out there waiting.
Chris and Becky stumbled upon their dream home in an unexpected place - Facebook Marketplace! Chris said: "We saw a house on Facebook Marketplace and as soon as I saw the photos I thought, 'that's the sort of place I want', but assumed it would already be sold. We had to wait all weekend to contact the agent on Monday morning, and when we did, he didn't seem too keen to sell it!"
However, when they finally got to see the house in Wales, it wasn't quite what they had imagined. Chris, who works in IT sales, confessed: "The house looked pretty run down, and on the viewing day, Becky wasn't too impressed at first and told me not to make an offer, which was just as well because the agent said he wouldn't accept one until we'd had a good think about it and a second viewing."
"But I fell in love with it from the start and could only see its potential, although in hindsight, I should have maybe considered how much work was needed. The interior was okay but all the rooms needed some work and the outside was really in a bad state. I just loved the space and how the house sat nestled in the hills with the sweeping drive and large barn."
Chris used both his heart and his head when considering buying this dilapidated house in the countryside. He managed to convince Becky that this could be their dream home. The stunning Welsh landscapes surrounding the property and its peacefulness certainly helped.
He asked a builder mate to check out the house. Even with lots of repairs needed, he wasn't too worried.
The garden was wild and the small buildings were broken, but Chris stayed happy. He said: "It was all exciting stuff and in my mind's eye it all had great potential. The oak-framed barn had been added about 12 years earlier but never completed so that was a project on its own. I didn't even really think about the interior as I just thought that would all get done in due course."
Chris and his family spent three years making their home nice, and it's nearly finished now. The first year was for fixing big things like water problems and making the barn strong.
Chris mentioned: "This decision proved to be a good move as we later had to move into it. We also finished off the hallway and storage space, putting in a polished concrete floor with underfloor heating as well as a bathroom and spa as this would be a future gym area."
In the second year, they made the outside of the house pretty and started on the inside too. They even made an office above the garage.
They fixed up the land around the house too. Chris shared: "At the rear, we created an orchard, with a retaining wall to tidy things up. Wherever possible we reused items found around the property, large piles of stone including some very old ornate cut pieces are dotted around the new structures creating features."
"We also cleared out the two streams which run through the grounds and replaced the wall and path to the front of the property as well as a patio area to the front of the gym. Oh, and I planted over 300 trees, that was hard!"
After three years, the couple finally moved into the main house. Chris shared: "Then things got a little carried away. We had to replace all of the windows so did this with double-glazed wooden sashes to match as closely as possible the originals, also restoring some of the front windows to what we think was their original shape and size."
"We took the opportunity to insulate as much as possible, roof, walls, floors. The existing walls and floors were all uneven and the electrics and plumbing all needed work so we decided it was best to start from scratch. Again, pretty much everything that came out has been re-used, all the floorboards now being used to clad the walls in the barn and workshop."
Living on-site during a big fix-up can be super stressful, and sometimes it feels like it will never end. Chris said: "We were living in chaos, Becky likes a clean house and everything in order, this whole project was the antithesis of that."
Chris and Becky had a big job on their hands with their house. Chris said: "We failed to appreciate the sheer scale of things and the volumes of materials required, and the winters were very, very cold no matter how many logs we burnt."
When things got hard, Chris and Becky would walk their dog in the hills. "We got a dog just after moving in (I had waited 26 years) and the surrounding hills were ideal for going for a walk to talk things through. No matter what issues we were facing, a couple of hours walking and talking would always see us come up with a plan and a brighter mood." Chris explained.
They really like their almost done home, especially the kitchen and main bedroom. They've still got bits to finish, but they're proud of what they've done.
Chris is happy with their home now, saying, "There will always be projects and the garden will certainly keep us busy for many years to come but we are now in a comfortable place and the heating works! We have ample space and scope to create our dream garden as well as grow some vegetables and fruit. The dog has the run of the place, as do the chickens."
They don't want to fix up a house again, but Chris suggests, "Plan, plan some more, then plan again. Don't rush into stuff as you may change your mind or see a better way of doing something. I'm not typically great at creating a formal plan but luckily cash flow prevented me from making some rash decisions."
Chris shared: "Seek professional advice, we used Amy at Greta-Mae Interiors to help us design the interior and this probably saved us a lot of money in the long run. Do not underestimate the hidden costs, small things add up, nails, glue, screws, masking tape, paint brushes, these alone can run into thousands."
"Above all, be patient, seek advice, and get good trades in. Facebook Marketplace can throw up some great bargains, a spiral staircase, eight massive sliding doors, milk churn bar stools... and, of course, a house!"
Remember Chris's tip when you're online looking for a bargain like a secondhand chest of drawers - you might find yourself with an old house that takes three years to make lovely again. And if you love great property stories, renovation tales, and home decor ideas, come join our Amazing Welsh Homes Facebook group.
