A couple purchased an “unlivable” flat in London and have already increased its value by 20,000 pounds ($25,000) by turning it into their dream home step by step—thanks to DIY tutorials on YouTube.
Rochelle Taylor-Butcher, 29, and Angus Ord, 30, a data scientist, bought their one-bedroom flat in Kingston, South London, for 260,000 pounds ($320,000) in March 2023. When they first moved in, the flat was in disarray with peeling wallpaper, mold on the walls, and a musty carpet.
Despite being DIY novices, the couple learned how to do plumbing, install a kitchen, and sand floorboards by watching YouTube videos. By doing the work themselves and using free and recycled materials whenever possible, they saved nearly 9,000 pounds ($11,000) instead of hiring professionals.
While the renovation is still ongoing, they have already added 20,000 pounds to the property’s value.
“The whole flat had a musty aroma. It was as if no air had been let in,” she added.
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“I never thought I would own a property … I grew up in South London and always lived in Housing Association property. My parents never owned a property, so it didn’t feel like part of life. It felt like a luxury to have that,” she explained.
She continued, “I just feel overwhelming contentment and peace that we are settled, and this is our actual space. Blood, sweat, and tears have gone into the floorboards and the walls, we are now part of the flat.”
Ms. Taylor-Butcher mentioned that the kitchen had old 1970s cabinets and uneaten cornflakes behind the dishwasher.
“Nothing could be salvaged from it,” she stated. “There were stains, rust, crumbling tiles.”
Over the past year, the couple worked on renovating the property while juggling their full-time jobs and weekends. They learned plumbing, cutting in, tiling, and installing IKEA kitchen doors and cabinets through YouTube tutorials.
The house now looks completely different with painted walls, new tiles, and a revamped sitting room.
The IKEA kitchen they installed themselves cost only 5,000 pounds ($6,000), almost half the price of professional installation. They saved money by using various hacks, including assistance from family members for rewiring.
“We paid for the materials at cost price, and all the labor was free of charge. So that really saved a massive dent,” Ms. Taylor-Butcher mentioned. “We’ve tried to think of ways that we can achieve what we want but with cheating the process.”
“You don’t need to have incredible polished wood for your skirting board, it could just be a bit of MDF,” Rochelle commented. “Angus loves to buy gadgets and research tools, but he’s very much the epitome of ‘all the gear no idea.’ Sometimes I have to intervene. We thought, ‘As long as we’ve got a kitchen and we can shower somewhere, we’ll be alright.’
The couple saved 3,000 pounds ($3,700) on kitchen installation including plumbing, 700 pounds ($870) by sanding the floors themselves, 3,000 pounds ($3,700) by having a family member handle the electrical rewire, 300 pounds ($370) by removing the old bathroom themselves, and 900 pounds ($1,100) by decorating the kitchen and living room themselves.
The couple moved into the property in August of last year and have turned the flat into their ideal home.
“Once we moved in, it was very much like, ‘OK, it all works now so this is fine,'” she remarked.
For those starting a housing renovation, she recommends utilizing YouTube and taking it one step at a time.
“You could probably build a house just by watching YouTube,” she said. “There’s so much information out there you just have to look for it.”
Epoch Times staff contributed to Please rephrase this sentence.
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