FOUR OTHER BRILLIANT BUDGET BOLTHOLES
IN THE programme, Julia meets fellow Brits who’ve also bought property for £10k or under and transformed them into fabulous homes.
UNDERGROUND HAVEN
Amboise, Dordogne Alexis and Lottie paid just €1 for their three troglodyte caves carved into a limestone cliff but had to pledge to reinforce the roof, at a more substantial £8,500 per cave. The couple sold their vintage Citroen car to cover the cost of the first cave and then funded the work on the second (now their home) and third by renting it out. Today, Cave Number One is warm, whitewashed and elegantly tiled with a smart kitchen and stunning bathroom whose roll-top freestanding bath was salvaged from a field for free. The couple, with no DIY experience, have done everything themselves. ‘We didn’t have much choice,’ says Lottie. ‘In the end, doing something like this forces you to do stuff you’re not comfortable with, or are even scared to do!’ PRICE €1 REFURB £8,500 per cave (£25,500 for three caves) TOTAL COST £25,500.89 (€1 currently = 89p)
CITY CHIC
Almeria, Spain Ivan, right with Julia, bought this onebedroom apartment for £8,000 and paid £2,800 on basic renovations. He furnished the property with an inspired use of second-hand furniture and salvaged material, including a lamp made from an old bicycle. PRICE £8,000 REFURB £2,800 TOTAL COST £10,800
RURAL IDYLL
Aljezur, Portugal Surfer Richard, above, originally from Somerset, loves Portugal’s windswept beaches and big waves. He found two hectares of land with a pair of shepherds’ huts for sale, paying £7,000 for the land and then £3,500 to refurbish the two huts back in 2003. They are now the epitome of rustic luxury – stone-built, well-timbered and red-tile roofed. Additionally, Richard has built a self-contained treehouse fully equipped and solar-powered with its own kitchen and an outside bathroom, which he rents out as a third property. PRICE £7,000 REFURB £3,500 TOTAL COST £10,500
CONTEMPORARY HIDEAWAY
Stefan Karadzhovo, BULGARIA Simon and Philip bought their smart, grey two-bedroom cottage on a whim and a credit card back in 2004 – it cost just £7,000. The initial purchase was paid off over the next three years and they refurbished it for £2,000, the bulk of which was spent on flooring and windows. They have since put down roots in the rural village and become part of the local community. Their home has a contemporary downstairs living room, a bijou kitchen and an unusual external staircase, meaning the couple have to head outside to go upstairs to the two bedrooms and bathroom. ‘Bulgaria is still affordable, truly within the reach of a lot of people, and you can live really well out here,’ they say. PRICE £7,000 REFURB £2,000 TOTAL COST £9,000