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From wreck to dream home
Four daring renovations prove just how rewarding taking on a project property can be, says Jenny Tucker
It’s far more than a lick of paint. Taking on a doer-upper is complicated and time-consuming, often stretching your problem-solving skills and decision-making (how many configurations of bathroom tiles can one person deliberate?) to unprecedented limits. Yet renovating a property from scratch also means the opportunity to create the home of your dreams. Want a high-tech office? Go for it. Fancy an open-plan kitchen/dining space? It’s yours. En suites in every bedroom – why not?
With Zoopla, the property website, declaring that the housing market is “on track for its busiest year since the global financial crisis”, there is a boom in buyers keen to move, but also, after spending so much time in our own four walls, a desire to create a home that ticks every box.
Tom Greenacre, managing director at Purplebricks, the online estate agency, agrees: “After lockdown, a lot of people are rethinking what they want from their home. ‘Project properties’ are particularly popular, and we’ve seen a big increase in demand for older houses that need renovation work.”
What’s more, if you opt for a wreck, or a place stuck in a time warp, it’s likely you’ll get it for a decent price. Any improvements will only make it more desirable and add value – but make sure you are thorough when researching the basics. One friend of mine bought a dilapidated 18th-century cottage at auction only to find the dry rot was so bad, a hard shove to a wall brought half of it crumbling down. It was a pricey wake-up call.
Like most dreams, it helps to broaden your mind. Think outside the box and contemplate the wilder possibilities. There is big potential in transforming a decrepit Victorian terrace, or even a disused school, church, barn, railway station… I recently heard about one family who turned a tumbledown pigsty into a stylish bolthole. And perhaps now is exactly the right time to be daring. After the past 16 months of being forced to rethink how we live, the idea of transforming a tatty ruin into a gorgeous home has never been more appealing.
Location was the key to it all. Peter and Marilyn Selencky, childhood sweethearts from Derbyshire, had lived in various places, including overseas for many years, but wanted to return to their roots. It was the uninterrupted south-facing garden views of the stunning Dales that swayed them.
“The original three-bedroom, twobathroom bungalow had been owned by a couple in their 90s,” says Peter, “It was extremely dated; we wanted to change everything. We did consider demolishing it, especially as there is a VAT exemption on new builds, but ultimately renovation was more costeffective, and it meant a lower carbon footprint. We asked our son, Sam, an architect, to get involved, especially as we knew the planning permission would be complicated because the bungalow sits in the national park. The application took a year to be approved.”
The aim was to conceive a contemporary open-plan home, filled with light and space. Because the bungalow is on a sloping site, the front appears as a single storey (helpful when pushing for planning as it doesn’t look too different from the original), but at the rear, there is a new garden room with an extended terrace and two double guest bedrooms converted from garages. “We were fortunate enough to have the involvement of our son,” says Marilyn, “But I would advise everyone to invest the time talking to their architect about their needs, how they intend to use their home and what they would love to achieve. The more detail you can share, the better chance you have of creating a special home.”
During the 18-month build, the couple rented a flat nearby so Peter could manage the process and Marilyn could concentrate on the finer details. “I am old school,” she says. “I do use the internet for design ideas, but I like to visit suppliers. I have to see and feel things before I buy.”
Next month, the couple will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary with a family gathering at their new four-bedroom, four-bathroom bungalow. “We have the space for everyone to congregate here, plus it’s a beautiful setting,” says Peter. “This bungalow is totally in tune with the way we want to live. We feel extremely lucky.” selenckyparsons.com
“The interior is completely unrecognisable from when we bought it five years ago,” says Stephen. Back then, it was a dilapidated cottage with four boxy rooms and a crumbling lavatory downstairs. Today, the living area is a vast open-plan contemporary space, with concrete floors, a stunning kitchen and an extension into the garden.
There are design delights everywhere, such as the beautiful wet room, which Stephen admits was “a real head scratcher” as it had to satisfy the couple’s different preferences for a bath (Stephen) and a separate shower (Miranda).
“Originally, there was no bathroom upstairs, so we had to create one,” he says. “While it was being installed, I wasn’t sure it would work. Now it’s my favourite room.”
The couple had always loved this area of De Beauvoir. “We were determined to buy a house here, and back when the market was pretty fierce in 2016, we paid a hefty £1.2 million for this property. The renovation cost us another £200,000, so I doubt the figures are that much in our favour. But we are delighted with what we’ve done, and this is our home for a very long time.”
Because the cottage is in a conservation area, there are strict rules around building above ground level. They were turned down multiple times for a small extension on the first floor.
“So the focus had to be on the ground floor. We removed the interior walls to create this lovely open living space and extended out from the rear.” The renovation took about 10 months, and Stephen kept a close eye on it. “Funny story: we rented a flat around the corner, but it was actually Miranda’s ex boyfriend’s place. He was going travelling and heard we wanted somewhere to live. Sometimes it helps to stay friendly with your ex!”
Stephen would advise anyone opting to renovate to put the time into research.
“Starting from scratch can be daunting,” he admits. “So the more you explore your suppliers and tradespeople, the better. When we decided we wanted concrete floors downstairs, I spoke to four different companies.
“Another key consideration: your builder is going to be the most important person in your life during renovation. So make sure you pick someone you can trust and who you don’t mind seeing for the best part of a year.” allandnxthing.com