Couple bought house on Facebook Marketplace - then 'things got carried away'
A couple bought a rundown country house on Facebook Marketplace, and then things got a little out of hand.
Moving home can be stressful, but for Chris and Becky, the problems started way before they packed their stuff and loaded up a van. They had planned to call a house their forever home, but when the buying chain above them fell apart, their dream of moving to Wales was shattered.
Without a home, they had to quickly start looking for property again, even though they thought this part of their Welsh dream home adventure was over. Chris said: "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."
The couple thought they were moving again, this time to Tenbury Wells near the Welsh border, but once again, they missed out when that sale also fell through. But sometimes, houses come and go because they're not meant to be yours, and 'the one' is just waiting for you to find it. Sign up for the newsletter here for more property stories sent to your inbox twice a week.
The rundown country house on the day of the viewing (Chris and Becky Brown)Chris and Becky found their dream home in the most unexpected place - Facebook Marketplace! Chris shared: "We saw a house on Facebook Marketplace and as soon as I saw the photos I said, 'that's the sort of place I am looking for', but thought it would probably already be sold. We had to wait all weekend to get hold of the agent on the Monday morning, and when we did he wasn't overly eager to sell it!"
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But when they finally got to see the house in Wales, it wasn't exactly what they expected. Chris, who works in IT sales, admitted: "The house looked pretty run down, and on the viewing day, Becky was not so keen on first impressions and forbade me from making an offer, which was just as well as the agent said he would not accept one until we had had a good think about it and a second viewing.
"But I was smitten by it from the first moment and could only see the potential, on reflection I should have maybe considered how much work was required. The interior was okay but all the rooms needed some work the outside really was in a sorry state. I just loved the space and how the house sat nestled in the hills with the sweeping drive and large barn."
The kitchen is one of the couple's favourite spaces (Chris and Becky Brown)Chris used his heart and his brain when thinking about buying this run-down house in the countryside. He convinced Becky that this could be their dream home. Being surrounded by the beautiful Welsh landscapes and the peacefulness of the property helped a lot.
He asked a friend who was a builder to visit the house. Even though there were tons of repairs to do, he wasn't too worried.
The grounds were overgrown and the outbuildings were falling apart, but Chris stayed optimistic. He recalled: "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 fixing up their home, which is almost done now. The first year was all about fixing the big problems like drainage and making the barn strong.
The renovation of the barn had started but needed to be completed (Chris and Becky Brown)
Insulation and plasterboards going in (Chris and Becky Brown)Chris said: "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 look nice and started making the inside beautiful too. They even turned the space over the garage into an office.
They also worked on the land around the house. 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!"
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Who wouldn't fall for this stunning location? (Chris and Becky Brown)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."
Floors and walls coming down as the couples work seemed endless (Chris and Becky Brown)
Chump on the breakfast table to get the best rural views (Chris and Becky Brown)It wasn't just the mess they had to deal with every day, but also making sure they had all the stuff the builders needed and keeping track of money to pay for it all. Chris added: "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."
Chris and Becky found peace in the hills when times got tough. Chris shared, "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."
They love their nearly finished home, especially the kitchen and main bedroom. They still have little bits to do, but they're happy with their hard work.
The first year was taken up mainly by structural work (Chris and Becky Brown)
The barn was completed first so the couple could live in it (Chris and Becky Brown)Chris said, "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 renovate again, but Chris advises, "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."
Becky and Chump as the principal bedroom starts to take shape (Chris and Becky Brown)
The principal bedroom ensuite fitted out with natural materials used influenced by the landscape (Chris and Becky Brown)Chris added: "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.
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