These handy homeowners did up their house after watching tips and tricks on YouTube and Tiktok which allowed them to make a whopping £35K ($45K) in profit.
Freya Money and her partner Lewis Stanley renovated their home using social media to teach them tips and tricks such as how to lay out laminate flooring themselves and even how to fit a kitchen.
The couple from Crawley, West Sussex, UK, were blown away by the towering numbers their ideas had been quoted for, prompting them to roll up their sleeves and take on the monstrous challenge of converting their cosy abode into a modern masterpiece.
Freya, A HR advisor said: “Four months in, we have knocked down walls, ripped out and put in a new kitchen, added in new flooring and carpets, completed three bedrooms and a downstairs toilet, costing us a total of £15K.
“We had the estate agent round and after valuing he said we’ve added £50K so far.”
After purchasing their £440K ($540K) home in January 2023, the pair moved in three months later, making it their goal to renovate the main bedroom and living room.
With just the kitchen and flooring quotes being way over budget – Freya and her electrician partner, Lewis, decided to go through with a full DIY renovation, doing everything in their power to keep the costs down.
Six months prior to buying the house, the duo managed to put half of their monthly earnings straight into a savings account.
They also avoided using a mortgage advisor and went with their estate agent’s recommendation for a reasonably priced but good solicitor.
The couple made sure to stock up on appliances in advance of buying their home, while also bargain hunting on platforms such as Facebook Marketplace.
While Lewis used his sparky skills, they both spent time watching tutorials on YouTube and Tiktok, which taught them the ins and outs of difficult tasks such as fitting in a new kitchen.
Freya explained: “We started to buy furniture and house appliances before we moved in, so we weren’t having to pay for that when we have a mortgage to pay for too.
“We tried to do everything as cheaply as possible; we did as much of the renovation ourselves to save on costs, and we reached out to our family and friends who are in the trade, such as plumbers, builders, and plasterers, to help and guide us.”
She added: “We watched videos on YouTube and Tiktok to get advice on how to fit a kitchen, how to fit flooring—there’s so much advice out there that you can get for free.
“The saving process was hard, and you really have to be serious about it if you want to save up enough to afford a house and the deposit.
“You need to be realistic and only buy a house you know you can afford.
“That’s why we went for a house that needed a bit of work.
“We wanted the challenge of doing it ourselves, so we could save costs on that side.”