A renovation of a gorgeous Welsh house as part of the Love It Or List It television show saw its value increase by £250,000.
Presenters Kirstie Allsopp and Phil Spencer faced their latest challenge on the Channel 4 programme in helping a Cowbridge couple decide whether to love or list a "picture perfect property". The pair were out to help physiotherapist Amy and vineyard manager Louis, who had moved from Cheltenham into the latter's late grandmother's house in Cowbridge back in 2015.
The huge, beautiful house would be a dream home by most people's standards but to the young couple it just didn't feel like home. Along with daughters Willow and Poppy and dog Jerry, the family had moved from a three-bed terrace to the converted barn.
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"I absolutely loved it. I was overwhelmed with childhood memories because my gran lived here. It's quite a special place for me," Louis said.
However, Amy said that she was "wary" about the amount of work that needed to be done to the house. The couple had already changed the roof, re-plumbed and rewired the entire house, installed a new kitchen and bathroom and decorated throughout, saying the process was "exhausting."
But, despite all the work they had put into the property, the couple said that the "long, thin house" still didn't feel like home, with Amy spending much of her time at one end while Louis spent his time at the other.
"It has split us psychologically and physically. We just don't know how to function in this house," Louis said.
The downstairs was made up of four separate rooms - a living room, dining room, playroom and kitchen, as well as storage space and two toilets. The first floor of the house featured two double bedrooms and two smaller ones, plus a family bathroom and study.
"The weight of the question of whether to stay or go has almost become too much and nearly broken us," Louis added.
The situation became even more difficult when Louis was unexpectedly diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, meaning that he gets tired and struggles to spend the day doing DIY. Kirstie and Phil were brought in to help the couple decide whether to stay in the property or find another.
While Amy wanted to list the house, Louis said he wanted to "love the house very much". Amy told the presenters that she was confused as to why they weren't "loving every minute of being" in the house.
Louis said that his diagnosis had made him realise "what's important in life" and that ultimately, if the house wasn't working for them, he would agree to leave, despite having happy childhood memories there.
While Kirstie said the house had her "flummoxed", she added that she had £50,000 to renovate and try to bring the family together. Meanwhile, Phil said he had a £900,000 budget to find a house to better suit the family.
The couple said that they would happily take on a 30-45 minute commute and were looking for a "heart of the home" in a new property.
Kirstie presented a plan to the couple to extend the house's kitchen and create a vaulted ceiling with exposed beams. In place of the study upstairs, she planned to install a second bathroom.
Meanwhile, Phil took them to see a range of alternative properties, the first of which was in Groesfaen, just nine miles from Louis's family. The four-bedroom detached converted barn was listed for £849,000, featuring an open-plan kitchen diner and a family room opening onto a large garden. Bedrooms provided some stunning views over the countryside, while the couple commented on the "lovely" light that spread through the property. While Louis said he "couldn't find anything wrong" with the house, Amy said she had a slight worry that the property was "too rural."
The second property took them to a five-bedroom detached former stables in Porthkerry, just 12 miles from Louis's family and three minutes away from the shops. Listed for £895,000 the property provided views of Porthkerry Park and the viaduct, with two bedrooms having en suite bathrooms and a balcony providing views over to the Somerset coastline. It even had a secret bar, hidden away in a cupboard. However, the house was set near a busy road and close to an airport - something that provided a concern for the couple. Another concern was the size of the property, with Louis saying the house was "too big."
The third property, in Peterston-Super-Ely, was a re-furbished 1960s house and on the market for offers over £670,000. The five-bedroom detached home featured an open plan kitchen diner, with a separate lounge, study, and views over the garden and farmland out the back. Along with a family bathroom, one bedroom had an en suite.
"It's just so calm, I feel restful here," Louis said about the property.
"It makes me feel like I'm on holiday," Amy added.
But, five months after Kirstie presented her plans to the couple, work began on their own house and a £50,000 extension. The build lasted just eight weeks.
The kitchen was extended, the ceiling vaulted and bi-fold doors were installed to create a space for the family to all be together. A new island with a breakfast bar was also installed, with the couple retaining their old dining room table, Aga and cabinets. The room next door was also turned into a formal dining room, with added tables and chairs as well as second hand pieces bought on a shopping trip with Kirstie. In place of their old study upstairs was a shower room, featuring another cabinet purchased on their shopping trip.
And the change had a remarkable impact on the value of the house. While the average pre-renovation valuation was £875,000, the average post renovation value was a whopping £1.13 million. After spending just £59,000 on renovations, the couple managed to add £255,000 to the value of the house.
The couple were then again faced with the difficult decision to stay in the newly renovated - and now even bigger - property or list it. When decision day eventually came, the couple decided to 'love' the property and stay put.
"Having the kitchen as it is has given us that living space for us as a family. It's been lovely," Amy said.
Louis added that the work done to the house had lifted "six years of weight" of their shoulders. However, just a few months later, Kirstie and Phil found out that Amy and Louis were selling their house after a change of heart. The couple decided to put their house on the market and, at the end of the show, were on the lookout for their next "forever home."
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