I bought and renovated my first home aged 21… it was disgusting but I transformed it using Facebook Marketplace
A DIY whizz has revealed how she bought her first home aged 21 and transformed it from a “disgusting” mess using Facebook Marketplace.
Beth Bird has shared on TikTok how to renovate your home after her cut-price overhaul of a “disgusting” two-bed semi in East Yorkshire.
Beth bought the property with her fiancé when she was 21 and he was 26 – describing it as the “worst house on the street” at the time.
They have now managed to transform it in just a year, while keeping costs to a minimum.
Beth shared the process with her 16,000 TikTok followers, documenting her budget DIY hacks and garden makeover advice.
The couple snapped up the property for just under £140,000 and have spent only another £6,700 on the massive revamp which has left the property looking unrecognisable.
She funded the changes while studying psychology at university, taking on side jobs such as cleaning caravans at local holiday parks.
She hired workmen to install a new boiler but committed to “save thousands” by doing the rest of the work herself – including having an eye for bargains she could snap up online or in discount stores.
She said: “A new kitchen alone could have easily cost the total we have spent on all of the renovations.”
She tackled the kitchen by applying vinyl and paint, then decorated her office for just £2 by painting on simple wall art.
Beth went on to tell NeedToKnow.co.uk: “We up-cycled a very old TV cabinet and coffee table that we got for free and only £10 on the Facebook Marketplace, saving hundreds on new furniture.
“I bought huge canvases for £12 from The Works and used cheap all-purpose filler to create the texture and acrylic paint.
“I’d never even painted a wall before this renovation and it’s amazing seeing how far I’ve come with my confidence and skills.”
She had been living at her family home as a student while saving to invest in her first property, adding: “We were super-lucky to be in a position to buy while interest rates were still low from the pandemic.
“The area we live in, though beautiful in places, is deprived – house prices are much lower than other areas, particularly anywhere down south.”
But despite the condition of the home before she moved in, she relished the challenge.
Walking on the bathroom carpet for the first night was pretty horrific
Homeowner Beth Bird
Beth insisted: “I felt excited over anything – a little disgusted at the state the last owners left the house too, but mainly excited.
“After months of waiting to get moved in, I couldn’t wait to get started with the process.
“I ripped up the carpet in the bathroom the morning after getting the keys and started stripping the wallpaper the same day.
“Walking on the bathroom carpet for the first night was pretty horrific.”
Setting out advice for others to follow, she suggested taking “before and after” pictures to help with motivation and tracking progress.
She urged people to “enjoy the process, take your time and document everything”.
She added: “Take as many photos and videos as you can – it sounds silly, but you really do forget what it looked like before.
“Having those photos reminds you of how much you have achieved – it’s also super-satisfying to see the difference.”
Her current challenge is “transforming my mum’s bathroom with vinyl and vlogging the process on my TikTok”.
Beth said: “Much like I did with my kitchen, it’s a budget transformation to save ripping everything out and starting again.
“I’ve loved the whole process – I’ve learnt so many new skills from doing a lot of the work myself and I love looking back on the before pictures to compare the transformation.”
Others who have shown off their renovations include a man from Swansea in Wales who turned an old horse box into a luxurious truck.
Another man added £100,000 in value to an 1800s farmhouse by transforming it into a Barbie-style dream home.
Meanwhile, a couple from Cardiff who were “fixing up” their new home made a shock £12,000 discovery beneath a rotting carpet.