A Co Antrim woman has shared the impressive transformation of her home on a £5,000 budget.
Lee Taylor's property previously featured on Belfast Live, with the Larne woman now sharing what the house looked like before she got stuck in.
The 42-year-old began making over homes during the first lockdown when she transformed her partner's home.
She then bought and sold a different property before buying this small two-bedroom townhouse as her second project which is up currently for sale - and has told Be why she made this decision.
Lee said: "I was renting in Belfast for a long time paying around £500 per month and saved I up some money to buy a property. When I looked at property in Belfast you did not get a lot for your money.
"I viewed a few properties [for this second transformation] and I wanted to help first time buyers get on to the market as mostly they save enough money to buy a house but do not have the extra funds to renovate it.
"I like to choose a property that I feel I can complete most of the work myself, as labour costs is where you save the most money.
"The house was listed as £65,000 but I got it for £59,000. The budget was £5,000 and the time frame was six months to complete and sell.
"It is currently on the market [with] offers over £70,000 and I hope to achieve around £75,000, making me a potential profit of around £10,000.
"I do all of the painting and wallpapering, I'm quite good at joinery so I do panelling, build gazebos and bars etc myself. I also do the tiling myself. I completed my first floor in the second house, so I'm getting better at it and I'm also learning to plaster with a tradesman friend of mine.
"I try to do everything in the property that I can myself, apart from bigger jobs like plumbing, electrics and flooring.
"I can sometimes get a bit overwhelmed some days when I walk in and there is so much work to be completed and I can't see an end in sight. But when a room or a project is completed, I get a great sense of satisfaction that I did it myself."
Now after completing two properties and also a rental makeover, Lee is looking for her third house to flip.
She added: "My dad taught me most of my DIY skills and helped me with my last house. He sadly didn't get to see this one completed as he passed away suddenly, so I dedicated this one to his memory and I hope he would have been proud.
"My background is in fashion, I have a degree in Fashion Management from Manchester University and in my past I mainly made wedding, formal and some Irish dance dresses, but I've always had a good eye for interior design - from soft furnishings to upcycling furniture.
"I traded my car in and bought a van in the summer.
"I have a full set of tools and you will always find me in B&Q, Haldane Fisher or at the dump.
"I recently reduced my contract hours with my employer so I can do both at the minute, but I hope to maybe do it [renovations] as my full-time job in the future.
"I like to add a bit of personality into my designs, like feature wallpapers. Most people, if you showed it to them, would not be brave enough to choose it, but when they see it done for them they generally love it and it's easy changed if not."
The Larne woman also shared some top money-saving tips and added: "Doing most of the work yourself is the biggest saving, but also having the correct tools makes jobs easier.
"I have collected a good set of tools which I am constantly adding to. And good prep is key.
"My tip is go to the restores or charity shops as I picked up a bathroom suite for just over £100. If your kitchen base units are good then just replace the doors and handles etc as this will save a lot of money."
The 42-year-old explained how she works out a budget for renovating a property.
"Depending on the house and how much needs done to it, I choose a budget that will work for the house. I look at the street value of other houses in the area and see what I think I can potentially sell the house for.
"There is no point in spending money that you will never get back as every street has a cap, no matter how nice you do it," Lee said.
Photo credits: Before images by Lee Taylor and after images by Matthew Scott/Independent Homes.
Have you recently completed your own house makeover or renovation? Email be@belfastlive.co.uk to be featured!
