For many people a property auction is the ideal place to try and bid on a rundown property as either a way of getting onto the property ladder or to 'flip' it – renovating it at speed and then putting it back on the market to make a profit. But even some of the most experienced property renovators were not taken by a rundown cottage hiding in a residential suburb of Newport. It had fire damage and was still full of the previous owner's stuff after they had sadly passed away.
But the initially off-putting condition of the cottage did not deter hardened property developers Verity Winslade, originally from Devon, and local Newport resident Rich Warwick.
As property developers they had already done six renovation projects and were looking for their next property. While they usually had the next one lined up all ready to go they were having trouble finding a suitable candidate until Rich's dad found the Newport cottage on Paul Fosh Auction's website.
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They probably thanked him for helping them to find the next potential project – until they turned up at the open day and saw what was on offer. Yeah, thanks Dad.
Verity, 41, said: "When we went to an open viewing there were people coming out as we were going in saying: 'That's not for me – good luck.' And even the estate agent said: 'You're welcome to go upstairs but at your own risk' because the stairs were completely burnt out. They were there but they were black.
"But we are risk-takers. It wouldn't suit everybody but don't take things at face value – we can see the beauty beneath. It might not look much but underneath it all the beauty might just be living on. We just knew we could make this one a bit more special."
That desire to make the cottage beautiful again resulted in a bit of an online auction tussle with four other bidders and more than 70 bids in total but the pair managed to win the war and picked up the keys for £114,500. Then the real work began.
Verity said: "It actually didn't really smell of smoke – it had a slight tinge but it wasn't what I was expecting. It was more the rubbish than anything – there was rubbish everywhere. But it actually wasn't particularly smelly – it didn't stink. Well, I didn't think so. It was more tinned stuffed, lots of tins of fish, so it was all contained – and we only found three dead rats.
"It was an accidental fire by the former homeowner who was happy living in the cottage his whole life so the windows were black and there were either no frames or they were completely warped and the front door was in a mess – it was black. But the stone walls and the roof – the actual structure of it was okay. It could have been a bit daunting for some people and everyone thought we were mad but now our friends think it is stunning – they now all want to live there."
But there was a mountain of work to do before the cottage could shine again and their friends could feel understandable jealousy. The first phase of work was the week it took to clear out the house before the 'back to bricks' project could begin and the renovators knew that with this property they wanted to go over and above a basic update to ensure that the hidden character of the cottage was revealed again.
But it was the garden that caused the most work and drama. Verity said: "We took in over three tonnes of scrap metal which we found in the garden. There were 17 bikes and two canoes too. We also discovered there were two sheds in the back – both totally full. There were gas bottles, clothes, tyres, and we cleared a lot of wood too.
"But there was so much beauty at the property – especially in the garden under all that rubbish. We haven't planted a thing – all that loveliness outside was already there – just hiding."
The projected timescale for the project was an ambitious four to five months but in reality it took seven with the garden still needing attention right up to the day the cottage was put on the market with local agent Pinkmove.
Inside the house the renovation project included expanding the size of the kitchen to create a sociable kitchen diner by removing the dividing wall with the original adjacent bathroom. But that meant there was going to be no bathroom facilities at the site so some creative thinking was needed and a single-storey side room attached to the cottage was the perfect candidate.
Verity said: "The current bathroom was being used as a shed at one time and I think an outside toilet at one point. You couldn't even get in there – it couldn't have been accessed for at least 10 years."
The bathroom is a perfect example of the care and attention to detail Verity and Rich have brought to the cottage during the renovation. The result of the project could have been a grey and white basic box but they were determined to add extra colour, character, and charm so the bathroom has a section of exposed stone wall, traditional fixtures and fittings, cottage-style internal door, and a roll-top bath positioned to get the best view of the garden from the bubbles – albeit through frosted glass.
Additional design features to notice include the use of a soft heritage sage green tone for the kitchen that then appears on the staircase and bedroom wall panelling, ceiling beams, and window lintels. In addition there are more stone walls to admire, either exposed or white-washed, and the cottage-style internal doors that showcase metal ironmongery as a finishing touch can be found throughout the house.
Verity said: "I like the feature wall in the little snug room, the kitchen is beautiful, the fire is original – we've just painted it and restored it. But I think the garden has got to be my favourite – just such a lovely space, almost tranquil."
As with almost every renovation project there were a few challenges and the main one at the cottage was the electrical supply and rewiring. Verity said: "The second time there was a fire they cut the electricity off from the source, on the main road, so there was no electric so we had to dig a trench all the way down the path from the main road to the house, and then [the utility company] had to come out and lay the cabling and inside a new fuse board and rewiring was needed too – that was all quite a job.
"Rich hit a water pipe while he was digging the trench and it belonged to the neighbours but he fixed it and they were all right about it. The neighbours were fab actually, lovely neighbours, and they are really pleased [with the renovation].
"I think the cottage was sold in about a week and we had great feedback – my partner's got a lot of skills and a lot of confidence. He knows he can do it and I just do as I'm told. I think if you've got the skills you should absolutely go for it – it is so rewarding.
"But I don't think we'll ever do one like this one again – this one was more of a challenge and is rare to find. But you never know."
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