Homes Under the Hammer star Martin Roberts was taken aback after discovering an 'obvious issue' with a property in St Helens, Merseyside. The BBC presenter visited a two-bedroom mid-terraced house with a guide price of £37,000 at auction.
While the property had promising features like double glazing and central heating, Roberts immediately noticed marks on the living room wall with the word 'damp' written on. He joked: 'The writing's on the wall. It's damp.' Using his damp-proof meter, he found the wall felt 'alright' to him.
Despite the potential damp issue, Roberts noted the house was 'not in bad condition whatsoever.' The kitchen and dining area were slightly outdated but manageable. Maths teacher Catherine purchased the property for £67,000 in an online auction, planning a £10,000 budget for renovations.
Eight weeks later, the couple had transformed the interior with a monotone colour palette, new flooring, and lighting. A damp expert revealed only two of the seven suspected walls had damp. Catherine said: 'We thought it was going to be a bigger job than it needed to be.'
The renovation was completed in five weeks at a cost of £7,000, well under budget. The couple hopes to rent the property for £775 per month and are already looking for further investments.
