Christopher Jones and Paloma Quinn Mills bought an unliveable Victorian home in Cardiff for £167,000 and have since added more than £100,000 to its value through a DIY renovation completed over three years.
The three-bedroom probate property was in a serious state of disrepair when the couple took ownership in August 2023. The floorboards were falling through, the bricks were crumbling, and there was no kitchen or working bathroom. Damp reached head height on the downstairs floors, and the upstairs rooms were affected by woodworm.
A discounted purchase with challenges
Because the house was not classed as liveable, it was not mortgageable, and the couple could not get insurance, which is typically required for a mortgage. They paid £167,000 for the property, competing against property developers who planned to flip it for profit. The home had been in the same family for more than 70 years, and as a probate property, the purchase took longer to complete.
Paloma, a vet by trade, and Chris, a graphic designer, were both working as full-time content creators during the renovation. They had no money to pay contractors, so they took on the work themselves, documenting the process online. Their first Instagram reel went viral, receiving more than 11 million views, which eventually led them to focus on content creation full-time.
Renovation and added value
The couple carried out most of the work themselves, excluding electrics, plumbing, and some structural steels. They dug the foundations for an extension, poured concrete, installed insulation and underfloor heating, and built their own kitchen and island from scratch. They moved into the home within three months, initially living without a bathroom or kitchen, using a camping toilet and a fridge next to a pile of bricks with a door on it for two years.
The total renovation cost was under £100,000, covering a fully marbled bathroom, kitchen extension, garden studio, and lofted hallway. An extension that was quoted at £70,000 ended up costing £30,000. Before one room was finished, the property was revalued at £285,000, a figure higher than any previous sale on the street, which had never exceeded £290,000.
Living costs and future plans
The couple bought the property in cash, so they have no mortgage. They have installed underfloor heating but have not yet turned it on for the year. The house, built in 1867, sits on former marshland, so damp has been a recurring issue. The entire back wall had to be rebuilt due to crumbling bricks, a problem linked to the area's history during the Blitz in World War II.
Paloma and Chris do not plan to sell the home, as they have invested significant effort into it. They are considering future projects with more land and may take on another renovation through a business venture, though they are not in a rush to do so.
