Cliff Notes – Grand Designs couple reveal incredible £540,000 transformation on rotting barn
- Sarah and Pip initially budgeted £420,000 for their barn renovation but ultimately spent £540,000, significantly exceeding their estimate due to unforeseen challenges and rising material costs.
- The couple faced numerous obstacles, including planning delays, structural issues, and financial strain, which tested their relationship throughout the two-and-a-half-year project.
- Despite the difficulties, the transformation resulted in a stunning home featuring modern amenities and a spacious design, showcasing their dedication and hard work.
Grand Designs couple reveal incredible £540,000 transformation on rotting barn
Nothing could have prepared this Grand Designs couple for how much blood, sweat, and tears they’d have to pour into the transformation of a 150-year-old barn.
Initially, HR director Sarah and her partner, technology director Pip, budgeted £420,000 for the renovation of a Bedfordshire barn, plus stalls and stables, which they purchased for £400,000.
But, in true Grand Designs fashion, they ended up well exceeding their estimate, pushing their relationship to breaking point in the process.
What they ended up with, though, is a home that would make even the wealthiest of people envious—and when you remind yourself of the horrendously dilapidated state it was in beforehand, their graft is all the more impressive.
Presenter Kevin McCloud met Sarah and Pip in April 2022, at which point they had already endured seven months of delays in starting their renovation due to planning issues.
The structure started as, well, exactly that. A structure. ‘Twas merely the bare bones of a barn. You wouldn’t even call it a shed.
The thing was falling apart, with even Kevin himself aghast at the sorry state of the 130-metre-long ‘property’.
But, determined to build a forever home where they could live with donkeys, goats, and chickens galore, the couple got to work breathing fresh life into what Pip originally described as ‘a three-legged cat.’
As the project began, though, it didn’t take long for major problems to arise.
Legal protections meant they could only do minimal digging, and with prices of both material and labour soaring in current times, Sarah declared: ‘Every bit of slate matters.’
Initially, Kevin estimated the full project would cost £700,000 in total, telling the pair that they’d have to spend £1.1million if they wanted a ‘top-class’ finish.
‘We’re gonna do it for half of it,’ Sarah stated, totally certain.
Well, she wasn’t far off, as she and Pip eventually spent £540,000. However, this was just for the barn conversion, having to ditch the two outhouses to preserve cash and resources.
And those weren’t the only things they had to ditch, as the worn-out barn required so much TLC, their own assets had to be sold.
This included Pip’s car, which he flogged for £32,000, and Sarah’s beloved horse, Jimmy, whom she stopped riding, saving £750 per month.
The building was crumbling little by little. As one beam was removed, several others would go with it, and materials Sarah hoped to keep had to be scrapped.
They spent £110,000 restoring walls alone, frugally scraping mortar off bricks to salvage £1.50 per piece and reusing the bricks to rebuild the walls.
At one point, their entire project was nearly thwarted as the couple faced fines from Historic England due to the nature of the barn.
To make matters worse, Sarah had to work throughout, leaving her other half to project manage while she received updates on major failings via text message.
A mere 10 months in and their finances were at ‘breaking point’, as was their relationship.
But, another bank loan later and committing to doing as much as they could themselves or by seeking the cheapest quotes, they finally ended up with a property to be proud of.
It may have taken two and a half years, but both agree the finished product was ‘worth it,’ as the before and after shots are truly mindblowing.
Where the remains of a rotting barn once stood now lies their dream abode with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the water, a spacious living area where the sun beams through, and a £15,000 navy kitchen that gives Meghan Markle’s a run for its money.
All in all, not building the outhouses saved them 100 grand, although it’s a job they’ll have to revisit later.
But for now, their decor is cosy yet sleek, with both his and her offices added instead of extra bedrooms, while their own bedroom certainly wouldn’t look out of place in a grand hotel.
It was a slog, but the end product is truly exquisite, and let’s just say that if this place ever makes its way onto Airbnb, we’re staying the night.
Watch Grand Designs on Channel 4.
