A mold-ridden and rotting property in one of Stoke-on-Trent’s nicest areas left Dion Dublin “excited” about its “absolutely huge” potential in today’s episode of Homes under the Hammer. The popular presenter and former Premier League footballer visited the derelict three-bedroom detached house in Trentham in the latest episode of the hit BBC daytime show.
Dion said the property – located on a “lovely tree-lined street” – looked “a bit sorry” from the outside and needed “some TLC”. With a garage and off-road parking, the house was given a guide price of £140,000.
The inside of the building – just like the outside – showed more signs of neglect. Dion told viewers: “It’s been there for a long time, cobwebs everywhere, mold too.”
After walking through the spacious hallway, he came to the kitchen, which was a “nice size”, but had to be ripped out. The rest of the ground floor consisted of two spacious rooms, but there was one major problem.
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The back room had a flat roof that had rotted and collapsed. “There’s still a lot of work to be done,” said Dion, who still managed to remain positive about what he saw.
“It makes me a bit excited because the potential here – just on the ground floor – is absolutely huge,” he added. Three spacious bedrooms are found on the upper floor, together with a separate bathroom and toilet, leaving room for a private bathroom if necessary.
Outside, the cameras showed a ‘totally overgrown’ garden which Dion described as ‘huge’ and ‘a showstopper’ when cleared.
The presenter concluded: “Don’t be put off by what this place looks like – be positive about what it could be. It has everything. If you have the right plans, the right budget and the right team, this could be the one for you.”
After being snapped up at auction for £221,000, it turned out to be the one for Kate and her husband Simon, a builder who between them had extensive experience in property development. “He’s the builder, I’m the designer,” she joked.
Kate told Dion of their plans to build a four-metre extension to the rear of the property to replace the rotting flat roof, and to create an open-plan kitchen and dining room incorporating the extension.
They also planned to create a fourth bedroom by utilizing some of the generous landing space and fitting in a family bathroom and en suite. The couple set a budget of £100,000 and hoped to have the project completed within eight months, with the intention of selling the property.
Dion told Kate: “I can’t wait, it’s going to be beautiful.” The BBC cameras returned five months later to check on progress.
The new-build home was certainly starting to take shape, although the project was initially delayed because there was an underground sewer pipe at the site of the extension. Work on the expansion finally began after an agreement was reached with the water company, viewers were told.
Kate said: “We have completely gutted every room and we are in the process of renovating everything.”
Presenter and voiceover Martel Maxwell told viewers that although the renovation was still in its early stages, you could see how the changes would give the property the “wow factor”.
As part of the renovation of the ground floor, a utility room and a downstairs toilet have also been created. That floor just needed to be plastered and decorated to complete the transformation.
The backyard has been virtually cleared and ready to be landscaped. Although there was still a lot of work to be done upstairs, the layout had been redesigned.
The couple had managed to create a private bathroom and an extra bedroom. Kate explained that at this stage they had around £40,000 in their budget and were staying “on track”.
With the total outlay likely to be £321,000, Martel asked if it “would be a smart investment?”. Paula Jane Tinsley, from estate agent Whittaker and Biggs, said: “I really like the layout, it’s very trendy. The open plan kitchen is perfect.”
She added that adding a fourth bedroom was a good decision. Paula valued the property at £450,000 to £475,000 once the renovation was complete.
“Oh wow – really pleased!” beamed Kate. “That would be great”. If they managed to achieve the top figure, it would mean a huge pre-tax profit of £154,000 for the couple.
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