A couple has revealed how they bought an uninhabitable cottage and turned it into a modern and sophisticated home for just under £12,000, by doing the work themselves.

Heather Riches, 27, her partner Sam Heemsbergen, 29, purchased their first home in Evesham, Worcestershire, for £181,500 in 2018.

The house was not in a liveable condition, with no sewage system, central heating or even a working toilet.

Freelance illustrator Heather and tree surgeon Sam got straight to work in June 2018, a few days after they got the keys to their new home.

Although they wanted to do most of the work themselves, they did receive tips from Heather's father, who is a trained carpenter, and his electrician friend helped rewire their entire home.

"We decided to strip the whole house back and stay living with my parents to renovate as much as possible before we moved in," Heather told Jam Press

First, Heather and Sam insulated the exterior walls before plastering them, giving them a brand new canvas to work on.

They installed a new sewage treatment and drainage system, digging everything out by hand to keep their costs down.

For the living room, the couple removed their old 1970s fireplace and installed a wood burner but kept the original vintage brick design.

Heather installed another layer of glass on the windows, making them double glazed for some extra warmth.

The couple knocked down the kitchen wall to create an open-plan dining area and replaced their old roof.

Heather also painted the kitchen cabinets and worktops with leftover oak paint from her parents' previous home renovation, saving on costs.

She installed floor tiles purchased from Facebook marketplace and a brand new sink, which was a Christmas gift.

For the bathroom, Heather and Sam installed new tiles and cladding, with plans to install a slipper bathtub in the future.

In the upstairs bedrooms, the couple insulated the walls and gave them a new lick of paint.

Heather also removed an old fireplace in one of the bedrooms and has converted the space into her own work studio.

For the garden, Heather and Sam purchased 17 tonnes of Cotswold shingle and shovelled the dirt by hand to create a driveway.

Heather said: "We managed to buy a lot of things second-hand, such as the old tiles for the porch and bricks.

"We found reclaimed pieces with a subtle patina were much more in keeping with the house.

"For us, the most challenging part was financing the renovation.

"We have learned so much along the way and think we might have avoided some costly mistakes if we planned the work a bit better.

"In an ideal world, we would have fitted central heating first before plastering the whole house, but for us, this wasn't financially viable.

"Physically, the most challenging part was digging a three-metre deep hole for the sewage treatment tank and our least favourite job was the plastering."

The couple took two years to renovate their home and they spent a total of just under £12,000 but they are pleased with the final results.

Heather said: "We are so happy with the outcome, I can't quite believe it's ours to call home.

"There are still so many things we plan on doing, but after looking at old photos of what the house was like it makes me realise how much we've accomplished over the years.

"We are now saving to pay for new wooden windows my Dad is going to make, which for the materials we are going to budget £2,500.

"In the future, I plan on converting the outside stores into a workshop but building supply costs have gone up and I'm not too sure how much this will cost."

In a few words of advice for those who wish to renovate their home from scratch, Heather said: "Plan what work you want to do, know the cost and make sure you budget for any problems that might occur.

"If you're learning new skills, start on any rooms you don't plan on using much, practice your plastering skills in a cupboard or a spare room so when you do any work on a room you will be in all the time, as the kitchen, it will be a lot neater.

"Plan to do jobs in blocks, book time off work to try and complete jobs instead of cramming things in over one weekend.

"Also, invest in the right tools beforehand.

"This may cost more initially but it will make a project much easier and often give a better outcome."

BREAKDOWN OF COSTS:

Insulating the walls and loft - £600
Plasterboard and plaster - £600
Skirting and architraves - £350
Sewage treatment and drainage - £3,000
Paint - £500
Bathroom tiles and cladding - £200
Building materials for kitchen inc roof - £2000
Stone drive - £900
Electrician - £650
Doors stripped - £120
Upstairs windows and fittings - £900
Kitchen - £500
Carport - £1,000
Garden fence and gate - £350
Total £11,670