A couple has transformed an old, run-down 'doer upper' home into a modern and sophisticated space and saved thousands by doing all the work themselves.

Amber Masciarelli, 32, and her husband Trey Masciarelli, also 32, from Bellaire, Ohio, own a start-up together and were both working from home, giving them a lot of spare time - so they decided to take on a big project.

The couple purchased a three-bedroom home for $70,000 (£51,000) in May 2019 and transformed the space over two years using their DIY skills.

"We DIYed the entire house," Amber told Jam Press.

"We did everything together, but we found it to be funny that I liked a lot of the carpentry work and Trey liked a lot of the designing.

"The pandemic gave us nothing but time and we loved the idea of saving money.

"We got our materials from a lot of discount stores, tools and some supplies from yard sales and flea markets including places like Lowe’s and Home Depot.

"The best part is we now get to live in a beautiful home that is debt-free!

"And we’ve learned all these skills along the way which has now changed our lives."

For the living room, Amber and Trey installed plywood on the ceiling and laid new flooring throughout the entire house, including a batten board wall as a statement piece.

The couple knocked down a wall in the kitchen and replaced it with a beam to create an open-plan dining space.

Then, Amber painted all the kitchen cabinets and gave them new handles for a fresh modern look.

To create more storage space, Amber and Trey extended their kitchen cabinets by building boxes above them out of plywood.

Using some leftover lumber, the couple built a kitchen island and splurged on quartz countertops for a sophisticated finish.

Amber and Trey bought a vintage buffet dining table from Facebook marketplace for just $100 (£73) and refurbished it with paint costing $10 (£7) to make it look as good as new.

For the hallway, they redesigned the doors with a geometrical arrow pattern.

Amber and Trey demolished the entire bathroom to start from scratch to install the electrical and plumbing work.

Then, they installed tiles on the walls and floor including a shiplap for a modern finish.

The couple waterproofed the shower before installing glass doors and a brand new vanity unit, costing $650 (£480).

Amber and Trey decided to transform one of the bedrooms into a laundry room, and added six sheets of bricks to the walls, costing $28 (£20) each, and three sheets of plywood as shiplap to change the look of the space, costing $15 (£11) each.

In the master bedroom, the couple knocked down a wall to create more space and refurbished the closet.

They also created a plywood shiplap ceiling and an accent wall for a unique twist.

They also managed to get a free chest of drawers which they refurbished, making it look as good as new.

The master bedroom cost the couple $425 (£311) to renovate.

Amber and Trey decided to remove one of the windows in the master bedroom and redesign the entire layout.

They installed new plumbing for an ensuite bathroom, before tiling the floor.

Then, they created a unique shiplap wall and to finish off, they spray painted the mirrors to match the vanity unit, costing $80 (£60).

Some of the biggest costs came from installing new appliances throughout the house, costing $6,000 (£5,100) and a new roof, also costing $6,000 (£5,100).

They also needed to add new garage doors for $2,000 (£1,700).

The entire home renovation cost the couple just $26,000 (£19,000) - and they couldn't be happier with the final result.

In a few words of advice for those who wish to renovate their own homes, Amber said: "The hardest part is starting.

"Have faith in yourself, you will figure it out! Once we got started, we would study and take notes on the job we were about to do.

"We would start the job and typically mess up, have to take a break and research more into it, then go back into the job.

"When you’re doing DIY home remodel, it will be a lot of trial and error.

"Don’t be discouraged, you got this!"

BREAKDOWN OF COSTS
Interior decoration - $12,000
New appliances - $6,000
Roof -$6,000
Garage doors - $2,000
Total - $26,000