A DIY-loving mum has saved an incredible £97,000 by learning how to build an extra bedroom in her home with the help of YouTube video tutorials.
Emma Green, 50, Cheshire, was eager to give her sons, aged Jake, 16, and James, 13, their own bedrooms but was quoted £100,000 for an extension on their family home.
Needing a cheaper and faster solution, she decided to get creative and split her master bedroom into two, instead spending £2,844.
Once Emma’s master was split, the boys were able to have a room each, while Emma moved into their old room, giving everyone their own space.
To start, Emma sketched out a plan and watched YouTube and B&Q video tutorials to learn how to build a stud wall.
Aside from hiring tradesmen for jobs including hanging new doors and re-routing a cable she had accidentally cut through, Emma was able to create the new bedroom herself – completing the centre struts, insulation, plastering, wallpapering, painting and hanging the blinds herself.
With additional advice from wood merchants and hardware store staff, she was able to make two new spaces independently for her sons, with the project taking her six weeks to complete as she did it during evenings and weekends.
She finished by redecorating the rooms using upcycled furniture.
“My boys are of an age where they needed their own bedrooms – lockdown only emphasised the need for their own space,” Emma, who runs law firm CD Law, told Jam Press.
“My mum was a big DIYer and I have inherited the passion.
“I took my sketch to the wood merchants who were incredibly helpful and told me how much and type of wood I needed.
“The only small disaster I had was I decided to open up the old doorway cut the wall down with my jigsaw to make a banister and new landing – unbeknown to me there was a cable routed around the previous door frame.
“As the lights were flickering realised I there was a problem, and I sent out a distress call to my electrician cycling friend who was able to save the cable and re-route it under the floor and up the wall.”
Emma and her boys are thrilled with the finished look – and the amount of money they were able to save in the process.
She said: “I’ve saved thousands – I was getting eyewatering quotes from builders with limited availability.
“There are lots of resources out there both online and in-person, so [I’d advise] don’t be afraid to ask for advice.
“Wood merchants and hardware stores are filled with staff who are super experienced and helpful – they were always taken aback when I said what I was doing, and one laughed until I showed him the before and after pictures.
“Give it a go, you’d be amazed what you can achieve. However, I would say always seek professional help for skilled jobs such as electrics and plumbing as you could end up with a disaster on your hands.”
COST BREAKDOWN:
Building materials (wood plasterboard, insulation, interior doors) – £500.28
DIY materials (Painting, plaster, filler, paint, rolls of brick wallpaper, rollers, banister etc.) – £705.04
Two roller blinds – £39.30
Plasterer – £250
Electrician – £100
Joiner – £150
Carpets for boys rooms – £300
Plumber (replace one radiator with two under each window) – £300.00
Designer stair carpet – £500.00
Total: £2,844.62
In other news, man transforms car for £33 with sander and wall paint because he hates red
