Savvy couple transform their home adding £70,000 in value using YouTube videos

A SAVVY Sunderland couple is "over the moon" after a DIY transformation boosted the value of their house by 50%.

Rebecca Ridley, 25, and David Mcdonald, 30, slashed costs by using DIY YouTube videos to carry out the refurb themselves,

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When they bought their 1950s three-bedroomed house two years ago it cost just £140,000, but the most recent valuation says it is now worth £210,000.

That's an increase of £70,000 or 50% of the original price - a significant boost thanks to all the DIY.

The couple worked extremely hard to modernise the house, building an extension, fitting new flooring and redecorating.

They estimate that carrying out all the work themselves saved £20,000 on the extension alone.

Lab technician Rebecca told the Mirror: "Dave owns a business fitting windows so he's handsy and can build conservatories.

"A lot of our work was thanks to DIY YouTube videos, they taught us everything we know. We fit our own flooring, built the extension and painted and decorated our house."

One project was to update the decor, which was old fashioned, featuring wood panelling, floral walls and carpeting in the bathrooms.

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There was also red carpet on the stairways, and Rebecca says the kitchen tiling was very dated.

Before and after photographs show that the house now looks completely new, including changes to the front to give it more kerb appeal.

The window framing has changed, the garage is painted, there are new carpets, and the kitchen and bedrooms have been given a new lease of life.

Rebecca says that while Dave was responsible for all the technical handwork, she was behind the vision.

She's added splashes of colour including blue in the bathrooms, and the home is now in keeping with their personal style.

There's even a bar in the garden, ideal for kicking back and treating themselves for all their hard work.

Refurbs can be stressful, but Rebecca says that working on the project has actually made the couple closer.

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She told the Mirror: "We moved in the weekend of lockdown. We've got through stress and turmoil and it's made us stronger. It gives you memories and makes the house feel loved and lived in

"We got the home revalued and it's now at £210,000 we were over the moon."

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