Accidental Renovators - anyone watching?

[SirChenjins]

I think I’d have walked if my BF had mistakenly bought a falling down house in Dunoon instead of a flat in Glasgow, but she’s obviously more forgiving than me. What’s the story with them, does anyone know?

I follow them on Instagram. Have done for a while. Will need to watch this.

They fucked up at the auction and bought the wrong house or something like that. Yeah I'd have divorced him too!!

instagram.com/whathavewedunoon?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

I remembered reading about this when the accidental purchase happened and they said at the time they intended on sticking with it and renovating it. Fair play to them, would have been so easy to cut their losses and put it right back on at the next auction but they’ve done really well. I couldn’t believe how game they were with that tiny caravan and the outdoor kitchen which they relied on for like, two years!

I don’t use Instagram - came off all SM a while back, so can’t follow them that way. Fascinating programme though. What do they live on? I could see from some articles they had £10k for the renovation and some brands picked them up on SM, but that looked like far more than a £10k building site, and their food etc must come from somewhere?

For a couple so young they’re doing an amazing job.

The last episode alluded to Cal taking joinery jobs offsite which paid for materials. That plus the volunteers, gofundme and Instagram deals has probably been the basis for it.

I follow them on insta too after a story on them a while back

From memory Cal is a carpenter so he works on that inbetween renovation jobs

Sometimes they have to pause on plans while they build up the funds, sometimes friends help them out and they help with their diy in return

It's fascinating story and the house is looking fabulous now. It's definitely a thing only a young couple used to roughing it could make a success of!

Ahh ok, that explains it - I couldn’t work out where the money for the tools and equipment had come from, and he obviously knew one end of a saw from the other so it makes sense he works in the trade.

It's definitely a thing only a young couple used to roughing it could make a success of Definitely. My back and hips wouldn’t stand up to that level of roughing it these days - 30 years ago I’d have loved it!

don't think it was as "accidental" as they would like to have us believe. They have got a whole BBC series and lots of coverage from their "accident".

Oh I don't really care if it's a publicity thing tbh. I don't think it is, they've taken years to get it to a stage where even a part of it was livable. I find it way more entertaining than Grand Designs with their inflated budgets and 'project managing'. They're bringing a neglected house back to life.

I follow them on Insta too - have to really admire them for what they have achieved.

I wonder what Claire's background is? She is now a total pro at plastering, having been a novice.

The programme mentioned her doing some cleaning/hospitality work to bring money in.

I do get the definite impression that they’re both from fairly well to do families though - I wonder if there’s a bit more to the story and a bit more financial support than we’re led to believe

I like their reuse and recycling ethos too.