Homes Under The Hammer’s Martin Roberts was left speechless during a recent visit to what he described as the show’s smallest ever property, a tiny Welsh ‘doll’s house’. The house, located in the Garw Valley village of Pontycymer, north of Bridgend, was so small that Martin initially walked right past it, exclaiming, “You are having a laugh, wow, blink and you’ll miss it!” The property consisted of just one room, leading Martin to conclude, “You’ve basically got one room – that’s it!”
The single room was originally a commercial unit but had been granted permission for residential use. Martin discovered a set of narrow stairs leading down to another single room on the lower floor, where someone had started creating a small shower room and bedroom. However, damp issues were already causing problems with the plasterwork on the main external wall. Martin was visibly puzzled by the property, stating, “It’s all rather perplexing… It might just be one of the smallest properties I’ve ever encountered in twenty years of Homes Under The Hammer.”
The ‘doll’s house’ went to online auction with a guide price of £27,000 and was ultimately purchased for £43,500 by Carol, a postie and part-time property developer from Malvern. Carol admitted that her spontaneous purchase, just 68 seconds before the auction ended, was a moment of madness. Despite not thoroughly researching the property, Carol saw potential in the quirky house and decided to take on the challenge.
With a budget of around £10,000, Carol and her partner Steve embarked on a renovation project to transform the tiny house. The property underwent significant changes, including addressing damp issues, redesigning the lower ground floor layout, installing a new staircase, and updating the kitchen, shower room, flooring, and decor. The transformation impressed viewers, with the property agent estimating a potential resale value of up to £60,000.
Although the couple incurred a loss due to exceeding their budget with a total spend of around £63,000, they found a silver lining in renting out the property to a local tenant. Despite the challenges faced during the renovation, Carol and Steve embraced the experience, with Carol reflecting, “You can’t put a price on the fun we’ve had.” The ‘doll’s house’ saga was featured in Homes Under The Hammer series 27, episode 28, where viewers witnessed the remarkable transformation of the smallest property ever featured on the show.
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This news article discusses Martin Roberts from Homes Under The Hammer being taken aback by the smallest property featured in the series, located in a Welsh village. The article details how the property’s unique characteristics and spontaneous purchase led to a challenging but ultimately successful renovation project, showcasing the determination and creativity of the buyers.