Meet the contestants
Rachael, 28, is a single mum of two. She works as a beautician, but described her business as ‘on the back-burner’ because of the kids. Her builder father renovates houses abroad, but she doesn’t believe she could ever buy her own home.
Aeron, 26, is the maintenance manager for a local riding school. He lives on-site at the school in a basement flat beneath the farmhouse. When applying for the show, he expressed his nerves knowing that his home and job are intertwined.
Find out what Aeron had to say about his experience of being on The Great House Giveaway.
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What did they do?
Before
The property was in a very sorry state, looking like it hadn’t had much work done in decades. It needed total gutting, with a new kitchen, electrics, plastering, damp-proof course and work on the chimney needed. But a generous £20,000 renovation budget gave them the chance to make significant changes.
After
The pair were able to add value largely in modernising the property, with no major reconfiguration or extension. French windows give a nod to today’s family lifestyles, with a four-piece family bathroom a fantastic selling point.
Result: £15,300 profit
Watch our teaser trailer for Rachael and Aeron's episode
Our expert's view
Scott Hendry, Director of Auction Relationships:
"The guys did well to come away with a profit, but I think they realised fairly early on how difficult renovating actually is – especially if you’re doing it around a full-time job.
"As the saying goes, if it were easy, everyone would be doing it.
"It was a really smart choice to keep the original roll-top bath and introduce some antique-style fittings in the bathroom and kitchen, as it’s these rooms that sell homes."
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