Couple transform Amersham barbershop into dream home

Rollo, an acquisitions manager, and Olivia, a solicitor, purchased the £576,000 property as part of their endeavour to climb the property ladder.

Appearing on Channel 4’s George Clarke’s Amazing Renovations, the couple initially intended to give the worn-out three-storey building a new lease of life.

However, they soon discovered a plethora of issues, including a staggering £418,000 renovation bill with repairs needed to be done to the roof.

Presenter George Clarke noted that the building, first established in the 17th century, was 'knackered' and hinted that the renovation project could significantly overshoot their one-year deadline.

As their wedding approached, the couple found their finances strained.

Rollo confessed that they dipped into their wedding fund and had to 'count pennies.'

Speaking to George, Rollo said: "The property was on the market for £650 [thousand] originally and we paid £576 [thousand]. We had to dip into our wedding budget."

"Not just dip, scrape!", Olivia added.

Rollo explained further, "We're basically counting pennies to get it across the line.

"Our budget is £350 [thousand] with a bit of contingency".

The historic building, once named Amersham Hairdressing Salon, had operated as a family-run barbershop since the 1800s.

After more than 300 years, the Grade II listed building was in considerable disrepair and required extensive work to be transformed into their dream home.

During the renovation process, George discovered that a removed stud wall was load-bearing and that many roof timbers were too 'rotten' to save.

The roof had to be rebuilt, causing more delays and expenses for the couple.

Despite the mounting challenges and their wedding in the offing, the couple managed to complete the renovation in 14 months, converting the old barbershop into a home with three bedrooms, an ensuite bathroom, and a roomy office.

They even converted the attic into a gym and a home office.

Sharing his feelings about their achievement, Rollo told George: "It's still pretty surreal".

Olivia added: "We're just very, very lucky to have such a beautiful home… it’s very overwhelming actually."

Even though the couple had reserved a 20 per cent contingency fund, they had to exhaust it.

"It being a listed building they always present challenges so I think we came into it with a sensible contingency.

"[We spent] £418-ish [thousand]… we were creaking at the seams by the end but we got there.

"And who knows what the future holds?

"I think we’re going to be here for a long time and we can put down some roots and build a life down here".

You can catch up on Monday night's (March 18) episode on Channel4.com