A couple who found themselves priced out of the UK housing market has purchased an entire French hamlet for £26,000 ($33,000 USD) and are saving over £100,000 ($130,000 USD) by undertaking the renovation work themselves. Yip Ward and Paul Mappley, both 52, were living in a caravan in Tunbridge Wells when a friend offered them the chance to buy the property in Normandy in 2020.
After a short visit to France to see the site, they bought the small hamlet for £12,000, funded by selling their belongings and an old tractor. Since then, they have acquired adjacent buildings, now owning seven cottages, two barns, a workshop, a cider press, two traditional bread ovens, and various other outbuildings for an additional £14,000, bringing the total purchase price to £26,000.
The couple began restoring the hamlet six years ago, building by building. They have already converted one cottage into a holiday rental and a converted horsebox from the UK, which has become a popular accommodation. To support their efforts, they have fundraised on social media, and their second cottage is slated for completion by the summer of 2027.
"We definitely see it as the planets aligned. We went and sought out a wreck that had been abandoned 30 years ago and pieced it together," Yip told the Daily Mail. "We're really cracking on now. We say to ourselves we can't believe this whole place is ours."
The restoration process has involved significant challenges, with some cottages covered in ivy and being reclaimed by nature. Paul explained that their friend Ian, a builder with 47 years of experience, has been instrumental in the renovation. Ian, who discovered the couple's journey on their YouTube channel, initially assisted without payment, arriving one day to help remove a large, rotten roof beam. The couple now pays Ian £1,000 weekly from their YouTube earnings.
"We saved £11,000 just on one side of a roof. Take that per cottage doing it ourselves that's £22,000 per cottage, seven cottages which is instantly saving us over £100,000," Paul stated. The couple also benefit from community support, with donations of materials and items, valued at approximately £400 weekly.
Once the restoration is complete, Ward and Mappley plan to live full-time in the hamlet. Despite the potential rental income, they aim to maintain the tranquility of the location. "There is no light pollution, it's a fantastic place and we don't want to ruin it with seven cottages populated with people," Yip said. They intend to use other buildings for workshop spaces, host summer fairs and markets, and operate an outdoor cinema and pizza-making events, utilizing the original bread ovens.
