A British woman bought a derelict two-story house in Liverpool for £1. She then spent £56,000 on renovations, but has since run out of money to complete the job — take a look.

Amanda GohAug 26, 2022, 07:34 IST

The exterior of Maxine Sharples' renovated Victorian terrace.Maxine Sharples

Maxine Sharples, 35, bought a crumbling £1 house in Liverpool, UK, under a government scheme.
She quit her job to manage the renovation and did much of the work herself — including bricklaying.

In 2015, Maxine Sharples applied for a government scheme that allowed people to buy a derelict property for £1. She was 28 and wanted to try her luck at getting into the housing market.

A collage of Maxine Sharples and her renovated home.Maxine Sharples

In 2015, Maxine Sharples applied for a government scheme that allowed people to buy a derelict property for £1. She was 28 and wanted to try her luck at getting into the housing market.

Four years later, in 2019, Sharples received an unexpected phone call saying she had won her bid. She was allocated a run-down Victorian terrace that had been sitting empty for almost 15 years.

The house sat abandoned for 15 years before Sharples came along.Google Maps Street View

Four years later, in 2019, Sharples received an unexpected phone call saying she had won her bid. She was allocated a run-down Victorian terrace that had been sitting empty for almost 15 years.

But it wasn't easy: All the windows were smashed in and the interiors were damaged due to the leaky roof. The 645-square-foot house didn't even have an electrical supply.

The interiors of the house were in terrible condition.Maxine Sharples

But it wasn't easy: All the windows were smashed in and the interiors were damaged due to the leaky roof. The 645-square-foot house didn't even have an electrical supply.

"Immediately when I first walked into the house, I thought 'This is dark. This is dank. This is not going to be good for my plants,'" Sharples said.

The original interior walls made the house feel dark and cramped.Maxine Sharples

Just as she was about to begin her renovation, the pandemic struck and the UK went into lockdown. Unable to find builders within her budget, Sharples decided to take on the bulk of the work herself.

Sharples learned bricklaying and joinery work so she could complete part of the renovations herself.Maxine Sharples

Just as she was about to begin her renovation, the pandemic struck and the UK went into lockdown. Unable to find builders within her budget, Sharples decided to take on the bulk of the work herself.

To achieve her "upside down" house design, the first thing Sharples needed to do was to gut the interiors completely. All the inside walls and the loft had to go.

Sharples gutted the entire interior of the house.Maxine Sharples

Even the exterior was in bad shape: The paint was chipped and the roots of a budding tree had damaged the brickwork on the house's facade.

Scaffolding around the building.Maxine Sharples

Sharples' favorite part of the entire renovation was adding the skylights to the roof.

The skylights in the roof made a huge difference to the house.Maxine Sharples

Halfway through the renovation, Sharples decided to move into a campervan to save money.

Sharples' campervan.Maxine Sharples

In August 2021, Sharples found herself in a dark place: The house was nowhere near complete but she was running out of money and felt disillusioned by her situation.

Sharples standing on a platform, insulating the wall.Maxine Sharples

Sharples' friends chipped in, splitting the DIY jobs and helping her decide what needed to be outsourced. Slowly, her house started to take shape.

Progress photo of the carpentry work in the utility room.Maxine Sharples

The entire second floor and her bathroom were complete about ten months later, in June 2022, and the city council was no longer threatening to take away her keys.

Progress photo of the carpentry work in the kitchenMaxine Sharples

On the outside, Sharples kept the exposed brick facade and painted her bay windows pink and purple — although this "is not how it's supposed to look," she said.

The exterior of Maxine's renovated house.Maxine Sharples

Sharples estimates that she has spent about £56,000 so far, but half of the house is still incomplete. While the first floor is wired and plastered, she can't have anything downstairs because there is no flooring.

Alternate view of the second-floor area, where the kitchen is located.Maxine Sharples

Sharples estimates that she has spent about £56,000 so far, but half of the house is still incomplete. While the first floor is wired and plastered, she can't have anything downstairs because there is no flooring.

Even though the house is unfinished, Sharples has moved in because she can't afford to rent another place to live.

This is what the completed second floor of Sharples' house is supposed to look like before she brought her bed in.Maxine Sharples

Reflecting on her experience renovating an old house, Sharples realized she had been naive about the amount of work and money that was required of her.

The utility area at the staircase landing of the second floor. The door on the left leads to the living area.Maxine Sharples

Despite the ups and downs of her long journey, Sharples is excited she finally has a proper place to call home thanks to the city council's scheme.

The completed bathroom.Maxine Sharples

I spent a night partying in Bangkok, the world's nightlife capital. The party ended at 2 a.m., but the night was as memorable as ever.

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A British woman bought a derelict two-story house in Liverpool for £1. She then spent £56,000 on renovations, but has since run out of money to complete the job &mdash; take a look.

In 2015, Maxine Sharples applied for a government scheme that allowed people to buy a derelict property for £1. She was 28 and wanted to try her luck at getting into the housing market.

Four years later, in 2019, Sharples received an unexpected phone call saying she had won her bid. She was allocated a run-down Victorian terrace that had been sitting empty for almost 15 years.

But it wasn't easy: All the windows were smashed in and the interiors were damaged due to the leaky roof. The 645-square-foot house didn't even have an electrical supply.

"Immediately when I first walked into the house, I thought 'This is dark. This is dank. This is not going to be good for my plants,'" Sharples said.

Just as she was about to begin her renovation, the pandemic struck and the UK went into lockdown. Unable to find builders within her budget, Sharples decided to take on the bulk of the work herself.

To achieve her "upside down" house design, the first thing Sharples needed to do was to gut the interiors completely. All the inside walls and the loft had to go.

Even the exterior was in bad shape: The paint was chipped and the roots of a budding tree had damaged the brickwork on the house's facade.

Sharples' favorite part of the entire renovation was adding the skylights to the roof.

Halfway through the renovation, Sharples decided to move into a campervan to save money.

In August 2021, Sharples found herself in a dark place: The house was nowhere near complete but she was running out of money and felt disillusioned by her situation.

Sharples' friends chipped in, splitting the DIY jobs and helping her decide what needed to be outsourced. Slowly, her house started to take shape.

The entire second floor and her bathroom were complete about ten months later, in June 2022, and the city council was no longer threatening to take away her keys.

On the outside, Sharples kept the exposed brick facade and painted her bay windows pink and purple — although this "is not how it's supposed to look," she said.

Sharples estimates that she has spent about £56,000 so far, but half of the house is still incomplete. While the first floor is wired and plastered, she can't have anything downstairs because there is no flooring.

Even though the house is unfinished, Sharples has moved in because she can't afford to rent another place to live.

Reflecting on her experience renovating an old house, Sharples realized she had been naive about the amount of work and money that was required of her.

Despite the ups and downs of her long journey, Sharples is excited she finally has a proper place to call home thanks to the city council's scheme.

A British woman bought a derelict two-story house in Liverpool for £1. She then spent £56,000 on renovations, but has since run out of money to complete the job — take a look.