A builder by trade, Craig Phillips won the first series of Big Brother in 2000.
He has since become a regular face on TV, as a DIY expert on ITV’s 60 Minute Makeover and as a presenter for the BBC, ITV, and Channel 4.
As part of our series, My First Home, Craig explains how he bought his first property in 1995 and still owns it.
Where did you buy your first home?
I bought my first home in Newport, Shropshire. It’s a four-bedroom detached house with a drive and a large garden, plus parking around both the front and side of the house. I bought it for £68,000, 25 years ago.
Why did you decide to buy at such a young age?
My construction business was doing well and so it made sense to buy.
Also, I had been living with my mum and stepdad in a pub which they ran, and they were planning to retire and so I had to find somewhere to live.
What was on your property wishlist?
A small, detached cottage with a lot of space to be able to build a workshop. I wanted the cottage to be quite secluded as I didn’t want neighbours to be able to look through my windows.
I also wanted a personal project, so it didn’t matter how derelict the house was because I was capable of renovating it.
Did you get what you were looking for?
Yes, but it took me two and a half years to find the right place at the right price. I found places but they were over £100k, which was way of out of my budget, and so I just had to sit tight.
Little did I know that the right property was right under my nose – 500 or 600 metres from the pub where I lived, down a little private lane, just off the high street. I had driven down that lane thousand times over the years but didn’t know what was at the end of it.
How did it feel to be a home-owner, once you purchased it?
Exciting, as I was able to jump in and start work on the house. It was a little nerve wracking too, but exciting more than anything because I knew that getting on the property ladder was the right thing to do.
What work did you do on it?
I had to do quite extensive work on the roof, the windows and the doors, which were not high enough to comply with the mortgage company’s rules. So, I secured the sale of the property and did £12k of work before they agreed to give me a mortgage.
Once I secured the mortgage I replumbed the house, rewired the electricity, installed a kitchen and a new central heating system. I also got rid of the carpet and wallpaper which looked like it had been around since the 1940s.
Then I built a workshop on the land. I lived in a caravan while trying to make the home liveable. I lived there for four months and spent weekends and evenings after work renovating the property. The work on it cost me around £70,000.
What advice would you give to first-time buyers?
Just do it. You’ve kind of got to step back to go forward in life. So, if you’re going on holiday two or three times a year, sacrifice that so you can get a deposit together and get on the property ladder – it’s vital.
If you rent for the next 20 years, that is money you can use to pay a mortgage on a property that will go up in value and you’ll finish paying off after 25 years. So, bite the bullet and cut back on going to the pub, buying fancy clothes and get a house.
For how long did you live in your first home?
Close to ten years. I really enjoyed living there. It was a crossover house for me because I had it for five years before Big Brother in 2000, and then after the series ended, I still lived in it for another five years.
Where do you live now?
Me, Laura [Craig’s wife], and our daughter Nelly live on the outskirts of Liverpool. It’s an eight-bedroom detached house with four bathrooms, with a detached studio/workshop we purposely built for our Mr and Mrs DIY work.
The house also has a gym, games room, bar, office, utility room, two balconies, and a nice long open-plan kitchen, dinner and living room.
See Craig Phillips’ creations on Instagram, @craigbigbro1
Do you have a story to share?
Get in touch at metrolifestyleteam@metro.co.uk.
MORE: My First Home: Craig Kelly’s 90s fame helped him get on the property ladder
source https://metro.co.uk/2020/10/27/my-first-home-big-brother-winner-craig-phillips-spent-over-two-years-looking-for-the-right-property-13482719/
0 Comments