Young man gorgeously transforms a 200-year-old cottage he inherited from his grandpa
As young adults, owning a house isnât as easy as it used to be.
Rising prices in mortgages and rent, distance from work and school, proximity to places where you can unwind and connect to nature â there are a lot of things to consider.
But a young man from Mullinahone in Tipperary, Ireland took a different approach.
Not far from his parentâs home in the countryside, lies a derelict and deteriorating cottage. There were holes in the roof, the walls are chipped, and the interiors are crumbling apart.
Most people wouldâve thought that the property is better off demolished but who wouldnât want to live in a cottage in the middle of a picturesque Irish countryside?
Jack Shelly, 26, is a recruitment consultant.
But that didnât stop him from pursuing his idea of turning their familyâs 200-year-old cabin into a cozy cottage that mixes heritage and modern comfort. The idea came to them when they realized that the house was just sitting there rotting.
âSo my grandad bought this house in 1950 when he was just 29-years-old,â Shelly discussed the history of the house in a video posted by Itâs Gone Viral. âHeâs my grandad on my fatherâs side. So my father, his parents, and his 5 brothers and sisters grew up in this 2 bedroom house with no insulation and single-glazed windows.â
His grandad lived in the same house until he passed away in 2010.
He was 89-years-old at that time. Since then, the house lay vacant with no one really living in it or looking after it at least. And even as the parts are beginning to creak and rot, the house holds so much history that they canât just tear it down.
And if they canât tear it down, they might as well give new life to it. To document the houseâs journey through the process, Shelly took to TikTok to update his followers. People flocked to his video to witness the transformation, with one of his posts receiving over 3 million views.
They cleared out weeds, overgrowth, and debris then quickly went to work. Their working budget is tight with only âŹ25,000 for the whole building.
They inserted new roof slats to cover the holes. They also installed new insulation on the roof and refilled gaps on the walls.
They tried to preserve most of the structure but also made it livable and comfortable.
Throughout the process, Shelly explained that the renovation in itself wasnât the hardest part. It was the part where he had to learn a lot of how-toâs, especially when it comes to heritage structures.
âI wouldn’t have massive experience so I had to learn as I went. Every job I did was slow because there was a lot of tinkering and figuring it out.â Shelly explained to the Irish Examiner.
For other young adults who are also looking for properties, Shelly suggested looking at old derelict properties as well.
âI have a good few friends who have houses, whether they came from the grandparents or whatnot, and the houses are sitting there derelict. I think people would surprise themselves with how capable they are once they get started,â Shelly said to the Irish news outlet.
In his journey, he didnât only end up with an amazing house, he also found internet fame.
See the transformation in the video below!
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Source: YouTube – Jack Shelly. TikTok – @jackshelly8, Irish Examiner, Facebook – Arron Crascall