We Scots are well known not to bullshit or tolerate it. We can be alarmingly forthright, but that’s because we probably like you! Otherwise we would just ignore you.
well, I congratulate you on being extremely brave with answering a range of highly personal questions. Part of me thinks that it’s nobody‘s business but your own, but let me also say how enormously I admire you both and what you have achieved and I wish you both well in your endeavours as you are obviously thoroughly decent and splendid chaps.
Of course it's nobody's business. But this is social media, where everybody feels the NEED to share every personal part of their life, how they shower, what they eat, what their sexual preference is, etc... Social media!
Because you are both such grounded, no nonsense , transparent, and enthusiastic people you're bound to do well on social media and have so many more followers should you get a property in Italy or English countryside. I find your style and good taste sooo refreshing after seeing nothing but identical grey, beige and white interiors on YT. Feliz Navidad from Valencia (not the devastated part thank God).
16:17 love love love this , it’s been so long since people have been transparent on TH-cam so proud of what you’ve been able to build and buy loving the content !!!!
I live in social housing, a carer so exist on benefits. But l never look bitterly at people who have much more than myself. You worked hard for it, well done, and l can't understand why anyone is bitter about others good fortune; it just denotes a poverty of the soul, and a lack mindset. I dont think of myself as poor, thats because l live simply and within my means. I love watching content like this, and the truth is a life of luxury costs alot of money, to maintain it you have to keep on working hard all rhe time, its not as easy as we suspect, but rewarding to these guys. Good on them.
I don’t think people are bitter. They just question if it adds up. Ash says he works in banking for 6 years. That would have made him 19 when he started. You normally need a 1st degree in finance to even have a chance of entry in to these city companies. So that doesn’t add up. Chad, well I can understand being successful in business and selling it can make you a lot of money, but chief marketing officer for nearly 5 years? Yeah cause you become chief in a company in your 20s when you grew up in working class Scotland? I smell BS. Sorry, there isn’t any such job as chief marketing officer anyway, it’s a made up title for show. 600k in cash? Hu. It’s just common sense, and most of these bloggers on TH-cam make a living out of selling a lie and people are sheep and follow it all. Ash spends most of his videos endorsing products and gets paid to do it. There’s your first clue.
@ Daniel, jealousy is a horrible trait and it doesn’t suit you. Chad’s career and success is well document online, having built several successful tech companies, and is how we were able to buy a house outright. I don’t usually entertain such vile comments, but I made an exception for your stupidity.
@ it’s not jealously. I couldn’t care less about your lifestyle. I’m quite content thank you. I’m not stupid or a sheep. I can just see through the baloney. I’m Scottish. I know full well what Scottish ‘Chads’ are like. They talk out their arse. I’m only here because your channel came through my TH-cam recommendations. Don’t worry, I’ll mark it as ‘not interested’ next time.
The most honest interview of this type that I have seen. You have created a beautiful home ignore the naysayers. You both came across as really genuine,
I am so impressed with what you have done with the renovations and improvements to the property. You should be very proud of what you have achieved so far.
To tell the truth, I do feel that your thoughts about tradies are true everywhere, not only London! I live on the other side of the world in Australia and my experience is much the same as yours. The old timers are trustworthy. The tradies who look like high fashion models are best avoided. Thank you for the video, both to you Ash and to the now non-elusive Chad! (He is as handsome as you!)
The two of you are being so organic with your Q&A video, and being yourself - which is quite rare. Love your content. Greetings all the way from Namibia🇳🇦.
It's so refreshing to be part of your platform. I particularly enjoyed your honesty about where you are in your lives. Not knowing what the future holds. And sharing your relationship and lovely home. Respectfully, K
You two are funny! ☺️ I don’t normally like Q&A’S but I really enjoyed this one! Thank you for your honesty with everything.. some great tips & advice! Your home is beautiful x
Hi from the other side of London! I loved this video and it's great to see real transparency when talking about purchasing and renovating a home. You are both great on camera, looking forward to seeing more of you.
A lot of your experiences with builders are exactly why I taught myself to do most trades (apart from plastering and roofing) even with plumbing and electrical I will attempt anything that is not directly connected to the boiler or the consumer unit. I installed all the radiators, bathroom fixtures, 1st & 2nd fix woodwork, tiling and spotlights etc. I agree about the kitchens, I am putting a B&Q kitchen in my current house as I am not staying here, I am not prepared to spend more than the area dictates as I will never recoup the cost.
@@ashmazzina I learned a lot watching TH-cam. Seriously though, there some great teachers here. I took a week off work and spent it in my yard teaching myself to solder copper pipes, one of the best things I ever did. 🤣
Thank you both for such a refreshingly honest video. You have a beautiful home and when you do decide on your next move I will be interested to follow your journey.
This was a really great video to get to know you guys. No BS, no pretense. And just when I thought nothing could top Ash’s accent, along comes Scottish Chad! 😀
Thanks for this interview and to being so open ! Love the plans for the future and being able to change your live is a great opportunity ! But before making any plans, enjoy this beautiful house where you are living your lives and keep this as your home right now ! Love the video and thanks again for sharing !
Well done guys. I find videos with transparency so refreshing. The numbers can always reveal life decisions that can be really helpful. Thanks for sharing.
Hoping to move from our shared ownership flat to our first house in a couple of years and just found your channel looking for inspiration. So sorry that you get so many bitter comments about money, you both seem so lovely. Keep up the amazing work your house is gorgeous.
Hello from Cambridgeshire 👐 Chads advice about money and picking builders is spot on always get a few quotes, I'm glad you guys had decent builders, it's very difficult sometimes to make a judgement on that and I think you have to trust your gut feeling on the person too. Living in the countryside is awesome, I used to live around London and although it took me a little while to adjust, I wouldn't go back. Really enjoyed this video guys can't wait to see what's next with the house xx
This was such a good Q&A session: honest, informative and funny. Thank you for sharing your house purchase and renovation experience. Looking forward to seeing your future plans develop: Tuscany within driving distance to a beach, or Oxfordshire or the Cotswolds. Difficult choice. Wishing you all the best.
Thank you guys for such a nice and open dialogue. I don’t live in the UK, however, I enjoy enormously your videos and their content. I live in a townhouse here in Ohio, USA and I’m also remodeling it. It has been a long process with very rewarding results.
Thank you very much for the great video. I love your content! You are a great couple and I wish you all the best and a wonderful time in your house. Best regards from Zurich
Great to get to know you both better. I love your house ( I live in a Victorian house). I admire what you have both achieved and look forwards to your video's. God bless you both.
Thank you so much for your transparency especially on your reno journey and the mistakes section! I’ve learnt so much from this video and reassuring to hear that making mistakes throughout the process is normal.
Great video and really appreciate the transparency and context around a lot of your decisions. Social media can definitely make you feel like you are being “left behind” when it comes to material possessions, but the majority of time people don’t disclose the financial support or fortunate circumstances that get them there. Regarding your thoughts about leaving London - you both remind me so much of me and my partner. After 8 years in London we just got fed up and moved to a quieter country area about 30 mins from Amsterdam. Best decision we ever made. So I’d say go for it - you won’t regret the peace and quiet!
Your total honesty is very refreshing. 👍 Rarely have I heard anyone be so honest about their house renovations & their lives. I agree that not every decision will be perfect. I had an addition built during the early days of COVID. I'm 97% satisfied but would change a couple of things if I could go back in time. That's Life! P.S. LOVE the mirror in your bathroom. You got it for a steal. Burgundy and gold is a classic combination for very good reasons. A strong color can support all that Gold. 🏆🏆🏆 Cheers from the USA
My partner and I moved to East Sussex to a grade 1 listed close to South Downs. Loved the Downs and the Birling Gap cliff walks and Beachey head etc A Lovely property. But we missed London so much. Luckily we were able to return. We have also gone off old properties and now like modern light apartments, they are easy to heat and convenient. We live close 4 minutes to the new Elizabeth Line. To us London has everything and we aim to stay. We now want a camper van in our underground parking bay to enjoy Europe in winters and stay also in Airbnb and campsites or wild spots. Areas around Nice Italy Spain etc.. good luck guys we’ve made tons of DIY mistakes. It’s all fun in the end, just enjoy the memories. We eventually learnt to tile and put in our own kitchen. Tradesmen are great but they can also let you down and have done on many occasions. We’ve got more chilled by learning and doing things more slowly.
😊😊I totally agree about kitchens and bathrooms and completely understand about the mistakes you made.What impressed me watching your progress is you are thorough and learn from your mistakes.
The cost of trades question was really revealing. It seems like a universal reality. Here in Australia, there's a chronic shortage of tradesmen, and prices are high. The other issue I've come across is the "pink tax". They see two gay men in a half nice Edwardian house and quote accordingly. We've developed a habit of leaving dishes in the sink and clothes and towels hanging off chairs when tradesman are coming out to quote. We also make sure only one of us is here, dressed poorly, and we hide the nice car in the garage 😂
It's crazy but true, also in shopping for vintage pieces, the difference in how you dress can sometimes even halve the cost of a piece. Like Chad I get really irked when I realise I've been ripped off.
I agree! In my country you’re lucky if you even get one tradesman to come take a look let alone five. If you’re a single female you get taken for a fool who doesn’t know a thing. Sometimes I ask my neighbor to do the talking for me (not that he knows anything about building) just to get a more realistic estimate of the costs. I’m lucky that my house isn’t big so they can fit my works in between two big jobs. I resorted to taking classes in the basics like gardening, painting, basic electric and the like. I even considered to change my dating approach 😂. Luckily my teenager does want to help and he just learned how to saw and install skirting boards.
@@ikkelimburg3552Tell me about it. In my small town (not UK) I could never ever find five tradespeople for quotes❗On the other hand, word of mouth usually finds you a good person. Yes, it's good if you know a bit about what the job entails.
Just found your channel today. Have now looked over a few of your previous vlogs, house is lovely, the work out front is tremendous. For the same house in Tynemouth where I live is about 350 to 400000, 4/5 beds can go upto 600000. It amazes me that you are still able to get a lovely house like yours for about 700000, with London on the doorstep, simply fabulous!!
Loved this Q&A... thank you for being so transparent on the reno and I have gratefully noted down some worthy tips from you. Its lovely to get to know you a bit better and just saying... I don't find Chad elusive at all... very open and honest, both of you. Also, as someone who loves Italy in all the ways, Ive been thinking of moving there myself. Im hoping you do move there... would be fun to witness :)
Just found your vlogs by chance this is my first time watching you both, I really enjoyed it thank you for sharing part of your life you are both such nice guys I have now subscribed and will start watching the rest of your vlogs thank you 🙏🏻
VERY likeable couple - honestly brave pleasant ambitious accomplished - Ash for sure the young one looking for tiny bit of approval/guidance seems to be complimenting each other very well - great to see👍👍👍👍
Thank you, Ash and Chad, for this enjoyable video. I love watching all your home improvement and decorating videos. I enjoyed listening to your Q+A session to learn more about you. I am impressed with you both. You are professional, discreet, and engaging. You are talented and gifted. Having a home in London and one in Italy sounds like a great lifestyle. You have so much to look forward to in the future, especially to be blessed with raising children one day. I look forward to your next project and learning more about you both. All the best from New York City, Robert.
Speaking from experience, if you're going to live outside London spend a lot of time there first to see the reality of life without everything we have in London. If you're going to commute, even just some days, take several train journeys at rush hour to test the service before you move. Those 'fast' trains are not always frequent and the service can be terrible e.g. one runs late then you miss the connection and are stuck on a dark rainy platform for an hour. Don't just look at the timetable! I was priced out of London, went to a small town in lovely countryside, there was almost nothing to do, the coffee shops were limited and not great, lovely independent shops but none that I actually used week to week, and the nearest city was a trek. Great Western Rail is appalling so I went into London far less than I thought I would. It was very isolating. After a year I moved back to the South-East, to a town with lots of amenities. I realise how lucky I was in London to have a choice of restaurants, coffee shops, bars, any kind of food, any kind of shop, cultural activities, easy transport, and everything modern and forward thinking. So basically, think amenities, trains and what your daily life would actually be like. Not just the rolling hills and country cottage!
There are many independent kitchen companies in and around London that source kitchens from Germany and design specifically for your kitchen. My experience has been fairly good with pricing too. Also there is nothing wrong with bringing children up in London, it's diverse and there are good schools too.
Hello gentlemen thank you for your clear and frank Q and A session. I have decided to subscribe to your channel as both your personalities are soothing and not too influencer lead. I am a Londoner from Tottenham where my family still live. My partner and I decided to move to the Norfolk countryside 10 years ago to raise our son who is now approaching 18 years old. Best move ever. The London I left is not the crazy London that I visit now. People don't seem real. My partner is from Yorkshire and worked in London for 32 years and leaving was his suggestion. We had a 3 bed semi in Enfield and 15 years ago our loft conversion which was a large bathroom and a massive room which we used as an office and cinema room and the conversion all in was 45,000. How times have changed. Your home is lovely and I agree we all would change experiences when moving house etc. We moved to a 7 bedroom listed manor house with 4 acres of land etc. Love it but it is hard work to maintain the grounds without staff which we cannot afford and getting permission for everything is time consuming and we are in a hamlet so we have basically made our home an open house for our son's friends to stay so he has a social life out here. Can I say that the life split between the UK and Italy sounds wonderful and Tuscany and Cotswold sounds perfect. However your not retired and a bolt hold in a lively town like London is worth holding on to and enjoying till your at least in your 40's or start a family. It does offer so much entertainment. I am in my late 50's and still enjoy visiting things in London even though Norwich offers so much Good luck, keep posting and hope to see more of BOTH of you. ps thanks for the Nom recommendation. as a potter their designs are right up my street and good for inspiration .xx
I live in a nice village in central Scotland, the prices down south actually horrify me , here you can get a brand new 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom detached house for around £300,000, older houses arent that much more, I have got to agree with you about builders, I hate getting them in, more times that not, Im disappointed with their work. I love your honesty . A relative called in wren kitchens for a quote , he was in her home 8 hours and refused to leave until she signed on the dotted line, she had to phone her husband to come home from work to throw him out , she still cannot get over it.
The weather this year in Scotland has been exceptionally bad, I have sat in my garden 4 times this year, it’s has rained nearly non stop since last October!
What a lovely introduction. You make a good couple. Thank you for answering such personal questions. We’re all nosey. Happy to hear you want wee ones in the future. When you said this was your forever house & you weren’t doing a loft conversion I figured the house was too small. But it will be a great investment property. Btw, was watching a real estate vid & the house had a huge Victorian tile walk up path. Made me think of you 😊
I just stumbled across your vlog as I was strolling down my algorithm and I am so happy to meet you both. I have subscribed and am excited to be part of your tribe. I have lived and travelled all over the world yet Italy is truly my most beloved country and to have a home in Tuscany is still my dream. I shall now delve into your past vlogs.
this was the best Q&A ever!!! You guys are awesome and love the that the 'elusive' Chad has participated in this wholeheartedly and such honesty guys. Nice to get to know you both a little more and I truly would advise you to go and live in Italy at least part-time, because Italy is Italy. I lived there most of my life and it is awesome in a lot of ways, & some less of course lol...
New to your channel so binge watching! The house you viewed seems soulless! I know the idea of clearing everything and putting new floors and everything white seems like a good idea.
Great wee video! So nice to see you both doing a video together. How did you sort out the damp? I’m in East London and have a Victorian terrace that needs attention. I’m sure it’s rising damp. 💜🫶🏻💜
Find the source, stop it, then re-render your wall. Don’t pay thousands for damp treatment, it’s a scam. Ours was coming from a leaky tap below the floorboards and the previous owners paved the patio tiles above our damp proof course!
Thanks for sharing. Some food for thought. Remember watching a video on front of your house, the detail to your curb appeal. Maintaining details of how the house was built and presenting them at their best. Overall good job!
😊😊Your attitude to trades people is wise,common sense.I have a house book which contains every job,date and price and who did them.Its amazing how you can forget what and when jobs were done.
I grew up in the east end and left there 11 years ago, your home is beautiful. well done you........I was so glad to hear you say it was hardwork and you brought the house cash. well done you.
We're a couple of years ahead of you guys. Bought a rundown house in an "up and coming" London area before lockdown, it went up 30% now we're moving to Ibiza and getting a small flat in London. I think it's a good idea to keep a base in the city personally! I think you'll enjoy it more if you can pop back whenever you want without worrying about hotel costs. We'll be leaving ours with an Airbnb host so it covers its costs.
Really great video, thanks for the transparency it’s just really helpful! Would love to see a video where you talk about the costs of individual parts of the renovation, to help people with no clue but needs to get a clue!
I follow a company on TH-cam called London Repointing & Restoration Ltd. They do a lot of pebble dash removal and their works is highly regarded. They’re not the cheapest but their level of work is up there with the best. They’re perfectionist and it shows in the finished product.
Personally, I believe a Cotswold or Oxfordshire location for your English base suit your desired lifestyle better than another London home. As long as you stay out of the big cities, anyplace in Italy sounds fun.
A bit late in commenting because I have only in the past couple of weeks come across your channel & the first one I watched was when you showed us your purchases from the Cotswold. Since then I was impressed but now even more so. You both are such genuine human beings. Chad for his down to earth honesty & his advice on money & sourcing tradespeople is second to none. I have watched some building channels & channels where a person shows you the wonderful stuff they buy but very few give you the names of the sources of prices. Don’t change & keep being the 2 decent human beings that you both are. I am sure most of your followers are also totally in agreement that you guys are really “salt of the earth.” Not one to advise people on what they should do but think twice about leaving the UK. Holidays are different & you see things through a different perspective, living at that place is a different matter altogether. “The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. It’s best to have options & leave doors open. God Bless you both.
From Montreal Canada. A joy and very refreshing to feel the beautiful and respectful interaction between both of you. The positive energy and life's adventure is what makes us stay young and alive and one can tell you have that as well. Cheers and if your ever in Montreal would love to meet you both.
So glad I stumbled across your account and loved this Q&A as an intro. I'm also a huge fan of Pooky lights; their designs are stunning and the way the website allows you to chose matching shades is great. Looking forward to catching up with more videos.
Thank you for an interesting,educational and charming Q&A. Lately been watching chateau, and a convent renovation both are tedious. Your home is relatable and realistic. I am wondering if you have seen the young French doctor who is redoing his chateau? He is charming , relatable and has excellent taste. I think you both would appreciate what he has done so far. Admire both of you.
chad might be the most refreshing person ive ever seen on youtube, no bs just actual answers, no one ever does that and its so interesting
Whether you like it or not, he will always give an honest answer 😂
@@ashmazzina I love it when people think about things first and then give honest answers . This trait seems to be increasingly rare unfortunately .
We Scots are well known not to bullshit or tolerate it. We can be alarmingly forthright, but that’s because we probably like you! Otherwise we would just ignore you.
well, I congratulate you on being extremely brave with answering a range of highly personal questions. Part of me thinks that it’s nobody‘s business but your own, but let me also say how enormously I admire you both and what you have achieved and I wish you both well in your endeavours as you are obviously thoroughly decent and splendid chaps.
Thank you so much, so lovely of you to say! Whilst I do agree, we both want to be as honest/transparent as possible 🫶🏻
@@ashmazzinaI absolutely love that transparency! And kudos to you both for buying such a beautiful home with cash ! Am inspired!
Of course it's nobody's business. But this is social media, where everybody feels the NEED to share every personal part of their life, how they shower, what they eat, what their sexual preference is, etc... Social media!
“Brave” 😂😂😂
Because you are both such grounded, no nonsense , transparent, and enthusiastic people you're bound to do well on social media and have so many more followers should you get a property in Italy or English countryside. I find your style and good taste sooo refreshing after seeing nothing but identical grey, beige and white interiors on YT. Feliz Navidad from Valencia (not the devastated part thank God).
16:17 love love love this , it’s been so long since people have been transparent on TH-cam
so proud of what you’ve been able to build and buy
loving the content !!!!
So glad you enjoyed it, thank you so much 🫶🏻
You both are the most pleasant people to watch on TH-cam, thank you for being so honest, fun and charming.
Thank you so much! Very kind of you, thanks for watching 🫶🏻
I live in social housing, a carer so exist on benefits. But l never look bitterly at people who have much more than myself. You worked hard for it, well done, and l can't understand why anyone is bitter about others good fortune; it just denotes a poverty of the soul, and a lack mindset. I dont think of myself as poor, thats because l live simply and within my means. I love watching content like this, and the truth is a life of luxury costs alot of money, to maintain it you have to keep on working hard all rhe time, its not as easy as we suspect, but rewarding to these guys. Good on them.
Thank you so much for sharing, If only more people were like you! 🫶🏻
@@ashmazzinaPay no mind. A lot of miserable sods out there. It’s obvious how hard you work.
I don’t think people are bitter. They just question if it adds up. Ash says he works in banking for 6 years. That would have made him 19 when he started. You normally need a 1st degree in finance to even have a chance of entry in to these city companies. So that doesn’t add up. Chad, well I can understand being successful in business and selling it can make you a lot of money, but chief marketing officer for nearly 5 years? Yeah cause you become chief in a company in your 20s when you grew up in working class Scotland? I smell BS. Sorry, there isn’t any such job as chief marketing officer anyway, it’s a made up title for show. 600k in cash? Hu. It’s just common sense, and most of these bloggers on TH-cam make a living out of selling a lie and people are sheep and follow it all. Ash spends most of his videos endorsing products and gets paid to do it. There’s your first clue.
@ Daniel, jealousy is a horrible trait and it doesn’t suit you. Chad’s career and success is well document online, having built several successful tech companies, and is how we were able to buy a house outright. I don’t usually entertain such vile comments, but I made an exception for your stupidity.
@ it’s not jealously. I couldn’t care less about your lifestyle. I’m quite content thank you. I’m not stupid or a sheep. I can just see through the baloney. I’m Scottish. I know full well what Scottish ‘Chads’ are like. They talk out their arse. I’m only here because your channel came through my TH-cam recommendations. Don’t worry, I’ll mark it as ‘not interested’ next time.
The most honest interview of this type that I have seen. You have created a beautiful home ignore the naysayers. You both came across as really genuine,
Thank you so much, very kind of you!
I am so impressed with what you have done with the renovations and improvements to the property. You should be very proud of what you have achieved so far.
Thank you so much!
Love the addition of Chad! More Chad!
I didn't really know much about you guys, so that was a nice introduction. You both seem very sincere, and I enjoy your videos.
Thank you so much! Very kind of you, thanks for watching 🫶🏻
To tell the truth, I do feel that your thoughts about tradies are true everywhere, not only London! I live on the other side of the world in Australia and my experience is much the same as yours. The old timers are trustworthy. The tradies who look like high fashion models are best avoided. Thank you for the video, both to you Ash and to the now non-elusive Chad! (He is as handsome as you!)
"The tradies who look like high fashion models are best avoided" ow? i didn;t know this?
Crazy to think it’s the same everywhere! Thank you for your kind words! 🥰
You don’t want your tradesmen pulling up in Porsches.
@@samanthab1923cause that’s a real thing that happens 😂.
@@MFTH-cam683 I can’t tell you how many landscapers near me are better off than most of their clients.
The two of you are being so organic with your Q&A video, and being yourself - which is quite rare. Love your content. Greetings all the way from Namibia🇳🇦.
I love this! I know you once said Chad doesn't like to be on camera but he is a natural at it!
Annoyingly he's good at most things 😂
He has a beautiful accent and so well spoken
Very easy on the eyes 😉
It's so refreshing to be part of your platform. I particularly enjoyed your honesty about where you are in your lives. Not knowing what the future holds. And sharing your relationship and lovely home. Respectfully, K
Love that you feel that way! Thank you so much! 🫶🏻
Thank you for letting us get to know more about you both. 💖
Our pleasure! Thanks for watching ☺️
You two are funny! ☺️ I don’t normally like Q&A’S but I really enjoyed this one! Thank you for your honesty with everything.. some great tips & advice! Your home is beautiful x
Thank you so much for watching!!
Hi from the other side of London! I loved this video and it's great to see real transparency when talking about purchasing and renovating a home. You are both great on camera, looking forward to seeing more of you.
It's so nice to see more of Chad in the vlog!
You both came across so well in this video. You both seemed very genuine. Chad is fab.
Very kind of you, thank you so much!
A lot of your experiences with builders are exactly why I taught myself to do most trades (apart from plastering and roofing) even with plumbing and electrical I will attempt anything that is not directly connected to the boiler or the consumer unit. I installed all the radiators, bathroom fixtures, 1st & 2nd fix woodwork, tiling and spotlights etc. I agree about the kitchens, I am putting a B&Q kitchen in my current house as I am not staying here, I am not prepared to spend more than the area dictates as I will never recoup the cost.
Very clever to do so! Sounds like you know what you’re doing 👏🏼
@@ashmazzina
I learned a lot watching TH-cam. Seriously though, there some great teachers here. I took a week off work and spent it in my yard teaching myself to solder copper pipes, one of the best things I ever did. 🤣
Thank you both for such a refreshingly honest video. You have a beautiful home and when you do decide on your next move I will be interested to follow your journey.
Love your partner Ash. Chad is so level headed and smart. London is crazy expensive I see. Hi from Virginia US 🇺🇸
Very kind thank you so much! It really is crazy expensive 👋🏼🇬🇧
I'm just a grandma, watching from Canada. Impressed by your skills and maturity at such a young age! Your house is lovely but London is expensive!
This was a really great video to get to know you guys. No BS, no pretense. And just when I thought nothing could top Ash’s accent, along comes Scottish Chad! 😀
Thank you so much! His ego couldn’t get any bigger after today 😂🫶🏻
Thanks chaps, filled in a lot of gaps. Well done chad, good scottish straight-talking.
Always 😂
Thanks for this interview and to being so open ! Love the plans for the future and being able to change your live is a great opportunity ! But before making any plans, enjoy this beautiful house where you are living your lives and keep this as your home right now ! Love the video and thanks again for sharing !
This was well worth making this video, it sheds a lot of light on what you are doing, background and how you are moving forward.
Well done guys. I find videos with transparency so refreshing. The numbers can always reveal life decisions that can be really helpful. Thanks for sharing.
Hoping to move from our shared ownership flat to our first house in a couple of years and just found your channel looking for inspiration. So sorry that you get so many bitter comments about money, you both seem so lovely. Keep up the amazing work your house is gorgeous.
I love your honesty and transparency. It is so refreshing. Congratulations on your lovely home.
All the comments should be positive. You two have created an amazing and beautiful home.
Your taste is impeccable.
Hello from Cambridgeshire 👐 Chads advice about money and picking builders is spot on always get a few quotes, I'm glad you guys had decent builders, it's very difficult sometimes to make a judgement on that and I think you have to trust your gut feeling on the person too. Living in the countryside is awesome, I used to live around London and although it took me a little while to adjust, I wouldn't go back. Really enjoyed this video guys can't wait to see what's next with the house xx
This was such a good Q&A session: honest, informative and funny. Thank you for sharing your house purchase and renovation experience. Looking forward to seeing your future plans develop: Tuscany within driving distance to a beach, or Oxfordshire or the Cotswolds. Difficult choice. Wishing you all the best.
You two are adorable! Good luck with future projects and adventures 😊
Thanks so much! 😊
Thank you guys for such a nice and open dialogue. I don’t live in the UK, however, I enjoy enormously your videos and their content. I live in a townhouse here in Ohio, USA and I’m also remodeling it. It has been a long process with very rewarding results.
Our pleasure! Good luck with the remodel! 🫶🏻
Thank you very much for the great video. I love your content! You are a great couple and I wish you all the best and a wonderful time in your house. Best regards from Zurich
beautiful couple! couldn't't help but smile across the video ! wishing you both all the best, thank you for being so transparent
Thank you so much!!
Nice to see you both! Very pleased to hear about your kitchen experiences. Thankyou! ❤ XXX
Thank you, hope it was helpful!
Great to get to know you both better. I love your house ( I live in a Victorian house). I admire what you have both achieved and look forwards to your video's. God bless you both.
Love this post! Love your honesty and candor and your house!
Thanks so much!
Thank you so much for your transparency especially on your reno journey and the mistakes section! I’ve learnt so much from this video and reassuring to hear that making mistakes throughout the process is normal.
Always have 2 houses; just remember that travel time can take much longer. It's lovely to see you guys as a couple.
Very true, thank you so much!
Great informative video!! Thank you!!
Glad it was helpful!
Congrats on your decisions and hard work and the stress involved.
Great video and really appreciate the transparency and context around a lot of your decisions. Social media can definitely make you feel like you are being “left behind” when it comes to material possessions, but the majority of time people don’t disclose the financial support or fortunate circumstances that get them there.
Regarding your thoughts about leaving London - you both remind me so much of me and my partner. After 8 years in London we just got fed up and moved to a quieter country area about 30 mins from Amsterdam. Best decision we ever made. So I’d say go for it - you won’t regret the peace and quiet!
Couldn’t agree with what you’ve said more! Thank you for sharing, definitely gives us something to think about!
So lovely to hear from you both,
Your total honesty is very refreshing. 👍 Rarely have I heard anyone be so honest about their house renovations & their lives. I agree that not every decision will be perfect. I had an addition built during the early days of COVID. I'm 97% satisfied but would change a couple of things if I could go back in time. That's Life! P.S. LOVE the mirror in your bathroom. You got it for a steal. Burgundy and gold is a classic combination for very good reasons. A strong color can support all that Gold. 🏆🏆🏆
Cheers from the USA
My partner and I moved to East Sussex to a grade 1 listed close to South Downs. Loved the Downs and the Birling Gap cliff walks and Beachey head etc A Lovely property. But we missed London so much. Luckily we were able to return. We have also gone off old properties and now like modern light apartments, they are easy to heat and convenient. We live close 4 minutes to the new Elizabeth Line. To us London has everything and we aim to stay. We now want a camper van in our underground parking bay to enjoy Europe in winters and stay also in Airbnb and campsites or wild spots. Areas around Nice Italy Spain etc.. good luck guys we’ve made tons of DIY mistakes. It’s all fun in the end, just enjoy the memories. We eventually learnt to tile and put in our own kitchen. Tradesmen are great but they can also let you down and have done on many occasions. We’ve got more chilled by learning and doing things more slowly.
How delightful, thank you so much for sharing!
😊😊I totally agree about kitchens and bathrooms and completely understand about the mistakes you made.What impressed me watching your progress is you are thorough and learn from your mistakes.
Thank you so much 😊
The cost of trades question was really revealing. It seems like a universal reality. Here in Australia, there's a chronic shortage of tradesmen, and prices are high. The other issue I've come across is the "pink tax". They see two gay men in a half nice Edwardian house and quote accordingly. We've developed a habit of leaving dishes in the sink and clothes and towels hanging off chairs when tradesman are coming out to quote. We also make sure only one of us is here, dressed poorly, and we hide the nice car in the garage 😂
It's crazy but true, also in shopping for vintage pieces, the difference in how you dress can sometimes even halve the cost of a piece. Like Chad I get really irked when I realise I've been ripped off.
This is hilarious 😂
I agree! In my country you’re lucky if you even get one tradesman to come take a look let alone five. If you’re a single female you get taken for a fool who doesn’t know a thing. Sometimes I ask my neighbor to do the talking for me (not that he knows anything about building) just to get a more realistic estimate of the costs. I’m lucky that my house isn’t big so they can fit my works in between two big jobs. I resorted to taking classes in the basics like gardening, painting, basic electric and the like. I even considered to change my dating approach 😂. Luckily my teenager does want to help and he just learned how to saw and install skirting boards.
@@ikkelimburg3552Tell me about it. In my small town (not UK) I could never ever find five tradespeople for quotes❗On the other hand, word of mouth usually finds you a good person. Yes, it's good if you know a bit about what the job entails.
Just found your channel today. Have now looked over a few of your previous vlogs, house is lovely, the work out front is tremendous. For the same house in Tynemouth where I live is about 350 to 400000, 4/5 beds can go upto 600000. It amazes me that you are still able to get a lovely house like yours for about 700000, with London on the doorstep, simply fabulous!!
Really enjoyed your video. Very informative and honest. Easy to listen to. You make a lovely couple.
Thank you so much!
Loved this Q&A... thank you for being so transparent on the reno and I have gratefully noted down some worthy tips from you.
Its lovely to get to know you a bit better and just saying... I don't find Chad elusive at all... very open and honest, both of you.
Also, as someone who loves Italy in all the ways, Ive been thinking of moving there myself. Im hoping you do move there... would be fun to witness :)
Thank you so much! We’ll definitely share when we start looking, hopefully in the next year or two!
AMAAAZING video guys!!!!
Thank you!!!
So enjoyable and honest. Very unusual for people to be so open ...thank you for sharing
I have just started following you, I am so impressed with how honest Chad is and look forward to catching up with all your renovations!
Thank you! Welcome ☺️
Thank you for the Q and A...Very enlightening!!!...❤❤
Glad you enjoyed it!
Just found your vlogs by chance this is my first time watching you both, I really enjoyed it thank you for sharing part of your life you are both such nice guys I have now subscribed and will start watching the rest of your vlogs thank you 🙏🏻
Loved this video, thanks for being so honest!
Always!
this was an absolutely brilliant video. Thank you for passing on such detailed, valuable advice, given in such a genuine way.
VERY likeable couple - honestly brave pleasant ambitious accomplished - Ash for sure the young one looking for tiny bit of approval/guidance
seems to be complimenting each other very well - great to see👍👍👍👍
Love this 🫶🏻
Great video! We feel like we know you now! Love you guys. So much good things to come for you both and the “sky is the limit”. ❤️🇨🇦
Thank you so much!! 👋🏼🇬🇧
Thank you, Ash and Chad, for this enjoyable video. I love watching all your home improvement and decorating videos. I enjoyed listening to your Q+A session to learn more about you. I am impressed with you both. You are professional, discreet, and engaging. You are talented and gifted. Having a home in London and one in Italy sounds like a great lifestyle. You have so much to look forward to in the future, especially to be blessed with raising children one day. I look forward to your next project and learning more about you both. All the best from New York City, Robert.
Thank you so much Robert, so many kind words! Really appreciate you watching and taking the time to reply! 👋🏼🇬🇧
Speaking from experience, if you're going to live outside London spend a lot of time there first to see the reality of life without everything we have in London. If you're going to commute, even just some days, take several train journeys at rush hour to test the service before you move. Those 'fast' trains are not always frequent and the service can be terrible e.g. one runs late then you miss the connection and are stuck on a dark rainy platform for an hour. Don't just look at the timetable! I was priced out of London, went to a small town in lovely countryside, there was almost nothing to do, the coffee shops were limited and not great, lovely independent shops but none that I actually used week to week, and the nearest city was a trek. Great Western Rail is appalling so I went into London far less than I thought I would. It was very isolating. After a year I moved back to the South-East, to a town with lots of amenities. I realise how lucky I was in London to have a choice of restaurants, coffee shops, bars, any kind of food, any kind of shop, cultural activities, easy transport, and everything modern and forward thinking. So basically, think amenities, trains and what your daily life would actually be like. Not just the rolling hills and country cottage!
love the no BS straight talk - very helpful 🙌
just randomly saw this... kudos for being upfront and transparent. Some of your comments and advice have certainly given food for thought.
There are many independent kitchen companies in and around London that source kitchens from Germany and design specifically for your kitchen. My experience has been fairly good with pricing too. Also there is nothing wrong with bringing children up in London, it's diverse and there are good schools too.
What an incredibly informative video! I agree that multiple quotes from tradesmen is a must!
Hello gentlemen thank you for your clear and frank Q and A session. I have decided to subscribe to your channel as both your personalities are soothing and not too influencer lead. I am a Londoner from Tottenham where my family still live. My partner and I decided to move to the Norfolk countryside 10 years ago to raise our son who is now approaching 18 years old. Best move ever. The London I left is not the crazy London that I visit now. People don't seem real. My partner is from Yorkshire and worked in London for 32 years and leaving was his suggestion. We had a 3 bed semi in Enfield and 15 years ago our loft conversion which was a large bathroom and a massive room which we used as an office and cinema room and the conversion all in was 45,000. How times have changed. Your home is lovely and I agree we all would change experiences when moving house etc. We moved to a 7 bedroom listed manor house with 4 acres of land etc. Love it but it is hard work to maintain the grounds without staff which we cannot afford and getting permission for everything is time consuming and we are in a hamlet so we have basically made our home an open house for our son's friends to stay so he has a social life out here. Can I say that the life split between the UK and Italy sounds wonderful and Tuscany and Cotswold sounds perfect. However your not retired and a bolt hold in a lively town like London is worth holding on to and enjoying till your at least in your 40's or start a family. It does offer so much entertainment. I am in my late 50's and still enjoy visiting things in London even though Norwich offers so much Good luck, keep posting and hope to see more of BOTH of you. ps thanks for the Nom recommendation. as a potter their designs are right up my street and good for inspiration .xx
This was really helpful, thanks!
I live in a nice village in central Scotland, the prices down south actually horrify me , here you can get a brand new 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom detached house for around £300,000, older houses arent that much more, I have got to agree with you about builders, I hate getting them in, more times that not, Im disappointed with their work. I love your honesty . A relative called in wren kitchens for a quote , he was in her home 8 hours and refused to leave until she signed on the dotted line, she had to phone her husband to come home from work to throw him out , she still cannot get over it.
I would live in Scotland in a heartbeat, Chad is opposed to the weather 😂 what a horrific experience, so many people have such awful experiences!
The weather this year in Scotland has been exceptionally bad, I have sat in my garden 4 times this year, it’s has rained nearly non stop since last October!
😊😊love your attitude to money..keeping it real..very wise
Thank you!
TH-cam recommanded your channel to me and l have to say it did a very good job for once.
I will go watching all your uploads.
That’s amazing, thank you so much 🫶🏻
Love this video, even though it was rec 7 years ago, your advice is still valid. Glad I came across your channel.
It was recorded yesterday? 👀😂 thank you!
I simply don’t know why I thought I should add years to the recording😂
What a lovely introduction. You make a good couple. Thank you for answering such personal questions. We’re all nosey. Happy to hear you want wee ones in the future. When you said this was your forever house & you weren’t doing a loft conversion I figured the house was too small. But it will be a great investment property. Btw, was watching a real estate vid & the house had a huge Victorian tile walk up path. Made me think of you 😊
I just stumbled across your vlog as I was strolling down my algorithm and I am so happy to meet you both.
I have subscribed and am excited to be part of your tribe. I have lived and travelled all over the world yet Italy is truly my most beloved country and to have a home in Tuscany is still my dream. I shall now delve into your past vlogs.
Welcome! and thank you so much for watching! Tuscany is a dream, can’t wait to live there ☺️
this was the best Q&A ever!!! You guys are awesome and love the that the 'elusive' Chad has participated in this wholeheartedly and such honesty guys. Nice to get to know you both a little more and I truly would advise you to go and live in Italy at least part-time, because Italy is Italy. I lived there most of my life and it is awesome in a lot of ways, & some less of course lol...
So glad you liked the video! Thank you for the advice, couldn't agree more! 🫶🏼
This is the first time I watch your video. You guys are so cute together:)
Thank you for watching!
ah loved this so much! admire you both immensely!
Thank you so much!!
New to your channel so binge watching! The house you viewed seems soulless! I know the idea of clearing everything and putting new floors and everything white seems like a good idea.
Great wee video! So nice to see you both doing a video together. How did you sort out the damp? I’m in East London and have a Victorian terrace that needs attention. I’m sure it’s rising damp. 💜🫶🏻💜
Find the source, stop it, then re-render your wall. Don’t pay thousands for damp treatment, it’s a scam. Ours was coming from a leaky tap below the floorboards and the previous owners paved the patio tiles above our damp proof course!
Thanks for sharing. Some food for thought. Remember watching a video on front of your house, the detail to your curb appeal. Maintaining details of how the house was built and presenting them at their best. Overall good job!
Thanks for watching!
Thank you Chad for being honest and helpful.
Both of you are so cute together ❤
🫶🏻
😊😊Your attitude to trades people is wise,common sense.I have a house book which contains every job,date and price and who did them.Its amazing how you can forget what and when jobs were done.
Great idea, if only we were that organised 😂
@@ashmazzina😂😂😂😂
I grew up in the east end and left there 11 years ago, your home is beautiful. well done you........I was so glad to hear you say it was hardwork and you brought the house cash. well done you.
Thank you so much!
We're a couple of years ahead of you guys. Bought a rundown house in an "up and coming" London area before lockdown, it went up 30% now we're moving to Ibiza and getting a small flat in London. I think it's a good idea to keep a base in the city personally! I think you'll enjoy it more if you can pop back whenever you want without worrying about hotel costs. We'll be leaving ours with an Airbnb host so it covers its costs.
Love the honest no bs Chad 🏴❤ and your house is stunning, well done! Thanks for the video
Really great video, thanks for the transparency it’s just really helpful! Would love to see a video where you talk about the costs of individual parts of the renovation, to help people with no clue but needs to get a clue!
Guys, I stumbled upon your page and have now subscribed. This was very refreshing and I look forward to catching up on old episodes.
So glad you enjoyed, thank you!
@ if you guys ever visit California hit me up, I own a few vacation rentals near San Diego and happy to comp for you guys.
I follow a company on TH-cam called London Repointing & Restoration Ltd. They do a lot of pebble dash removal and their works is highly regarded. They’re not the cheapest but their level of work is up there with the best. They’re perfectionist and it shows in the finished product.
Personally, I believe a Cotswold or Oxfordshire location for your English base suit your desired lifestyle better than another London home. As long as you stay out of the big cities, anyplace in Italy sounds fun.
Greetings from a tiny village called Wakkerstroom in Mmpumalanga in south africa. I so enjoy watching your videos. You are both amazing.
In Johannesburg and absolutely love this channel.
I do like your period portraits. Once you've gotten the distinguished Vicar framed he's going to look fabulous over the mantel.
so good - thanks so much for being so honest and for sharing.
A bit late in commenting because I have only in the past couple of weeks come across your channel & the first one I watched was when you showed us your purchases from the Cotswold. Since then I was impressed but now even more so. You both are such genuine human beings. Chad for his down to earth honesty & his advice on money & sourcing tradespeople is second to none. I have watched some building channels & channels where a person shows you the wonderful stuff they buy but very few give you the names of the sources of prices. Don’t change & keep being the 2 decent human beings that you both are. I am sure most of your followers are also totally in agreement that you guys are really “salt of the earth.”
Not one to advise people on what they should do but think twice about leaving the UK. Holidays are different & you see things through a different perspective, living at that place is a different matter altogether. “The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. It’s best to have options & leave doors open. God Bless you both.
What a stunning pair y’all are.
🫶🏻
From Montreal Canada. A joy and very refreshing to feel the beautiful and respectful interaction between both of you. The positive energy and life's adventure is what makes us stay young and alive and one can tell you have that as well. Cheers and if your ever in Montreal would love to meet you both.
So glad I stumbled across your account and loved this Q&A as an intro. I'm also a huge fan of Pooky lights; their designs are stunning and the way the website allows you to chose matching shades is great. Looking forward to catching up with more videos.
Thank you for an interesting,educational and charming Q&A. Lately been watching chateau, and a convent renovation both are tedious. Your home is relatable and realistic. I am wondering if you have seen the young French doctor who is redoing his chateau? He is charming , relatable and has excellent taste. I think you both would appreciate what he has done so far. Admire both of you.
Awesome thanks. Brilliant discussion. Congratulations.