The house that Carwyn built

A Llangadfan furniture designer and his girlfriend hit the headlines this week after building an impressive starter-home for just £5,500.

Carwyn Owen, 22, and his girlfriend Megan were both living with their parents and were unable to afford a large deposit so came up with the inventive solution for their first home together. 

Mr Owen, a furniture-maker and designer, used two lorry backs as a base after receiving them from a friend who handed them over in return for making furniture for his wife. 

Sarah Beeney took her Channel 4 property show to Llangadfan to look at the house that Carwyn built, sparking a flurry of stories from the country’s national daily newspapers.

The one-bedroom, 800sq ft home has a galley kitchen, a double bedroom and a bathroom with a standalone shower. 

The couple also saved money on planning permission because the home is technically a temporary structure and will eventually be moved off its plot. 

The pair finished construction of the property in just six months with the help of architect Damien and designer Max, according to The Express..

Mr Owen completed most of the labour himself and built beds, tables and a sofa for the new property. 
The property has a larch wood cladding on the exterior and is fitted with handmade windows and copper light fittings.  

Other expenses the building incurred included £500 for the new kitchen. 

Megan was able to find other cheap items online including an oven for just £20, a fridge for £9 and a washing machine for just £30.   

They were also able to get their bathroom fitted for just £100.

Speaking about her show, How to Live Mortgage Free, Sarah Beeny said: 'It's all about finding slightly alternative ways of living. 
“If you want to go the standard route where you live near Starbucks and the tube in a three bedroom Victorian terrace, you probably can't live mortgage free, because you need more money for that. 

“But a lot of people spend an awful lot of money on rent. 

“If you can stop paying rent then you save an extraordinary amount of money.

“Land is the biggest cost involved – if you've got a piece of land with planning permission, that's the biggest hurdle overcome.”