'I spent £15k and transformed my parents garage into a one-bedroom flat and moved in'

A 21-year-old landscaper who was struggling to get on the property market instead decided to convert his parents' garage into a one-bedroom apartment for just £15k.

Struggling to climb onto the property ladder, Josh Jones persuaded his mum and dad to let him transform the garage attached to their four-bedroom family home. With £4,000 saved up, he opted to invest in creating his own space rather than using it as a deposit for a house.

Josh embarked on the project in January 2023, dedicating eight months to the task, learning construction tips from YouTube along the way. He single-handedly overhauled the garage, including replacing the roof, levelling the floor, installing drainage, and fitting out a kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom.

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The materials cost him £14,700, and by May 2024, he and his girlfriend moved in. Josh, from Tunbridge Wells, said: "Renting is ridiculously expensive.

"I was living with my mum at dad and I knew renting could never be an option." Explaining his decision, he said, "As I was still living at home it was a no-brainer really.

"I learned to do it all on YouTube, as I have been in the building trade since I was 16."

He added: "I knew what to do with most bits but I used YouTube for anything I didn't know about." In December 2022, he pitched the garage conversion idea to his parents - and admits it took some convincing.

He explained: "Initially, they were not on board. I kept going on and on about it.

"The garage was full of crap from over the years and I think dad realised that it was a serious situation when I started to take stuff out of the garage."

The ambitious project began in January 2023, with Josh clearing out