Holly only spent £1,000 to renovate her garden (Image: Jam Press/@Hollymetcalfe)
A single mum-of-two, faced with a £10,000 quote for sprucing up her garden, rolled up her sleeves and completed the job herself for a mere £1,000, turning to budget shops and ChatGPT for help. Holly Metcalfe couldn’t believe the “shocking” price tag quoted by professionals, especially considering the fleeting weather conditions in England.
Undaunted by the scale of the task, she was keen to show her kids that with determination, such feats are within reach. The 37-year-old, mother to a 16-year-old son and a 14-year-old daughter, hunted down deals at B&Q and Amazon, while tapping into ChatGPT for creative ideas and gardening advice before diving into the project. “After getting shocking quotes for the work I wanted to be done, I decided I would give it a go myself to save money,” Holly, hailing from Whitley Bay in North Tyneside, confided to What’s The Jam.
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She explained her resolve: “I’ve always been quite headstrong when I get an idea, and I knew I could see it through.” Her motivation extended beyond cost-saving: “I also wanted to show my two children that you can be capable of achieving anything, even if it means getting your hands dirty.”
Holly justified her decision, saying, “I just thought this is a lot of money to spend on a space that we only get to use for a few months of the year when the weather is good. It was challenging at times and I had to dip in and out of it between being a mum and working, but I really enjoyed the process and felt really empowered when I stood back and looked at it finished.”
Holly devoted every spare moment to the home improvement venture and admits it turned out to be “back-breaking” work. Holly, who works in the housing industry, disclosed that whilst the project proved “exhausting”, she had “never felt stronger”.
She said: “I feel so empowered as a single mum achieving this on my own around all of my other commitments. This project has pushed me out of my comfort zone in more ways than one.
“It was a physical and mental challenge – pushing through with the heavy lifting or digging in the rain – but also it has brought me so much confidence. The garden looked a lot worse before it started to look better.
“I spent many pockets of time on it; evenings, lunch breaks on days working from home, weekends. I gave up any relaxing time really, I ate while I was working at my desk so that I had my hour lunch break to get out in the garden.
“I normally love sitting down to watch EastEnders in the evening, but I gave that up to focus on the project. I made sure I still got up at 6 am to head to my fitness classes, though.”
Holly needed to begin the endeavour with backbreaking manual labour, removing decorative gravel. She meticulously measured her outbuilding and scoured the internet for DIY stores to find the best deals on high-quality paint, synthetic turf, and outdoor furniture.
Holly shared: “I kept myself going with the project by giving myself timescales to adhere to. I ordered the shed before laying the base, then I knew I had to get the base down before it arrived.
“Painting my fences and building the shed was probably one of the most rewarding things I did in the garden. [Getting the turf sorted] was a really hard job as the earth needed turning over, and it was really dry and hard.
“My back was aching from carrying the grass, which is surprisingly heavy. The paving was equally back-breaking, and it felt like I was never going to get it done – this was the part where I felt like giving up, but I pushed through.
“I felt like the garden was getting bigger and bigger with every bit of digging. I also had to re-lift the paving I had laid because it wasn’t perfectly level.
“Give me a shed to build any day over doing that.” The diligent mum rejuvenated the paving stones by power washing them and then applying a coat of masonry paint.
She elaborated: “I did it, the whole thing, myself. My dad helped me carry some things in from the car, and my teenage son has helped with some heavy lifting as well.
“But the rest was all me. I strongly believe working on things like this is essential for your mental health.
“The sense of achievement I have gained from doing this has left me feeling so empowered. I also learned new skills with recording and editing the footage, and putting myself out there by sharing it online.
“The kids have been full of compliments and are really proud of what I’ve done. I’ve found we’re spending time outside more as a family now.
“My family and friends have been totally amazed by what I’ve done when showing them progress and videos, they say they’re shocked by what I have managed to do on my own and that it has turned out beautifully. My friends tell me I’m superwoman, and they can’t believe I’ve done this myself. I have received so much lovely support on social media, too.”
The mother is currently adding the finishing touches to her garden area with extra lighting and plants – and has already begun planning her next home improvement venture.
