Holly Metcalfe, 37, was quoted £10,000 to revamp her garden but decided to do it herself to save money – and she managed to do it for just £1,000, with the help of budget shops and ChatGPT
A single mum-of-two, confronted with a £10,000 estimate for transforming her garden, decided to tackle the project herself for just £1,000, turning to bargain retailers and ChatGPT for assistance. Holly Metcalfe was stunned by the “shocking” price quoted by professionals, particularly given England’s unpredictable weather conditions.
Determined not to be put off by the magnitude of the task, she was eager to demonstrate to her children that such ambitious projects are achievable with perseverance. The 37-year-old, mum to a 16-year-old son and a 14-year-old daughter, scoured for bargains at B&Q and Amazon, whilst utilising ChatGPT for innovative suggestions and horticultural guidance before embarking on the venture.
“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, from Whitley Bay in North Tyneside, revealed to What’s The Jam. She said: “I’ve always been quite headstrong when I get an idea, and I knew I could see it through.”
“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 explained her reasoning, stating: “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 dedicated every available moment to the DIY project and confesses it proved to be “back-breaking” labour.
Holly, who is employed in the housing sector, revealed that whilst the undertaking was “exhausting”, she had “never felt stronger”. She explained: “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 had to start the project with gruelling manual work, clearing away ornamental gravel.
She carefully measured her outbuilding and hunted online DIY retailers to secure the finest bargains on premium paint, artificial grass, and garden furniture. Holly revealed: “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 determined mum revitalised the paving slabs by jet washing them before applying a fresh layer of masonry paint. She added: “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 mum is now putting the final touches to her outdoor space with additional lighting and greenery – and has already started plotting her next DIY project.
