Now James has another project lined up – a two property site near High Buston just across the fields from their home. "It’s a lovely location," he says. "It’s set up on a hill so you can see the sea from the back." They hope to create a two-bed holiday cottage, which will join the portfolio for Elly’s holiday letting business www.stayinalnmouth.co.uk, and a 2,500 sq ft four-bedroom house, which they intend to renovate and sell on. While James has worked on several £1m-plus homes, he’s a stickler for budgeting and says you don’t have to spend a fortune on renovations. "I tend to make up as much as I can myself and then use standard things to fit inbetween," he says. "You have to be slightly clever. I have things handmade, like the cooker hood and the island, to give it that wow factor rather than having every aspect designed by an expensive kitchen company." James advises opting for classic styles. "We don’t go for ultra modern kitchens and bathrooms that might be here today and gone tomorrow," he says. "It’s about customising." His bathroom is a case in point. Rather than a £1,000 Duravit bath, he’s opted for a much cheaper Bathstore model but has splashed out on expensive Porcelanosa tiles around the bath. "I never tile the whole bathroom," he says. He’s also added a mirrored alcove with glass shelves behind the loo and has made a wood plinth from leftover kitchen worktops for the sink. "If you’ve got wood in a bathroom, even just a tiny bit, it relaxes you," he says. Elsewhere, he has saved money by opting for internal doors from Howdens, a DFS sofa, £12 wall lights from Homebase and Argos chairs with specially made chair covers. He’s also a big fan of Sandra Gallon curtains. "You can get really good quality without having to pay shop prices," he says. "They have some exclusive fabrics and also budget leftovers from big jobs they’ve done." When asked if you can still profit from property in the current climate, James’ answer is unequivocal. "Absolutely!" he says. "But you have to get every square inch out of everything you do." James' top renovation tips Are you thinking of renovating a property to sell? Property developer James Chapple has some tips. 1) It’s all about the budget. I tend to be slightly obsessive with my planning and numbers. Make sure you really know your project cost including all the estate agents, legal and financial fees. Put in a contingency of about 10%. Prices can go up, for example insulation can go up by 10% in the space of six months. It might not sound a lot but if you spend £3,000 on insulation, that’s £300. 2) Always have a conservative estimate of your sale price, factoring in possible price falls. In our original sums we estimated the barn would be worth £350,000, even though it turned out to be higher. You need a profit margin of at least 15%. 3) Selecting the right people is key. One difference I’ve noticed compared to London is that people in the North East tend to recommend someone because they know them, not necessarily because of the quality of their work. I always want to see their previous work and speak to their previous clients. Ask: Did they give you a quotation up front? Did they stick to it? Did they turn up on time? And if there were problems did they come back to fix them? 4) Don’t skimp on the basics. You could just extend the plumbing or shove in an extra socket here and there, but you need to have principals. All our properties are fully rewired and replumbed. 5) You need to spend money in the right places. It’s important to have good appliances in kitchens and I spend a fortune on tiles because it’s the first thing people see. Granite worktops give a radically better finish too. But you can spend much less on accessorising. 6) Keep your eye out for bargains, such as Bathstore’s 50% deals and don’t be afraid to haggle. 7) It’s definitely best to stage a house if you’re trying to sell it. However you just need enough to give an idea of how the spaces work. I like to focus on the master bedroom and living room. Be sure to not clutter the space and use appropriately sized furniture. 8) The best trick in small spaces is glass coffee/dining tables or mirrored bedside tables and glass lamps which don’t detract from the space. 9) A well dressed bed can make an enormous difference with a picture above it. Dress the bed with neutral linen, a nice throw and lots of plumped pillows and cushions that match the room colour theme. This way the bed can be a simple divan and it looks a million dollars. 10) Finally avoid obvious empty corners. I often get a glass vase with some flowers to fill the space. | 
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