When Manuela Conti bought an unmodernised property with her friend Louise Brunhoj her main aim in doing it up was to be able to put her own stamp on the house.
Speaking to the Times, Ms Conti admitted that a lot of work would need to be carried out on the four-bedroom house in order to bring it up to modern standards, such as fitting new double glazing, kitchen and new bathroom.
However, she added that when the time comes for her to sell in a few years' time, she hopes that she will see a profit on the work she has carried out.
And while Britons may also feel inspired to take on a wreck of a house and breathe new life into it, they may also wish to keep energy efficiency in mind.
Making a property greener could attract potential buyers with the promise of cheaper gas and electricity bills.
The Independent's Alessia Horwich recently stated that the first priority in improving the energy efficiency of a home is to boost its
insulation.
