14 DAY TRIAL // An old Victorian toilet block has undergone a major transformation after builder Nick Willan decided to renovate it as an anniversary present for his wife.
The building, located on the seafront in Sheringham, Norfolk, was put up for auction in 2011 and the 56-year-old builder bought it for £104,000 ($173,000/€124,800). It was in a crumbling condition back then, but Nick saw its potential.
During the next three years, he spent another £85,000 ($141,430/€102,000) renovating the old loo and transforming it into something else. The impressive result is a luxury two-storey holiday home, with two en suite bedrooms, a kitchen, a separate bathroom and a lounge area that overlooks the sandy beach. It has electricity, gas and running water.
The renovated seafront property, dubbed “The Wee Retreat,” has been intended as an anniversary present for Nick's wife, Sue.
“My wife thought I was bleeding mad when I bought it, but she's chuffed now. When I saw it I said it would be a very beautiful spot just to look out onto the sea. You have to pinch yourself to be honest,” Nick said, according to the Express.
When she first saw the property, Sue was speechless, “I thought ‘What have we done?’. We hadn’t even looked inside it before we bought it. I couldn’t imagine what it would look like at the time, but Nick could see what it would turn into.”
Seeing its current modern interior and the beautiful view, it's hard to believe that this idyllic holiday home was actually a public toilet once.
The current value of the former toilet block has been estimated at around £175,000 ($291,180/€210,000).
Check out some photos of what the building looked like before the renovation and what it looks like now in the photo gallery below.
