A couple who bought a house on an industrial estate says people thought they were mad – but they’ve gone on to transform it into their dream home.
Niamh Coop and her husband Brandon have been working to renovate their new pad, which was previously derelict for more than 10 years.
Now it has its own sauna and hidden playroom – as well as a driveway with enough space for 50 cars.
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The spacious five-bedroom house is based on an industrial estate in Derbyshire and cost the couple £330,000.
Niamh, a 30-year-old content creator, said she didn’t initially like the property at all and thought Brandon, 28, was “mad” for seeing potential.
“It felt cold and industrial but he had a vision and I trusted him with it, and I’m so glad I did,” she told What’s The Jam.
“He could see the end result of us living and working in the same place, and how [much] better it would be.
“My family and friends first thought we were mad when we showed them the house – obviously it was a complete mess as it had been derelict for 10 years plus, being on an industrial estate, they couldn’t understand it.
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“People online give me a lot of hate for its location and ask if it’s loud – but I hardly hear any noise, and I feel really safe knowing there are always a lot of people around at all hours of the day.”
The couple, from Derbyshire, originally viewed the property on the same day Niamh took a test and realised she was pregnant with her first child.
The two faced a number of challenges before changing address, including long wait times with solicitors and the mortgage, particularly as the property was a commercial one.
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The sale of their former home also fell through during this time, though it did eventually get bought.
And by the time Niamh and Brandon completed on their new abode, they had been fixing it up for a while.
She said: “The buying process had a lot of hurdles and we didn’t actually complete until September 2025, I’d already had given birth by then.
“We actually sold our former home and had to be out a couple of weeks after I’d given birth, and we still weren’t in the new house so we had to live with my parents with a newborn and two dogs.
“It was a really tough time but the dream of having this home kept us motivated.
“We also started work on the property before we even owned it, which was a huge risk, but we needed it to be renovated enough to be liveable as we couldn’t stay with family for ages.
“Luckily we kind of knew the woman who owned the house so she was really helpful and understanding.”
The couple has renovated the entire upstairs of the property, ripping everything out and starting over to ensure their goal finished look.
Niamh said: “We created our dream bathroom with a sauna, a hidden playroom for my daughter, and soon we will be finishing the conservatory and making it into a dining room/games room.
“I love the amount of space, you don’t find any houses with that much land in our price range – the driveway could fit about 50 cars on.
“My favourite part of the renovation is definitely the bathroom; it literally feels like a spa and the sauna is so relaxing.
“I’m excited to get the conservatory finished and put a dining table in there because we’ve never had one and it will be so nice to invite people round for tea and actually have somewhere for people to sit.
“Luckily we have really good builders doing the majority of the work for us, which has been a huge help.
“The location is perfect because we wanted to live in the Glossop area – that’s where all our family live, and it’s a lovely place.
“Yes, it is a unique place to have a home but it still has lovely views.”
The pair estimate that they’ve spent around £90,000 on renovations and are hoping to keep the costs under £200,000 in total.
Niamh noted that there are a few businesses based on the industrial estate, including a textiles factory, car garages and a glass merchant.
Now they plan to move Brandon’s campervan conversion business, AJC Conversion, on to the estate soon for extra convenience.
The couple feel the business move will enable them to live and work under one roof, claiming it will be “amazing” for them as a family.
Niamh added: “A lot of people online say ‘I wouldn’t want to live on an industrial estate’, which I completely understand, but it just works for us with my husband’s work moving here.
“We also have plans to do the conservatory this year and then last will be the back garden, so lots more to keep us busy.”
