Budget Breakdown: This London Couple Did the Dirty Work to Keep Renovation Costs Low

"We wanted our home to feel intentional and considered—to create a beautiful space that felt soaring and encompassing, even with a modest plot," says Rowan Rutter of her and her wife Jenny Warren’s recent renovation in Leyton, East London. Rowan, the CEO of an orchestra, and Jenny, a law firm partner, spent $247,607 in total to makeover the second level of their residence and extend and redo the ground level. "We used the equity from the sale of our previous home, as well as a small bank loan," says Rowan.