Plumber finds his plum property at auction

A CIRENCESTER plumber and his family will be moving into a new home after buying a house in Stratton at auction.

Richard and Barbara Pritchett and their sons Joe (9) and Tom (7) hope to be in by Christmas.

They bought the house last month at an auction held by Cotswold auctioneers Moore Allen & Innocent for £230,000 – a shade over the £225,000 guide price.

The property – described by auctioneer Roy Bowyer as “a cracking little house” – has a large sitting room, dining room, kitchen and garden room on the ground floor, with two double-sized bedrooms and a large bathroom on the first floor.

But it is the outbuildings that really attracted the Pritchett family. Ripe for conversion, they offer an opportunity to create extra living space and a base for the family business – Richard Pritchett Plumbing and Heating – subject to planning consents.

The Pritchetts currently live a short distance away in Stratton, and it’s the first time either of them have bought a property at auction, although “we watched Homes Under the Hammer on TV so we knew what to expect,” said Barbara.

The house was listed as “in need of modernisation”, meaning carpets will need ripping out and the walls given a fresh lick of paint. The Pritchetts will also want to replace the aged kitchen and bathroom – not a big job when you have a plumber in the family!

“We want to get the main house habitable by Christmas,” said Richard. “Then we can start on the conversion of the outbuildings and joining them to the main house to create an L shaped property.”

Elsewhere in the auction, a two-bed semi in New Road, Royal Wootton Bassett with gardens and parking was bought for £166,000 in a three horse race – in excess of the £150,000 auction guide price.

Meanwhile, a paddock in Corston with brick-built stable, extending to 2.66 acres and free from planning applications was bought for £100,000, against a guide price of £85,000. An adjoining parcel of land, a narrow strip extending to 0.35 acres, was bought for the guide price of £20,000.

The next Moore Allen & Innocent property auction will be held in October.

For more information about buying and selling property at auction, visit mooreallen.co.uk