Drew Pritchard faced a financial struggle while restoring a five-storey Georgian townhouse in Bath. With his budget exhausted, he was forced to sell his prized antiques to keep the project going.

Drew Pritchard, star of Salvage Hunters, took on a huge risk when he decided to restore a five-storey Georgian townhouse in Bath, Somerset.

He knew it would be difficult, but he didn’t expect the project to become such a financial struggle. Ten months into the rebuild, Drew had depleted the £200,000 cash he had budgeted for the renovation.

With no bridging loan available and his credit cards maxed out, Drew had to find alternative ways to keep the work going. To avoid stopping the restoration, he sold some of his most treasured antiques and collectibles. In the latest episode of Salvage Hunters: Georgian House Restoration, Drew admits the project has caused a lot of stress. “There’s been sleepless nights and a lot of worry,” he says. “I can’t back out now, but I don’t have a magic money tree.”

Drew’s restoration project, shown in a five-part series on Quest, focuses on his efforts to renovate a Grade I-listed property he purchased in 2022 for £1.5 million. Originally divided into five flats in the 1970s, the house had suffered from poor renovation work that Drew and his team now have to fix. Throughout the process, unexpected hurdles have added to the costs, and the project now requires an additional £200,000 to be completed. Despite this, Drew refuses to compromise on quality, opting for traditional materials, like plant-based paints, over cheaper modern alternatives.

Drew Pritchard faced a financial struggle while restoring a five-storey Georgian townhouse in Bath ( 
Image:
Rory Lindsay/Quest TV)

The financial pressure grew worse when Drew realised that plumbing and electrical work would cost at least £150,000. Faced with this, he had no choice but to sell his antiques warehouse in Conwy, along with its contents. By this point, emergency repairs had already been carried out, including a new slate roof and 28 sash windows replaced. Yet, despite these efforts, disaster was always a risk. The project had already fallen months behind schedule, and Drew’s loan application was rejected, leaving him in a difficult position.

At one point, Drew had to tell his builder, Kieran Dixon Squire, that without money in his account by Monday, work on the house would have to stop. “If I don’t get the money, we’ll lose the guys,” he warned. To raise funds, Drew decided to auction off his personal collection, which he’s built over thirty years. The sale includes 600 items, such as a fossilised skull of an Irish elk and a rare 18th-century vice bought in Italy. Even though the auction would help, Drew wasn’t sure if the proceeds would be enough to cover his costs.

“I’ve collected some amazing things,” Drew explains. “Some I paid far too much for, and some were worth nothing when I bought them. This auction is a gamble. It could help, but it’s terrifying and exciting all at once.”

The first item sold was a large model of Steamboat Willie, an early Disney cartoon. Drew had purchased it for £3,500 and was pleased to see it sell for £5,500. After auction fees, he made a £1,200 profit. But not all items sold for a good price – some didn’t even meet their reserve. Still, Drew felt the auction went reasonably well, though it didn’t bring in enough to finish the house.

Drew sold off antiques to rescue the house restoration after losing it all ( 
Image:
Rory Lindsay/Quest TV)
With his finances still tight, Drew had to make tough choices. “I’ve run out of money,” he told Kieran. “We’ll have to stop work on some parts of the house for now.” For the time being, he decided to focus on completing the top two floors, which would house his bedroom, bathroom, and guest rooms. The basement, ground floor (which was meant to have a dining room and kitchen), and the first floor (with a planned reception room and study) will have to wait.

Fortunately, Drew had enough funds to complete the top floors, so he could move in while the rest of the house was finished. As he walked through the newly renovated rooms, Drew was thrilled with the results. “I’m fizzing with excitement,” he says. “It’s better than I imagined, and it’s exactly what I wanted.”

However, Drew knows the journey is far from over. The project is still in need of more funds, and he may soon have to make the ultimate sacrifice. He may have to part with his most valuable possession to see the restoration through to the end.