The 18-year-old Billy Walden, who lives in Lancaster, UK, has a passion for hands-on work: he loves repairing, building, and renovating things. He managed to restore an old Volkswagen camper van by himself. Recently, he also transformed a rusty old boat into a beautiful houseboat for his family’s vacations, and all of this in just 2 months!
Billy bought the barge for £5,000 (a little over 400,000 rubles), as a gift from his mother.
I really enjoyed working on this boat,“ says Billy. „It’s fantastic to be able to build a house like this for your family. It required a lot of meticulous work because there was so much to rebuild. Initially, the boat was supposed to cost around £12,000, but since it hadn’t passed all the inspections, we were able to buy it for a lower price. We then spent another £2,800 to renovate the interior according to our tastes. Now there is space for everyone, a bathtub, glass doors leading to the deck, and even cheap Audi car seats.
It’s like a small floating country house, perfect for relaxing in the summer with the whole family.
The project required meticulous work, as almost everything needed to be completely renovated. This did not discourage Billy at all; on the contrary, he was very motivated seeing how the old barge was slowly transforming into a dream home.
To start, all the partition walls were removed, creating an open space. Wooden beams and metal profiles were used to build the framework, which Billy then gradually filled in.
The kitchen and dining area of the new floating space were handcrafted by Billy, who wanted to maintain a natural touch by using only wooden finishing materials and furniture.
There are also glass doors leading from the living room to the outdoor deck.
And this is his sister’s room.
Another bedroom was created on board the Matilda Jane.
Billy’s mother and sister took care of setting up the bedrooms, decorating them with charming curtains, signs, and other delightful elements.
Billy also transformed the deck into an oasis with an outdoor relaxation area. Now that the floating home is finished, the family frequently uses it for traveling.
„With our new boat, we’ve already traveled several hundred kilometers along the canals and the coast. We love spending time together this way, with the whole family.“
