Billie Faiers beams while heading to meet her interior designer as her £1.4M Essex home FINALLY nears completion amid major delays and planning rows with neighbours
- Work began on the house in January 2021 following months of delays due to planning rows with their new neighbours
- Last year, Billie, 32, admitted she’s not speaking to the neighbours at her new property in Brentwood, after they opposed the couple’s plans to demolish the original rundown house
- According to the planning application, all five bedrooms will be on the first floor with the en-suite master bedroom having a huge dressing room
- Billie will move into the home with her husband Greg Shepherd and their two children, Nellie, seven and Arthur, four
The renovation of her dream home has been hit with a plethora of problems since work began in January 2021, including major delays and planning rows with her new neighbours.
But Billie Faiers looked positively delighted on Thursday while heading to meet her interior designer as work finally neared completion on her £1.4million Brentwood, Essex mansion.
The Family Diaries star, 32, flashed a dazzling smile while strolling with an arm full of papers as she inspected the progress on her 1920s property.
Happy days: Billie Faiers looked positively delighted on Thursday while heading to meet her interior designers as work finally neared completion on her £1.4million Brentwood, Essex mansion
Billie is due to move into the stunning abode with husband Greg Shepherd and their two children, Nellie, seven and Arthur, four, but their house plans have been plagued with delays after it was reported that they were ‘at war’ with their neighbours over the ongoing renovations.
The beauty brushed aside the drama as she and Greg were seen chatting to a designer outside the sprawling abode.
Billie cut a stylish figure in a khaki trench coat which she wore over grey vest and beige leggings.
The former TOWIE star added a pair of trendy trainers and chic handbag in neutral colours, while she shielded her eyes from the sun with tortoiseshell sunglasses.
Setbacks: The renovation of her dream home has been hit with a plethora of problems since work began in January 2021, including major delays and planning rows with her new neighbours
Family home: Billie is due to move into the stunning abode with husband Greg Shepherd and their two children, Nellie, seven and Arthur, four
Meanwhile, Greg kept things casual in a top sweat top and matching shorts, which he teamed with coordinating trainers.
Last month, Billie and Greg couldn’t hide their upset after learning renovations to their dream home were 24 weeks behind schedule.
In scenes that aired during an episode of The Family Diaries, the couple were told that workmen couldn’t continue with the development until they ‘started to make decisions’ on the interior.
Paying a visit to the property, Billie and Greg were greeted by their project manager Lee, who revealed that the renovation team were unable to carry on with work on the house until they received guidance on Billie’s plans for the interior.
Greg explained: ‘There’s no one working because we haven’t been giving them decisions.
‘This is interior and he needs to be on top of it a bit more, and he’s waiting for information from you,’ before turning to Billie.’
Drama: The couple’s house plans have been plagued with delays after it was reported that they were ‘at war’ with their neighbours over the ongoing renovations
Moving on: The beauty brushed aside the drama as she and Greg were seen chatting to a designer outside the sprawling abode
Fashionista: Billie cut a stylish figure in a khaki trench coat which she wore over grey vest and beige leggings
Style: The former TOWIE star added a pair of trendy trainers and chic handbag in neutral colours, while she shielded her eyes from the sun with tortoiseshell sunglasses
Noting the remaining steps in the renovations, Lee told the couple: ‘It’s basically, kitchen, utility all that we’re going to do and stairs, and then we can get everything in place and call the plasters in.’
As Greg asked how far behind schedule they were with renovations on the home, Lee admitted they were currently 24 weeks late.
Greg admitted: ‘Lee told us before that it was behind but it’s shocked me for him to tell me it’s 24 weeks behind, it’s been dragged out long enough and it’s time.
‘At this rate I’ll have finished the garden before you finish the interior.’
It comes after reports that Billie and Greg were allegedly ‘at war’ with their neighbours over ongoing renovations at their mansion, which began in January 2021.
The couple were said to be ‘no longer on speaking terms’ with nearby residents – before they had even moved into the property – according to The Sun.
Low-key look: Meanwhile, Greg kept things casual in a top sweat top and matching shorts, which he teamed with coordinating trainers
Discussions: Billie was seen in deep conversation with the interior designer as they went over plans for the home
Taking charge: The mother-of-two was very invested in the plans
What do you think? Billie was seen checking out designs and patterns suggested by the interior designers
Their relationship with their neighbours was thought to be so bad, they even reportedly splashed an eye-watering £20k on trees to maintain their territory.
Laurel trees, which conveniently grow between 15 and 35 feet tall, cost £240 each and were bought in order to keep eavesdroppers away, according to reports.
A neighbour told the council: ‘I give my response to the amended drawings for the above property which, whilst I would have liked to have had similar window treatment to bedroom 4 as that of bedroom 2, I find to be acceptable in principle.’
They went on to claim that they would ‘give their support’ if the house would ‘fit the character of the area’, adding how it would be the biggest house on the street.
Delays: Last month, Billie and Greg couldn’t hide their upset after learning renovations to their dream home were 24 weeks behind schedule
Oh dear: In scenes that aired during an episode of The Family Diaries, the couple were told that workmen couldn’t continue with the development until they ‘started to make decisions’ on the interior
Feud: It comes after reports that Billie and Greg were allegedly ‘at war’ with their neighbours over ongoing renovations at their mansion, which began in January 2021
Last year, Billie admitted she’s not speaking to the neighbours, after they opposed the couple’s plans to demolish the original rundown house and replace it with a five-bed palace.
Bridges haven’t been built since they won planning permission in August 2020 with Billie saying: ‘We’ve not seen anyone. But it’s just not a great start, is it?’
She added: ‘The house is so old, whoever was going to buy it was going to have to renovate.
‘There’s only one neighbour to the side of us and he had a lot of reasons as to why he didn’t want us to go ahead, but it was getting a bit silly in the end. It’s been a very long journey already and it’s about to get even more pressurised once the builders start work.’
According to the planning application, all five bedrooms will be on the first floor with the en-suite master bedroom having a huge dressing room. Three of the other en-suite bedrooms will have walk-in wardrobes.
Greg has been allowed to add a ‘man cave’, converting the original garage into a gym and games room, and there will be a play room for their two children.
Opposition: Last year, Billie admitted she’s not speaking to the neighbours, after they opposed the couple’s plans to demolish the original rundown house and replace it with a five-bed palace
They’re also adding a two-storey side extension, single extensions to the front and rear, and completely re-landscaping the outside space.
Billie admitted in March she wouldn’t have bought the abode if she knew the ‘headache’ it would be.
She said: ‘Now someone else has also said to us that we should probably think about knocking the house down and start all over again it’s just becoming one thing after another.
‘We’re nearly a year in now. It would have been nice to know that like six to eight months ago because if we are going to knock the house down it means we’re going to have to reapply for planning permission and start this process all over again.
Building work: Billie admitted in March she wouldn’t have bought the abode if she knew the ‘headache’ it would be
Grand plans: According to the planning application, all five bedrooms will be on the first floor with the en-suite master bedroom having a huge dressing room
‘I don’t regret buying the house but if I had known it would have taken this like, like over a year to get to find a builder, I probably wouldn’t have done it because I just was so unaware of how long things take.’
Meanwhile, Billie, who is a hoping for a Kardashian style home, revealed to MailOnline: ‘It’s stressful because we’re juggling, like time is not on our side at the moment. We we’re working all the time, we’ve got two young children.
‘With filming and obviously renovating a house, It’s like a it’s a lot and sometimes does feel like there’s not enough hours in the day’.
When asked what they wished they have done differently with the build Greg laughed ‘We probably wouldn’t have done it’.
‘It feels like it’s been forever’ the blonde beauty said, but is convinced that the whole family will ‘definitely’ be moved in in time to enjoy their outdoor pool this summer.
Candid: ‘I don’t regret buying the house but if I had known it would have taken this like, like over a year to get to find a builder, I probably wouldn’t have done it because I just was so unaware of how long things take’
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