It may have been 20 years since Tommy Walsh graced our screens in Ground Force, but the down-to-earth builder has lost none of his charm as he prepares for a road trip to Scotland.
On his own admission he is choosy about workload these days, and he’s probably earned that right after a string of programmes including Trading Places and Our House.
Life may have slowed down somewhat, but Tommy will be reunited with old friend Charlie Dimmock, with the pair holding talks at The Scottish Home Show later this month.
With his cheeky nature and Charlie’s dry sense of humour, they bounce off each other, and Tommy is still passionate about renovation.
They’ll also be joined by interior designer Linda Barker, who will be running sessions on upcycling furniture.
“I’m not flying up to Scotland this time, I’m going to drive because I want to take it all in, so I’m pretty excited,” he said.
“I’m choosy about what I do but I love the Scottish Home Show because we have a real laugh, and it’s great to chat to people.
“I always have personal projects on the go, I’ve just finished a flat for my daughter and I’ve nicknamed my children the boomerang kids.
“They always seem to come home.”
But what words of wisdom will Tommy be passing on to DIY enthusiasts and new home buyers?
Aberdeen is currently a buyer’s market, and he is urging people to strike whilst the iron is hot.
“I think renovating is permanently in fashion and there’s no greater satisfaction than starting off with a wreck and putting your own stamp on it,” he said.
“Nothing is comparable to that and once you’ve got the bug there’s no going back.
“I think the best way forward though is to actually build from scratch, it’s far more budget friendly.
“Once you’ve had your first success there is real money to be made, and if you’re clever about it you can live on site.”
From self-build talks to a wealth of information available online, it’s never been easier to get cracking with your own vision.
Tommy believes the UK is behind when it comes to the self-build trend, with France and Germany being key examples of countries which have embraced self-build.
“I think there needs to be far more encouragement when it comes to self build; when you renovate you have to pay VAT, which isn’t the case with self-build,” he said.
“You can get drip-fed a mortgage and as long as you aren’t too ambitious to begin with, it can turn into something brilliant.”
The Scottish Home Show will take place between September 23 and 25 at the AECC. Visit www.scottishhomeshow.com
