For years, becoming a homeowner was the ultimate goal for designer and creative consultant, Irene Agbontaen. But when her dream became reality in 2020, she was met with some unexpected surprises. From dealing with sexist mortgage brokers and builders, to navigating interior design communities she couldn’t see herself in, her renovation journey has been far from smooth.
‘I’m a strong woman. I knew how I wanted my house to be and I wasn't going to allow a tradesman to bully me,’ she tells ELLE UK. Agbontaen is no stranger to setbacks. In fact, the label she founded in 2013, TTYA (Taller Than Your Average) was born out of her own struggles to find clothes that fit tall women. When it came to purchasing and renovating her 1930s, end-of-terrace house, Agbontaen refused to compromise.
Instead, she did her research and made sure she understood every step of the process. Her home improvement account, CasaTTYA documented everything from finding a mortgage broker to choosing the right shade of beige, and became a trusted resource for others in a similar position. In failing to find a community, Agbontaen ultimately forged her own. Here, she shares the highs, lows and lessons of her renovation journey…
‘I rented a two bedroom, new build flat. When it came to buying, I wanted a newbuild. Then COVID happened and really changed my perspective. I needed a space with some flexibility, I wanted a garden. I’d been looking in Brixton, where I grew up, but I realised if I added a five mile radius I could see houses, not flats.
After a few viewings, I found an end of terrace house that ticked so many boxes. It sounds weird saying it, but I would feel the energy of the house and the people that lived there, and this one just felt right. My offer was accepted, but it's not yours until your contracts are signed. That limbo period gave me the most anxiety.
You’ve got to think strategically when trying to get a mortgage. You have to ask yourself, what is my bank statement saying about me? If it’s saying you spend more money than you're earning, that's not going to help. You need to make sure that your finances are in a good state before even going to a broker. It’s like making sure your CV is as good as possible before going to a job interview.
I spoke to two different male mortgage advisors who said to me, “maybe you should think about waiting to be in a relationship before you buy a house? Why would you want to buy a house on your own?” That was really disappointing. Why wouldn't I want to buy a house on my own? And why would I want to wait? It was a good market and I had the funds to be able to do it. Don't get me wrong, there are more questions when you're buying as a single occupant, but there can be negatives to buying with someone else. I'm comfortable with where I am in my life. Afterwards, I found an amazing female broker, she was a badass. She’d worked with loads of creatives and assured me that I shouldn't be deterred.
I documented the whole process on my Instagram, because it’s important to show people the real journey. Whenever I see renovation or inspiration pages, it's so often the finished product. No one was really talking about the journey. Being a first time buyer, off the back end of COVID, I wanted to talk about what was happening in the marketplace, what it’s like to be a woman buying for the first time: it's important to be honest about these kinds of things, and not just show the highlights at the end.
You look at the home renovation pages, it’s often not a very diverse space. It’s not speaking to a whole group of people right now. [Brands] should be working with people that look like me because we are also using your product. We are here, and we have spend power. We would love to get partnership opportunities, we would love for our voices to be heard in this space. I was very intentional with the brands that I collaborated with. My kitchen was Kutchenhouse, where two women owned the local franchise.
When my renovation started, I was always the first one here every day, the last one to leave. I was hands on, I asked questions. I wanted to know why things were done in a certain way. I would spend all my free time watching YouTube videos so that I understood the way things were going to be done.
When looking for a tradesperson, I would say try to investigate them as much as possible. Who were their previous clients? Visit their last four to five jobs if you can. Try and get the experience from the client, not just the builder.
I noticed sometimes I would call and ask for a quote which would then change when they realised I was a woman. I had to start getting a male friend to accompany me when tradesmen were coming round. Imagine every time you've got someone coming to your house, you need a man to be there to lead the conversation? I had to! On so many occasions, if I wasn’t being listened to, my friend would say exactly the same thing, and the answer was, “yes, of course.”
That was really disappointing. I knew how I wanted my house, I've been saving my whole life. I wasn't going to allow a tradesman to bully me. I learned that misogyny lives, breathes and sleeps in the building and trade industry. You go to a tile shop or a timber merchant and very rarely see women working there. Unfortunately, it's an industry that has been built on masculinity. Women are probably more underrepresented than in any other sector. That's what made me want to talk about it, because I'm not the only person that is going through this. When I started speaking out on my Instagram, I'd get hundreds of messages from people going through the same thing. My friend told me she had to get her dad to come when the builders were coming because they weren’t taking her seriously. It's bonkers.
I tried to find female tradeswomen like Hanieh Rezaie of Deco Cemento, a plasterer who did all my microcement. She’s amazing, I recommended her to all my friends, put her on extra blasts. She's building an amazing team of women.
My ultimate advice is don't get disheartened. Don't take no for an answer. Have your plan, know what you want. Work with people that align with your vision, and if you get a whiff of any bad energy, don’t be afraid to challenge your tradespeople. Make sure your contract is tight. When my first builder didn’t show up to the job, didn’t send enough men, and didn’t do the work within the timeframe, I fired him. It's very easy to see when things are not going the way that they should. Make sure you have clear payment terms and that things are transparent from the beginning: it gives you back your power. My home is my sanctuary. It's taken me almost two years, but it’s at a point where I can look at everything that I've done and feel proud of what I've been able to achieve.'
