Love It Or List It viewers baffled by couple's choice to add 'tacky' renovations to their 'soulless' new build over moving to luxury five-bedroom farmhouse

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Love It Or List It viewers have been left baffled after a couple opted for 'tacky' renovations to their new build instead moving to a luxury five-bedroom farmhouse. 

On last night's episode of the Channel 4 show, Scott and Jaqui dealt with the dilemma of what to do with their four-bedroom home in Hamilton, central Scotland. 

Jaqui was clearly frustrated as Scott had taken over their new build property with a study, gym and garage, meaning she had no space of her own.

But Scott was firmly on team 'love it', not wanting to move away from his home comforts and enjoying the proximity to his friends and golf course. 

Host Phil Spencer showed the couple three properties in an attempt to persuade them to 'list it' - including a luxurious five-bedroom farmhouse with rolling views of the countryside. 

Though the views were clearly a huge step up from their current garden - exposed to the view of all the neighbours - the couple eventually decided to stay where they were after renovating the property. 

It was a decision that left viewers baffled, claiming the work that had been done on the house resembled a 'tacky Dubai palace', with another noting it was 'very live laugh love inspired'. 

At the start of the programme, mental health nurse Jaqui was determined to move to start a 'new chapter' in life. 

Love It Or List It viewers have been left baffled after a couple opted for 'tacky' renovations to their newbuild instead moving to a luxury five-bedroom farmhouse

In the 12 years since buying the house, the couple had clearly outgrown it - partly due to Scott turning the dining room into his home office for working from home, and the spare bedroom into his personal gym. 

This meant Jaqui was forced to work on her masters dissertation at the kitchen table and had no space for her beloved sewing hobby. 

She told hosts Kirstie Allsopp and Phil: 'Scott loves it but I am 100 per cent ready to list it and I'm ready to move on.

‘The dining room was the central point for us, we would be there every night, time to catch up and we don’t have that.' 

But Scott completely disagreed, arguing: 'I love this house because it is in a fabulous area, great neighbours, I love that it has a decent sized garage. 

'The house isn’t working for us at the moment, but I do think it’s got potential.’ 

With a 'love it' budget of £60,000 and a moving budget of £450,000, Kirstie and Phil's challenge was on. 

After showing them two disappointing new builds, Phil finally found luck after introducing the couple to a stunning five-bedroom farmhouse in Stewarton. 

Jaqui and Scott opted to stay in their new build home in Hamilton, but viewers described the renovated decor as very 'live laugh love'. Pictured after renovation

The couple added gold hardware and detailing throughout their home in their renovations (pictured)

Jaqui was given a sewing room after Scott moved his home office to a pod in the garden

However, it meant the couple had decided not to move to a stunning five-bed farmhouse

Scott was determined to stay in their current home, but Jaqui was determined to move house. Scott and Jaqui are pictured

Coming in under budget at £415,000, a delighted Jaqui said it 'ticked every single box', with a stylish shower room, country cottage charm and a luxury finish. 

It also had the more rural feel she was after, with an open outlook into the surrounding countryside, including views of neighboring ponies. 

However, the couple's final decision to stay in their current home shocked Kirstie and Phil, as well as viewers of the programme.  

While they called the farmhouse 'stunning' and 'lovely', viewers were less appreciative of the couple's renovations. 

They wrote: 'How can this man be in love with his soulless house'; 

'This house renovation is very live laugh love inspired'; 

'Well you could look out on the plastic plants instead of fields and ponies I suppose';

Another commented that it merely looked like they'd 'spent a fortune in Dunelm'. 

While they called the farmhouse 'stunning' and 'lovely', viewers were less appreciative of the couple's renovations

The couple transformed their utility room space meaning they could renovate a spacious downstairs bathroom (right, pictured left before)

After three months of giving up evenings and weekends, Scott built himself a pod in the garden to work from home

Scott's study (pictured left, before) was moved outside into a garden pod, meaning Jaqui could use the space for her sewing (right)

Others were frustrated that they'd opted for their hard-landscaped garden exposed to all the neighbours instead of the picturesque countryside views.  

They said: 'What were they thinking on #lioli with that horrible back garden. She wants a more rural location but then there’s not a blade of grass or plant in sight where they live now. A bit of landscaping would not go a miss to offer a little bit of privacy';

'But that garden! I know gardens are more effort than they are worth with British weather and even more so in Scotland but couldn't they plant some hedges and put some trellis up? All your eye is drawn to is other people's windows looking in on you.'

However, Kirstie and Phil told Jaqui and Scott that their renovations were 'glorious' and were impressed they'd done it all themselves.

Scott built himself a pod in the garden after downloading plans from the internet for £15, meaning he had space to work from home, while Jaqui finally had space for sewing after moving into his old office. 

They made significant changes to the downstairs, with an open-plan design to integrate the cooking and entertaining space. 

They also added granite worktops, luxury porcelain tiles and stylish sinks, as well as gold hardware and detailing throughout their home. 

Jaqui and Scott finally had space for a tumble dryer after remodelling the laundry room. 

The farmhouse (pictured) offered rolling views of the countryside but Scott thought it was too remote

The farmhouse had a very luxurious feel with lots of space - much bigger than their current home

But the renovations did not come cheaply, as despite doing most of the work themselves, they believed they'd spent just shy of £80,000 - £20,000 more than their love it budget. 

The house was given an average pre-renovation valuation of £378,000 and by the end of the programme was estimated to be worth £435,000, only giving an added value of £56,000 despite the money spent and work done. 

However, Jaqui and Scott did agree on a future compromise, agreeing it wasn't their 'forever home' and vowing to finally move for real in five years' time. 

Kirstie and Phil's Love It Or List it airs on Wednesdays at 8pm on Channel 4 and is available to stream now.