The Bachelor lovebirds Laura Byrne and Matty 'J' Johnson hit huge roadblock in major renovation of 'rundown' $2.2million coastal home

The Bachelor's Matty J and Laura Byrne have hit a huge roadblock in their extension renovation of their $2.2million beach house.

The former reality TV stars snapped up the 'rundown' coastal property back in August, but their renovation journey has been anything but smooth-sailing so far.

Podcaster Laura took to Instagram this week to detail the many issues they have faced since they started overhauling the home from termites to wood rot and mould.

She posted a behind-the-scenes video showing how they had stripped the rundown property to its bare bones and revealed the shocking discoveries they found.

'There was no way of really knowing what this Reno had in store for us, or how comprehensive the rebuild was going to have to be until we started pulling off walls and pulling up the carpet,' she shared.

'We've been met with termites, white ants, wood rot, mould and more than a couple of snakes along the way - but finally she is taking shape and we are slowly seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.' 

Dubbing the house the Chante-Mer - which means 'Sing the Sea' in French - Laura also told how construction had to stop for a week so exterminators could rid the site of pests.

'We had to replace all of the walls and internal structures throughout the kitchen,' she continued.

Despite the challenges, Laura remained positive and told how they plan to transform the neglected beach house into a luxury three-bedroom, two-bathroom home.

Located on a clifftop in Ulladulla on the far south coast of NSW 226kms from Sydney, the old two-storey dwelling offers amazing water views. 

The home last changed hands in 1984 for a mere $62,500 and Laura and Matty splashed out $2.19million on buying it in August.

The location holds special meaning for the happy couple, who tied the knot in 2022 at Cupitts Estate Winery, just down the road from their new holiday home.  

The home is set on 746 sqm overlooking Racecourse Beach and previously belonged to United Nations simultaneous conference translator Valerie Barnes, who died in 2021 aged 94.

Last month, the couple caused quite a stir on social media after revealing a controversial design choice for their renovation. 

The pair announced their bold decision to make their coastal retreat a 'bath-less' zone, igniting a heated debate among followers.

Matty took to Instagram to unveil the news, captioning a video of the ongoing bathroom work with, 'Don't come for us, but this will be a bath-less house.'

The short clip showcased the partially renovated bathroom, where walls were lined with a unique blend of beige and cream vertical striped tiles, adding an earthy feel to the space.

Despite the couple's excitement, their unique choice of tile and lack of a bathtub didn't sit well with everyone.

'Damn that's the most awful tile combination I've ever seen,' one user remarked bluntly, adding, 'but not my bathroom so good luck to you as long as you love it.'

Others voiced concerns over the practicality of going bath-less, especially with young children.

One parent commented, 'Kids can just sit in the shower. Mine do that most nights.'

However, one admitted they regretted installing a bathtub in their own home, saying it's now used more as a storage space than anything else. 

And another approvingly said of their bold tile choice: 'Arrrr the stripes are looking so good.'

Laura and Matt are understood to be working with several brands to 'sponsor' the major renovations of the property.

The couple plan to completely overhaul the 'old beauty' to its previous standard but, per the house's Instagram bio, will be 'resisting the millennial urge to paint everything white'. 

Laura and Matt have already shared photos of their daughters Marlie-Mae, five, and Lola, three, visiting their future 'dream home'.

The reality television stars currently live in a four-bedroom semi in North Bondi, which they purchased for $5.2million in 2023.

They also boast a stunning $1.8million holiday home in Bangalow, near Byron Bay.

After getting engaged in Fiji in April 2018, Laura and Matty finally tied the knot on the south coast in November 2022, five years after meeting on The Bachelor.

They are one of the most successful couples to come out of the show and welcomed their daughter Marlie-Mae in 2019, followed by Lola in February 2021.