Imagine standing in a crumbling Grade I-listed Georgian hall in the middle of Bath, the air thick with two centuries of dust and the smell of damp lime plaster. Your bank balance is knocking on zero. You’ve just sold off your life’s work—over 600 of your most prized possessions—just to pay the master plasterers and keep the heating on. This isn’t a scripted drama for Discovery Plus. This is the reality for the UK’s most famous decorative salvage dealer as he navigates the most volatile year of his professional life.
For over a decade, the world watched a man with a sharp eye and a sharper tongue travel the backroads of Britain in search of “the good stuff”. But by late February 2026, the story had moved far beyond the thrill of the find. The talk of the antiques trade isn’t about what he’s buying but about how he’s surviving.
After 14 years and more than 240 episodes, the face of Salvage Hunters has walked away from his primary pay cheque to chase a ghost in the stones of an 18th-century townhouse. It’s a move that has left many wondering if the famous dealer has finally bitten off more than he can chew.
Anyway, the numbers people see on those generic “wealth” websites are usually rubbish. They don’t account for the sheer cost of restoring a 1790s masterpiece or the brutal reality of closing a successful warehouse in North Wales. To understand the true Drew Pritchard net worth in 2026, you have to look at the massive liquidation of assets he’s undergone and his high-risk pivot to the Cotswolds. It’s a story of calculated desperation and architectural obsession.
Selling the Crown Jewels to Save the House
The biggest shock to the system came when Drew decided to empty his private stores. We aren’t talking about a few dusty chairs from a skip. This was the “Reserved” section of his soul. In a series of high-profile auctions, he offloaded items that most collectors would kill for—everything from rare Italian workshop vices to a fossilised Irish elk skull that had sat in his Conwy warehouse for years.
Why sell now? Because the Bath project turned into a financial black hole. As reported by the Daily Post’s latest update on the Bath refurb, the initial renovation budget of £200,000 was obliterated within the first ten months. When you’re dealing with Grade I listing, you can’t just nip to B&Q for a bit of plywood. Everything has to be authentic. Everything has to be perfect.
By the time January 2026 came around, Drew was astonishingly frank about his state of affairs. He told his supporters and his builders that the “wallet was empty.” He had to suspend work on the grand lower floors of the townhouse simply to complete the bedrooms.
His auction of the collection was no spring clean; it was a rescue. That sale may have pumped a much-needed six-figure sum back into his accounts, but it did so at the cost of his own curated past.
The Salvage Rebuild: Drew Pritchard’s 2026 Financial Pivot
| Asset / Venture | Status in 2026 | Estimated Financial Impact |
| Georgian House (Bath) | Fully restored Grade I listed home. | Purchased for £1.5m; +£600k restoration cost. |
| Tetbury Antiques Shop | Officially opened (Nov 2025); thriving in 2026. | Main commercial revenue stream. |
| Antique Collection Sale | Massive “roll of the dice” auction (2025). | Raised £200k+ to cover emergency repairs. |
| TV Production Fees | Salvage Hunters: Georgian House Restoration. | Estimated £300k – £500k per series. |
| Conwy Real Estate | Sold (Warehouse, shop, and cottage). | Liquidation of ~£1m in North Wales assets. |
The Tetbury Pivot: A New Chapter in the Cotswolds
While the Bath house consumed his cash, Drew hasn’t been sitting idle. He’s completely uprooted his business life from North Wales. After decades in Conwy, he’s officially landed in Tetbury, the undisputed heavyweight champion of the UK antiques scene.
The new showroom, Drew Pritchard Antiques, opened its doors in late 2025 on Long Street. It’s a smart but costly tactical move. In Conwy, he was a big fish in a small pond, largely relying on destination shoppers and the show’s fame. In Tetbury, he’s surrounded by the elite. According to the Wales Online report on his new store, this isn’t just a shop; it’s a statement of intent. He’s also reorienting himself toward a higher-tier customer base — the sort who don’t flinch at a four-figure price tag for an original piece of 18th-century lighting.
Anyway, the rent on Long Street definitely isn’t cheap. By moving his business here, he’s putting real faith in the strength of his name and his reputation to stand alongside the long-established dealers of the Cotswolds. So far, the move looks promising, with strong foot traffic reported in the shop during the early months of 2026.
Calculating the Real Drew Pritchard Net Worth in 2026
So, what is he actually worth today? If you look at the raw data, his wealth is almost entirely “trapped” in property and stock. He’s what the taxman would call “asset rich and cash poor.”
Based on current market trends and property valuations in Bath, the townhouse—once fully restored—is easily a £2.5 million to £3 million asset. He bought it for £1.5 million in 2022, but the level of restoration he’s performing adds significant “heritage value” that goes beyond a standard square-footage price.
- The Property Portfolio: His Bath home remains his biggest asset. He also still owns some commercial interests in Wales, though these have been scaled back.
- Business Value: The Tetbury showroom and its thriving e-commerce site are estimated to bring in roughly £500,000 in annual revenue.
- Media Earnings: He’s left the main show, but his spin-off, Salvage Hunters: Georgian House Restoration, and international royalties still provide a steady stream of passive income.
When you add it all up—and subtract the massive debts accrued during the Bath rebuild—most industry experts, including those quoted in the CleverTips wealth profile, estimate the Drew Pritchard net worth to be between £2 million and £2.5 million.
Honestly, that’s a decent chunk of change for a lad who started with 200 quid and a knack for spotting “the right” kind of rubbish. But in the world of high-end architectural salvage, £2 million can disappear into a roof repair faster than you can say “Regency period.”
Also read: Drew Pritchard’s New Wife: The Mystery Woman Everyone’s Asking About
Why He Walked Away From the Cameras
The question everyone asks is why he quit the show that made him. 20 series is a long time to spend in a van with “Tee” and the crew. By late 2025, the cracks were showing. The travel, the constant pressure to find “leads”, and the toll of a very public divorce a few years back had clearly changed his perspective.
He didn’t want to be a “TV personality” who bought antiques; he wanted to be an antiques dealer who happened to be on TV. The move to Bath and Tetbury was a conscious effort to reclaim his identity. Now, the show is fronted by his mates Alister Dryburgh and Viki Knott, while Drew focuses on the tactile reality of wood, stone, and iron. It’s a quieter life, but a far more expensive one.
The “Georgian House” Effect
The thing about Drew is that he doesn’t do things by halves. His obsession with the Georgian period is legendary. In his latest TV project, which documents the Bath restoration, you can see the toll it takes. He’s obsessive about the “bones” of a building. He’d rather leave a wall bare than put the wrong wallpaper on it.
This level of perfectionism is what drives his net worth up in the long run, but it’s what makes his daily life a financial grind. As noted by Gloucestershire Live’s coverage of the property disaster, he’s faced everything from structural failures to vanishing contractors. It’s a “dream home” that nearly became a nightmare on day one.
Bottom Line
In the end, Drew Pritchard is someone who seems most comfortable pushing himself right to the limit. For three decades, he’s made a living spotting value where other people saw junk, bringing forgotten pieces back into the spotlight. Now he’s applying that same mindset to his life and career. The pressure is real, the risks are personal, and yet that’s clearly the way he likes to work.
Look, it’s striking to see someone so well known openly admit he feels “skint” just to get a cornice restored properly. It says a lot about his priorities. For some people, preserving history matters more than keeping everything safe and comfortable in the present.
Frequently Asked Questions: Drew Pritchard 2026
Is Drew Pritchard still doing Salvage Hunters?
No, he actually turned over the van keys in late 2025. He still stars in his solo restoration specials, but Alister Dryburgh and Viki Knott now lead the main series.
Where can I visit Drew Pritchard’s new shop?
He’s available at Drew Pritchard Antiques on Long Street in Tetbury, Gloucestershire. It’s a beautiful space, furnished with the sort of high-end architectural salvage he has become known for.
Did he actually go broke during the Bath restoration?
“Broke” is a relative term. He had run out of liquid cash and did not have any money in his bank account to pay the weekly wages for his builders. He was even forced to auction off his private collection to raise the cash necessary to work on the project.
How much did the Bath house cost?
He bought the Grade I listed property for £1.5 million back in 2022. And by the time the dust settles and the restoration is finally finished, the overall spend, including renovation work, will probably climb past £2.2 million.
Sources and References
- Daily Post: The “Empty Wallet” Confession – A raw look at the financial struggles behind the Bath project.
- Wales Online: The Move to Tetbury – Drew’s fresh start in the Cotswolds’ antiques capital.
- Mirror: The 600-Lot Auction Reveal – Details on the massive sale that saved his restoration.
- Discovery+: Salvage Hunters: Georgian House Restoration – Watch the actual process of his “make or break” property risk he took.
