topic Re: Who else is renovating? in Community Spirit

Who else is renovating?

hargrlynet — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 10:41:23 GMT

Perhaps you would like to share your reno tips, pics, idea etc 🙂

Re: Who else is renovating?

the*scarlet*pimpernel — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 10:58:40 GMT

I sort of am. My tip is, Don't

Re: Who else is renovating?

i-need-a-martini — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 11:02:46 GMT

We are always renovating.

Just finished a laundry and are building a slef contained flat for my son under the house.

Trying to redo the kitchen but haven't got organised yet. So a couple of weeks ago we temporarily painted the floor boards white (with paving paint) to freshen it up. Looks fab!

Re: Who else is renovating?

hargrlynet — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 11:06:10 GMT

LOL Bit late to tell me "don't" now ..... We are verrrrrry slowly renovating our house ....

Re: Who else is renovating?

the*scarlet*pimpernel — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 11:18:05 GMT

so are we, very very slowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwly. Actually we are just trying to finish off what some other bozo started. Sadly we suck at it

Re: Who else is renovating?

hargrlynet — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 11:22:48 GMT

What project are you currently working on? We are working on the kitchen atm, bit by bit

Re: Who else is renovating?

the*scarlet*pimpernel — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 11:29:05 GMT

floors 😞

and I have a small room that needs plastering.

and the ceiling needs insulating

and the outside needs painting

and the skirting boards need nailing in place

and I don't have any funds

Re: Who else is renovating?

hargrlynet — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 11:35:08 GMT

Yeah reno's aren't cheap 😞 Ours is going to take a few yrs to complete, the main part of our house is around 100 yrs old and needs quite a bit of work.

Re: Who else is renovating?

the*scarlet*pimpernel — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 11:43:58 GMT

we've been at it two years now. It's about 50 years old I think, weatherboard on stumps on black soil. So it's constantly moving and cracking.

It's disheartening that plaster work done 18 months ago is now cracked and paint is peeling from the ceiling because it wasn't prepared properly by the tradesman we had.

Re: Who else is renovating?

the*scarlet*pimpernel — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 11:47:30 GMT

I wish I could start again.

I would spend the few extra dollars on nicer carpet in the bedrooms, and I should have stood up to hubby more on some of the fixture choices. And I'd get a carpenter to make the inbuilt cupboards rather than the prefabricated type that I got. The bloke advertised as custom wardrobes, but they weren't very customised and costa ridiculous amount.

Re: Who else is renovating?

freshwater-2 — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 12:22:31 GMT

I purchased a lake front house on the mid north coat last August and began renovations in September.

I still have about 20% more to do before I move in.

It had ducted air conditioning which I wanted removed. When I lifted the carpet around one of the vents I found the most beautiful floorboards....throughout the while house. I ripped out all the carpet.

I knew exactly what renovations I wanted and knew that any changes would cost big money once the renos had started.

The local builder I employed was put in charge of all the subcontractors and I was confident that he understood what I wanted.

He has been wonderful, harrd wowrking, keeping me fully informed about eat stage, and reliable since day one.

I was aware that materials had to be ordered and manufactured, and there would be a lag between ordering and delivery to a rural area..

The house was a three bedroom but I really onnly needed two.

I had a wall between the living room and the first bedroom remmoved and that room became the tv/library room.

I don't like the tv, etc. in the living room

The interior is very much modern open plant now.

I had roman blindsf fitted to two walls on the living room, Both walls are completely glass and no matter where I am I can seet the view out over the lake..

The huge decks on two sides were perfect the way they were. That saved me heaps.

The bathroom and en suite were perfect the way they were so that saved me big dollars.

When I put in the new galley kirchen I retained all the plumbing in situ too, so that cut down on costs too.

The only physical work I have done/am doing is clearing a lot of foreign plants from the undergrowth.

The undergrowth and vvines were so thick that underneath I found a mango, lemon, peach and avocado which I didn't even know were there.

There are magnificnt old growth nattve trees, One has a huge hollow branch about 40 ft of the ground which I refer to as nature's boarding house for the abundant cirtters. I am an environmentalist.

Back to renovations. My suggestions are...

Take your time planning what you want.

Do not make changes once the work has started.

Make sure the contract includes removal of all rubbish and left over materials including cartons.

Make sure you can handle the quotation for all the works plus 10% for contingencies.

Do your own work sourcing exactly what you want in relation to fittings, tiles, splshbacks, etc.

Do not compromise ....you will regret it down the track.

Get at least three kichen quotes.....you will be surprised at the difference in quotes for exactly the same kitchen.

Get an itemised quotation from the builder and only go ahead if you trust that he knows exactly what you want.

Once the agreement is in place.....stay out of the builder's and subcontractors' way.

Do not go to the house while they are working. It really annoys them if an owner is hovering.

If there are delays on the job....don't blame the builder....things happen like materials being held up.

Only speak to the sub-contractors through the builder

Let your next door neighbour know you are going to do renovations and apologise for any future disruption. (my neighbours really appreciated it).

(Mind you it is easy for me to say this as my present home is only four minutes away and I am not going to sell it until the new house is finished.....there is no urgency).

The first thing I am going to do the day I move in is to drag my kyak down to the bottom of the garden and take off over the lake.

I must say that six months down the track and the job is not finished that I am still so full of enthusiasm and over the moon about the way things are going.

Re: Who else is renovating?

i-need-a-martini — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 12:26:42 GMT

The biggest piece of advice before you start any renovation is to hire an architect or interior designer. Saves your skin (and a pile of money) in the long run.

Re: Who else is renovating?

freshwater-2 — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 12:34:10 GMT

I am lucky Martini.....my long time partner is an architect.

And I know that your advice is spot on.

Re: Who else is renovating?

i-need-a-martini — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 12:37:50 GMT

@freshwaterbeach wrote:
I am lucky Martini.....my long time partner is an architect.
And I know that your advice is spot on.

Well I am surprised you have had any work done then - I have yet to meet an architect who finished their OWN house in a timely manner.

I have been in my current house for 5 years and still have sample colours painted on walls in every room cause I can't decide. All my walls look like patchwork quilts in shades or cream/taupe/blue/grey lol.

Re: Who else is renovating?

freshwater-2 — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 12:43:21 GMT

Well I am surprised you have had any work done then - I have yet to meet an architect who finished their OWN house in a timely manner.

ha ha ha Martini......but is is my house. But I know what you mean.

I also remember that you are in 'the business'. I used to have a pool company in a past life.

Re: Who else is renovating?

lloydslights — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 21:39:50 GMT

Bit like a plumber whose taps are dripping.

And if his garden tap is leaking, don't replace a washer; replace the tap!

And use a literally dumb plumber, otherwise he will be telling all the other trades how to do their job and not do his job well.

DEB

Re: Who else is renovating?

lloydslights — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 21:41:12 GMT

Don't be married to "Frank Spencer"

DEB

Re: Who else is renovating?

hargrlynet — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 22:10:39 GMT

Wow you have done heaps FWB, bit hard to stay out of the house when you are living in it during renos, we are currently getting quotes for re stumping which will take around 10 days to complete, now that's goingto be interesting.

Most of the renos we can do ourselves ( and there are heaps ), tradies are VERY expensive as we recently found out lol

Re: Who else is renovating?

soul_art — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 22:18:36 GMT

We just had a new kitchen installed......been here about 3 or 4 years now and have done a couple of things but it really does take time unless you have the funds to do what you want.

We had thought about doing the kitchen ourselves and it would have probably halved the cost but would have taken a lot longer. It was done in a day and the guy who designed it was creative so it solved a storage problem.

I know there are other things we could have spent the money on but I really am glad we paid the company to do everything.

Other things we will do ourselves but I know time is the biggest factor (and money ofcourse!). This is an old house too, 60 y.o. and eventhough I get frustrated with it's quirks at times, I couldn't live in a new house......they have no soul.

Would love to see pics of peoples renos.

Re: Who else is renovating?

hargrlynet — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 22:31:39 GMT

Know what you mean re quirky old houses Soul, I live in one lol but they sure do have a character all of their own 🙂 We can't do much until the re stumping is done and that is going to cost us at least $12k but we knew that when we bought the house, so really can't complain ( much lol)

The way we are ripping out cupbards here, I wont need to replace that many lol