OK, Its taken me years to come back to the forum and months to upload my reno photos. Here we go:
Bought our PPOR in Dec08. Much too big for our needs but the thing that convinced us was the huge ex-Veterinary surgery attached to the side. Easily convertible to a 2br Granny Flat. (Not so easy after all). Planning started even before settlement with some drawings & plans scratched out in MS Visio. Planning approval and permits took about two months. Demolitions, new walls and new plumbing in March. Kitchen & bathroom fitouts in April/May. Undertile heating and wall / floor tiling caused some delays and not completed till July. Painting & carpeting completed August '09. Rented Sep '09. Sure, most of the delays were caused by me wanting to play handyman and holding up the tradies but I saved a stack of $$$. Kitchen was bought from Magnet Mart and assembled on weekends and after work. Paving nearly killed me and I wont do it again. Ditto for the screen fencing. But The result is pretty awesome I think.
In the end it wasn't as easy as I thought, but it sure was worth it. The way I see it I have about 1 quarter of the floor space in the house paying for 2 thirds of my mortgage. I'm pretty rapt. Check out the photos in the Gallery.
Cheers
Pedro
Bought our PPOR in Dec08. Much too big for our needs but the thing that convinced us was the huge ex-Veterinary surgery attached to the side. Easily convertible to a 2br Granny Flat. (Not so easy after all). Planning started even before settlement with some drawings & plans scratched out in MS Visio. Planning approval and permits took about two months. Demolitions, new walls and new plumbing in March. Kitchen & bathroom fitouts in April/May. Undertile heating and wall / floor tiling caused some delays and not completed till July. Painting & carpeting completed August '09. Rented Sep '09. Sure, most of the delays were caused by me wanting to play handyman and holding up the tradies but I saved a stack of $$$. Kitchen was bought from Magnet Mart and assembled on weekends and after work. Paving nearly killed me and I wont do it again. Ditto for the screen fencing. But The result is pretty awesome I think.
In the end it wasn't as easy as I thought, but it sure was worth it. The way I see it I have about 1 quarter of the floor space in the house paying for 2 thirds of my mortgage. I'm pretty rapt. Check out the photos in the Gallery.
Cheers
Pedro