how do you renovate from interstate?
- Thread starter jonesy427
- Start date
How to renovate interstate
Hi Jonesy427,
I was born with ten thumbs and zero know-how.
I must have been deluded at the time because I bought a place from a deceased estate, located on the other side of the city from where I live, which was in a very poor state of repair. For some strange reason I envisaged project managing the whole project while working full-time (Ha!).
Fortunately, the realestate agent who I dealt with must have seen right through me. He put me onto his maintenance man who project managed the job (repaint, gutters, polish floorboards, new kitchen etc, etc.) from start to finish and for what I regard as a steal financially.
Maybe I was lucky, but you could do worse than contact property managers in the locale of your interstate property and see who they can suggest. Sometimes there's an old retired builder just looking for a bit of pocket money to help him get by. I'd also suggest getting a copy of the local newspaper servicing the area where you property is located and contact anyone doing this type of work. Otherwise there are professional outfits that do this kind of stuff, sometimes for a premium though.
I'm sure if you dig hard enough someone who is suitable will fall out of the woodwork.
Anyway, I'd be keen to see how you go as I have a couple of places on the other side of the country and will no doubt need to do the same at some stage in the future.
Good luck.
Hi Jonesy427,
I was born with ten thumbs and zero know-how.
I must have been deluded at the time because I bought a place from a deceased estate, located on the other side of the city from where I live, which was in a very poor state of repair. For some strange reason I envisaged project managing the whole project while working full-time (Ha!).
Fortunately, the realestate agent who I dealt with must have seen right through me. He put me onto his maintenance man who project managed the job (repaint, gutters, polish floorboards, new kitchen etc, etc.) from start to finish and for what I regard as a steal financially.
Maybe I was lucky, but you could do worse than contact property managers in the locale of your interstate property and see who they can suggest. Sometimes there's an old retired builder just looking for a bit of pocket money to help him get by. I'd also suggest getting a copy of the local newspaper servicing the area where you property is located and contact anyone doing this type of work. Otherwise there are professional outfits that do this kind of stuff, sometimes for a premium though.
I'm sure if you dig hard enough someone who is suitable will fall out of the woodwork.
Anyway, I'd be keen to see how you go as I have a couple of places on the other side of the country and will no doubt need to do the same at some stage in the future.
Good luck.
Where is the IP located? If you mention the location there might be some people on the forum who could recommend a local PM/handy man/tradies that might be of assistance.
Cheers
Jamie
To renavate from interstate you need very long arms and good balance 
Seriously, it may be no harder than around the corner from where you live but I have found that tradies respond a bit better if you meet them on site and discuss rather than giving them the PM details to arrange a visit etc. They take it more seriously and can discuss with you on the spot rather than trying to explain what they mean later. I tried to line a few tradies up by phone, but intended to be there for when the job was done ..........it was bloody painful! How hard can it be......... very hard
One of the jobs was painting the top half exterior of a highset. I found that by calling up the suppliers in the area (Dulux, Wattle etc) I was able to get names of tradies who they considered did a good job and who may have had time to do it. I ended up getting a really nice young guy, not the cheapest but he did a good job and when I needed it done (he had a small window before starting a lot of insurance work) He also got me the paint I needed for the rest of the house at his trade price.
I have used this teqnique a few times now - drop in or phome the suppliers in the area who would deal with the type of tradie you are after - they are talking with them regularly and may have an idea of how much work they have on and how thorough they are based on what they buy.
Seriously, it may be no harder than around the corner from where you live but I have found that tradies respond a bit better if you meet them on site and discuss rather than giving them the PM details to arrange a visit etc. They take it more seriously and can discuss with you on the spot rather than trying to explain what they mean later. I tried to line a few tradies up by phone, but intended to be there for when the job was done ..........it was bloody painful! How hard can it be......... very hard
One of the jobs was painting the top half exterior of a highset. I found that by calling up the suppliers in the area (Dulux, Wattle etc) I was able to get names of tradies who they considered did a good job and who may have had time to do it. I ended up getting a really nice young guy, not the cheapest but he did a good job and when I needed it done (he had a small window before starting a lot of insurance work) He also got me the paint I needed for the rest of the house at his trade price.
I have used this teqnique a few times now - drop in or phome the suppliers in the area who would deal with the type of tradie you are after - they are talking with them regularly and may have an idea of how much work they have on and how thorough they are based on what they buy.
We had renovations done on a property 4 hours from home. We had the property manager get his tradies to give us quotes and we chose which quotes to go with. The PM then co-ordinated with the tenant when the best time for renos would be. If the tenant objects to the disruption then you may have to wait til they vacate. The quotes did take a while to get to us due to the PM being busy with their own work but the tradies did a really good job and we were very happy with the work. I think we paid our PM $200 or $300 to co-ordinate it which was money well spent in our eyes as that wouldn't have covered our travel and accommodation expenses to even stay one night in that town to sort it all out.
I live in Melbourne and have done many renovations in Cairns.
It depends a lot on your project management skills.
I hired a local builder to do the structural work but I flew up there for a few days going from place to place searching out kitchens, bathrooms, tiles etc then finding a good electrician, plumber, gas fitter.
I then had to schedule it all. It was necessary to constantly fly back and forth to check on the work and organise the trades. I did a lot of the work myself toward the end, particularly the painting and sanding. This was a major renovation, turning a 2 bed 1 crappy bathroom townhouse into 3 bedroom and 2 luxury bathrooms with a double sized lounge.
I had a block of 4 flats in Cairns as well and did all the renovations on those myself during holidays
I get recommendations from my PM and so far they have been good.
It can be done, you just have to be very organised
Chris
It depends a lot on your project management skills.
I hired a local builder to do the structural work but I flew up there for a few days going from place to place searching out kitchens, bathrooms, tiles etc then finding a good electrician, plumber, gas fitter.
I then had to schedule it all. It was necessary to constantly fly back and forth to check on the work and organise the trades. I did a lot of the work myself toward the end, particularly the painting and sanding. This was a major renovation, turning a 2 bed 1 crappy bathroom townhouse into 3 bedroom and 2 luxury bathrooms with a double sized lounge.
I had a block of 4 flats in Cairns as well and did all the renovations on those myself during holidays
I get recommendations from my PM and so far they have been good.
It can be done, you just have to be very organised
Chris
