My Nundah unit reno journal

[grubar30]

Hi All,

Thought I'd start a thread (yes, call me a copy-cat) detailing the in's and out's of a renovation I'm about to undertake on a 2bdr unit, 1bath, 1LUG unit at Nundah, Brisbane.

Please see attached pics.

Hopefully this thread can prove beneficial for everyone.

George


EDIT - please see the thread below for some background info. into this purchase

http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?p=221845#post221845

 

[Brenda Irwin]

Ooh, I was hoping you would tell more. Keep it coming George.

 

[grubar30]

more piccys

some more pics of the kitchen and bathroom

 

[grubar30]

piccys con't

one more of the bathroom and a couple of the main bedroom

 

[grubar30]

pics

toilet, 2nd bedroom and lounge looking into bathroom and kitchen

 

[grubar30]

pics 2

more lounge pics and view from balcony

 

[grubar30]

kitchen shannigans

Last night I met with the Cabinet Maker (top bloke, smokes too much though) to discuss kitchen design and costs…let’s say my initial projection of $4.5k was off mark…looks like a complete kitchen might come to around $6.7K... ….this was a bit of a shock….

Let me explain

Design and install of kitchen comes to $4.7K….a fair price I think…..its when you get to the gas oven/stove that issues arise…..gas ovens can cost quite a bit (I’m talking under-bench/wall-oven here)….so to reduce costs I’d have to go electrical…but there is a problem here too – there is no designated circuit – hence, I would need to get one installed….however, this might not be possible as the unit is on the 2nd floor, and to get a line back to the switchboard, the electrician would need to cut through the cavity brick, somehow get the wire down though the unit below me (as if they’d agree to that!) and then onto the switchboard…..what a a nightmare….really, I don’t see how it can be done, and even if it can, it would cost a small fortune (any forum electricians care to guesstimate such a job?)

Btw, no chance of daisy-chaining power for the stove/oven off an existing circuit as these appliances need at least ~30 amps to run….correct me if I’m wrong, but most units have 2 power circuits and they are rated at a maximum of 20 amps each…..

Can you see my dilemma?

So I guess I’m stuck with gas….I have yet to get actual costs on a gas oven (Good Guys here I come), but was told by the Cabinet maker that gas stove tops retail around the $300 mark (pretty much the same as electrical so no loss there) and rangehoods are rangehoods - $100 there….then I’d need to set aside ~$400 for a gas fitter (any forumites care to guesstimate?) to come out and disconnect the gas, then come back and run gas tubing along the bottom of the new kitchen up into the slot for the oven and connect it all (this is how the kitchen guy explained it).

Arghhhhhhhhhhhh!

Oh yeh, then there’s the cost of a sink and mixer - $190 there…..and cost of a plumber to run the hot and cold water pipes back down inside the wall so the mixer can be installed….

In all of this, one thought comes to mind – oh how I wish I had more friends who were tradies…


George

PS…apart from the kitchen design and install, all of the above figures are approximate…I’ll update with precise costs as I find out more.

btw, I meant Shenanigans....tehehehe

 

[Ruby]

Just a suggestion George. It might be better for you uploading your photos to the gallery rather than using your attachment quota. Details on how to do it is in the FAQ’s.

http://www.somersoft.com/forums/faq.php?faq=gallery_faq#faq_galleryforum_faq

Looking forward to seeing the reno unfold.


Ruby

 

[ani]

That kitchen price seems high I'd get a few more quotes myself.

Could you do a flatpack yourself?

 

[rj]

Grubes,
Come to the auctions with me and Lyn. She said theres an absolute load of stuff there - everything kitchen related!

Youre bound to save some cash man. Forget about the good guys.

Ill let you know when were going and you can bum a lift.

Oh and by the way, can you scratch the words "raze was ere" on the loungeroom wall for me!

RJ

 

[grubar30]

Hi Ruby,
Is that a nice way of saying you'd prefer I put them in the gallery?...if so, no worries, I'll ship future ones over to the other section....cheers....I just thought having them within the thread gave better immediacy and context....

Hi Ani,
Do you mean the $4.7k for just the kitchen itself or the total $6.7K for everything?

Raze,
Definately let me know mate....


George "its not over until the cheque has been singed" Grubar

 

[Brenda Irwin]

Do you need a new stove because the old one doesn't work? Looks in pretty good nick. Actually, the whole place doesn't look too bad.
If you reno immediately, it will not be deemed by the ato as wear an tear and deductions will be on a low rate. If you stick a tenant in for a while, then reno, the deductions might be a whole lot better.
Rents are rising well in the Nundah area and vacancies are low. Why not just rent it as is? With a rise in rent in 6mths you will have better serviceability, and the capital growth will take care of equity.
By the way, a cheaper alternative to a new kitchen would be to change the benchtops and the cupboard doors. Bingo, new look kitchen!

 

[geoffw]

Is that a nice way of saying you'd prefer I put them in the gallery?...if so, no worries, I'll ship future ones over to the other section....cheers....I just thought having them within the thread gave better immediacy and context....

Grubar

I put the pics into the gallery, and then put an image link to the gallery in a post where appropriate; sometimes just a link to the gallery can be used instead.

 

[grubar30]

Hi Brenda,

I guess instant equity comes to mind, rather than waiting for natural CG do its thing...if the reno can add $20K in value, then I could draw-down 80% of that towards deposit on a new place...so off I go again, sooner rather than later...

also, I figured post-reno rent would bridge the servicilaity gap a bit better then no reno and throwing a tenant in straight away....

not sure what you mean on the ato stuff....I'll still be able to depreciate the cost of the reno using either prime cost method or diminishing value method?

George

 

[rj]

By the way, a cheaper alternative to a new kitchen would be to change the benchtops and the cupboard doors. Bingo, new look kitchen!

Sorry for the threadjack but Brenda, can you recommend anyone for this? As this will be the approach at Cochrane.

Grubes - keep in touch

RJ

 

[FrankGrimes]

That kitchen price seems high I'd get a few more quotes myself.

Could you do a flatpack yourself?

Second this, my dad bought a flat packed kitchen for a similar sized unit and cost about $3000, just bought a vertical stove/oven combination (wiring was already there). Just had a to get a plumber to connect the sink and dishwasher.

Good guys are a rip off - other department stores are usually cheaper than their cash price. Shop around, go to auctions, ebay etc.

 

[lizzie]

we've done two flat pack kitchens and they are sooooo easy - just follow the instruction and have yourself a spirit level.

i think what brenda means is that if you stick and tenant in for 12 months then claim they trashed the carpet, you can claim replacement on wear and tear. if you replace items between tenants (as long as they are replacement and not altering the use or upgrading where unnecessary) then it can be claimed as an immediate deduction. ie, after a tenant has move din if part of a fence is falling down and you replace that part of the fence, it is consider a repair and can be claimed against income. if you replace the whole fence, including that which is not falling down, it is consider a capital improvement and can only be depreciated per year or claimed against income when sold.

although i see what you want to do as it will be a major overhaul - both ways are good for different reason. obviously you can't claim $20k worth of repairs in one year!

 

[grossreal]

hi all
the kitchen top replacement is relatively easy you can measure and replace with the same most kitchen makers will make you the top I have even seen a top recovered if the old one is ok they come out with the veneer and re veneer it, for a trendy bench top try tiling in slate, cheap long lasting and looks good splash back in the same or a sheet of etched glass again cheap and looks good .
the doors you can buy again from a cabinet maker and they are just clip in the new ones.
for the insides of the cabinetsits mostly chip board and that the cheap bit if you do the reno yourself and you want to cut cost you do need to most yourself and 6.5k is a little high corinthian stone and sharp edge corners and bosch appliances(5) are in the 6k mark.
the auctions will hit around the 1.6k plus maybe 1k for appliances wetheril park in sydney if your in this area not much good for qld but just some ideas.
and a little trick if you have a freind who's a plumber you run the line, cut the walls fit the pipes and he comes and connects.
that goes for electrical as well you can't connect appliances put you can do all the work and let them connect.

 

[Qlds007]

Just out of curiousity what have you budgeted to do the whole unit up?

 

[grubar30]

Hi Lizzie,

Everyone's saying two-pack...worth a look

I understand now where Brenda was coming from...cheers....

Hey Grossreal,
$6.5K might be too high - I'm getting that feedback for sure aren't I.....I have another quote happening tonight, so let's see what comes of it....thanks for the plumbing tip

Yo Qlds007,
http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?p=221845#post221845

George