Renovating a house

Before everyone has a go at me for asking a huge question please be aware I know this and I just want to put it out there to see what advice/ideas/suggestions I can get. So here goes:
I have found a piece of land that has subdivision potential and a house on it. It's cheap. I can afford it and I can (I think) afford to renovate and then hopefully subdivide and use the equity to then go on and build on the new block.
The house looked bad in the photos. It looks worse in real life (no surprises there).
I have done one cosmetic renovation in another state which I just basically picked the colour schemes/materials and paid for, I also built my own house using a builder so I have a basic understanding of how a house fits together.
In my opinion after visually checking this house requires more than a cosmetic reno. It needs new guttering, new eaves, at least 2 new windows (if not more). New bathroom (toilet is brand new!), new kitchen including new shelves in WIP, new architraves, new skirtings, new lighting, removal of 70's d?cor (mirror wall and timber veneer wall), new floor coverings, painting, removal of at least one robe if not 2-3.
So my question is for a small 100sqm 1970's home in Adelaide how much will this cost without me doing anything ie. using all tradies? I'm going to assume that there are no termites or major structural damage because if there are I won't be purchasing it?
 
How much do you think this reno will cost?

My question is for a small 100sqm 1970's home in Adelaide how much will this cost without me doing anything ie. using all tradies? I'm going to assume that there are no termites or major structural damage because if there are I won't be purchasing it?

It needs new guttering, new eaves, at least 2 new windows (if not more). New bathroom (toilet is brand new!), new kitchen including new shelves in WIP, new architraves, new skirtings, new lighting, removal of 70's d?cor (mirror wall and timber veneer wall), new floor coverings, painting, removal of at least one robe if not 2-3.

Hi lila77,

Just thought i'd shorten the post for you :p

Sorry i'm not much help with a guestimate on your reno but i'm sure someone will be along with a ballpark but at the same time,how long is a piece string?


Cheers Spades.
 
It is really hard for anyone to comment on this as you need to fit the quality of finish in with the standard for the the suburb and even street level you are in. A quick cosmetic reno could be 6-10% of the value of the property.

However you are not doing a quick cosmetic renovation you are spending money on roofing and windows which add $$, head aches and time.

If the numbers stack up ie they fit this criteria:
- there is enough pricing disparity in the suburb between unrenovated and renovate properties?
- will the cost of yours make you money? For this you need to know what the renovated value you will, the costs (which you are trying to work out) and how long it will take.

Even though it seems alot of work there may still be a profit so if you need to speak to a roofer, chippie etc in the area and ask them to quote.

PS you may not need a new kitchen either - see what you can do with the existing one.

I hope this helps
Jane Slack-Smith
 
Thanks. It's in a tidy neighbour but not upmarket and probably considered a lower socioeconomic area. Most houses in the area were built in the 1970's and not many have been renovated. The ones on the market are in surprisingly good condition for their age but many could do with a cosmetic renovation. Some houses have been knocked down (perhaps that's what I should be doing) &/or properties subdivided and new houses built. It's very hard to find a direct comparable either a house as derelict or a similar house fully renovated. A new house of similar size on a similar size block is about $95,000 more than the lower asking price range for this one. I can't see an old house renovated getting as much as a brand new one though. I also don't have $95,000 to spend on renos.
Given the area/rental market the finish would be of a medium quality and make the house liveable as it's certainly not now. The kitchen definitely needs replacing, I have attached a photo which doesn't show how bad it really is, plus there's a wall that I'd like to partially knock down to make the living area more opened plan. I recently did a renovation in a slightly poorer suburb where the kitchen for removal and new (ikea) cost $2900. It came up really well and suits the house and rental market.
I have a family friend who is a builder looking at it soon.
 

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Hey lilla.
The kitchen photo may be doing it no justice but from my eye that kitchen is not even close to needing to be replaced. I actually do not see much wrong with it but painting the cupboards, updating the handles and maybe spraying the benches will modernize that for the smallest of budgets.
 
"The kitchen photo may be doing it no justice but from my eye that kitchen is not even close to needing to be replaced. I actually do not see much wrong with it but painting the cupboards, updating the handles and maybe spraying the benches will modernize that for the smallest of budgets."

Perhaps you're right. However what you can't see is the exposed and damaged chipboard on parts of it and the fact that the laminate top is potentially a more offensive colour than the most of the more repulsive vomits (I don't know why it looks brown in this photo) The shelves are sagging. Also there are no handles on the cupboards that is the way the doors have been routered. I think the kitchen has to go but I'll reassess. I also wouldn't mind knocking down part of a wall to make the space more open plan.
 
Doesn't look so bad in the photo. Maybe the shelves would need to be replaced if they're sagging. Judging by how it looks, I would consider resurfacing it if you can find someone in the area. And possibly replace the handles to something more modern.
 
If you're keeping it as an IP I wouldn't be replacing that kitchen either - spend your money on the more important things you mention and do a cosmetic reno on the kitchen.
Tiles and cupboards could be painted over - choose any one of the many made by White Knight tile and laminate paint. New handles would make them look more modern.
As for the benchtops, I saw a product on an episode of The Living Room (channel 10) where Cherie Barber the reno expert did a budget kitchen makeover......with this product the bench is lightly sanded, then painted with a thin layer of adhesive and while it's still sticky, tiny stone chips are sprinkled on top. After this dries, you sand it and seal with a clear top coat and you have "stone bench tops" I can't remember the name but maybe you'll find it if you check the Living Room website.
It looked pretty good to me and is apparently available at Bunnings.
 
You will only know the cost at the end of the reno.

In the process of replacing the floor bearers and joists from what seemed like
a straight forward full bathroom reno. (obviously been leaking for years).

After removing some panelling discovered half the house still with the original
black rubber wiring , so this now needs all replacing.
 
That kitchen looks fine for a rental, if you want just re-door and re-shelve it and then move on. The money you spend replacing it (I'd estimate probably $5-8k) would take a long time to make back on the tiny increase in rent.
 
Hey lilla.
The kitchen photo may be doing it no justice but from my eye that kitchen is not even close to needing to be replaced. I actually do not see much wrong with it but painting the cupboards, updating the handles and maybe spraying the benches will modernize that for the smallest of budgets.


You see this is where people differ.

Generally on my Reno's I almost always replace the kitchens completely, for that example above i MIGHT replace the doors if I was working with skinny margins.

I think the general effect you portray with the house with a brand new kitchen and appliances designed properly and modernly for the space, generally offsets the extra costs you incur.

A new kitchen and appliances you can often get away with for $10k, which isnt a huge amount in the grand scheme of things for the effect it has on the look of your house.
 
I've done a few renos.

It depends on whether or not you are doing the reno as a potential IP or as your own PPoR. PPoR you might want to jazz it up more?

I would start at about $30k for something as you've described for basic no frills - because you are paying tradies to do most of the work by the sounds of it.

Ball park is probably between $30k and $50k for the work you've described.

My last reno was on our 2x1 unit over in Kalgoorlie last year. Probably a similar sized property to yours.

I did everything except lay the new carpet and fit the new blinds and $75 for the plumber to get the hotwater service back up and running (hadn't been used for 2 years).

Total cost of that reno - including travel costs - was ~$7,700.

Didn't replace the kitchen; just added better cupboard door handles and a Bunnings flat-pack pantry, but replaced the entire shower, painted and performed various repairs throughout, etc.

see here: http://somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?t=90941

Total time spent on the reno itself was just over 15 days, but about 14 hours per day.

So, if you can see your way clear to do the lion's share of the work yourself, and you are reasonably handy with this sort of work, the savings can be substantial.
 
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