Renovating remotely
- Thread starter D.T.
- Start date
Hi D.T.,
I renovated two units, a 4 bed Federation house, and a small 1850s barn remotely all in central Hobart. After several phone calls and two or three trips to Hobart, I managed to find the people to work for me. Initially, I had organized an architect to project manage the house renovation but that didn't work out. I ended up finding a builder who did just fine in the end.
The old barn was designed by a different architect and she did an amazing job winning three prestigious awards for her work. She was very exacting and particular and the builder was very good as well. Everything went smoothly...no dramas whatsoever. Seamless.
The units were conjoined and we had to renovate one at a time. The first one was done with the same builder as the barn and it went well. The second unit was done six months later but this time, I hired an excellent interior designer to dictate to the builders her view on things. Best money I ever spent. The quality of the materials were much better, the layouts perfect. Sometimes builders just want to get in and out not being too concerned with materials, etc.
Although the sencond unit cost more, the outcome was far superior to the previous unit. All doable by phone and the odd attendance.
We've rennovated in Brisbane and SA
Realistically you are much better off to take a week or two off and go over to coordinate
Do you have any useful skills? If not I would learn some basics
Where are you thinking about rennovating?
A capital city or regional town?
Capitals are easier as trades are easier to find
Regionals - they see you coming a mile away and it's hard to find someone who will do an honest days work, quotes can be laughable
They don't like investors much either so if it's regional make sure you can be there. At like a local and all of a sudden people will do anything for you
Is the renno just cosmetic ? If it is you may get away with operating remotely
If not then good luck... You would need someone to manage it which blows out costs
I guess it depends on the $ you place on your own time
Realistically you are much better off to take a week or two off and go over to coordinate
Do you have any useful skills? If not I would learn some basics
Where are you thinking about rennovating?
A capital city or regional town?
Capitals are easier as trades are easier to find
Regionals - they see you coming a mile away and it's hard to find someone who will do an honest days work, quotes can be laughable
They don't like investors much either so if it's regional make sure you can be there. At like a local and all of a sudden people will do anything for you
Is the renno just cosmetic ? If it is you may get away with operating remotely
If not then good luck... You would need someone to manage it which blows out costs
I guess it depends on the $ you place on your own time
DT
Did this in Sydney, Melbourne and Nerang (QLD) and regional WA.
In the main they were all minor renovations approx. (10K). I had property managers pretty much running the show, organising trades etc, these worked out very well.
However, I did employ a project manager to organise my reno in Nerang (QLD) and that turned to mud because he under estimated what was required to start with and I purchased site unseen. I have since sold this property
so true this, even for a certain pockets of Central Coast for example, the PM/tradies 3rd generation there, and felt investors breaching their ecosystem.
Hey DT
Just had one of the PPOR bathrooms and laundy renovated whilst we were overseas for a month.
We selected/supplied most of the stuff before we left. We then provided a few basic sketches/instructions on what was needed.
They sent us update emails with photos and called/skyped/texted when there was a question or a decision to be made.
Admittedly the guys we used to carry out the work are good friends - and we trust them a lot, so had no concerns about being ripped off....and it was easy enough for them to contact us when they needed to ask something.
Cheers
Jamie
Just had one of the PPOR bathrooms and laundy renovated whilst we were overseas for a month.
We selected/supplied most of the stuff before we left. We then provided a few basic sketches/instructions on what was needed.
They sent us update emails with photos and called/skyped/texted when there was a question or a decision to be made.
Admittedly the guys we used to carry out the work are good friends - and we trust them a lot, so had no concerns about being ripped off....and it was easy enough for them to contact us when they needed to ask something.
Cheers
Jamie
Thanks for the input guys (and girl)
Bought a 1945 home in a very trendy / beachside suburb of a state capital. Hoping to render exterior, landscape front and rear, paint/floors/fittings throughout, new kitchen. Bathroom looks ok i think.
Adelaide?....
Thanks for the input guys (and girl)
Bought a 1945 home in a very trendy / beachside suburb of a state capital. Hoping to render exterior, landscape front and rear, paint/floors/fittings throughout, new kitchen. Bathroom looks ok i think.
Pfft, I'd do the bathroom if I were you.
Have done a number of distant ones, both over the phone and in person. All cosmetics, nothing structural. The difference? Speed.
In person (with 18 hr days plus a team of trades around me) I can do a house over in a week or max 2. My last interstate phone reno took 8 weeks coz the trades had no urgency, put my jobs at bottom of the list.
Can also save on some things by doing yourself but I am getting less and less interested in swinging hammers and painting over time, so for me now it will come down to whether I have a sense of urgency or not.
In person (with 18 hr days plus a team of trades around me) I can do a house over in a week or max 2. My last interstate phone reno took 8 weeks coz the trades had no urgency, put my jobs at bottom of the list.
Can also save on some things by doing yourself but I am getting less and less interested in swinging hammers and painting over time, so for me now it will come down to whether I have a sense of urgency or not.
That's what I am most worried about with distance reno work.
Can I ask, how did people make traders accountable/ inspect the progress remotely? Did you just rely on the property managers or did you just request for pictures of work completed every day?
