Slowly Renovating

[AndrewT]

Just went through some piccies today and came across the old photos of our place when we first got our hands on it. We are happy with the progress so far, alot more work to get done but at least it's looking better.

The kitchen is something we would like to get done, but it's an expensive exercise so we settled with painting the cupboards for now and looking into getting some laminex and redoing the spashback...maybe in perspex?

Anyway, here are some before.

Please take note of 'designer' stain & fluros

Finally pulled up the Lino. Probably around 1000+ Stables that need pulling out!

Lovely laundry complete with tiles coming off the wall and basically un-grouted tiles!

And....After!

Downlights, Kitchen Painted, Floors Done and furnished

Laundry re-grouted, new wall tiles + paint. New toilet soon!

Thats it for now. Hope everyone likes it. Most expensive part of the exercise was the floor boards, came in at $3500 but this was due to a section of rotted floor boards that needed replace ($2500 otherwise!). So far, we have spent just over $4,000!

Comments and suggestions?

Thanks,
Andrew.

Edit: As you can see, the toilet is quite close to the kitchen which can be annoying. The house has no toilet in the bathroom but when we get around to redoing the bathroom I was planning on hooking one up. Do people think it's a good idea to have a 2nd toilet? Does this do anything from a rental point of view?

 

[AndrewT]

One more. It's only a temporary lounge room until the other room gets a lick of paint

 

[Lynchy]

Love the floors!

Well done

Sorry would comment more but at work

 

[wobbycarly]

Great job! Just proves that sometimes the simple things (paint and polish) are the best!!

Can highly recommend glass splashbacks - a little more expensive than other options, but looks great and is easy to clean (according to the wife!) Maybe a spot of tile paint will do you for now?

That's inspiring - I thought you were the one wanting motivation! You're motivating me to get that next "reno project" on the go!!

 

[AndrewT]

Great job! Just proves that sometimes the simple things (paint and polish) are the best!!

Can highly recommend glass splashbacks - a little more expensive than other options, but looks great and is easy to clean (according to the wife!) Maybe a spot of tile paint will do you for now?

That's inspiring - I thought you were the one wanting motivation! You're motivating me to get that next "reno project" on the go!!

Well it's funny, after starting that motivation thread I have now started the hallway and getting it ready for painting. I came to the conclusion that I was stupid not to try and finish this place off quickly (while on a strict budget). Who knows, I might get some nice cg's once it's finished to get us our next ip

Had a look at the tile paint too, might have to try it out!

 

[craigb]

well done andrew , you will find the more you do, the more you learn, great first steps,looking through the old and new should be great motivation.

 

[Tuppence]

Love your work. That looks great.
Re the kitchen tiles, there is a product called ... hmm [thinks] Aqua something. It's a waterproof product for shower walls. Kind of looks like tiles but it's all in one sheet - and you can get it in all sorts of colours and size ''tiles''.
We used it to replace the hideous 1970s tiles in our kitchen - white, glossy, clean. Looks great. Fairly cheap too, and goes on it one go, so it's quick. Plumbers suppliers will have it - Reece, Tradelink and like. Bunnings too, I think. Might be worth checking out.

 

[skater]

If this is your PPOR, then a second toilet would indeed be useful. As for the kitchen, it is not as expensive as you imagine if you are handy enough to do most of it yourself. You can get a cheap kitchen complete with granite benchtop from Paradise Kitchens or Laws auctions, both at Wetherill Park. There is another place too, but I can't recall the name offhand, but if you PM Travelbug, I am sure she will let you know the name (we were talking about it last night). It is located on Woodville Rd on the way to Parramatta. All three of them you can get a reasonably kitchen for a fraction of the price it costs to have one installed.

As for the reno being slow, well I am sure you will get finished before we finish ours. Been at it for 12 months now and still feel as if we haven't started. It is hard to find the time to work on it when we run around doing stuff to the IP's instead. So long as it's heading in the right direction you are creating equity which you can put to good use.

Keep up the good work.

 

[stella 77]

Stella

Thanks for the tip about paradise kitchens I might check it out. I am looking to reno. a kitchen and looking for some reasonable prices

 

[mattyg_10]

You guys must of had fun taking that wall paper off!!!!!!!
Great Job.

 

[AndrewT]

Actually, taking the wallpaper off wasn't too bad! We firstly ripped the top vinyl layer off, then sprayed soapy water onto the 2nd layer. Left it for 5 minutes and it peeled straight off! As for the glue underneath, my partner got out a hard bristle broom head and used soapy water again and it came off easy!

We were relieved, thought it was going to be alot harder!

 

[RumpledElf]

Slow? Pft. Took 4 years (and around $35k) to do my old house up, new one we're now at 18 months and there's still things left to do. Bathroom is still aqua, laundry is still emerald, outdoor loo is still orange, new wall is still unpainted and they bulldozed the backyard almost 2 months ago and we still haven't levelled and gravelled it, and of course all my landscaping plants are still in pots. And we need a fence. It never ends!

Well it has to end before the end of the year, this place either needs to be rented out or sold eventually ...

 

[bornfree]

Andrew, the kitchen cupboards look good, did you use a special paint ?

 

[AndrewT]

Andrew, the kitchen cupboards look good, did you use a special paint ?

We ended up using white knight paint. They have a primer for laminate. We roughed the surface up then painted it on. Then the top coat is just a dulux enamel paint! Looks alright, better than the laminate anyway!

 

[Dylan33]

I did my own kitchen cupboards after working out what the materials actually cost and what the kitchen company wanted for theirs.
I used lining boards for the doors and skirting to frame them. Carcases where all made from melamine sheets. The benchtop is made from tounge and groove floorboards finished in danish oil. ended up with a lovely country style kitchen.
If you have good carcases all you need to do is make the doors and top. Buy the special drill bit to make the holes for the adjustable hinges. Paint any exposed edges of the mellamine with aquadere watered down, if you're cutting it. I think it all cost under $500.
I'd include some photos but I don't know how.

 

[bespoke]

It never ceases to amaze me how good a timber floor comes up when its polished, hey even concrete comes up good polished.

Paint and polish are the 2 best things to do to a property to make it look fantastic.

 

[Savanna100]

I did my own kitchen cupboards after working out what the materials actually cost and what the kitchen company wanted for theirs.
I used lining boards for the doors and skirting to frame them. Carcases where all made from melamine sheets. The benchtop is made from tounge and groove floorboards finished in danish oil. ended up with a lovely country style kitchen.
If you have good carcases all you need to do is make the doors and top. Buy the special drill bit to make the holes for the adjustable hinges. Paint any exposed edges of the mellamine with aquadere watered down, if you're cutting it. I think it all cost under $500.
I'd include some photos but I don't know how.

Could we please see a photo, it sounds awesome !!!!

 

[AndrewT]

You can post the pictures two ways.

When you post reply and it goes to a new screen, scroll down and you will see a manage attachments link. Click on that and attach the photo.

Otherwise go to www.imageshack.us and upload there. It will give you a link to the image which you copy and post on here!

I am interested in the photos too. The carcass for our kitchen is absolutely fine. It's actually in really good condition. If I could find where to get cupboard doors made to size, then I will seriously look at doing what you have done!

 

[skater]

I am interested in the photos too. The carcass for our kitchen is absolutely fine. It's actually in really good condition. If I could find where to get cupboard doors made to size, then I will seriously look at doing what you have done!

There is a place in Leppington or Luddenham (I get the two places confused) that will make doors to size. They are finished off in polyurethene, so they look good. I found them just by 'googling' a while ago now but can't remember the name of the place.

 

[Dylan33]

Here are the photos of the home made kitchen. They loook a bit pale in the pic's but are really quite a warm effect.