Wow factors to add value to a house

[RumpledElf]

If we did all that we prob wouldn't want to move!

Don't overcapitalise. Got inlaws who are great at overcapitalisation, they have the nicest little house and before that the nicest little unit but their mortgage is always at the absolute maximum it can possibly be.

There's a big difference between what you can do to a top-end house for sale and what you can do to get the maximum rental amount.

Maxing your rent is usually as simple as making sure the kitchen is vaguely modern and nothing is broken, house has aircon/heating and decent window dressings, floor coverings are clean and newish and don't look threadbare, and the paint is all good and not a hideous colour. Basically just bring an older house up to the same standard you'd expect in a project home built in the last 5 years. No need for pure wool carpets, european appliances, genuine marble benchtops etc, those don't add to the rent unless you're right at the top end.

 

[Aaron_C]

Don't overcapitalise. Got inlaws who are great at overcapitalisation, they have the nicest little house and before that the nicest little unit but their mortgage is always at the absolute maximum it can possibly be.

There's a big difference between what you can do to a top-end house for sale and what you can do to get the maximum rental amount.

So true. Only put in nice fittings and furnishings for your own PPOR, never for an IP unless it is a serviced apartment or something

 

[Deltaberry]

go to www.renovatorstv.com.au. It was (I think) the first show where they renovated the entire house that was bought into the warehouse.

p.s. Re the kitchen - don't worry about expensive brands (miele etc) as we have found that makes no difference to selling price. Just make sure they are stainless, new and shiney, and that you have a fan forced oven with grill (preferably separate)! We have found Westinghouse (make sure it's a well known reliable brand) to be just as good for selling and half the price.

For the benchtops - you must, must, must have stone. But don't get trapped into choosing Caeserstone. It is just a brand name owned by Harvery Norman - but they charge up to 50% more because of brand recognition. There are 3-4 other brands that are exactly the same but heaps cheaper ... and even cheaper is to go down to the stonemasons yourself and get them to make it and install (cut out middle man).

In a sufficiently up market sale, the brands will make a difference, at least for me it would any way and I could probably think of a few others where it'd matter. Depends on price range. No difference for anything sub $1.5m.

 

[RumpledElf]

MIL has miele everything. Its actually put me off the brand, she constantly complains about how hard they are to use, how often they break etc, but she won't change brands as she has to have The Best even though it looks really weird having fancy european appliances retrofitted into an awful 70s kitchen, especially with all the infill panels where the new appliances are a different size to the old. Should have gone cheaper and spent the difference upgrading the cabinetry. We have samsung, westinghouse etc and they are dead simple to use and no issues at all.

Know someone else with miele and there were complaints there about the dishwasher door falling off all the time. That same person (fairly high end new apt in Sydney) had fancy schmancy stone benchtops that chunks chip out of when you breathe on them too hard and they are not easy to repair. This apt is so fancy and modern the rooms are weird architecturally designed shapes so they can't just buy regular furniture and are busy chasing custom cabinetmakers to get some bookshelves made, at obscene expense of course.

Makes me glad I'm not buying million dollar houses

 

[Aaron_C]

Well just because your friend/in-laws have bad taste doesn't make those expensive brands less prestigious. When done right they really are a cut above the rest

 

[Melbournian]

MIL has miele everything. Its actually put me off the brand, she constantly complains about how hard they are to use, how often they break etc, but she won't change brands as she has to have The Best even though it looks really weird having fancy european appliances retrofitted into an awful 70s kitchen, especially with all the infill panels where the new appliances are a different size to the old. Should have gone cheaper and spent the difference upgrading the cabinetry. We have samsung, westinghouse etc and they are dead simple to use and no issues at all.

Know someone else with miele and there were complaints there about the dishwasher door falling off all the time. That same person (fairly high end new apt in Sydney) had fancy schmancy stone benchtops that chunks chip out of when you breathe on them too hard and they are not easy to repair. This apt is so fancy and modern the rooms are weird architecturally designed shapes so they can't just buy regular furniture and are busy chasing custom cabinetmakers to get some bookshelves made, at obscene expense of course.

Makes me glad I'm not buying million dollar houses

Different brands suit different ppl - i normally dun spend too much on kitchen appliances as personally sometimes i'm a vegetarian.... so i dun really cook too much. Again everyone to his own.

benchtops are a must - but they are quite pricey. i normally would go caesarstone but i now prefer those calcultta marble or nero marble look.

 

[Melbournian]

Hi Angel, these are great posts!!!
Now you got me thinking....

we want to rent out our 2br townhouse circa 1990 brick, modern, clean, open plan but needs a quick update. We already put in beautiful bamboo floors downstairs. We will do the bathroom. Any ideas for a quick low cost fix?

What are people's top five?

Ours:
1. benchtop
2. new vanity - square white - or should we go double sinks?? because it's five foot long - thats... 1500mm. The doors, handles and inside are fine, just the vanity top needs replacing. We could get a double sinks one? But then you lose bench space.
3. new frameless shower
4. We hadn't even thought of a recess but sure, why not!!
5. new tiles and new bath. Freestanding or inset - does it REALLY add rental value to have a freestanding bath??
6. paint bedroom soft velvety charcoal all over with a glamourous pendant light in centre of room.
7. sheer offwhite curtains throughout.
currently an inset bath.


If we did all that we prob wouldn't want to move!

Yeah good u got a plan - i just went overbudget with my reno. need to cut down to minimize overcapitalizing.

 

[Elke]

Charcoal velvet-look black paint or offwhite in a rental main bedroom??

Hi all
Whaddayall reckon about doing a very 'now' paint colour ie black velvet finish walls on all four walls of the main bedroom. Or just good ole beige or offwhite?
Currently it's got one chocolate suede finish wall and 3 Antique white that need redoing bec we used Matt :-( throughout our house NOT 'low sheen' so it's ALL Marked and bad after only 3 years.

So...considering it needs repainting ANYWAY, would u guys recommend all offwhite (cheaper, less to redo later, but not as 'wow' for now) or a few feature walls?

For example, thinking stowe white for most (dulux) and then maybe Hogbristle (dark beige) for the wall leading up the stairs.

 

[Melbournian]

stay away from black... if it is an IP

some ppl find it too personal

i would stick to off whites.

shop off ebay for fixtures - they really the same thing

i got a couple sample toilets from the same factory in china that does the ones at reece for the higer end brands. $50 as opposed to $1500

 

[Angel13]

Hi Elke, I agree with Melbournian, if its for a rental I would probably stay away from all 4 black walls. Even though black is the 'new black' at the moment its not everyone's cup of tea. Some people assosicate it with bad luck too etc.

Personally I'd love it. I actually just give my master bedroom a cosmetic facelift over the weekend. I was going to go all 4 black walls but my boyfriend didn't like the idea so I guess I had to compromise seeing that he slept there too.

I did however do one feature wall (where the bed head is) in dark grey and black textured wallpaper. The other 3 walls in lighter grey but am not 100% happy with the light grey as it looks blue. Purchased some new bedside lamps, new quilt cover, pillows cases, cushions, curtins and art above my existing king size white leather bed and it looks like a brand new ultra chic master suite. I love it.

I will be posting the before and after pictures on my blog tomorrow. I just wanted to to iron the curtins first before I took the photos as they're all creased fresh out of a packet. Lol. Yes my bf tells me I'm a bit OCD. I'll send you the link once I've got the pics on there.

Angel

 

[cjandlj]

Kitchens - when Im doing an IP reno as long as the shell is fairly ok, I rip off the old benchtop and put a stone one on. I never use caeser stone. Our local stonemasons know the exact colour i use every time and its just a no-name man made quartz which is exactly what caesar stone is but lets face it no-one can see the brand name badge on it so who cares what sort it is! If the cabinets need redoing I use the Mitre 10 gloss white flat pack. You can do a pretty wow looking kitchen like this for a couple of grand.

Appliances if its an IP I go with Chef, westinghouse, etc. If its my place or anything that I want to get a premium price for I do go for a European model. After all Im a sucker for a brand name badge I can see

Bathrooms - paint a shade off white gloss and new cabinet and shower screen can go along way without having to retile.. sometimes.

Bedrooms - carpet, new wardrobes with the glass doors look very modern and new white blinds, plus a paint. Same colour throughout the whole house

Bottom line is to make everything, clean, fresh and modern.

HTH

 

[RightValue]

A lot of people confuse increased saleability with increased value.

 

[Angel13]

Hi all
Whaddayall reckon about doing a very 'now' paint colour ie black velvet finish walls on all four walls of the main bedroom. Or just good ole beige or offwhite?
Currently it's got one chocolate suede finish wall and 3 Antique white that need redoing bec we used Matt :-( throughout our house NOT 'low sheen' so it's ALL Marked and bad after only 3 years.

So...considering it needs repainting ANYWAY, would u guys recommend all offwhite (cheaper, less to redo later, but not as 'wow' for now) or a few feature walls?

For example, thinking stowe white for most (dulux) and then maybe Hogbristle (dark beige) for the wall leading up the stairs.

Hey Elke,

As I mentioned before, here is a link to my blog if you want to go check out the pics for my master bedroom make over from this weekend.

http://www.hammerandheels.net/

Angel

 

[cjandlj]

A lot of people confuse increased saleability with increased value.

I know valuers would disagree but from an investors point of view ie: someone that renovates for profit I always feel a house is worth what a person is willing to pay. If making something more saleable achieves a higher price then to me this has increased the value. Again a disclaimer that this isnt what a valuer believes but i guess this is the crux of renovating for profit.

Also I thought i might add that another 2 things we tend to do when renovating is put a deck on with doors that open out from the kitchen/living area and also knocking a couple of walls out here and there to create a more open plan feel in an older house is always appealing. Al frescos and open plan seem to be the mass appeal at the moment.

 

[RumpledElf]

Also I thought i might add that another 2 things we tend to do when renovating is put a deck on with doors that open out from the kitchen/living area

You want to come round my place? I've got lovely doors opening out from the family area to ... a 3 foot drop to a large expanse of mud

 

[Angel13]

Kitchens - when Im doing an IP reno as long as the shell is fairly ok, I rip off the old benchtop and put a stone one on. I never use caeser stone. Our local stonemasons know the exact colour i use every time and its just a no-name man made quartz which is exactly what caesar stone is but lets face it no-one can see the brand name badge on it so who cares what sort it is!

Appliances if its an IP I go with Chef, westinghouse, etc. If its my place or anything that I want to get a premium price for I do go for a European model. After all Im a sucker for a brand name badge I can see


HTH

Hi cjandlj, are you able to give me more info on the generic stone you use and the contact information on the stone mason you use? If it's the same thing I'd prefer to use that too as like you said there is no label on it. I'd rather spend the extra cash on upgrading appliance brands or putting in extras like a drinks fridge or a wildfire pizza oven.

Angel

 

[cjandlj]

Its an engineered quartz and the brand we have used is called Quantam Quartz.

We source it from here

http://www.edstein.com.au/default.aspx?id=85

And always go for Luna White. Its in our PPOR atm as well as the last 2 renos. The girl laugh everytime i email them the order!

A friend down the road who had a spec home built was raving about her kitchen and caesar stone benchtops. When i was there last time I had a look and I could SWEAR that it was exactly the same as ours? Caesar stone is basically a brand of engineered quartz. If you google it you'll probably find heaps of places.

 

[cjandlj]

You want to come round my place? I've got lovely doors opening out from the family area to ... a 3 foot drop to a large expanse of mud

Perfect place for a deck me thinks

 

[Elke]

Angel, you go girl, that bedroom is totally chic!!! Are you an interior designer bec if you're not, you've got a calling !!

Are the curtains sheer or blockout?

I saw nice offwhite sheer curtains in an open house the other day, but not sure what to put to block out.

What blinds/window coverings are 'in' and inexpensive??? White verticals? Timber venetians?

Ta.

 

[Elke]

Rumpled Elf....well a drop and 3 feet of mud can occasionally come in handy with the wrong visitors overstaying their welcome...just kidding.