Project 11 – From a 1980’s Brown Brick House to a Family’s Summer Resort

I almost gave up on this house before I even began!

When I turned up to the viewing, there were 60+ people walking through the house, and just as many waiting to get inside.

I wasn’t going to bother placing an offer, but then I gave my defeatist-self a good talking to…

After viewing the property, I did some quick renovation numbers, carried out some due diligence on the suburb, spoke to neighbours about this pocket (and this house in particular) and felt confident to throw my hat into the ring.

And it paid off!

We had to clear out A LOT of stuff!!! We had allocated $1,000 for rubbish removal, but it ended up costing much more in time and dollars.

Note to self – make sure to budget plenty for rubbish removal. Alternatively, insist that the house is cleaned out properly before settlement.

Once I could see the space clearly, we got to work demolishing the bar area, the kitchen, the laundry and bathroom.

We got rid of filthy carpets and jack-hammered up some slate.

We spent time and money on getting the pool clean, only to discover that the painted concrete needed completely resurfacing.

Ouch!

Luckily, we had a considerable contingency in our budget, and this unexpected expense didn’t hurt us too much.

Another note to self – always, always, always have a contingency figure in your budget, especially when it’s clear from the start that there’s a lot of work required at the property.

Back inside, we painted the smooth plaster and textured brick walls in Dulux Snowy Mountain Half, to create the relaxed resort vibe we were aiming for in this beachside suburb.

By coupling this wall colour with oak-look hybrid flooring, the finished product was just as we’d envisioned.

When the staging furniture arrived, to add class, warmth and functionality to our renovation, it’s no surprise that the home was sold to a lovely young family after the first weekend of viewings!