Cheapie Reno - Smithfield SA

For those of you that don't know, I've gone unconditional on my first property and requested access prior to settlement. I work full time so I've only been able to do stuff on weekends. I signed the contract on 18 Nov and settlement is on 18 Dec.

These pics show the property in it's original condition.

My to-do list:

Bathroom:
Waterproof bathroom
Replace damaged tiles in bathroom and laundry
Paint ceiling
Replace blue sink with white vanity unit
Paint bath white
Re-silicon everything
Fix leaking shower tap set
Secure towel rail

Laundry:
Fix broken tiles
Patch cracks in walls

Bedrooms:
Replace carpet
Replace curtains
Paint bedrooms
Fix lock on each bedroom door
Patch cracks/holes in walls

Kitchen:
Waterproof kitchen
Replace rangehood
Fix broken skirting around cupboard

Living & Hallway:
Replace carpet
Replace curtains
Fix deadlock on front door

Outside:
Fix leaking tap
Fix damaged fly screens
Remove window awnings
Paint cladding above windows
Landscape front yard with garden & brick edging
Paint/replace the letterbox
Paint front facade
Paint porch
Re-pave the area by the clothesline

Original budget: $3k

 

Congratulations Joel
so the things crossed out are the things you got done prior to settlement with negotiated access?

 

Looking forward to seeing pictures of the finished reno

 

Yep, everything crossed out is already done.
3 weeks in and this is how the costs are looking:

Carpet will be done last, for $1300.
Curtains were $330 for 6 pairs.
$140 for a digital laser range finder (to measure the windows.. tape measures are old school!)
Vanity unit & fittings - $180
Rangehood - $90
Landscaping Gear - $200
Painting Gear & Paint - $400
Bathroom Gear - $120

At this point the total expected cost was $2.8K and looking good.
But then I went to replace the crappy blue sink - turns out that everything's welded together. I'm a gambler, so I cut the copper pipe and removed the sink, hoping I'd find the fitting just inside the wall. Nope. Now I had no sink and a hole in the wall. $450 later, I had the required fittings welded onto the copper pipes. I'm yet to install that vanity - hopefully there's no further problems!

I did all the painting on the weekend just gone - in 40 degree heat. It's at this point I found out the air conditioner doesn't work. It also seems that the oven doesn't work - but should still be under warranty.

As far as landscaping goes, the side garden is in, and since I took that picture I've added brick edging along the driveway and along the front. Too bad all of the plants look ****.

If the air con repair costs $300 then I'll come out with a total spend of $3.5K which isn't too bad I guess.

 

That's an extremely tight budget for a reno
Off course you're not factoring in your own labour costs but still anything below $5000 is exceptionally low.

 

That's the plan though! It's not an expensive house so it doesn't warrant an expensive reno.

Fortunately the vendor already added new ceiling fans, oven, air con, etc so that helped.

I managed to get a ton of brick pavers delivered for free, picked up some free rolls of lawn for the edges, free concrete to hold the bricks in too! All from Gumtree.

Plus there was about 10 tins of assorted paint left in the carport, and the odd mound in the front yard turned out to be bark chips and sand, perfect for the garden.

 

Looking good Joel. How long have you spent on the property so far with the works?

 

How did you waterproof the bathroom Joel?

 

Roughly 3 weekends. I have gone there after work a couple times.

 

Got my specialist tiler in to help with that!

 

Then you're doing well, I thought you were going to say that you bought one of those bathroom waterproof sprays from bunnings and sprayed it on.

No idea whether they work by the way, I just know they exist.

 

Well done, especially on a tight budget. It is surprising how much difference elbow grease and a few $$ can make.

We did a quick $5K one week reno on a villa we bought. Same- a cheapy. We did similar stuff, but also sprayed the kitchen cupboards, new handles and added a top cupboard. New vanity and toilet, and new lino in kitchen and laundry.

Looking forward to seeing finished photos.

 

Looks like fun!

I'll put my vote in for leaving the bath as is bit regrout the tiles. It will come up n nice in there with a new vanity too

 

What's your reason for leaving it?

 

Do you realise that pos used 5% of your budget? hope you kept the receipt

 

Its a good solid bath and painting will mean in a few years you'll be pulling it out when the paint chips and scratches.
Plus it won't look as dated in there with the vanity and re grouting. The screen looks reasonable too
Spend the paint money on new taps and spout

 

You know what, that's not a bad idea. I'll see how it looks with the vanity in first.

 

Yea, but re usable in further projects for years

 

Of course I know that!
That bath will make it look super trendy if left as is!

 

Could have toughed it out on this one with such a small budget and doesn't really save **** loads of time when it's used 5 times then packed away