How to improve my floorplan on the cheap - Help please

Hi all

have an investment property (house) coming up for rent in a very nice, upscale neighbourhood in Brisbane.

It's got 4 bedrooms and I was just wondering if I can improve the layout of this property without messing around (too much) with the bathrooms, plus do a light renovation to boost the rent.

Any suggestions to maximise the indoor outdoor flow? Where would you reposition rooms...or would you?

The property is in good condition (albeit a little ugly) and could do with an update. Problem is nothing NEEDS doing or replacing. It's just aesthetically dated. Therefore, I need to be selective on what will give me max bang for buck, and will guarantee me more rent.

What renos would you do?

Photos below and floorplan attached.

Greatly appreciate your feedback.

 

I'd change the tiles that you show above. Putting in glossy white ones (or even plain white ones) will make a huge difference to how it looks and feels and really modernize it. And if it didn't cost too much, replace the handles on the kitchen cupboards with more modern ones (nice sleek ones) and put overhead cupboards above the stove with a nice rangehood.

If you really wanted to go nuts, I'd change the layout a fair bit too. But I think it would be too exxy for what you are thinking of spending.

 

I can't see the floorplan very well but moving bathrooms / plumbing is too exy for a cosmetic tart up.

I'd get rid of those hideous floor tile in the kitchen and adjacent room and replace with timber-look vinyl or floating timber floor. (you'll probably get away with using levelling compound over the top of the tiles if they are not drummy.

Also the yellow/green/red external paint combo for the heritage look is out. It's probably grey & white these days (although I'm not sure for how much longer).

 

Thanks. Indulge me on the layout. It may be worth doing.

Re; the floor, I'd probably opt for timber flooring and remove the tiles, rather than replace the tiles....unless you were referring to the bathroom??

 

I would put Bed 4 at the front where sitting is, and then have a big open plan kitchen/living/dining with the kitchen on the wall backing onto the new Bed 4, and an island or U shape return

Not cheap though

 

I know what you mean about colours going out. The aluminium windows are a cream colour though. Would you paint those too...cos if you dont, it would look half-arsed? Not sure how long aluminium windows would stand once painted.

 

Yes, tape (mask) them up and spray paint.

 

Would bed 3 remain where it is?? Think that wall you want to remove where the kitchen currently is is load bearing.

 

Bed 3 where it is, maybe add sliding door to rear patio from new living area.

Load bearing isnt a problem just adds expense to add RSJ's etc

 

So you're implying turning 'sitting' room into bed 4, put the kitchen in current bed 4, and where the current kitchen is plus meals area becomes the open plan living, leading to the back patio??

 

Do you think:

• turning 'Sitting' into Bed 4
• turning Bed 3 and enclosing the verandah into a living area
• building an enclosed deck in place of the rear paved area
• leave everything else where it is

is a bad idea??

Also, would resurfacing the green tiles be something that will stand up to abuse? I'd rather not rip it up.

 

Yes but bed4 would be smaller than current sitting room to maximize living area

 

@Lacrim

Why not just swap bed 4 and the sitting. Leave kitchen where it is to save cost.
Then possibly enclose the verandah and add an awning off the rear
Lots more living space

Or just put in sliding doors to the rear of bed 4 opening to the back yard

 

I'm assuming concrete slab so I will go with the least amount of jack hammering
North is at bottom of page.

Option 1:
- keep kitchen where it is but update layout to be more practical
- put bed 3 at front of house
- leave bed 4 where it is
- make existing bed 3 into living room and if it's a full length window in that room change it to a slider onto the rear paved area - maybe put a pergola up.

Option 2:
- asses if the northern/bottom wall of bed 4 is load bearing. If it's not then move it down a bit to make existing living smaller and turn that into bed 4
- turn now larger bed 4 into living
- leave kitchen in the middle

I would update kitchen and replace flooring. You could put hybrid planks on top of those tiles if door heights will work - it's 6mm thick. Something like this Rigid Plank Flooring | Proline Floors Australia | Proline Floors Australia

 

Love that flooring. Was thinking of concrete flooring the common areas and timber flooring the bedrooms.

Option 1 makes the most sense to me...including reclaiming the small verandah at the rear as living space.

I reckon including a kitchen reno and bathroom freshen up ie new vanity(s), resurface green tiles, change shower door, taps etc, enclosing the back and building a pergola and deck....I'm looking at $50K plus??

 

I am a woman and like to look pretty from outside, also since others have commented on the interior....

1. Perhaps severely prune the trees outside, from top and to the side so that it wont touch the wall and gutter.This should brighten-up the carport.
2. Have a few interesting plants in the front, get a nice letterbox, hide the bins, move the big pot in the middle or do something with it.
3. Driveway - not now but when you have the funds later, dress it up, have it painted or something.
4. Install sensor light if you havent had it yet. So often I visit other people's house at night and almost trip over their driveway. Will be useful if you do twilight/evening inspections too.
5. The "barn" and gutter are currently rust/maroon color? Suggest to paint it white or light grey.
6. Lattice is out-dated isnt it? Get something modern as a privacy screen, but make sure it matches the whole house.
7. The whole point is to make it inviting from the outside.
8. The carport looks a bit dark but I dont think I want to spend money in having a sunlight there. Just wondering whether it'd be dark inside the house. If so, do think of ways to brighten it up.

Better stop here for now. Not sure if you need me to comment on the layout or interior. Might be too harsh

 

The front needs to be modernised...in fact, I'm scratching my head on what'll do that bc that's where the cars go ie driven right up against the house. Was thinking something like this (or inspired by it...however, how would you enter the house if it was all covered at the front??

 

This is a tough one: cost a lot of money and no guarantee of results. How much room between carport and front border? Width of frontage?

 

Width of land is roughly 10m, house is circa 8m.

Carport edge to front border/footpath is around 5/6m.