probably true as you say that the floor will take more wear,   only downsides I can think of are that the place will be cold if you are building in a place that has a cool winter (not your PPOR so care factor may be zero) and, if you want to replace the floor for whatever reason its a shit of a job compared to floating floors if you are fixing t…[Read more]

yes it makes the work quite easy, but (theres always a but isnt there?) if its an old place you will have an asbestos issue in regard to removal of the old sheets.    If its a newer place in post asbestos HardiFlex or similar, then its full steam ahead

hi, plasterboard is on the inside,  what is the outside wall made of?  brick, timber, fibro?We did something like this years ago and replaced two pokey little windows with a large window salvaged from a friends extension of a relatively new house,  it made a dramatic difference.  Not sure if it will impact value in your house but if well thou…[Read more]

I've been round this loop and your concerns are valid….if children come into the equation you can actually lose more than half…oh yes and then theres your super which is also now on the table.   Putting the invest property in your name only is just good tax planning,  it wont make much difference if the worst was to happen.    Get some good…[Read more]

just make sure you are looking at it objectively.  Do you really need to do the full reno to get a reasonable rent?  add the cost of delayed rental to your reno, especially when doing it yourself.  It always takes longer than you think…..we are renovating a small unit at the moment, similar distance out.    Its amazing what a difference some…[Read more]

blogs wrote:

simple wrote:
BOOM – sound of bobble starting to collapse… Here we go Lads and Gents, welcome to the era when conservative low geared  people rule.  As predicted by some, tipping over point is reached.

We are on the verge of a downturn never before seen!! Front page of Mebournes Herald Sun "Home buyers bolt" clearance rates d…[Read more]

if you have a car and your girlfriend "insists" on a luxury 4WD ,  isnt that her problem ?

possibly….liquid nails picture rails to wall, when dry add a couple of strategic screws to add shear strength to the rails.  Will need to drill through rail and wall but less can escape with rail in place(still use precautions)re nailing options…are you using blunt ended fibro nails?  they punch a clean hole in the fibro…normal pointed na…[Read more]

depreciation is calculated by taking the construction cost of the building (not the pruchase price, unless you are building it new) and dividing it over the deemed useful life of the building.   A quantity surveyor can assist by determining the historical construction cost of an existing building, and providing a depreciation schedule.

Hithe property doesnt have to be new to be able to claim depreciation.  A quantity surveyor will establish the construction cost of the house in money of the day  (note: for an established place this is not the purchase price).  This cost is then spread over the nominal life of the structure (I think this is 40 years but not sure).  You can then…[Read more]

I dont think anyone can say you were right or wrong with your course,  your on it now so be +ve and push for completion and tenancy.  Most people with normal incomes are apprehensive and feel stretched going in so your basic concerns are not unusual.  Just to show the other side of the coin (maybe belongs in the worst decision thread)….pre re…[Read more]

yarpos wrote:

yarpos wrote:
thanks all, I will look at both solutions once we get access.  I imagine battening the ceiling will involve some scrapping back along the batten line to get a flat surface to secure to.    Think I have the height to play with OK.

Found a lot of nice solutions for false cielings but as we are already at minimal hie…[Read more]

maybe read trakka's comment a few timesnot sure how you value your own time and energy but it will take a long time at a few $ a month to recover what you have already expended……..how will you react when something goes belly up? (eventually something will) and you have to kick in a grand or two quickly to get the property back into shape for a…[Read more]

what percieved problem are you trying to solve?…..how would this changes add significant value?…its hard to tell from a planre the ideas..1.  personally I am not sure combining those areas in a 4 bedroom home is a good idea.  With lotso people traffic they can be used separately  e.g. shower is not blocked cause the toilet is in use … or vi…[Read more]

hicosts for extensions are usually at least twice the cost per square when compared to a project house.  This is due to customised building and lack of economies of scale.   I cant be specific re price as I left Sydney half a lifetime ago and am not current with costs there.local builders could propose a project.  The specialists extension peo…[Read more]

yarpos wrote:
thanks all, I will look at both solutions once we get access.  I imagine battening the ceiling will involve some scrapping back along the batten line to get a flat surface to secure to.    Think I have the height to play with OK.

Found a lot of nice solutions for false cielings but as we are already at minimal hieght we dec…[Read more]

Cattleya wrote:
All, thank you for responding.I know I may have bitten more than I can chew, but house prices in Sydney – where we want to live in the future – is crazy. A friend of mine urged me to just jump into it and tighten the belt for a few years. He is in much the same situation. Hopefully things will get better…  Yes Marc, I'm sa…[Read more]

oneplumber wrote:
I want to find out answers to these simple questions to better locate a great Plumber & Gasfitter. ? 1 – How often do you call a Plumber / Gasfitter? 2 – Would you prefer to have a single phone number or website for all Plumbers / Gasfitters in your local area? 3 – What is important for you? fair price urgency quality answers…[Read more]

kokjhoonwong wrote:
Hi All.It is definitely a great subject. When it comes to investing strategies, there is no one way. What I have learnt is our perception of risk and how much of it we think we can take on. There are countless books to read and research. Depending who you read and likes is the one that you are most likely to side on. Robert…[Read more]

the charts show interest vs rent,  the question was rent vs inflation.  The rent line if its adjusted for inflation indicates flatline,  this has not been my experience over short term in Melbourne with two properties in different areas.  Over 2 years rent moved 170 >215 and 240 > 300 .   Long haul you would think that rents can only outst…[Read more]