beginner renovator needs advice/assistance

Steve747,
We have done several renos, but it depends what you want to achieve. Are you going to sell the property or are you going to rent it out? If you’re going to sell it you may want to spend a little extra to gain maximum price. For rental you can still do a great job which will attract a good tenant. The Weekly Trading Post is a good start – look under Building Materials and Kitchens – and you can even fax your kitchen plans and get prices that way, go for seconds in tiles – you can’t tell the difference but get nice modern ones. Go to auctions for your white goods – you save $$$. Buy your paint by the 10ltrs when on sale and if you keep to a basic colour, you can continue it on with your other properties. Buy nice modern light fittings, again at some of the great sales in Sydney. Look around for carpet prices – good savings on hard wearing carpet. For next reno, I just picked up a kitchen sink for $70, 1-1/4 bowl – brand new in packing, at an auction, usually not much under $200. 3 yr old stove as new, solid hot plates, with warranty, from a like new place cost $350.

Recently spent $8,000 on a house reno, the value went up $90,000 and the rent went up $40pw. Tenant went in the day after we finished. Do a fair bit ourselves, cleaning, painting, tiling, take out old kitchens and whatever is to be removed, carpets. Our builder son does the hard bits. We have a good property manager both here and for our interstate properties.

We look at a place, visualise what we think it will look like, have a good idea of prices and shop around and work hard!!! It pays off. But these are just our own strategies. Good luck.

Anna