Browse Forums General Discussion 1 Sep 09, 2009 10:52 pm I just thought I would add our renovation story (thus far) to this forum seeing as there are heaps of new builders…but not too many renovators!
We bought our place in May as an investment property that we will live in for a couple of years before renting it out. It was bought as a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom home. The reality is that it was a 3 bedroom home with a bathroom that had no shower and a laundry that did have a shower. I know…go figure! Nothing in the house had been touched since it was built in 1959 except for the kitchen…it was ‘renovated’ in the late ‘80’s. We’ve made the bathroom into an ensuite and the laundry into the main bathroom. The laundry will now be in a closet off the kitchen. We’ve had that before and absolutely loved the arrangement…I don’t need a full room or trough/tub to do my laundry! A bit of space has been taken out of an already small bedroom to make a built-in closet for the main bedroom. This room is now going to be a study, but really is big enough for a nursery or child’s bedroom. We’ve gutted the kitchen and installed a Freedom Kitchen. We live in the country so we had to go to them with our measurements so they could do the design. Normally they would come to your house. All in all it worked well and I would absolutely recommend them for a new kitchen! We chose to be a bit daring and have a strong colour in our kitchen. So we went with Deep Ocean (Wattyl). The splashback is natural glass with the green tinge and will be installed in two weeks – fingers crossed! The benchtops are Tunisian Stone Diamond Gloss laminate and the cupbards are gloss white. We still have the protective sticker on the fronts…we’ll take it off this weekend now that the floor is layed..yay!! Besides the Ocean Blue in the kitchen we have chosen Sandy Day (Dulux) for the rest of the house. Everything has been tied together by having gloss white architraves & skirting boards throughout. We are really pleased with the Sandy Day...it has colour but is still fairly neutral if that can make sense at all!! We’ve had a lot of trouble with being able to get tilers, so we’re moving in with the main bathroom done…the ensuite will be done when we can get a tiler which looks like the end of October/early November. The floors in the house are Tasmanian Oak and are in great condition. We are up to the fine sanding at the moment. It looks marvelous through the windows...we're not allowed near it of course!! The back room was built on about 20 years ago and will be our main living area, especially during the summer as it looks out to our patio. Nothing is being done with it at the moment other than a lick of paint and tiling the floor. The patio had some very uneven paving initially but we replaced it with exposed aggregate concrete. We would have loved to make it a deck, but decided for a rental it was better not to. I had written this earlier and added photo's but then for some reason I was booted out and lost it all....aaarrrrrghhhhh! So here is the revised version along with a link to my facebook photos!! http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=123614&id=674556189&l=30f95bd7d8 Re: Our house renovation... 2Sep 09, 2009 11:09 pm Congratulations!!! It all looks stunning. What a gorgeous shade of blue in the kitchen. You should be so proud. Keep the photos coming!!! Re: Our house renovation... 3Sep 09, 2009 11:16 pm WOW!!! I love that kitchen wall colour! Stunning viewtopic.php?f=31&t=22766 - my build thread! Time waits for no man. Unless that man is Chuck Norris. Re: Our house renovation... 4Sep 14, 2009 9:06 pm Here are some more photo's of our renovation. Peeking through the window at the newly sanded floor... Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ It's finished now! It's gorgeous, we love it. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Our front lounge Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ The back room originally Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ The back room now... Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ The a/c & heating gets installed on Thursday and the glaziers are in on Friday to install the shower glass. We move in on the weekend!! Re: Our house renovation... 5Sep 14, 2009 9:27 pm soo nice, well done! Wish there was a reno thread on this forum, oh well... Nice you can still stay in your home as you are working on it. progress viewtopic.php?f=31&t=20401 sculptures viewtopic.php?f=36&t=26607 pole trouble viewtopic.php?f=3&t=25988 Re: Our house renovation... 6Sep 15, 2009 7:38 am Congats Virginia, you're getting there & doing an amazing job We're renovating too altho our whole house has been demolished leaving only 3 bedrooms. I need to work out how to post some photos We have the frame up & it's finally starting to take shape good luck with it all Jazz Life is like a lolly, suck it and see Re: Our house renovation... 7Sep 16, 2009 3:00 pm Wow, loving it! Especially loving the striking blue walls, is that the Deep Ocean (Wattyl) you referred to? I am looking for a striking colour for a feature wall in my spare bedroom and think I might have just found it! I was on the hunt for a green, but the blue looks gorgeous! Oh wait, Dulux Sandy Day is the deeper blue?? Re: Our house renovation... 9Sep 16, 2009 10:34 pm Thanks everyone for your positive comments. It's great to know that the decisions we are making are ones that others also like! Jazzie - I'm looking forward to seeing some photo's of what you are doing. Only 3 bedrooms...you're not trying to live in the house at the same time are you?! katie81 - the blue colour is Ocean Blue...it's a colourbond colour by Wattyl. Having been in and out of the house a lot now since it was painted, I can say that it is a very calming colour for such a strong colour. Great for a bedroom. Suh - I love the tile we both have! My hubby chose it and as soon as he pointed it out we knew it was the one for us. We're using it as the floor tile and a feature wall tile in both the bathroom and our ensuite. Are yours also 300x600? We started out choosing the 300x300 but the supplier couldn't get them in. I'm glad now...I like the rectangle! Today I painted the front door the same blue as the kitchen. Apparently it is good feng shui to paint a north facing front door blue. We'll see how that works out for us?! Last night we hung up the curtains I got made (for free) through Spotlight. We got sheers with a leaf design on it. I really liked it when I chose it initially...but when I hung them last night i realised that I absolutely hate them!! They are not what I saw in my head at all...what does that say?! Cheers! Re: Our house renovation... 12Sep 17, 2009 6:55 pm Hi Virginia, What a great job! We are also part way through a home reno. Moved some walls, knocked one out, sanding floors, new window and new kitchen to come very soon. We are partway through the sanding and did the bedrooms where we ripped up the carpet and are about to tackle the lounge area where we have existing varnish on the floors. What equipment did u use and what finish did you apply. It looks beautiful. We are worried that we will have trouble with the drum sander we need to hire as the varnish is too hard to just use the orbital. How did you find doing the edges? Re: Our house renovation... 13Sep 18, 2009 8:33 pm Mango Hi Virginia, What a great job! We are also part way through a home reno. Moved some walls, knocked one out, sanding floors, new window and new kitchen to come very soon. We are partway through the sanding and did the bedrooms where we ripped up the carpet and are about to tackle the lounge area where we have existing varnish on the floors. What equipment did u use and what finish did you apply. It looks beautiful. We are worried that we will have trouble with the drum sander we need to hire as the varnish is too hard to just use the orbital. How did you find doing the edges? Mango, I would love to be able to tell you we did our floors on our own...but we didn't! We had them done professionally. We had toyed with the idea, but got a quote for 3 bedrooms, the hallway and lounge room and it was too good to pass up! I do know that our guy used an orbital for the main big areas and a hand sander for the very edges and corners. He did a great job, but did manage to 'nick' the skirting boards a little bit in some places. We had the option of using a water-based coat or a polyurethane coat...we went for the latter so there would be great shine. We didn't have a stain applied at all as it is Tasmanian Oak, and apparently you don't stain it?! Good luck with your continuing renovations. Do you have a thread with any photos? I'd love to see what you're doing. Re: Our house renovation... 14Sep 18, 2009 8:37 pm We've just come home from putting up our new custom slim-line venetian blinds. They look brilliant! I was really worried that I might have measured wrong, or mucked up something...but no! We are really happy with the result and very pleased that we spent the money to get them made to fit instead of cutting down other ones to fit ourselves. For those who would like a recommendation for blinds...iseekblinds is the way to go as far as I'm concerned! Happy weekend everyone! Re: Our house renovation...Cleaning Diamond Gloss benchtops... 15Sep 18, 2009 9:22 pm Hiya...I have a cleaning question... Does anyone know how to safely clean Diamond Gloss benchtops? We had the installer leave the protective film on the cupboards and benchtops while we had builders in and out of the whole house (kitchen was a thoroughfare). I've peeled off the sticker and now there is a residue left. I've tried just wiping with a cloth and spray and wipe stuff, but to no avail. I don't want to use anything too rough in case I do irreversible damage. Re: Our house renovation... 16Sep 19, 2009 7:52 am The builders are currently thumping around on my roof as I type (on a Saturday too!) ... I'm living in two bedrooms whilst mine is going on ... not so fun ... but bearable!!! My pics are at http://lucyshouseblog.blogspot.com/ still at least 2 months to go for mine! Hurry up kitchen!! Your place looks amazing ... wonderful how they come up with a little bit of love (and a whole lot of $$!!) Re: Our house renovation... 17Sep 19, 2009 8:59 pm virginia8586 Mango Hi Virginia, What a great job! We are also part way through a home reno. Moved some walls, knocked one out, sanding floors, new window and new kitchen to come very soon. We are partway through the sanding and did the bedrooms where we ripped up the carpet and are about to tackle the lounge area where we have existing varnish on the floors. What equipment did u use and what finish did you apply. It looks beautiful. We are worried that we will have trouble with the drum sander we need to hire as the varnish is too hard to just use the orbital. How did you find doing the edges? Mango, I would love to be able to tell you we did our floors on our own...but we didn't! We had them done professionally. We had toyed with the idea, but got a quote for 3 bedrooms, the hallway and lounge room and it was too good to pass up! I do know that our guy used an orbital for the main big areas and a hand sander for the very edges and corners. He did a great job, but did manage to 'nick' the skirting boards a little bit in some places. We had the option of using a water-based coat or a polyurethane coat...we went for the latter so there would be great shine. We didn't have a stain applied at all as it is Tasmanian Oak, and apparently you don't stain it?! Good luck with your continuing renovations. Do you have a thread with any photos? I'd love to see what you're doing. Thanks Virginia, Our reno is going much slower than i had hoped. I love the gloss on your floors but we went with the satin finish. I did post some pics of the Jarrah floor boards that we had started polishing, here is the link. viewtopic.php?f=7&t=23042 We have now ripped out the old kitchen and about to start on the floors in the living areas. Will post some pics when i find the camera in one of the many boxes. Now with your sticky residue problem, try eucalyptus oil. Re: Our house renovation... 18Sep 27, 2009 8:58 am Mango, your floors look amazing! Well done on having the confidence to do them on your own!! I can't wait to see photo's of your reno...it is always great to have a stickybeak at other peoples ideas and progress. Re: Our house renovation... 19Sep 27, 2009 9:11 am virginia8586 Thanks everyone for your positive comments. It's great to know that the decisions we are making are ones that others also like! Jazzie - I'm looking forward to seeing some photo's of what you are doing. Only 3 bedrooms...you're not trying to live in the house at the same time are you?! Cheers! No Virginia We are living elsewhere until it's just about finished - probably won't be back until just after Xmas. I am really missing my home - what's left of it Have posted some photos of our progress under: Rebuilding Fawlty Towers - say no more Jazz Life is like a lolly, suck it and see Re: Our house renovation...our kitchen is finished! 20Sep 27, 2009 9:18 am Our kitchen splashback finally went in on Friday...yay! I think we've successfully debunked the myth of "blue and green should never be seen"!! Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Here is our giant fridge we brought back from the US and hasn't been able to fit in our house until now...the kitchen was designed around where the fridge would fit! Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Our housewarming present to ourselves! Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ The next project is to tackle the exterior once the weather improves! Assuming the structure of your cabinetry is good then I would DIY everything as follows: - replace your counter tops entirely, - replace all drawer runners with soft close… 1 4774 Hello Josh, This is Irving from PRIMA, we are a manufacturer of the staircase, railings, kitchen cabinets, windows, doors from China. If you have requirement to purchase… 0 5419 Coming back to your old stomping grounds, huh? Renovations on a budget can be quite the journey. It's like giving your house a new lease on life. The twist of not knowing… 1 3457 |