Browse Forums General Discussion 1 Jul 13, 2007 8:55 am Hi all.
Been busily renovating in my spare time since I bought my first place 12 months ago..... and I'm hooked Work is a real inconvenience now and keeps me from my hobbie Sorry for the long post but I need to explain the situation............... I own a 30yr old timber and fibro place on concrete stumps and want to open up underneath. I have had quotes for removal of concrete stumps to replace with I beams (5k) and going the whole hog and raising (50k) then building under at $1200/ sq. We have decided to go for the simple beam install because the house, while nice and has been loved and renovated by myself and the previous owner, is ex housing commision and still in a largely housing commission area, therefore we'll add more value than we spend at 5k but would never come close to recouping 100k+. So I will have a large 80sq open space underneath with a roof height around 2300 (bearers drop 180 from that), great! I'll be putting my pool table, a bar, some lounges and tv under there and opening it out into a patio. My problem is now is how do I enclose it? I can't legally enclose it with proper walls because in doing so I need my slab, plumbing and electrical to meet current specs, which is 30k worth of the raising quote. I can't tear up my old slab and lay a new one to spec anyway because it would need to come up 200mm, meaning you couldn't stand up under there! So I need to be creative and treat it more like an open patio type room/ enclosure without proper fixed walls, a sun room I guess. That's fine by me but I need it to be lockable. So if you picture a big box with 4 corners that you need to enlose somehow without building a proper wall.... what do you do? Screens of some kind? Sheeting of some kind? I'm struggling..... Re: Renovation advice 2Jul 13, 2007 9:00 am Chain link fencing around the outside
That ceiling height seems quite low - 2.4m is standard here in NSW Got any pics? Re: Renovation advice 4Jul 13, 2007 11:08 am that's the way I'm leaning I suppose yakchat You mean horizontal planks spaced apart with something solid behind them like corrugated iron? Like this >
l ==================== l l ==================== l l ==================== l l ==================== l l ==================== l l ==================== l with a solid backig of some sort? Or do you mean something else? Re: Renovation advice 5Jul 13, 2007 11:17 am Yep either that way or vertical. Just like an old queenslander has. I'd goto a garden centre and see what they have as fencing type solutions and yu might get an idea of a partially open but weatherproof system that appeals to you.
Steve Re: Renovation advice 6Jul 13, 2007 11:30 am sound advice thanks
I also have a close friend luckily who does aluminium windows, doors and screens so I have to see what he has available too I guess I really want to weatherproof it to a decent extent mainly. Keep the breeze out and at least a little warmth in. Probably achievable I think with that kind of system and some creative shaping of the solid backing I guess. Re: Renovation advice 7Jul 13, 2007 11:37 am Well cost wise, do the fency they thing then maybe some blinds inside for winter and in summer put them up and let the breeze flow through.
My parents queenslander was originally the battens then they closed it in and did the concrete, lift it extra room upstauirs etc - but they also put really big doors at either end downstairs to let the breeze flow though in summer. All demolised and townhouses now So nothing is always forever Cheers Steve Re: Renovation advice 8Jul 13, 2007 12:56 pm sounds similar to what I'm thinking (minus the townhouses )
I'll run with the battens idea for now and decide in a few years whether I want then to lift and build or move onward and upward. A lot of that decision will be based on whether housing commission sell a few properties in the area I think. Its a great area geographically, 500m to the train, 3 lots of shops in a 500m radius too, backs onto a park, only 2k out of a regional center and about to get easy access to everything with a new road link but far enough away to still be quiet. I work for the local authority so I had some insider info But all the old housing places look run down, not ugly but obviously not painted for appearance or decorated or renovated. Makes the whole area look run down. And maybe its just the demographic but everyone seems a bit rude and protective for some reason (bar a few really nice people). I bought there because the price suited me at the time (if only I'd waited 12 months!) and it was a good area to get in cheap with the hope of the area going boom as housing sold up a bit. Here's hoping they still do that with the current affordability crisis! I'm ranting... sorry. More ideas welcome Re: Renovation advice 9Jul 13, 2007 2:07 pm I'll change - hang in there for the long term gains.
Many a housing comission suburb are now wanted to be in areas If close to everything, once the govt renter and their mentality leaves - that when the suburb moves onward and upward - Just look big picture & long term. look at West End Brissy - When I was growing up - there were lots of issues and it was in some parts risky to go there - now it's trendy and much wanted real estate. Took 25 to 30 years but it got there. Cheers Steve 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 5468 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 3484 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 4785 |