Browse Forums Renovation + Home Improvement 1 May 21, 2014 10:18 pm Hi all, it's been a while! I've been proposed an interesting opportunity and I though this was the best place to get some advice My parents have offered my partner and I their rental unit to have as our own at the cost of what's left on the mortgage. This is an amazing opportunity as we wouldn't be able to afford to buy in this area otherwise. The catch is, it needs a LOT of work and the layout is a bit unusual. Contingent on the sale of my place, I estimate I could have $30-40k to renovate. My experience in renovating extends to cosmetic work only, nothing like new kitchens and bathrooms so i'm not even sure where to start as far as estimating costs to see if this is a financially viable option for us. So my question is, where do I begin to estimate the costs? Internal only, I can work with the back over time. Secondly, what the hell do I do with that weird 'bedroom' that leads to the living area?! I got some photos off the original real estate ad for reference. Thank you in advance! 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 ⋅ 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 ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Re: Opportunity! Estimating, awkward plan - Advice? 2May 21, 2014 11:17 pm How many bedrooms do you want to end up with? One option would be to put a European laundry behind the kitchen (in the dining room) and use the other half of the dining room for an ensuite to the master bedroom which could go in the lounge.Leave bedroom 2 and 3/ study where they are , but move some walls to create a hall past them and put in a bathroom. Use all the rest of the space for dining / living etc, which would enable it to open out to the deck / lawn and use that Re: Opportunity! Estimating, awkward plan - Advice? 3May 22, 2014 9:39 am I assume it is double brick house looking at the wall vents so moving walls is not as straightforward as a timber framed house. You pretty much have a blank canvas there to work with and you can do a lot with that place. It is pretty obvious that the Bed/study, living, verandah and pergola were an extension to the original house which is why the central bedroom has double doors into the living room. Originally those doors probably opened out onto a rear verandah. Stewie Re: Opportunity! Estimating, awkward plan - Advice? 4May 22, 2014 3:08 pm Yes, depends how many bedrooms you would like to end up with. I like Tjilpil's idea of making the front living/dining into master bed/ensuite. You could then go as far as to make the existing kitchen into 2nd bathroom and laundry (separate rooms). At least plumbing is present. Use the existing bathroom space as walkway through to the back/living area - utilising the bath area for linen cupboards/storage - keep existing toilet for guests/3rd toilet. Enclose the verandah and make this, along with the living/bed/study area, the new kitchen/dining/living area opening up to the pergola and back yard (you could use the old laundry space/nook area for the kitchen pantry or storage - or a study nook but I dare say kitchen would be best up that end as all the plumbing would then be on that side of the house. - Or - keep laundry where it is. Still move the bathroom to the kitchen area and use the rest of the kitchen area as a study area?? And/or - if you only need two bedrooms, that current bedroom that has two doors could be used as a dining area and then back space kept for living - or even used for the kitchen (it would be set back, but the island could open into the room - if that makes sense. At least you can see (and know) that the house has been well maintained and in good solid condition. You could do things in stages. My only concern would be the width of the back living areas (ie 2.96m) but I'm sure it could work with clever use of the space and furniture layout. Anyway, yes, lots you could do and play around with - but of course I'm just throwing ideas without regard for the costs . Have fun mulling it all over. HHCIB Back to add : PS - as for costs, which was what your original question mainly was.... you can refer the Archicentre cost guide as a guide. Not sure how accurate they are in comparison with 'real life' (they seem on the cheaper side to me) - but you could at least use it as a starting point for approximate costs of things. Versaloc is a mortarless besser block system that still needs a properly engineered footing. If you just do a 400x200 footing it will fail in time. At 17m long you need it… 1 3395 That drawing’s in the old units. The sewer tie is 1.44m deep and 4.5m offset from left boundary however the levels were taken ages ago so the surface level will have… 1 3547 i thought the flipped plan initially but bec i want narrow pathway from entry to dining (dont like bend), also cannot fit the… 7 12851 |