Hi Emma,I'm making a comment to make sure this post stays at the top of the pile!It's great to hear positive feedback about your tiler and tradies in general. Thanks for starting it off.There is a lot of negativity out there about tradespeople which seems to put some people off renovating. However as you have proved there are some (actually, many)…[Read more]

Yes it would look odd! If you need to replace doors, then maybe better to stick with painted finish. White trim will really freshen up the property. From memory the exterior was quite tired and dark. All the more reason to use white trims. Sorry to confuse you. Will give you specific advice about your renovation colours etc when we chat over the…[Read more]

Hi Fredo, As a designer I come in touch with these paint brands most weeks. The paints I hear the best comments about are Taubmans, Dulux and Resene.People always will have their favourites and painters in particular are very loyal. The reason painters are so loyal is that they negotiate their discount with the various paint companies/onsellers…[Read more]

Hi Emma, Can you post a photo? Love to give you some help with this one!Maybe take a photo of the exterior of the property too so I can get an overall impression?Dulux, Grey Pebble Half is a great choice for an interior – have used this a number of times myself and it is a very clean, light, modern colour. It will look great with either white or…[Read more]

Renovating is a great, low risk way for people to add value to their property and make money as a result, even in these 'hard times'. The trick however, is doing it properly and not over-capitalising of course.I have plenty of clients renovating-for-profit at the moment. Not everyone is just sitting on their hands thank goodness.Having said all…[Read more]

Hi again Emma,I meant internal blinds/window dressings. No I wouldn't do anything else on the exterior. Sometimes feature louvres or a modern canopy/awning can work well to add interest. However, I don't think it's necessary on this property once the rest of what I've suggested has been done.So pleased you are using my DIY Renovating System for…[Read more]

Hi Emma – Hopefully you're putting our DIY Renovating System to good use! My best tips to improve street appeal of this property are: a) Paint the weatherboards a medium strength neutral colour – possibly Dulux, Calf Skin b) Create a really sharp looking garden – I'm talking flattening off the yard completely, remove all existing garden beds and…[Read more]

Hi mg, The best piece of advice I can give you is to have a clear plan about what you are going to do to your property, before you do a thing! If you can clearly articulate what you want, then you are well on your way to a successful reno. This way you can get accurate pricing up front. Then when it comes to the implementation, there is less…[Read more]

Hi Fredo,Check out this website… http://www.spacemakerwardrobes.com.au/ I have directed a couple of my clients to these guys and have had some good feedback. They are based in Brisbane but deliver Australia-wide.Hope that helps

Hi imaginery number,Just a tip on the type of carpet you could select to help keep your costs down. From a specification point of view, a loop pile Solution Dyed Nylon carpet could be a good way to go. This is because it is hard wearing, less expensive than wool but still soft under foot – which is often lacking in other cheaper Polyester/Nylon…[Read more]

Hi Marie,I've never sold a property without the help a real estate agent, but I have sold a number of properties – just about all of which I have staged. Research says that a staged property sells for an average of 10% more and in 50% of the time. I'm not sure how these figures are arrived at, but I certainly have had excellent success (though I…[Read more]

Paul, Just a quick note re your bank valuation. I believe you may be able to request a full valuation from your bank given that you have made improvements to the interior. Certainly worth asking about (or demanding as the case may be!). If they will not do this, then perhaps see if you can pay the valuer yourself to go back and do a full valuation…[Read more]

I have written an eBook called "How to Trim the Cost of your Renovation". Feel free to send me an email (jane@hotspaceconsultants.com) if you would like a copy. I'm happy to offer it to PropertyInvesting.com members for free.Cheers,

Some excellent answers here. Kev T is right – every property is different and every area is different. Are you renovating to hold or sell? This is certainly something to consider when deciding what to do to the property. Spend more on the interior if you're holding to rent out and spend a good deal of time and effort on the exterior if you're…[Read more]

Hi Strataman,Catalyst is right – one of the best things to start with is finding out what people want – what they find value in. You could call 3 or 4 well regarded real estate agents in your area for their feedback perhaps.In my experience, a separate toilet will add more value to a property. Yes it's a great to have a large bathroom, but better…[Read more]

Hi everyone its Jane from Hotspace Consultants here (referred to in the above posts). Yes I did ask some of my previous customers to hop on to this forum and give a testimonial for me – thought better than to big note myself… And I promise there was no bribery involved! They are real people and I'm pretty sure they'd be happy to provide a…[Read more]

You're welcome! One of the hardest parts is finding a property to reno in the first place. You're right there are some processes/templates out there that will help you – and this is an excellent thing to use, especially if you're starting out.There are also a few really good courses out there. Cherie Barber and Stephen Tolle are EXCELLENT…[Read more]

Hi Mrs CJason and Scott are right – Ikea have some fantastic product but when it comes to kitchen cabintery etc I wouldn't go there unless it was a basic, straight bench.Their product does look nice in the showrooms, but when it comes to quality and longevity I don't belive it is up to scratch – particularly for an investment property where you've…[Read more]

Hi Mav,It's a bit of a tricky one since so often open plan is the way to go and the typical size of a kitchen next to a typical sized dining room next to a typical lounge is more than you will actually need.I do highly recommend getting a designer to look at this for you rather than trying to work it out for yourself. I find that when my clients…[Read more]

Hi again,Yes you can but I don't recommend it! Horizontal surfaces need to be very hard wearing and re-coating yourself I believe is just not going to cut the mustard. Resurfacing vertical surfaces is more acceptable if DIYing – so if you ever have doors/drawer fronts that need re-surfacing this is certainly a possibility.However, if re-surfacing…[Read more]