Hi Else and pinknic20
Thanks for opinion on fence.
Does everyone think it would look better painted cream like the BBQ (remember the front wall of house will be rendered cream) or stained brown like the fence behind the BBQ?
We started working on Mon July 16. So 3 weeks.

Fri 3rd Aug
-got a metre of topsoil and put it in vegie garde.
-Spread lawn seed in grassed areas of backyard.
-picked up and signed plans for carport, so now they are sent to get a permit
-looked at another house (What a dump! Just the way I like it!!)
-removed door handles, window coverings, power points, light switches, nails in walls etc. to start prep for painting

More photos are on web now. http://www.flickr.com/photos/9273576@N06/?saved=1

Thurs 2nd Aug
-finished paving under clothesline
-removed all rubbish from backyard
-dug up area for veggie garden
-leveled out soil ready for grass seed.
Backyard is almost complete now. Just a bit more topsoil, some grass seed, and another coat of paint to some rendered areas.

Also had 2 agents come look at the house. Both said that after all the work is done that we are planning, it should fetch $330k or above. This is the range we have been hoping for, but have based all our numbers on lower sales price to make sure are not expecting pie in sky.
One of the agents brought a potential buyer with him (he asked me first), so there is a slim chance we will get an offer "almost as is". The figure the agent was hinting at would give a profit of $20-25k, but if we complete the work we could expect from $25k-$40k. So if we get the offer we then have to decide if we take the money and run, or stick with the original plan.

Isn't this a great kind of decision to have to make? I love it!

Hi Crashy
Glad you like the barby. It has come up well. I will take a few more pics tomorrow when it is all complete.
Thanks for tips on floating floor. I have not done much of it before. Planning to use underlay. Using laminate not veneer, so can't really coat with poly. Was also planning to remove and replace skirting.
Cheers

Teus 31st July
-got a bank check and gave it to soliciotors for stamp duty etc. Settlement tomorrow. Excitement.
-bought some sand and topsoil for the backyard
-mixed up some homemade fence stain and stained the fence behind the BBQ
-started some paving under the clothesline
-bought a bunch of flowers for the vendor to say thanks for letting us start early

Forgot to take the camera, so have to wait for photos sorry.

Sat 28th July
-painted all the rendered bits around the BBQ
-stained the seats and picnic table top
-re-oiled the cubby
-moved some hedge plants in the backyard to be next to the deck
-painted the wall the clothesline is mounted on
-inspected 3 houses in the area. All of them increased our confidence that our end sale price is quite acheivable.

Thur 26th July
-finished rendering BBQ
-put seats and table top onto picnic table

Hi mum2five
I thought of selling the plants – after I had taken them all to the tip.
I probly would not have done it this time though as the house is still not ours. Settlement is next Wed 1st Aug. The owner is still living there also, and although she is ok with me working on the gardens, I would not want to invite the whole town to come and stomp all over her yard.
If it was my house already, then probly I would. Maybe next time.

Teus 24th July
-completed front garden – numbers on mailbox, stepping stones in. More photos uploaded tonight.
-sprayed weeds in back yard
-started rendering BBQ out back.

Some stats that may be of interest.
After 1 week of reno activity:
Total man hours= 70
Expenses to date:
Tip fees – $90
Letter box & numbers- $108.28
Chainsaw oil -$20
Plants – $245.75
Sleepers – $293.70
Mulch – $388
Total Expenses =$1145.73
Budgeted Expenses = $1100.00
Other Expenses that I can't calculate accurately: petrol, nails & screws that I already had, bag of cement I already had, chainsaw fuel and running costs. Also remember that the majority of plants were free as we just separated them from our own garden.

Fri 20th July
-Dug out and separated heaps of flax plants from our PPOR and existing IP. We divided the plants into about 3rds, put 1 section back in the ground, and took the rest for the new garden. You can hardly tell where we took the plants out of.
-Put the "free" plants in at the Reno garden.
-Went shopping for a few extra plants as well. Got heaps from Bunnings. Total $245

Sat 21st July
Working bee. Business Partner came and brought his parents for good measure. My wife and kids made an appearance and brought lunch. Got heaps done.
-took out big conifers near front corner of house, along side of back deck, and took the tops off the ones next to the BBQ in back yard.
-planted the rest of the plants from Bunnings
-put sleepers around the garden edge
-ordered mulch for Sunday
-took another trailer load to tip
-transplanted 2 tree ferns from front to back
-installed new mailbox

Have put some more photos here. http://www.flickr.com/photos/9273576@N06/?saved=1
Sorry I still can't get them to work in this post.
Tomorrow should have some virtually finished shots of the front garden.

Wed 18th July
Got scared off by the rain today.
Spent most of the day working on a business plan.
Also:
-went to a nursery and priced some plants.
-finalised (in my head at least) the plan for front garden
-got a quote from a renderer to do the front of the house for just over $600. I had estimated $910, so bargain!!