Michael you are absolutely right.  Tarting it up cosmetically will work just as well for rental.  One of the units in that building was rented out in november for $320 and they had only done a cosmetic job.

You've ignited a flicker of hope in the wilds of Bundoora.  Maybe I CAN do this!  I found a really competent handyman on womow who is in bentleigh.  I'm going to ring him tomorrow and talk to him about the flat.  He did a small job for me there so he knows what it looks like.  He can probably do 90% of the work himself and he can get the licensed people in when needed.  Whether he can carve out the time to do a big project is another matter.  But I'll find out.

thanks

Thanks guys

I'm not sure what the difference is between a unit or an apartment.  I have put some pictures on photobucket which I got from realestate.com when the unit underneath came up for sale.   This one has been renovated and its exactly the same as the one I am dealing with..

http://s288.photobucket.com/albums/ll164/pixie2009/

Meanwhile I am looking for some pics of my unrenovated unit.

The pics called 'joes flat' are of the unit underneath and the other pics marked "298 williams" are of another renovated unit in the building.

I got a real estate agent to get a company to give me a quote to do the whole job and they want $39,000.

Contracting everything out separately would be a nightmare for me because it would take me an hour to get over there and wait for these people who never show up.  Finally, when you accept a quote, its another two weeks before they can start.  I haven't slept past 4am since my mum died because I'm sick with worry about how to make this all work.  I just need someone I can trust to help me.