Are we mad to want to renovate an old house?
monicafowler96
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
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siriuskey
6 years agooklouise
6 years agoRelated Discussions
Fifty year old pine floors in a sixties beach-shack we are renovating
Comments (4)Hi Candy, Paint is by far the easier option to do oneself, as liming needs to be done by someone who has experience in doing it, otherwise it can go horribly wrong. I've done both, and painted floors are just perfect in a beach house, in my opinion. As the paint wears with time and use, it just adds to the "rustic" charm. Use a paint/brand that is meant for floors and follow directions. Leave plenty of time for paint to dry and cure/harden properly before walking on it. Have fun!...See MoreWhere do we start with house renovation?
Comments (8)@Michael Smith - Where do you start? Similar and in addition to Dr Retro's comments, my advice as a starting point for any project is always the same: define your project requirements and nominate a budget. All decisions moving forward will derive from the balance of these two elements within your particular context. you need to refocus on the front end of the process, and set aside the backend construction for the time being...Since you have had no prior experience in this area I highly recommend you invest in experienced professional assistance with the process. It's a given that this type of project (involving building extension/structural adjustment etc) will require building approvals and/or potential planning approvals that require a process of design and development of professional documentation accordingly. Unless you have had experience in these types of things recommend you don't try and manage something like this unless you have a lot of free time, up for the task and are will to engaged/committed for a rather steep and potentially expensive learning curve. False economy in this area is a significant risk and easy trap to fall into for the inexperienced in this area. For something of this scale an appropriately selected builder will integrate the project construction management far more cost effectively that you can achieve independently as a newcomer. This general type/scope of project could be anything from 3-6 months in construction (depending upon the builder/circumstances/detail and whole lot of other factors) but you're getting ahead of yourself with this as first things first you need to establish the project scope and work through the process of design and documentation appropriately for any applicable approvals. If you're interested in further information please feel free to contact me directly - we can similarly service projects of this nature in the Melbourne area.....always keep in mind that there are different levels of professionals and you need to work out exactly what you require in this regard. Are you requiring higher level design assistance? Or do you just need someone to "draw it up" as you know exactly how you want it to be, and can get away with a drafting service.....questions for you to think about and work through/research accordingly..... @anotherbird - this stage can be particularly challenging when you have designed and documented, and then are left on your own to sort through and compare the "apples and oranges" quote differences, and it's not straightforward. I think here it depends on the builder you select. An experienced and competent builder should be able to have some of the things you've mentioned integrated into their process such as the building permit, and also providing advice as to the construction scheduling and how the decisions of finalising the kitchen design etc will be coordinated into the job. Sometimes builders want everything designed and documented prior to starting, others are more flexible and have the capacity to work from contractual allowances and refer you to//utilise their regular tried and tested subcontractors/suppliers to pull it all together collaboratively and sequentially. My advice is trust your instinct with the builder and go with the one that you feel you can work better with, rather than the one who is giving you the best price...the project will ultimately cost what it will cost, and more often than not it's better to pay a premium for less stressful build process with an operator that is tuned into your particular circumstance and needs, rather than go with a guy who might be cheaper but is more about "smashing it out" for lower cost and putting a lot of the responsibility of coordinating fit-out aspects yourselves.... hope this helps Best of luck with it all to both of you :) PD...See MoreAny ideas on floor plan for renovation - 70y old house in Melbourne
Comments (5)what are all the walls floors and roof built out of? are the front bedroom and rear living room additions to the original house? is there a step down to the living room and what are the thick sections of wall at the end of the bathroom and study built of?...where are the original and proposed external doors to the backyard? is there a garage and driveway or any good or bad views and where would you have a dining area?.... it's important to understand the existing structure before considering changes eg the dimensions are inconsistent (varying wall thicknesses?) and you have removed sections of wall between the kitchen and lounge but these walls may hold up the ceiling and roof...do you know which walls are load bearing?...See MoreAre we mad to do bathroom and kitchen at the same time?
Comments (3)best to contact a specialist bathroom & kitchen refurbishment company to hit both areas in the one go, as opposed to breaking it up into two projects and double handling coming and going of trades and doubling the period of vacation/inconvenience etc Depending upon the contracted company's capacity for efficiency and tight project management expect your apartment to be out of action from min 6-8 weeks and potentially up to 3-4 months depending upon sequencing, trades availability, certain detailing, decisions and selections and what may or may not pop up in the course of a renovation project etc Good luck PD :)...See MoreAndy Pat
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