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Professional renovators make $1 million dollars overhauling hoarder house

By Amy Collins-Walker โ€ข Leave a Comment

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When professional property flippers Kathleen and Chris Friedrich received a call about a deceased estate that had been left by a chronic hoarder, nothing could have prepared them for what they found inside. 500 bird cages, sewing machines, stadium chairs, caravan windows, school chairs, and an endless supply of steel and timber were just some of the things they found within the homeโ€™s walls.ย 

โ€œYou couldnโ€™t actually move for the clutter and it went all the way to the ceiling. The only clear paths through the home were to the toilet and kitchen,โ€ says Kathleen, who purchased the house regardless, believing that her and her builder husband could add value by overhauling it and selling it on within a five-month period.

BEFORE
BEFORE The front of the home
AFTER
AFTER What a transformation!

Located in Sydneyโ€™s West Pennant Hills, the 45-year-old home had one owner whose relatives were looking to sell it as is. โ€œThe local real estate agent always calls us when thereโ€™s a bad property that they canโ€™t market. We bought it lock, stock and barrel,โ€ says property stylist Kathleen who explains that disposing of the homeโ€™s contents was the hardest part of the job. It took 10 people 12 days to empty the home, and $52,700 was spent on rubbish removal alone.

โ€œThe owner was building a boat inside his house and there was a school demountable in the backyard. The rubbish went on and on โ€“ we never thought it was going to end!โ€

BEFORE Just a snapshot of what was found inside

And while the home had many negatives (it backs onto the M2 freeway), Kathleen and her husband were persuaded by the 900 square metre block size and the homeโ€™s flipping potential. โ€œWe made an offer of $1.1 million which they werenโ€™t happy about because the land was valued at $1.3 million. The family initially declined our offer, but we generally only make one offer and weโ€™re not interested in bidding wars. We have no emotion โ€“ itโ€™s strictly a business for us,โ€ says Kathleen.

BEFORE bathroom
BEFORE bathroom
AFTER bathroom
AFTER bathroom

The offer was eventually accepted, and Kathleen and her husband set about overhauling the home over a period of five months. And, as with all of their projects, they were very hands-on, doing most of the work themselves in what is a seven day a week business. โ€œIโ€™m the painter, the procurement officer and the labourer. That said, we do employ people when we canโ€™t hack it anymore,โ€ says Kathleen who brought in a full-time labourer to work on this house as well as a tiler, plumber and electrician.ย 

AFTER bedroom
AFTER “Adding an extra bedroom is worth $100,000 at resale,โ€ says Kathleen.
AFTER lounge
AFTER lounge

To avoid waiting for DA approvals, the couple always work within the building’s parameters and this house was no exception. โ€œTime is money, and we donโ€™t have 12 weeks to wait for council approval. We make good with the old,โ€ says Kathleen who set about turning the three-bedroom house into one with four bedrooms and a large outdoor deck which is arguably the renovationโ€™s star.

โ€œWe knew weโ€™d have to knock down the dodgy verandah that was hanging off the house. We built a deck, took out walls, windows, and put in French doors. Thereโ€™s also bi-fold windows in kitchen that connect it with the outdoors,โ€ says Kathleen.

BEFORE deck
AFTER deck
AFTER deck

Incredibly, the total reno cost only $170,000 (including the rubbish removal), which is pretty amazing when you consider that it included the wages of a young, full-time labourer. โ€œHe was awesome. Without him Iโ€™d be needing a new back!โ€ says Kathleen, whose COVID-induced property price fluctuation fears were allayed when the home fetched an incredible $2.2 million dollars at auction recently.

โ€œWe had no idea that there was going to be a COVID boom. We were watching the market grow 100k per week. The new owners had missed out on a few other properties, but we were so shocked with price. This house has turned out to be a Cinderella story in disguise.โ€ 

AFTER dining
AFTER dining

For more on Kathleen and Chris

AFTER kitchen
Before & after: 90’s kitchen renovated on a budget using DIY
Originally built in the 90โ€™s, this homeโ€™s original kitchen was in dire need of some love when Melbourneโ€™s Haus of Cruze design studio began overhauling it recently. Completed as part…

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April 27, 2021

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Swipe for after! What a fab, yet sympathetic, mak Swipe for after!

What a fab, yet sympathetic, makeover of this untouched (but not in a good way!) 50s house by @sellinghousesaus See all the rooms on the blog now via link in bio.

Great use of small space and working with the retro feel of the home while still modernising it.

Bravo @wendymooreedit ๐Ÿ‘

#sellinghouses #sellinghousesaustralia #50shouse #50shome #beforeandafterbathroom #retrorenovation #lifestylechannel #foxtel #smallbathroomdesign #showeroverbath

@andrewtwinter
There's nothing like ticking off little jobs! We f There's nothing like ticking off little jobs! We finally knocked out our 60s brown tile back step and replaced it with a smaller grey one made from @trexcompany Island Mist decking to match our deck (that went in 4.5 years ago) and now painted brick exterior. Making the step smaller allowed us to add in an additional manhole under the back door too to allow easier access under the house at the back. And we made a cover for that too (final slide) using Trex. I say "we" but I really mean our handyman ๐Ÿ˜‰ One plank was enough for both jobs. Why we didn't do this ages ago I do not know but it's done now! ๐Ÿ˜ Installed with @trexrainescape to ensure it stays dry and lasts!

Disclosure: Plank of Trex decking was gifted. I paid for the handyman.

#backstep #doorstep #deck #decking #deckdesign #deckideas #compositedecking #trex #trexdecking #greydecking

Mat from @doormatau
Me and @fantasticfurniture go WAY back! When I fir Me and @fantasticfurniture go WAY back! When I first came to Australia in my 20s, it's where I headed to buy everything I needed for my first apartment at an incredible price! And I've loved watching the range get more and more impressive over the years as my knowledge of furniture has increased. I had no idea how extensive their Aussie Made sofa range was though. I'd love you to check out the options via link in bio as I think you'll be impressed! I think we have a renewed appreciation for Aussie Made and supporting local manufacturing and jobs and this is a great success story. We love a bit of high low decorating, and turns out Fantastic Furniture is a great place to find your family lounge, a special accent chair, an extra ottoman for occasional seating and so much more. 

#fantasticfurniture #aussiemade #australianfurniture #FindyourFantastic #FantasticFamily #affordablehomewares #affordablefurniture #custommadesofa #custommadelounges #australianhomes #interiorsblog #interiorsaccount #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsdaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome
Please don't show my boys this room or they'll wan Please don't show my boys this room or they'll want one like it!

How gorgeous is this Brisbane kids' bedroom?! 

@brittwhitestudio worked closely with the boys (aged 7 and 9) to understand their needs with a bespoke bunk bed solution crafted by BRC Cabinets, featuring ample storage as well as an under-stair hidey-hole, a useful reading nook for books and a built-in charger for electronics. Local craftsmen Emmettโ€™s Ropes designed and hand-tied the ropework on the top bunk and the supporting pillar beneath.

Head over to the blog via link in bio to see and read more!

#bunkroom #bunkbed #bunkbedsforkids #bunkbeds #bespokebunkbeds #custommadebunkbeds #sharedbedroom #sharedbedroomforkids #boysroominspo #boysroomdecor #junglebedroom #kidsroomstyle #kidsroomstyling #childrensrooms #theinteriorsaddict #interiorsblog #interiorsaccount #interiorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #brittwhitestudio #highriseliving #apartmentlifestyle #penthouses #apartmentlivingwithkids #newsteadbrisbane 

Pix by @joebrosnan.photo
Comment your fave: 1, 2 or 3? Just 3 of the kitch Comment your fave: 1, 2 or 3?

Just 3 of the kitchens in the @duluxaus Colour Awards 2023 shortlist which will give you some serious inspiration!

Loads more gorgeous residential rooms to see on the blog this morning via link in bio.

Projects by @studio__bright @kaiko_design and Georgie Shepherd Interior Design. Pix by @arorygardiner @fiona_susanto and @christophermorrisphoto 

#duluxcolour #duluxpaint #duluxaus #duluxcolourawards #duluxcolourawards2023 #moodykitchen #allwhitekitchen #designerkitchen #sagekitchen #boldkitchen #colourfulkitchen #colouredkitchen #theinteriorsaddict #interiorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #interiorsblog #interiorsaccount
We're a bit obsessed with Cara Standen's balcony m We're a bit obsessed with Cara Standen's balcony makeover using @kmartaus stone tiles!

Nineties townhouse in Lennox Head or villa in Greece? You decide! All up it cost $2000 including all materials and she did the work herself.

Read all about it via link in bio now.

Love your work @twin_palms_lennox

#kmartaustralia #kmartdiy #kmarthack #kmarthome #modernmediterranean #balconymakeover #balconyideas #diybalcony #budgetdiy #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome
Wallpaper in every single room! What do you recko Wallpaper in every single room!

What do you reckon? You'd think it would be overkill but it isn't because so many of the designs are subtle yet still impactful.

Head over to the blog to see how @grafico_walls transformed this blank canvas Melbourne townhouse with their products, which you've probably seen on The Block over the years. And read how Damian Corney has grown this Melbourne business with wife Adele and a growing team. There's also a look inside the very cool Motley Hotel which has used a whopping 4km of their wallpaper throughout!

You can also watch a video tour with Bec Douros as the house featured on Open Homes Australia over the weekend.

Via link in bio now.

#wallpapergoals #wallpaperdesign #australianwallart #australianwallpaper #wallmurals #wallpapermural #wallpapermurals #wallpapereddoor #digitalwallpaper #digitallyprintedwallpaper #customwallpaper #wallpaperaesthetic #wallpapertrends #wallpaperaustralia #grafico #graficowallcoverings #melbournebusiness #melbournesmallbusiness #openhomesaustralia #theblock #becdouros
Kids and fluffy chickens. Does it get any cuter?! Kids and fluffy chickens. Does it get any cuter?! 

Braved the rain second morning in a row to feed the animals at @edenfarmescape because life's too short to worry about a bit of mud and drizzle!

Feeling relaxed ๐Ÿฅฐ
Did you see this cracking little transformation on Did you see this cracking little transformation on @sellinghousesaus last night?

We have all the finer details on the blog today via link in bio. Particularly love the kitchen refresh using the existing blue cupboards which really weren't doing anything for me before ๐Ÿ˜‚

#sellinghouses #sellinghousesaustralia #beforeandafterkitchen #beforeandafterrenovation #beforeandafterlivingroom #renoshow #realreno #interiorsblog #interiorsaccount #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #bluekitchen #budgetkitchenmakeover #budgetdiy #budgetmakeover
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Amy Collins-Walker

About Amy Collins-Walker

Amy is our regular feature writer, an experienced journalist and interior stylist living in Perth, Western Australia. Find out more about her styling work at http://www.amycollinswalker.com/

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