When justย aย few months ago we took a look insideย theย amazing first renoย by best friends Lana Taylor, Bonnie Hindmarsh and Erin Cayless, we knew we had not only stumbled upon a trio that had impeccable taste, but one that seriously knew how to renovate for profit.ย Their first reno, under their boutique business Three Birds Renovations, made a staggering $155,000 profit in just two and a half months (read all about it here), and their second? $230,000 in twoย months!
Situated in Sydney’s Castle Hill, the four-bedroom, two-storey house was purchased for $975,000 in January and sold for $1.32 million in March. With the renovation taking six weeks and costing $115,000, when it came to transforming the property the girls had three goals in mind. “With this renovation we wanted to transform ugly into beautiful, closed-off into connected and dark into light,” explains Lana. “Itโs a clichรฉ, but we wanted to create the house of our dreams.”
Whileย the home was certainly livableย prior to itsย renovation, the interiors lacked flow — with endless rooms and a tiny master suite, the exterior was beige and bland and outside housed anย area saidย to be anย alfresco zone but was reallyย a random brick room that looked like a garage and led to nowhere! “We saw the potential straight awayย andย knew it could be completely transformed,” says Lana. “Our mainย job was making the layout of theย home open, open, open – even the shower screens have no doors! We tried (and we thinkย succeeded!) to create a breezy, open-plan living style designed specifically for indoor/outdoor entertaining.”
To achieve this look,ย the girlsย removed several walls andย moved the kitchen from the centre of the home up to the far end. This made the kitchen a destination rather than a thoroughfare and enabled themย to connect it directly with the new alfresco area via a custom-built breakfast bar and gas strut window. Upstairs theyย converted four bedrooms down to three, which allowedย them toย deliver a large, luxury master suite that reflected the resort-style living theyย had created downstairs.
“Probably my biggest learning on this renovation wasย that you mustย make a master suite big,” explains Lana. “At first we tried to work within the original dimensions, but eventually the penny dropped and we decided to rip out the dividing wall with the bedroom next door and combine the two to create a proper parents’ retreat. As a result we had to build a new fourth bedroom downstairs and in hindsight this was a masterstroke because it provided a great guest or teenagerโs room as it was located away from the other bedrooms. Most importantly, this change in floor plan allowed the master suite to truly live up to its name.”
Markingย the luxury master as the home’s biggest change, the girls are also huge fans of the alfresco area and kitchen. “A kitchen needs to be an open, breezy space that invites people to take a seat, so by moving it to the end of the long room we created a new alfresco zone directly off the kitchen. Our finishing touch was to add a pair of French doors directly out to the pool giving mum the perfect view of the kids whilst preparing an early summer dinner.”
Now onto their third renovation, the girls of Three Birds Renovation are absolutely in their element. So what advice to they have forย any newbie renovators? ” Firstly, donโt do it alone โ grab a friend or two to share the load and build ideas. Secondly, be organised and plan, plan, plan โ the devil is in the detail. And lastly you canย achieve beauty on a budget – try not to spend more than 10-to-12% of the purchase price (or current value of your home).”
Comments
Illona McArthur says
Wow, what an amazing job. Well done.
Leah | The Golden Goose says
Seriously amazing work girls – and in 6 weeks!!!! I’m in awe.
Melinda McQueen says
Such a fantastic result girls ! Master suite idea was definitely a good move, even though it would have been more work.
This would be my dream job! you girls have inspired me to push through.
If only I could convince my Mr to let go of the renovating reins and delegate out work. No sadly, he wants to do everything and It’ll be a year before we’re finished – just in time to sell & start over ;(
oh well..
Trudy-Ann King says
Great outcome! I assume that all costs have been factored into the profit shown here? Stamp duty, capital gains, holding and sales costs?
Bart says
I doubt they have been as it seems just the cost of the home, reno and the sale price have been factored in.
I would still think it would be a profit of at least a $100-$120k
Flat Pack Barth says
I love the looks of the renovation result! Rooms even seem to look and feel bigger!
Maria says
Hi there, I’m in the process of renovating and wanted to know if you could tell me who knocked down the wall in this project?
Thanks x
Mel Hancock says
Can you clarify if your kitchen window with the gas lift struts was custom made & where was it ordered from. Thanks, Mel
Tracey Ware says
id like to know this as well!!!! Incredibly interested!!!