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Real reno: floorplan change makes all the difference

By Jen Bishop โ€ข

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Our Resident Expert Naomi Findlay takes us through her latest reno. What a stunning end result!

IMG_7778

Property: Small, inner city cottage in Newcastle, NSW.

Time to renovate: 6 weeks

Profit after all costs: $35,000

Exterior after
Exterior after
Exterior before
Exterior before

What were the biggest challenges?

Creating an extra room in the home (the dining room as it did not have one originally) without increasing the overall floor plan. I had to milk that floor plan for all I could get out of it.

Watch the floorplan change…

Any nasty surprises?

There are always surprises when you renovate. Years ago I used to see them as nasty, now I work hard on seeing them as part of it. I figure if you have a budget buffer nothing is too nasty. I was not happy when I found a 30mm height difference between floors when I removed a wall! Also, in old homes there are always hazardous materials that need to be handled appropriately.

Did you change the floorplan? How?

I moved the kitchen location to make it at the rear of the property and to allow for a flow from the kitchen to the outdoor space. I created a dining off the kitchen, opened up the living and dining/kitchen to open plan and opened the rear of the house to the yard.ย I created a European laundry, made the bathroom twice the original size and turnedย the old kitchen into a bedroom.

IMG_7790a

IMG_7767

IMG_7747

Photo 15-09-2014 7 23 02 am
Before: this old bathroom was doubled in size
IMG_7828
New bathroomIMG_7821
Before: the old kitchen became a bedroom
Before: the old kitchen became a bedroom
After: the bedroom that was a kitchen
After: the bedroom that was a kitchen!

How did you approach the decor and styling? What was your target market?

When renovating to sell, it is so important to walk the fine line of appealing to a huge market. Even when you think you know your market you have to play it safe โ€˜ish’ to some extent. Yet at the same time make sure it stands out from the crowd enough that someone will pay top dollar for it.

Photo 17-11-2014 9 34 25 am

Did you enjoy this reno?

I love every renovation, my happy place is on a building site!

What sort of interest was there in the property?

There was strong interest once the property was on the market. There were offers on it the day after it went to market, and an offer acceptedย within the first week.

What are your top tips for dealing with trades?

Be kind, be honest, be involved, be real and LISTEN! As well as this take coffee and kebabs.

How do you know when to spend or when it’s not worth doing something? How do you avoid overcapitalising?

You must know your market and you must know what the end-user will expect. When renovating for sale it is all about them and how you can get them what they want on a budget. If you can define who is going to buy it, and what other houses they are looking at, you can make sure that you are on the money with your inclusions. A detailed property comparison is essential before you even commit to buying the property.

Got a question for Naomi? Ask it here.

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January 28, 2015

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When Emma Fuller built her family home five years ago, she went with the โ€˜basicโ€™ package with a view to elevating the spaces in a more budget-friendly manner down the line. Knowing that she couldnโ€™t afford her entire wish list upfront, she made allowances within the plans so that she could add all the special details later.

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About Jen Bishop

Jen Bishop is our owner and publisher and an experienced journalist and editor. Interiors Addict has been her full-time job for more than 10 years. She is mum to two young boys and lives in Sydney.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. AvatarJess - A Little Part of the World says

    February 2, 2015 at 2:46 pm

    Wow… I love a good before and after photo. This is such a sweet little home. I find bathrooms the trickiest when renovating… finding the balance between light and fresh and sterile can be tricky. But like anything.. I suspect practice makes perfect! Jx

    • AvatarJen Bishop says

      February 2, 2015 at 2:56 pm

      Isn’t it lovely? And so stylish! Thanks for your comment, Jess!

  2. Avataryvette says

    February 2, 2015 at 4:22 pm

    Jen, this website is so fabulous. I love a good before and after. All the best of luck with Reno Addicts success, but I’m sure you don’t need it.
    Yvette x

    • AvatarJen Bishop says

      February 2, 2015 at 4:45 pm

      Thanks so much, Yvette! Jen x

  3. Avatarshellie nielsen says

    February 2, 2015 at 4:51 pm

    Fabulous site Jen, love the before and agrees such a lovely little home. Bright and fresh and really appealing will have no trouble selling. Best of luck with the site.
    x shellie

    • Avatarshellie nielsen says

      February 2, 2015 at 4:52 pm

      That was supposed to say before and after !

    • AvatarJen Bishop says

      February 2, 2015 at 7:48 pm

      It sold very quickly! Thnks for your comment! Jen

  4. AvatarStacey says

    February 2, 2015 at 10:05 pm

    I love this – my favourite aspect is the kitchen…any more info on the tiles she’s chosen for the island and the splash back?

    • AvatarJen Bishop says

      February 3, 2015 at 12:39 am

      I will ask her to come along and comment ๐Ÿ™‚

  5. AvatarNaomi Findlay says

    February 3, 2015 at 12:47 am

    Hi Stacey

    Thanks for your lovely comment. It was a great project to work on, the tile are called “Hexatile” and are readily available throughout Australia, they come in multiple finishes also so you can mix up your gloss and your matte finish for an amazing effect!

    • AvatarStacey says

      February 3, 2015 at 1:33 pm

      Thanks Naomi – I adore them. They really add texture to the simple palette. Well done on a beautiful reno!

  6. AvatarJulia says

    February 3, 2015 at 8:40 am

    Love the art work in the last picture! I also love looking at before and after shots – so inspiring to see the potential with each space.

    • AvatarNaomi Findlay says

      February 6, 2015 at 12:24 pm

      Hi Julia

      Thanks for the lovely comments!!! It was a great one to do.

      The art is from a trade supplier and very well priced. Email me on [email protected] if you want me to check stock and pricing for you.

  7. AvatarTash says

    February 4, 2015 at 5:57 pm

    Great site Jen and perfect timing, plans went to council for our huge reno/extension on Friday, so excited to get lots of inspiration ๐Ÿ™‚

    • AvatarJen Bishop says

      February 4, 2015 at 10:30 pm

      Welcome Tash! Glad you like it and all the best with your reno!

  8. AvatarAshlea @ Glamour Coastal Living says

    February 5, 2015 at 8:38 am

    Oh this is gorgeous, so inspiring what you can achieve in a small timeframe and with a budget!! The bathroom and kitchen/now bedroom are gorgeous, thanks for sharing. I love before & afters!! A x

    • AvatarJen Bishop says

      February 5, 2015 at 10:09 am

      Thanks Ashlea! I think the before & afters are going to be very popular. We have some great new ones lined up for next week!

  9. AvatarKristy says

    February 5, 2015 at 10:57 am

    Fab Reno, do you happen to know where the pendant lights in the kitchen are from ?

    • AvatarJen Bishop says

      February 6, 2015 at 12:11 pm

      I will ask for you ๐Ÿ™‚

    • AvatarNaomi Findlay says

      February 6, 2015 at 12:26 pm

      Hi there Kristy

      The pendents are from one of my trade suppliers so let me know how many you need and I can email you prices and availability once the supplier lets me know.

      Have a great weekend
      Naomi

  10. AvatarEmma says

    February 7, 2015 at 10:41 am

    Everything looks fantastic. I especially like the new roof and would love to know how much that cost to change and what was used??

    Thanks

    • AvatarJen Bishop says

      February 8, 2015 at 7:07 pm

      We will ask Naomi to get back to you!

    • AvatarNaomi Findlay says

      February 8, 2015 at 7:35 pm

      Hi Emma

      The roof was in amazing condition (obviously not the 100 years plus old like the rest of the house) so I was able to have it resprayed. It cost approx $2K plus GST at the time. I just colorbond surfmist as it is has great coverage to get rid of that “Indian/Heritage Red” roof. Hope that helps.

      Naomi

  11. AvatarCasey says

    February 8, 2015 at 7:44 am

    Love this! It’s great seeing the floor plan changes and the profit. Would love to see the budget (in addition to the profit), timeframe and some supplier details in future articles! Sorry I’m so nosey!!
    Good luck – I’m sure this new venture is going to be a huge hit.

    • AvatarJen Bishop says

      February 8, 2015 at 7:06 pm

      Where possible we will share these details, Casey. Was there anything you wanted to know about in particular from this reno that Naomi could help you with? Jen

  12. AvatarShannon says

    February 8, 2015 at 5:11 pm

    This Reno is beautiful. Our house in Sydney is the pretty much the same style of Cottage . We are hellbent on renovating and extending it but
    Have come up against a lot of
    Flack – people think we should knock it over! This Reno has encouraged me to stay on track with our plans!

    • AvatarJen Bishop says

      February 8, 2015 at 7:06 pm

      That’s great to hear, Shannon!

  13. AvatarWhitney says

    February 11, 2015 at 4:00 pm

    Love the white console table in the last photo! Can I please have details on where to buy?

    Loving Reno Addict! Well done Jen! x

  14. AvatarLala says

    February 13, 2015 at 7:30 pm

    Could you please advise the tiles used in the bathroom. Thanks.

  15. AvatarNaomi Findlay says

    February 15, 2015 at 8:02 am

    Hi Lala

    They are from a company in Newcastle called Mirror Ceramics, in Clyde Street Wickham. If you give Andre a call or email he will be able to give you all my tile details of the project. If you get stuck email me direct [email protected]

    Good luck with renovating.

    • AvatarWhitney says

      February 16, 2015 at 11:21 am

      Hi Naomi!

      Can I please have details on where you bought your white console table in the last photo? Love! You did such an amazing job!

      Thanks!

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