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Real reno: the $9,000 budget transformation by one very determined woman

By Olivia Shead โ€ข

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Making a net profit of $20,000 in just six weeks is no mean feat, but it isย one thatย Kylie Nolan achieved when she undertook her first renovation for profit.

Before - Kitchen
Before – Kitchen
After - Kitchen
After – Kitchen

Buying her two bed, one bath Queensland duplex for $215,000 in May 2014 (and selling that September for $265,000), she took the two month settlement period to get her plans in order, buyย all theย fittings and fixtures and organise trades. And while she admits she was raringย to go, her detailed prep time saw Kylieย manage to spend justย $9,000!

Before - Living Room
Before – Living Room
After - Living Room
After – Living Room

“I was on a tight budget so I was careful to keep existing fixtures that were okayย like the carpet, the wall tiles in the bathroom and the shower cubicle,” explains Kylie. “However, the kitchen had to go and was replaced with a new IKEA white gloss design forย $1200.ย I then bought a packaged appliance special at ALDI for $1000 which included the oven, cook top, dishwasher and range hood. I had to line up at ALDI before they opened to get one before they sold out!” Other ways Kylie saved money wasย by doing a lot of the work herself — such as painting the whole home, grouting the tiles and evenย laying the floors — as well as getting the help of a bargain handyman.

Before - Kitchen/Living
Before – Kitchen/Living
After - Kitchen/Living
After – Kitchen/Living

With theย previous owner having crammed belongings into every corner of the property, Kylie’s aim was to open up the cluttered space. To create aย light and brightย home, Kylieย got rid of theย kitchen island that cut the kitchen/living roomย in half and gaveย the high rake ceilings a fresh makeover; though the latter was no easy job! “The raked ceilings were an issue as I wasnโ€™t sure what to do with them; but I knew they had to be changed as they were so dark and dated. I had called painters to work out a way to paint the gloss wood, but they all said to sand it back, prime and paint, but I couldnโ€™t do that on my own, it would just take too long. I didnโ€™t have the budget to plaster them, so I just googled how to paint gloss wood and found the productย Zinsser B.I.N Primer at Bunnings.ย I’m really happy with how they turned out and Iย think they are a great feature of the duplex.”

Before - Bathroom
Before – Bathroom
After - Bathroom
After – Bathroom

Clearly not afraid to getย on the tools, Kylie’sย biggest hurdleย was surprisinglyย no DIY challenge, but rather getting people to take her seriously. “I had a few tradies and guys at some trade shops laugh at me because I was a single female with no real experience doing renovations on my own โ€“ but I guess I’ve had the last laugh! It was a massive learning experience and has given me much more confidence in my ability.”

Before - Guest Bedroom
Before – Guest Bedroom
After - Guest Bedroom
After – Guest Bedroom

Already onto her second renovation, Kylie has well and truly caughtย the renovation bug. So she is the perfect person toย goย to for advice: “When renovating for profit education is key. The saying: ‘You make your money when you buy a property,’ is really true. You just have to know which property can make you money, the renovation is the easy bit! Go to seminars on renovating by renovation experts, read books and watch the real estate market in your area. Don’t let fear stop you. You can do it!”

For more Real Renos.

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June 25, 2015

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Love this one ๐Ÿ˜ The brief was simple โ€“ to de Love this one ๐Ÿ˜

The brief was simple โ€“ to deliver a functional, light filled, beautiful and contemporary family home that honoured the history of the old interwar home, whilst being financially efficient,โ€ says @splinter_society_architectureโ€™s Asha Nicholas.

On the homepage now via link in bio.

#interwararchitecture #heritagearchitecture #heritageaddition #heritagefacade #heritagerenovation #heritagefeatures #splintersocietyarchitecture #doubleheightspace #moodywalls #moodyinteriors #paintedbrick #originalfireplace #heritagefire 

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๐Ÿ’ฆ Summer's here and if you don't already have a ๐Ÿ’ฆ Summer's here and if you don't already have a pool, you might be wishingย you did, or planning one for next year!

Funnily enough, I've never wantedย a pool but that may be because I grew up in England!๐Ÿคฃ

The votes are in for Australia's best pools and we have them all on the blog today. Via link in bio.

From tiny backyardย plunge pools to big family pools with slides, acreage pools, Hamptonsย pools, shipping container pools, pools with views, spas and glass windows, pools on sloping blocksย and everything you could think of in between!

Do you have a pool? Do you use it a lot? Do you wish you had one?

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At the weekend, Seb asked if he could put a box of At the weekend, Seb asked if he could put a box of drawings out the front of the house to sell and raise money for the homeless at Christmas.

Of course I planned to sneak my own coins into the box when he wasn't looking, but then a lovely passer by left this note and $5 in an envelope "To the artist" and made his day ๐Ÿฅฐ

I want my kids to be kind and empathetic above all else โค๏ธ You bet I'm proud of him for coming up with this idea himself.

And as grownups, let's be the people who leave a note and encourage this sort of thing ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿป
A or (swipe) B? This divine coloured concrete Jun A or (swipe) B?

This divine coloured concrete Juno bath from @nood_co (available in 21 colours) or this fluted number (available in 1500 or 1700mm length) from @highgrovebathrooms?

Baths are no longer the basic that you choose all your statement tiles and tapware around. Now the tub can BE the statement!

Just two of the new products featured in this week's bathroom roundup, on the blog now via link in bio.

#statementbath #featurebath #bathlover #bathtubgoals #bathtubdesign #bathtubs #freestandingbath #bathroomniche #bathroomtrends2023 #concretebathroom #concretebath #concretebathtub #colouredconcrete #concretebasin #bathgoals #bathtubsofinstagram #noodco #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #highgrovebathrooms
Summer ๐ŸŒž๐Ÿ’ฆ๐ŸŒธ #hydrangeas #hydrangea #aussi Summer ๐ŸŒž๐Ÿ’ฆ๐ŸŒธ

#hydrangeas #hydrangea #aussiekids #aussiesummer #aussiebackyard #trampolines #hydrangealove #hydrangeaflower #hydrangeaseason #sprinklerfun
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The good news is, for most people nothing will change, however if you are planning a new build/renovation that requires a planning permit โ€“ you will need toย speak to your builder toย get your permitย lodgedย before 1 January 2024!

ย Weโ€™re here to answer all your questions with the help of @australiangasnetworks!ย Read more via link in bio now.

ย #cookingongas #gaspower #gasconnection #australiangasnetworks #australiangas #australiangasnetworks #gasappliances #gascooker #gasfireplace #gasbarbecue #gasfire #gasstove #gashotwater #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #realrenos
Our ever popular top places to buy Australian bed Our ever popular top places to buy Australian bed linen online post has been updated for 2023! Head to the blog now via link in bio to get some bedroom inspiration!

Whether you liked classic stripes, fun florals, moody linen or cotton covers, we have something for you!

#bedroomstyle #bedlinens #bedroomrefresh #bedlinen #bedroomgoals๐Ÿ˜ #bedroomstyling #bedsheet #bedsheetonline #bedsheetlovers #duvetcover #doona #freshsheets #freshsheet #newbedroom #bedroomstyle #interiorsblog #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome
The owner of Noosa homewares and furniture mecca @ The owner of Noosa homewares and furniture mecca @coastalvintage, Sally Oulton travels the globe looking for amazing interior finds. And now you can join her on one of her bespoke interior sourcing tours to Bali where youโ€™ll be taken far from the crowds to discover the best homewares and furniture that the Indonesian paradise has to offer. Read all about it via link in bio.

#baliindonesia #balishopping #balishop #balisourcing #balihomewares #balihomedecor #balitrip #balistyle #baliinteriors #baliinterior #baliinteriordesign
Just capturing Mr 5 here before he stops going to Just capturing Mr 5 here before he stops going to daycare and preschool next month and becomes a school boy. All the feels ๐Ÿ˜ญโค๏ธ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿป
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About Olivia Shead

When she's not writing for Interiors Addict, Olivia is now a TV and radio news producer. She's a journalism graduate of UTS Sydney.

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Comments

  1. Avatarlynette says

    June 25, 2015 at 11:25 am

    Well done and great spotting a nice unit that was previously crammed with someone else’s stuff – visions fix everything. Also about the Zinsser B.I.N Primer – used it myself on similar renovation project and it is the best ever primer for covering the most tacky oil based lacquered timber and it ensures no bleeding into the white paint you put over the top of it. Like you I researched it myself.

  2. AvatarSuzanne Commerford says

    July 3, 2015 at 1:02 pm

    I hear you Kylie.

    Using tools, tackling a tiling job with no past experience all paled in comparison with my personal challenge to get over the need to be liked and to be assertive instead.

    I thought I’d write blog posts on how to do a renovation but instead I wrote about assertiveness!

    Post the results of your second reno soon!

  3. AvatarMelinda says

    July 4, 2015 at 3:42 pm

    I love your work Kylie! You go girl.
    Thanks for the primer paint tip -saving that in Evernote for later.
    Bunnings is our go to shop too for renovating, but you gotta know where to find the cheap solutions. I really wanted a timber bench top with waterfall edges to our island bench (this is when the bench top runs down the either side of island bench). So if you head to their kitchen range they have timber oak tops for $450sqm -way too expensive for our budget. Head to the trade section and look around I found timber sheets 2100 x600d for $60 a piece on sale. There’s more mucking around because of joning the pieces together but a good carpenter should be able to do this for you. Luckily I’m married to one.
    Can’t wait to get more idea’s from your next Reno Kylie.
    Melinda xx

    • AvatarKylie Nolan says

      July 17, 2015 at 10:13 am

      Melinda that is such a great tip! Thankyou! I will remember that for next time for sure! xx

  4. AvatarDamian Borger says

    July 17, 2015 at 11:07 am

    Congratulations to Kylie on a brilliant renovation. I was fortunate enough to meet Kylie in my role as the real estate agent acting for the seller of this unit. I could tell from my first inspection with Kylie that she had a clear vision for the unit and was super-organised in her plan to execute it for a quick turnaround. Amazing result for someone so new to renovating…well done!

  5. AvatarMardi says

    July 19, 2015 at 10:05 am

    Fantastic Reno Kylie,

    Hubby and I are looking at trading in our current work to start to do renos for profit.

    I have been to a couple of seminars and now completing an online course. I was wondering if you could recommend what you found best in this area? Some seem to be very $$

    TIA

    Mardi

    • AvatarBelinda Smith says

      July 21, 2015 at 1:31 pm

      Hi Mardi,
      It is absolutely possible to earn a living doing renovations and you have sensibly completed some education around that. Please don’t quit your jobs to begin.
      Unless you have enough cash to complete the property purchase and renovation, you will have to borrow from the bank. They will look at your ability to service the loans on what you earn, not what you think you will make when the renovation is complete, until you have done enough of them successfully, to establish a solid relationship with your lender.

    • AvatarKylie says

      November 13, 2015 at 10:47 am

      Hi Mardi, well done on educating yourself on how to get into the renovating for profit business! There are a number of courses available and I would recommend shopping around, see what trade discounts are included in the course and if they offer continued support after the course is completed. The hardest part of the renovating for profit process is finding the right property that has the potential to make a profit. T

  6. AvatarMegan says

    July 31, 2015 at 7:14 pm

    Hi, Could you please tell me where you bought the sofa in the living room.
    Thanks Megan

    • AvatarKylie says

      November 13, 2015 at 10:35 am

      Hi! I bought the sofa from Ikea, it’s modular so I can add on sections later if need be. They come in a range of colours but I wanted something very neutral so I could work around it with any colour combinations when styling/ staging a house ๐Ÿ™‚

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