Real reno: the tired rental in need of a massive facelift

Having bought her three-bedroom brick home in Eimeo, Queensland as an investment property, Debbie Goodwin had been renting it out for some 15 years. So when the idea to sell came to mind, it was time to get the hard hat on and the tool belt out, because it was in serious need of a revamp!

“It had good bones but it had to have a massive facelift on the interior. So we completely gutted the whole inside of the house and put in a brand new kitchen, bathroom, laundry, toilet, painted the whole interior, put in new blinds, fans and aircon, timber boards in all the living spaces and tiles in all the wet areas.”

Costing $50,000, it took approximately 10 months, with Debbie and her husband doing a lot of the reno themselves, after work and on the weekend. “The biggest challenge was definitely the time factor as we have three small boys and a business that operates seven days a week.”

With the new kitchen, living and bathroom making the biggest difference to the home, as a seasoned renovator, Debbie made some smart moves, knowing when to spend big and when to rein it in. “The freestanding bath was the best bargain product that will really add value to the home. As was repainting, especially in the living room, as it is now so fresh and inviting. Definitely worth the money.”

As well as budgeting, another of Debbie key’s considerations is choosing the right people for the job, thinking it’s best to get the experts in first time round and save the time and money of re-do jobs “My advice for would-be renovators is to source good tradies. Be organised and always be prepared for unexpected costs to crop up.”