With a renovation project so intense it could rival The Block, Rachael Turner gave herself just 12 weeks to transform a dilapidated and unlivable Brisbane house into an enviable family home! And she pulled it off. Big time!
โIt was completely derelict,โ explains Rachael. โNo one had lived there for two years. In fact it was so unlivable that when we won the house at auction and went to get money off the bank they wouldnโt give usย any. The house was too far gone and they wouldnโt lend against it!โ
However, luckily the bank lent her money against the land and Rachael was able to get the plans drawn up and trades organised, all before settlement. With a huge scope of work to complete, day one saw the jobs begin, starting with the re-stuming and leveling of the house, asbestos removal, replacement of the roof and all-new electrics and plumbing. And that wasnโt even half of it!ย โWe definitely gave ourselvesย a tough challenge by having a 12-week deadline. But we had to stick to budget and obviously the longer you hold aย house the more holding costs you’ll have, and we had only factored in the 12 weeks. We had to stick to it.โ
What came next was removing walls, adding structural beams, redoing the kitchen, adding a bathroom (thereย wasn’t evenย one before, Iโm not joking!), knocking outย the back part of the house to put in a deck, and adding a study, laundry, front verandah, footbridge, driveway, carport and garden. So basically, she did a lot!
With three bedrooms and now one bathroom, Rachael was aiming to spend only 15 percent of the propertyโs purchase price on the transformation. Unfortunately, that slipped to 25 percent, but for worthwhile reasons. Rachael deciding to spend on some big-ticket items that promised a good return. โOriginally, we werenโt going to add a deck out the back or build the front footbridge, but we realised we would get a good return for these items so we decided to spend the extra.โ
Owning the house for less than six months (from late 2012 to early 2013), Rachael put the property on sale as soon as the last piece of turf was laid. Selling after just a couple of days on the market, she made a profit of just under 40 percent, which after renovation and sale costs, came in at just under 20 percent.
Rachael puts her success down to including some special points of difference, believing that you should spend money on the significant areas of yourย home that get the most use. โIn the kitchen for example, we included high-end fittings and fixtures like soft close and full extension joinery. Then in the bathroom we had a dual shower head, heated towel rails and mirrored cabinets. All those little things actually donโt cost too much more, but from a sales perspective they are really worth it.โ
While she’sย a big fan of those two rooms, her favourite part of the house would have to be the front portico and footbridge, and while the former was a nightmare to do (she had to get a development application approved) it made for great visual appeal. โI think for resale, they were the best things we did. It made the house accessible and gave it great street presence. The portico is really only four posts and a bit of tin โ itโs nothing โ but the value it added to the house was immediate.โ
Here’s a closer look at the end result:
Obsessed with renovating and building, Rachael runs project management businessย Front Porch Properties. Doing both new builds and renovations, she helps clients in all departments from the initial design, to the construction and landscaping.
Comments
Petra says
Rachael did so well ๐ There’s nothing prettier than a renovated Queenslander!
Rachael says
I love this renovation! Is there any chance a floor plan could be supplied?
Jen Bishop says
We will ask!
Lily | Stylescene says
I can’t believe Rachael transformed that house in 12 weeks! What an amazing job and a gorgeous home!
Jen Bishop says
Isn’t it just?! Thanks for your comment Lily. Jen
Sarah says
WOW ! Amazing transformation!!!
Alyson says
This is amazing – 12 weeks?! The footbridge makes it even more special, well done Rachael!
Jen Bishop says
LOVE that footbridge! Jen
Malinda @mybrownpaperpackages says
This is amazing, such a beautiful home that she has created. And even more incredible is just how quickly it was turned around!
Sharon says
It would be great if renovation blogs could include some of the detail around suppliers for some of the decorator items that are used in the reno’s. This one looks fantastic and I would love to know the colours used in the interior!
Jen Bishop says
It’s a great idea Sharon but sometimes it’s a bit of an ask of the homeowner to list everything for us. They’re usually happy to answer questions about specific items if people ask in the comments though. Hope that helps. Jen
Tania says
This is an amazing reno in such a short timeframe – the before and after pics are great and Rachael has done an amazing job! I would be interested in how much a renovation like this cost given the collapsed timeframe. Even some approximations would be valuable.
bietthu3tang says
Oh my god, can not believe it. How much money did she spend on this?