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Real renos: the real life version of The Block

By Jodie Bowker •

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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!

Front4b

“It was completely derelict,” explains Rachael. “No 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 wouldn’t give us any. The house was too far gone and they wouldn’t lend against it!”

Study1

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 wasn’t even half of it! “We definitely gave ourselves a tough challenge by having a 12-week deadline. But we had to stick to budget and obviously the longer you hold a house the more holding costs you’ll have, and we had only factored in the 12 weeks. We had to stick to it.”

Lounge2

What came next was removing walls, adding structural beams, redoing the kitchen, adding a bathroom (there wasn’t even one before, I’m not joking!), knocking out 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!

Bathroom2f

With three bedrooms and now one bathroom, Rachael was aiming to spend only 15 percent of the property’s 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. “Originally, we weren’t 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.”

Backdeck2c

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 your home that get the most use. “In 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 don’t cost too much more, but from a sales perspective they are really worth it.”

Kitchen3
Kitchen2

While she’s 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. “I 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 – it’s nothing – but the value it added to the house was immediate.”

Backyard2b

Here’s a closer look at the end result:

46CarvilleSt0015

CarvilleSt0026

4

Obsessed with renovating and building, Rachael runs project management business Front Porch Properties. Doing both new builds and renovations, she helps clients in all departments from the initial design, to the construction and landscaping.

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February 9, 2015

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Petra says

    February 9, 2015 at 10:30 pm

    Rachael did so well 🙂 There’s nothing prettier than a renovated Queenslander!

  2. Rachael says

    February 10, 2015 at 9:34 pm

    I love this renovation! Is there any chance a floor plan could be supplied?

    • Jen BishopJen Bishop says

      February 10, 2015 at 9:36 pm

      We will ask!

  3. Lily | Stylescene says

    February 13, 2015 at 11:18 pm

    I can’t believe Rachael transformed that house in 12 weeks! What an amazing job and a gorgeous home!

    • Jen BishopJen Bishop says

      February 16, 2015 at 12:19 am

      Isn’t it just?! Thanks for your comment Lily. Jen

  4. Sarah says

    February 17, 2015 at 11:11 am

    WOW ! Amazing transformation!!!

  5. Alyson says

    February 17, 2015 at 5:07 pm

    This is amazing – 12 weeks?! The footbridge makes it even more special, well done Rachael!

    • Jen BishopJen Bishop says

      February 18, 2015 at 12:21 pm

      LOVE that footbridge! Jen

  6. Malinda @mybrownpaperpackages says

    February 19, 2015 at 10:37 am

    This is amazing, such a beautiful home that she has created. And even more incredible is just how quickly it was turned around!

  7. Sharon says

    February 19, 2015 at 2:36 pm

    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 BishopJen Bishop says

      February 19, 2015 at 3:12 pm

      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

  8. Tania says

    February 24, 2015 at 1:12 pm

    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.

  9. bietthu3tang says

    March 25, 2017 at 3:29 pm

    Oh my god, can not believe it. How much money did she spend on this?

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