Leila’s renovation story is one that is as old as time. A weatherboard Californian Bungalow that had a 70’s remodel and extension which was poorly constructed and designed. Sound familiar?!
The true test of how much you can stand your house is when you are in it a majority of the day on parental leave. I’ve been there, done that myself. I went a smidge stir crazy!
After spending a lot of time in the house after her first child, Leila vowed not to have a second stint of maternity leave in a freezing, dark house; dashing outside to go to the loo and cooking in a kitchen which literally only fitted one person at a time!
So with a toddler in tow, Leila embarked on Operation Reno before Operation Second Child arrived!
What was the scale of your renovation?
We knocked off the rear of the dwelling, which included the 70’s extension and original (tiny!) kitchen.
We relocated the bathroom (originally a lean-to at the back of the dwelling), into the front of the house and rebuilt a modest, open plan kitchen, dining, living room at the back of the house.
The remodelled house was actually smaller than the original foot print, but much more usable.
Our main aim of the renovation was to make the house more comfortable and energy efficient. The living areas now face north, with maximum exposure to the winter sun, and shading of walls and windows in summer with a verandah and careful planting design. The new concrete floor acts as thermal mass to absorb and store heat which makes a big difference to the comfort and heating and cooling bills. The whole house is now fully insulated, with double glazed windows.
Did you use an architect or draftsperson and how did you decide which to go with?
I am lucky enough to be a qualified planner and designer, so I did all the planning, design and documentation.
How long did the reno take from first plans until moving back in?
Around a year all up. To break that down:
- It took a month to prepare plans for the planning application
- 3 months for Council to them to approve them (the house is in West Footscray so we were dealing with Maribyrnong Council)
- 3 months to work through the design issues, including preparing drawings, specifications, schedules and coordinating with the Engineer, environmental expert, Building Surveyor, etc.
- The build took approximately 3 months.
- And finally, painting (inside and out) and landscaping (a small-ish courtyard) took around a month.
Did you live on site for the duration?
Yes we did. We lived in one room for the first month or so. Then we spread into two rooms, which was positively luxurious! We arranged the works so that the bathroom was constructed before the lean-to bathroom was demolished.
My daughter (who was three at the time) loved the whole experience. And I didn’t find it as bad as I had thought, (just dusty!). The advantage was that we were always around to make decisions with the builder before they did any work.
We met with the builder every morning before we headed off to work or out for the day.
What did you find most challenging during the renovation process?
I loved all the planning and working with other specialists. Managing the builder and trades was a new experience but I found that my very detailed plans, schedule and specifications meant it was very clear what we expected. We talked every day and I feel I had a very great relationship with the builder which certainly helped.
The most challenging thing was towards the end of the building process was that I had very bad morning sickness and wasn’t as ‘on the ball’ as I had been during the planning and start of the building process. There were a few minor issues (i.e. the roofer ordered a white roof, which was not what was specified) we then we had to negotiate changing it. I’d missed the talk with the roofer in a ‘preg head’ moment.
Did you stick to budget?
Our budget was $140,000. We spent $150,000 but we had to delete (or I like to say delay) solar panels and a pergola.
What was your biggest investment?
The thing we really splurged on was hydronic heating and it’s been FABULOUS.
What is your fave feature of your new home?
Sitting at the kitchen table with the winters sun streaming in.
What do you love the most that you spent the least amount of money on?
The bath! We bought a freestanding acrylic bath which looks very glamorous but actually very cheap. The kids use it daily and I’m very partial to the odd soak with a glass of champers as well.
Bathroom before
Bathroom after
What compromises did you make along the way?
The garden design was pared back …. Although we are slowly working on that. And the solar panels were removed from our plans due to the cost.
What could have not lived without through your renovation?
It was summer, so we did a lot of BBQ’ing! The rice cooker was also a saviour! It’s amazing what you can cook in those things!
What are some of the social media sites and accounts that have inspired you through your renovation?
Pinterest. I enjoyed looking at Houzz website for design inspo also.
If you renovated again, what would you do differently?
It would have been good to budget a bit more money for a landscape contractor. We have spent most of the year doing what they probably would have done in a few weeks!
What’s one thing you’d tell a friend doing a reno?
Having detailed plans, specifications and schedules means that everything is considered and well resolved before works begin. I would say that you also really need to form a good relationship with the builder (choose wisely) and be able to make rational decisions on the spot (or engage an architect to do this for you!).
Before kitchen
Kitchen after
And just a few quick-fire questions on your preference.
Period or modern?
We have both!
White or colour?
Also, we have both! Colour in the period section, white in the modern section!
Open plan or separate living?
We went with open plan because space was limited. If space was not so constrained I would say the ideal is open kitchen, dining, living with a formal lounge.
And finally… How would you describe your reno in one word?
Warm.
Work in progress
Before lounge and laundry
After lounge
