This 'Ol House

Where To Start When Renovating an Older-Style Home
The Interior: Things to Note:

Water Stains - stains can be found most commonly in these two places, ceilings and floors. Ceilings usually indicate a leaky roof and that the whole ceiling will need to be replaced. Floors mean either the ceiling has leaked so much onto the floor that now the floor is warped, or that a pipe from a bathroom, water heater, or kitchen is broken. If a pipe is broken, it could mean tearing out the walls to find the source, and if you don't find it right away, the cost to find it adds up and up and up.

Sloping Floors - walk into the home and take a good look at the floors. You will be able to see slopes easily by looking at the baseboards and the floors relation to them. Walk on them and you can tell if you go downhill. Start thinking of foundation problems, or settling issues. We have even seen supporting beams cut to put a pipe through, thus causing floors to sag under the unsupported weight.

Charred Attic Trusses - many historic homes used coal fireplaces instead of wood. The burning embers would sometimes leak through chimney mortar and cause attic fires. In the home above, during the inspection we found a 2200 square foot third level was completely charred. The good news was that by speaking with neighbors, the fire had been 60 years before and the wood was so thick that the fire barely affected the structural integrity. You might not be so lucky and find the damage was so great that the entire truss structure must be replaced.

Original Plumbing & Wiring - if the home still has cast iron pipes and the original electrical system, then you are in for a huge cost to replace these items. But to do a project right and to keep the old wiring from burning the house down, they really need to be replaced. For a 4000 square foot home, it might cost you $15,000 for the electrical and another $15,000 for the plumbing, and that is just to install it. It doesn't include building the bathrooms, or installing fixtures.

Wall and Trim Paint - take a good look at the paint on trim and determine how thick it is. Over the last hundred years there is no telling how many coats have been applied and how much of it is lead based paint. Lead based paint is a health hazard if ingested, especially by young children. It is best to get rid of all paint in the home through stripping (a timely & costly process). But once the original wood is revealed, sanded, and stained, the value of the home has greatly increased in the eye's of a buyer.

Cracks in the Walls - if you see alot of cracks in the walls, beware! Most likely the walls are the original plaster and have been taped repeatedly over the years. As soon as you go to hang a picture with a nail, the "walls will come tumbling down". Replacing the plaster is expensive as most likely you will have to use thicker Sheetrock and account for the higher ceilings. Sometimes the cracks are also a sign of settling issues or structural problems. Best to have a contractor take a look at it to assess any problems.

Cracked Windows, Rotten Sashes, Broken Pulleys - if the original windows are still in the home, make sure to open each window. Check for rotten wood around the frame and on the sashes and cracked windows. If the window won't open, chances are the rope pulleys are broken and need to be repaired. See the costs starting to add up?

Simon Turner simon@marquetteturner.com.au

Interest in Renno's Rising

SYDNEY'S home owners have shrugged off rising interest rates and started renovating again, with the value of renovations and additions increasing for the first time in 18 months.

But the jump in renovations came amid a slump in overall building late last year, sparking speculation that interest rate rises were starting to bite into economic activity.

The jump in renovations - a 7.9 per cent increase in the three months to December, according to Bureau of Statistics figures released yesterday - breaks a fall in NSW renovations since mid-2006.

Home-buyers tended to renovate soon after they purchased a property, which means most of the work would have been done in buoyant inner-city property markets. But the national chief executive officer of Masters Builders Australia, Wilhelm Harnisch, said the high cost of property in inner-Sydney would prompt more people to start renovations, which would be cheaper than moving house and paying stamp duty.

This means that it is likely that alterations and additions will be a growing feature of the Sydney housing market.

Give Your Interior Walls Texture From Outside

Interior trends are increasingly looking outside for inspiration, and River Rock - a new premium textured special finish paint from Dulux - epitomises the latest direction in effortless, natural style for the home. It draws inspiration from the great outdoors, resulting in a grounded, confident finish.

The beaded texture gives rooms a depth and sensory appeal, and is a lovely link back to nature. River Rock delivers a seamless shift from outdoors into the home, particularly for those who live in urban dwellings and otherwise miss out on that connection with nature.

The palette, comprising 30 directional earthen colours, gives plenty of scope for new moods in the home. European Stone, Spring Sage and Thistle Ridge are some of the softer shades on offer for rooms exuding understated sophistication. Warm, instantly-inviting environments would look to Oyster Farm, Weathered Rock or Charcoal Wash. Those with a penchant for bolder, dynamic colours can turn to Wild Rivers, Mulga Downs or Anglers Dream for striking feature walls.

Dulux knows that leading fashion comes and goes, and with that in mind River Rock has been developed so that walls can take on a new look and feel when it is eventually time for change. It is available nationwide from Bunnings, paint specialists and hardware stores, in 250ml sample pot, 2L, 4L and 10L sizes. RRP starts at $17 per litre.


Visit: www.dulux.com.au

Simon Turner simon@marquetteturner.com.au

"Can you give me some useful tips on renovating my small kitchen"

Even though small kitchens are a challenge to decorate, storage and display areas are of prime importance.

Visually increase a small kitchen’s size with glass cabinet doors. Paint the insides of the cabinets the same color as the walls for a fashionable, well-designed update. Solid-door cabinets work well below the counter and to the ceiling above the eye-level glass-door cabinets.

Another home decorating idea and variation on kitchen storage is to use open shelves over the sink, the cabinets and as much of the wall space as desired. This is especially useful when you enjoy collectibles but are limited on space to display them.

Repetition of shapes plus a variety of textures such as found in baskets is a home decorating idea that adds appeal to any kitchen regardless of size. Even a small kitchen can accommodate an island provided the area is at least 12 to 15 feet wide. This will provide additional storage as well as work space and will be convenient from anywhere in the kitchen. A chopping block or moveable carts with open shelving are examples of items that provide extra work areas and storage.

Think creatively of every space in a small kitchen such as adding a pot rack, pegs, hooks, or wall-mounted baskets for additional storage. Also, don’t add a lot of non-kitchen décor to the room. If you choose good quality, stylish cookware, utensils and dishes, they will make perfect kitchen decorative items.

Install new drawer pulls and cabinet door handles for another inexpensive way to update a kitchen.Since the kitchen is one of the most used rooms in the house, it is important that the design allows for ease and efficiency. By putting the previously mentioned guidelines to work, you will create a beautiful and practical kitchen regardless of size. Simon Turner

"Can You Please Suggest Some Simple Ways to Save Money when Cleaning my Home?"

Cleaning Woodwork: Did you know that cold tea will clean woodwork? Give it a try!

Grease stains on your carpet: Shake some cornstarch over the grease stain and let set there overnight or at least 8 hours. Vacuum.

Cleaning Brass: Wash with salt and buttermilk or vinegar and salt. This same treatment is also used for cleaning copper.

Care of Aluminium: Place tarnished pieces in large pan and cover with sour milk. Allow to remain overnight. This will make the ware as bright as new.

Furniture Polish: Mix 2 tablespoons. Lemon oil and 1 pt. mineral oil in a spray bottle.

General Purpose Cleaners: Combine 1/2 cup. Baking soda and 1 tablespoon. water to form a paste.

To Clean Wooden Furniture: Wash with warm water and Ivory soap, dry and rub with equal quantities of spirits of turpentine and sweet oil, wipe dry and rub with soft flannel cloth.

To Wash Windows: Dip a lint less cloth in wood alcohol, go over the glass and follow with a piece of old silk cloth. This is fine for cold weather.

Frosted Windows: Want to make your windows "frosted" for more privacy? Add 1 tablespoon of Epsom Salt to 1 cup beer. Brush on the window! Let dry. To remove the frost, wash off with ammonia! This is really neat. Just remember to cover any wood or furniture nearby, because this drips!

Grease Stains on your wallpaper: Try mixing corn starch and water and make into a paste. Rub on with a soft, clean cloth. Test this in an inconspicuous area first.

Scuff marks on your vinyl luggage: Try rubbing lemon extract over the area

Wallpaper: If you need to make a patch for your wallpaper, never cut out a piece. Always use a piece that you have torn by hand and be sure to tear toward the wrong side of the wallpaper. This will make the patch nearly invisible.

Unclog Drain: Mix 1 cup. Baking soda, 1 cup. Salt and 1 cup. of white vinegar. (It will fizz) Let it sit for 15 minutes then pour down clogged drain. Pour in several cups of boiling water.

"My husband and I are planning on renovating our home. How do we make it as stress free as possible?"

Are you aware of your partner's preferences for colours, designs, styles? You will be after you've been dragged through endless decorating supply shops and they are still searching for "that perfect colour or they will know it when they see it".

"It is incredibly stressful," says Mitchell Hartmann of Marquette Turner Estate Agents. "There's no getting around that. You're taking a leap from the known to the unknown, you're losing control and you don't know what's going to happen next. It's liberating but it's frightening at the same time!"

When you're in a relationship, there are likely to be times when you see the worst of each other. It's a shock, but it's because you're under so much stress, so my first piece of advice is don't be shocked!

Simply be prepared for the many left-field decisions you're going to have to make and it's a real challenge to live in absolute chaos."

Considering that many of us can get away with making about three decisions every day - will I get up?, what will I wear?, what will I have for dinner? - the renovating process is a potential minefield. Not only are you choosing fixtures, fittings, colours and layouts you have to choose tradesmen, check contracts, compare quotes, decide if you're going to oversee the work yourself, find someone to draw plans, decide how much you can spend (and try not to get too upset when you go over which is almost inevitable...) and the list goes on.

Given all these consideration, it is no wonder that we can feel consumed by it, and often to the detriment to all else? Finding time to spend with the one you love can be relegated to very low on your priority list. Quite simply, prior preparedness is the key.

And then there's the question of taste: Even with my own family home renovation there has been troubles with picking colours. I arrived home to find they have painted the bathroom light blue. The colour was selected by a family member and every time I walk past it, I hate it. I think that it’s very important that everything is chosen to fit the style and personality of your home.

To avoid such drama, there are a few rules to follow: talk about ideas (with magazine photos in hand) before you so much as pick up a colour swatch, work out what you can live with and what you definitely can't - and then compromise again. Finally, keep a space that is a renovation-free sanctuary, make sure that there's a small space in the house that's completely renovation-free (no dust, no paint charts, no 'mood boards') so that you have an escape.

Mitchell Hartmann