RENO FEVER
Renovating. I’ve written before about the spring tradie influx, only this year I think it kicked off in May. In fact, let’s just say it’s a year-round activity and be done with it.
A chat with H&G property writer Harvey Grennan confirms plenty of people are putting off a property hop in favour of spending some time and money on the home they’re in.
The great news, says Harvey, is that a good renovation carried out in uncertain times will pay off in the longer term – while you enjoy the advantages in the short term.
“When the market has peaked it’s not a great time to buy,” says Harvey. “You sell your home, pay the stamp duty on a new joint and then risk the value of your new home falling to less than the amount you paid. It has already happened to some home buyers in Sydney and Melbourne. That $50,000 stamp duty you forked out could have been spent on a new bathroom and kitchen or more space.”
One of the core renovation messages canvassed in our pages over the years and again this month is the importance of flow, function and light (see report p177). For years, the solution to renovating a home in a heritage area was to retain the frontage and pop a modern, glazed box on the back. So the front rooms were still inclined to be light-challenged, while the back required sunglasses to be worn ’til the sun went down.
There is still a bit of that approach at play, but it seems to be less blunt and a tad more nuanced. And increasingly impressive window and door solutions are meeting this need. Highlight windows positioned beneath a raked roof to catch northern light. Slide-away or tilt windows and doors open to adjacent outdoor living spaces. Glazed staircases draw light from an upper floor or act as passageways from one section of the home to another. Curvaceous feature windows in eco-friendly glass and overhead glazing in windowless bathrooms also bring light and drama.
It’s always fascinating to see the adaptation of homes to better suit a site possibly occupied for a century or more. It’s never a case of one size fits all because every home and location is different, but one item on most renovation briefs today is a request for a connection to the garden and barbecue area or, when space permits, a fully equipped outdoor room. This is particularly true of urban family homes where connection yet separation is essential for all concerned. Says Anna of her renovated Bondi semi (p112): “I love being able to move freely between indoors and out. Lying on the sofa reading a book while the kids play in the garden is my idea of heaven.”