Renovators’ notes

Don’t hand can be re-used you money! overlook secondmaterials – they and save

Christiaan and Marinda were the overall winners of our 2014 Fix it with Flair competition and their prize money of R25 000 from Pennypinchers Timbercity gave them the means to tackle their next big project: enlarging an apartment adjoining their house by adding a loft. This addition means they can now generate extra income by renting out the space.

With this year’s entry, the couple have proven their mettle yet again.

“We actually started making plans the very next week after the competition – we drove to the nearest Pennypinchers and spent a truck-load of money in one day!” says Christiaan with a chuckle.

The flat – situated at the end of the passage on one side of their house – consisted of two rooms separated by chipboard dry walling. The couple decided to convert the entire space into a living room with an open-plan kitchen and small bathroom downstairs, and a new bedroom in the loft area.

“We finished the flat just before the Aardklop Arts Festival in 2015 and decided to rent it out for a week,” says Christiaan.

“We realised afterwards that the upstairs bedroom was too cramped and the ceiling was too low. At the end of 2015, we partially lifted the roof and added more windows – this immediately solved the problem.”