Your Investment Property speaks to David Hallet, Archicentre’s Victorian state manager, about the top renos you should steer clear of
1. Don’t renovate without first fixing faults. If the house needs re-stumping, re-wiring or re-roofing do this first. Putting time and money into cosmetic improvements without first making sure the building is sound is like putting lipstick on a gorilla.
2. Don’t renovate without a master-plan. Short-term thinking will come back to haunt you in a few years when you realise that the near-new kitchen or bathroom is in exactly the wrong location to suit a well-planned, well-functioning home.
3. Don’t renovate without an eye to re-sale. A darkroom, a home theatre or a sound-proofed music room might be perfect for you, but they may not appeal to anyone else when you list your home for sale. The classic? Converting the third bedroom of a three-bedroom home into a lavish en-suite and dressing room. Sounds lovely, but a house with two bedrooms and two bathrooms won’t suit many buyers.
4. Don’t renovate without consideration of sustainable design. Panoramic views of the garden are lovely, but if the windows face west they need to be considered carefully to avoid the house becoming a hot-house.
5. Don’t renovate without permits. Most renovations will need at least one permit prior to construction. Apart from being illegal, building without getting them can be a recipe for disaster when the time comes to sell.
