COVID 19 – Unexpected Renovation
Our story for COVID 19 – I am sure much better than for many people, we are lucky here in South Australia.
If anyone wants to add their story to this blog page, it would be great to get a variety of stories and post them together. Please touch base if you would like me to post your story.
14 days in Isolation after returning from Indonesia, we were lucky and had the use of a friend’s property on acreage. It may only be a tin shed with no hot water but we have freedom to walk and enjoy the birds and outdoor life.
Had a mandatory police check, they phoned us and said we are sitting outside your address in Glenelg could we show ourselves. Had to explain that we were now in Riverland as stated on our entry form as to where we would isolate, (obviously those forms are not read). They sent a local policeman to check.
After isolation we can stay with a friend for a while which is fantastic, but have to think of a more serious plan going forward.
Only answer – claim back our old house, currently a rooming house and a good source of income.
Disadvantages, lose the income which comes from that house and gain all the outgoings. Massive house but that could be good, plenty to keep us occupied, cleaning, gardening etc.
We had over our period in South Australia in January, spent a little time at the house and filled a 9 cubic metre skip with stuff old tenants had left around. Place looked OK, a little tired and some damage but nothing to drastic. At least that is what we thought, but we never intended living here again and only had plans to knock it down in a couple of years or so. Our experience now shows us how much what you plan is what you see too as the house (for one to live in) has much bigger issues than just a paint job, such as the many rotten timbers.
Our tenants were not happy to leave, the longest having been there since early 2015, but they did (all bar 1, who has permission from us to stay out in his back room for now) moved out within 3 weeks. Much appreciated by us.
Having been told they were out we went round to have a look. What a shock, we wandered around the house for about 3 hours just going “Were do we start”, it was daunting as we did not expect it. Still you get your head around that and think “not really that bad” and make a plan. First, rubbish outside. They left so much stuff left that we filled to the brim and another 9 cubic meter skip. Once empty you start to see more damage, all the wood floors were badly scratched and stained and would need re-sanding/vanishing. We start at one end and in the process of this discover,
1) Most of the blinds in the house are broken, they looked ok but do not work
2) Vanity in en-suite is rotten and mouldy inside due to leaking taps (not sure what the plumber did as he had been paid to test everywhere for leaks recently and supposedly fixed them all)
3) Leaking roof into ceiling in WIR
4) Main bathroom vanity – very mouldy and the melamine swollen, more leaks. While removing the vanity we discovered a leak in waste of sunken spa bath. Taking the spa out put paid to our idea of just fixing up the room – now complete reno needed.
5) Massive leak in solar hot water, not fixable needs to be removed.
6) Roof itself with a number of leaks, needs repointing and painting
7) Fence is propped up by stakes and falling over, needs replacing.
8) Most flyscreens gone
9) Roller doors, missing handles and have broken rollers
1 1) Damaged window edges (external) – climbing in through windows it looks like.
1 2) Swimming pool has a leak.
3) Fasica and outdoor timbers, rotten in many places – lots of work here.
4) Gutters on back buildings rotten through.
This is what we have noticed so far.
So we make a start, paint, fill, replace gyprock etc. Starting to look good and hopefully we can move in soon and give our friend her bedroom back. One morning though we get to the house and an old tenant obviously still has a key and has been in the back yard, collecting things. Now we have to change all the locks too. So it goes on.
5 weeks later and we finally move in – well I say move but it’s more like camping. Mattress on floor, camp chairs and table – but we do have a TV.
A few weeks on and bedroom is painted and fixed, plus the ensuite fixed up with new vanity. Now at least we have a real bed. Still camping with chairs etc though.
Starting on bathroom but screed is not drying (in fact it has all taken so long waiting for filler etc to dry). The weather is cold and wet most of the time so nothing is drying quickly.
While awaiting bathroom floor, on to the kitchen. We had thought again that this would be OK, but none of the drawers would run, doors falling off hinges etc. As none were standard sizes we could not just replace bits so yet again another full reno.
We looked around for the cheapest kitchen that would work in the area and ended up ordering from a factory outlet. We gave them the measurements (and our own design, which they changed). Price was great and we picked up some issues on their re-design (ie wrong size cupboards that would not fit etc). Unfortunately we did not pick up on the fact that they changed the height too. Only once we had fitted most of it did we work that out. Lucky we can think outside the square though as one the pantry was too tall for the room, we lowered the other overheads and did away with the kicker under the pantry so it virtually sat on the floor and all is well.
Prior to fitting the kitchen we had to level up the old slate floor (glue and hardboard) and lay a new floating floor – it looked great and was a lot warmer, plus it will be so much easier to clean than the bumpy slate.
Kitchen done, benchtop installers came – looks great BUT, that night our lodger woke us up at 3am – there was a burst pipe and the kitchen had flooded…………..
Out comes some of the kitchen and most of the floor, not an easy job and not all the floor re-usable. We did not have enough spare board (and as it had been a cheap end of line could not buy more) so some floor panels had to be used a little damaged. Once dry we replaced the board and re-fitted kitchen, turning upside down the end panels so it would not be so noticeable where they had swelled from the water. Not too bad under the circumstances.
A highlight at this time is that we can now start to unpack the few boxes of things we kept. If only we knew this would happen. We got rid of all furniture and almost everything that did not have a personal attachment. Cheaper if you do not need for 5 years as per plan (storage, shipping back here etc) but now after only a few months very expensive to re-buy everything.
On unpacking we notice a whole box missing, it contained our trophy glasses, a couple of special mugs and a pressure cooker. No trace of it ever to be found, maybe our last break in at Alice is when it disappeared, we might not have noticed a missing box in the spare room as we had been packing sporadically.
It is interesting trying to shop during COVID, firstly the shops were not open and so much had to be got online – not all of that was a success. Once shops opened it was equally hard as the stock of everything is very limited, cookware, towels and just about every household item. It may take a while to get all the items we need for everyday use.
We decided to get solar power as we will obviously have this house as our base for years now but that meant we also had to get some large palm trees cut down that were shading the area plus so large they were becoming a danger. Big cost to remove trees but it certainly opens the garden up.
Back to the bathroom floor and tiles down, now waiting on wall panels so onto the front outside. Some timber fascia and scotia to replace and then just painting.
Replanting of bank where trees removed at front, plus massive clean out of pond and it is all looking pretty good. Just the deck to repaint and the drive to sort out and front will be done.
Back to rain and cold, luckily wall panels here so fitting out of bathroom next.
In between bathroom bits we also started on outside at back, got so far, no supplies to finish walkway . Delays due to pandemic?
Found leak in pool fixed, yippee didn’t have to dig up tons of concrete.
Finally the shower screen arrived and apart from a minor issue with it not all being quite square (old wall is out) it looks OK. We had to make the decision to have a $500 crooked shower panel or pay nearly $3000 for a specially made one. I can live with the crooked.
