DIY Renovating – Reconstructing Life Lessons – Part 2:

Introduction:

This is Part 2 of my journal documenting a rather large and complex DIY planning project I have undertaken, I guess in my retirement I have nothing better to do. After all there is only so much fishing one man can squeeze into his life – How I wish. Part 1 available here expands on my motivations.

DIY Planning:

It’s often been said, “Proper Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance” (7P’s). And so it is with DIY home renovations. Sounds easy?

Well, ‘She who must be obeyed’ and I have literally spent 12 months pontificating, arguing, drawing, deciding, then changing our minds.

The first important fact to consider with existing houses is the extent of the existing space. Financial efficiency stems from working with what you have got – that simple. Accepting your existing resources and physical limitations, and then moving forward with a plan, is also a fundamental life tactic. In a reno the cruel fact of life is that every extra square metre of floor plan you build means more $. So don’t build extra space unless there remains no workable compromise solution within your existing walls.

So, the DIY Planning Journey:

Just start sketching and recording ideas, starting the DIY planning journey starts with but one step.

There is no such thing as a bad idea. What? Well, the journey to a solution often involves documenting what simply is bad, indifferent or impractical. At least you know now what you don’t like.

On this project I literally have sketch books full of silly concepts. And though I’m an Architect, I chose to simply use the basic Publisher package available on all our laptops. Designing your DIY project does not need fancy software! Keep it silly simple! The most important thing being to use a medium that all involved in the design can understand – Scrapbooks, photos, samples, whatever it takes to ensure that communication is effective.

This concept was rejected as not providing sufficient space in the new Kitchen. However, it allowed us to lock in certain strategic decisions:

1. Building a new Laundry was essential as it provided a second bathroom, always missing from the old 1890’s house,
2. A new Laundry would provide toilet and showering facilities whilst the existing Bathroom was demolished and refunctioned as a Ensuite, and
3. The new Laundry allowed the existing Bathroom to become a Ensuite to the Master Bedroom.

Always be mindful that rejected ideas may hold part of final solution.

And the DIY Rejections Continued:

This concept provided a workable large kitchen. But we decided having a Kitchen directly opposite the Master Bedroom was not so brilliant.

It’s worth noting my home is a Country retirement home. There are no resident children, just one still hard working from home businesswoman, and one retired want to be Country Squire, with too much time on his hands! So, in some ways the old 1890’s farmhouse is morphing into an open plan unit or villa.

The Final DIY Planning Solution:

This is the final outcome. Its construction will be the subject of this journal.

As a rule of thumb, the longer you spending arguing over design the better outcome.

Preparation:

I don’t have a workshop. Typically, in the past, I’ve made do with relocatable sawhorses. But in my Preparation Planning I considered the scale of what I had committed to:

1. Cutting kitchen doors, gables and large wall and ceiling claddings,
2. Cutting and prepping hanging beams, and joists required to remove a wall that separates the existing Kitchen and Lounge, and
3. Cutting and assembling Kitchen joinery drawer and cupboard fronts, kitchen carcasses, etc.

Well, some crappy wobbly sawhorses just would not cut it!

Critical preparation a solid 2400 x 1200 work bench. Materials required:

• Two good quality adjustable trestle horses,
• 2400 x 1200 x 20 mm thick sheet of craftwood,
• Six 2400 x 70 mm pine wall studs, and
• Wood screws.

Total cost under $300 AUD, worth every cent!

I also rigged up two LED floodlights and a multiple power outlet on the ceiling of this deck, which is conveniently directly accessible to the DIY Kitchen Project. I’m expecting some long nights. Note to self – Where’s the bar fridge.

PS: I also did not tell ‘She Who Must be Obeyed’ that I was knicking her deck for the duration. Planning advice # 1 – Often faster to ask for forgiveness then permission.

Conclusion:

So now I’ve completed the Planning, executed my Preparation, well let’s crack on!

Thanks for reading.