Starting a ‘fixer upper’ project

[SensibleHill]

Hello Workshop community!  We have thoroughly enjoyed reading your posts, advice and inspirational completed jobs, and so decided to sign up and participate.

We are just about to settle on a fixer upper property in WA and starting to plan out the work required to ready it for moving in.  This house needs everything done, and we want to DIY as much as possible to save costs and have fun… or at least a sense of accomplishment. We can’t wait to share some photos with the community as the ‘before’ state is so bad it’s funny, but in the meantime are seeking some advice how to approach the project. 

We’re going to start with a big long list of all the things, then work out the essentials to be done before moving in. We’d like the majority of dusty and dirty things dealt with so we can install new flooring so looking at demolition works, ceilings, bathrooms. Kitchen is out of scope as we want to live with it first then decide what to do.

1. Bathroom needs a full renovation with no salvageable parts. Is there guide on the workshop or Bunnings site that explains the step by step process from demolition to completion?  We’re planning on reorienting the shower and drain, so will need trades to come in and work on that, and I assume re-orient the floor slope towards the new drain. Is there anything that you’d recommend is a must to have a tradie do instead of DIY (outside of plumbing and electrical)? Do shelves and towel rails need to be drilled into the tiles - is there a way to have the spot ready before tiling (worried about damaging tiles or impacted waterproofing). 

2. The entire house was painted in the late 70s with semi-gloss and enamel paint, and there’s lots of gouges in the wall. Can electric sanders be used on walls and metal door frames? Or are there other ways to prep the surface (for instance, can we DIY plastering on walls to even it up and then prime and paint)? How have other members tackled this kind of thing? 

Lastly can anyone recommend good software to plan the house layout? Is there any good 3d design tool or layout tool? 

Thank you !

B&K 

[SensibleHill]

Hi @EricL I have looked with awe and desire at your Sketch-ups for other people, and am humble that you're willing to give ours a go as well! 

We don't have good photos yet but when we get access in a few weeks, I'll be measuring up and building a sketch-up for each room. Would you recommend building a model for the whole house, or room-by-room?

Also, I was just about to go poking around the Bunnings website but maybe you could advise - what is the best digital measurement tool to use instead of tape measure?

Thanks! 

K&B 

[EricL]

Hello @SensibleHill

I recommend building a model room by room so that your computer does not get taxed too much. Creating a very large render eats up a lot of CPU power and slows the entire program down. It's better to form plans in bite-size chunks so that should any errors occur they will be limited to the current sketch that you are making.  

I've only ever used the Ryobi 30m Laser Distance Measurer and it's suited for D.I.Y. projects inside the home. However, I'm a bit old school and still rely on a traditional tape measure. If you do decide to get a tape measure instead, I suggest having a look at the Crescent Lufkin 10m x 30mm Shockforce Tape Measure. It has back-to-back markings making it versatile in any position, Teflon coated and is rated for a 30m drop. 

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric