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Kyal and Kara: the Long Jetty debrief

27 March 2018

Kyal and Kara from The Block, Reno Rumble and The Living Room recently sold their renovation project at Long Jetty. Here's the wrap up.

For many Australians, our home is our biggest asset, so focusing on ways to add value is always worth considering, especially if these improvements can also enhance our lifestyle. 

When completing our Long Jetty renovation, the goal was to focus on areas that would add value come sale time. Whether you're preparing to sell, or simply looking for ways to create value from a cost efficiency point of view, these ideas will help.

Energy efficiency 

When renovating, creating an energy-efficient home is always at the forefront of our mind. As a project we were looking to sell, we knew that an efficient home with low energy costs would be appealing to buyers. 

In the design stage, we considered window placement for cross ventilation, to capitalise on coastal breezes that flow through the home. Vented skylights and louvred windows are great from an aesthetics perspective, but were primarily placed for cross ventilation purposes. 

Quality thermal insulation was also an important inclusion to ensure that home heating and cooling costs are kept to a minimum. Installation of ceiling fans in all bedrooms was an energy efficient solution to temperature control. Ceiling fans are a great cost-effective solution to cool your home, and with so many options now on the market, they can also be a stylish addition. In Australia, the average ceiling fan costs between $1.90 and $18.86 each year to run1 , considerably less than an air-con unit. 

Investing in solar energy for your home may be another way to add value from a cost efficiency perspective. 63% of Australians rate solar as their number one preferred energy choice2 , and it's a great way to save money on your energy bills, as well as being an environmentally friendly option. It’s also worth noting that the installation of a renewable energy system means you may be eligible to receive a benefit under the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES) to help with the purchase cost. 

Street presence 

Giving your home's front façade a makeover will create a pleasing first impression and consequently, improve your home's monetary worth. This was a key area of focus when planning our Long Jetty renovation. 

When designing the landscape at the front of the property, we wanted to create a clear and inviting path to the front door, which is a great way to ensure a home has a warm and welcoming presence. To achieve this, we formed up exposed aggregate concrete pads to tie in with our concrete driveway. There are so many cost-effective materials that can be used to create a path, such as pavers, stepping stones, decking or even tiles.

When designing any renovation, our goal is to create a theme that flows not just through the home itself, but the entire property. 

At Long Jetty, we used left over limestone cladding from the façade, to create a stunning letterbox that ties in perfectly with the front of the home. We knew a consistent theme would create a great impression for potential buyers, and ensure our home was a standout.

Outdoor entertaining

Outdoor living is so much a part of the Australian culture, and a valuable addition to any home, especially if used as a continuation of the indoor living space. 

The rear entertaining area was at the forefront of our minds from the very early concept stages of planning. A seamless flow from the indoor living to the outdoor was a great way to showcase the entertaining possibilities. We ultimately wanted buyers to immediately imagine themselves enjoying the outdoor pool area.

There are many inexpensive ways of creating an outdoor living area on a budget. A simple paved area with an outdoor setting and large umbrella could be all you need to create another dining space. A pergola is another cost-effective way to increase living space and a great solution for entertaining regardless of the weather. Think about ways to incorporate a BBQ, outdoor kitchen or even a pizza oven!

With these key areas of focus, and months of hard work, we were confident that we had added significant value to our Long Jetty property. 

Despite this, auctions are unpredictable, and the nerves crept in. We had record numbers at each Open House, and there was definite interest, but the questions still arose; will people register? Will we make reserve? Will we sell? 

As the reserve was exceeded and the auction hammer fell, we knew our hard work and planning had paid off.

 

1. www.canstarblue.com.au

2.www.tai.org.au

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