Naomi Findlay, Australia’s Rapid Renovation Expert, shares the 21 common property renovation mistakes and her personal advice on how to avoid them.

My fondest memories of growing up in Australia are all connected with outdoor spaces. There are memories like playing cricket in the yard, watching the sunset or the sunrise from a deck, and having a fire pit or a bonfire in the backyard in winter.

So many of our Australian memories are connected with a yard space and an outdoor living. So, that’s going to step further because since I grew up, it all became about indoor/outdoor living.

One of the biggest mistakes that we can make when we’re renovating is forgetting to maximize outdoor spaces.

Nowadays, you’ll notice that, often, when properties go to market or for rent, outdoor spaces are actually floor planned and taken as, I guess, a considerable asset or value-add. So, when you’re looking at your renovation plan, it’s absolutely essential that you look at how you can maximize your outdoor spaces because it will add value to your property.

MAXIMISING OUTDOOR SPACES

So let’s have a thinking about it. I don’t want everyone thinking, well, you know the houses I’m looking to renovate don’t have big backyards. Naomi, I can’t have a cricket pitch. I can’t set up a volleyball net, and I certainly can’t put a pool in the backyard.

It’s not all about that. We’ve changed the transitions to how we look at our outdoor spaces now and it’s everything from a little courtyard to a beautiful balcony on your unit to a beautiful canopy tree in the backyard. These are all opportunities that you can hold with two hands in order to maximize the value of your property.

TIPS TO MAXIMISE OUTDOOR SPACES

Always have a look at the outdoor or indoor/outdoor spaces around your home or the project that you’re working on. For example, see if by painting the floor of the outdoor balcony and putting some beautiful furniture and hanging plants, it will entice buyers or possible renters out there.

If you don’t have a big yard with a large tree, think about putting a floating platform under the tree up in the backyard. Some beautiful furniture on it automatically makes that space a valuable outdoor space.

All of these valuable spaces that you’re adding to these projects and these properties add value overall. Hence, it maximizes the wealth opportunity that you have from renovating that property.

So when renovating, be a bit creative. Think like there’s no box. Have a look at what’s outside in that property that you can do small additions or renovations to really add value.

The Property Renovation Library | The Property Renovation Video Hub