The Units
A Renovation That Became Something Much Bigger
This project began as a simple brief: renovate a one-bedroom unit within a block of four. Straightforward enough… until I started properly investigating the site. After walking the property and assessing the condition of the building, I realised very quickly that I couldn’t, in good conscience, renovate just one unit while ignoring the wider issues affecting the block. Thankfully, the owner held all four units, which gave us options.
The turning point came when I saw the blown lintels above windows, the cracked blockwork supporting an exterior staircase, and the general deterioration around parts of the property. It became obvious this wasn’t simply a cosmetic renovation. As a property trader at heart, my thinking immediately went to resale and long-term value. A future purchaser commissioning a building report wouldn’t just assess the renovated unit—they would assess the entire building. I knew I couldn’t deliver a quality renovation with integrity while leaving significant structural and maintenance issues unresolved.
I explained my concerns honestly to the client. To his credit, he understood immediately. He asked me to price the renovation of the full block, and from there the project evolved into a complete transformation.
Uncovering the Real Problems
Once work began, the true extent of the issues became clear.
This project involved far more than updating interiors. We encountered:
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Blown window lintels
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Cracked masonry
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Significant water damage
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Blocked soak holes and failing drainage
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A garage that flooded during heavy rain
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An asbestos-riddled carport that was close to collapse
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A roof that had been neglected for many years
The drainage was probably the biggest concern for me personally. Water was running down the steep driveway and directly into one of the garages. Even after designing new drainage solutions, I worried whether we would fully eliminate the issue. Thankfully, with careful planning and mitigation, we managed to resolve it successfully—but I’ll admit, it kept me awake at times.
Renovating Around Real Life
The project took approximately five months and required careful staging. We began with the two vacant rear units while working around tenants still living in the front units. This created constant logistical challenges.
The driveway was extremely narrow, which meant skip bins and larger vehicles couldn’t access parts of the site. The property was also located on a busy road with limited street parking, so coordinating trades, deliveries, and tenant access became a daily exercise in communication and planning.
One thing I’m proud of on this project was maintaining positive relationships throughout. I communicated regularly with the tenants about parking arrangements, vehicle access, and scheduling so everyone knew what was happening and when.
It reinforced something I’ve learned over time: good communication solves most problems before they become problems.
A Complete Transformation
Before renovation, the property looked tired, neglected, and dysfunctional. Some trades even questioned why the block wasn’t simply being demolished. That’s easy to say when you don’t own it. I could see the potential underneath the neglect.
By the end of the project, the transformation was dramatic. The block felt fresh, modern, and cared for again—more like a contemporary city-fringe apartment complex than an aging unit block. Everything was modernised. The bad smells were gone. The layouts functioned properly. The homes felt light, clean, and welcoming.
One of my favourite changes was actually one of the simplest: replacing the old heavy stucco-style fencing with a traditional white fence finished in semi-gloss paint. It completely changed the street presence.
That fence set the tone before you even walked inside. First impressions matter, and suddenly the property looked proud of itself again.
This project taught me a lot professionally. It reinforced the importance of integrity. I could easily have renovated the original unit internally, ignored the wider issues, and completed the job. But that would not have been in the client’s best interests.
What surprised me most was realising how much value I actually bring to a project beyond renovation itself.
The client didn’t choose colours, trades, layouts, or finishes. He trusted me to manage the entire process from start to finish. I handled every decision as though it were my own money being spent, only consulting him once when we reached a genuine crossroads in the project direction. It was a bit of a lightbulb moment for me. I realised I offer a true turnkey experience—not just renovation work, but complete project oversight, problem solving, and decision-making.
The finished units sold beautifully, with one selling before even reaching the market.
The client was blown away with the final result and jokingly scored the project “12 out of 10” because it exceeded his expectations. For me, the biggest takeaway was confidence in my own capability. This project taught me that I had underestimated the value of my skills and experience. Over nearly six months, we completed a highly complex project without major conflict between owners, trades, tenants, or neighbours. That doesn’t happen by accident. It also reminded me to always expect the unexpected on larger projects—and to ensure there is adequate contingency in both budget and planning. Discovering all four units shared a single water meter was certainly not on the original scope. But that’s renovation. Sometimes the real work is not what you can see when you first walk through the door.
