Thread: Gday from Pijon (Renovating own home)

Hi All,
I am a sparky from Toowoomba in Queensland and have just started renovating a brick veneer house built around 1981.

My adventure so far:
- removed approximately 1300 bricks from driveway to be reused as two exterior wall extensions.
- closed in an external opening, approximately 110 bricks (never laid a brick before),
- had 15 man hours use of a 5 tonne excavator ( first time use) to remove 1 old wall, dig footings and prep slab for driveway, plus load top soil into peoples trailers for removal,
- jack hammered up 18m2 of ceramic tiles on 40mm bedding and ground back same with a terrazo grinder ( floor now has similar appearance to a crumpet),
- framed up a 9m long wall with 2 x 1200x1210 window openings to enclose the old patio and front door using 90 x 35 treated pine - thanks to this forum for the advice on window openings and wall framing in general,
- dug footings, and poured a new extension slab, not my most enjoyable exercise,
- removed approximately 22m2 of asbestos villa board cladding - used disposable overalls, respirator with correct double cartridges, vacuumed up small particles with purpose bought vacuum cleaner (previous purchase), double bagged the asbestos and transported to local tip and disposed of as directed - total cost of $75 + time and fuel ( I was quoted $900)
- washed and painted 1 bedroom 4.5m x 3.3m, good bye to mission brown architraves!,
- installed new carpet to same bedroom - cheated and got a professional carpet layer in for this one ($800 installed),
- ordered a new entry door with twin sidelights for fitment into an old window opening...

My advice to anyone who reads this post is that with a bit of reading and some kind words from tradespeople "in the game" almost anything is achievable!

Cheers H