# Forum More Stuff Go to Whoa!  Our weatherboard and our first reno

## alsocass

I have been reading through this site, and this thread in particular. I love that the topics in this thread become discussions rather than just pseudo blog posts, so here goes. 
We bought our first house last year off my grandfather, I really should pester him for some more information about the house while I can. 
The house is a weatherboard,but was clad over with some aluminium cladding or something many years ago. The old weatherboards are underneath but we think they may have rotted. We are living in the house quite comfortably but it really needs to be refreshed. My grandparents came from an era where anything free was good, consequently the backyard was full of concrete (apparently the local contractor would bring the leftover concrete whenver he had some), the back verandah extension not fully lined (because the guy who was giving them the free material died) and the inside is generally full of low cost materials that really need replacing. 
We have a renovation budget of next to nothing so we are focusing our attentions on landscaping, designing and other little jobs while the bank balance grows. Hubby (an electrician by trade) is doing all the work on his weekends, while I am managing finances, designs, quotes, as well as the vege garden and our children. We figure if we do the low-cost labour intensive jobs first then we should have a sizeable deposit (enough to hopefully convince a bank, or else just so a redraw won't hurt so much) in order to do the few major things that we have in mind (a small back extension, new kitchen, new fence). 
Without further ado, our humble abode:

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## alsocass

So our first bit of renovating is landscaping.
We have already removed a decrepit brick bbq and a fair bit of concrete. The old horse stable has become a chook shed, and the Eastern side of the house has been fenced in to create a big vege garden. The vege garden is productive but we are redesigning it so that it will have 14 raised circular beds (2m diameter), plus a curved border garden. We are thinking about buying premade corrogated beds (at $175 each) but I am open to ideas, and I really have no idea what to build the border beds out of yet... 
Hubby is building me a greenhouse at the back of the yard (near the chook pen), as well as potting benches. We are looking at getting the concrete area fixed (it is broken and ugly) so that is it level and getting it stenciled. We also want a small privacy screen just to hide the greenhouse and chookpen from the entertaining area, and to provide a nook for building a sandpit and kids play area (a water wall etc).  
We are convinced it would cost quite a bit to get the concreteing done professionally and so Hubby will do it himself (possibly with the help of his brother who once was a concrete, though lives in another state).

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## manofaus

hello
I have some of that aluminium cladding on my reno house. I removed it to find that the weatherboards underneath were just in need of some TLC. If you need some cladding, just give me a holler. it is a little chalky tho. You will be suprised at how quickly your house will go up in the value. I have three freinds that have sold houses here in muswellbrook that have got their asking price and a signed contract within the week. I would imagine it will work its way down the valley soon enough. Good luck.

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## alsocass

We are actually intending to live in this one for quite a while (until the kids leave school...the first is 2yo and the rest are only happy thoughts at the moment) as we love being in a location where the kids can walk/bike to school and high school.  
Thanks for the tip on the weatherboard... you give me hope! It will be a big job though and one I imagine will not get tackled until this time next year. There is such a temptation to just pay someone to get things done quickly.. but the budget would get eaten away fast if we did that. I am curious, what type of time frame and budget do others allow for there reno jobs? I expect two years and about 20% for this one (given that we intend to live in it for the next 15-20years).

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