Completing a mammoth renovation project in under six months is a challenge in itself. But working on a top-floor apartment — without any lift access — meant that Rebecca McCallum and her husband Max had their work cut out for them.

As the previous occupant had lived there since 1977, the couple’s 1960s Toorak pad was practically untouched when they bought it three years ago. Everything was in pristine condition!

After falling in love with the natural light, solid brick construction and north-westerly aspect, Rebecca and Max realised the two-bedroom apartment was the perfect canvas for their dream interior makeover.

‘We took inspiration from the original building with its ‘60s architectural design,’ Rebecca says. ‘Some of the original interior motifs, like the archways and rounded 90-degree corners were features that we accentuated throughout the renovation.’

As the original layout provided a sound footprint, minimal changes to the floorplan were required. But to better accommodate the couple’s passion for cooking and entertaining, they opened up the kitchen and living areas to create an open-plan layout. They also replaced the existing flooring and carpets, and updating the main bathroom and ensuite.

The pair completed as much of the renovation as possible by themselves, but with a few setbacks, some hidden surprises (asbestos), and the expense of materials and tradespeople, the renovation ended up costing a total of $396,700.

Below, Rebecca takes us through the entire process and highlights her top tips — including what she would avoid if they had their time again!

Don’t forget to add a buffer for hidden problems in your budget

If you’re looking to renovate, Rebecca suggests adding an extra 20 per cent to your budget to ensure you’re covered and prepared for any setbacks.

‘Whenever you set out to renovate a 60-year-old home, you’re bound to uncover surprises along the way,’ she says. ‘Overall we were quite lucky but we did uncover some hurdles — specifically with some areas of the roof plaster giving way, non compliant electrical work, old-school plumbing, endless brickwork and hidden asbestos.’

The couple’s final cost for plumbing ended up being greater than their original budget, as did the detailed plaster and cornice work that added an extra $7000 to the total renovation cost.

A luxe look is all in the materials 

‘Overall we sought a timeless, clean, airy design to embrace the natural light,’ Rebecca says. ‘We wanted to create something special so where possible, we sourced luxury materials such as woodcut herringbone floorboards, marble bathroom tiles, polished plaster, 2pac cabinetry and a Jetmaster fireplace, to elevate the overall finish of the apartment.

‘We balanced our budget to accommodate these more expensive finishes by using our own skills and labour at every possible moment.’

Get your hands dirty 

On that last note, Rebecca and Max saved costs by doing as much as possible themselves — including working on the interior design. Max also handled the build himself, with advice and assistance from his father, principal of design and construction firm DDB Design.

‘Our motto going into the project was to get our hands dirty!’ says Rebecca. ‘Anything that we could practically and legally do ourselves, we did. This included the initial design, fully documented construction drawings, finish specifications, permits, all demolition, all labouring, installing insulation, rough-in, some carpentry, project management and a LOT of cleaning.’

She adds that initial weekends were also spent roping in friends and family to help with the demolition. ‘My husband was here before work everyday to project manage and meet trades, and we came every night after work and on the weekends to clean and set up for the next day over a five-month period.’

Stick to the ground floor (or make sure an elevator is present)

‘Renovating a top-floor apartment with no lift or goods access is the number one thing we would avoid again in the future,’ Rebecca says. ‘This was a significant undertaking and not something we could fully comprehend until we were knee deep in the demolition.

‘Every weekend was spent carting building materials up, and demolition materials down three flights of stairs. We filled three skips with demolition materials alone, and that was without all the bricks (and there were a LOT of bricks). Once we started, we couldn’t stop!

There was also the issue of sharing common space with neighbours due to the nature of apartment living, meaning the couple had to be extremely conscious of keeping these communal areas clean and damage free.

‘My husband Max, and our good friend Brad spent a taxing Saturday afternoon hauling over one tonne of tiles up to the apartment. If you want to get fit, this is certainly one way to do it!’ Rebecca adds. ‘A ground floor apartment would make some of these considerations and challenges far more manageable.’

Do your research

Completing a quality build in a timely manner is only possible with the right help.

‘The quality of the build is often contingent on the quality of the trades you’re bringing in, so do your research,’ Rebecca warns. ‘Ask for referrals from friends if you can, look at work they may have already done on Instagram and know where to spend your money.’

Final word

‘Along with anyone building in the past two years, we felt the cost of materials increasing at a rapid rate due to supply chain issues and material shortages,’ Rebecca notes. ‘We were fortunate enough to have locked in most materials, equipment, fixtures and fittings in the January prior to starting the build, but still found ourselves feeling the squeeze as the build progressed.

‘Working with great trades to value manage each stage of the fit out, minimising labour costs by doing work ourselves where possible, and pre-purchasing materials were all key in keeping our costs on track.’

Last but not least, she says if you’re passionate about a renovation project and up for the challenge, then go for it! ‘It’s extremely rewarding to see something that we visualised in 2D successfully come to life in 3D.’

Budget breakdown

Kitchen tapware: $640
Kitchen sinks: $1050
Kitchen cabinetry: $36,000
Kitchen benchtops: $10,800
Stone splashback: $2500
Kitchen lighting: $1060
Kitchen flooring: $4000
Kitchen paint: $3000
Polished plaster in kitchen: $3800
Kitchen appliances: $12,850
Bathroom tiles: $6674
Bathroom tapware/hardware: $1345
Bathroom toilet: $1146
Bathtub: $3949
Bathroom sink: $350
Bathroom cabinetry: $8900
Bathroom benchtop: $1960
Bathroom lighting: $345
Shower screen: $3136
Bathroom paint: $650
Polished plaster in bathroom: $2980

Total materials cost: $107,135

Other costs (including trades): $289,565

Overall total: $396,700