![Exterior of the Sandringham pre-sale renovation](https://wealthhouse.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/34846/2024/02/IMG_5386-768x1024.jpg)
My newest pre-sale renovation project is a home in Sandringham NSW – a quiet suburb just south of Sydney Airport and right along Botany Bay.
In this blog post, I’ll be sharing the before photos and giving you a little sneak peek of our plans for this renovation.
But first – why pre-sale renovations?
If you don’t know, pre-sale renovations are a niche market in adding value to a home before selling. It differs from your typical renovations because there’s a strong emphasis on the Return on Investment (ROI) and market research for what buyers are looking for.
In a nutshell, we’re being very strategic to appeal to the most buyers, increase the value of the home, and net a higher profit for the home owner.
In this case, we’re estimating an increase of $350,000-550,000 in value to the property.
Background of the Sandringham Pre-Sale Renovation
Location: Sandringham NSW – just half a block to Botany Bay with water and palm tree views. It’s a quiet suburb however it’s a quick 17 minute drive to Sydney Airport and easy access to main highways.
Property Type: 2 storey house with 4 bedrooms + studio unit, 3 full bathrooms + 1 powder room and a pool.
The house was built in 1980 and the homeowner purchased it in 2010.
![Floorplan from when the Sandringham pre-sale renovation home was purchased in 2010. The homeowner did extensive renovations and changed the floorplan](https://wealthhouse.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/34846/2024/02/88-Clareville-floorplan.png)
At the time, the house was very outdated and the ground floor was a 1 bedroom unit and 1st floor was a 3 bedroom unit.
The owner did an extensive renovation including updating the ground floor kitchen, renovating all the bathrooms, adding a bedroom on the ground floor, installing a front staircase and adding a wall in the 1st floor hallway to change the set up to a 4 bedroom unit (ground + front of 1st floor) and studio unit.
![Before image of the wall that was added to the first floor hallway, separating the two units, which we'll be removing](https://wealthhouse.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/34846/2024/02/1st-Floor-Hallway-Wall-to-be-removed-768x1024.jpg)
The owner also did a few quirky things to suit their lifestyle – such as adding a bathtub in the cupboard under the back staircase.
![Before image of the bathtub that was added to the cupboard under the stairs](https://wealthhouse.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/34846/2024/02/Ground-Floor-Cupboard-3-1024x768.png)
In general, the house is in good condition with consistent design throughout (such as the same tile, chrome tapware), however the layout could be confusing for buyers.
Market research also became a key player in this pre-sale renovation. In many suburbs, having 2 units can be an asset. It’s great for in-laws, an older child living at home or to add additional income.
However, after researching the area, I couldn’t find any other home that had a similar second unit.
What I did find, though, is that many of the comparable sales had study spaces. This is unsurprising as working from home spaces became essential during COVID and the lockdowns.
So the plan to add the most value and appeal to the most buyers is to restore the home to a single family and convert the 1st floor kitchen into a study.
Before Photos
![Front staircase of the Sandringham pre-sale renovation](https://wealthhouse.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/34846/2024/02/IMG_5380-768x1024.jpg)
The owner added a front staircase which turned one of the 1st floor bedrooms into a new landing/hallway.
![Photo of wall added to the first floor hallway to separate the two units. The owner added a desk to this space.](https://wealthhouse.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/34846/2024/02/IMG_5383-768x1024.jpg)
The owner added this wall to separate the two units. We’ll be removing this wall to make it a single family home and one long continuous hallway.
![Before image of the family bathroom in the Sandringham pre-sale renovation](https://wealthhouse.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/34846/2024/02/1st-Floor-Bathroom-2-768x1024.jpg)
We’ll be doing a full renovation of the first floor family bathroom. Everything is scrunched up in the back which a huge empty space to the left of the bathtub. We’ll be adjusting everything to use the space better.
![Before image of the first floor kitchen which we plan to turn into a study](https://wealthhouse.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/34846/2024/02/IMG_0287-768x1024.png)
The back unit has a kitchen that is unnecessary from our market research. We’ll be turning this space into a study / potential 5th bedroom instead.
![Before image of the opening to the current kitchen which we'll be adding doors and turning into a study](https://wealthhouse.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/34846/2024/02/1st-floor-kitchen-opening-768x1024.png)
We’re going to add double glass doors to this opening which will lead to a good sized study or potential 5th bedroom.
![View from the new study](https://wealthhouse.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/34846/2024/02/IMG_5362-768x1024.jpg)
This is the view from the new study. How good would it be to work from home with this to look at?
![Image of the ground floor cupboard under the back stairs which has a bathtub and dryer in it. This space will be converted to a pantry.](https://wealthhouse.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/34846/2024/02/Ground-floor-cupboard-1-768x1024.png)
One of the quirkiest things about this house is this space in the cupboard under the stairs.
The owner wanted a bathtub in the ground floor / front unit yet none of the bathrooms had the space for one. They also had a need for a dryer. Even though there is a laundry / powder room combo, when they renovated they only allotted a space for a washing machine. So when they discovered they needed a dryer, they installed it in the cupboard.
We’ll be turning this space into a pantry. From our market research, buyers are expecting this in this area.
![Another view of the ground floor cupboard under the stairs.](https://wealthhouse.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/34846/2024/02/Ground-Floor-Cupboard-4-768x1024.png)
Here’s another view of the ground floor cupboard. As you can see, there’s a lot of storage space. We’ll be adding storage as part of the pantry conversion.
![Image of the ground floor kitchen which just needs a small repair, otherwise it's in great condition](https://wealthhouse.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/34846/2024/02/Kitchen-768x1024.jpg)
The ground floor kitchen is in great condition – it just needs a small repair to the joinery. Other than that, it’s staying the same, just a little bit of styling.
![Before image of the main bedroom which is being used as a family room](https://wealthhouse.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/34846/2024/02/IMG_5385-768x1024.jpg)
This is the main bedroom which is currently a first floor family room. We’ll be styling this back to a main bedroom which has an ensuite and walk in robe.
![Image of the pool area](https://wealthhouse.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/34846/2024/02/IMG_5374-2-768x1024.jpg)
The back has a pool and covered deck. This is a huge selling feature for the house.
What’s next?
We’ve engaged a builder, are finalising selections and will be starting work shortly. The estimated budget is $100,000 with an 8 week timeline.
You can follow along on my Instagram or search the hashtag #sandringhamreno. And don’t forget to check back here for more blog posts on the progress – and the completed photos!
And if you’re curious whether you can add value to your home before selling, I offer free consultations in the Sydney area.
UPDATE: if you want to see the progress on this renovation, check out a mid-renovation update post here.