DIY Home Renovation power Couple: Oakbank Reno
Today we are joined by the very talented DIY power couple, Chanice and Spencer from the popular Instagram account @oakbankreno
It’s not hard to see how this young South Aussie couple have rapidly grown their home renovation account, with their tasteful modern home inspiration and clever DIY ideas for home renovation enthusiasts all around Australia!
If you haven’t already, follow their journey of transforming their 1990’s 2-bedroom home into a stylish contemporary 4-bedroom home that will ignite your inner DIYer.
If you’ve been thinking about a home makeover, big or small, you’ll want to keep reading for their exclusive advice, tips and an inside look into their lives!
Let’s jump into the interview with our guests Chanice & Spencer who are digital market and boilermaker by day, and home renovators by night.
We’ve done a little research on who the faces behind Oakbank Reno are. Share with us how you both came to the decision that you were going to buy an established property and carry out a massive DIY renovation on the home?
Great question! We always knew we wanted to buy something established that needed a little bit of work as we were keen to get our hands on something and make it our own. We definitely did not pre-plan or envision the amount of work we would do, deciding to do a 100sqm extension and re-arrange the existing living areas to name a few. Those were decisions we made after living in it for a while and realising it was too small for us and had a severe lack of storage among other things.
At the start of your renovation journey, what was the process taken to decide where to start! Did you both know the order of your renovation to-do list and which areas of your home would be the first tackled?
Not at all. I guess, because it’s been an unravelling of sorts, a lot of the work has been done as we go. Most of which the projects led onto the next naturally. Because we have been doing it ourselves we just do it one project at a time. Now we’re getting to the pointy-end we have a clearer vision of the steps we need to take to finish it.
What is the process you have found to be most effective for each renovation project from inspiration through to completion?
It always starts with a research phase. How can it be done? Rather than can it be done.. From there I (Chanice) look at all the different materials involved and find the most high-quality yet cost-effective way to source them.
The materials we use on every project are always natural, hand-made or as close to the original, unique material that they are. Using high-quality products, that aren’t from a factory that everyone else has, makes for the beautiful bespoke home we’re trying to create. So the sourcing process can take a bit of time as we don’t like to compromise on these principles, but also don’t have a huge budget so here’s where salvage yards and a lot of marketplace stalking comes in handy.
From there it’s finding the time to get started. This will either be Spencer or me, or both of us depending on the size of the job. We’ve accumulated a lot of the tools we need for all projects at home… but every project requires at least 2 trips to bunnings!
Being that you both have jobs and now a baby on the way (a huge congratulations from us at Focus), how do you find the time for your renovation projects? Do you have set days and times for renovating and others for personal time?
Thank you! We have quite a flexible which is very helpful. Spencer works on a 7:7 roster. Ie one week off, one week on. So, generally, his week off is a week of work at home the poor guy. For me, I work from home on several businesses, and therefore can really plan my schedule to fit around projects. The biggest thing for us is ensuring a good work/life balance and that we’re not working 24/7 between our commitments.
We would imagine that at the very start of your home renovation process it would have been a bit overwhelming and daunting. What would be your advice to anyone considering a large-scale home renovation?
For sure! And something we learned is to get super clear on what your goals are for your home. Financially. Ie, are you flipping? Renting? Living in “forever”? Or living in for a while and then selling?
These are all crucial questions as they will determine what is reasonable to do in your home. Then I’d look at the market and see what is reasonable to spend on the home without over-capitalizing (taking in the above factors also). For us, we are living in this home for the foreseeable future but will sell in probably 8+ year’s time. So to us, choosing materials and styles which are timeless and high quality was a must. Also, while tailoring it to our individual needs, we’re making it the ultimate family home which we know any family would love and lineup to buy in the future.
What would be the hardest challenge you both have encountered during your renovation process so far and what project you are most proud of?
Definitely planning this extension. As we both love to do everything ourselves, I (Chanice) love to be in control and set the timelines for things. With the extension, we are using a builder, for only part of the extension, but with this, we also have had to go through council, engineering and multiple other admin officials outside of us that have made the process very slow and tedious.
This was worsened by choosing some wrong professionals at the start of the planning journey which sent us about a year backwards. Big lesson!
There is light at the end of the tunnel though! For Spencer, I would say the fire pit area is the project most proud of. The DIY crazy pave, using salvaged natural bluestone. The bench itself being made by Spence. It’s a really beautiful space that was the result of a lot of hours of research, sourcing and hard work. For me (chanice), I would say my bathroom renovation is the project most proud of. Again, sourcing those tiles from a salvage yard and letting them take direction really resulted in a stunningly unique space.
Being talented DIYers you would save a lot of money on renovating. What are your budgeting tips for anyone ready to undergo a home reno?
Definitely, as I’ve mentioned above, save money with your sourcing. You do not need to buy cheap materials, but just consider where you’re buying from. There’s a lot of big brands and especially those we see endorsed on Instagram, however, you can probably find the exact same product, probably even better quality for a lot less money if you are clever with where you look.
In saying this, definitely do not skimp out on professional products like paint, grout, sealers, oils, fixtures as these are things you’ll end up doing twice if you buy the cheap stuff. You learn to decipher where you can save and where you can’t.
From your experience so far, what aspects of a home renovation are just not worth DIYing and should be completed by a professional?
There’s a lot of things, other the obvious electrical etc which you need a licensed person for, I would say things that will be around for 10-20 years. ie, Roofing, walls, cabinetry. These things I’m more than happy to pay a professional for as they will be finished to a high-standard and will be loved for a very long time. The finishes on these things are something you need someone who’s done it for a long time to do. Again, weigh up time vs cost.
Tell us a little bit about your new and exciting Façade Concepts service and if Aussie home renovators can expect any more concept visualisation services from Oakbank Reno in the future!
Thank you! I spent a lot of time visualizing our façade in particular and it was something I became a little obsessed with, what makes a good façade, how does street appeal affect your home’s value etc. I started helping others with their’s and then decided it was time to offer it as a service. I will be offering 3D renders of facades/exteriors in the near future www.oakbankreno.com.au/facade-concepts
