Ormeau couple tackle daunting DIY build after trip to hardware store

A couple’s DIY plans to overhaul their 1990s-style house seemed daunting at first but this is how they were able to save money while still getting what they wanted.

Ormeau homeowner Ian Bishop in his new kitchen he built himself.

When Ian and Mandy Bishop and their two children purchased their huge Ormeau home in 2010, they knew it would be a long-term project to repair and modernise.

Built high on the hill in 1990, the house had great bones and a sense of space with four bedrooms, two bathrooms, two separate living areas, separate dining, kitchen and meals area as well as a completely self-contained unit underneath.

But the house was dark with very little lighting and the colour scheme was typical 1990s with dark feature walls.

Ian and Mandy Bishop wanted to modernise their Ormeau house and opted for a DIY process – but needed lots of help from the local hardware store.

The tiles in the bathrooms were green and gold and the whole space was not functional.

Although the job to overhaul the house was mammoth, their task was made easier when they were given free advice from the local hardware store and decided to buy prefabricated cabinets and benchtops bought from the hardware chain.

“The cabinetry and fittings were really good quality and we were so impressed with how good the finished laundry looked, we knew we would use that brand for our new kitchen,” Mr Bishop said.

“Having done the laundry, I knew I could tackle the kitchen next.”

Mr Bishop, a computer network designer, started designing the new kitchen and working out cupboard and drawer placement and where the power points and taps would go.

He also looked at maximising the use of the space.

The couple spent many months thinking and measuring to ensure they had included all the features they needed such as a walk-in pantry with concealed freezer storage, study nook, as well as concealed spaces for items that are used daily.

They wanted their new kitchen to have clean lines and workspaces that took advantage of the fantastic view from the kitchen windows.

Ian created detailed drawings but it all came together when he sat down with Laurence Heron from Mitre 10 Mega at Beenleigh, who helped to bring the couple’s vision to life.

The new kitchen which was fitted out by Ian and Mandy with some help from staff at their local hardware store at Beenleigh.

“Going through the design options was a great process,” Mr Bishop said. “Laurence and his team came up with suggestions that enhanced our own design such as customising the fit-out of the walk-in pantry so that it fitted perfectly rather than trying to cut-and-paste a flatpack option. It sounded expensive – but it wasn’t.

“With Laurence’s advice we achieved things I didn’t think would be possible.

“We included as many drawers as we could for ease of access and LED low wattage lights for all the work areas.

“We wanted waterfall benchtop ends on the breakfast bar and Laurence helped us source stone benchtops that were within our budget.

“We had originally chosen black stone with a silver fleck for all the benchtops but Laurence pointed out that with our large windows, this would reflect a lot of light and create quite a lot of glare.

“He gave us a sample to take home and try and he was proved right. It was blinding.”

The couple then changed to a white stone which gave the kitchen a clean, modern and airy look.

Mr Bishop said the couple was able to save money but still get what they wanted by doing it themselves with the expertise from the hardware store.

IAN BISHOP’S KITCHEN HACKS

■ Preparation is everything!

■ Take the time to think about what you want from your new kitchen. Think about the size of

your appliances and where they will go.

■ Make sure you can live without your existing kitchen before you start demolishing. Ensure

you have somewhere you can sit a kettle, microwave, air-fryer etc. Use your BBQ outside.

■ Kitchen measurements need to be very precise.

■ Check your floor is level before you start.

■ Use a laser level to measure and install – this will make the job much easier as your

cabinetry will have a level base and your stone benchtops will fit snugly.

■ Don’t rush into the build – read all the instructions before starting. Put together the first

cupboard and get it right before tackling the others.

■ Before starting construction, sort all your screws/nails into a plastic accessory holder – that

way you can check you have the right quantity and none will get lost.

■ Invest in good quality tools – they will pay for themselves over the course of the project.

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