5 Top Sydney Auction Bargains for Property Renovators
Here at Sydney’s leading Auction House, whether you’re planning on renovating the family home to give it a facelift, create more space or improve sale value, or renovating property as an investment, you’re sure to have a budget to work within. If you end up blowing that budget, then your new home improvements may not give you the satisfaction you’re seeking, (especially if you’re so busy working to pay off the credit card!)
After researching the cost of materials, fittings and fixtures needed to complete your desired renovations, you may find that you don’t have the budget to achieve your goals, and the plans are dumped…
But there’s more than one way to skin a cat (or renovate a kitchen or home). It just requires a bit more flexibility, research and planning. Buying your building materials and fixtures and fittings at auction can save you stacks of money. Don’t think that there has to be necessarily anything wrong with what you’re buying at auction. Usually there isn’t. Other times it’s just a nick, or a dent, or perhaps a style has gone ‘out of flavour’. Do your research and you may find all that you need to complete your renovations is available at auctions, and at a price you can afford. If you’re renovating in order to sell a property, this will mean more profits!
Remember, a dollar saved is a dollar earned.
Here are 5 main types of renovation supplies you can buy at auction. With some auctions you can even arrange bids online, though an inspection of what’s on sale might be a good idea before placing a bid.
- TIMBER & BUILDING MATERIALS
Building Timber
Auctions are great for finding cheap timber and building materials to help construct walls, cupboards, roofs, flooring and decking. And some auctions specialise in just those products. The types of timber available range from plywood to structural and treated pine to hardwood, timber decking, fence palings and posts. Most auctions provide a good selection of lengths, widths and package sizes, and they update their catalogues weekly.
When it comes to flooring, you can find rolls of uncut carpet and vinyl, hardwood flooring, and floating timber, laminate and bamboo flooring. You can then hire a tradesman to do the work or if you’re a DIY-er, you can do it yourself. You will find staff at Renovator Auctions who are quite qualified and able to give you advice on materials and their usage – even sizing and amounts needed.
Nearly everything else you need in building materials can be found at auction, including:
- Windows frames and glass
- Architraves
- Roofing
- Insulation
- Mouldings
- Internal and external doors
- Pavers
- Tiles
- Concrete
- Paint
- BATHROOM FIXTURES & FITTINGS
White vanity
The bathroom can be one of the most expensive rooms to renovate, especially if you are stripping it back and replacing showers, baths and vanities. One of the biggest initial costs is the strip-out, if you are hiring professionals to do it. If you can this do this yourself, you are going to save mega bucks. Investigate whether your bath or basins just need resurfacing before you go ahead replacing them. But, if replacement is needed, head to your local auctions, where you can pick up shower enclosures and fittings, vanities and sinks, plus baths – even spas, at budget prices.
Other bathroom supplies found at auction include:
- Toilet suites
- Tiles
- Windows
- Tapware
- Bathroom accessories
- Exhaust fans
- Lighting
- KITCHEN FIXTURES
You can certainly stretch your dollar further not only by renovating a kitchen yourself but also by buying new and ex-showroom kitchen fixtures at auction. You still have the option of using a professional installer to create your dream kitchen, using the well-priced fixtures you’ve bought at your local auction. Some auction outlets have kitchen designers on hand who can provide a quote based on your plans and measurements. They even have contacts in the industry for services like masonry work.
Kitchen fixtures are the things that are secured or bolted to the walls or floors. The types of kitchen fixtures you can buy at budget prices at auctions include:
Renovated Kitchen Cabinets
- Kitchen units and islands
- Benchtops
- Cupboard doors
- Range hoods and extraction systems
- Cooktops
- Floor tiles and wall tiles
- Splashbacks
- Lights
- Sinks and tapware
Do your research and you’ll find there’ll be a whole range of styles, sizes and colours available to choose from amongst the auction stocks. For example benchtops can be found in quartz, granite, timber and laminate.
- APPLIANCES AND WHITE GOODS
Freestanding Electric Stove
Sourcing your appliances and white goods from an auction is a truly savvy way to shop! Auctions don’t have the same overhead costs as retail outlets and can pass on those savings to the buyers. Some auctions specialise in appliances and white goods. Many of these products are brand new and some are new factory seconds that perhaps just have a dent or a scratch. You can save hundreds of dollars – up to 70% off new prices in some cases – just by choosing a fridge that has a scratch in the side, where it won’t even be seen anyway.
The types of appliances and white goods you can pick up at incredibly low auction prices include, but aren’t limited to, the following:
- Free standing stoves and ovens
- Fridges and freezers
- Air conditioning
- Microwaves
- Coffee machines
- Toasters
- Clothes dryers
- FURNITURE
Buying furniture for any room in the house is going to bring you substantial savings for bedrooms, rumpus rooms, dining rooms and formal lounges and home offices. And don’t forget your outdoor patio! Items are brand new from wholesalers, retailers and importers and are available in all sorts of styles, colours and designs. Some factory seconds and discontinued line stocks present great bargains to be snapped up.
The types of furniture you can get at auction include:
- Lounge suites
- Sofas
- Coffee tables
- Dining suites
- TV units and buffets
- Outdoor dining sets
- Beds and mattresses
- Cupboards
- Desks
- Filing cabinets and other storage options
- Bookshelves
- Chairs
Auctions can be a lot of fun! Remember to do your research and subscribe to the auction catalogues so you keep up to date with what’s available. In some cases you can arrange for staff to bid on your behalf if you can’t be there yourself. Be aware that it is usual for auction houses to place a commission which can range from about 10% to 25% on top of your winning bid. Even so, the outcome for you is that you get a whole lot more value for your available budget by looking at auctions when you renovate!