Gearing Up For A Sunny Season - Part 2

Stage one of the beach shack front facade reno is now complete and I'm really excited about how it's come up. Here's a lovely before shot (gross):

And here is what we've been doing the last few weekends:

I had total renovators block to start with. I was incredibly indecisive and originally was going to use stainless steel cable around the balustrade but decided against it at the last minute. Mainly because although we do have a small view, we required privacy more than anything. Anyone who drove or walked past the house could see us as clear as day sitting on the couch in our lounge room. Sometimes I'm an exhibitionist but when I'm in my trackie dacks and not brushed my hair, it isn't a time that I'm interested in the neighbourhood seeing me!

So in the end we set about doing everything one step at a time. Roge put up the pergola in treated pine, then we put on Tas Oak decking slats for the balustrade and lastly we painted the brickwork a matching grey to the rest of the house (a Dulux colour that I can't remember the name of right at this moment). We are now going to put a bit of bamboo screening up where I plan on making an outdoor shower and planting some kangaroo paws. I also want to find a good daybed, I've been keeping my eyes peeled on Gumtree for something suitable.

So, the budget...we'll I ended up spending a lot more than I thought I would but I still think it was worth it:

Paint (whole of the house) $170 - From Wattyl
Shade Sail $50 - Second hand from Gumtree
Pergola timber, screws, brackets, nails etc - $649.43 - from Bunnings and Becks Hardware
Tss Oak decking $324.95 - Becks Hardware
Bamboo screening $49.94 - Bunnings Hardware
GRAND TOTAL: $1244.32

The next few things we plan on doing out the front, including some paving, will not cost much as we have the materials already and I plan on doing budget savvy things like dividing up the existing kangaroo paw plants I have at our house to use in the shack garden.

Ahh, what a change to this once useless concrete deck. It now has privacy, Ewan won't hurt himself falling over the edge and it feels like we've added a whole new room to the shack. Yay, I can't wait to sit out there this coming weekend with a fruit punch in a wine glass!