Tag Archives: AirBnB

We’ve now been Airbnb hosts for almost 6 months. In that time we’ve learnt a lot, and so I thought I would start sharing what we’ve learnt in a series of posts. If you want to see all posts relating to Airbnb click here.

One of the early things we invested time in setting up was our scheduled messages and quick replies. I discovered the scheduled messages function from having a play with the features on the Airbnb platform. It’s proved to be a really handy function for us and reduces the amount of host administration required.

How to find the scheduled messages function?

I like to set up scheduled messages via the desktop Airbnb platform. The UI is much nicer and it’s easier to type, edit and review your messages.

To access the scheduled messages menu follow the steps below:

Adding a new scheduled message

Adding a scheduled message is simple. Once you’ve followed the steps above and navigated to the scheduled messages section of the Airbnb platform simply select the New Message button.

The screen below will now show and allow you to create your first scheduled message.

Shortcodes

When creating scheduled messages don’t forget to make use of shortcodes. They are variables that allow you to insert information that you enter in other sections of the Airbnb platform into your messages.

The main benefit of shortcodes is that you can reduce the amount of text you have to include in your scheduled message, and if you update certain details in your listing it will automatically update in your scheduled message (without you editing it). For example: if you update your wifi password in the listing details section, and have this shortcode in one of your scheduled messages it will automatically update when the message is automatically sent to the next guest.

What scheduled messages do we send?

Getting the right balance between good host communication and spamming your guests is tricky.

We have opted to create 3 scheduled messages before check-in, and feedback from guests has been positive. One of the messages will not send to the guest if they book with us less than a week out.

Below I’ve provided a copy of our scheduled messages which you are more than welcome to use and edit. The italic text within the brackets indicates that we use a [shortcode] to provide this information to the guest. If you do use shortcodes just make sure that you complete the section of the listing details where this information is kept (otherwise it will be sent to the guest with no details).

Scheduled Message 1: Immediately after Guest booking is confirmed

Hi [guest first name],

Thank you for booking [Listing Name]. We are looking forward to hosting you.

Please let us know if you have any special requests or needs during your stay.

I’m sure you’re keen to enjoy the nearby sights whilst you are staying with us. So we have created a guidebook with all our favourite and recommended local favourites here [guidebook].

Prior to your check-in, you will receive a message with instructions to assist you in finding the location, and code for the key safe.

Thank you so much for your booking

[primary Host first name]

Scheduled Message 2: One week before Check-In (if the guest books less than a week out then they won’t receive this scheduled message)

Hi [guest first name],

We are excited to host you in a week’s time.

Please make sure you have read through the listing, amenities and all details in full before your stay to confirm it meets your needs and expectations.

If you haven’t already seen our personalised guidebook I recommend you have a look so you can plan out any activities, and make any restaurant bookings early – link to guidebook here [guidebook].

Just a reminder that check-in time is anytime [check-in time]. I will forward all check-in instructions and directions on the day of your stay.

Please let us know if you have any questions.

Thank you,

[primary Host first name]

Scheduled Message 3: Day of Check-In

Good Morning [guest first name],

Your getaway to [city] is here!!!!!

Check-in is anytime after [check-in time].

The address is [address].

Directions:

[directions]

A comprehensive Guest Manual is provided on the dining table as you walk in. An online version is also available here [house manual]. This manual details how to use certain areas of the space, check out instructions, and will help you get the most out of your stay with us.

Free WiFi is provided during your stay with the following details:

[Wi-Fi name]

[Wi-Fi password]

If there is anything else you need during your stay, including recommendations, directions, or anything else, just let us know. We are only too happy to help.

Thanks,

[primary Host first name]

If you’re interested in seeing more blog posts like this feel free to subscribe below.

Another way to support the blog is to use our Airbnb host referral code below if you are thinking of setting up your own place/space as an Airbnb (and we will both get a referral bonus after you complete your first reservation).

A lot of people have asked me how my Airbnb is insured from guest-related damage and liability, and so I thought I would share how we found insurance that met our very unique needs. I also thought this information might help others that are looking into house hacking by using their own home as a short term rental.

When we first started toying with the idea of becoming part-time Airbnb hosts last year one of the first things we started looking for was suitable insurance. The first thing I found out during the search was that finding an insurance company for short term rentals was a lot harder than I thought. Especially for our scenario eg: part-time/short term rental of the downstairs section of our home that we also live in.

My initial search consisted of me just calling random insurance companies and getting told they don’t offer short term rental insurance. During one of these phone calls, I was referred to the following website by a really helpful call centre operator.

The Insurance Council of Australia – link here

This website allows you to quickly find very specific insurance to meet your needs (not just short term rental insurance).

Once I entered my parameters I found that there were only 10 insurance companies in Australia (at the time of publishing) that provided short term holiday rental insurance (and were listed on with the Insurance Council of Australia).

I then spent hours slowly working my way down the list of companies getting quotes. After a number of phone conversations and expensive quotes, I quickly realised I needed an insurance product that was more flexible and unique to our situation.

Eventually, I came across ShareCover in the list of products and decided to look into it as an option for us.

What is ShareCover?

ShareCover is a pay-by-night insurance policy for hosts that rent out their property on platforms like Airbnb. You pick and choose what dates you need covered based on your Airbnb bookings (covers 1 to 90 day stays). It provides building insurance for up to $2m and contents up to $500k with $10m of liability coverage included. ShareCover has partnered up with SGIC and is backed by the insurance underwriter IAG (which is one of the largest insurance groups in Australia).

What does ShareCover cover?

As you may know, your regular house insurance may not cover you renting out your property short term. So ShareCover insurance covers you and your property for guest-related damage and liability.

Airbnb provides AirCover for free for hosts why do I need additional insurance?

As per the AirCover FAQ:

While AirCover protects you while you’re hosting an Airbnb stay or Experience, it is not a substitute for personal insurance. Since everyone’s situation is different you should talk to your insurer to see how, or if, your policy overlaps with AirCover.

Given this statement, we knew that it was important for our situation that we had additional specific short term rental insurance above and beyond what AirCover was providing.

Does ShareCover replace the need to have Home and Contents Insurance?

No, ShareCover clearly states that it’s not a replacement for your Home and Contents Insurance. ShareCover is additional insurance that can be used in combination with your existing home and contents insurance.

How much does it cost?

Getting a quote for ShareCover is really simple and takes about 1 minute – you can do it here. Simply select the insured sum amount that you would like for your building and contents. Then select your excess which can be adjusted to suit. We personally found that our per night cost (when we have guests) is approximately $10.

What does it cover?

At the time of writing this article ShareCover provided the following cover (Current list available here):

Guest related damage and liability

• Accident
• Accidental breakage of glass
• Fire
• Malicious damage
• Explosion
• Theft or attempted theft
• Impact
• Bursting, leaking, discharging or overflowing
• Riot or civil commotion
• Liability
• Loss of rental income
• Temporary accommodation

Additional benefits

• Glass breakage
• Loss of rent (death of a guest)
• Loss of rent (murder or suicide)

Please ensure you check the current list of coverage and the insurance PDS available here before considering ShareCover insurance.

How do I keep track of my policies?

When you take out ShareCover you set up an account that has an online portal in which you can view all of your policies. This makes it simple for reconciling at tax time.

Would I recommend ShareCover?

I can’t recommend anything as I’m not an Insurance Broker or professional on the subject. This article is just to share my experience finding insurance coverage that met our unique requirements as a part-time Airbnb host. I personally found it difficult finding information on this type of insurance so I hope this article can act as a starting point for those in a similar situation as us.

If you would like to have articles like this delivered to your inbox subscribe below.

Just a quick update on how our Airbnb renovations are going since our last post in November, how much progress we’ve made, and when we’ll be LIVE on Airbnb for bookings. For all our Airbnb related posts click here.

Merry Christmas Everyone !!!!! if you follow our adventures on Instagram you will know that we finished the majority of our renovations in December, and have officially listed our home on Airbnb. Therefore in 2022 these blog posts are going to move from documenting our Airbnb renovations to documenting our experiences as first time Airbnb hosts.

So what’s happened since our last post in November?

Bathroom/Toilet Renovations

Since our last post, we finished the bathroom/toilet renovations thanks to our fantastic electrician. Getting an exhaust fan into our home was a bit of a task as the bathroom space didn’t have one in the first place. So we had to get a self-contained exhaust fan that would fit in the roof, and had to take out a brick to run the ducting out of the roof space. In the end it was more expensive than expected (as there was only one exhaust fan model that suited our situation) but we are happy with how it’s turned out.

If you would like to see the inspiration behind our Bathroom renovations check out our Pinterest board here.

Laundry Renovations

In December I finally was able to start doing my laundry inside the house which is something I haven’t been able to do since May 2021 (over 6 months ago).

We are 95% finished in the laundry with the two overhead cabinets and the appliance divider to be put in. We are still waiting on the supply of the appliance divider from IKEA, and my husband has made his own (not as pretty) until we can get one. Neither of these is absolutely necessary to get the Airbnb listed so we’ve delayed these to give us more time on other areas of the house.

In December we had the front kickers and stone benchtop installed. I was very impressed with the contractors we got to do the benchtops and would happily recommend them to anyone (link here).

Other Renovation Activities

I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned it before but we have 70sqm of large format concrete pavers in our backyard that guests will be using during their stay. When we initially put them in they looked great, but after 6 years of use (chlorine water, possum poo, two dogs, and full sun) they were faded and stained. We contemplated removing them and getting something more hardwearing, but given we paid 7k for them I decided to try repainting them. So we went to our local paint store (Crowies) and found a product called Eco-pave that you paint over the pavers. The Eco-pave product can be tinted to most colours to suit your needs. To apply you simply clean your pavers/concrete before applying as per the directions (we used rollers and two coats). For 70sqm we used approximately $300 worth of product, and we are really happy with the results (see photos below). I’ve had quite a few people ask me about the product – link to Ecopave here.

We also finished the external lights under the veranda area, but we still have the edging strip to do (we need an air compressor and just don’t have the funds for it currently).

In December we also completed a few renovations that weren’t originally flagged to be done. These included making the walkway to the veggie patch safer for guests, replacing our letterbox, and building a stone garden wall for a new garden area. All of these were what I would call cheap renovations (no more than a couple of hundred dollars), but they have really finished off the outdoors perfectly.

What Airbnb related renovations are still to be done?

• Edging Strip on outdoor veranda (Can live without these at the moment so will complete in early 2022)
• Hang the two remaining cabinets in the laundry and install the appliance divider (Can live without these at the moment and will complete in early 2022)
• Order in 2 plantation shutters (Can live without these at the moment so will order in early 2022)

How much have we spent to date?

$26,715.75 (Spent up to the end of November 2021)

This amount includes everything from new flooring throughout all of our downstairs area, new bathroom/laundry/toilet, new doors, new furniture throughout, curtains/plantation shutters, painting everything internally and externally, two new lawn areas, plants, garden wall, garden pathway, letterbox, professional photography, and any outdoor updates required.

If you would like to see a bit more detail around our monthly expenses use the link here. We have a category called renovations.

When are we aiming to start listing our Airbnb?

As of the 20th of December 2021 we are officially listed on Airbnb, and already have our first bookings in January 2022.

Our original goal was to be ready for guests by September 2021 so we were a few months behind. I’m really looking forward to sharing more about the set up and hosting side of Airbnb with you in 2022 via the blog.

What does our Airbnb look like?

We hired a professional to take photos of our house for us. It was worth every cent and if you are thinking of listing on Airbnb I recommend getting a pro in to capture your hard work.

If you would like to follow our renovations on Instagram feel free to follow via @TheBoathouseStirling

If you would like to have articles like this delivered to your inbox subscribe below.

Just a quick update on how our Airbnb renovations are going since our last post in October, how much progress we’ve made, and when we estimate we’ll be live on Airbnb for bookings. For all our Airbnb related posts click here.

Eventually, the aim is to turn these posts into more detailed monthly posts around the ups and downs of being an Airbnb host (if we ever get there).

So what’s happened since our last post in October?

Bathroom/Toilet

Since our last post, we have finally installed that pesky towel rack that I didn’t know where to put. Ultimately that decision was made for me as I quickly realised there was only one space it could fit.

We were hoping to have the exhaust fan installed by the electrician in November, however my husband underestimated how busy our electrician would be this time of the year. So by the time he called to lock a date in there was no availability in November. We have a date in early December for this to be completed.

If you would like to see the inspiration behind our Bathroom renovations check out our Pinterest board here.

The Laundry

In November we started installing the laundry cabinets. Putting the IKEA cabinets together was pretty easy, but getting them attached to the wall was a little more difficult. We are installing our cabinets onto a tiled double brick internal wall so getting the fixings right for this was important. We didn’t want to crack the tiles, get the holes in the wrong place, or have issues with the fittings coming out of the wall. My husband purchased a special wet drill bit for the job, and we had a couple of practice runs before doing the real thing. It was very nervewracking but I can happily say we’ve completed the bottom cabinets without any issues.

We still have two overhead cabinets, front kickers, an appliance divider, and side panels to install but we are waiting until the benchtop is installed in December to complete these tasks.

Speaking of benchtops we locked in the benchtop in November, and have paid for this in full ($1800). We settled on white engineered stone with little sparkly flecks in it. Photos below from the display centre.

I believe that we should have the laundry complete by the middle of December (all things going to plan of course), and I can’t wait to do my first laundry load inside the house.

Other Renovation Activities

We installed IKEA curtains in the bedroom, and I’m over the moon at how they ended up looking especially given the cost ($100 total). The hardest part about installing the curtains was hemming them which I proudly did myself (and they don’t look horrible). It took us a good 4 hours to complete the hemming and installation.

We installed the two remaining grass areas with new grass, and my husband has been carefully tending to them twice a day to ensure they survive the sudden burst of hot weather we’ve had.

I have ordered new cushion covers for our outdoor couches. Our couches and cushions are over 10 years old, and although the hardwood is in good condition the cushions are really weathered and need replacement. I had a lot of issues finding replacement sizes as it turns out our cushions weren’t standard sized. I also had some outrageous quotes for replacement custom covers from a few online companies ($1000+). So in the end I went with a product that is waterproof and stretches to suit most sizes ($160 purchased via eBay see below). I’ve yet to receive these so I can’t comment on if I’ve made a good choice yet (my fingers are crossed).

Whilst shopping at Bunnings in November we stumbled upon a great deal on a cantilevered umbrella for the pool area for $69.95. So we nabbed that, and have ordered a cover for it online via Kogan ($25) to protect it from fading.

Lastly, we finished the painting of the outdoor veranda area, and it’s ready for the corner edging strip and lights in December.

What Airbnb related renovations are still to be done?

• Install Laundry (ETA Dec 2021)
• Install exhaust fan (ETA Dec 2021)
• Get plumber to install laundry taps and sink (ETA Dec 2021)
• Install benchtop (ETA Dec 2021)
• Repaint the outdoor pavers (ETA Dec 2021)
• Finish off outdoor veranda (cornice and lights) (ETA Dec 2021)
• Order in 2 plantation shutters (Can live without these at the moment so will order in early 2022)

How much have we spent to date?

$21,734 (Spent up to the end of October 2021)

This amount includes everything from new flooring throughout all of our downstairs area, new bathroom/laundry/toilet, new doors, new furniture, curtains/plantation shutters, painting, and any outdoor updates required.

If you would like to see a bit more detail around our monthly expenses use the link here. We have a category called renovations.

When are we aiming to start listing our Airbnb?

Originally our plan was to start listing for guests by Spring 2021 (September 2021). However, as you can tell we are not ready for guests. We are tentatively aiming to list on Airbnb in early January 2022.

What does it look like now?

Here are a few current photos of the space.

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If you would like to follow our renovations on Instagram feel free to follow via @TheBoathouseStirling

Or if you would like to have articles like this delivered to your inbox subscribe below.

Just a quick update on how our Airbnb renovations are going since our last post in September, how much progress we’ve made, and when we estimate we’ll be live on Airbnb for bookings. For all our Airbnb related posts click here.

Eventually, the aim is to turn these posts into more detailed monthly posts around the ups and downs of being an Airbnb host (if we ever get there).

So what’s happened since our last post in September?

Bathroom/Toilet

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Since our last post, our bathroom grouting, and silicone have been completed by our bathroom contractors. We also had our LED mirror and frameless shower screen installed.

As always with renovations, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing and we had some issues with the LED mirror we received in October. The button to turn the mirror on ended up being misaligned so when it was hung it was off centre (and looked crooked). We returned it and were pleasantly surprised to receive an upgraded model at no extra cost. The new LED mirror has a built-in Bluetooth speaker (and is anti fog) so you can listen to music etc during your shower. It’s awesome.

My husband completed the plastering and painting of the bathroom ceiling and toilet along with the installation of the toilet roll holder. We still have the towel rack to install but are not 100% decided on the location.

The only items remaining for bathroom completion are the towel rack install (DIY) and the exhaust fan install (which has to be done by an electrician).

If you would like to see the inspiration behind our Bathroom renovations check out our Pinterest board here.

Kitchenette (Mini Kitchen)

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The mini kitchen was finished in October !!!!! and we love it !!!!!!!

We even gave it a test run the other day when we had friends over playing in the pool. It was so awesome to do some food prep and keep the drinks cool without having to run up and down stairs all afternoon.

In October to finish it off my husband put in a shelf for the microwave and some other items. The shelf was a lot more work than it looked as the microwave is quite heavy and the stud work in the wall wasn’t really best to support my idea of a floating shelf. As a result to our guests, it appears to be a floating shelf but in reality, it’s not. I’m still really happy with it, and my husband managed to colour match the wood to the benchtop pretty well.

I also finished buying the plates, odds, and ends for the mini kitchen. The items came from KMART and IKEA, and shopping for these items was my favourite activity this month.

If you would like to see the inspiration behind our Mini Kitchen renovations check out our Pinterest board here.

The Laundry

In October we started working on the laundry side of the bathroom. Our bathroom is laid out with the shower and vanity on one side and the laundry cabinetry and appliances on the other.

Initially, we were going to get a custom-made laundry and we were going to outsource a lot of the work to contractors to save time. But as time went on we realised that this simply wasn’t financially feasible for us so we decided to look at IKEA as an option.

After playing with their kitchen/laundry designer online and coming up with a design (see image below) we decided to go ahead and order.

Our laundry design came to the cost of $1500 which was far better than the quotes we had received from contractors (6k-9k).

Fortunately for us, the majority of the laundry was in stock at IKEA and was delivered to our home the next day. The remaining items arrived at the end of October.

My husband and I are slowly chipped away at building the laundry, but we are still yet to have it all installed (ETA Nov at this stage). Our downstairs currently looks like a storeroom for IKEA.

In November we hope to have the laundry cabinets installed, and have a benchtop picked out. I’m super keen to be able to do my laundry indoors after over 6 months of doing my laundry outside (see photo below).

Other Renovation Activities

We completed the installation of the exterior door (the last door), and it’s been painted black on one side and has a clear coat on the wood grain on the other side. It sounds a bit odd, but honestly looks great and allows the door to stay in the colour scheme of both areas (see photos below).

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October’s weather was lovely so we also managed to get stuck into the outdoor areas which included oiling the deck and furniture, and pulling up the old lawn (ready for the new lawn in November).

What Airbnb related renovations are still to be done?

This list seems to get bigger and bigger:

• Install Laundry
• Install exhaust fan
• Install towel rack
• Get plumber to install laundry taps and sink
• Measure up the laundry benchtop and install
• Put in 2 plantation shutters
• Put in a new curtain
• Repaint the outdoor pavers
• Replace the outdoor cushions
• Replace lawn
• Finish off outdoor veranda (painting, cornice and lights)
• Buy a new outdoor umbrella

How much have we spent to date?

$20,828 (Spent up to the end of September 2021)

This amount includes everything from new flooring throughout, new bathroom/laundry/toilet, new doors, new furniture, curtains/plantation shutters, painting, and any outdoor updates required.

If you would like to see a bit more detail around our monthly expenses use the link here. We have a category called renovations.

When are we aiming to start listing our Airbnb?

Originally our plan was to start listing for guests by Spring 2021 (September 2021). However, as you can tell we are not ready for guests. We are tentatively aiming to list on Airbnb in early January.

What does it look like now?

Here are a few current photos of the space.

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If you would like to follow our renovations on Instagram feel free to follow via @TheBoathouseStirling

Or if you would like to have articles like this delivered to your inbox subscribe below.

Just a quick update on how our Airbnb renovations are going since our last post in August, how much progress we’ve made, and when we estimate we’ll be live on Airbnb for bookings. For all our Airbnb related posts click here.

Eventually, the aim is to turn these posts into more detailed monthly posts around the ups and downs of being an Airbnb host (if we ever get there).

So what’s happened since our last post in August?

Bathroom/Laundry/Toilet

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Since our last post, all of the tiling in the bathroom and the toilet has been completed. We are waiting for grouting and silicone to be completed by our contractors in some of these areas, but it’s looking more and more like a bathroom. We have the vanity installed (from Timberline) and shower fittings installed in the bathroom. We are waiting for the shower screen to arrive, and be installed (ETA this week). Our toilet is installed, and it has a soft close lid which is amazing to have in a house full of boys who seem to have a habit of slamming everything they touch.

I’m expecting delivery of the LED mirror (a similar one here for inspiration) for the bathroom this week. Our bathroom contractors have told us that the bathroom and toilet areas should be completed by the end of this week (our fingers are crossed).

After the contractors leave we still have a few jobs to do like painting the ceiling, toilet walls, and installing towel rails and toilet roll holders.

If you would like to see the inspiration behind our Bathroom renovations check out our Pinterest board here.

Kitchenette (Mini Kitchen)

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The mini kitchen under the stairs has become my favorite part of the space downstairs. The kitchen cupboards are from IKEA (purchased for under $650 including delivery) and we installed them ourselves. We weren’t happy with the benchtops from IKEA so we found a local carpenter to do the benchtop.

One of the drawers is only 20cm wide so we’ve had to be quite imaginative with the space to make it usable. We’ve made some custom changes to it ourselves and it now stores glasses and plates. My husband custom-made dividers to stop the plates from making noises when the drawer is opened.

Over the weekend we installed a LED light in the space which has really brightened it up. We also purchased all our mini kitchen appliances, and have given them a test run.

We still have a few minor things to finish off in the mini kitchen. This includes a shelf that hubby is working on to maximize the bench space. I also need to finish shopping for plates, and odds and ends.

If you would like to see the inspiration behind our Mini Kitchen renovations check out our Pinterest board here.

Other Renovation Activities

We are in the process of finishing off the install of the last door. This one took a little longer than expected as we needed to wait for the bathroom tiling to be completed.

Next month with the weather improving we intend to start working on the outdoor areas that need a little attention.

What Airbnb related renovations are still to be done?

This list seems to get bigger and bigger:

• Finish laundry design and order from IKEA
• Put laundry together
• Get plumber to install laundry taps and sink
• Carpenter to measure up the laundry benchtop and install
• Put a shelf up in the kitchenette
• Paint the bathroom/toilet ceilings
• Paint the toilet walls
• Put in 2 plantation shutters
• Put in a new curtain
• Repaint the outdoor pavers
• Replace the outdoor cushions
• Replace lawn
• Oil pool deck
• Oil outdoor furniture
• Finish off outdoor veranda (painting, cornice and lights)
• Buy a new outdoor umbrella

How much have we spent to date?

$16,588 (Spent up to the end of August 2021)

This amount includes everything from new flooring throughout, new bathroom/laundry/toilet, new doors, new furniture, curtains/plantation shutters, and any outdoor updates required.

If you would like to see a bit more detail around our monthly expenses use the link here. We have a category called renovations.

When are we aiming to start listing our Airbnb?

Originally our plan was to start listing for guests by Spring 2021 (September 2021). However, as you can tell we are not ready for guests. We are tentatively aiming to list on Airbnb in early December.

What does it look like now?

Here are a few current photos of the space.

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• 

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• 

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If you would like to follow our renovations on Instagram feel free to follow via @TheBoathouseStirling

Or if you would like to have articles like this delivered to your inbox subscribe below.

Just a quick update on how our Airbnb renovations are going since our last post in June, how much progress we’ve made, and when we estimate we’ll be live on Airbnb for bookings. For all our Airbnb related posts click here.

Eventually the aim is to turn these posts into more detailed monthly posts around the ups and downs of being an Airbnb host (if we ever get there).

So what’s happened since our last post in June?

We’ve been plodding along with our Airbnb renovations and have been focussed on our bathroom/laundry/toilet and the conversion of a linen cupboard into a kitchenette.

Bathroom/Laundry/Toilet

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Since our last post we’ve demolished the bathroom/laundry/toilet areas. We decided to do all of this work ourselves to save money, and we are fortunate to have the skills to do this. Demolition work included completely removing the shower screen, vanity, toilet, all fittings, fixtures, and tiles.

After demolition we paid a plumber and electrician to complete the first fix of the spaces. This included moving taps, drains, and power points. We also added in an exhaust fan (something this area didn’t have before), and we added a power point behind the mirror. Why a power point behind the mirror you ask? Well let’s just say I fell in love with a touch controlled LED mirror (similar one here for inspiration). It’s a little bit boujee, but I’m hopeful it will really class up this bathroom.

We decided to get contractors in to do the rendering of the walls, waterproofing and the tiling. These are all tasks we’ve previously done ourselves, but we currently lack the time to do this (sometimes it makes more sense financially to get some additional help in). At the time of writing this post we have had the floor tiles glued down, and have our wall tiling started tomorrow. I can’t wait to come home tomorrow to see the progress.

If you would like to see the inspiration behind our Bathroom renovations check out our Pinterest board here.

Kitchenette

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When we decided to Airbnb our downstairs area we quickly realised we would need to create a kitchenette (mini kitchen) space for guests. We had a few potential spots, but ultimately decided on converting a linen cupboard located under the stairs. We got the inspiration for this from Pinterest.

If you would like to see the inspiration behind our Mini Kitchen renovations check out our Pinterest board here.

Other Renovation Activities

We finally received the plantation shutter order for the downstairs nook in July which was extremely overdue. We are pretty sure they 100% forgot about us….. We ordered it in January 2021 and received it 6 months later (talk about painful). They are super easy to install ourselves, and again this there is a cost saving for us by doing it ourselves.

We also finished installing 5 out of the 6 doors that needed to be replaced.

What Airbnb related renovations are still to be done?

• Finish the bathroom/laundry.
• Finish the kitchenette.
• Put in 1 external door once the bathroom/laundry is completed.
• Touch up paint the walls.
• Buy all the items for the kitchen/bathroom/toilet (furnishings).
• Put in 2 plantation shutters.
• Put in a new curtain.

How much have we spent to date?

$12,511.36 (Spent up to the end of July 2021)

If you would like to see a bit more detail around our monthly expenses use the link here here. We have a category called renovations.

When are we aiming to start listing our Airbnb?

Originally our plan was to start listing for guests by Spring 2021. However Spring is next month, and we are nowhere near ready for guests. At this stage we are planning to list our space by the end of October 2021.

What does it look like now?

Here are a few current photos of the space.

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If you would like to follow our renovations on Instagram feel free to follow via @TheBoathouseStirling

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