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A dilapidated pre-war worker’s cottage in East Brisbane has been transformed into a colossal five-bedroom, contemporary home with a multi-hole putting green above the garage.

Owner and builder Darren Crowe and his wife Laura acquired 6 Heidelberg Street in 2003 after coming across it by accident while going to look at another property in Hawthorne.

“I was on my way home and there was a traffic jam and so I turned up a side street and there it was,” Mr Crowe said. “There was some scaffolding on the site so I climbed the scaffolding and thought ’wow’ look at that view. And I basically went from there.”

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The house was once a two-bedroom worker’s cottage.

6 Heidelberg Street, East Brisbane

At the time the house was considered to be one of the worst house in the street, but that did not put Mr Crowe off. With the help of an architect, he set about turning the run-down cottage into the family’s dream home.

A labour of love for Mr Crowe for the past 17 years, the home’s crowning glory has to be the addition of a three-hole putting green on the roof of the garage.

A keen golfer, Mr Crowe said he found playing a full round physically taxing, so the green was a way for him to keep his hand in the game by allowing him to practise his putting.

“I think my stroke has definitely improved,” he laughed.

A sunken spa on the rear deck offers spectacular city views.

The course is likely one of the best-kept around with Mr Crowe taking meticulous care of it.

“I love golf but I also love my grass, so I get out there with my cylinder mower and look after it.

“It’s also great for the grandchildren, who love having a play around on it at Christmas time.”

Unrecognisable from the poky two-bedroom cottage it once was, inside, the house has vast open-plan living spaces in luxury and contemporary finishes spread over three storeys.

The lower level is taken up by the garage which has the space to accommodate four cars with ease.

There are multiple living spaces throughout the house.

On the middle level are three of the home’s five bedrooms, alongside a large dining space and bar, which spill out onto an alfresco area and a saltwater pool with a fountain. A laundry, loo and storage cupboards fill the remaining space. Via an internal staircase or external spiral staircase, you choose, you can ascend to the upper storey. The internal staircase lands you in the main kitchen, dining and living areas, while the external staircase will take you to the upper balcony.

The house’s renovation has been a source of interest to local residents.

The remaining two bedrooms are also on this floor, at opposite ends of the house, and with the main leading on to a private corner of the rear deck where there is a spa in which you can sit to take in panoramic views of the city and Story Bridge.

If you’re thinking all those stairs sound cumbersome, a dumb waiter services the entire three

levels, so no lugging your groceries up from the garage to the kitchen.

A dumb waiter services all three levels of the home.

Gunther Behrendt of McGrath Bulimba, who is co-handling the sale of the property with associate Ben Cannon, said the house’s transformation has been a source of interest and admiration for local residents over the years.

“I’ve had several locals tell me it’s wonderful to see the home completed after knowing what was here before,” Mr Behrendt said, “and that the history of the cottage has been preserved for future generations.”

The house is set to go under the hammer at 10am on Saturday, September 5.

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After. Photo: Lisa Cohen. Dulux colours used: Dulux Wash&Wear in Pancake Mix, Natural White and Hint of Lavender. Artwork on far right by Tracey Mock.

A bright and bubbly colour scheme was once widely accepted as the go-to look when decorating a child’s bedroom.

Rooms saturated in vibrant hues were considered more friendly, fun, and playful. But today, muted and earthy tones are gaining momentum.

Stylist Bree Leech has noticed a shift away from using lots of vivid shades to avoid overstimulating a child.

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Before. Photo: Lisa Cohen.

“More often now, the focus in a bedroom is to be more relaxing for downtime and sleep, especially with younger children,” Ms Leech said.

She chose a pared-back palette for the room pictured, which was all white and felt uninviting before she styled it for Dulux.

The new colour scheme made it cosier, Ms Leech said.

“You want to maintain a sense of calm, but at the same time not be boring,” she explained. “It should also have elements that make the child feel comfortable and easily identify the space as theirs.”

Calm tones. Photo: Lisa Cohen

Colour code

Ms Leech said a putty-biscuity tone on the walls offered a soothing backdrop for this child’s bedroom.

Crisp white was used to highlight architectural features, such as the ceiling and fireplace. And hints of soft colour were picked up through artwork, bed linen and a lavender door on the fireplace, which was cleverly converted into a toy cupboard.

Given kids’ bedrooms weren’t typically very big, Ms Leech suggested picking colour that would add personality but not overwhelm the space.

“Proportion is really important when it comes to colour. It’s easy to get carried away and go too far,” she said.

Having a muted or neutral base palette created a restful feel and allowed the room to be adapted with ease as your child grew. Ms Leech said this colour scheme would comfortably relate to the rest of the home, too.

Beforehand. Photo: Lisa Cohen

Softly, softly

Ms Leech advised taking a gentle approach when decorating, which meant layering in lots of texture.

When dressing the bed for this room, the stylist piled it high with comfy pillows so it

became the hero of the space.

Adding a rug not only brought in softness underfoot, but helped draw the eye towards the bed.

Be sure to add contrast when applying texture to the space. Too much of the same thing and the look would fall flat, Ms Leech explained.

“You want to mix the textures up a bit and have lots of things they can touch that make them feel good,” she said.

And when complete. Photo: Lisa Cohen. Artwork: Tracey Mock.

Personal touch

Pay attention to your child’s interests and find ways to refer to them when styling the room, Ms Leech suggests.

It could be they like elephants, and you might interpret this in a wall decal.

“Get your child to pick out a print they love or have an illustrator create something inspired by their favourite story,” she added. “You could even go with something sculptural.”

Elements like these would help your child feel more connected to their room and create points of difference that went a long way towards personalising it.

Don’t be tempted to load the space up, either. Ms Leech advised using a light hand when decorating.

“It’s really easy to put too much into a kid’s room and suddenly, it’s not peaceful,” she said.

Dulux colours used: Dulux Wash&Wear in Pancake Mix and Natural White. Photo: Lisa Cohen

Attention to detail

Focal points are essential, but not every wall or every corner needs one, according to Ms Leech.

“If every wall is trying to show you something different, then the space will be screaming at you,” she added.

“And if that’s how you feel when you walk into the room, you can imagine a child will feel even more stimulated.”

She recommended building key moments around the room that would creatively introduce things to make your child smile.

A quirky handle in the shape of a teddy bear face was added to a cupboard door in this bedroom for a pop of fun.

Ms Leech said a similar approach could be applied to wall hooks or curtain tiebacks.

“It’s the little surprise details that bring in touches of whimsy and elevate the room from being too conservative to something more fun,” she said.

dulux.com.au

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Handy hints

● Think beyond the lines of the room. By not painting the walls all the way up to cornice, you make the ceiling appear higher than it is.

● Bring in an occasional chair or ottoman to provide another space to sit apart from the bed.

● Create activity areas such as a reading nook or table in a corner to do craft, draw and build things.

● Soften the look of a window with dreamy drapes. Let them drop to the floor to make a short window feel larger.

Source: Bree Leech, stylist

The post Designing a child’s bedroom: How to create a calming child’s room appeared first on realestate.com.au.

Barry Plant, Highton agent Matthew Hunt with the new owner of 62 Oberon Drive, Belmont.

A young chippy is hoping to transform an unliveable Belmont house after beating 16 registered bidders for the keys to the renovator’s delight.

Five active bidders drove up the price of the three-bedroom house at 62 Oberon Drive, which sold for $425,000 at Saturday’s online auction.

Barry Plant, Highton agent Matthew Hunt said the entry-level property was on the market within two minutes, with strong competition helping it eclipse its reserve by $40,000.

This Belmont property is ripe for a renovation.

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“It is a full renovator’s delight, it’s not really liveable,” Mr Hunt said.

“A young chippy has bought it and is going to resurrect it.

“He had been looking for something he could add some value to and he’s aware of the challenges that’s needed to fix it but I think someone like him could add value to it.”

The house, described as needing “more than a little TLC” offers two living areas, three bedrooms and two bathrooms on a 663sq m north-facing block.

There’s scope to add value in this affordable pocket of Belmont.

Mr Hunt said 70 groups inspected it during the campaign, with all but two of the registered bidders hailing from Geelong.

He said Oberon Drive was in an affordable part of Belmont that had become increasingly attractive to buyers.

“Probably the major drawcard is Belmont High, it’s now in that catchment,” he said.

“We are really starting to see values in that pocket rise.”

The post Chippie beats four other bidders for Belmont renovator’s delight appeared first on realestate.com.au.

9 Palm Avenue, Ascot, sold for over $7m.

Millionaire home sales are on the rise amid a surge in buyers seeking a better lifestyle during the coronavirus pandemic.

While major sales are being notched-up across Brisbane’s prestige suburbs, mid-range properties with extensive amenities and views are also experiencing strong price gains.

Agents report that the high-end property market is going gangbusters during COVID-19, with one now dealing with seven buyers who are actively househunting in the $10 million-plus range after missing out on other luxury properties.

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The view from 109 Carlton Terrace, Manly, sold for $1.3m.

A jawdropping new-build at 9 Palm Avenue, Ascot, sold for more than $7 million earlier this month, after inspections from 50 buyers in that price range, three of whom made offers on the five-bedroom home.

Agent Matt Lancashire of Ray White New Farm, who also sold 14 Sutherland Avenue, Ascot, at the start of the pandemic for more than $13 million, with colleague Hamish Bowman, said buyers at the top end were not prepared to wait out COVID-19 to secure their luxury homes.

“The depth of the Brisbane market within that price point at the moment is mind-blowing,” he said. “You would have thought people were not buying because of COVID-19, but we have more buyers now than we’ve ever had.

“It comes down to people wanting to travel but being restricted for a few years, so people want to upgrade their homes.”

Manly has seen a surge in million-dollar sales because of the lifestyle.

Place Manly agent Marc Sorrentino works across the bayside suburbs of Wynnum, Manly and Lota, where his sales average $1 million, with demand driven by locals from Brisbane suburbs such as Ascot, Bulimba, Bridgeman Downs and Hawthorne.

“With COVID-19 people have re-evaluated their lifestyle and they’re saying well if I am going to be working from home, wouldn’t it be great to look at water views or have seabreezes. It’s booming; a classic case of supply and demand. There’s not a lot of stock but a lot of demand,” he said.

SELECTED BAYSIDE SALES:

279 The Esplanade, Wynnum: $1.03m

109 Carlton Terrace, Manly: $1.3m

537 Royal Esplanade, Manly: $1.012m

43 Waterloo Esplanade, Wynnum: $1m

25 Waterloo Esplanade, Wynnum: $1.925m

(Source: Marc Sorrentino, Place Manly)

Mr Sorrentino said the demand was highest for blocks of land in seafront suburbs, which are being snapped up for more than $1 million.

“I’ve just sold one under contract for $1.95 million and that’s literally a knockdown. Over the COVID-19 period people have been buying waterfront blocks between $1 million and $1.3 million. Typically someone spending $1 million on a block of land will spend $1 million on construction and so these will be $2 million properties.”

He said the world had pivoted with more people working from home, with many who can afford to choosing lifestyle over proximity to the city.

“Being close to the city is not important. Now it’s the house, the neighbourhood and what that community has to offer,” he said.

“Over past couple of months, buyers and sellers have been confused about what COVID-19 means for property prices. What we’ve found is property prices have gone up and our business has nearly doubled in that time.

“Where there were once thoughts of doom and gloom for property off COVID-19, the opposite has happened. Where they live is highest on the list of priorities. Because people are spending more time at home, it’s become really important. It’s also a worldwide phenomenon that people are upgrading their houses and making lifestyle choices now.”

Leo and Tafline Bandiera with Louis and Bentley at their home in 90 Mountjoy Terrace, Wynnum which is listed for offers over $2.2m. Picture: Tara Croser.

Tafline and Leo Bandiera, whose Build Prestige Homes business has seen strong demand, have put their own stunning at 90 Mountjoy Terrace, Wynnum, on the market for offers over $2.2m.

“We have been receiving a steady and consistent number of inquiries from people wanting to build new homes and complete large scale renovations. Nothing has really changed for us with the pandemic and work is consistent,” Mrs Bandiera said.

“We are very confident in the product we have built and the suitably of this home in this neighbourhood. It is a quality, luxury home that has been custom designed for this lot over three levels to maximise and capture the sweeping views of Moreton Bay and the islands complete with high end, classic, timeless detail. Wynnum/Manly has in the past been undervalued in the property market but it has so much to offer.”

This home at 90 Mountjoy Terrace, Wynnum, is on the market for offers above $2.2m.

Build Prestige Homes built this home in Wynnum which is on the market.

“We are actually about to start building another house of the same calibre in the next few weeks,” she said. “We have had a number of inquiries to build luxury homes in this neighbourhood and we are currently looking for our next development property in this neighbourhood.”

The most common features wanted in luxury homes they build, at a minimum, she said, were classic detailing, traditional glazing bars on the windows, french doors, natural stone tiles and cladding, custom detailed arbour features, external mouldings, interior wall panelling, high raked ceilings, VJ panelling, cobblestones, staircase with timber treads, white risers and substantial newel posts, classic pendant lights and chandeliers, open plan layout, a large kitchen with butler’s pantry, built in cabinetry, fireplaces and smart home integration for voice controlled lighting, reliable security and easy access control.

SELECTED CITY SALES:

Mirvac’s PIER building, Newstead, $7m plus apartment sale

Mirvac’s Cutters Landing building, waterfront apartment, $4.81m

562 London Rd, Chandler $confidential (Over $3.85m)

50 Kingsholme St, Teneriffe $2.7565m

57 Double Jump Rd, Redland Bay $2.7m

36 Twelfth Ave, St Lucia $2.6m

32 Joynt Street Hamilton $confidential

54 Retreat St, Bridgeman Downs $2.27m

6 Refinery Pde, New Farm $2.05m

91 Villiers St, New Farm $1,860,000

2/47 Collings St, Balmoral $1,840,000

78 Prospect Tce, St Lucia $1,780,000

(Source: Christine Rudolph, Ray White New Farm update)

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Karan Vasudeva partner Jyoti and son Shivain, 2.5 years old, are planning to leave Melbourne behind and build a new home in regional Victoria. Picture: Jay Town

Regional Victoria is bracing for a home building boom even as Melbourne’s construction industry is scaled back under stage four COVID-19 lockdown.

Builders and developers in regional centres from Geelong to Ballarat, Bendigo and beyond are reporting surging demand — including city-slickers looking to escape to the country.

Since June, the Master Builders Association of Victoria has noticed spikes in demand in Melbourne’s three nearest regional cities, as well as Shepparton and Wodonga.

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MBAV chief executive Rebecca Casson said it was possible the new normal of working from home had combined with the $25,000 HomeBuilder grant, and $20,000 in bonus grants for first-home buyers who build a home outside of the city, to rejuvenate the regions.

“The Victorian economy relies on building and construction and, with the industry in Melbourne scaled back, regional builders have stepped up to keep our economy ticking over,” Ms Casson said.

Regional Victorian builders are keeping the state’s economy ticking over.

Oliver Hume national head of research George Bougias said while land sales had strengthened over most of the state since early this year, in the Baw Baw Shire they were six times their February levels by the end of June.

Mr Bougias said estates in Warragul accounted for most of the sales, but that Pakenham-based buyers had shot past locals as driving sales and inquiry.

Villawood Properties boss Rory Costello said while demand in Melbourne had oscillated since March, areas like Bendigo and Ballarat had seen a “surge in sales”.

“The government has been trying to encourage people to live in peri-urban areas for a long time, and now COVID-19 has solved that problem,” Mr Costello said.

“People are seeing they don’t need to go to the office.”

He said the firm was running out of land in Bendigo and “frantically trying to get more stock to keep up with the demand”.

Burbank’s Kelly home design has been popular in Ballarat housing estates.

Burbank Group managing director Jarrod Sanfilippo said one in four of the home building firm’s buyers were now in regional Victoria, where sales had grown faster than in Melbourne since July.

Numbers are double what they saw in Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo at the same time last year.

“Some of these people may have previously had to commute to the city, but that may have all changed over the last few months,” he said.

“If you’re living in inner suburbs and wondering what the future holds, the lure of the regions is pretty strong at the moment.’’

Karan Vasudeva, his partner Jyoti and son Shivain, 2.5 years old, have bought a more than 600sq m block of land in Ballarat after deciding they needed more space than their 400sq m in a Melbourne estate.

The Vasudeva family are headed to regional Victoria for more space. Picture: Jay Town

While they bought the land in January, COVID-19 had since validated their decision and they were happy knowing building their dream home would help the state’s economic recovery.

Property Council of Australia Victorian executive director Cressida Wall said big ideas and innovation for regional Victoria needed to be a part of the state’s next development cycle with out-of-town commercial projects also positioned to boost the state’s virus recovery.

“Regional precincts, such as the Geelong Civic Precinct, will create opportunities for jobs, drive residential development, and support robust regional development,” Ms Wall said.

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The post Regional Victoria building boom as Melburnians look outside capital appeared first on realestate.com.au.

10 Roches Beach Road, Roches Beach. Picture: SUPPLIED

BUILT in 1979 in a highly sought-after area, this expansive family home features a versatile floorplan, multiple entertaining areas and large outdoor entertaining decks.

It is surrounded by beautiful, established gardens and stretches out across 1.77ha of land.

In a wonderful neighbourhood alongside Lauderdale, this property offers an incredible lifestyle with the space and functionality for family living.

The next owner will be able to host a fabulous party with friends and family, a barbecue around the fire pit or kick back and relax in any of the entertainment areas – this home provides something for everyone.

It’s a lifestyle choice.

Family-sized space.

Feeling relaxed already.

When summertime hits, the beach is walking distance from this property or the
owner could take a dip in their 55,000-litre salt water chlorinated pool with all-year-round heating.

Its pool pump is only three years old and it was repainted two years ago.

There is also a top-quality jacuzzi self-cleaning spa.

Inside, the spacious single-level home offers various living options that will be ideal for teenagers, grandparents or a large family.

Across the multiple living areas, there is a lovely self-contained second living space equipped with a lovely modern kitchen.

The custom-made kitchen features a stone benchtop, perfect for the culinary enthusiast, alongside quality kitchen appliances, a double oven and a large corner pantry.

In the lounge area, there is a feature wood combustion heater.

An entertainer’s dream.

Water views.

Lots of outbuildings.

There are many options for sleeping quarters highlighted by a spacious master
suite with an ensuite and a walk-in wardrobe.

The additional bedrooms are a great size, some with built-in wardrobes, while the main family bathroom is equipped with floor heating and direct pool access.

There is commercial-grade underlay and carpet in all the bedrooms.

A separate “muck-room” with access to the outdoors will be perfect for a lifestyle property such as this one that has more than 1.7ha of land and will be great for horses or livestock. There are large garage and carport spaces, perfect for the car enthusiast, plus there is an art studio in this feature-packed property.

The property features a two-year-old solar system, an automatic solar gate and monitor alarm for added security.

There is LED lighting throughout, mains water, an OzziKleen septic system and access to the Tangara Trail and the State Equestrian Centre.

There are multiple paddocks, two powered stables and an additional tack, hay and trailer shed.

No.10 Roches Beach Road, Roches Beach is listed with Petrusma Property and priced at “Offers over $895,000”.

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FIRST-HOME buyers are flocking back to the Gold Coast after hitting the lowest level in two years.

And they are targeting the northern suburbs, Surfers Paradise and Southport.

The Queensland State treasury says 57 Gold Coast buyers accessed the $15,000 First Home in July, up from 38 approvals in June. The latter was the lowest figure since the data was first collected in 2018.

The Gold Coast had 72 grants approved in July 2019. The year-on-year decrease was bettered only by Sunshine Coast, which posted a 33 per cent decline.

Analysts believe lending, deposits and job security during COVID-19 were behind the fall. The Government’s HomeBuilder grant had contributed to the rebound.

REA Group data shows first-home buyers searched the streets of Coomera, Pimpama and Pacific Pines for houses in July.

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Coomera, Pimpama and Pacific Pines were the top search areas for first home buyers on the Gold Coast.

Surfers Paradise, Southport and Robina all topped the list for newbies looking for units.

Net Worth Buyers Agents founder Craig Greer-Smith said while grants numbers had dropped, interest from prospective buyers remained.

“I know of plenty of people in their twenties who are looking but in that bracket it isn’t just prices that drive the market, it is also access to credit,” Mr Greer-Smith said.

“Plenty of people are in a situation where one partner is on JobKeeper or banks feel they are exposed in their particular field or area they buy in.

“Banks have also made it hard to use ‘mum and dad’ banks at the moment as they would have taken a hit to the super and retirement plans, so it is tough.

“Deposits also might not be as big as banks are looking for right now.”

HUNT FOR BODIES UNDER ‘PARANORMAL’ GOLD COAST SITE

Buyers agent Craig Greer-Smith. Picture Glenn Hampson

Mr Greer-Smith said it came as no surprise that the city’s north was still the most popular area for the new home buyers.

“House prices are affordable in that area and there is a new shopping centre and a bit more land, so it suits the buyer.

“While there may not be as many grants, we are seeing indications that people are very interested in real estate on the Coast. A lot of people are rethinking where they live after the lock downs.

“As a buyer’s agent, September will be our biggest month in the four-year history of the company for settlements because of the buyers from Melbourne and Sydney. These, however, aren’t first-home buyers which are usually locals.

Most inquired about suburbs in July from first-home buyers:

Houses:

1 Coomera.

2 Pimpama.

3 Pacific Pines.

4 Nerang.

5 Tugun.

Units:

1 Surfers Paradise.

2 Southport.

3 Robina.

4 Labrador.

5 Palm Beac.h

All properties:

1 Surfers Paradise — unit.

2 Coomera — house.

3 Southport — unit.

4 Pimpama — house.

5 Pacific Pines — house.

Source: REA Group

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Just days into this year’s Block and the contestants already have had a window into the stress and pressure of trying to turn a bombsite into a decorator’s dream house.

While some, like Tash and Jimmy and Jade and Daniel, rose to the challenge with a well-organised plan of attack, others like father and daughter duo, Harry and Tash and husband and wife Sarah and George, had a baptism of fire.

MISSED EPISODE 1? Catch up with our recap

With the judges scores in on the beach box challenge, the contestants were finally able to find out the addresses they’d be calling home (and torturous toil) for the next few months.

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Jimmy and Tam’s slice of the Sunshine Coast won over the judges.

Jimmy and Tam wowed the judges with their styling and workmanship and got the first pick of properties; House 5, a 1950s home which is at the far end of the site.

Daniel and Jade chose next, securing House 3, which was originally built in the 1930s.

With their top pick now occupied by Jimmy and Tam, Jasmin and Luke swooped on House 4 instead, which shattered the dreams of George and Sarah who believed the 1910 property was destined for them.

Poor George and Sarah instead took on House 2, a 1940s period home.

They had thought House 4 had their name all over it — literally. When they spotted an old newspaper article, which mentioned the George Hotel, on the home’s floorboards they believed it was an omen. It seems fate, and some bad decisions on the beach box challenge, had other plans, leaving Sarah in tears… again.

Sarah and George’s glorified cell block cost them the house they thought they were fated to have.

Harry and daughter Tash drew on their Greek heritage with their blue and white beach box, but it didn’t bring them any blue ribbons.

Their dodgy workmanship left them the last pick of the daym but the pair had the last laugh, however, as the 1920s house that nobody else wanted (House 1) was in fact their first choice.

The contestants didn’t get too long to celebrate (or bemoan) their property picks because it was time to get down to the business of clearing out the debris to begin work on the guest bedroom.

Host Scott Cam also advised the shell-shocked contestants that this year they would be given a weekly budget as opposed to a huge lump sum at the start of the project to spend at their whim.

Jimmy and Tam won the 1950s House No. 5.

Clearly the producers are eager to avoid a repeat of last year when the contestants overspent and were left with next to nothing in the kitty to finish the final rooms.

Within minutes of opening the front door on their new home, a flabbergasted Harry and Tash were expected to make major decisions about their bedroom floorplan as the cabinet-makers from Kinsman arrived to take measurements for the built-in wardrobes.

“We had five minutes to decide where our wardrobes will go and the style of them without having had any time to make a plan,” a stunned Tash explained.

“Big decisions, first thing Monday morning having not even had time to stand in the room and get a feel for the room.”

Tash and Harry discover they have a window where they thought they had a wall.

Soon Tash is spiralling into tears because, after a quick Google investigation into 1920s homes, she is overwhelmed and fearful about how to incorporate the period features into a modern aesthetic.

Worst of all, she fears that she may have to resort to using stained glass windows in the renovation. Heaven forbid!

Speaking of windows, the non-stained-glass variety shattered Tash’s guest bedroom lay-out. Realising she hadn’t read her plans properly and not accounted for an extra window in her floorplan, she was forced to rearrange everything she achieved on day one, including those pesky early morning wardrobes.

Unfortunately, despite a barrage of calls to Kinsman accommodating the unseen window would now mean her wardrobe doors would collide with the door to the bedroom itself unless she made them significantly smaller. Tash was devastated and frustrated by her dad with his “she’ll be right” attitude. Harry was worried whether The Block would take a toll on his little girl’s mental health.

Coming last didn’t stop Harry and Tash getting the 1920s House No 1 they wanted.

George and Sarah also fell at the first hurdle, realising they’d put the wrong insulation batts in their ceiling and would need to redo the whole thing, putting them behind on the job yet again.

Next door, a more organised Jade, had already cleared a room to use as her control centre for the project, complete with a desk and inspirational architectural drawings posted on the walls.

More than $1 million in debt after drought and bushfire ravaged their farming property Jade and Daniel are throwing everything they have at this competition.

They tearfully revealed they have another motivation for going on The Block. Their youngest daughter suffers from a rare disorder that has required a lot of costly intervention to help her survive and thrive. They hope The Block will bring them more financial security to support her and enjoy time together as a family.

Second place getters Daniel and Jade chose the 1930s House No 3.

It was full steam ahead at House 5 too.

Fresh from their beach box victory, Tash and Jimmy believed they have come up with another winning move for their Palm Springs-inspired guest bedroom that involves hiding the entrance to the ensuite behind a wardrobe door.

It’s not exactly a gateway to Narnia, but their bathroom inside the wardrobe is sure to impress storage loving judge Shaynna Blaze (as long as it doesn’t come at the expense of hanging space).

MISSED AN EPISODE?

Episode 1 recap: The tears started early on The Block 2020

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