With 12 house flips under their belt, Rob and Megan Parkinson have seen it all when it comes to renovating older homes.
"It's never too scary until you start ripping it apart," Ms Parkinson said.
"The scary stuff is underneath what you can actually see, and with older houses, you never know what you're going to find until you start ripping it up.
"The more you pull it apart, the more things you have to address and fix and renew.
"Old houses are never an easy renovation."
Despite the unpredictable nature of breathing new life into a period home, the husband and wife renovation team has mastered the process.
The Parkinsons have launched their latest project to market in Hamilton after an extensive overhaul of a weatherboard cottage that began in January and wrapped up last week.
According to Cotality records, the property was sold for $880,000 in December.
Colliers Residential Newcastle listing agent Anthony Merlo is marketing the house at 92 Cleary Street with a guide of $1.25 million.
"The only way to describe it is a masterclass renovation," Mr Merlo said.
"This would be the 10th home I have sold for the Parkinsons over as many years and I believe it is one of, if not their very best, achievement to date.
"Every aspect of the property has been dramatically improved or totally replaced via its transformation."
Originally a 1920s three-bedroom, one-bathroom cottage, the reconfigured floor plan comprises two bedrooms and two bathrooms, trading an extra bedroom to create a sense of space.
The project required levelling the floors alongside complete replacements of the wiring, plumbing, and internal and external linings.
Aluminium windows were swapped for traditional timber, while hallway arches and dado boards were installed to restore period charm to a home previously stripped of its character.
"We never seem to choose a house where we can just come in and do a cosmetic renovation and make it look pretty," she said.
"Cottages are really nice to renovate because you can put all the character back in that has been taken away.
"You can add all that charm, so that was the appeal with this house because it had no real character at all.
"We put new timber windows back in which give it that real cottage feel, and we wanted to bring in as much natural light as we could by adding skylights in the bathrooms."
The reconfigured floor plan includes a living room, a Hamptons-style kitchen and dining area, and two bedrooms with built-in robes.
The main bedroom has an ensuite with a double vanity, separate shower and freestanding bath.
Overhead skylights were added to bring natural light into both bathrooms.
At the rear, the living space opens to a covered entertaining deck and courtyard.
As seasoned renovators, the Parkinsons follow a key rule when selecting projects: find a property with a workable layout in a well-located area.
Their strategy has paid off in the past.
In 2023, the couple bought a run-down cottage at 30 Greaves Street, Mayfield East, for $733,000, turning it around to sell nine months later for $1.06 million within days of listing.
With the Cleary Street cottage now on the market, the couple plans to take a breather.
"When we renovate, it's all-consuming and we work seven days a week toward the end," Ms Parkinson said.
"It is hard work, but we're always actively looking to see what the market's doing next."
According to Cotality, the median house value in Hamilton is $1.22 million.
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