Furnishing a rental apartment-Sydney

ProjectColossus

Hey guys, looking for some advice.

I'm about to move into an apartment in Sydney (after 2 solid weeks of applications and living in a crappy hostel, what a pain). It comes unfurnished as most seem to.

Anyone have any advice on how to furnish the place? I'll be renting with 2 other people.

Is furniture rental a good idea? Or is it cheaper to try and get stuff on gumtree?

I've found this site, and it seems like a decent place to get a fridge, delivered and taken away when you need it.

We'll need beds and something to sit on too I suppose

Thoughts?

Oh I should mention, I've a year long visa and I will be based in Sydney the entire time.

m@cc@

Gumtree and IKEA.

ballooba

Gumtree. It will all be paid off in a year versus renting.

Salvation Army in St Peters for matresses.

Ikea is overpriced, even if you did buy new you're better off going to Fantastic Furniture.

What type of stuff are you looking for and in what area?

mandrake04

St Vinnies, Salvos and other thrift shops... You will not fail to get a bargain and they usually deliver for about $20 .... great for shared house because you don't give a Sh!t if something happen to it.

St Vinnies Burwood Rd Burwood or Salvos on Parramatta Rd Croydon I have used years ago... but they are in most suburbs just google


for electrical Radio Rentals... you can rent a fridge + TV... if you want to buy Retro Vision usually sell trade ins. or

Ebay, gumtree, cracker and Trading post are all the usual online.

ProjectColossus

Cheers guys, I'm in Newtown in a hostel right now, there is a Vinnies just down the road I think I'll go have a quick look now actually.

I'm moving into a place in Camperdown, just off Paramatta road. I have noticed there are alot of furniture places on my stretch of Paramatta also, so I'll check them out too. I think my main problem with gumtree is that most people won't deliver

ballooba

If you rent your fridge from those guys you'll pay $350 plus over the year. If you buy it off Gumtree you'll pay under $200 and you own it outright. LCD TVs likewise, $900 plus over a year to rent for an 81cm or buy brand new for Bing Lee staring at $498.

The Salvos in St Peters which is quite near you is the largest in Sydney btw. If you have a drivers licence you can rent a van or a ute quite cheaply. http://www.discountcar.com.au/

ProjectColossus

Definetly an option, myself and one of the other guys have licences. Although, I'm still somewhat of a junior driver, and I've noticed that people drive like maniacs here..

I think I've accepted that renting for a year will be a lot more expensive than buying one outright.

ballooba

ProjectColossus wrote: »

Although, I'm still somewhat of a junior driver, and I've noticed that people drive like maniacs here...

Yep, Sydney drivers are maniacs, but you have to start some time.:D

My girlfriend says that I drive completely different in Sydney to how I drive in Brisbane. Brisbane traffic is a lot less stressful. You have to be on your toes in Sydney.

Mellor

Just rent a furnished place imo

mandrake04

ballooba wrote: »

If you rent your fridge from those guys you'll pay $350 plus over the year.[/url]

Bull

I am currently renting a 435L (very big) stainless steel fridge for $23 per month... 12 x 23=$276

You can get something smaller for about $15 pm

Plus it is in clean like new condition and delivered. Sure you could buy something very used for $200 and own it outright but its a hassle to get it delivered and then you are lumbered with trying to get rid of it when you have to clear out the joint.... more than likely it up on the street for council pick up.

Also sometimes you can get decent stuff off the street thats waiting for council pick up.... wouldn't be the first time a gang of paddies lifted an old couch into the back of the Ute in the middle of the night.

universe777

http://www.crazysales.com.au/bestway-inflatable-double-multifunctional-couch-lounge-sofa-with-ac-air-pump_p543.html

Blow up sofa, would fit 2 people, it also folds out into a bed.. Just ordered one, should arrive tomorrow. It was only $54, $5 of that was delivery. It comes with the electric pump.

Buy 2 of them and it's your bed & sofa sorted..

ballooba

mandrake04 wrote: »

Bull

I am currently renting a 435L (very big) stainless steel fridge for $23 per month... 12 x 23=$276

You can get something smaller for about $15.

i was referring to the link posted and the rates there.how long is your contract by the way? sounds like a loss making contract to me.

mandrake04

ballooba wrote: »

i was referring to the link posted

Sorry I thought you were talking about RR

ballooba wrote: »

how long is your contract by the way? sounds like a loss making contract to me.

By the month... no contract. Hand back anytime I want.

You have to go in and specify that you want something around 2 1/2 -3 years old.. you cant really do it online

RR have a RENT TRY BUY option... where you take a contract for 3 years for a brand new fridge with the option to buy for $1 at the end... if a customer hands the item back within the contract say at 32nd month RR has a fridge now near 3 years old.... they cant put it back out as RTB... and its got a low residual value. they usually make up the remainder of the money plus a bit more profit by renting it out cheaper than a new fridge.

If you can get them to get you one of those its only about $7 a week... trouble is you might have to wait a few weeks as they are always moving stuff around between the different branches..

They also clean the fridge up and it smells fresh... a bit of a bonus.

When I used to live with all the boys we bought a cheap fridge out of trading post to put our home made beer keg in it... thats all it was fit for....Drilled a hole through the side for the line and filled it up with silicon...... I wouldn't fancy keeping my sandwiches in it.