My 1st restoration project

Proven track record of restoring properties in Lisbon to an exceptional standard and increasing their value.

There were many design and construction challenges, and a whole raft of legal and logistical hoops to jump through. Plain sailing it was not! But it was an excellent learning experience and, in the end, when I walked around the beautiful spaces that I had imagined and created, I knew I this was what I was meant to be doing.

How I found the perfect doer-upper in Lisbon

The search for the right property is the most critical aspect of property flipping.

At the time, I had limited funds to invest, so I did a ton of research, seeking out areas of Lisbon where property prices were lower.

Then I literally walked up and down those neighborhoods, talking to Estate Agents and visiting potential doer-uppers.  When I told them about my plans to restore an old property, they told me I was crazy… “You’ll never be able to make money in this neighborhood!”

The dark, claustrophobic, run-down apartment with tons of potential!

I remember walking onto the last floor apartment on Calçada Santo André and feeling like I was being squeezed from one room to the other. Ceilings were very low. Rooms were tiny and dark. There were too many walls, not enough windows, and the whole place was in a sorry state of disrepair.

But, through the single grimy window in the living room, I spied a fabulous view of Castelo de São Jorge and I knew this property had great potential. We just needed to open up the spaces, modernise it, and create a functional terrace to enjoy that view while preserving the identity of the property

The renovation

With my architect, we completely redesigned the entire floor plan to transform the property from a cramped, dingy 4-bedroom apartment with a separate lounge and kitchen into a bright, airy, spacious 2-bedroom apartment with open-plan kitchen/living area and a terrace.

We stripped the apartment, removed all the walls, and rebuilt the entire roof structure.

We raised the ceilings to create more volume and we added windows to bring in the light and the view.

We completely rewired all the electrics and plumbing, removed the gas supply, and installed reversable air conditioners.

The new kitchen was designed to maximise functionality, with ample storage and counter space, and a bar counter that seats four.  And the stylish new bathroom has a walk-in rain shower and a towel heater for extra comfort during the colder months.

Considering the desire to preserve the identity of the property, we decided to keep the idea of a timber floor, window frames and visible wooden beams. We added as well some handmade “azulejos” on the bar counter, authentic tiles considered as one of the most distinctive art forms in Portugal.

Today I can say it was a great experience and we successfully sold this property with exceptional profit.

Before

During