Brian Brady 
Everybody seems to be excited about renovating again with the return of the popular television show The Block, but while renovations are a great way to bring life back into an old home, here are some renovations mistakes you should try to avoid:
1. Not getting council approval – Changes to your property, and extensions in particular, need to comply with council standards. If you go ahead and change your property without first getting approval you could end up costing yourself a lot of money down the track trying to get the work fixed up.
2. Not considering the neighbourhood – When making changes to the outside appearance of your property it doesn’t hurt to consider the other houses on your street. Your neighbour’s properties can help influence your selling price, so if your property doesn’t match or fit into the streetscape you could be doing more harm than good.
3. Going over the top – When choosing new fixtures and fittings, sometimes it doesn’t hurt to keep things simple. If you choose outlandish lights, colours or door handles for example, you may be deterring buyers who would have made different choices.
4. Doing your own handy work – It’s not a good idea to do your own plumbing or electrical work unless you are qualified, not only because it’s illegal but also because it’s also extremely dangerous.
5. Not considering the origin of your house – When renovating it is important to keep true to the origin of the house as it generally looks better when there is an ongoing theme throughout the house.
6. Spending more than you need to – If you are renovating a home with the intentions of selling then there is no need to go overboard on expensive kitchen and bathroom products when cheaper items can look just as good and add just as much value.
7. Not spending money on quality – In relation to the top point, you can make a lot of savings by not choosing expensive products, but make sure you don’t take short cuts when it comes to good quality. You don’t want to spend money on cheap fixtures that will need replacing in a few months anyway.