Brian Brady 
Despite the cat fights, dirty tactics and hissy fits often seen on The Block, we’ve heard many Everton Park residents claiming to be inspired by the 4 ‘all stars’ couples. Perhaps not by their behaviour, but certainly by their ability to makeover a house and reap the profits. Naturally we can understand Everton Park home owners seeking to make the most of their home’s potential, but renovating with a loved one is something not to be taken lightly. If The Block taught us anything, it may be that renovating can create tension in a relationship… unless of course you follow these few simple home renovating tips:
Plan ahead, and plan together. This crucial step to the renovation occurs well before either of you steps inside a pair of overalls. By working through the planning stage together, designating tasks and working out your preferences, your renovation will be clear in both of your minds and neither of you will feel as though you’ve been left carrying the weight of the work.
Make a commitment. Make sure this is something you both want. If you’re hoping your partner will jump on board with the plans and be cartwheeling with excitement once they see how much fun all the hard work is, you may be in for a rude awakening. If this isn’t something you both want, or if it’s going to add financial pressure that will simply add to your stress, this may be something best put on hold.
Communicate. Throughout the entire process, make sure you continue to communicate and trust each other. If you’ve already planned the whole renovation together, this will be a lot easier. When working within timeframes and budgets, decisions will often need to be made quickly, and you’ll need to both be working off the same blueprint to know what you want and trust each other to make the right calls.
Have a sense of humour. Regardless of how well you’ve planned every minute detail, and as fabulous as you may both be at communicating, things will invariably go wrong at some stage. The trick is to try not to get too caught up in the little things. If something is able to be fixed or changed at a later stage, it’s probably not worth heartache and sleepless nights right now, so try to keep smiling.
At the end of the day, renovating your home can be one of the most rewarding challenges of home ownership. Whether you’re doing the work to transform your house into your dream home, or hoping to jazz it up before a sale, we’d be more than happy to offer advice and help you discover your Everton Park home’s potential.