There’s nothing better than snuggling up on the couch and settling down to watch your favourite home renovation show on TV. They show you how you can transform a property in a matter of weeks, taking it from an out-of-date horror to a sleek, modern residence. While they can offer loads of creative and inspirational ideas, it’s important to remember that these shows are sheer entertainment and not an accurate representation of a home renovation or extension.
While it’s great to imagine that you can renovate your bathroom in 24 hours or order and install your dream kitchen over a weekend – that’s not realistic.
Read on to see the top five home renovation show myths.
1. You can renovate a room in a week
Many home renovation shows give the impression that with mere hard work and dedication you can fully renovate a kitchen, bathroom or living space in a week, or even complete significant alterations like adding a second storey addition within a few weeks. This is impossible. Council approvals alone take many weeks, waterproofing to wet areas needs more than a few hours to properly dry, precise manufacture of cabinetry and benchtops requires more than a few hours to complete, and tiles can’t be slapped on walls to cover a bathroom in a day. Any experienced home renovation builder will tell you that a dream home renovation takes time. You need to plan every stage, and there is no room to rush things and crowd spaces with multiple tradespeople all at once. A slapdash renovation will not look good up close or stand the test of time. Quality and precision take time.
2. Beer budgets give champagne results
TV networks often partner with advertisers who provide materials in return for free product placements in shows seen by thousands of people across the country. Or they will find contractors who will work at discounted rates in exchange for the free publicity. The result is that the budgets quoted on home renovations tv shows are almost always wildly unrealistic.
3. DIY is easy
Before you grab a sledgehammer and start knocking down that wall, it’s essential to keep in mind that the DIY projects shown on TV are typically supervised and executed by pros behind the scenes.
4. Just wing it
We cannot stress this enough: any home renovation requires a planning, consultation, and a carefully considered timeline. You can’t pull out your old 70s kitchen without having designed and ordered a replacement – unless you want to cook on the BBQ for months to come.
5. You can do whatever you wish
Professional renovation companies have the expertise and experience to understand what works can be undertaken to a homes of different ages, styles and locations. Some older homes contain asbestos, which requires licenced handling. Some homes are heritage-listed, and many are regulated by local design codes, which means they have restrictions against the kinds of modifications you can carry out on them and even the materials and colours you use. And some homes are unsuitable structurally. Speaking to an experienced home renovation builder can help you determine whether your dream home renovation is possible.
Choose Addstyle Master Builders for your home extension project
Addstyle Master Builders has been Perth’s most recognised home improvement company for almost 35 years, and in that time has completed hundreds of home renovation and extension projects, in a multitude of styles across the metro area. Addstyle is also renowned as Perth’s heritage and character home specialist and is recognised as Perth’s most awarded builder of heritage home renovations.
Trust the Addstyle Master Builders team to create a bespoke, detailed renovation or extension design that elevates your living standards and meets your budget. We are passionate about helping WA families achieve outstanding results by collaborating closely on home renovation projects.
Get in touch to discuss your heritage home extension in Perth and discover why we are Western Australia’s most awarded home renovation builder and designer.
