After weeks of binge-watching your favourite renovation show, you’ve decided it’s time to start doing some improvements to your home. Renovation shows like The Block and House Rules are hugely popular TV series inspiring millions of Australians to renovate their homes. Contestants have 7 days to completely renovate run-down rooms.
Don’t be fooled by renovation shows on TV
One of the biggest trends in Australia today is renovating!
It’s also popular for couples to purchase a 'fixer upper' in a great location that is in poor condition, with the hope of making a profit or creating their dream home just like the TV show.
You know what you want to do, and surely it won’t take that long or cost that much, right? I mean, how hard can it be to knock out that wall and open up the kitchen into the living room? That happy, young couple on TV just got their dream kitchen in less than a week, and it only cost $10,000. You’re sold!
That is, until reality hits you square in the face once the actual quotes start rolling in. What gives? The time and cost aren’t even close to what you’ve seen on those “reality” shows.
So, what’s the truth?
Myth No. 1: You can get a reno done in a short period of time.
If you don’t star in your own TV show, don’t expect your renovation to happen as quickly as an old episode of “Extreme Makeover” No builder can overhaul your entire home in just seven days if the cameras aren’t rolling. On TV, walls are torn down, re-plastered and painted between a set of commercials. In real life, it is a rather time consuming process with many steps not shown.
If you are planning a project that involves removing walls, extensions and modernising the kitchen and bathroom(s), than we recommend you use a professional Builder.
The projects we do at Renew renovations often take four months, and that does not include the design, planning and approval stage.
Myth No. 2: Builders can start on your job right away.
Many homeowners who call me think that I can just come over the same or next day, give them a quote and then start the job straight away.
The reason it takes longer?
- Builders will have current jobs underway and already have additional work lined up.
- Quoting, For bigger projects, it is very time consuming to prepare a quote as each project is different and involves many trades, suppliers and unknowns.
- Design, We need to all be on the same page, that starts with the preparation of drawings that show the scope of work to be undertaken.
- Materials, Custom cabinets can take 6 weeks for delivery.
- Many of the bigger projects require building approval
Myth No. 3: A kitchen renovation costs less than $25,000
Client expectation for cost is one of the biggest areas in which they see a difference between TV “reality” and reality. An average kitchen is $35,000 and bathroom $20,000. A lot of people think you can do it for $10,000.
In fact, according to a recent study, only 8% of kitchen renovations cost less than $25,000, with 50% of people spending between $30,000 to $50,000 on a kitchen renovation.
Even when people put a higher budget on their renovation plans, if they want something like they’ve seen on TV, it’s probably way short.
It’s great that these shows inspire people to renovate. Think of these shows not as reality TV, but aspirational, with entertainment being its purpose. While they depict some truth, done for TV is different than done for a homeowner.
So sit back, relax and enjoy, but keep in mind that what you see may not be the real thing.
For more information about a real renovation with outstanding quality in a reasonable time frame, call 0408 772 123
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