Ask anyone who has done it, and they will tell you that undertaking a renovation is one of the most stressful things a couple can do. But when you have a small family, are working a highly stressful job full time as well as studying…well, that makes it dam near impossible. In this week’s episode,

Lynda Ross and her Husband Alex are planning to update their suburban Californian bungalow by installing bifold doors, putting in a new kitchen, landscaping the yard as well as installing a top shelf bathroom. Basically, they’re ripping off the back of the house and rebuilding it.

As Luke Van Dyck explains “it really is the great Australian renovation, taking a classically designed home built around the 30’s and 40’s and opening it up to be more in keeping with the Australian way of life..” But having undertaken many renovations of this type Luke knows only too well, the costly can of worms that these types of houses can become when you start to peel away the veneer, and so is a little concerned about the Ross’s budget.

“I know that when you start to peel back the edges on these type of renovations…you can uncover a lot of problems that you hadn’t expected…old pipes, and electrical, damp issues etc…so you need to be prepared and have a bit of contingency - and be ready to spend it.

John McGrath, from McGrath Estate agents however believes that these types of homes do present excellent renovation return potential, but that the Ross’s will need to watch that they don’t overcapitalize on the value of the house.

“I feel very positive about this renovation…but they will have to watch their pennies…because at the end of the day, this couple are still on a main road and they still have some light commercial next door”

With two little girls to consider, the first major job Lynda wanted undertaken was the removal of the Asbestos; a common problem that needs to be dealt with in houses of this nature. Once the professionals had stripped all the dangerous material out, it became obvious that for this job, the family needed to move to more appropriate accommodation, and so they packed their bags for an extended ‘holiday’ to the in-laws.

A stylish bathroom is always a must have in any renovation, and so with that in mind, Alex and Lynda headed out to the Tradelink showroom to select their new Kohler appliances, using the latest European trends to ensure that they get an bathroom that will last for many years to come.

12 weeks on and the house is now looking fantastic – but what about the budget? Will John have good news to tell?