{"id":1599,"date":"2019-09-19T00:06:48","date_gmt":"2019-09-19T00:06:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cathycamera.com.au\/?p=1599"},"modified":"2026-10-28T08:29:14","modified_gmt":"2026-10-28T08:29:14","slug":"could-you-do-the-block-to-renovate-or-not","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/designism.com.au\/cathycameranew\/could-you-do-the-block-to-renovate-or-not\/","title":{"rendered":"Could you do The Block? To renovate or not?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"et_pb_section_0 et_pb_section et_section_regular et_block_section\">\n<div class=\"et_pb_row_0 et_pb_row et_block_row\">\n<div class=\"et_pb_column_0 et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et-last-child et_block_column et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough\">\n<div class=\"et_pb_text_0 et_pb_text et_pb_bg_layout_light et_pb_module et_block_module preset--group--divi-text--divi-font-body--h19rs5u--default preset--group--divi-text--divi-font-body--h1yjkjr--default preset--module--divi-text--default\"><div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p>Every year when a new series of\u00a0The Block\u00a0starts, my husband who is in the building trade, turns and says \u201cWe should go on The Block!\u201d\u00a0 My response is always a laugh and \u201cno chance!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>While I love reality TV (my guilty pleasure), I would never be silly enough to put myself in the national spotlight at the whim of producers and editors. Kudos to those who do though. They either come up smelling like a newly renovated house, or are met with a barrage of online abuse, usually because of the way they have been portrayed.<\/p>\n<p>But aside from that, the show does inspire many a home renovator to don tools and get to work. Is renovating for you? Here are the Pros and Cons of renovating to help you decide.<\/p>\n<p><strong>PROS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Rewarding<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Who doesn\u2019t love a good before and after photo? The satisfaction of taking something old and making it new, or renovating a space to change it, can\u2019t be underestimated. You\u2019ll definitely get a buzz out of the finished product, particularly if you\u2019ve gotten your own hands dirty and done some of the work.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Increased Property Value<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019ve crunched the numbers correctly, a renovation could mean your property is worth more on the market. If you\u2019re planning to sell, this could result in a larger profit. Exactly what the Blockheads on the show are hoping!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Cheaper Than Buying New<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Renovating an existing house could be a lot more economical than buying a new or existing house. If the reason you are considering a move is not enough room, or a need for a different type of space, renovating could be the answer you are looking for.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Emotional Attachment<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Sometimes a family\u2019s needs change but they don\u2019t really want to move from the area they are in. Similarly, a house may be a bit weathered but its occupants love the layout of their home and the neighbourhood it\u2019s in. A fresh coat of paint or new flooring could give the house a new lease of life.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Personal Touch<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Renovating also gives you the opportunity to add your personal touch to a space. When you are buying an existing home, you get what you get. Renovation gives you the opportunity to really make a space your own.<\/p>\n<p><strong>CONS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Huge Costs<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s very easy for a simple renovation to blow out in cost, especially if you are not familiar with the building game. Your budget could be blown apart, as the Blockheads on this year\u2019s series of\u00a0The Block\u00a0at St Kilda are quickly finding out! Renovation involves labour costs as well as materials, not to mention decorating and furnishing expenses.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Possibility of Overcapitalising<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Related to the previous con is the possibility of overcapitalisation. You may very well finish your renovation within budget but if you were planning to sell and have misread the market, or the market changes, you could be left with no added benefit or profit.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Finding Suitable Trades<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you aren\u2019t planning on doing the renovation work yourself \u2013 and some Blockheads may caution against this \u2013 then you have to find reliable and cost efficient tradespeople. Not as easy as it sounds! It can be notoriously difficult to find trades to even come and give you a quote on a small job. Even if you get past this stage, you then have to hope they are appropriately qualified, do great work and actually show up to complete the job.<\/p>\n<p>Time<\/p>\n<p>If undertaking the renovation work yourself, time can be an issue. Most of us have jobs and daily responsibilities to attend to. You need to ask yourself how long you have to complete the renovation. If time is of the essence because you want to sell, renovation may not be the answer.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Inconvenience<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Are you going to live in the property while the renovations are taking place, or do you need to find alternative accommodation? Both can have their drawbacks. Dust and tradespeople in your house at all hours can be frustrating, but so can paying rent while you wait for the job to be completed.<\/p>\n<p>The current season of The Block is proving that renovation can be a thrilling, rewarding venture but the flipside is that it can also bring with it much stress and frustration.<\/p>\n<p>Is renovation for you? Would you ever consider being a contestant on The Block?<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4137,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[71],"tags":[110,111,112],"class_list":["post-1599","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-building-industry","tag-building","tag-reality-tv","tag-renovation"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Could you do The Block?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"How do you think you&#039;d go as a contestant on The Block? 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