Just like birth, death and taxes, renovation surprises are guaranteed. I think Micheal Bell's suggestion to add a contingency is a good one. Also finalising your design before looking for your builder will save on mid project variations. For those interested in estimating the cost of their renovation before going too far into their plans, try this renovation and extension cost calculator. Good luck. richard@makeovergroup (Melbourne)

Hi Terri So glad you found our advice for your living room helpful. Here are a few tips to instantly modernise your dining space, without having to replace your dining set: 1) From what I can see, the combination of furniture and artwork you currently have in your dining area, can potentially make this space appear smaller than I think it actually is. Also, the combination of darker colours and timber in a medium size space tend to absorb the light, where lighter colours help reflect the light and make a space feel more vibrant and spacious. Replacing the current artwork with something lighter and brighter, will instantly enhance this space. The 'Orange Blossom' canvas with a timber look shadow box frame from Urban Road is lighter and will match all the colours of your dining table, chairs, wall and even rug. ->Urban Road 2) Another easy thing to do is get a neutral colour runner for your dining table to break the solid timber look. This one from Freedom 'Noya table runner' will work well ->Freedom runner 3) Adding 3 large vases placed on the runner to match the colours of the artwork will help add interest to the space. These rustic vases from Temple and Webster -> Tall Vases for example will do just that. 4) Last but not least, adding a large potted plant will immediately liven up a room. If you don't have time to maintain a live plant, go for the synthetic option. Freedom has a great selection of larger plants, and these days you can get synthetic plants that look exactly like the real thing. Put them all together and you will have a beautiful space to enjoy :-)

Also, don't underestimate the good advice that you professionals give to people's posts on this site. I know that there have been a few professionals on here that I would not otherwise have known about or considered for future renos, if I hadn't seen the consistently good advice that they give on Houzz.....there are several but Dr Retro always comes to mind. (unfortunately i have bought a house now that is more log cabin look now and I am trying to change it to a industrial-modern farmhouse-modern ranchstyle-more contemporary style...(just not colonial country, ...just simplicity...which is what appeals to me in the modern midcentury look....)..sometimes the house dictates the style.....I digress as usual...

Entry. Sometimes it's a front porch or in our case a mudroom... an area immediately behind the front door but before the bigger reveal into the lounge. In fact it's the whole journey from when we step out of a car, whether that be as a guest or the resident and make our way along a pathway, and in our case up steps onto a front deck and then through the front door into the entrance/mudroom.