after just over a year in our old terrace house we’ve (or i should probably say, my partner) haven’t progressed that far in our renovations. To keep within my budget, all I could afford as a bit of a “diamond in the rough”…

Bricks

I feel like a cliche, like one of those thousands of home renovation wannabes. I feel like my partner and I are becoming victims of the home renovation madness sweeping the country. One argument after another about the color of tiles in the kitchen, the cost of a new toilet, the rubbish in the backyard…. I feel like it’s been taking over our lives. I’ve tried to be encouraging but as I said to someone the other day- “I’m going to punch out the next person who asks me if the kitchen is finished!”

I find myself insanely jealous of my next door neighbours who hired a collection of tradesmen and finished their renovations in what seemed like a matter of weeks…

We’ve taken a break from the renovations due to budget (and rising interest rates..) so I guess I’ll live the the plastic covering the ceiling, the incessant dust and the painted plywood floors for longer…. I’m trying to let the horror stories of couples living without plumbing and cooking on a barbie for years make me feel better, but it just doesn’t. It could be much worse…

Melissa, 35 Sydney