8 feelings anyone who has renovated their house will understand.

When we bought our first home, we knew it wouldn’t come in the perfect package.

We knew we would be buying a house with outdated bathrooms. A home with creaky, warped floor boards.

So we knew we would one day find ourselves as renovators. Which is exactly what happened last year.

Now, I’m sure you’ve seen the home renovation shows, so you know how glam, easy and carefree they make renovating look. I’m here to tell you that none of that is true. Sorry.

Here are the eight things that anyone who has ever renovated their home will understand.

1. Your mood will have bigger highs and lows than when you had PMS at 15.

There will be days when you think renovating is the best thing you’ve ever done. There will be days when you just want it to go back to the way it was before.

And by “days” I mean, those thoughts will happen in the same hour.

2. There are so many shades of grey… and white… and black.

Kiss your Saturday nanna naps goodbye. Forget about Sunday brunches. You will spend an entire day in a carpet shop trying to decide whether you should go with the light grey carpet or the lighter grey carpet.

You will learn the difference between a black tile and a black tile.

You will see two completely different colours when looking at off-white and not-quite-white paint.

3. You will run out of money quicker than playing 2 Up on ANZAC Day.

Your budget will determine your expectations. The price of things (furniture, tradies, odds and ends) will floor you.

Which is why it is so important to keep an eye on your budget (which is most likely your home loan). Companies like Choice Home Loans are great because they offer a free home loan health check. The Choice Home Loans brokers check to make sure your home loan is still suited to you and that you are getting maximum benefit out of one of your biggest purchases.

The fact that they are also offering the chance to win $10,000 between now and the end of November if you use their service is only a bonus. (Think of the shoe closet that you could buy).

4. You will burst into tears while buying a couch.

Not because it is another decision to make. But because the 16-year-old shop assistant asked if they can help you with anything. You may or may not sit on said couch and use them as your therapist.

5. You will throw your empty tub of ice-cream (a side effect of renovating) at the TV while watching The Block.

And scream “LIES” as their two tilers say they can tile the entire bathroom in 48 hours. While your four tilers have so far taken seven full days tiling your bathroom (which is half the size of the one on The Block).

6. You will dream of something bad happening to your partner/builder/painter/plumber/council member/complaining neighbour.

When you wake up, you will seriously consider if it would be really that bad.

(Note: It would be. Don’t do it).

7. You will become a perfectionist.

Even if you were the most relaxed person in the world, you will notice e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g. The chip at the back of the shaving cabinet. The tile that is one millimetre off.

It will drive you insane.

8. You will want to scream “get out of my house”.

Towards the end you will just want your house back. No tradies. No services. Nothing.

But that means you will also have to live with the chip on the shaving cabinet, otherwise it will take another six weeks (read: 10 weeks) to replace.

Trust me though, as someone who is at the other end… totally worth it.

Have you ever renovated your house? How did you handle the pressure?

And once you get the house renovated, then you fancy it up like these guys…

Want more? Try these:

Jenna from the Block: “I would trade everything for a cure for Josh.”

Johnny Depp’s house is so Johnny Depp it hurts.