In the first week of the renovation, Nadine and Juls—with the help of Nadine’s stepfather—knocked through a wall to make one open-plan living and dining space. "It would have been insane if we were living in the house amongst the dust and rubbish, but we know that’s the reality for most renovators," says Nadine. "Thankfully, we were able to form a bubble with my mum and stepdad, and we lived with them for a few months so we didn’t have to live in the rawest part of the renovation when there were no electrics or plumbing." Photo 7 of 13 in Top 5 Dos and Don’ts of a Home Renovation From a Real-Life Couple

Top 5 Dos and Don’ts of a Home Renovation From a Real-Life Couple

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In the first week of the renovation, Nadine and Juls—with the help of Nadine’s stepfather—knocked through a wall to make one open-plan living and dining space. "It would have been insane if we were living in the house amongst the dust and rubbish, but we know that’s the reality for most renovators," says Nadine. "Thankfully, we were able to form a bubble with my mum and stepdad, and we lived with them for a few months so we didn’t have to live in the rawest part of the renovation when there were no electrics or plumbing."