The Block's Dea Jolly's 11 top renovation tips

The two time Block renovation contestants, Dea and Darren Jolly have been working for their first big commercial project away from the show.

"Renovating our first house, and then competing in two back-to-back series of the television renovating competition The Block, my husband, Darren, and I experienced a fast and intense initiation into the world of building and renovating," she told Fairfax Media.

She said their learning curve was very steep.

"Building, renovating and real estate are our passions.

"By the end of the second series and Darren’s subsequent registration as a builder, we felt well prepared to tackle our own projects with our design-andconstruct business, D+D Home."

It is the renovation and extension of a California bungalow in Kew.

She has compiled a checklist of points crucial in the success of our projects that complement the usual checklists available

1. Create a decorating file.

Having a clear picture of what you want to achieve with a file for every room will not only help you to stay focused while making so many decisions, but will also give you something to refer to when describing your style to tradesmen and suppliers.

2. Get at least three quotes for every element of the build.  

3. Be realistic about renovation costs. Factor in that everything will cost about 30 per cent more and take 25 percent longer than expected.  

4. Keep receipts. Be vigilant about keeping every receipt for any future returns, warranty claims and tax purposes.

5. Be nice to everyone. Treating your tradies with respect will help you to achieve a better result.

6. Trust your instinct. It’s your home – do what you love. 

7. Map it out. Get your tape measure and a can of spray paint out and measure and mark out everything on the floor. 

8. Be on site as much as possible. 

9. Accept that it will be stressful. 

10. Take pictures. 

11. Pick a friend and a source of inspiration to refer back to. 

Pic courtesy of Domain.