Builder Phil Ratliff said the first step to renovating was to get a valuation on the house. He said to then work out whether renovating would add value to it or whether the property would become overcapitalised, affecting the re-sale value.

He said if you decide to renovate work out exactly what you want and approach local tradesmen to get a price estimate.

Mr Ratliff said the golden rule in home renovation was to get a quote, and not just a verbal quote, he warns home renovators to always get a written quote.

“That way when the job is done everyone is happy,” he said.

From his experience, Mr Ratliff said renovating a $200,000 house could add up to 20 per cent to the value of it.

Mr Ratliff has noticed that more people are buying older houses and renovating them down the track. He said most people had been interested in giving them a facelift, whether putting in a new bathroom or kitchen, re-painting the outside or replacing roofs.

The most important rooms when it comes to adding value to a house are the kitchen and the bathroom. John Stiles can custom build you a new kitchen or help you restore an old one.

Meanwhile builder Malcolm Baker said he had completed a lot of work on extensions recently.

A deck or ‘outdoor room’ is an essential part to home renovation and an easy option to expand a house giving its occupants more living space. A deck also allows people to make use of the outdoors and build a bridge between the two realms giving an easy flow from the inside to the outside. Coming into summer with the temperatures set to soar, a deck or outdoor room provides the perfect place to entertain.