BUDGET SMARTS

Interior designer Ania Forster of Zephyr + Stone shares her top tips:

+ Plan ahead Work out your budget and order as much as you can before you start renovating. Onsite changes due to lack of planning and communication can cost thousands of dollars.

+ Don’t change plumbing and electrics Changing their positions can really add to the cost.

+ Get three quotes for trades Always a good idea, but remember: the cheapest quote isn’t always the best one. It could mean a cheap finish, or cost you more to fix mistakes. Good trades are usually busy so they will charge a premium.