Late August 2016: It was a happy day when my Dad came over for a peak at the progress. My parents tried not to visit the building site, as it was full of hazards.

So, when he came around and had a look, he said “It’s getting there, you’re doing a great job.” It made me feel unbelievably happy.

In a renovation you often wonder if you’re doing the right thing. You’re in your own head and down in the detail a lot, sometimes debating and arguing the detail with your spouse as well. You worry about money and time. When things go wrong, it can set you off when stresses are high.

Our wish has never been to build a mansion. We wanted a home that provided enough space for our family to grow over time, and become the hub for our kids as they became teenagers. Rather than spend all their time at other people’s houses (because ours was like an apartment in size), we wanted them to be able to enjoy home with their friends, and with us. We like entertaining our extended family and good friends as we had pre-children.

That we found a house which was architecturally beautiful, even if old, was a stroke of luck. Many P+S homes are bulldozed without a second thought by people who are sometimes unaware of the comforts they offer.

It felt good to hear my Dad’s encouraging words that day. It helped us realise we were doing all that we could with sheer hard work, and that we weren’t crazy.