I grew up in a lovely home, it wasn’t overwhelming, but it was a grand old three-storey brick charmer that my parents renovated when I was five.

We had owned it for several years and used it as a rental property when my family decided to move in and gut the whole thing to bring it up to my mom’s standards. I remember the days of scraping, sanding, painting and poly being hung everywhere.

Everything was gutted and re-done and it seemed like forever to me as a young girl to live with the dust and debris.

As I started my career as a designer, I encountered many homeowners and their bravery when it came to renovations. I had entered into a few reno projects at this point but had not yet done a full gut job on a home I was living in.

It seems like a project for the brave; I have only done it once and I think that is enough for me!

The patience and commitment it takes to fully tear a home apart is something that I think people should get more credit for and I marvel at the calm it takes to pull this off.

My step-son and his wife have recently had a baby (our first grandson) and he is a lovely little boy; we were visiting the other day looking at their newly renovated home and all I could do was marvel at the dramatic changes and at the fact that they are both calm and relaxed during this project.

They have added onto their bungalow and have created a new master bedroom and ensuite as well as a walk-out basement scenario. Now that babies are starting to arrive, this young family is feeling the need for more space as their future unfolds and the results are fantastic!

What amazes me is that a young couple could tear the end of their house off, live in a camper for two months, have a new baby, work from a home office AND still be relaxed and happy.

They are still completing things such as baseboards, trim and some flooring but they seem content that they have gotten this far with the addition and that they are once again living in their home. To me, these guys are super stars and have my utmost respect for all that they have undertaken.

It goes a long way to look at the place where you live and decide to make more out of where you are then deciding to move to a new location, especially if you are on an acreage. Sometimes, it is better to put up with the mess and the stress and just make where you live work by renovating or adding on to your current space. The commitment to a renovation can be a big one but the results I have seen over the years deliver a large pay-off in the end.

The home we renovated when I was five was our family home for over 20 years after that because my parents had made it suit them and our family so I think the dust and mess initially was a good investment over time.

If you have a property you love, it may be time to jump into a renovation or addition on your current home.

Kim Wyse is a local freelance designer. Find her on facebook at ‘Ask a Realtor/Ask a Designer’.