Photography: Lauren Trompp / Styling: Nonci Nyoni / Styling assistant: Julia Baston / @stephandgian
Few would be surprised to learn that reality television is nothing like a real-life renovation. For one, real life is not a competition. You’re not bound by production budgets, judge’s comments or the presence of film cameras. You’re also not required to renovate an entire home in a matter of weeks or months, as is the case in shows like The Block and My Reno Rules.
Given that, there’s a limit to how much we can learn about our own home renovations through renovating reality TV. So, how does TV compare to actual reality?
Steph Ottavio — one half of The Block season 19 winners Steph and Gian — recently opened up about renovating their Sydney home on The Edit podcast. While the process was, indeed, different from a reality show, the couple collected a series of “The Block implementation theories”, as Steph calls them, to improve the process.
“We took a leaf from The Block,” she told The Edit host, Home Beautiful editor Elle Lovelock. “We said, ‘We built a home in three months [on The Block]. I have a house that I need to renovate. What can I implement from that experience into real life?’ It was an experiment.”
Listen to Steph speak about her home renovation on The Edit podcast:
Read on for how renovating in real-life was different (and the same) as renovating for the screen, from two contestants who’ve done it themselves.
4 reasons why renovating in real life is not like reality TV
1. Time frames
Two years after winning The Block, Steph and Gian set about renovating their own home, with the goal of it being finished by the time their baby was born — just five months later.
“The property was not fit to house a newborn child,” Steph shares on The Edit podcast. “So, it was a matter of ‘I’ve got five months to get a DA approved, build it, move in, and – because we’re Type A personalities – the rose needs to be planted in the front pot, and the mat needs to be down, and the marble porch needs to be sealed’. That needs to happen. It’s not just ‘let’s move in and we’ll live in boxes!’ No boxes.”
While still a tight time frame, it doesn’t compare to the time pressure of The Block, where contestants are given just 12 weeks (approximately three months) to renovate an entire home. They’re also given just one week per room.
2. Living at your renovation site
During early seasons of The Block, contestants lived on-site, either in tents or in a relatively habitable section of their house. (As of 2025, The Block has outlawed contestants from staying overnight at their builds.)
While Steph said living on site during The Block was “not great!”, she recognised the benefit of being so close while operating within tight time frames. However, given Steph was pregnant during their own home renovation, she and Gian decided to rent a house across the road instead.
Meanwhile, some renovators still choose to live at their project sites, where possible. This includes Lisa Dovile — of Adam and Lisa from House Rules. “All four of us and our dogs were living all together in the family room for a few months,” she told Home Beautiful.
3. Having your basic needs met
One benefit of renovating for TV versus renovating in real life, is free food. Unfortunately, this isn’t a catering tent on many actual construction sites! However, Steph found a middle ground.
“On the show, you’re definitely fed, right? So, [we had] mum moving in, helping me with not having to think about lunch or dinner,” Steph shared on The Edit.
While most of us don’t have this luxury, pre-ordering groceries or getting them delivered is one organisational hack that will take the load off. “The fridge was stocked, so I can just grab a can of tuna and some rice. It’s nothing major, but it helps.”
4. What you can and can’t outsource
Outsourcing tasks during a renovation reality show is restricted. On The Block, for instance, you can outsource any of your trades, but you must do all the painting yourself. However, on House Rules contestants were encouraged to complete much of the renovation themselves.
Lisa said that real-life renovation “brings back the memories of working alongside Adam [on House Rules] but obviously without the added pressure of cameras watching you try and attempt things for the first time ever.” That’s got to be a bonus!
Meanwhile, Steph and Gian walked away with some valuable learnings on what to delegate in their own renovation. “The Block taught me that it doesn’t matter if you can do it. What time are you saving by getting someone else to help you in that capacity?”
“If our thoughts and energy are somewhere else, we’re actually getting more money [if we outsource certain tasks],” she added.
Both former reality TV contestants also enjoyed putting more of their own personalities and desires into their own homes. “We have quite a French provincial exterior,” Lisa began “However, internally, we will be more modern/minimal. We’re trying to design a home which is authentic to us, with rooms that make us feel happy, relaxed and comfortable.”
Lisa’s tips on how to survive through the chaos of a home renovation
1. Set aside daily cleaning time
With all the excess dust, it really is important to stay on top of the cleaning every single day. Without doubt one of the hardest aspects of living through a renovation is the dust and its uncanny ability to end up throughout the house. Dust needs to be vacuumed from the carpet daily or it will end up becoming almost impossible to remove. A steam mop is going to be your best friend at the end of each day.
2. Be organised
Organisation is key to getting through a renovation. The site needs to be kept as clutter-free as possible, without any trip hazards. Keeping a skip or trailer on site and regularly removing rubbish will help you keep on top of this.
3. Keep everything covered
Ensure door openings and furniture are covered at all times. Plastic sheeting can be used to cover the doors and rolled up drop sheets can be placed at the bottom to prevent dust from entering any rooms that are not being worked on. Any furniture, windows, and open cupboards in adjacent rooms should also be covered.
4. Set up a home within your home
Only take on one big renovating task at a time. This will ensure you are able to create a separate living space in your home away from the general work area. This space needs to remain large enough to comfortably live in. It must also be a safe, clean retreat where you are able to escape the chaos.
5. Safety must always come first
Safety on any building site is paramount. You must have a designated area which can be sectioned off and used for storing tools and dangerous materials. It’s also really important to clean out your air vents regularly to keep your house a safe living environment for your family.
Watch Steph Ottavio on The Edit, or listen on your favourite podcast platform:
