Something often overlooked when deciding to renovate is the reality you may have to live somewhere else for part of the process.

A major renovation, extension or build means your home may temporarily have no running water, flushing toilets, electricity, walls and/or a roof.

This lack of services and amenities may last a few days or half a year, depending on the scale of the works.

So, short of pitching a tent in the backyard, what are your accommodation options during this domestically disruptive time?

Professional renovator Bernadette Janson, founder of The School of Renovating, has lived through two major home renovations.

The first experience was while her four children were quite small, which created safety issues.

By the second time her children were teenagers: “They saw it less of an adventure and more of an inconvenience putting a strain on relationships,” she says.

“My advice to anyone considering living in a property while renovating is to avoid if at all possible,” says Sydney-based Janson.

“The more complex the renovation, the more difficult it will be. I have lived through two structural renos and both times found it extremely challenging.”