3 Common Home-Improvement Mishaps And How To Fix Them

When we move into a new home, we are filled with big dreams and plans to make it our own. It’s natural to want to showcase the family’s personality. However, we can get overzealous and start projects before we count the financial and time costs. Things can go wrong, and projects don’t get finished on time or at all. Let’s talk about a few common home-improvement mishaps and how to fix them.

Extensions or Remodels You Don’t Finish

Your big dream of a new room or larger kitchen might start with excitement and patience. Fast forward a couple of months when you’ve lived with the mess and the endless bills. You’re exhausted because the workload is on you and your family. You make an easy decision to take a break from work. Before you know it, six months have passed and you still don’t have your kitchen done. Uggggg!!!!

What to Do

Extensions and remodels take time and a lot of money whether you do the work yourself or pay someone else. The best way to avoid putting yourself in this situation is to plan long before you start. Know your budget and itemize it so you have no way of running out of money. Put some wiggle room in there for emergencies or unexpected problems, too.

If you’ve started something and get stuck, call in a professional to assess the project. They can tell you exactly what needs to happen and how much it will cost. If you insist on finishing it yourself, make sure you understand the work and any risks for DIY. I also recommend getting a roll off dumpster rental to discard all of the waste so it doesn’t pile up in the corners and your garage. 

Landscaping Or Outdoor Projects Gone Wrong

Oh, those beautiful gardens and pool areas showcased on Pinterest and the magazines! We want our own special outdoor spaces, especially if we have plenty of land in which to create them. So a landscaped garden or patio with a pool might be high on your priority list when you move into your new house. You go to the local hardware store, buy a bunch of tools and plants, and you start digging.

But things can go wrong in the process…

Things like poorly understood property lines, hitting utility lines or pipes, and flooding. These things are especially common when someone moves into a new home and knows nothing about the land, neighbors, or seasonal ups and downs of the property.

It’s imperative that you call utility companies in advance so they can come out and mark lines throughout the yard. I also recommend talking to your neighbors before you start any large landscaping project. This is common courtesy and also allows you to ask questions about the land.

Do also seek out the help of people like a professional landscaper and/or local pool builder to help you with the plans, should you need them. Of course, you can also pay someone to do all the work, should it be within your budget. However, if you plan to do the work yourself, you should make sure to understand exactly what you will need to do to get a good result.

Half-Finished Decorating 

There is nothing worse than walking into a room to relax only to become frustrated by half-painted walls, torn up flooring, and collectibles stacked up in the corner. Yeah, been there and done that. This can happen when you have a large family, heavy work responsibilities, or a sudden illness.

I recommend that you take one step at a time when decorating your home. In other words, don’t start three rooms at once! First, make a budget for your project. Include everything in this, even if you can’t do it all at once. Choose your priorities and add new tasks and items in stages as the budget and time allow. This helps you have a beautiful room in the process instead of a hellish mess you avoid like the plague.

Second, make a floor plan and a list of the things you’d like to have in the room either on paper or on the computer. This shows the layout of your home or room. Know the room dimensions, including windows, doors, and any odd configurations before you buy anything. This helps you to calculate how much paint, flooring, furniture sizes, and material you will need to complete the project.

In Conclusion

Working on your home can be a fun and exciting thing, but it can also be frustrating and tiresome. However, it doesn’t have to be a disaster! Make plans in advance and count your costs before you do anything. It could be that the present isn’t a good time to embark on a large project. Choose your timing wisely by looking at your family calendar and being realistic. Enjoy your home by not putting unnecessary pressure on yourself and your loved ones.