7 Common Mistakes People Make Doing DIY Home Reno

Do you know what the most common mistake people make when trying to do DIY home renos? It's not measuring twice and cutting once. The number one thing that goes wrong is not thinking about the consequences before starting a project.

The average DIY home reno job takes somewhere between 2 weeks and four months to complete, but this time varies greatly depending on how often the person taking on the project has done it before and what type of project is being done. When doing a DIY home renovation, it's widespread for people to make mistakes that hinder the overall quality and speed of completing the project, and many people make at least one of these seven common mistakes:

Time Wastages

A significant amount of time is expended on a task before having a clear plan to complete it successfully. A lack of planning wastes time and money as most tasks will have to be redone multiple times as the project progresses.

Poor Planning

Lack of planning during a DIY renovation is one of the most common mistakes people make when doing their renovations. They believe that they can complete a project quickly since they'll be there working on it every day and don't feel like planning is an absolute necessity. However, having a clear plan before beginning the project ensures that there won't be any wasted time or money later down the road when it's discovered that something was done incorrectly and needs to be redone.

Poor Skills

The project assumes a skill level in completing tasks that the person doesn't possess, so they don't bother consulting with others who have more experience before beginning. For example: if a person is attempting to re-tile their bathroom floor, but they've never done it before, they should spend some time finding out what the best tile size and spacing is for this type of project, or if a person is insulating an exterior wall, but they don't know how to use spray foam correctly, they should read up online or find someone who can teach them before beginning.

Lack of Accountability

The DIY home reno is done without accounting for the effort needed to maintain the completed project afterward. As a result, minor puddles or even bugs begin to build up after only a short period. Supporting specific tasks, especially those involving water or electrical systems, can be very difficult if the person doing the DIY home reno hasn't done it before and doesn't know what to look out for.

Failing to Consult with Experts

People who do their home renovations should consult with others who have experience doing similar renovations before beginning. This ensures that they can get advice and help to take on the project. Without consulting other people, it's effortless to make incorrect assumptions about how to complete specific tasks, which can lead to problems later down the road when those assumptions need to be revised due to being incorrect all along.

Lack of Experience

The person doing the DIY renovation may have no experience in completing similar projects. Or, they've never completed a home reno before at all, and rather than ask for help to ensure their plan is sound, they instead make assumptions about what's needed to complete specific tasks. This leads to problems down the road when it's discovered that their initial assumptions were incorrect, and the person is forced to spend time and money fixing these issues. Assuming you can do something independently without any previous experience in doing it yourself will lead to problems down the road. For example, if a person is installing deck railings but has never done this before, they should consult with someone who has experience doing it to make sure they understand the required materials and methods.

Lacking the Right Tools

With the right tools, one can complete a task efficiently. However, without the right tools, one might make a mistake. For example, in 2013, a young woman was trying to fix her car with just a socket wrench and ended up stripping the threads on her oil pan, causing damage that would have been avoided if she had enough tools. She could have gotten a cheap set of socket wrenches for around $20 at a local hardware store and not made a mistake like that. When trying to complete a task or build something, they must have the right tools (like a ride on floor scraper); otherwise, they might make a mistake and waste time and money. They might even end up damaging whatever it was they're building!

The most common mistakes people make when doing home renovations are not considering the cost of materials, underestimating how much work it will take to complete the project themselves, or getting in over their heads with too many projects on the go at once. Let our experienced team help you plan your next renovation by giving us some basic details about what type of service you need like, interior painting. We'll get back to you right away with a proposal for your specific needs - no obligation!